The New Movie

We've been getting Pappy parts in a few "smaller" films to help build his rep. This one's a minute and a half.

The Morning Play Date

We've started a new tradition at the Pappy household of the morning play-date. Molly, our puppy pal from up the street, is dropped off in the back yard early morning on weekdays to race around with the Papster for forty minutes until we drop her off at home on the way to work. Pappy is normally distracted with a treat when we leave, but we've seen a slightly higher yelp factor when he notices us departing with "the competition."

Friday's play-date was enlivened by the arrival of a tall dark stranger. Riggs, the German short-haired pointer from around the corner, came bounding across our neighbors' back yards, hurdling fences, oblivious to capitalist notions of property. As in the past, his objective was frolicking with the Papster. We were first introduced to Riggs a month ago when, from an upstairs window, we spotted Pappy racing around the back yard chasing something... a strange dog? Friday, I again flagged down Riggs' exasperated owner, who related his tales of despair trying to contain his Houdini dog. Just as we were getting comfortable that Riggs was satisfied to stay in the yard with Pappy and Molly, he loped off again across the neighbors' yards. The owner trundled off after him-- but then Riggs came back to our yard a minute later and we were able to corral him, concluding the morning's entertainment.

Quote from the Press

I recently contacted a reporter from the Washington Post about the important news covered in Pappy's Blog, and I got back this response: "A dog blog- who'd a thunk it."

That's right, we've got the conventional press on the ropes when it comes to the dissemination of topical news. Power to the internet, baby, power to the internet.

Pappy: The Movie Trailer

Be the first to see the amazing Pappy Movie Trailer!

Pappy and Molly

Molly, the indefagitable pup, came by and hung out with Pappy in the back yard yesterday.

Butterfly

I went out in the back yard a couple of days ago, only to be greeted by the site of a lovely monarch butterfly clinging to the french door. After we let Pappy out, all that we came across were the remnants of a wing and possibly a bit of antenna-- my wife said he snatched the bug in mid-flight.

Looking on the bright side, we saved it a long trip back to Michoacan, Mexico.

Greatest Training Successes

As we've noted before, Pappy was one of the champeen students in his doggy class. He's reached some level of mastery with come, sit, and down when he's inclined to obey. But there are some things we seem to have inadvertently taught him with absolute success:

A) We have accidentally taught him to stand at the back door as if he wants to come in, then, as soon as we open the door, race out in the back yard to coax us to come out and play.

B) He used to flop down in the grass to gnaw on his squeaky ball in relative peace. In the past two weekends we have somehow trained him to come up to you sitting at the patio table, walk under your legs, drop the ball, and then start scrambling around for it so that it feels like you are sitting on a washing machine-- until you finally pick it up and throw it.

C) We learned him very early on to take his squeaky or tennis balls into the TV room, place them right next to the bookshelf, and then "accidentally" poke it under the bookshelf with his paw or nose. Then he scrabbles around with his paw under the bookshelf, occasionally whining in complaint until you pull it out. (Thankfully he never starts barking, so you have the option to ignore him until he settles down.)

It takes constant repetition and reinforcement to train one's dog to do these tricks, but you can do it too!

His Onliest Quirk

I am going on the record that Pappy is the most naturally agreeable mutt on earth. Take food out of his mouth and he wags his tail. Put him outside, and he will wait quietly until you let him in. A dog can be barking like a berserker at him, and he is just sorting out how to play. The vet implanted a chip in him without a whimper. He's the very definition of imperturbable (perhaps oblivious?).

This affability led me to suspect that his first year of life prior to adoption was spent in some doggy utopia, and our household was inevitably disappointing by comparison. But recently we had our first glimpse of the dark side of that Eden (cue ominous music).

We had a giant black fly in the house following one of Pappy's entries and exits outside. I started waving around the Weekend supplement from the newspaper to knock it down. Pappy went all schizo, and started cowering in the next room with his ears and tail down. My wife accidentally re-enacted the event that evening when she thought Papster was in another room. It breaks our hearts.

It would seem that he's no fan of rolled-up newspapers from past experience. We're going to have to get a fly-swatter and hope for the best.

Dog of Action

He sure loves that squeaky ball, but it's beginning to drive us bonkers.

The Dump

Pappy's treat yesterday was riding in the front seat to the dump, since the back of the station wagon was full of cr*p from the shed. The weather was gloomy, but we went on to the Black Hill Dog Exercise Area afterwards. This is one of only three county dog parks in all of Montgomery county, and I was surprised to pass the Ridge Road park on the way within a couple of miles.

Black Hill Dog Exercise Area is far back amongst the picnic areas in the park-- there are small signs marking the way. It's about the same size as the Wheaton Regional dog park, with trees for shade and fine gravel surface to prevent mud.

I always thought that Pappy was pretty speedy, but some grey-snouted greyhounds quickly put those illusions to bed as they lapped him around the enclosure. It was pretty quiet initially, until a truck full of the web-published celebs from All Breed Rescue and Referral showed up and got the party started. Sierra was madly taken with Pappy, and ended up rolling around with him. Milo was a tireless ball-chaser (and I am a pretty tireless ball-thrower), despite stitches from a recent tangle with a pit bull. Blue and Bernie were cute and very playful and energetic despite their heavy coats.

The rescue volunteer was hinting that she might have the perfect pal for Pappy, but we're a bit too new at the dog owner game to be upping the ante.

Dogster

If you think Pappy's blog is ill, check out Dogster. Pappy is our Lord and Master and all, but these folks got it bad. They've got a blog to boot.