Local History

          It’s not every dog who has the run of the Stanford campus in his own backyard. Lucky me, I do.

          I started the day bright and early today with a brisk campus walk at 7 a.m. I have a few favorite spots I like to show my walking partners – the historic sandstone and tile old quadrangle where freshman girls become Stanford women by kissing a senior under the full moon; the sparkling new science quadrangle with its contemporary interpretations of the original, mission-style architecture; and the Papua New Guinea sculpture garden with its Rodin-inspired carvings of totems, animals, and even The Thinker!

          My favorite spot of all is the little-known cactus garden that Mrs. Stanford planted near the proposed site for the new family home. Sadly, in the throes of grief over the death of Leland, Jr., the new family home never was built. Instead, a mausoleum occupies the site, housing the remains of Mama, Papa, and Leland Stanford, Jr.

          Mrs. Stanford’s Arizona cactus garden is just a stone’s throw from the mausoleum, off the beaten path but not far from civilization. This time of year the succulents are in bloom – prickly and colorful. Some of the plants look like something out of Dr. Seuss … or The Flintstone’s!

          Next time you’re on campus, check it out!

Toothless

Some readers (fans?) have noticed that my smile is a little different from other dogs, and there’s a reason for that: I’m missing like 12 teeth!

I don’t really know how it happened; Mom took me to the vet one day and the next thing I remember, they were gone! Mom wasn’t too happy about it, but I think the lady in the white coat said it was necessary… Honestly I was a little mopey after it first happened. It’s hard to learn how to eat and chew again when you’re a few teeth short. Jack joked for a little bit that we should change my name to Fang, but I don’t think I could handle another name change… But even though it was embarrassing, I practiced and practiced, and now it feels like normal!

Don’t think I’m all bark and no bite either, my teeth are just as good as anyone else’s. I still love to play tug of war, and I can still defend myself, it’s just a little different than it used to be. Change like that can be scary, but I promise, with hard work, you can get through it!

When I'm Alone

When everyone goes out and I have the house to myself, I can do whatever I want! But… that’s not as much fun as it sounds. I like snuggling and socializing, so being alone can be kind of boring sometimes, especially because I don’t know how to tell time and I don’t know how long I’ll be alone for! Sometimes it feels like forever!!

Things are usually pretty quiet when the house is empty. There’s no one to play with, so I try to focus on work and not get to excited every time a car that looks like Mom’s drives by… I know she’ll come back! It’s moments like this that I remember I’m an extrovert, and I get my energy from playing with others.

Luckily I’m never home alone for too long, and Mom makes sure people check in on me if she can’t, so I’m usually only a short nap away from seeing her again!

A Home of My Own

Jack’s house has so many fun places to sleep! This past weekend I took a trip over there and found a new place to den that I just had to share. His coffee table opens up and just happens to be the perfect size for me! As soon as we figured it out, he quickly put some blankets in there for me and I made myself at home. I don’t think I’ll be moving out of Mom’s house anytime soon, but it’s nice to know that I’ll have a place of my own if I need it. (Don’t worry Mom, I’m not going anywhere!)

Spring is here!

Spring is here, spring is here, spring is here!!

I love spring! There are so many colorful flowers and the weather is so nice, not too hot or too cold; I think it’s my favorite time of year! I always take a little extra time on my morning walks to smell the fresh flowers, and this time of year, they’re especially potent. Of course, it’s easy for me to enjoy all the different smells, I don’t have any allergies. That’s not true for all the people I live with though, they have to start taking allergy medicine so they’re not sneezing all day.

If you need springtime allergy medicine, don’t be afraid to get some; I want everyone to enjoy the nice weather as much as I do!

The Invitation

When I first moved in with Mom, I wasn’t allowed on the furniture. Well, okay, we told everybody I wasn’t allowed on the furniture, and whenever we had company I’d be a good boy, but when it was just Mom and I, she’d pick me up and play with me on the couch… our secret!
I loved couch time so much that eventually I started jumping up on the couch whenever she sat down, but it wasn’t the same.

“Were you invited?” She would ask me.

I would look at her expectantly, my tail wagging as it slowly occurred to me that no, I wasn’t invited, and I’d hop back down. The couch just isn’t as warm if I’m not invited… I’ve gotten better at figuring out when I’m invited though. Sometimes I can even hop up without needing a vocal invitation, but I still like to be sure I’m invited. Something about the invitation makes me feel sure that it’s okay for me to be up there, that there’s a place for me; otherwise, I’m just walking all over people, which isn’t super comfy.

