Our Memorial Day Rainbow Bridge Pups of the Week: Tanner, Sophie, Hershey and Baron Bear Bear

It is Memorial Day, when we remember those we have lost, and so this week I would like to honor all our friends at Rainbow Bridge, and four in particular.

First there is the dog who brought us all together, Tanner Bub.

For those of you who don't know, let me tell the story of the Tanner Brigade.  A long, long time ago, at a website far, far, away, we all belonged to a group called Doggyspace.  Tanner Bub and I were good friends there.  But there was a lot of drama, fighting, and meanness around the site then.  There was one pup, well, it wasn't really a pup, just a guy who pretended to have a pup, who was writing some very rude things.  Tanner's Mom made a mistake and listed his name in a comment to one of my blogs.  Now this mistake came from a very emotional place.  Tanner's Mom had just found out he had cancer and would be going to the bridge soon.  Sorrow causes humans to lash out at night.  But in the morning she realized her error, e-mailed me, and asked me to remove the comment she had made.  I removed the comment.  But an hour later we were informed that Tanner's account had been deleted.  We sent a very nice message to Levi, the owner of Doggyspace, asking that Tanner's account be reactivated so we could help him and his Mom through the difficult days ahead.  His response should be read at every Tanner Brigade anniversary because it was the insensitive words and incredible misuse of the English language that were the seeds of what became our close net group.

"“As you know the rules are laid out clear, and we can not allow this bickering to continue, nor slander. It may be unforchunit for her personaly, however she knew she should not have done that before she even posted it, and we can not make exceptions in this case due to the size of the event. Dont expect it to be the last eather, the entire admin/support team are hunting down anyone that was part of the event on bothsides as its a clear break of the community rules. Its sad to see so many adults act like children."

I sent a private message to my closest friends at DS telling the story and attaching the message.  The response was the same, they were all angry.  My sending the PM caused my account to be suspended.  Writing about the situation on my own blog site caused my account the be deleted.

We took a brief refuge at Doggyweb, but on the night Tanner went to the bridge, many of us signed up under phony names on Doggyspace, and posted our profile picture as Tanners.  Many DS members changed their profile pic to Tanner's and that night you couldn't go to a page on DS without seeing Tanner's photo.  But that bad human, who was pretending to own a dog, came on Doggyweb, and celebrated Tanner's passing while lashing out at all the members.  The next day the Tanner Brigade was born.

Just before Tanner died he married Sophie.

Sophe is just about the sweetest dog I know.   Even from the Bridge she sends us lovely messages and make us feel so loved.  There are now three dogs living in Sophie's old house.  That's how many dogs it takes to fill the void left by a wonderful dog like Sophie.

Our third pup is Hershey.

I can't find better words to explain why Hershey deserves this then Hershey's words.  This is his message to his Mom from Rainbow Bridge, but be warned, you will need your tissues.  You can read it here.

Our last pup  of the week is Baron otherwise known as Bear Bear.

This week Bear did the most important work a Bear the the Bridge can do.  But Bear hasn't posted it here.  His Mom did on Facebook.  So I won't spill the secret here, I'll just say Bear's work here is done, but as Hershey says so perfectly, they never leave us.

So here is to all our dogs at the Bridge, and all the Moms and Dads we have lost, brothers and sister too.  Someday we will all be together.  And we won't have to call up a web address to see a friend, but simply think of them and they will be there.  Until then, Bridge Angels like Tanner, Sophie, Hershey and Bear will be there to watch over us.

Introducing our new grandbaby boy Calvin

On Saturday we got our Tanner Brigade Anniversary present.  Pocket and I got to meet our newest family member Calvin.  (No we haven't met Charli yet but we know her here at The Tanner Brigade and that's how we know all our besties.)   Calvin is just a baby who can't type with his paws yet.  But we were wicked excited to meet him.  His father Chad lived with me, Daddy and Moms for eight years.  Then we get Pocket and he move away.  Mommy and Daddy say he fell and love and got married.  What some humans won't do to get away from Pocket.

 But here is the reason we are so excited.  Chad lived with us, then he moved away, and he made a whole new person, and he was bringing it to us for approval.  When we took a good whiff of him we could smell our entire family, everyone we love.  Calvin already has a dog of his own.  It is Mia.  I think Mia still has a DS account but she has been busy protecting her family and hasn't posted in a long time. 

Mia is an American Bulldog so I know Calvin will be well protected.  Pocket and I kept a respectful from Calvin not wanting him to get caught cheating on Mia at six weeks of age.  With Mackenzie I had to teach her all about dogs and it wasn't until she was 11 that the fates allowed her to get one of her own.  But Calvin has dogs up the wazoo, and other gross stuff, so we know he'll be a dog owner for a long time.  Looking at this little baby all we could think is oh, the puppies he will own in 90 years of life. 

We had a couple of action shots taken with Calvin.  In the first one Pocket and I are giving Calvin the sniff test.  The sniff test is very important.  Us dogs can tell more from one good sniff then humans can tell in a thorough examination.  We are happy to report Calvin passed the sniff test with flying colors.

