The Only Time She Smiles

Macy does not strike me as a particularly happy dog. She's quiet, never asks for anything, unless I'm in the kitchen. She does follow me down the hall to the office or bedroom...but mostly it's like not having a dog at all. After all these months, she still hesitates when we come in the back door. I have to invite her in HER  home several times a day. When I look at her, she still seems blue... Her crooked little eyebrows only make her more sad...

But when she's roaming free, she's a different dog. She's forever grinning!

The arthritis in her elbow make her limp something fierce...but she just loves to be out on the trail!

Heck, even her feet look happy!

She did get lost and just panic and disappear on me twice... And there have been more "cactus incidents" than I can count, but, she's a wonderful trail dog! She comes when called, doesn't want to pull the horse tails (in hopes of horse d'oeuvers) and lives to explore. It's wonderful to see her this happy...if only for an hour a day!

Happy Birthday to the Girl I Miss

Happy Birthday Mabel Lou! You would have been 13 today!

I'm not doing so well without you. Sure, I put on a brave face and I try to hold it together... but it's so hard.

Your replacement - that I'm certain you picked out for me - is a troubled pup. And while I'm flattered that anyone thinks I can handle this, it's so very hard.  She is such a fearful pup... I can feel her trembling when I pet her. The slightest touch can send her scurrying away and looking back at me as if I had done the most horrible, vile thing to her. Mostly, I just feel like I don't know what I'm doing at all. And I fear I'll never be able to help her.

I miss having a rough and tumble dog, one that loves a good, hearty scritch. I miss having a dog who wags her tail: the sound of my voice, the songs I sing, a tennis ball, a lizard, a golf ball, a friend... they all had their own special dance performed by the tail that was the reason I gave up on coffee tables.

I miss a dog that plays: hide and seek, chase, ball, hide the baby (stuffie). All brought you so much joy. I've given all your toys away as they mean nothing to her. I have very real fears that by the time I have a playful dog again, I'll be too old to run and jump and roll.

I miss having a dog that doesn't run squealing down the hall when I ask her to kiss my ugly mug. I miss sleeping next to you, even those times when  you would wake me as you dug my hands out from under the covers because you needed petting in the middle of the night. I miss having a dog that will nap as long as I like. I miss the earthy creeky smell of your paws.

I actually miss the constant interruptions when I work. Your perpetual nagging for me to pay attention to you. I miss our arguments. Even though we spoke different languages, I understood you and you got me! You could make your case as well as any lawyer. I would often cave... but when I said no, you would give in but make your displeasure known.

I miss having such a funny, smart, and sweet dog.

I miss you...

Warning for Shelter Dogs Looking for Homes

Hello good pups and peeps of Blogville! Macy Blue here with a serious warning for shelter pups looking for a good home.

I am imploring all shelters to start asking humans planning to adopt about what kind of work they expect from their pups! Take me, for example. Sure, I thought I was being adopted into a nice home but my momma is a slave driver!  There is a never ending amout of jobs I have to do!

In addition to reminding her to slow down and drink coffee, I have to remind her about walks and hikes and meal times. I don't think she would know when to go to sleep without me!  But that's not all!

Momma makes glass beads and it's my job to inspect them! Let's look at a typical endless day in the life of a bead inspector!

O.K. Momma, whadya make today??

Well this arrangement is a hot mess Momma! Really! How do you expect anyone to buy this crap set of lovely beads??/

And really?? I have to inspect all these??? What kinda super pup do you think I am??

You need to move that one off the edge of your fancy (NOT!) photo paper Momma!

This stupid seashell is her attempt at being Etsy fancy! BOL!!! Yeah Momma, that looks good! {Insert eye roll}

C'mon Momma! Aren't you done yet??? Geez! You take more pictures of beads than you do of me!

And Momma?? You're gonna haveta 'splain to me why witches need so many boobs... do they have litters too?? 

As you can see, I've clearly been adopted into slavery! Don't let this happen to you good pups! Save yourselves!!!

Product Review:

Hello good peeps and pups of Blogville! Macy Blue here with another review for Chewy.com! OMD! We got a Chewy box today full of goodies! Mom finally signed up for that automatic delivery so I don't have to run low ever again! (Mom's mentals are NOT all that!) But I'm a bit off track!

Ok, Momma, whadweget??? 

Oh that's right! It's national pet dental health month... I don't really think much about my teeth but I do know my Momma's been complaining with hers... but she's like a hundred years old... I'm just a pup of almost four. You wouldn't think I'd need to worry about them.

...What's that Momma??? I get an extra treat to take care of my teeth??? Well, heck, I'm IN! We get to review SmartChips: The Healthy Alternative to Rawhide in Peanut Butter Flavor.

Oh, I'm 'sposed to show you the nice package.

 

My Momma HATES rawhide... she's seen it hurt pups awful bad! But she was curious about these because they were made from dried chicken breast. And she says they look like rawhide. She loved how long it took me to chew them up. 

Here are the ingredients: Corn, Chicken, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Fructose, Pork Gelatin, Peanut Butter, Barley Malt Syrup, Maltodextrin, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Carrots, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Ferrous Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Sulfate, Artificial Flavor, Niacinamide, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Sodium Pyrophosphate, Sodium Propionate (preservative), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Vitamin E, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, FD&C Red 40. Vitamins & Minerals: Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, (Niacinamide, Vitamin E, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement

 Ok Momma, now that we got that out of the way, GIMME!!!

