Puppies and Babies

By Fred

There may be a lack of consensus about which is cuter: a puppy or a baby. Parents with new-born children cannot be trusted to give an honest opinion--they suffer from a lack of sleep. On the other hand, a small puppy is more like to receive praise and attention from total strangers, and puppy-raisers believe every word.

Sometimes these opposing camps come together, and the cuteness quotient can reach a dangerous level. We saw such an encounter at the Symphony Under the Stars this weekend, when Stephanie's puppy, Coastie, met up with a baby challenger in the crowd. Which one is cuter? Here's a picture of the winner consoling the runner-up.

Of course, Jam used to be one of these very small and cute puppies--there was a time when we couldn't eat at restaurants because people would stop by to stare at him--but now he is often ignored by the general public, especially when babies and small puppies are present, and we worry about his self-esteem. Here he is, being consoled by Cheryl.

Earlier in the day, we had a good time and a good meal at a tail-gate party in the parking lot. Like always, these are some of the nicest people in the world.

Several of the guide dogs puppies were there, including Mars, a new chocolate lab being raised by John. I believe Mars is the most sincere looking creature I've ever seen.

Yes, puppies are cuter than babies.

Princess Pees-a-lot

Her Royal Highness Berkeley often goes out to the backyard to contemplate the zen of being. I've caught her on more than one occasion trying to eat the water lilies. Fred has even stopped her and had a frog pop out of her mouth, so our little Queen of all she surveys is actively searching for prince charming it seems (or warning him off! Don't try for any kisses here, buster. I will eat you with a spoon.).

Who knows the mind of royalty? Not I, evidently. Take yesterday, for example. I live in constant fear of a pee-saster. Yes, I said it. I can handle tile and linolium floors. It's the carpeted venues that freak me out. That's when I look at little Miss Tiny Bladder and think, oh my. She will do anything.

She's pretty good when we tell her to busy busy and yet, there is that unreasonable fear that the nap under the table will result in a pee-saster on our way out the door of the restaurant. Is she slowing down to sniff or something else, something more pee-worthy? That's when our blood speeds up a little bit, the heart beats a few times faster. Is my face flushed?

Did you know that Best Buy is COMPLETELY CARPETED? Did you also know that there are 100s of Best Buy employees stationed at nearly every other aisle!? And if you bring a really cute little 12-week old guide dog puppy into their store THEY WILL ALL STARE AT YOU LIKE YOU ARE CHOCOLATE?

It's true. Like chocolate. So I walked HRH very carefully, and even though Jennifer the trainer says to keep our eyes up, I couldn't help but be on the lookout out for the pee squat. It was CARPET! A puppy raiser told me she had been able to catch her pup's poo as it came out (now that is so OMG incredible I can't even conceive it!) yesterday at a department store. That wouldn't work with a pee-saster. So I had one eye on HRH, one eye on the Best Buy spies and one eye out for Fred who had disappeared and left me to wander the carpeted aisles. I figured I was safe if she was laying down. She had never actually peed while laying down. That I knew of anyway.



"Fred! Did you find the air conditioner?" Evidently, our old airconditioner was screaming in agony in the guest house and we had never heard it. Time for a new air conditioner.

"Yes." Fred is a man of few words. "Great. I'll see you at the car."

Evidently, royalty don't have pee-sasters. At least not at Best Buy with 100s of employees looking on.