Video Star

I, Lexi, now star in my very own video on You Tube. My Dad made the video. It is inspirational, as well as very good because, well, because I am the star.

We are very sad to inform you that Lexi passed on September 4, 2016 at the age of 13. She was the originator of this blog, and has left big pawprints to fill. Xena, Lucy, Chia and Riley are doing their best to make her proud.

Riley on Thankful Poetic Thursday

I’m on a streak here for the poetry Thursday. Chia’s complaining, but she is alway complaining about something, so all I can say is “deal with it.” I might, and I mean might let her do the poem next week. We’ll see.

Here’s the picture Angel Sammy gave us to work with. Of course, it has had a small alteration.

The Travel Guide by Riley

Hello Monsieur Bear.
It’s nice to have you here.
I hope your trip was good
And you got some fishy food.

I’m your travel guide;
I’ll take you far and wide.
Where’er you want to go
Moving fast or moving slow.

To the spots the tourists go,
Moving fast or taking it slow.
Or to spots much more remote,
Touring farms with cows and goats.

You can’t eat them when you’re there
But I’ll get you some sans hair.
We’ll go to a movie show
Or to a club b’low.

Watch that bus! It’s coming fast!
Oh crap! He shouldn’t of smoked that grass.
If that bus had only braked!
But what a pretty rug he’ll make.

A bear rug, BOL! I bet that would be super soft to lay on. Now for my thankful. My Person Andrew has been here with me all last week and all this week. That makes my heart happy.
Hey, anyone else got a thankful today?

Chia: I’m thankful that Mom and Dad’ve been taking me and my sisters on a lot more walks. I pull so hard on the leash that my nails scrape on the road and I don’t have to get them cut. I’m really thankful for that too!

Riley: Chia, you’re weird.

Chia: Grrrrrrr *runs away*

We give many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Your friends, Riley and Chia

Xena and Chia on Awww Monday

Xena: Hey Chia, wanna play? Look, I’ve got Lambie. *singing* Nah, nah, nah nah nah.

Chia: Uh, I don’t think right now, Xeboo. I’m goin’ to see what Lucy’s doin’.

*30 seconds later* Now what are we going to do, Lambie??

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!

Annie Got Skunked

Lucy here on the Groom Beat with a stinky story for you today.

Hi there dear readers. *smile* You may remember Annie, the bernedoodle who began coming to Small Dog Grooming last May.

Annie, May 2023

When her Mom contacted Groomer Mom for an appointment she said both Annie and her husband had been “skunked” at the end of February. She thought Annie was ok now, but Annie’s Dad Ed must have it lingering in his nose, cause he was still smelling it.

So last Saturday Dad Ed brought Annie for a much-needed groom. Annie hadn’t been in the small grooming room for more than two minutes when Groomer Mom realized that she still reeked of skunk. She used to have a fresh air machine that put ionic particles in the air to eliminate odors, and it worked great on dogs who had experienced the same terrible “spraying” as Annie. But, after almost 30 years it had broken and been relegated to the trash. Now what? *the tension builds*

First off, I can testify that no person can cover their nose and mouth with their hand and groom a dog at the same time. But Groomer Mom persevered in removing the affected hair, giving Annie a shorter cut – with the blessings of Annie’s Mom – than she had ever had. After that hair was all off it got bagged and taken out to the trash. Then came the bath and dry on the table. Can you guess the outcome, dear readers? Yes! The smell was all in the hair that got cut off -except for what was now in the air in the room. And in Goomer Mom’s nose…

Annie after her groom last weekend.

Annie’s Mom thinks there is a young skunk near their house and it sprayed Annie a couple more times since the first incident. She felt bad about putting Groomer Mom through that and offered to pay for the hepa/ionizing machine Groomer Mom hurried out to buy at the local Walmart as soon as Annie left! Of course, Groomer Mom thanked her and said no, she needed a new machine anyhow.

