My Mom has always made fruitcake at Christmas. It's one of those family traditions you grow up with and it's not Christmas without it sort of thing. Mom sent me two this year and I set the box gently on our bench by the front door. This is what we came home to a few hours later.
Our pup, Hurley, had a birthday on February 1st. He turned two and he's growing up. He is still full of energy and follows me everywhere. You would think at some point he would get sick and tired of climbing the stairs a million times, but nope, he's right there with me.
We bought him a little cake and sang "Happy Birthday". Okay, I sang "Happy Birthday" and the Frat Boys looked on. Party poopers!!
My list of reasons of why I love the schnauzer keeps growing. Here is another one. As many of you know, Hurley has a Snoopy that he drags around the house. I find Snoopy in the bed, the closets, and on the stairs. Wherever Hurley was last is usually where I can find Snoopy. Snoopy is missing his nose and has one leg hanging on for dear life. He's also been washed in the washer countless of times because he gets dirty from being dragged around. What's a Snoopy without a Woodstock? When we were in Disneyland this weekend, I found a Woodstock in Downtown Disney. I knew it was made for Hurley. Do you think he likes it?
Doesn't this little face look innocent? Well, he is most of the time but Saturday was a day of rebellion for him. I had to run to Target and we always take Hurley with us. My heart can't handle putting him in his kennel very much. Earlier in the week I had bought a package of Easter peeps, the bunny ones, and had allowed myself to have one or two a day on the way home from work. I was down to 10.
I had strategically placed the peeps in the door pocket of my car with the back side facing out so someone's little paws couldn't get to the remaining peeps. When we came out to the car on Saturday, all that I found on the floor of my car was the empty package. Some little schnauzer had eaten a little treat while we were in Target. Did I mention that he has a corn allergy and the second ingredient listed on the package was corn syrup?
He tried to deny it but his beard that had just had a bath that morning was now yellow! Taylor started singing the rap song "Black and Yellow" to him while I wondered when the inevitable corn allergy was going to attack. My first worry is always that he's going to die, so with some reassurance from Ryan, I knew he would probably be okay. While most people get online and shop or plan vacations, I found myself Saturday night googling "dogs digestive systems" to see how long it would be before he showed signs of his sugar high.
So far so good. I must have been extra good this week and am being blessed because so far, no reactions from the high dose of corn syrup. He was a little extra hyper, but that I can handle. I had visions of a very sick dog in my head. Taylor offered to stay home with him on Sunday to make sure he would be okay but I told Taylor he would survive three hours without us.
Lesson learned on my part. If a schnauzer really wants something, he'll find a way to get it. I think he thought he was doing me a favor by eating them for me so I wouldn't have to worry about the extra calories. That's his story, anyway.
I haven't talked about Hurley for awhile. He has turned into quite the little family pet!! He is totally entertaining and very spoiled. We've had him four months now and I think we've passed the test for keeping an animal alive. Here are some things we love about him:
1. He has several names around our house. I call him "Schnauzer" most of the time and rarely call him Hurley. He answers to both. Taylor calls him Cornelius because he has a corn allergy or Leroy Jenkins. Ryan calls him pup and Colby calls him "Da Schnauzer" (using your best German voice).
2. Hurley loves to go in the car! We can't put our shoes on that he's not jumping up and down by the front door. When you say to him, "Do you want to go?", he goes into hysterics. Once in the car, he wants to sit on the driver's lap. He loves for us to roll down the window and stick his head out. His little beard blows in the wind and no matter how many times Colby and Taylor have seen him do this, they still laugh.
3. He knows what, "Do you want a treat?" means and he gets all excited and runs to the pantry. I have to say that he's gained a little weight since he's been with us. He's not fat but he's filled out more than when we first brought him home. His loves his chicken jerky (so does Colby but that's a story for another time).
4. A couple of months ago I let him sleep with Ryan and I . He's taken up residency on our bed ever since. He won't sleep on one side or the other, no, he has to sleep in the middle. Ryan has rolled on him once and Hurley yelped. Ryan sat up and said, "Dang dog", laid back down and went to sleep.
