Princess Pixel's Adventures

The longest days of the Year!

2010-09-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

I guess this is the normal thing here in June, the days are very long, a dog sure can get tired out. There is just too much to do. Chipmunks and squirrels are everywhere. The birds sing like crazy in the wee hours of the morning. And those pesky ducks, they just don't let up. A dog really has it's work cut out. We spend lots of time on the dock these days except when it is raining, which it did a lot this month. Used to be I could wade in the water and actually have chance with maybe catching a duck or 2 but oh no, this year the water just keeps on getting deeper giving the ducks a big edge. And the loons, they swim in pretty close too. They can get kind of noisy and then they disappear in the water. Where do they go?

One day, even though the sun was out, the wind blew all day long, like 50 mph! We went over to Mary Lou's house and all the people who live there had their boats swamped. Some people even lost their docks. It was scary because trees were falling down all over the place. While my Mom was driving us to Mary Lou's, a big tree fell down right in front of us. If we had been a few seconds earlier, it could have fallen on us! Whew! Hopefully we will get some sunny warm days without wind and storms. Meanwhile, I will keep watch on the dock. Those ducks may just try to move into the cabin! Stay tuned, the suspense is building!

May! Back to the woods!!!

2010-09-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

What I love about spring, warm sunbaths, eating outside, dipping in a cool lake on a hot walk, and spending more time at the cabin in the woods. City life is ok, but in the woods, the place is crawling with little critters. Just about every night mom has to pick the ticks off but it's worth it. And there are so many great smelling things to roll in! Wow! My favorite is rotting fish flesh washed up on the sand. You can really grind it into the fur and skin with the help of the sand. My mom and those other humans just don't get it! They drag me off after I have gone to such lengths to smell good and they find stinky soap, lather me up, wrap me in towels and dry me off. Geez I will never understand the strange behavior of these humans.

Now we are back to standing guard on the dock. Friends from Wisconsin showed up, Doug and Janice. They were fun, I got to sit on Janice's lap lots. But there are so many things here to watch out for, these giant birds were everywhere for a while, pelicans. They could swallow me whole, but they spend too much time with their heads in the water sucking up fish, so I guess I'm safe. Oh course the ducks are back, and the humans continue the odd ritual of feeding the enemy. Since I really can't get them, I've decided to lick up all the cracked corn that is spilled on the dock. It's not bad, really. And of course we go back to the dome, Deer Lake Charlie's. Timmy Haus played one night, he was great to listen to, this is a dog friendly bar. It's really Mary Lou's hang out but we are part of her pack. Quincy likes to howl once in a while and I thought maybe he would join in with the singing. But he just listened.

We get to go on walks in different places. This place was particularly great, we were on a peninsula with tall trees and lots of smells. At the end of the walk was a dog with his pack. We exchanged greetings, mom always has goodies for other but we get 'em too if we sit and do other things they gets us more pets and kisses. It's really ok that people everywhere give me hugs and pets, that's important in life. That's May...maybe my mom will get the next months logged in, because so much has happened! Stay tuned....

March Madness, Pixel vs. Quincy, Couched in Red

2010-03-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

A video speaks a thousand words! I win half the time! Got him last, this time! Enjoy, Pixel

A New Year of Pixel Puppy Adventures!

2010-02-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

Winter showed up one day and my mom spent a day trying on my "clothes", the ultimate embarrassment in the dog world. Then, to add to the indignity out came the booties...UGH. So I did my dog gone best to subvert this. I simply collapsed in the doggie water bowl, knowing full well that I would not be forced to wear wet clothes. When that didn't work, when we got to Cedar Lake, I immediately ran into the marshes and fallen trees which enabled me to strip the clothes from my body, thus allowing me to hunt and sniff for things in the naked state I am supposed to! When I lost the double wool lined hand made Santa outfit (which Quincy found the next day in the reeds) Mom conceded. We wouldn't stay out too long in the cold weather, I would keep running while outside and she wouldn't take me out for long walks on days that were below zero or windchills below -10. It has been a good compromise, mostly. I did get really cold a few times, but my Mom would always get me back to the car where I could curl up in my wool blanket on my cushion bed in the back seat!

Everywhere we go people want to hold me and pet me. Sometimes they take my picture too. My mom says when she wins the lottery she'll figure out my exact DNA, for now everyone agrees that I am part rat terrier, chihuahua, a touch of weiner dog and maybe a fox. Who cares? I am just a happy, perfectly spoiled lab dog who can also hunt with the best of 'em! But I like when all those folks ooo and aaahh over me. It gives me a chance to take a little nap.

