My Brother Has a Blog Now - The Adventures of Blue Bear

Well, it's official, my brother Blue Bear now has a blog, unsurprisingly entitled "The Adventures of Blue Bear."  I suppose that it is a great compliment that he is trying to keep up with his big brother and write his own blog, but at the same time it is annoying because now I have to share laptop time with him.  This is a bit of a problem because although I am somewhat of a slow typer, Blue Bear is 100 times worse as he likes to perform a flip between keystrokes (I know, it doesn't make sense to me either).  So, despite imitation being the greatest compliment, I fear for the future of my blog.

He has some unique ideas for his blog, wanting to take pictures all over the place, but more important to him is that he gets to share his favorite jokes each day.  I heard him telling one to Gomar earlier, and today being Halloween and all, I am sure that whatever it was the he posted has something to do with ghosts, goblins, skeletons, or spirits - his sense of humor is a bit out there a bit.

In other news, my apartment building is a bit weird today as all of these kids are running around celebrating Halloween.  Personally, I think it is awesome, but no one will let me out the door to go get candy, as apparently free chocolate is bad for dogs (I already snuck a piece, and it seemed fine to me).  So instead, I get to put my nose to the door and bark at the occasional child wandering by the door.  I would rather see all of the cool costumes, but the smells are pretty delicious.

Speaking of smells, I walked around the route for the NYC Halloween parade today, and despite the cold weather, it looks like there is going to be a great turnout this evening.  I'm looking forward to watching the parade go by and seeing all of the crazy costumes.

Oh well, time to continue my countdown to Monday Night Football. Happy Halloween everyone!

Victory for the Dawgs!

So, as you may or may not be aware, but yesterday there was a big game in the SEC in college football, as arch-rivals the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Florida played.  Now, as you may have guessed, in our family Gomar root for the Gators, and I of course root for the Dawgs.

I am happy to report today that UGA pulled off a fantastic victory down in Jacksonville, and after a bit of a drought, has tasted the sweetness of victory yet again!  Did I mention that Gomar and I had a bet on the game?  Guess who is going to be sleeping on the couch tonight?

The whole day was a pretty good one for a pooch who loves his sports.  I got to watch the hated Clemson Tigers go down (boo cats in general), but also got to watch the Virginia Tech Hokies win.  VT didn't play that great of a game against the questionable talents of Duke University, but they managed to get the job done.

Another great game that I watched that went late into the night was the Stanford versus the University of Southern California game.  I'll have to admit that despite not being a big fan of either, the game was highly entertaining, and the triple overtime victory for Stanford really did a lot for Andrew Luck's Heisman hopes.

Time for this puppy to get back to watching some NFL games - I've already watched the hapless Colts lose, and miserable Miami fell behind yet again.  It seems like the true competition in the NFL is to see which team gets to draft #1.

Why Aren't There More Dog Mascots in Baseball?

I am curled up chewing on a bone, watching the World Series, and I find myself thinking about something regarding baseball.  Why aren't there more Major League teams with dog mascots?

For example, the teams in the World Series are called the Rangers and the Cardinals, and I find nothing very intimidating about that.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a dead bird as much as the next stuffed dog, but how scary is it to face the Cardinals?  The same thing goes with the Rangers... all I can think of is the Power Rangers, and they are not exactly what anyone would consider scary either.

No, I think a good mascot would be some type of ferocious dog.  It would probably intimidate the other team greatly, and there could be a ton of great press every time the opposing team comes to town.  After all, what dog wouldn't enjoy chewing on the opposing teams hat, peeing in the visiting dugout, or barking and chasing runners who attempted to go to first base?  Plus, if you had a guard dog aka mascot guarding home plate, you wouldn't even need a catcher because no one would dare to ever run there.

Call this puppy loco, but I think it is time for there to be more dog mascots in baseball!

Lassie?

In one of my previous posts, I think I referred to dressing as Lassie for Halloween this year.  I did a little random research and discovered something interesting regarding my television hero, and that is this startling fact:

Even though the character Lassie is a female dog, every single dog that ever played this famous canine was a male!  Imagine my shock upon learning this today!  I could not believe it, so I did some further research and it turns out that it is true!

