Cheesin' It

Nanook tagged me, and a dog just doesn't mess with Nanook. So, here are some photos of my cheesiest smiles.

So-happy-to-be-outdoors cheesiness.

So-happy-to-be-indoors cheesiness.

Boy-(*chomp, chommmmmp*)-do-I-love-this-(*chomp*)-stick, cheese.

Yah hey der (*with a heavy Swedish accent*), cheese.







It may not look like it, but I'm cheesin' a smile... on-the-inside, puppy cheese.







Major goober cheese!









More gooberish than usual, cheese.

Now, I'm tagging Ike, Luckie, Martha, and Girl Girl. We want you to show us some of your smiliest photos!

Love and Goober Cheese,

Stanley

ZZ Gram

Hey, Girl Girl and everydog out there! So many of you have been asking about my foster brother, the notorious Aireboy, ZZ. I told him that pups are missing him and wondering how he was, so he had his secretary (his new mom) write to tell us what he's been doing up at his new furrever home in Mushy Graham (that's Michigan for those of you who don't speak Goober).

ZZ, the Mushy Graham Aireboy

Here's the scoop on ZZ's new life (as dictated to his new mom).

My new family is absolutely perfect for me! I am loving it here! They let me take them out for walks twice a day for 2 - 3 miles in the morning and again in the evening. All five of the hooman pups in my family vie for my attention and cuddling-rights with me.

These hoomans here in Mushy Graham (Michigan) are amazing! They gave me my own parade a week ago. I walked with all these horses and a wagon load of hooman pups from the 4H group.

At first I was wondering about the horses (I literally glued myself to my mom's leg, and just stood there shaking). I got a big surprise from behind from a very gentle horse named Rusty, who just happens to LOVE dogs, and can't stand to see one without touching it with his nose. He was very gentle, and I warmed up to him pretty quickly. We're buddies now, and he even introduced me to his big Clydesdale pal.

The funny thing is that all along the parade route I was the main attraction! Everyone would say, "Here come the horses, ooooh, look at the doggie! What kind of dog is that?" I made sure to wave my paw the way Stanley showed me - like royalty.

Lately I've been trying to meet one of the barn cats, but she wasn't having any of it. Once Bobby (that's her name) gets used to me, though, I'm sure I'll have a buddy. She can only resist for so long.

One more thing. My fam is thinking about this blog thing. It might happen, but the jury is still out. I'll make sure Stanley points you all in my direction if I ever start one.

Airelove to all my buddies!
Missing GooberStan,
ZZ

Buggin'

We've alll known each other long enough that I can trust you guys with a little secret about me, right? Don't get me wrong. It's not something I'm ashamed to admit or anything. It's just one of those quirks that makes me me.

Well, this secret has a little something to do with my doggie pool outside. Doesn't it look inviting?

This weekend, despite how HOT and HUMID it was, and despite how invitingly my pool beckoned me, I barely played in it. Why, you ask? Now comes the secret.

At the time my hooman girl first adopted me, she found something a bit odd about the bio Airedale Rescue sent her about me. It said that I had "a mild phobia of butterflies and large flying insects." When she read that, my girl said she had to chuckle a little. She had trouble picturing a hulking Aireboy like me shuddering at the thought of a pretty little butterfly. If only she knew...

At first I played happily (if briefly) in my pool.

Then I started getting dive-bombed by some IFO's (Invisible Flying Objects). Now, I like to hunt bugs like the next dog... IF I CAN SEE THEM!! It's the pesky invisible ones that freak me a bit.

So I thought, hey, I'll get back in the pool for another refreshing dip. They won't bother me there.

Wrong! Notice how bewildered I am (I can't SEE the little sucker) and how my tail is pointing directly at the ground. My tail hardly EVER points down.

It's obvious in this clip that I'm buggin' out enough that I just want to go inside. I even kick the door for emphasis. (That's how I usually alert my girl that I'm ready to go in - if she's inside the house. I hardly ever want to go in if she is outside willing to play with me).

Once I got inside I crashed on my bed and curled up with my Ellie Phant for a little ME TIME, you know, to process. I'm sure I'll work out my own inner bugs soon enough.