Had a good time over the holidays, lots of lap time as it was really cold and everyone wanted me to sit on their laps! I got into my presents a bit early, Quincy, my always starving beagle brother seen next to not one but two empty bowls, found them and I helped him dismember the stuffed animals we were supposed to get on Christmas. We had fun, but of course we got caught! Mom and dad laughed a lot, then we got doggie massages. Life is good here. After all the decorations were put away, life sort of returned to normal, my brothers and I like to nap together on the couch while we wait for the next doggie adventure! Stay tuned for more, they happen every day!

Hunting Time!!

2009-12-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

November was the new October, I don't think it snowed once! It was great! It was warm, the lake was open and there were more critters to catch and roll in! We spent most of the month at the cabin in northern Minnesota because my mom was in a weird Beckett play. They don't let dogs into the theater, so we just had to listen to her practice her lines, who is she talking to, me? The other dogs? I don't understand. We had to wear blaze orange stuff around our necks the whole time so those folks shooting deer didn't shoot us too! We ran into lots of hunters on our walks. They were wearing lots of gear and they were too hot. Some hunters let us check out their catch, Quincy was nuts for it, and he kept running over to check out all the bucks and does. It sort of scared me though. Quincy doesn't understand why mom doesn't hunt too, think of the dinners. We did get some raw venison and that was yummy!

We said goodbye to our great friends Mary Lou, Rocky and Pepper then we headed to the cities. The people in the pack went to friends' home for turkey dinner, but we got leftovers! We got home to the city just in time, the weather got cold, and it started snowing. I am not sure what to to get for Christmas, I think I have just about everything. I have lived here a year now, and it has been an exciting, fun, and snugly year in my forever home.

Oh No! It's getting cold again!

2009-10-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

My big brother Togo is much better now. He runs very fast and I can hardly remember when he was hurting, he's so happy now! Jim came up for 10 days so we had an all family vacation. I got to go to Deer Lake Charlie's lots. I tried to get a drink, all I really wanted was water, but someone stuck a beer in front of my face, yucky! There was no water for dogs siting at the bar, the water bowl is under the sink! Silly me! We went back to the cities for a couple of weeks. Because my mom is in 2 plays up north, we headed back there. It was really pretty, all the trees were changing colors. Then it snowed and got cold again! The ducks and geese are pretty much gone. The loons are gone too. One day the trumpeter swans fell right over head. We still take walks every day and we get lots of pictures. The squirrels keep us pretty busy. They can't get in the cabin after my mom put metal and aluminum screening up. They are angry and make that awful noise. We caught lots of mice, they really want in! It's night more now, so I have to wear a blinking red light in the dark. At least I don't have to wear those silly dog sweaters yet! But I have learned from Quincy that burrowing under blankets is warm and cozy, so I am busy growing fur for the upcoming winter. It's rough life but somebody has to live it!

My Big Brother Togo

2009-09-07T20:17:00.001-07:00

On Monday August 31 my big brother Togo almost died of bloat. This is a thing that attacks mostly big dogs. it's when their stomach and intestines twist around, constrict the blood and then they die. It's very painful. But if it's caught in time, now trained vets can operate and that's what happened to Togo. We were in the city, that helped I guess because there are lots of emergency vet clinics just like we watched on TV in the winter on the Animal Planet. Poor Togo, he has a great big incision on his belly and 25 staples. My mom and dad were really upset. Togo was gone over the night. Mom looked so sad and worried, she hardly paid attention to me so we all went over to our neighbor's house to play with Buddy, Blue and the cute little mini dachshund, Dottie who Pam is fostering. We romped and played. Mom and Pam talked alot. The next day Togo came home, but he slept most of the day. The next day we drove up to the lake and it's wonderful, full of smells and things to roll in. Togo likes it here the best. We ghot up early one morning to let Togo go out when the sun was just coming up, we hardly ever get to see that. It was really pretty, the foggy mist was just lifting and the loons were calling to each other.

Togo is getting much better now. We went for some walks, a little longer each day. Today was the longest so far and Togo was having great time, acting just about like his old self except that he is not running too much. He went swimming though. Dad is here on vacation and we are having a great time. Last night we went to Deer Lake Charlies, it was going to the dogs! Besides me, Togo and Quincy, Mary Lou was there and so was Morrie, one of my favorites from the summer. His people showed up from Bemidji to surprise everyone. We went for a boat ride the other day too. So I think Togo is getting better all the time! i sure am glad!

