Archive: Dogarazzi

As of yesterday, it has been a whole year since we brought Ted home! While it has been lots of fun to see the transition from a tiny, timid puppy to the best, cutest dog ever (sorry, other dogs), I have to give myself a small pat on the back for coming around to this whole dog ownership thing. I was not totally on board at the onset, but Ted won me over, with the help of JG and Cesar Milan. I wouldn’t say that I am a dog person now because I don’t love every dog I meet, but I’m certainly an our dog person. Ted is so sweet and smart, even if it doesn’t always mean that he does what we would like. I love having a dog that makes passersby coo, likes to run around the yard, and can still be picked up, that is, if we can catch him! Ted is small, (mostly) quiet, and cute, so the original requirements of the Dog Agreement have been satisfied. However, if we had adhered to all of my stipulations, we wouldn’t even have Ted yet, and I can’t imagine our house without that jingle-jangle of his tags.

With the arrival of Ted came the suggestion of his own weekly dog feature. I was hesitant at first, but I finally succumbed after a whole two days of consideration. Give the people what they want! Stalking down Ted and capturing his antics has been a challenge and a pleasure, and we love to joke about Ted’s ever-growing “Internet superstardom.” I can’t believe that I’ve written over 50 posts and built the largest photo set in my Flickr stream around this one topic.

At this point, though, I have concluded that the weekly posts have run their course. JG, Ted, and I have settled into our routine, and I’m enjoying the opportunity to sit back and pet Ted while I read, instead of having the camera at the ready for the first time he chews a tennis ball or when his ears refused to flop.

So, today, on the anniversary of the very first Dogarazzi post, I’m passing the Thursday torch to Julie and Bailey, who I am sure will carry on the tradition with pride. That’s not to say that Ted will no longer grace this neck of the woods; he just won’t do it every week or even on Thursdays, necessarily. It’s not a goodbye to Ted, just a “see you around.” With that, I leave you with highlights from our first year with Ted!

Get your daily dog dose with Smalls, Kaya, Rufus, Ben, Bailey, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp!

Yesterday, JG and I spent the day together in one of my favorite traditions we’ve built: Theme Park Day! So far, we’ve gone to Hershey Park and Dorney Park — last year, we held off over the summer because we went to Busch Gardens in the spring — and this year, Six Flags Great Adventure was our target. I love taking a day off from work in the middle of the week to go to an amusement park with JG because it is such a departure from my daily grind, and we always have so much fun.

JG scouted out a good deal on tickets with a coupon on a $3 box of Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets, which saved us the full cost of a day pass. The drive to northern New Jersey took about two hours, and we stayed at the park past rush hour. Overall, I was not impressed. The big thrill rides at Six Flags were very good, especially the Superman ride, where the seats tilted downward, and we “flew” horizontally. I also enjoyed El Toro, which was the longest, most sustained ride on a wooden coaster I can remember in a long time. However, the indoor Batman ride was horrendous, the Great American Scream Machine practically gave me whiplash, and three different coasters broke down before noon. In general, the park operations were clunky and inefficient, especially an odd ticketing system intended to prevent line-jumping. I’m glad we went, and we got our money’s worth, but we will return to our old stomping grounds of Hershey Park next year. It is the sweetest place on Earth, after all.

Our all-day absence meant that Ted had to spend the time in his crate, like a workday. We asked a friend to stop by to take him out in the afternoon, and JG walked him after we got home, but it was probably a rude awakening after the past few weeks of having free rein in the house with JG. Thankfully, the extended crate stay was a little easier because we picked up a new crate for Ted at the beginning of the month. He barely fit in his original one when he was all stretched out, which I didn’t really understand, because it was supposedly Westie-sized, and Ted is a smaller Westie. Regardless, Ted didn’t like spending time in his crate, and the cramped quarters did not help one bit.

We took a cue from Quincy’s owners and opted for a larger, wire-grid crate that collapses for traveling. Ted has a habit of barking at new, sizable additions to our decor (coolers, large shipment boxes, etc.), so JG set up the crate in our living room for an afternoon and let Ted wander around it to get acquainted. He nosed around the new structure, cautiously stepping in and out, lured by the treat JG had tossed inside. By the end of the day, Ted was happily situated in the new digs with his old towel. Even though the new crate looks more jail-like, Ted doesn’t mind going inside. Sometimes, he even beats me to the punch by hopping into his crate and waiting for me to lock the door.

Eventually, we’ll soften up the floor with some sort of padding, but for now, I’m relieved that Ted enjoys being in his crate. Shoving him into the old one made me feel awful, and he sounded so pitiful when he scratched against the door. These days, when I come to get him for the morning walk, Ted is simply lying down on his towel, patient and quiet.

Stay tuned for next week’s special one-year anniversary celebration of Dogarazzi! In the meantime, get your daily dog dose with Smalls, Kaya, Rufus, Ben, Bailey, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp!

Since school got out and we went to the beach, JG has claimed his summer break for his own with lots of video games and … well, I’m not sure what else. Oh, I exaggerate. He has done yard work, small repairs, and a lot of cooking, which is greatly appreciated when his sugar mama arrives home from her long day at work.

Anyway, JG has hunkered down this week to start his preparations to teach the AP computer science class in the fall, which will be new to him. Last year, he taught a semester-long, introductory computer science course that was graphics-based and easy for beginners. This year, he has two sections of that same class, plus the AP course. Generally, JG likes to teach computer science because the students are upperclassmen who can handle being on their own with the programming, but the AP class holds a certain challenge in that the kids learn Java.

Oh, and JG doesn’t know Java.

In order to study up — or stay one day ahead of the kids, as I like to tease — JG has been going through the material, even before I leave for work in the morning. He sets up his computer on the dining table and follows along PowerPoint slides from the textbook, and he looks quite studious, indeed. The other day, when I went to pack my lunch, I came across this sight:

Apparently, Ted was misbehaving, so JG had sequestered him in Study Land, but it looked for all the world like Ted pursuing his dream of becoming the next Java programmer. By golly, that dog will earn his keep, yet!

Get your daily dog dose with Smalls, Kaya, Rufus, Ben, Bailey, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp!

JG and I are back from the beach, and we are up to our elbows in cleaning up the debris that comes with travel. While we are otherwise occupied doing loads of laundry, making a meal plan, restocking the fridge, acclimating Ted to a one-dog household after being at doggie summer camp, and getting dinner on the table, I will tie up a loose end that I know must have been bothering people with its lack of resolution.

…

The results of Ted’s entry in The Cutest Pet Ever Contest, duh!

Before the end of the school year, JG brought home a big certificate from the Animal Rights Club:

Best hair, eh? As signified by a mangy horse? JG is unclear whether there was a grand prize for Cutest Pet Ever (as one might presume from the contest title), but if there was, Ted did not win it, despite the reported shrieks and giggles from the girls in JG’s classes. Harrumph.

But maybe the Animal Rights Club was trying to be diplomatic to the other animal entries. I mean, Ted’s certificate does say that he is the “most handsome pup around.” And how!

Get your daily dog dose with Smalls, Kaya, Rufus, Ben, Bailey, Gus, Foxy, and Zapp!