Buggin' No More,

Stanley

Merv Leibowitz

My girl was gone today and my cat, Merv, and I were fishin' around in our brains for something to do. The pool pawty never happened, a guy can only do so much lounging, and Merv fancies himself quite a photographer (he's a big fan of the photographic genius of Annie Leibowitz). So... he rummaged around until he found our girl's camera, and did a photo shoot with me. I think his photos have a child-like quality to them - sophisticated without being pretentious.

At one point he put on some techno music and started giving me instructions... you know, saying things like, "The camera loves you, man!" and "Work with me. Work with me!" and "Come on, Stanley. Make l-o-v-e to the camera." I decided to just go with it.

Eventually he captured the holy grail... the motherload of all photographs. He captured a moment of time during one of my primal playing fits. Look at the crazed expression in my eye, and how the light plays off of my snout. It's undeniable. He's a master at his craft. I was the clay and he was the potter. Never have I had a more artistically fulfilling experience.

Merv's masterpiece of the day

Merv can take my photo anytime. There may even be a government post for him in the GooberStan Ministry of Culture. I'll have to consult with the Cultural Minster of course, but I think we may have a new official photographer.

Merv Leibowitz, photographer extraordinAire.

Working with the camera and Merv,

Stanley

Saucy Boy

My hooman girl has a friend who always used to say, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful... get to know me." It cracks me up to think of any hooman actually saying that to someone else, but I thought it kind of fits the attitude of this photo. (A little saucy... yet inviting).

This photo is key because it illustrates the position I plan to be in during most of the next 2 days (when I'm not eating or playing). Even though the Fourth of July is not an official holiday in GooberStan, it is in the surrounding countryside. Since I'm feeling both saucy and inviting, I may have a pool pawty for the good folks of my country to celebrate. (Or, I may crash in the hammock for the next couple of days).

Either way, I wish all you dogs could be here with me!

Invitingly Saucy,

Stanley

Glass Asta

By the time you read this my foster brother, ZZ, will already be with his new family in Michigan! (Sigh...) Don't get me wrong. It's definitely cool with me that he now has a furrever home and all. I... just... really miss him. You could say on the emotional scale I've been somewhere between bummed and depressed.

ZZ in all his Goober Glory.

To bring me out of my slump my hooman girl had to get creative, and pronto! She decided she would surround me with things that remind me of someone else I love... someone who has been a breath of fresh aire in my life... someone who loves me and whispers wise words of encouragement to me in my times of need. That someone is my sweetpup, Asta (from NY).

Isn't she sweet as candy??

Asta always gives smoochie kisses to those she loves. My girl knows how much I cherish those smoochies, so she got me this banana (that's bandana, for those of you who are confused) so I will remember the sweet love of my fuzzy-faced girlie pup.

My smoochie kisses banana. It's not Asta Girl, but it reminds me of her smoochies.

The other thing she did was so unexpected I almost peed myself. She sat this object down in front of me.

It's an old ceramic Wire Fox Terrier who is chewing on a hat... a glass Asta!!!

It doesn't look exactly like her, but it sure did remind me of her. I was mesmerized.

I decided to make my first move. I pretended to be stretching my leg & let my paw fall around her booty region.

Then I checked to see if anyone was watching.






I went in for my first sniff. I sniffed her front end and nuzzled her ear.






Then I sniffed her back end.

Time for a goober kiss.

Then a little goober nibble.

Then I just mawled her. (mmwahh. mmwahh. She doesn't [mmwahh] smell like a [mmwahh] puppy).

Maybe if I can get her all the way into my mouth I can taste if she is a puppy.

(Pant, pant, pant, pant, pant). Now (pant), I'm a little embarrassed with myself.

She's just a glass Asta, right?

No matter. She makes me smile cuz she makes me think of the REAL THING! (And that has cheered me up considerably!)

The REAL PUPGIRL!

I'm not doing my happy dance just yet (I feel it coming on, though), but I am sending out all my goober love to ASTA, and to ZZ, and to all you dogs out there who have been so good to me as my ZZ left for his new home. His new family may be willing to start a blog for him. I'll keep you posted.

Love,
Stanley

Bibble's Barnyard Part 2

If you didn't get a chance to read Part 1 of Bibble's Barnyard, you might want to take a couple of minutes to peruse it. If you've already read it, then READ ON!