Boat Rides, Walks and other Stuff

2009-08-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Every day we go for walks and my favorite place is up north in the woods. There is so much stuff to smell and chase, I always find things to roll in and/or eat. Mom likes it, it's ok and she doesn't have to watch out for cops like in the city. Mary Lou and Charlie go with us lots of times too. I learn lots from Mary Lou, she taught me how to catch things. When I was in my own back yard in the city I caught this big whopping gray squirrel that had been teasing us for a long time. The neighbors were happier than my mom and dad because those rodents kept getting in their attic. They wanted to give me a prize. Dad threw it away before mom could get a picture of my greatest catch yet. Sometimes I get so hot from running and chasing stuff that I have to cool off in mud puddles or, in the picture, Poppel Lake. Quincy, Togo and I get to go home and take naps afterwards but not until mom rinses us off in the lake. My first boat ride was on the 4th of July and I was scared! Then one night I got to ride on a pontoon boat, that was better. Today my mom made me go in Charlie's boat, it was windy and whitecapping, the waves rocked the boat. At first I was scared, after a while it smelled so good, I got up to lean out over the edge, mom freaked and made me sit down. The waves crashed over the gunnels and splashed me in the face. It was kind of cool! Later we went down to the corner, Deer Lake Charlie's. There is this old building out back, used to be the old original bar. I checked it out, there is lots of stuff living underneath and hiding out inside. Maybe some day I will catch something in there if it doesn't fall down first. Quincy found this bowl, carried it out and dropped it at mom's feet to let her know that we were real thirsty. Mary Lou hangs out there too as her mom is one of the owners. Then I came home, found a few dead fish to roll in , got another bath and now I'm pooped. It's a dog's life!

Summer Daze, Lots of Adventures

2009-07-27T11:19:00.002-07:00

The ducks continue to multiply and my people keep giving them cracked corn! I like it too, so whatever falls on the dock, Quincy and I get to clean up! I actually caught one of those ducks, but my mom made me let it go. It was alright, but that one has more respect for me now! But the others, no such luck. Early one morning I heard something walking in the water towards our cabin. It was a deer in the lake at the end of our dock!! We were under attack, not just ducks but now the deer just walk right up here! Then on a ride I saw my first bear and a skunk. Mom was glad we were in the car or I might have caught that skunk. I have been busy rolling in things, but I get a bath nearly everyday now.

Mary Lou caught a chipmunk and I got to play with it. My mom was grossed out big time. Take lots of walks in the woods and I chase things with Togo. Quincy sticks pretty close to mom. I am pretty tired out by the end of the day, good thing I have lots of beds to choose from, but I usually end up with my mom. We have to go back to the city for a few days, I wonder what's happening there?

Ducks, Ducks, Parades and the Weird Things People do!

2009-07-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

There never seems to be and end to the crazy stuff my people do! They continue to feed the ducks and they are multiplying! And there are three who hang out under the dock and get fed several times a day, what are they thinking??? Then that wily muskrat swims right under my nose. My people seem to think I am going to jump in the water, but I don't know about that! They also got dressed up in funny clothes and rode around the town with hundreds of other folks and wanted me to be a part of it. Well I just rode in the car with Charlie the driver, I fell asleep on the seat so I missed some more of the weird things people were doing. There were horses and tractors, noisy vehicles and people playing music. It was crazy, I was glad to get back to the cabin and stand guard duty to the ducks!

Then they did another crazy thing, they got dressed up again and rode around in a boat while dozens of other people did the same thing. I was scared in the boat, not too sure about this whole boat thing. But after we got out of the boats we were at a party and there were lots of dogs, it was like an up north dog park. There were people and kids everywhere, and one kid dropped her ice cream, but Quincy got to it first! He doesn't seem to care too much about those ducks either, he doesn't like to swim. Togo and I nearly caught some, but my mom yelled at us and we let them go. Flags were everywhere, and at night, fireworks. Were they after the ducks finally? Mary Lou has hunted lots of squirrels and chipmunks and I found one and rolled in it. I got another bath. I have been getting a lot of them lately, in the lake. At least the water is warm! Well gotta go watch for more ducks, this is better than Animal Planet!

Summer time and the living is, well fun!