The reasons for this use of a male dog were somewhat interesting.  Most of it appears to have been for purely cosmetic reasons, as a male dog has a thicker and glossier fur coat than a female (at least in the summer), so the directors and producers all thought that it looked better on television.  Can you imagine?

Another reason for the use of a male dog involves the ol' dog years phenomenon.  As we all know, dogs mature faster than their human counterparts, and the fact that a male collie is bigger than a female collie meant that it would help keep the human support staff (aka actors and actresses) looking younger for longer if they used a male dog.

Is it me, or is this absolutely mind-blowing to you as well?  I mean, for all of this time I thought I was admiring the heroic actions of a heroine canine, and instead I find that I have been tricked!  You would think I would have known better.  Sadness in the Podar house today.

Blue Bear Loves Waffles

It has been a while since I have posted a picture on my blog, but when I encountered Blue Bear eating breakfast this morning I felt obligated to post this picture.  Now, as you may have noticed, Blue Bear is rather small, but that doesn't stop him from eating a lot of waffles.  His preference is maple syrup, but he also loves blueberries (or as says Blue Bearies) on his waffles.  This morning I observed him eating in what was quite an interesting manner.  He balances on a fork, and then uses his bodyweight to catapult the waffle high into the air (making a mess all over in the process).  He then runs under the waffle, opening his mouth, and attempts to catch a bit of the waffle in his mouth.

Yeah, I know, it does not seem like the best use of a fork, but it is what he chooses to do.

I have often pondered what would happen if I help Blue Bear realize one of his life dreams, which is going fishing for Salmon in a river in Alaska.  I can only imagine how he might attempt to fish, be it with  pole or paw, but either way I bet it would be a sight to see.

Speaking of fishing, don't even get me started on Seal's rambles about going fishing.  His fear of walruses is somewhat bordering on the insane, as he refuses to accept that there are no walruses in NYC outside of zoos.  His paranoia rules him, and he constantly references walrus attacks whenever he stops somersaulting.

Gomar remains silent, but I think he too would enjoy a good fishing trip, although he prefers to do so in the Florida Everglades.

Ah, family.

Chase cats? Why not?

Today, I was thinking about one of a canine's favorite past-times, the chasing of the cat.  Sometimes, I see television shows where people berate their dogs for chasing after those meowing little furballs, and I cannot help but ask myself why they bother.  After all, in today's world, with animal obesity being on the rise (not to mention childhood obesity, adult obesity, and pretty much any other kind of obesity that anyone can think of, it makes perfect sense to chase something.

I mean, think of children and what they do when they are young.  They chase each other!  Whether it is football, basketball, tag, running from cooties, they all involve one person chasing and the other person trying to get away.  It only makes sense that we should be encouraging dogs to chase cats, and thus provide exercise for both parties.  Also, motivation issues won't be there, because the dog will definitely want to chase the cat, and the cat will definitely want to get away, so it is a win-win for both parties involved.  Also, it is a safe activity for man's best friend, especially when compared to chasing cars, lawnmowers, or helicopters.  It is also really great for cats, who need to do something besides bat a ball of yarn around or lazily attempt to catch a slow moving butterfly.

Yes my friends, it is clear that we should encourage pups to chase cats, in order to ensure the cardiovascular benefits accumulate for both, and that people should stop berating their dogs for doing what comes naturally.  After all, the health benefits cannot be ignored.

Twitter: The New Bark?

Hi everyone!  Exciting news from your favorite pooch, as I now have a Twitter account.  That is right, you can now follow all of my barks, growls, snarls, and whimpers live!  You can check it out at Adventures of Podar.

Now, I am not sure this is necessary, but then again I feel compelled to keep up with the demands of technology.  After all, if I am going to have a blog, then I suppose it also makes sense that this puppy have a Twitter account as well.  Is Facebook next?  Stay tuned.

