From the Loldogs chronicles

moar funny pictures

Check out Tucker! He has been captioned on Loldogs. If you'd like to see the page (and also where you can recaption the photo), click here. Be sure to vote for him so he can be featured on the main page. It's a perfect way to while away those final work hours on a Friday. TGIF!

Adorableness, Thy Name is Ripley

Recently, I went out-of-town to visit a friend. And I met her oh-so-sweet French Bulldog for the first time. So without further adieu, let me introduce Ripley.

Check out that nose, those ears and her buttercream coat. And that expression. She says so much with that look. I can just hear her now.

What's that? I think I hear the distant rumblings of someone preparing food in the kitchen.

I was right! There is food...And here it comes now.

Can someone help a girl out here? Can't. Quite. Reach.

Just a leeeee-tle bit closer, and this 7-layer dip could be mine.

(Little Miss This and That in: If you'd like to make a 7-layer dip for Super Bowl Sunday, check out an AllRecipes.com version here. No cooking required! Though if you don't like your refried beans cold, you could certainly make a hot version too. Just add the cheddar cheese on top of the refried beans for added melted goodness.)

Fine, I guess I'll just have to settle for watching the football game with you humans if you're not going to share any of your food. But I'm totally going to take up a spot on the couch.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday!

Say Hello to My Little Friend

No, no, this is not Scarface, though that wouldn't be a bad name for a male betta, given their reputation as Siamese fighting fish.

Actually, this guy here was named for the brightest star, Arcturus, in the constellation, Boötes. The name Arcturus means "Guardian of the Bear" in Greek, and the star was named as such since it was the brightest one in Boötes, which itself is next to the Greater and Lesser Bear constellations, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

This is a face only a mother could love, really. But one of the cool things about this face is that it has a labyrinth organ that allows the fish to breathe from the surface of the water, in addition to its gills. I imagine that this organ developed in order to help the fish survive in the rice paddies of Siam, where they originated.

But the labyrinth organ allows the betta to be confined to very small spaces (I have heard of people putting them in wine glasses for a party, but removing them afterwards, of course), although in reality, they need 1.5-2 gallons of water to live comfortably. Because they also must breathe from the surface, I suggest using a bowl that maximizes the surface area of the water.

Did you know it's hard to take pictures of a fish in the water? It's easier if they are in a bowl, I suppose, than if they were out swimming in a pond, or the ocean.

But a male betta is still not the easiest thing to photograph, especially Arcturus. Apparently, he's a little camera-shy. Though it might have something to do with the big creature he sees outside his bowl with a large black object.

I'm not sure though; I'm afraid that will remain one of life's unsolved mysteries.

And Now a Message From Our Sponsor

Basset Hound Security Company!

Basset Hounds are great security dogs, but only if someone is home, really. Otherwise they tend to bark at any number of things, including falling leaves. And they will probably only snap at pesky flies. This is them on high alert.

High alert status doesn't seem to last very long though. Come to think of it, Basset Hounds tend to be a bit lazy, especially when it's hot. And they are very food-motivated, so a nice, juicy bone might be all it takes to distract them.

But they are so very cute, don't you think? So they have that going for them. Though what that has to do with security, I have no idea. Sometimes my brain can't handle these difficult questions.

So I'll just focus and stare deep, deep into those big, brown eyes. Oh yes, now I get it. They hypnotize you into submission with those big, brown eyes. That's their security method.

Mystery solved!

Stay tuned for the next episode of "The Non-Adventures of Tucker & Lucy." Thank you and have a nice day.

How to Spend a Saturday

Some days are just lazy days. The kind that are best spent with not too much on the agenda.

I realize that for most people these types of days might be luxuries that are few and far between, if they exist at all.

Tucker, on the other hand, seems to have these days in spades. I guess that's the benefit of being a basset hound.

Yeah, I feel you Tucker. I think you've got got the right idea here. I might just go grab a cup of coffee, top it off with some whipped cream, and join you here.

A Belated Message from Tucker & Lucy

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."

-Abraham Lincoln

Tucker, do you care to start us in a rendition of "America the Beautiful"? Howl together now.

