Maisie Loves Fall (aka Raking is Overrated)

As in most of New England, there are lots of trees in our area.  The wind from Hurricane Sandy blew a ton of leaves to the ground all at once, and plenty of sticks came down with 'em.  Judging from the bags of leaves at the curb for garbage pick up, most of my neighbors have already addressed the situation in their respective backyards.  However, I don't own a rake.  Also, I am lazy.  As you can see, Maisie doesn't seem to mind.

 p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Hell Yeah!!!

Bill S.2192 went into effect today.

Thank you Gov. Patrick, for signing this truly progressive bill.  First, it outlaws BSL in Massachusetts.  OUTLAWS it.

The legislation updates the state’s dangerous dog law so that it now nullifies existing city and town ordinances that focus on particular breeds, such ones that ban pit bulls or require them to be muzzled. Breed-discriminatory legislation has never proven effective at reducing dog bites, and it punishes all citizens living with a particular breed, whether they act as responsible owners or not. The new law requires municipalities to focus on the behavior of misbehaving dogs and their owners, regardless of the breed involved—for example, enforcing existing leash laws for all free-roaming dogs, which are the animals responsible for most reported bites.
-  Linda Huebner, Deputy Director of the MSPCA

Second, it requires training for all animal control officers.  I had no idea that was not already mandatory!

Third, it creates a statewide program to encourage everyone to spay/neuter their pets.

Finally, it allows restraining orders for domestic violence cases to include not just humans, but also pets.

We are so so proud of our adopted state and hope others are inspired and able to pass similar legislation!

This face will never, ever be muzzled.

 p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

 

Hey Kelly Ripa...

Does this look like a dangerous dog to you?

Although we are Chicago natives, Maisie and I currently live in the town ranked #4 on Money Magazine's 2012 "100 Best Places to Live" list.  No gangsters here...

It's been a tough week for us responsible pit bull owners, especially in the Boston area.  Will the negative perception of our beloved breed ever end when those stereotypes are constantly reinforced in the media?  The fight against ignorance continues.

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Slacker

Yes, I have been slacking on blog entries.  I promise I will try to get back to it soon!  In the meantime, you are really missing out on some adorable Maisie-ness if you haven't yet liked our Facebook page.  You wouldn't have seen her snoozing in a backyard sunbeam.

 

Or trying to figure out how to get back inside after jumping through a screen-less living room window.  It took some coaxing, but she eventually jumped back inside...I figured if she can jump over the baby gate to escape kitchen confinement, the window should be a piece of cake!

 

Or Maisie's happy crazy eyes during a puppy play date at my house (the tan blur is her lightning quick new friend Sadie).

Or Maisie forgetting what "boundaries" and "personal space" mean after taking Xanax before being crated since her separation anxiety has gotten worse...though the Xanax really helps, thinking of taking some myself!  ;)

Or unmaking my bed once again, without remorse.

Or resting peacefully on one of her dog beds.

 

Hopefully these pics (and the many others on FB) will tide you over for just a bit.  Happy fall!  :)

Snooze & Stretch

Maisie spends many a lazy Sunday snoozing the day away, and today was no different.

Once she wakes, she doesn't just get up.  There's a process.  First...the big yawn.

She takes a look around, and notices that I am there.

"oh hey.  hi."

Then she starts to think about her next move.

And the stretching sequence begins with a modified downward dog.

Then Maisie's back half gets a good stretch, while her front legs support the effort.

Finally, just one leg needs an additional stretch.

And she's off!  

Does your dog have a post-sleep stretching routine too?  Or is this just another example of Crazy Maisie?

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Disappearing Act

I haven't been posting much lately and I don't want you to think I've disappeared for no good reason.  So I'll share what's been going on...meaning this will be one of the few posts that's more about Me than Maisie!

This year has been tough for me, health-wise.  As I've mentioned, my MS started going crazy a couple months after Maisie and I made the big move from Chicago and it hasn't let up.  I've had two major flare ups thus far.  The first rendered my left arm and hand useless, the second gave me horrible vertigo followed by loss of hearing in one ear.  While there have been major improvements, some symptoms still linger and may be with me forever.  And there's always the fear of another flare up coming on at any time.

I was admitted to the hospital for the vertigo and was so grateful that the owner of Maisie's daycare was willing to come pick her up and also drop me off at the ER.  I was an inpatient for five days (one of which was the 4th of July), and being there without my usual support network of family and friends was very difficult.  Luckily, my brother had already planned a visit and was here for a few days right after I was released.  Hard to say who was happier to see him, me or Maisie.  She made sure to get in as much cuddle time with him as possible.