As a side note, my Mom sat with her head above the machine to try to clean the smell out of her nose. By the next morning both she and the grooming room were fine.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off of the stinky groom.

Thankful Poetry Thursday with Riley

I get to write another poem today, and I’m going to try really hard to be great at it.

I’m the Kid by Riley

I know this swing is just for kids
And the rules us pups forbid,
But I’m the kid in my family
Just with a different anatomy.

I steal the food and run through the house,
Slipping away quiet as a mouse.
When Mom’s on the phone I bark loud.
Of my high howl I’m very proud.

I’ve toys that fill the living room
Plus my own bed, my own costume.
Yet in bed with my folks I creep,
Praying, “Now I lay me down to sleep.”

Amen
Now here’s some thankfuls from my two little sisters.

Chia: Well, I have, besides the GPS tracker I already wear on my collar, yet another little tag to trace my every move. I couldn’t be happier – NOT! Why do these people think they have to know everywhere I go? And now I jingle louder as I run through the house, so they even know where I am when I’m at home. It must be an obsession. Here’s the stupid thing that’s now hanging on me. I’ll be happy when it falls off and gets lost.

Xena: My collar name tag broke, so Mommy ordered me a MYLUCKYTAG QR Code Pet ID Tag from the amazing Amazon. It looks like this. Now if I somehow get lost, my Mommy will be able to find me through something called a Gee Pee Ess, and find me even better if a nice person scans that square thing on the back and contacts her. They’ll know I’m lost cause the tag says so. She also got me one that slides on my collar that has my name and Mommy and Daddy’s phone numbers on it. I’m so thankful they love me and want me to be with them. That makes me happy.

The Mom: I’m so very thankful that such great technology exists to help get our beloved cats and dogs back to us if they should get lost. I’m also thankful that it has a free subscription so that I can see where in the world they are and so that anyone who finds them can contact me. Go technology! Here’s a link if you want to check them out. (Nope, not getting anything for this other than the satisfaction of knowing it could be of use to someone.)

And here’s many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Xena’s Happy Tuesday with Adam

I finally got to go see Adam, who loves me lots! It’s been at least since Easter that I’ve been with him. I like to ride in my kennel in the back seat. It feels safe, and I can even nap if I want to on that 87 hour drive (Mom’s note: it’s less than hour). First place we went was to the Petco place. I admit, I did shake a little when we first walked in, but then I got to look at the guinea pigs and even a pet rat! And I got to sniff the treats and try on a new harness. It’s pretty nifty looking on me too, right?

Oh darn, the pretty part is on my tummy. Oh well.

Then we picked up some food and went to the Greenway up in Cleveland, Tennessee where Adam lives. They have a new dog park, so we went in there and I found out that Mommy also bought me doggie treats. Woohoo! There were two other little dogs there – the big dogs had their own dog park next door – but I wasn’t much interested. Pretty soon the trash and my poop were thrown in the big black can and all three of us went on a walk down a paved trail through the woods. There were a few dirt paths off the paved trail, and brother Adam wanted to ‘splore one. Off we went into the wilderness, dodging vines and poison ivy and slippery slopes. After a while the path disappeared. Oops! We had already walked what seemed like a long way, and Mommy didn’t really want to turn around. So out comes her phone with that Gee Pee Ess and it showed that the Greenway was to the South West. Hmmm. I thought the South West was where the cowboys live…along with some of my blogging friends.

Next, Mommy looks up and says, “The sun’s in the west right now, and it’s around 2:00 in the afternoon, so we should go this way,” and starts leading us through leaves and more vines and under branches and pretty soon, guess what? We ended up on the paved trail. It was a fun adventure, and yes, Mommy checked me over real good for ticks when we got home, and there weren’t any on me. Here’s me and Adam after we got back on the trail

I sure do hope I get to go again in a coupla weeks when Mommy goes back to visit with my big brother.