Of course, every now and then I’ll try my luck and hop up on my own. It feels weird, but sometimes Mom lets me get away with it!

Tricks and Treats, Part I

         The first trick I ever learned was “Jump!”

           Both my Cousin Luna (Yorkie) and my Cousin Ellie (Havanese) know this trick. Their people stand in tree pose – aren’t you impressed by my reference to yoga? With one foot firmly planted on the opposite.  inner calf, our people’s legs form an open triangle, just big enough for little guys like us to leap through. Ta da!

          It didn’t take me long to master the trick. We didn’t even need a YouTube video for this one. It’s my first, my easiest, and maybe my most impressive trick, the one we always save for company.

          “Jump!” She says, and I take a running start at Her Vrksasana.

          Trouble is, sometimes Her balance is not so good. Sometimes, as I’m in mid-approach, she teeters from Vrksasana and winds up in Tadasana (which is mountain pose for you uninitiated.) There’s no getting a “ta da” when she’s in Tadasana, Then I can’t “jump!” and I don’t get a treat, which hardly seems fair.

          My workaround is another crowdpleaser: Roll over.

          I like “roll over” because her Tadasana poses no impediment to my “ta da” and my treat!

Finding a Spot in the Sun

There are lots of great places around the house to rest your head, but I’ve noticed that if you spend just a little longer to find the right spot, it makes it that much better. Take Mom’s office for example; it’s got some great corners to lie down in, or if I’m feeling bold I can go up on the couch, but if I take my time I can find a nice warm spot in the sun.

I’ve noticed this happens outside too; there are spots that are warmer and nicer if you look for them. Laying down wherever doesn’t hurt, but you’ll be glad you put in the extra effort, I promise! Next time you need to settle down somewhere, take a little extra time and I’m sure you’ll be even more comfortable when you finally find that nice sunny spot!

Oh yeah. I could stay here for hours…

Hunger Games

I suppose it’s a symptom of middle age -- that moment when you tip the scales at the impossibly high number you never thought you could possibly reach.

For me, that number was 19.8 pounds – dangerously close to the 20-pound limit to travel in the cabin of a commercial airplane. One extra treat, one more bite of kibble, and I could be … grounded! Even my vet, the kind and beautiful Dr. Smith, who I like a whole lot, said I needed to lose a few.

This came as a mighty blow. I mean, what does a dog really have to look forward to? A pat on the head, a walk in the park, and chow time! That’s it, at least that’s it if you’ve been neutered, which I have. Food is one of my greatest pleasures.

It’s been a few months on the diet dog food, and I gotta say, it’s been pretty rough. Or roughage. Actually, both. All I can tell you is what goes in one end comes out the other. TMI? Portion control is a whole other story.

Thankfully, my tale has a happy ending. When I got on the scale at Dr. Smith’s today, I weighed in at a svelte, fly-ready 18.6 pounds! That’s seven pounds in dog pounds! Oh, wait. That’s dog years, isn’t it?

Don’t mind me. I’m befuddled by hunger.

But when those black boxes with the little wheels come out of the closet again, I’m in, Baby! I’m in!

Picky Playtime

I try to play and exercise every day. Luckily, I’m small enough that I can play inside, when I’m in the mood!

But here’s the thing, I won’t play with just anybody. And I have to be in the mood, I’m very particular about what mood I’m in when I’m playing. Don’t take it personally if I’m not feeling playful when you visit, it’s just how I am, and being playful on command is a trick this dog ain’t learning. (Woof!)

Lucky for me, I’m small enough that when I do want to play, I basically have my run of the house; I’m small enough to play inside and outside. Outside I like to chase squirrels and roll on the ground, and inside I usually play fetch with my toys, tug of war, or tricks and treats. I’ll tell you more about tricks and treats when I’m feeling more confident!.

I’ll play fetch with just about anything, but I get to pick the toy. Again, I can’t help it, I know what I like! Only a few special people can pick the toy for me. Playtime is a time when I really let down my guard, so I’ll only play with people I feel safe with… I hope that doesn’t make me sound spoiled!

