Our Yearly Pinecones, as Decoration Exposure

For the past four years I have been using the list of exposures as a sort of guideline of what we needed to include as suitable places/events, etc. to take the puppies to get them ready for guide dog school. And every year my gaze would land upon PINECONES, AS DECORATIONS, and I would think, "What?"

It was great when we had Bingo and HRH Berkeley, because we went to my mom's house and she was a nut about Pinecone trees.  Poof and done, as my friend Michele would say.  But for the last several years we haven't traveled.  Wah, Waaa.  

That means, that I have had to build up my pinecones, as decorations, collection so that I have an adequate exposure in which our guide dog puppy can choose to go rogue or not.  Jam, our crazy man, did not.  Coach, ever the gentleman, did not. And now, Dewey, our gentle, never barking, loves a hug, sweet natured boy, has gotten his turn at the horror of horrors: 

The Pinecone, as Decoration Display.

A compilation of photos of various parts of the pinecone, as decoration display.  Large and small pinecone balls and a pinecone tree.

I put the pinecone trees on the floor (they are normally up high!) and let Dewey take his time sniffing and becoming friends with them.  Pinecones aren't really the friendly sort, being a bit prickery.  He quickly became uninterested.  

We took a quick photo.

Dewey is staring intently at the camera as he sits between two pinecone trees.

I think his intent stare is a bit of annoyance at me for not having any cookies for the posing part of the game.  Usually for photos cookies are involved.

Fred went to get cookies and his sweet face came out.

Dewey, Jam and Willow in front of the fireplace and the pinecones, as decoration.

May all your puppies be as nonchalant about pinecones as Dewey, Jam and Willow!

Happy Holidays! And remember, when not actively supervising puppies, place pinecones, poinsettias, tinsel, and other holiday decorations that might be dangerous, poisonous or just plain "IDK - maybe a bad idea?" up high and out of the way.  When in doubt, play it safe.  Who wants to be in the emergency room when you could be at home sleeping and waiting for Santa?

Pine Cone Madness!

My mother has a very tall tree made out of pine cones. Coincidentally, Southeastern Guide Dogs wants every puppy to experience pine cones, as decorations. So, mom's massive, gold spray-painted, pine cone tree is the perfect way to get Her Royal Highness the ultimate pine cone, as decoration, experience.

First, I have to ask Dad to bring the massive tree out of the attic because this year Mom didn't use it as a Christmas decoration, which he did gladly.

Once it was set up, I had to get HRH to go sit by it.


"What, that? What is that?"


"I'll sit by it, but I won't look at it. Nasty, gold, ostentatious tree. How horrible."

"OK. I'll look at it. Awful. Just awful."


"Please let me sit somewhere else. Away from this gold monstrosity."

Deadly Pinecones

Along the righthand side of the blog you will see a list of some of the things that Bingo is supposed to be exposed to. We have added a few items (like bagpipes and golfcarts, because those happened to occur naturally at my school), but there are a few items that were on the list that to my way of thinking seem, well, bizarre ;-), and one of them is the pinecone (as decoration). I'm not sure why the pinecone (as decoration) is much more deadly or frightening or scare inducing than the pinecone (in nature), but it must be; otherwise it wouldn't be on the list. Therefore when we got to my mom's house for the holidays in Arizona and saw her Christmas decorations, we were astounded! She had not one, but two humongous trees made entirely of pinecones painted gold and dusted with glitter so that they sparkled with an evil, glinting light. They stood about as high as a troll, a demented troll (keeping with the evil theme). They were a little scary, I admit.

Above is a photo of the Strangely Glowing Golden Pinecone Christmas Tree. Very Queer.

Once we saw them we knew that we had to expose Bingo to their twisted pinecone (as decoration) ways. No longer a single unit, these pinecones had banded together and created a mockery of the tree they came from. Perhaps their evil, scare inducing power came from the heavy hand of sarcasm they used.

Above is a photo of Bingo slinking away from their waves of sarcasm. He just couldn't take it.

However, Bingo is a tough little puppy. So, he brought back the big guns to face down the mocking golden pinecones (as decoration): Grandpa.

Above is a photo of Bingo with Grandpa sitting between the golden pinecone (as decoration) trees proudly. And to show that he had mastered his fear of pinecones (as decoration) he then proceded to give them a tough disdainful sniffing and then a snubbing. Take that pinecones (as decoration)!