Moving back to my previous post, I still have not decided on a Halloween costume.  Gomar and I were looking at a NYC Halloween website today, and when we were trying to figure out what to do that entire weekend, he came upon a potentially brilliant idea.  He suggested that he, Seal, Blue Bear, and I all go dressed as each other!  Can you imagine how funny that would be?  This would also be a little easier, as if you recall, I already have my fake gator tail ready to go.

We didn't come to any decisions, as I had also been thinking about going as the Disney character Goofy.  I've been practicing my impression of his voice all day today, and I must say that I think I could do a pretty good job of impersonating that lovable character.

I'm going to head out into the city tonight and check out this new fire hydrant, so I will catch up with you later!  Follow me on Twitter, and make sure to leave me some suggestions about what to be for Halloween!

NYC Halloween

This puppy was highly concerned about where to go and what to do on Halloween, but thanks to a fabulous NYC Halloween site, that is no longer an issue.  So, instead of worrying about barking up the wrong tree and showing up at a party I wouldn't send my worst feline friend to, now I only have to worry about finding a costume that suits this hot dog.

Today, I was thinking about going as Lassie.  I know that sounds a bit cliche, and there are probably a lot of stuffed animals that have already been there and done that, but there is just something heroic and loyal about that dog that really inspires me to want that to be my costume.  Then again, I have no desire to rescue anyone who has fallen down a well, sewer, or subway grate in New York City, so perhaps I had better rethink my choice of costume a bit more.

In other news, the weather has started to turn chilly here in NYC, and I am happy to report that my fur coat is not getting thicker.  I know this may seem like the opposite of what you might think, as it would make sense to stay warm, but I like my current sleek look, and this also means that I won't have to worry about shedding in the Spring.  ARF!

Well folks, that is all for this evening.  I am going to continue to ponder what to wear for my first Halloween in New York City, and hopefully come up with a really cool costume.  I wonder if I could paint myself white and go as Brian from Family Guy... there is an idea!

Podar's College Football Update

Another weekend of college football has come and gone, and this puppy is happy to report that his Hokies won yet another game.  It felt a bit closer with Wake Forest than it actually was, but I still found myself panting a bit in the second half.  Other notable games this weekend in the ACC included Clemson's comeback on Maryland (which this puppy only cares about because every Clemson win makes Virginia Tech look better because of that crappy loss).  North Carolina almost staged a nice comeback, but fell short despite their successful onside kick.

In terms of the top five in the nation, things pretty much remained the same as they all won, although number six nearly ran into some problems with Texas.  Number seven Stanford won, and I cannot help but wonder if this is the week that they pass number five Boise State - they just have so much hype around a certain Heisman trophy candidate.  Wisconsin also looked amazing this week, but unfortunately the old Michigan team showed up on Saturday, leading Michigan State to a rather dominating win in that traditional rivalry.

I still think that it is going to come down to a Big 12 team and an SEC team, but I will say that I would love if an ACC team could make the national championship this year.  If everything goes well, this puppy will be headed to at least one bowl game to enjoy some fabulous holiday sports fun!

Pause Your Paws

This is truly not a dog's world!

Today I was looking at a DVD player and noticed that the word "pause" was written on it.  Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but it did get me thinking about the spelling of the word "pause" and wondering why it isn't "paws"?  After all, dogs have surely been around longer than DVD players.

I did some further research, and discovered that the first use of the word "pause" supposedly occurred during the 15th century by the English.  Now, I know for sure that dogs have been around longer than that, so this leads to one inescapable conclusion.  THE ENGLISH SETTERS are responsible.  Honestly, I would have expected the french poodles to be behind it, but if the use of the word pause instead of paws occurred in England, then clearly the blame lies with them.

Okay, fine, I'll admit that I'm not really upset about the words pause/paws.  I'm more upset about the Detroit Tigers winning the baseball game tonight.  Can you believe that a bunch of cats might go play in the Word Series?  Not to mention that the Detroit Lions are undefeated at the moment...

Clearly, cats are trying to take over the world!!!

