Meet the Canines!

I have to tell you something, I have two priorities in my life: food and dogs, and not always in that order.  Some of you Gentle Readers who have been around a while might already know that, but you should be be reminded because it's the truth.

I totally stole this idea from TexErin-in-Sydneyland (who had a linkup for this a while ago, but I missed the cut off date and still wanted to post this).

Have I ever mentioned that my puppers have their own blog?  Oh they do.  It's not been updated since January April because I don't sit down at my laptop at home for extended periods of time like I did before moving to SC #sorrynotsorry.  That doesn't mean that I don't still take ALL THE PHOTOS! of their cuteness as often as possible.  In fact, my entire instagram account is dedicated to Phil and Meri... ok 98% of it.

Let's meet the contestants!

As a Gentle Reader, you are aware that I name all the things.  Well, Phil and Meri both have lots of nicknames, so be prepared... PS. It was extremely difficult to limit myself to these few photos.

Philbo Baggins

Phil is a retired racing greyhound who raced as Pals Spot Light at a track in Daytona, FL.  When I adopted him in February 2012, I was going to name him Pixel, but after his foster mom called him "Pixy" it was quickly changed to the backup plan, Phil.

This photo accurately conveys our relationship.

I've learned a lot about Mr. Baggy Pants over the last few years.  He has an addiction to gluten and peanut butter and gets crazy eyes over marshmallows and getting to clean out the PB jar.  He is smarter than me.  He knows how to work my locking trash can.  He rears back like a horse when he's excited over meal times, which often ends with me yelling at him when he lands his not-light paw/claws on the very sensitive, top of my foot.  He knows when I yell to go lay down somewhere out of my vicinity.  He has breath that could peel paint.  He can set his head on short (non-counter height) tables and he is able to reach stuff on the counter without too much effort.  He has taught me that one does not question greyhound/sighthound comfort.  I am only the gateway to his REAL forever family, Teh MD Adult Roomie.  Philbo didn't actually pick ME, but Teh Bear, and then the poor dog ended up with me by default.  SUCKA.  That said, Phil LOVES men.

That evidence won't hold up in a court of doggy law, Mom.

And this, this is doggy abuse, Mom.  Seriously.

At 80 pounds, Mr. Beggins isn't a small dog.  He is big and mighty, but is afraid of slippery floors (it's a greyhound thing apparently), and because he has no shame, he wears rubber booties and bowties and is well-known for his thing with mustaches because he is a gentleman.  He didn't get on the furniture until a year after I got him, and it wasn't because he wasn't allowed, he just didn't.  Now his favorite place is his guest bed, after that is my bed, then the couch.  Phil doesn't sit, despite my best efforts, but he can lay down and stay and go to his house like a pro.  He also learned to catch treats which brings me much joy.

Philbo is ALWAYS ready to go on a ride.  It doesn't even matter where to.  Phil used to visit a nursing home in MD as a therapy dog.  A limited number of times, I've gotten Phil to roo (which is like greyhound talking) but I always have to get him started with videos of other greyhounds rooing.  He's in his element when he's with other greyhounds (greyhounds tend to be breed snobs, but I assume this is because they are around only greyhounds for the first 2ish years of their lives). 

Mr. Pants rarely plays with dog toys and anytime he does, I try not to interrupt him because it's so rare.  He doesn't understand the concept of fetch.  Watching him run at full speed is breath-taking.. and not just because you think he's going to run into you, but he's SOOO fast!  He's not ran into me once, he always dodges me at the last minute as long as I don't move.  He used to love coming up behind me and putting his nose between my legs.  Now, he comes up to me for pettins and sticks his nose between my legs from the front.  He sometimes groans when I rub his ears because he likes it so much.  Every year I spend a lot of money to get Phil's teeth cleaned because that stanky breath of his.  It doesn't help, I know this because he takes great joy in coming up to me to yawn in my face, then walks away.
 

Philbo Baggins is kinda quirky sometimes (thus his primary nickname) and I have video evidence of him backing up the stairs and backing up at random other times because that's his way of dealing with slippery floors.  This action is often accompanied by my beeping at him like when large vehicles backup.  I once spent several hundred dollars when Phil had a limp and it turns out he's just a drama queen who didn't like a specific sweater that I had bought for him.  As soon as I took it off, he stopped limping (ok and he started taking a joint supplement).