2009-06-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hot weather is great! Everything smells, there is something to roll in everywhere! And there is so much hunting to do. I have to patrol the cabin grounds and that includes the lake. My work is never done. From early in the morning when the birds start singing and tweeting while the ducks quack and splash, to the muskrat swimming under the dock, chipmunks and squirrels. Then I have to dodge the giant, hairy mosquitos, huge horseflies and deer flies too! There are other big bugs with great big eyes, long bodies and two sets of wings. They eat the other ones. My people have taken up a curious thing, they get in the lake and throw things to each other. Togo loves to swim out and grab the ball. They also throw perfectly good food out to the enemies, the ducks! Work with me here guys! Then they got me to jump in off the dock, the water isn't co cold any more. I thought I smelled great, I found a slimy fish on the beach and I thought my people would want to know about it. Next thing I know they are pouring shampoo on me washing it all off. I went to a lot of work to smell that way, they just don't appreciate the right things in life. They also put me in a little thing called a rowboat and I could look into the water and see fish! Yikes, no wonder I need to power lounge on the dock and bask in the hot sun! I can see far, far away, sitting on the dock feels like doggie heaven now!

City Dog, Country Dog

2009-06-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

My really big sister, Lilli, returned from college so now I get more pets, hugs and kisses. She spent a lot of time sleeping and hanging around the house so that was good for me and my brothers! We took lots of great walks around Cedar Lake and down by the Mississippi. One day when I was at the doggie park I got to be in a TV show about dogs for kids at Children's Hospitol. My Mom talks a lot so they were happy to talk to her about doggies. Aunt Beverly came to visit us for a few days from Cleveland and she went on a walk with us. I got more pets and hugs! Every morning in the city my Mom props the back door open and I can run in and out. I like to lie in the warm sun until it gets too hot then I go in and get a drink of water. I touch noses with the doggies next door, Buddy and Blue the pugs and Lola too. One night Mom took us all over to Pam's next door and we got to play together while Mom talked to Pam. It was a fun as the doggie park. Pam has a really nice porch and when we got tired we could lie next to them on a couch. Quincy and I like to wrestle and chase each other in and out of the house. Mom, Lilli and Jim just laugh at us. I like the city!

Then it was time to go north again. It was really dry in the city and there were no bugs. We drove and drove. Lilli went with us this time so I looked forward to more hugs and snugs. When we finally got there, Mom opened the car door and mosquitos surrounded us, it was kind of damp. It was chilly and cloudy. As the night wore on it got more windy and colder. At least there was no snow this time! We got to see Mary Lou and Pepper again. Mary Lou has been catching lots of chipmunks at her place. We went for a walk, Mary Lou taught me that I should chase ducks, and there are lots of them. But I have to swim out in the deep water. I jumped off a dock, the water was still cold and deep, so I swam for shore. Those ducks are lots faster in the water than me! Besides there are lots of things to explore and hunt in the woods like rabbits and deer. We get to see them when Mom is driving, Quincy and I sit in the front seat with our front paws on the dashboard and look for deer. We almost always see them! Now if I could just get one! Mom, Lilli and Charlie worked in the woods around the cabin and then had some big bonfires. One night Mom cooked the dinner over the fire, everybody liked it! Today it is raining and Lilli has to go home to the city but we have to stay here. We will drive her half way and meet Jim, then we turn around and come on back. There is a parade this weekend in Bigfork, I wonder if Mom will let me be in it? That could be the next chapter!

There's so much great stuff to roll in up north in the woods!

2009-05-19T13:55:00.001-07:00

I caught my first mouse, it's a great prize. I made a little nest down by the lake and I keep all the dogie toys and that mouse down there. Every time my mom lets me out I roll in it and carry it around. Togo and Quincy are jealous! We take long walks every day on different paths. Last night we saw a fox when we were driving around. It looked like me except it has lots more fur! There is a muskrat that swims under the dock and it drives me crazy! There are also loons that come in very close and then they suddenly disappear, where do they go? The water is still cold, 55 degrees, but I think as it gets warmer I will get to go after that darn thing too. It was very stormy and windy last weekend, but there were folks here that Mom knows and we had brats and ribs for dinner! Wow! This place is great! I am pretty darn tired at the end o the day! So I use my brothers as a pillow! We have to go back to the city tommorrow, how do you keep a hound down after she's been in the woods?

No snow, and big cold waves. Yikes!