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop! (even if it was a happy Saturday that I saw my Adam)

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Grooming with Mom: Laslo

Lucy, Ace Reporter back with a first time groom. Read on…

Laslo is a 5 month old Yorkie, and she was here for her first groom. Through the years, Laslo’s Mom’s family have brought all their yorkies to Groomer Mom. Her Mom held her for her nails, and the first nail Groomer Mom cut bled. So, since G.M. had not cut it very short, she decided to just use the dremel on the rest of the nails. Not! Poor Laslo freaked. Maybe next time…
Here is Laslo before her groom.

Laslo was not happy about the groom, either. It was all so new to her. And the bath…let’s not even talk about the bath. Groomer Mom -with her owner’s permission – tried CBD oil. It didn’t help. A kind but firm tone of voice did help. And treats. Lots of treats. Here is Laslo as she waited for her Mom to come for her.

We hope to see Laslo again in the near future!
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with another successful groom.

Run Away! by Riley

Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Here’s Angel Sammy’s fun picture and my poem for it.

Run away! Run away! by Riley

Run away kids, run as fast as you can.
No, your parents aren’t blind, they just don’t understand
They think it’s just soil from the water’s bottom,
But it’s really a monster, too late when you spot ‘im.
Run!

Well, at least I got one little kid moving! I’m thankful that I can still move around, too. I’m coughing more, but I’ve learned to lift my head up or lay it on a pillow and that helps. My Person Andrew’s been with me all week, but he’s leaving to stay with Jentry tomorrow cause it’s some big anniversary for them. I’m sure he’ll be back on Sunday, but I’ll miss him. *cough, gag, cough*

Your buddy, Riley

Happy World Unicorn Day

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

Angel Lexi: National Unicorn Day on April 9th each year celebrates the mythical horse-like creature with a single, pointed horn growing from the center of its forehead. Some day, many years from now, perhaps I’ll move from applauded and celebrated to mystical, like Spike.

Me and my buddy Spike up here with the Big Guy

May all your days be full of rainbows and unicorns.

Grooming with Mom: Funny Ears

Today’s grooming report, brought to you by Ace Reporter Lucy (me) at W-Grooming-With- Mom, is about one of her current clients.

Those of you who have been with us for a long time may remember Maggie, the pretty little poodle/shih tzu mix. Here is the story of her first time with us. She was almost 3 years old. Since then, her Dad, who started bringing her when her Mom got cancer, but don’t worry, her Mom is doing fine now, uh, her Dad agreed to Groomer Mom grooming her as a poodle. So her face and paws got shaved. He brings her every six weeks like clockwork, unless, of course, he or Groomer Mom are on vacation.

Xena: Is this all really necessary? Just get on with it! *yawn*

Ace Reporter Lucy: Xena, go back to digging in your critter holes and leave me to do the reporting!
So where was I? Oh, yes. So this last time it was 7 weeks because Mom and Dad and me and Xena were all up in Inn Dee Anna at their usual six week appointment. As Dad Dan was handing her to Groomer Mom, he commented on her “crazy ears.”

Groomer Mom was unable to get an after picture, as her Dad Dan showed up and she went crazy with excitement. Just imagine her shaved all over except her poodle head and her now not-crazy ears!

This is Lucy, signing off from the crazy ear groom.

Riley and Egg Girl on Poetry and Thankful Thursday

Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Here’s Angel Sammy’s fun picture and my poem for it.

EGGSHELL SALLY by Riley

Eggshell Sally sat on a wall
Eggshell Sally took a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t make omelet of Sally’s eggshell so thin.

As I was waiting to see what would happen
Poor Eggshell Sally (who was now Miss McCracken)
Cried out “Dear Doggie, won’t you please help me?”
So I ate up the eggshell and set Sally free!

Sally was so happy she took me to eat
All the steak and sushi and hamburger meat
My poor stomach could hold; think I’m getting too old,
Cause I woke with a start from my really loud fart!

