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'Dolon's FavoriteToys (Pets)

I no longer have to throw out my ratty old tees when NDM won't let me wear them any more. They can now enjoy a brief second life as 'Dolon toys!

No, he doesn't normally play with the tee by wearing it. I'm just humiliating him for a picture.

Papasan Combat (Pets)

Last stupid dog video! NDM records "puppies gone wild" in a death-lock on the papasan.

Dog Wrasslin' (Pets)

Yet more goofing around with the Flip. Here the puppies are utilizing a cheap carpet we put down for some traction -- they won't play on the hardwood floor.

Worms

Here, revealed on video for the first time, is the newest stage of NDM's mania for composting.

The Twelfth Day of Giftmas (12 of 12)

That's it! Until next year when we get to torture the puppies with costumes yet again. Ho ho ho!

The Eleventh Day of Giftmas (11 of 12)

It was an exhausting holiday for many of us -- even those of us who weren't up all night working on emergency plumbing.
Only Líle kept her energy level up the whole time. When nothing else was going on, she could always tensely point out the window at the cold-puffed squirrels.
'Dolon preferred sacking out on the visiting pillows.

The Ninth Day of Giftmas (9 of 12)

After some intense gift opening and eating, the puppies entered the squared circle for some action.
They really love the new el cheapo rug we got for them. Rough-housing isn't easy without traction.
A few hours of that and suddenly the dogs are pretty well behaved... Although, even all tuckered out, Líle is going to the trouble of standing on top of me to assert that she, not 'Dolon, is my real owner.

The Seventh Day of Giftmas (7 of 12)

We all gathered around our massive red counter for the Dawn of the Stockings. This picture was actually taken by yours truly, so doubtless has many issues of composition, lighting, and et cetera.
Líle needed help with her stocking. She's such a gentle little girl when she isn't knocking people over at the door and licking them to death.
'Dolon, on the other hand, yanked out the best part of his stocking and ran away with it in about three seconds.

The Sixth Day of Giftmas (6 of 12)

'Dolon knew exactly what to do with his gifts this year. He was so excited he was vibrating.
Líle was much more tentative, and needed a lot of encouragement to mouth the presents while 'Dolon was opening them. She never really got it. Luckily, 'Dolon was able to destroy enough wrapping paper and boxes for the both of them.
Even the voracious 'Dolon needed some help getting to the juicy stuffed bits.
I never get tired of watching 'Dolon go for a package. But it does reemphasize how we can never again puts gifts under our tree.

The First Pictures of Giftmas (1 of 12)

We got a slightly larger tree this year, and so were able to break out a significant portion of our ornaments. The puppies were both very excited about the balsam-Frasier hybrid.
Due to the tree's location, we intelligently didn't utilize it for actual gifts. Wouldn't want the dogs to accidentally, say, burst a pipe while rooting through wrapping paper. For example.
'Dolon and Líle were fantastically excited to see my parents again. Their whole week was a blur of illegal foods and excessive licking.

Weary Dog (Pets)

My parents' visit was exhausting for the dogs. Besides the excitement of different people, 'Dolon was on high alert during all of the cooking and baking we did. There are risks associated with close inspection of my wife's endeavors in the kitchen, however, as you can see above.
After almost a week of fun 'Dolon has become a passive and unresisting pillow.

Puppy Snacks (Pets)

So today we discovered something else our puppies like to eat: DAP DryDex spackle. It is like candy, and they lick it right off of the wall. Thanks to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, we know that dogs usually eat this stuff by the cupful, so for the teaspoon or so our crazies consumed we just had to squeeze some milk through them. Alas, no discount for having worked with PCC on their medical records and case management software!

I guess we should have been more alert after 'Dolon ate the sanding sponge on the way home.

Dogorama (Pets)

Here's a mess of random puppy snaps, mostly from the last month. This lead photo, however, is from the distant past when we still had a microLíle. She's bigger than 'Dolon now.
'Dolon won't get on the hammock, although he's happy to jam his head through the ropes to get his licks in. Líle isn't worried about unstable footing at all, though -- especially if there's a person around to jam a paw into.
Here the dogs give thanks for the bounty they are about to receive.
Another puppy-Líle, sitting on her divan. She's three or four times that volume now.
Here's a current Líle -- although her hugeness is of course dwarfed in this photograph my Cylcopean might. This is her Cute Death Ray posture.
'Dolon was ecstatic to get another visit from my parents. He totally crushes on my father.
These are the kind of puppy kisses I try to avoid.
Nothing is more fun than a kong in a pool of cool, clean water...
Relaxing in their twin beds after a long day.
Farewell, puppies! Until next month!

Barbarian Invasion (Pets)

Hagar's ominous shadow looms over our peaceful domicile. The turtle is the fierce water that will wash away all that has gone before!
Ah, the vicissitudes of fortune, which spare neither man nor his works...
Against Hagar's might two dogs divided cannot stand.

Bubbling Dog (Pets)

I suppose here 'Dolon is nerving himself to go after the Kong at the bottom of the deep, scary pool by blowing happy bubbles. He does the same thing in water bowls at the dog park, he's a regular mobile aerator.

It's A Hard Rock Life (Pets)

When 'Dolon has been bad, we make him sleep on a stone pillow.

Couch War (Pets)

Every day another battle is fought in the war for dominance of our couch.
The innocent are the ones who invariably suffer the most.
Every night, as the conflict settles into another cold war phase, I dream of a lasting peace.

Woof (Pets)

Clearing out my local stash of puppy pictures...
Líle's on top of the world...
The never-ending battle for hedgehog supremacy continues...
The dogs attempt to cooperate with the staging of a sophisticated cat trap...
So... Tired...

Líle Branches Out (Pets)

Earlier this month Líle met AM's dogs, Ollie and Max, for the first time. She handled it pretty well. Ollie continues to be surprisingly aggressive and controlling...he's been a timid bottom for most of his life, but as his lipomas have grown so has his assertiveness. Max was also all over Líle, but he just wanted to play.
As you can see, Líle wasn't too sure about Max, but we're hopeful she'll warm up with time.

We also took Líle for a walk to meet one of our neighbors' dogs, Daisy, a sweet lab who is probably about 80,000 times as well-trained as our dogs. It was Líle's first meet-and-greet without 'Dolon present, and it went fine, although she was a lot more interested in playing with people than Daisy. We were unable to arrange a mutually acceptable trade for Daisy.