Lookout Scout, or… Doing My Job

         The walnut Victorian chair that has been in the family for five generations is my window on the world – or at least, the street in front of my house. From my perch on the chair, I see children walking by on their way to school (arf!), delivery men double-parked as they dash up to a neighbor’s porch (arf! arf!), other dogs out walking their people (triple arf!).

          When anyone approaches our front door, I let loose with an arf-arf-arf for the ages! Our old house has no doorbell. But it has me!

          There are a couple of visitors I love so much I practically pee when I see them coming. One is Ewa, who stays with me when my family goes away overnight without me. I always know when she’s coming because the day before she arrives, the black boxes on wheels come out of the closets. I hate those black boxes. I hate that they go, but I love it when Ewa comes! She takes me on extra-long walks and speaks to me in a language I don’t really understand, but I can tell that she’s saying nice things by her tone.

          Another person who makes my tail wag like crazy is Jack. Jack is so cool… he comes in and sits down and lets me leap onto his lap. He pets me as he visits the family. Sometimes he takes me over to his house. I have special spots there where I like to hang out. Under his bed is one of my favorites.

I don’t bark at Ewa or Jack. But anyone else will hear my arf-arf-arf when they approach. There’s no need to be alarmed. After all, I’m just doing my job.

Toy Collection: I had a little Blue Thing...

This is another one of my favorite toys, my blue thing! It looks a lot like my fish, but it plays music when I chew on it: “dreidel dreidel dreidel.” I don’t know what it means! Mom gave it to me when I was helping her run the Hillel in the winter. There were a lot more things shaped like my blue thing around the house back then, but I guess they’re seasonal, because after eight nights, we put them all away! Luckily my blue thing is in season all year long.

I saw some people around the house spinning these things, but mine doesn’t spin very well. It’s really chewy though! In fact, I’ve chewed on it so much, mine has a hole in it… I hope I don’t need to wait until next winter to get a new one!

Going Bandanas! Or… The Naked Truth

Some people have noticed that I’m a pretty fashionable dog; I always wear a bandanna for flare. I think it’s really boosted my charm, and my mom keeps buying more (I think they’re all different colors but it’s hard for me to tell).

It started with a phone call.

“Your boy Scout is ready,” I heard my groomer speak into the phone.

My heart leaped with joy! Soon She would walk through the door and rescue me from the cacophony of washing and drying and cutting and snipping a dozen other yapping four-leggers parked in kennels all around me.

Me? I sat uncaged next to my groomer as she coifed another. No kennel for me. I am a good boy Scout.

Not long after that, I arrived home with a neckerchief tied around me – standard issue for any good boy scout.

She bought me another. Then another. And another.

The next time I went visiting, I arrived home with yet another kerchief of the bandana variety. Soon, She was changing my bandanas on a monthly rotation to coordinate with the colors of upcoming seasons and holidays.

            I’ve become very attached to my bandanas. Like American Express, I don’t leave home without one. In fact, when my bandana falls off after a wild and woolly game of fetch, I’m embarrassed. The naked truth is… I feel naked!

            At last count I had 17 bandanas. I hear 18 is a lucky number.

My Cousin Luna

This is my cousin Luna. She is crazy.

She has so much energy it makes me feel like an old dog. Every time she visit, she jumps on the furniture and runs around, I don’t know how she does it. She lives pretty far away, so I don’t see her too often, which is kind of a relief. (I really hope she doesn’t see this.)

I’m not really related to Luna, but mom says she’s part of the family. I think she is a Yorkshire Terrier.

Even though we butt heads a lot, I like having her around when she’s calm. It’s kind of nice to have someone else in the house that’s my size… as long as she doesn’t eat my food!

Out Like a Lion

Just when I thought it was sunny springtime, it started raining again!

Sometimes rain just means I get a little wet on my walks, but when it’s really bad, I need to get out my rain gear. Mom puts little booties on my paws to keep them dry and warm, which is really nice when the ground is so muddy and dirty—white fur gets dirty quickly! The first time I wore them, they took a little getting used to, but they feel a little more comfortable now… Still, I think I’d prefer if I didn’t have to wear them…

Besides booties, I also have a little rain coat! I really don’t mind wearing it as much as the boots, and it keeps me way more dry! Hopefully I won’t need to wear them for much longer, I’m ready for spring time!