Oh! Nom nom nom!!!

Excuse me... gotta chew....

Yum Yum Nom Nom!

STILL chewing!

Seriously, Momma gave me ONE treat and took about a million pics!

Whew! Well my teeth ought be clean! Wait! I still have to hoover the ground!

 

 

I just LOVE the Smartchips... but Momma, as always has her own opinions!  So take it away Momma: 

Macy Blue Momma here. As always finances are of a concern... These are actually affordable...coming in at 4 cents more each than the Checkups we currently buy. And Macy LOVES them, another plus. I also really like how long it takes her to devour them.  Our regular ones are gone in seconds...these take several minutes of devoted chewing. 

On the downside, I don't like that the first ingredient is corn. I try to feed as little corn as possible and won't even consider a dog food with corn in it. And these have way more ingredients. But I can still see us buying these. But let's give Macy the final word:

Thanks Momma! I give SmartChips four paws up! Momma gives them a reluctant two thumbs up...mostly for the corn.

Neither Creekhiker nor Macy Blue were compensated for this review. Mr Chewy sent one bag of SmartChips Peanut Butter Flavor  for Macy Blue to devour... or not.

Spitting Fire

Dear people of Orange County CA... do you recognize this dog? Was she once yours? If you are the one who claimed her as your own and then proceeded to break down every fiber of her spirit and being, you make me want to hunt you down and hurt you.

I am not a violent person... but you, I want to hurt.  I want to hurt you bad.

Look closely at her. You called her Tina. I call her Macy. Her middle name is Blue and that's my tribute to you. You made her that way. You may not recognize her because I'm 1000% certain she looks much happier now than she did with you. But if you really look into her eyes, you'll see the sadness you put there.  I only wish I could do the same for you.

I would start by making you feel so in the way and unwanted that the only place you feel safe is in a car.  I would leave you there for days on end. You would learn to hold your bodily needs for 17 - 20 hours at a stretch because you'd be severely punished if you didn't.

I would never let you in my home and on the few occasions you did get to come inside, I would beat you mercilessly for daring to come on my sofa.

And in the yard, I would spray you down with water just for fun. Over and over and over again. To the point where you would run for your life when I turned on the hose.

You would have nothing to play with. You would never go for walks. Your only joy would be the food I place in front of you.

...But... I can't do that to you. Because I don't have it in me to treat another creature on this planet in that manner. No, all I can do is try, every single day, to undo the damage you have wrought.

I take her for long walks, often in places where she's safe to run free.

I provide routine as best I can not having a set work schedule. I feed her good food and talk to her in a soft and loving voice. I buy her big juicy bones because it's the only thing that excites her. I'm trying to teach her how to play! And I pet her as much as she will allow with soft, kind and loving hands. 

I have given up the thought of long cuddles on the sofa with her, or naps in my bed. It's more than she can handle, thanks to you. But oh so slowly, I see signs that the damage is unraveling. Just this week, she sought my hand for pets... and then did the same to her aunties that we hike with.

And for every step forward, we take a giant leap backwards. We both got into stinky mud on a hike last night and I discovered how vast her fear of the water hose was. I had to think of another way that would clean my girl and not paralyze her with fear.

During this morning's "play lesson," she got over zealous and rolled over a bone. It hurt... and thanks to you, she associates that pain with me.  She hasn't come near me for two hours.  And I knew I had to write you this note.

Since I can't really track you down and hurt you, could you please just do me a favor? Do HER a favor?

The next time you even think of bringing a dog into your home... and I do mean into your home, don't!

Dogs are pack animals. If you can't "pack up" with them...eating, sleeping, living with them as part of your life and you a part of theirs, don't get a dog.

If you can't be kind, don't get a dog. If you can't be patient, don't get a dog. If you are incapable of love, don't get a dog.

Please, let that be her legacy to you...the thing she taught you. You aren't cut out for dogs so please, leave no more damaged precious souls in your wake!

Macy Blue, American Idol!

Macy Blue sings at least once every day. Often, it's in the middle of the night! Sometimes a siren will set her off. Most of her songs sound happy to me. But some are so sad... I've even flown out of bed and curled up beside her because she seems so distraught. As I've never had a wannabe American Idol, I'm most amused by her songs! I admit, I sing along (so please turn your volume down!) to egg her on!

Product Review: Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza

Chewy Rocks!

We love Chewy... Not just because they send us cool stuff to review!  They make us feel like they care! I swear, if I lived near them, I'd stalk them til they gave me a job! I've never had a job where I felt my employer would be bothered if I dropped dead... unless I left a stain on the carpet!

But look what Chewy sent: 

It's such a perfect likeness of my blue dog! I just love it! Just the other week, my hiking buddy asked Macy, "How does it feel to live in a house full of Mabel Lou art?" 

I'd never really thought about all the photos and paintings I have of Mabel...but I'm thrilled to have one of Macy! This was created by artist Lauren Hammack as a thank you for being part of the Chewy Blogger Family.

And back when I was supposed to be having surgery, Chewy sent these:

Beautiful Casablanca and Stargazer lilies!

Thank you Chewy!!! For everything!!! 

It's a Hard Knock Life

Hello good pups and peeps of Blogville! Macy Blue here. It's a hard knock life around here...mama says she's doing taxes. All I know is she sits at the puter all day and all night! And she grumbles a lot. 

So I'm left to sunbake and nap. 

But I do my stretches...

And try to look cute so Mama will take me for a walk!

I'm telling you, it's hard work!