After my brother left, I was on short term disability for a week.  Although the vertigo was somewhat better once a week of resting at home had passed, I was still too dizzy to drive so I had to hire a driver to take me to/from the office and Maisie back and forth to daycare for a few days.  Two weeks later, I went on a vacation that I'd planned months ago with a group of friends from Chicago.  Even though it meant leaving Maisie again, I really needed to get away and relax...and the gorgeous view of the Atlantic we had in Maine certainly helped!

I will actually be leaving Maisie once again this week, as I am going back to Chicago for a few days.  It will be my first visit home since moving to MA and I'm super excited to see my friends and family.  I am feeling better now, but I know that this unpredictable disease can always surprise me with another episode without warning.  So I'm working really hard to reduce my stress and accept the fact that some things are beyond my control.

Maisie gave me a purpose when I felt helpless and hopeless.  There were days when I might not have gotten out of bed if I didn't have to feed her or let her out in the yard.  She kissed me when I was sad, snuggled up to me when I was afraid and stayed close to me when I couldn't do much more than wait for my brain to heal itself.  I value her companionship now even more than I did before.

"is this close enough?  want me closer?"

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - What a View

I've been sick with another MS flare up, this one caused severe vertigo and landed me in the hospital.  I spent another week recovering at home and though I'm still not 100%, I am appreciating small things like having espresso on the deck before work while Maisie gazes out at the trees and early morning sun. 

Wordless Wednesday - The Most Important Meal of the Day

Actually, Maisie considers all meals to be equally important.   Breakfast just comes first.

"breakfast.  good.  yes."

 "now I must rest and digest. wake me when it's time to leave."

Mondays Require Extra Effort

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend at a yoga/spa retreat in the Berkshires.  I was really excited to de-stress, but of course I was also very nervous about leaving Maisie. She stayed at her daycare for the two nights I was away, and it was the first time I've left her overnight since we moved here.

Of course, I called the daycare to check in and was told Maisie was doing great.  The wonderful owner told me she even slept downstairs on the couch so Maisie could sleep with her (she has cats upstairs and rightly thought it wouldn't be the best idea to let Maisie near them for an extended period of time).  Knowing Maisie was enjoying herself allowed me to enjoy beautiful views like these.

But since Maisie was on a different schedule (i.e. one not including me) for the last couple days, it was extra hard to get her to leave the bed this morning.  See for yourself...

I can't help but smile when I see that tail wagging.  She's adorable even when she's ignoring me, right?  ;)

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Car Rides

Maisie has a very dysfunctional relationship with my car, and therefore taking her for a ride is always an adventure.  She is uber-protective of the car itself, and barks insanely when anyone (strangers or someone she knows well, it does not make a difference) comes within ten feet of it.  This makes red lights interesting, as Maisie routinely scares the bejeesus out of pedestrians who have the nerve to innocently walk past our vehicle.  She also barks like crazy if I leave her in the car for a few minutes, like earlier this week when I had to run into CVS to pick up a prescription on the way home from work.  I left the sun roof open for ventilation and could still hear Maisie barking while I was INSIDE THE STORE.  *sigh*  As I said, always an adventure.

On the plus side, Maisie LOVES going for car rides.  As long as we are moving, she is perfectly content to take a nap, watch the world go by through the window, or just simply relax in the backseat.

And if she starts feeling that familiar urge to chew, there's always an antler nearby to scratch that itch!

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Wordless Wednesday - Perspective

The Queen of All She Surveys rises as she prepares to leave her sleeping chamber for breakfast and her morning constitutional in the backyard.

p.s.  for near-daily Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Close to You

Does your dog ever suddenly stick to you like glue with a look in their eyes like they urgently need something?  Maisie gets like that on occasion and this morning was one of those times.  First, she woke me up waaaay too early by crawling onto my chest and doling out an excessive amount of kisses .  After I was fully awake, she had to be RIGHT next to me at all times.  As I checked my email, she tried to climb into my lap.  When I sat down outside, her face was in my face.

And if she wasn't directly in my personal space, she was intensely staring at me. 

 
Since she'd already done her business in the yard and eaten breakfast, I could not figure out what she so desperately needed.  She leaned against my chair to be even closer to me so I gave her head and neck a good scritching.

That seemed to satisfy her enough to move on to something else.  Namely, watching (and barking at) the cable guy who pulled up in his truck outside the door of a new neighbor.