5. He thinks he's a world traveler because he's been all over the state. Whenever Colby has a tournament out of town, he goes with us. He also thinks he's the team mascot for Colby's basketball team but we're having a hard time convincing him he's not. Schnauzer's have a lot of self-confidence.
6. I still haven't found a schnauzer hair around the house! Even by his food dish, not a single one. I love that he doesn't shed and our house doesn't feel dog-like.
7. He has his own voice and thoughts. He thinks everyone thinks he's cute and he's made up a little song about it. Hurley does get a lot of attention wherever we take him and it's gone to his head. The vet's office absolutely loves him! When I call to make a grooming appointment, they get all excited that he's coming in and they have a big clientel. I'm sure there are other schnauzers that go there.
8. We LOVE him! I never thought we would be so attached to an animal but we are really attached to Hurley. It's been a fun experience to have a family pet, even though Colby tells him he's been doggy-napped by us.
I have some really cute pictures from Palm Springs that I'll have to post of Hurley. I was driving in the car today and I found his toy chicken that he plays with laying in the backseat. I guess he really is part of the family if I'm starting to find his stuff laying around the car. What a pup!
Hurley first arriving at the park and being greeted by new friends.Colby went with Ryan and I to Barkleyville and poor Hurley didn't know what to think. There was one dog there who would not leave him alone. Hurley ran so fast from him that it was funny. Colby was hysterical the whole time we were there watching Hurley and the other dogs. We were there over an hour and Hurley was exhausted when we left.
The one that wouldn't leave Hurley alone. His owner felt so bad!
In my family, we have always talked for our animals. Maybe it's common, I don't know, but the boys and I (minus Ryan) have given Hurley his own voice that he talks in and we talk as if we can read his mind. When we got in the truck he said to me, "I was licked, sniffed, chased, and humped! I'm never going back". I think Hurley really had a good time getting out in the fresh air and running around. He's some dog!
Hurley running real fast from the pest.
Schnauzer needs a haircut. Schauzer had to get three shots before he could get a haircut. Schnauzer was not happy with his family. Schnauzer has slept all day from the trauma he suffered yesterday. The End.
Hurley sitting on the table at the vet's office before the trauma began.
Hurley licking his chops after eating the treat from the vet.
I love the look in Hurley's eyes here. He's looking at Ryan like, "Does she really have to kiss me one more time?".
Here he is, our new family member! We adopted him from my nephew and neice while we were in Utah (thanks again Chad and Natali!). His name is Hurley and we love him! L.O.V.E. him. When Chad approached me about taking him, I wasn't sure at first. I am not a pet lover by nature but when I stepped back and thought about the boys and pleaded my case to Ryan, I realized that it would be a big mistake to not take him.
Colby and Taylor are growing up fast. In three more years Colby will be sixteen and driving. I doubt he's going to care much about a pet then. We have been promising the boys a doy since we moved here five years ago and it hasn't happened. There were more reasons to take him than reasons not to take him. Plus, every boy needs a dog in their childhood, in my opinion.
He's adjusted well and so have we. He's a great passenger in the car, we even took him to L.A. this weekend for Colby's basketball tournament, and he did wonderful. He loves to play and loves the boys. They give him a lot of attention and play with him constantly. I told the boys that he's not going to have any hair left on his little body because they've rubbed it all off. Oh yeah, did I mention that he doesn't shed and I love that about him? I couldn't handle animal hair in the house.
We have also found out that he doesn't like to be called "chicken leg" and he is over the moon for McDonald's french fries. We don't feed him table food, normally, but at the tournament he was so good that I gave him a few. We really are excited to have him!! Taylor said to me in the parking lot at the hotel as we were walking around, "Mom, I just love Hurley. He is a special dog". I said, "What do you mean by special"? He said, "I can't describe it but he just feels special". That right there makes it all worth it.