2009-05-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

We are at the cabin. It was a long ride, but that's ok, I slept most of the way. It was kind of rainy when we got here, and there were mosquitos and ticks too. There was no snow! I can't walk on the lake anymore, and there were big waves splashing me! That water's cold. We went for a walk and I could smell those deer that make Quincy howl so much. He really gets excited, I just rumn through the woods at top speed and sniff. Then my mom and Charlie put the dock out, it was kinda scary at first, I could walk way out on the lake. We went for a really long walk, and I had to go swimming to cool off. We went over to Mary Lou the dog's house on the north side of the lake. Pepper lives right next door so she comes over to play. Today it was very windy and we couldn't go out on the dock because those big waves kept smacking into it. I would have been blown off into the cold water. We get to walk every day, today we went to Poppel Lake. My mom put tick stuff on me and my brothers, now they'll crawl off me and on to her. Check out my video playing with Quincy, Mary Lou, Pepper and Togo! I like it here!

Another Day at the Puppy Park

2009-05-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

My Mom and Dad take me and my brothers to the big doggie park on the weekends. This is my favorite park, it's so big and there is so much to sniff, dead fish, lots of butts and everyone likes me there. I am getting to like the water, some day I'll figure out how to get out to those ducks and geese! There were lots of doggies there last weekend, Lilly, Henry, Boone and more as well as my brothers, Togo and Quincy. My mom is training Quincy to hang out with us more, he's getting better because my Mom brings good treats to bribe him with. Soon we are heading north were there will be even more adventures! It's a long drive, Togo and I sleep the whole way, Quincy rides shotgun and keeps an eye out for deer. My Mom is not too crazy about them, she says they jump in front of cars too much. They are smelly and easy to follow though. I like finding ishy things and rolling in them, it makes me smell so good! Stay tuned for more up north adventures!

Puppy Party at the Park!

2009-04-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Early on in Spring, my mom took me and my brothers to our cabin where the snow was deep, the lakes were frozen and I had to wear silly coats so my mom thought I would be warm. Actually there were a few days when it was too cold for me! But I could walk on top of the snow and the water! My mom kept saying "it's Spring!" But it still looked like winter to me! When we finally got back to the city, it was warm, sunny and no snow! My first trip to the lake was a wet one, I couldn't walk on the water any more. I found out when my mom's friend threw a stick in the lake for her yellow lab and I jumped after it! YIKES! It was really cold! At the end of the day, I like to curl up with my brothers on the bed or couch, any soft, fluffy place will do. Where's my dinner?

Things are getting warmer, and the other day after our walk, we went to the doggie park. Ruby the Doberman was having a birthday party and her nice person had lots of treats for dogs and people. I love the dog park, I can get up on the table and no one makes me get off. Most of the doggies there are much bigger than me, but some are smaller. I met Nigel, the rescued Mastiff and I had to stand on tippy toes to sniff his butt! Soon my mom says we can go back to the cabin, I sure hope I don't have to wear those silly jackets any more!

Pixel's Rescue

2009-04-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Pixel was a stray, found in northern Minnesota during October 2008. Winter was setting in and the tiny Chihuahua-border terrier mix was lost, hungry and scared. She was picked up, taken to a shelter and sent to All Dog Rescue MN. Pixel was not her first name, it is the name she was given by her rescuers. Pixel was shipped to the Twin Cities, spayed and treated for Lyme's Disease and taken home by her foster mom, Pam.

I am Pam's neighbor and was in the back yard with my 2 other rescue doggies, Togo the labradoodle, and Quincy the beagle on a chilly afternoon right before Thanksgiving. I noticed this small, skinny dog sitting on Pam's deck shivering and afraid. Her color made it hard to see her, she blended in with the deck and wall of the house. It was love at first sight! I immediately started asking questions about the tiny, scared dog and learned her name was Pixel.

One day later my sister sent me an e-card. It was one of those interactive kinds, it showed a house in the woods with the sun setting through the trees, the wind was blowing and leaves were falling. Alittle dog in the foreground shivered and looked lost. As the card unfolded, the little dog went to the window and could see a family sitting down to a Thanksgiving spread. The little dog went to the door and it opened. A big fluffy pillow was placed in front of the warm glowing fireplace, the little doggie lay down with a smile and was given a bone. That did it! It was a sign that the little doggie Pixel, next door was to be mine. She was my early Christmas gift and her "big" brothers took to her right away, especially Quincy the Beagle. They played and wrestled until they were exhausted and then they curled up together and are inseparable now!