My Auntie Brenda sure knows how to bring out the best in a guy. See the way she maneuvered me into prime booty shot position during my swimming lesson? My, I never realized until now what a wide furbutt I have. (Enjoy, ladies)!

After my smooch-fest with the hooman pup, Araydia, I was ready to hit the water... sort of. Auntie Bren used Araydia to lure me out into the deep water. I'd do almost anything for more smoochie kisses!

That didn't work so well, but Auntie Brenda is well-practiced at getting pups of all kinds to do as she wishes. I just couldn't figure out how to work the floaty thing.

Don't I look like I'm searching for something in the water? Really, I'm giving my snout a little rinse. Hooman pup smooches are sweet, but very drooly!

Finally, I decided to go it alone to see if I could get the floaty thing to do its magic for me.

If you were hoping for actual video of me swimming, you'll have to wait for my next swim lesson. I did actually swim in Auntie Brenda's pond... twice! My girl was guiding me both times, and kind of glided me through the deep water like I was superman (except as a dog, and without the camera trained on my every move). I wasn't loving it, but I wasn't hating it either. I was just having a hard time getting used to having my feet leave the ground. I kept grunting while working my paddle stroke.

After swimming I tried another go with the Butcher (Bibble). She must have had some time to reflect on how ill-advised it was to snub me, because she didn't dog me anymore and kept throwing me these awe-struck looks. Once I looked at her when her mouth wasn't flappin' it hit me what a very tiny girl she is (not much bigger than my life coach, Cricket Louise).

And, she can be quite cute and cuddly if she warms up to you. (Excuse the blurriness of the photo - she was wigglin' with delight at my presence in her barnyard).

Before I left, Bibble made me promise to come back to her barnyard soon, and she told me I could play with her Mama Araydia anytime I want. (She saw how much I loved her mama). This could turn into a beautiful friendship...

Once I got home my girl gave me a quick bath, and then I was ready to cuddle up with my Piglet stuffie.

I got sleepy pretty fast, and began to hallucinate about a new friend, Bibblet. (It was like a combination Bibble and Piglet).

Bibblet and I got real comfy, (*yAAAaaaaaawn*) real (*yawn*) fast.

I... had ... me ... some good.... slee..... p...

Stanley

Bibble's Barnyard Part 1

I went out to my Auntie Brenda's a couple of days ago for my first swimming lesson. She lives out in the country and has her own pond - with a beach and everything! I grabbed some squeakies, a few essential balls, and my sunscreen & was ready to head out. But no one told me that when I got there I was going to have to deal with HER!! (see the evil little pup below)

This is Bibble, the Butcher. She's one tough Chihuahua puppy who rules the barnyard at Auntie Brenda's house. (Auntie Brenda is a sort of animal whisperer. She takes in practically any kind of animal who needs a home. If you ever need somewhere to live, let me know, I'm sure we could arrange something with her).

This is Bibble's mama. Her name is Araydia, and she's a CUTIE PIE. (Nothing like her Bibble). Aradia is 3 years old, and I think she has a crush on me... but more on that later. Notice the doofus dot in the middle of Bibble's head. We know what THAT means... (sorry Tanner).

As soon as I got there Bibble started in on me - dogging me all over the place. All I wanted to do was explore and get to know the other non hoomans, but NooooOOOoooo! Bibble didn't like that I was becoming friends with Suzie and Doji (2 of the other pups there). She tried to get them to be her lackeys, but they declined.

I thought those cows looked mighty interesting and decided to take a closer look. I opted to go in through the barn for a surprise attack. I myself got a little surprise.

Of course, after all the hard work of putting on that show of wuss-y-ness for their amusement, they remained unphased by my acting talent. (girl: he was a BIG ChickenDALE - sorry Sunshade)

After getting blown off in the barnyard by a bunch of prepubescent cows, I decided to get myself down to the beach and check out the scene. I have to say I got a little distracted by my new hooman pup friend, Araydia (Auntie Brenda gets videography credits). I couldn't help myself...

I know I should have asked for that kiss first, but I got a little carried away. What can I say? I've always had a problem with delayed gratification, but I really think she liked her first goober kiss. (By the way, no hooman pups were hurt in the making of this video).

Whoa, man! I had a full day at Auntie Brenda's, and eventually got around to some swimming. We'll get to that in part 2. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey...

Goober kisses for everyone!

Stanley