Chia: BOL, BOL, that sounds like something I would write, Riley. Guess you do have a sense of humor after all! I’m really thankful for that, cause I think it might mean the sneers you give me are just in fun..and that you weren’t really going to bite off my head when you almost caught it when I was sticking my head into your almost- empty dog food bowl. Dad could hear your jaws snap together from the other room. Good thing I have fast reflexes!
Riley: Think again, hot dog.

Xena: I have a thankful, if you two are done. Even if you two aren’t done. I’m thankful that I haven’t had an allergy outbreak in over a year, since Mommy started giving me that Four Leaf Rover powder stuff to get rid of yeast and make my gut healthy. And Riley, believe it or not, I’m also thankful that all your itching and ear inflammation has gone away since she started giving it to you, too. (He scratched really loud and drove me crazy…at least I used to lick myself quietly.) I’m looking forward to another spring without the itchies!

Happy Thankful Thursday, everyone! Riley, Chia and Xena

Grooming with Mom: Doobie

Lucy, Ace Reporter, here on the Groom Beat. Today we have another new pup to introduce to you. Nothing exciting, but I think the word is “sweet.”

One of our current regular clients has a young teenage girl living with her. The girl has a seven month old beagle. She wanted Dooley to get a bath and a nail trim. Here is Doobie:

I didn’t get to touch her ears, but Groomer Mom said they feel like velvet. She is a very precious girl, and a bit scared of the nail trim and also the bath and dryer. Groomer Mom tried to give her cheese (with her owner’s consent), but she was too nervous to even eat it! Wow, look at those big eyes!

Before too long, Doobie heard a car pull up, and she was right; it was her Mom come to get her.

Well, folks, that’s all for now. Lucy, Ace Reporter signing off with another successful, uh, bath and nail trim.

Lucy’s Poetry and Thankful Thursday

Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Babysitting by Lucy

The folks invited me over
To watch their little kids
While they both got plastered
And soon closed their eyelids.

The children were such angels;
Never screamed or pulled my ears.
I made them both some bagels;
They had wine but no dark beers.

I’m sure their folks will be so pleased
When they awake tomorrow
To find their small angels received
My love with care apropo.

Did you like my poem? I would like to babysit. Maybe I’ll run an ad. What do you think?

Now for my thankful. I am so very thankful that Mom and Dad chose me and Xena to go on their trip with them. I’m thankful that I knew how to be a good therapy dog with all the residents who wanted to pet me at the elder care facility, too. They want me to come back as soon as I can! Maybe there’s another trip in my not-too-distant future!

Lots of wags and love, Lucy

Awww Monday

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!

Lucy: Here we are, finishing out our time in Fort Wayne. Hey Xena, let’s tell everyone what we liked about being here, besides being with our Mom and Dad. I’ll go first. I like this house and the big king size bed.

Xena: I like the pictures Mommy took of me on the stairs!

Xena: And I like the nice fenced back yard.

Lucy: I loved visiting with my grandma!

HI Grandma, I love you!

Grandma: Look at the camera, Lucy and we’ll get our pictures taken with your Mom and Xena. You’re a nice dog.

Lucy: So, despite my aversion to having my picture made, I smiled. And of course we got Xena and Mom and Miss Carol who we met there, too. She loves dogs, just like Grandma does.

Dad’s cousins and sister and brother-in-law came over to our Air B&B to visit and I made sure to give them all chances to hold me and pet me. They love me…in fact, even though Dad’s cousin is more of a “cat person,” I heard her say, “I love this dog.” I love her, too.
Well, I see everyone waiting for me at the door cause it’s time to go back home to Chattanooga. Will catch y’all next time!

*big wags and smiles* Lucy
*woof, woof* and me too, Xena

The Makeup Artist by Xena

Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Xena: It’s my turn to do the picture poem this week that Angel Sammy gave us. So here goes.

The Makeup Artist by Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Mom, I see you put your makeup on
Every day, every morn.
Your cheeks are first, then chin and head.
I watch you from beneath my bed.