Mr. Personality

Yesterday I mentioned that I went to a feed store over the weekend to get feed for my horse. And then I realized that I hadn't even introduced this guy to you. I don't know where my manners are.

So without further ado, I present for you, The Reigning Knight, aka Knight aka Mr. Personality aka Very Large Beast (VLB). In case you are wondering what breed the VLB actually is, the answer is an American Saddlebred.

He celebrated his golden birthday this year on April 21st, so he isn't exactly a spring chicken.

But don't tell him that. He still thinks he's a young buck, and he has a personality to match. And Knight is convinced he's quite the ladies' man. Just don't tell him that he's a gelding and might be missing some, um, key parts for being a true ladies' man. I'm not sure he'd understand.

Kaknight, are you ready for a photo shoot? You look ready.

Okay, maybe not. I'll wait for you to finish scratching your itch.

Knight still doesn't appear convinced that he's ready to for pictures. But I think with sufficient motivation he might change his mind.

Yeah, your face is a little dirty, Kaknight, but that's okay. I don't think anyone will notice much.

Yup, he's ready.

Watch out, there's a VLB on the loose.

Faster than a speeding bullet? Probably not, but maybe a flying nun? Um, maybe not that either. But this is pretty much his top speed. He's not going to be challenging Rachel Alexandra in a hoof race anytime soon (Get it? Not a foot race, but a hoof race. Ha!). Though I'm sure he'd like to have her as his girlfriend. She's a pretty hot-to-trot filly.

Wait, where'd he go? Apparently he is moving much faster than I am taking pictures. Whoops.

Oh, there you are.

I was wondering where you went.

Are you ready for your watermelon rinds* now? At least wipe your nose before you eat. We wouldn't want anyone to think that you don't have any manners. But I'll would still kiss you on your soft nose, even with all that dirt and gunk. Just don't tell people, okay? They might not understand.

*Yes, I saved the watermelon rinds from this watermelon to give to Knight. I could have put them in the compost bin, but it's much more fun to feed them to him. He's not spoiled at all. Not one bit. Okay, maybe just a little.

Puppy Portraits

This is Ben. He is quite possibly the happiest dog I have ever met. His tail is constantly wagging, even when he is laying down. He is all grown up now, but I couldn't keep such an adorable puppy portrait to myself, now could I?

(And Ben is technically the only puppy you'll see in this post, but I like the alliteration of the title, so I'm keeping it.)

This is Scout. Both Ben and Scout are not only Labrador retrievers, they are also assistance dogs, who help their disabled handlers do just about everything. They were trained in their early years by the nonprofit organization, Tender Loving Canines.

Scout came over for a visit, but he seemed a bit bored just laying around like the basset hounds, so I decided to see if he would follow some commands, none of which I was sure he knew.

I must have seemed a bit of a bumbling idiot (though this comes as no surprise) when I said "bring" to Scout and pointed at his toy. But Scout seems like the type of dog who can really think on his feet, and he popped up, grabbed the toy and carried it to me, then waited for me to take it from his mouth.

I'm sure he was wondering what this crazy lady was doing (I mean, why would I want his toy?), but he put up with me. Scout has the patience of a saint.

Scout looks deeply pensive. But he's probably just wondering what in the world I'm doing laying down on the floor with my camera. He's still probably thinking I'm crazy.

And I couldn't very well leave the basset hounds out of the post. So here is Tucker.

Tucker can really boogie. I mean, he's fast...for a basset hound, anyway.

I like to think he's hurrying to see me, but it might have to do with the treats in my pocket. But I'm just going to tell myself it's because he likes me.

Lovely Lucy lounges. She can move out too, but being a basset hound, what she probably does best (next to smell) is hold down important things like dog beds and comforters and couches. And sometimes, just simply the floor, as it works in a pinch if one of the aforementioned places is too far away.

It's a very important job, and I think Lucy's got it down pat.

I'm glad it's Friday, and I hope I'll get to emulate Lucy a little bit this weekend. As far as the lounging goes, that is. I might look funny with long ears and all that fur.