 

Phil competed in 37 races.  I looked up his stats and he won 1st place 6 times, 2nd place 4 times, 3rd place 4 times, and the remaining 23 races were 4th place and below.  I've watched videos of him racing and even when I know what happens, I'm still cheering my boy on.  The wreck he had with another dog in one video makes me cringe to even think about.  It matters not to me, Philbo is always a winner in my book.  Born October 11, 2007 (the day after Teh Sister's bday), #Philalicious is my oldest, most handsome, stinkiest breath puppy-luppy, who is my favoritest of all the puppies ever and I remind him almost every single day of these things.

Radar ears!

Dobby face

I can't take him seriously.

The most adorable begging.

Meridoc Brandybuck

After I noticed that Phil would get depressed when our foster greyhounds would get adopted, I started looking into getting a 2nd dog.  I had a very specific list of criteria that the 2nd dog had to fit: Galga (a spanish greyhound), female, smallish (under 60 pounds), black, preferably a fuzzy (shaggy hair).  I knew the next pup would also have a Lord of the Rings themed name, because by that point, Phil had morphed into Philbo Baggins.  When I saw a photo of (then) Cadbury on the FB page of a rescue group in DC, I was immediately smitten.  Within 10 minutes of it being posted, someone else had tagged me in the comments and someone else had messaged me about her.  After a very brief discussion with Teh Bear (who was living with me in MD at the time), it was decided.  MINE!

I put a deposit on her and then it was a matter of waiting for her to get a ride from Spain to the US.  2 months later, she finally came home.. only fully meeting two of my very strict criteria: she is a she and she weighed less than 50 pounds.  She is a Podenco (or Ibizan Hound depending on who you ask) from Spain (so half credit on that one),  and she's brown, not black (quarter of a point for being a dark color).  If you aren't sure what a Podenco/Ibizan Hound is, let me explain it to you: they are kangaroos that bark, essentially.

Meri-Meri has been my silly girl from day.  She always needs to be played with or loved on, always.  She tried for a while to get Phil to play with her and everyone but her knew that wasn't going to happen.  Sometimes she still tries, but rarely.  My monkey girl (from the way she climbs all over everything and everyone) is very sensitive.  If you yell at her, she pouts.  She's horrible on a leash.  She chases anything that flies through the yard.  She likes to run up and down the fence with both neighbor's dogs.  She is a digger and dug 5 holes in the yard within a week of moving to SC.  As much as I wanted it to be me, Mr. Scrooge is Meri's person.  She will curl up with him anywhere and be happy as a clam.  She uses him as her body pillow when we are on the couch and every morning she jumps up on the bed and snuggles with him before he gets up.

Meri likes going everywhere Phil goes.  She does NOT like being left at home when Phil gets to go to work with me.  Despite how unattached to Phil she seems (and vice versa) they miss each other when the other isn't around.  She would rather fetch her mousies than a ball, but sometimes she's not picky, but when she's tired she won't fetch at all.  She likes to chew on hands, but never too hard.  We play a game where I grab one of her canine teeth or her tongue and she fights to get away and when she succeeds or I let go, we start all over. She gives me crazy eyes over butt scratches and knows what "do your tricks" means if I have marshmallows (she will sit) and she's also a peanut butter addict.  I spent at least $13 a month on a 6 pound tub of peanut butter for the dogs.

#merimeriquitecontrary is my menace girl.  She's always getting into something.  She's eaten Motrin (which thankfully didn't kill her), my shoes, other prescriptions, Phil's muzzle, Mr. Scrooge's IRS refund check, my HSA pin number, my tricare documents, and she's assisted with the eating of bread and other various trash items.  When she doesn't feel good, I know immediately because she slows down.  My little kangaroo girl usually bounces or bounds across the yard at full leap/speed.  Pods are known for their jumping ability and some have been known to clear 6 foot fences, but please don't tell Meri that, mkay?  She is a social butterfly who just loves lovin and gettin her butt scratched all the day long.  I look forward to her being my old lady one day because I'm sure she's gonna be sassy and delightful.

"Hi, I love you, please let me in." -Meri

Gratuitous Doggy Porn (aka photos of Meri and Phil being adorable together)

We won most awkward first family photo for SHUG.

Their first ride together.
My Monkey-Girl was sooo little!

She still goes under Phil now that she's grown.
He tolerates her so well.

Freshly shaved Meri and Phil in his favorite place (Yurtle).

The only time they ever snuggled.
I needed to squeeze something because the cuteness was almost too much to handle.

He likes to pretend to be all macho, but he really likes his sister.

It's rare to have both of them so close to me, it must always be documented!

Or I force them to take selfies with me like every good Mom.

I love my Meri-Meri and my Philbo Baggins.  They are my whole world.