My little sis will soon be grown;
I’ll help her show off her good bones.
Some eye stuff just above her cheeks;
Working to perfect my techniques.

So Mom, can I do your face next?
Why is it that you look so vexed?
To my room I go with a big sob;
I thought that I did a great job!

Lucy: Great job, Xena! And thanks for letting me do a thankful today. I’m thankful that my brother and friend Riley is doing a bit better under the careful watch and care of His Person Andrew. I’m also thankful for the sunshine so I can lay out in the yard and feel it warming my furs.
Go ahead, Chia, I think you had a thankful today too.

Chia: Yep, thanks Luce the Deuce! (te he) I’m thankful Mom and Dad get to go away to Inn Dee Anna this weekend to visit my 93 year old grandma as well as some more of Dad’s relatives. I heard that on Sunday they’re going to Inn Deann Apple Us. (Don’t these places have long, strange names?) There’s a big dance there in a huge, old ballroom, and they’re doing the big 3D’s like they did 2 weeks ago. Yes, Xena, that’s Dine, Drink and Dance, not Doggie, Doggie, Doggie. And guess what, Xena…you and Lucy are going with them. (Wow, am I ever gonna miss her!) I wish I was going but I’m also thankful that it means more time with Andrew, who is staying with me and Riley. Maybe I can get out running again like last time….

Happy Tuesday with Riley

Hi folks *wags* it’s me, Riley. Mom Amy said I should give you happy news that I’ve been doing better lately. You might already know that I’ve got an enlarged heart that presses on something called an ass off me gus* and I’ve also heard it called my wind pipe. Weird, huh? My Person Andrew has discovered two things. Thing 1: If I lay my head on the bolster, it keeps my airways open and I’m not waking up during the night coughing cause I’m struggling to breath. Thing 2: I breathe better when I don’t get too hot, and opening the bedroom window and turning on the fan helps a lot.

Mom Amy said, “Let’s show the folks you using your bolster.” So, here I am.

Sometimes the bolster rolls away from me, and when Mom Amy or MP Andrew picks it up, I lift my head for them to place it on my legs. I’ve also learned that if I sleep more on my side, that keeps the pressure off my windpipe and I’m getting more sleep and so is MP Andrew! Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

*esophagus

Grooming with Mom: Sad News/Happy News

Lucy, Ace Reporter from Grooming With Mom on the Groom Beat. Today we have both sad news and happy news.

Over the past couple of months we’ve lost two more of our sweet clients. Sunshine and Sophie were both senior ladies, and passed from natural causes. That doesn’t make their loss any less heart-rending for their loving parents. Run free Sunshine and Sophie and may all your happy dreams come true on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

On a happier note, Groomer Mom has another new client, a 3-year-old toy poodle-chihuahua mix named Pixel. When asked how she got that name, Pixel’s Mom said that when she adopted her, she wasn’t much bigger than a pixel! Her Mom doesn’t want her to look like a poodle, but she did want her coat and head and face rounded. So Groomer Mom did not do “poodly” things like shaving her feel and the top of her tail But it’s still pretty hard to make her not look like a poodle:

Isn’t she a little doll baby! To give you an idea of her size, here’s another picture with Groomer Mom’s hand holding up Pixel’s chin. (This was before her head was finished.)

By the way, for any of you who have long-haired anipals, note the bottle in the background. It is The Stuff, and it practically dissolves mats so they can be combed out. Groomer Mom recommends it to her clients.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off, and wishing everyone a lovely day.

Me and My Homie by Chia & Riley

Xena: Hey! It’s my turn to do the poem and the thankfuls!
Chia: So, Xena Weena, do you wanna go riding with the motorcycle gang? Cause, ya know, that’s what’s happenin’ here, sis.
Xena: OK, but I want to give a thankful or two.
Chia: Deal!

Chia: OK folks here we go, with lots of thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Me and My Homie by Chia
My home boy, my dew rag, now all I’ll need’s a bike.
Chuck’s a little nerdy but he’s also very nice.
We’re here to ask please, can you donate a trike?