In fact, she barked so much that we had to come back inside.  Maisie then went straight upstairs and back to bed.  Hoping she can remain calm for the remainder of the day...it's gonna be a nice sunny one here!

Catching Up

So once again I feel I should apologize for the lack of recent posts.  The MS flare up I'm experiencing has yet to go away, so I've been trying to spend most of my non-work time resting.  I have been posting pretty often on our Facebook page though, so if you haven't "liked" us there, you definitely should!

 "really, you should."

Speaking of Facebook, if you do follow us there then you know I have a little Houdini on my hands.  Instead of crating Maisie, lately I have been baby-gating her into the kitchen.  It worked great five or six times.  But yesterday afternoon I was out for a few hours and when I returned home, Maisie greeted me at the door.  I assumed she'd knocked the gate down, but I found it intact and still securely closed.

The only possible explanation seems to be that she jumped it.  But the tile floor is very slippery (and short little Maisie is about half the height of the gate) so I never in a million years would have thought that possible.  She also destroyed a rug in the kitchen in order to fully express her displeasure before making her escape, however it happened.  Part of me fears she may have developed magical evil powers at some point.  And part of me sees a potential nanny-cam purchase in my future!

I of course want to wish a happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, whether your babies be human or canine or both.  It's a gorgeous day here in the Commonwealth and Maisie is doing what she does on any nice Sunday here...hanging out on the deck with me.

Unfortunately, the Canine Security Union does not recognize Mother's Day as a holiday so she's been working too, making sure that there are no visible threats at either end of the deck.

As we know, all that high level security work can tire a pup out.  So Maisie always incorporates a nap (or eight) into her shifts.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Chew Chew Chew

Maisie's love for antlers is well documented.  The reason she adores them so is because one of her very favorite activities is chewing.  While that's appropriate when it comes to antlers, unfortunately Maisie thinks every toy is a chew toy and that leads to toy destruction around here.

A lovely member of my team at work was kind enough to give Miss Maisie gifts for my birthday (thanks Robyn!) including a brand new rope toy which I knew wouldn't last long.  Maisie has sunk in her teeth with vigor and already begin to rip pieces of it apart.

She's enjoying herself so much that I figure I'll let her have at it for now.  But I couldn't help but laugh at Maisie's startled and confused little face when I asked "are you destroying that toy?" this morning....

"wha? is that not the purpose of this thing???"

Wordless Wednesday - Nowhere is Safe

Maisie figured she could relax undisturbed in the car since the only person capable of taking a picture was driving, but she forgot about red lights.  Here she is on our way to work/daycare this morning.

 "lady, I know I'm cute but could you keep your eyes on the road please?"

Wordless Wednesday - Wonderful Warmth

Since the weather has cooled off here, I'm using memories of the long weekend's gorgeous summer-like temperatures as my "happy place" to help keep my spirits up through this tough week.  A good book, a comfy place to rest my legs and and a loyal dog by my side...really, what more does a girl need?

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!

Motionless Monday

The element of surprise can be a useful component of an effective canine security system.  An experienced pup never underestimates the value of a good hiding place while on the lookout for unauthorized personnel!

Down Time

I apologize for the lack of recent posts.  I think I've mentioned previously that I have MS and while it doesn't usually affect me much, I am in the midst of a pretty bad flare up at the moment.  Not only has it impacted my mobility, I also have very limited use of my left arm and hand, which (even though I am right-handed) makes a lot of everyday tasks (including typing) kinda difficult.  And since the treatment for it is a fairly heavy dose of steroids, my brain is a bit fuzzy at times too.

Having said that, it is a beautiful Sunday here in the Boston area and although I wish I could take Maisie for a walk, unfortunately my legs just aren't up to it today.  On the plus side, the deck off the dining room is now finished so we can go outside and enjoy the nice weather anyway, albeit in a much more sedentary manner!

Before she could fully relax, Maisie had to first make sure there was no funny business going on down in the backyard.  Security never takes a day off around here...

Once she determined there were no immediate threats, she got pretty comfortable in a sunny spot.

And spent a little time getting better acquainted with her new rope toy.

Suddenly, the morning quiet was interrupted by the sound of church bells.  Maisie was mesmerized!

Once the silence resumed, Maisie frogged it out while deciding her next move.

Perhaps relocating to a shadier spot with better scenery?  Sounds like a plan!

I know we'll be spending a LOT of time on the deck, grilling and just hanging out.  Wish you were here!  :)

p.s.  for more frequent Maisie updates and pics, please "like" our Facebook page if you haven't yet!