What's in a Name?

For a few weeks there, I had no name.

“Here, Boy,” She’d say. “Good Boy.”  

It wasn’t always so. My first family called me Amelio. But then, for reasons I can’t understand, they gave me away. Sure, I messed in the house a little and chewed a shoe or two. I was just a puppy, after all. Talk about no second chances. Before I knew it, I was out.

My second family named me Blaze because I could run like wildfire. I had to. The kids stuck their fingers in my eyes and when I growled my objection, the father whacked me on the snout. It wasn't long until they gave me away, too.

I was kind of scruffy back then….

By the time I was three I’d had two names and three homes and had landed in the custody of Doggie Protective Services. And so I waited in foster care, trotted out at weekend pet fairs, hoping someone nice might come along to rescue me. Competition was steep. There were a lot of rescue dogs to choose from. And by now I had a reputation. No men, no kids were the warnings attached to my adoption papers. I watched as other dogs were adopted, strutting away to their forever homes.

And then one day, She came along. She talked to my foster mom, walked me around the parking lot, sized me up. I really liked her.

 “I’ll take Blaze,” She said.

 “No men in the home?” the boss lady asked. “No children?”

 “No problem,” She said. She looked kind of sad.

The first few weeks at Her house, I had no name.

“Sit, Boy,” She’d say. “Stay, Boy. Good boy.”

Who was Boy?

The house was big and empty. There were a lot of rooms that we never seemed to go in, filled with the faint smells of other people. I slept in a kennel next to Her bed. We walked the block five times a day. She taught me tricks. Sometimes, She cried.

            “Hey, Boy,” She’d greet me in the morning. “Mommy always comes back,” She said whenever she left the house.

And so it went, until one day, snuggling on the sofa watching Her favorite TV show, she cooed, “Hey, Boy, aren’t we lucky we found each other? It sure took you a long time to scout out a good home.”

She looked at me for a moment; something just clicked.

"What do you think about 'Scout'? She smiled and held me close.

That’s how a rescue dog from three homes with two name got his forever name, Scout. As I rested my head on Her cozy lap, I wondered, “Who really rescued whom?”

Outside!

Lately it seems like the weather has been getting warmer, and it’s been raining less. I get kinda stir crazy if I’m inside for too long, so it’s important to enjoy the good weather while it’s here.

If I’m not going out for the day, I like to lie in the warm tanbark in my back yard with the flowers. Sometimes it’s so peaceful that I fall asleep! I can’t rest too long though; there are a lot of squirrels and birds that come by now that we have a bird bath, and I have to keep the house safe.

I don’t know why everyone feels like they need to run around all the time, but I think everyone would feel better if they slow down a little. I know people are pretty busy, but take some time to smell the flowers!

Bath time!

Sometimes when I fall asleep outside, or walk on a rainy day, I get dirty before it’s time for my haircut. Haircuts are great, because I feel all sporty and clean, but every now and then mom has to clean me instead. I don’t really mind though, I love mom!

She picks me up and puts me in the kitchen sink, and runs warm water all over my fluffy fur. After a little soap, I’ll get another rinse, and then she dries me off. Sometimes people laugh, because I look so much smaller when my fur is wet. I think she used to bathe her baby boys in this sink too, so it really makes me feel like a part of the pack.

I hope everyone is staying clean!

Denning and Feeling Safe

Even though it’s my job to guard the house, sometimes I get scared.

Whenever I get sacred, I like to have something over my head to feel safe. I like to drag my bed under tables or desks and make a little den for myself. Sometimes my people even help me, bringing things to make the space feel a little more safe, or toys to make me feel comfy.

I think it’s important for everyone to have a safe place, so if you don’t have one, maybe you should try denning too! It’s a lot of fun, and you won’t regret it when you need some time for yourself.

Toy Collection: Fish

I have lots of great toys, but one of my favorites is my blue and white fish! I love to play tug of war and fetch with it, and when I chew on it, it makes a noise! When I bite down it says “Oy vey.” Actually, I think this is my second fish. Mom had to buy me a new one because I chewed on my first one so much, I ripped it and broke the noise maker. Oh well. That’s the sign of a well loved toy, right?

Mom also likes my fish a lot. I can’t read, but she thinks it’s funny that it says “gefilte” on it. We play together almost every day! Have a good weekend everyone!