Why do they call it the doggy paddle?

So this may seem like yet another random question, but I cannot help but wonder why they call a dog's swimming stroke "the doggy paddle."  After all, they don't call an elephant swimming the "elephant paddle", and when a cat swims, you never hear the term "cat paddle."  Where in the world did the term originate, and why did it stick?

It should be called something cooler, but I cannot think of a good name.  I will say, however, that I wish I could do the backstroke.  It looks more fun than hanging your head out of a moving car!

This may seem like a random post, but Seal has been bragging all night about what a great swimmer he is, and Gomar has been arguing with him about how gators are superior to seals in the water and on land.  Blue Bear has had no comment, other than to do 7 somersaults and giggle like a maniac.

Gotta love the family!

Should Dogs Wear Clothes?

The weather has recently shifted in New York City, and I have found myself noticing that a wide variety of dogs are wearing a wide variety of fashions.  Some of these dogs are dressed better than most people that I encounter, so I have found myself pondering about whether dogs should wear clothes?

Even more perplexing is whether stuffed dogs should wear clothes.  I have been paying attention to all stuffed animals that I have encountered lately, and I have noticed a startling disparity between those that wear clothes and those that do not.  Some stuffed animals have some very fancy duds (mainly the teddy bears - I saw one in a tux the other day), while others seem to have no clothes at all (examples include my brothers, Gomar, Blue Bear, and Seal).  Why is this?

At first, I pondered whether it was some kind of socioeconomic class indicator, that relates directly to those whom we live with.  However, I have noticed that my humans wear clothes, so that doesn't seem to be a good measure.  Then, I wondered if it was a stuffed animals species type thing, but then I saw a dog wearing a raincoat the other day, and then yet another one dressed as Superman.  

So, I am left without a clue.  I don't know whether I should feel bad about running around in my bare fur, or if I should be worrying about wearing the finest threads - but what I do know is that peanut butter is tough to get out of fur, and that by itself may be reason enough to start wearing a bib at the very least!

Shopping For a Birthday Present!

My tail is wagging in anticipation, because this week is a very special one!  My special boy has a birthday this week!

Although, I suppose I should not call him my special boy, since he is actually way older than me, but hey, what is a puppy to call the person that they spend the most time with?  I am very excited, because this is my opportunity to really put some special thought into getting a birthday present.  I think that this is very cool, because I was actually a birthday wish come true, so the fact that I now get to help another birthday wish come true is very, very cool.

All of that said, I have absolutely no idea what to get!  I do not know what to buy a human for their birthday!!!  I mean, if it were another puppy, I would get them some tasty treats or a good tennis ball.  I mean, even shopping for Gomar, Blue Bear, or Seal is easier than shopping for a human (I mean, my brothers are very happy to please - Seal asked for a piece of lint for his birthday.)

I guess that I am going to start looking very seriously this week, and attempt to figure out if any of the classic boy gifts work - video game, toy car, or some type of sporting equipment.  That is, assuming I can find some money.  You would be amazed at how very little money a stuffed dog has to spare - hence the blog!

What should I be for Halloween?

This is my second Halloween, and I really want to get into the spirit of things and dress up as something amazing and cool... the question is, what will that be?

Being a stuffed dog has a lot of disadvantages, and apparently shopping for Halloween costumes is one of them.  Last year, I wore a specially designed costume and went as one of the 101 dalmatians, and got my "parents" to go as Cruella and the dad dalmatian, but this year I would like to do something a bit more original.  The thing is, it seems like I almost have to have a costume specially designed, because absolutely nothing fits.

So far, I have not came up with any good ideas, but I will keep you posted.  I definitely like the thought of going as Chewie from Star Wars, or maybe as the Hobbit, but I cannot quite figure out how to get those costumes and make them work for a puppy my size.  Another idea I had was going as a hot dog, but then I saw a dog on the street the other day and it looked a bit generic and weird.  Besides, I'm already a hot dog when it comes to my cool tricks and getting attention, so I don't think that is the right call on the costume front.

Wish me luck!