Swiss Lick Swissies

Alex

We had to put Alex to sleep on April 14, 2009. She was a wonderful dog, despite her volume. She was my first dog, and will always have a special place in my heart.

Happy Anniversary? Birthday?

Friday, September 2nd, 2011 | Alex, Beowulf, Dogs, Gryffindor, Indigo, Ozzy

Or maybe it’s Happy Blogiversary?

Either way, Indy, Ozzy and I (plus Alex, Gryffin and Beowulf) have been doing this for three whole years. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading, as I have definitely enjoyed writing.

To celebrate, we’re doing a giveaway. It’s not the same as the past two years – it will not be based on comments. I haven’t been blogging enough to do that, methinks, and I want it to be different. So, we’re doing a trivia contest! Which means one lucky person will receive some gifts from Indy and Ozzy!

I’ll bet you’re wondering what gifts Indy and Ozzy could possible give you that aren’t bio hazards, right? But never fear, I monitored their online shopping, and I think we’re good. The winner will receive a couple of things, but some are not determined yet. I will wait to see the size of the winner’s dog so they don’t end up with something bigger than their dog. Suffice it to say that those prizes will be Indy’s and Ozzy’s “favorite things”. (Ozzy is a HUGE Oprah fan…)

The one prize I know for sure is a Mountain Smith K-9 Cube, valued at $60.

It’s quite neat. It includes:

Drop down food tray
Collapsible water bowl with PEVA waterproof liner
Collapsible food bowl with cinch cord
Removable PEVA lined Food container for overnight stays
Removable interior divider
Unique top pocket access to plastic baggies
Two side mesh pockets for tennis ball carry
Soft sided Frisbee

Hmm, maybe I should keep it for myself. But the dogs really want one of YOU to get it, so I guess not.

So, on to that trivia contest thing. Here are your questions.

Why are we called “Swiss Lick” Swissies?
What particularly gross thing of Indy’s did Gryffin eat? (Yes, it made him sick.)
Who won our first anniversary giveaway? What did they win?
Who was visiting on Indy’s second birthday?
Name one thing I learned from Gryffin?
What did Beowulf receive for the Christmas of 2010?
Where did Ozzy take his “Puppy 2″ class?
What did the 2010 anniversary contest winners receive?
Name one thing I wish breeders did with puppies before they go to their new homes.
When did Indy get fixed?

Submit your answers to me via email at contests@swisslickswissies.com. All entries must be received by 10am central time on Wednesday, September 7th. In there is a tie, the winner will be chosen at random from the group of those with the same number of correct entries. All the answers can be found in blog posts over the past 3 years.

Good luck, and thanks for reading!

Ozzy updates

Friday, August 13th, 2010 | Alex, Beowulf, Dogs, Gryffindor, Indigo, Ozzy

You know, it occurred to me that I’ve been posting lots of pictures lately, but I haven’t given too much detail about life with Ozzy. I’m sure you all love the pics, but I think I’ll just talk about him and how he’s doing. It may come out as one giant stream of consciousness…my apologies in advance if it comes out as goo.

Ozzy is a fantastic dog. To be honest, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. He’s a well-mannered (well, usually), happy dog. He has a fantastic appetite, hasn’t chewed on stuff he shouldn’t (unless Indy counts) yet, and has been very easy with house training.

Actually, I jokingly mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I should rename the blog to “The Daily Swizzle” because on average, that’s all we get. We’ve had a few multiple-accident days, but he will go for four or more days without having any at all. He knows he’s supposed to go outside, and he has very good control for a Swissy. He just hasn’t figured out how to tell us he needs to go. We are pretty good at watching his signals, but we don’t always get him out in time. Of course, it happens during or post play, right when we are trying to usher him to the door. He’ll get there soon, I think. (Or is it I hope?)

Ozzy is doing very well in our household in general. I do believe I’ve mentioned before that Indy loves him, but it’s important to note that I believe Beowulf, the old curmudgeon, actually enjoys his company. I have caught them cuddling and – gasp – playing just a little bit.

His socialization is going quite well. We have completed four weeks of Puppy K, and I believe he is the star of the class. Perhaps that’s what happens when you actually work with your dog on the basics before class starts, and when you work with him daily when it’s going. I could be wrong.

There is one thing about him that worries me. While Gryffin was a great dog for obedience because he WANTED to please us, Ozzy is just plain smart. The obedience comes quickly, and he enjoys it. But I have a feeling he’s doing it because he wants to and he likes it, not because it makes us happy at all. The reason this is worrying is because this is how Alex was-extremely smart, frequently extremely obedient, but cunning beyond belief. While I say I’m worried partially in jest, it’s not all funny-although I don’t believe this is the end of the world. Put Alex’s mad skillz into a dog that will likely end up near 140lbs and tall enough to graze counter tops, and you can see why we might have issues. I guess this means training, training, and more training.

In other news, the small puppy (we brought him home at eight weeks and around 13lbs) is no longer small. He’s around three and a half months old, and weighs in at 37lbs. Our vet met him this week and believes he’s around a quarter of his eventual size. We initially thought it was possible that Ozzy may end up on the smaller side, but we have since revised our opinion. Please send help.

That’s all for now. I hope all three of my readers have a fantastic weekend! Stay cool!

Missing Alex

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 | Alex

It’s a sad week for me for some reason. Today I’m remembering and missing our old Beagle, Alex. We had to put her to sleep one year ago.

Again I ask you to give your dogs extra belly rubs and of course, food, in Alex’s memory today.

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 | Alex

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 | Alex, Beowulf