Xena: Uh, thanks, Chia. Now it’s my turn.
Riley: Hold up, Xena. Now it’s my turn!

Riley and My Boy by Riley
I can’t let you join this gang,
You mean too much, my boy.
I know it’s been your heart’s desire…
Wait! I’ll run get a toy.

You’ll go off with these bikers,
You’ll leave me all alone.
You might get hurt in fights or wrecks,
And even break a bone!

I need to have your pets and laughs
And playful loving, won’t you stay?
Tell Mom to get your stroller out;
We’ll be our own “gang” today!

Xena: Wow, you two did really good. I’m thankful today to have a little sister and a big brother who love me. And a big sister who loves me too!

Grooming with Mom: Zoie, Then and Now

Lucy, Ace Reporter on the Groom Beat, reporting in on a schnauzer pup who has been coming to Groomer Mom for a little over two years.

Zoie (pronounced Zo-ee) first came to Groomer Mom in November of 2021 when she was 10 years old. She’s a sweet girl, and easy to groom. Here she is after her first groom at Small Dog Grooming.

Isn’t she precious? And so happy looking, too.

Two years later, almost to the day, Groomer Mom found a large tumor growing on her gums. Groomer Mom just sat there and cried when she found it. It was so much like when she found the same thing on her Lexi. A couple of days later, Zoie went to the vet. He could neither affirm nor deny that it was the big C. Zoie’s Mom decided to not do anything, and just let it “play out.”

This month Zoie came back for another groom. She had a lot of bad mats and short hair where her Mom had been cutting out even more mats. Groomer Mom did the best she could on her.

The fatty tumor on her chest had gotten bigger and she had lost all of her undercoat. Groomer Mom didn’t have the heart to look in her mouth again. She had also lost weight. Zoie no longer looked like the same dog, and was definitely not the same happy little schnauzer.

We ask for gentle woofs and purrs and prayers for Zoie.

Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off.

Dr. Seuss Thankful Thursday and Poetry

Chia: Hi friends! *whole body wags* Mom said I should do the Poem this week ’cause I’m the one who always “be who I am and say what I feel!” Yep, I’d be right there dancin’ with this fella. Anyhoo, I’m letting Dr. Seuss do the poem, cause, like, who could do it better? Am I right?

I still want to add my own poem.

Chia Weeah by Chia Weeah
I’ve got the cutest doggie,
She is my Chia Weeah.
I can’t bring her to work;
She might go peeah weeah.

BOL, Lucy, we’re never gonna let you forget what you did! Now here’s the real reason Mom won’t take me:

I can’t go into work;
I might run out the door
And get squished by the traffic.
Chia weeah’d be no more.

I’m thankful that brother Andrew is staying with all of us this weekend while Mom and Dad go do the 3 D’s in a place called Ybor City. Ybor City is part of Tampa, where Mom lived for a year when she was a very young adult. She sure has strange stories about her year there!

Xena: What’s the 3 D’s? Doggie, Doggie, Doggie?

Chia: No, oh sister of mine. It’s Dining, Drinking and Dancing!

I hope you enjoyed my silliness today. *wags* Many thanks to Angel Sammy for the fun picture this week and to Angel Brian for hosting Thankful Thursday!

Chia on Happy Tuesday

Chia and Xena lick the plastic wrappings their Ollie food comes in after I empty it while preparing their next supper and breakfast. I usually feed raw, but when I don’t have meat in the house or am just feeling lazy or rushed, I give them this pre-made, gently cooked food for raw or almost-raw fed dogs. And for people who can’t stand the thought of feeding raw, but want a healthier diet for their dogs. (No, I’m not getting anything for telling you this!)

Along with that, Chia knows if scraps of food are sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter, she is allowed to eat them. With that info, here is Chia!

This little girl, for as naughty as she can sometimes be, gives us so many smiles and laughter, and warms our hearts.

Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!