Also in this picture Calvin is asking Pocket where she got the cool denim diaper.  Calvin was very upset to learn that even though Pocket is only having a couple of accidents a week she still has to wear a diaper because Mommy is so protective of her floors.  He doesn't think he ever will be able to not have accidents in his diaper.  So far his record is zero.  The smart money says that Calvin will be out of diapers before Pocket.   Then we shared a puppy secret with him.  Our doggy Moms had eight teets on her.  That's right, eight teets, no waiting.  We even told him that one of them was chocolate.  By the time he knows we were lying he'll have forgotten the entire thing.

The second one is an after the action pick.  Pocket has already lost interest, and I am slinking away, while Calvin looks around and says "Hey, where did everyone go?"

But the best news for all us dogs out there is that a great dog companion has come to this Earth.   I gave him a delicate lick, and that scent will stay with him for his entire life.  On his 90th birthday in 2101 a little puppy will come up and smell his hand and know that the Foley Monster was here. 

Plus this is the first boy grand baby.  A stick throwing, mud puddle splashing, tug a war okay playing boy of my own.  So hurry up and grow up Calvin because we have lots of playing to do.

The Pawnight Show with host Foley Monster and guest Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pocket:  It's the Pawnight Show with your host Foley Monster with Hobo Hudson and his all mutt orchestra featuring Hattie Mae on cello.  I'm your announcer, Pocket Dog.  And now here's Foley.

(Foley walks out to cheers.  She smiles and wags her tail then holds up her paws.)  Please we have a wonderful show for you tonight.  Major movie star and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger is here so let's give him a big Pawnight Show welcome. (The former Governor comes out in a suit and tie and sits in a chair by the desk.  Foley hops up on her chair and then climbs on top of the desk where a pet bed had been placed by the microphone.  She circles several times.  She finally sits.)   

Foley:  Well, Governor, thank you for joining us here.

Schwarzenegger:  Da.  Thank you for letting me on your program.  I enjoy your tail.  It is round.  I like round things.  Like dumbbells.

Foley:  Pocket's tail was cropped.

Schwarzenegger:  Da.  That reminds me of my old dear Da back home in Austria.

Foley:  I was hoping to talk to you about your days as Governor of California but I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room.

Schwarzenegger:  Da.  That reminds me of my dear old Ma back in Austria.

Foley:  I mean, of course, the affair you had with your maid that produced a 14 year old child.

Schwarzenegger:  I deny that.  It wasn't a 14 year old boy.   It came out as a little baby.  It took 14 years to make it what it is.

Foley:  But you were married to a beautiful influential woman, why did you have sex with the maid?

Schwarzenegger:  Because when I marry Maria I became a Kennedy.  I couldn't join in their poke her games unless I cheated on my wife.  So I had sex with the maid.  I pumped her up.
Foley:  Do you have any regrets?

Schwarzenegger:  I would really have liked to have been with the Navy Seals when they captured Bin Laden.  I would have like to have burst in their with my automatic weapon and has sex with his maid.

Foley:  I hear that you are going to have a new animated series, the Governator.  You are going to be a super hero.

Schwarzenegger:  Yes, I am a super hero with a sculptured body who goes to small towns and saves people and then has sex with their maids.

Pocket:  Oh my gosh you are obsessed with maids.  You are like me with my tennis ball.

Foley:  Oh this is nothing like you and your ball.  You spend all day chasing after your ball over and over again.  When you get it you pick it up in your mouth and run around with it.  When you're done you drop it out of your mouth, all covered with drool, and pass it on to someone else.

Schwarzenegger:  Oh not that is exactly what I do with my maids.

Foley:  You're really kind of a sicko aren't you?

Schwarzenegger:  Hey, I'll pump....you up.

Foley:  Governor, do you find it significant that your son with Maria Shriver, who was born one week before your illegitimate son, wrote a letter of support for his mother, and signed it with the last name Shriver?

Schwarzenegger:  Schwarzenegger is a very hard name to spell.  It took me until I was 41 years old to learn how to do it.

Foley:  Do you think you have hurt your blossoming acting career with this scandal?

Schwarzenegger::  It is possible.  But I think I have added a lot to my sleeping with maids career.

Foley:  OK, we're sick of you.  Go away.

Pocket:  Hasta la vista baby!

Schwarzenegger:  This is a silly little show anyway, and neither of your have a maid.

Pocket:  I told you we should have got Charlie Sheen.




                                                                                                                                                                              

Erin is our second anniversary Tanner Brigade Pup of the Week

It has been a difficult past few weeks for us Brigaders, with many good friends becoming ill and needing prayers.  Now, as our second anniversary approaches Pocket and I needed to pick an appropriate Pup of the Week.  Thankfully no pup has experienced any serious health trauma this week, although Paco did give us a scare at the beginning of the week.  We figured it would be quite a battle this morning about who we should pick.

Then this morning we powered up the Brigade.  We were greeted with the most spectacular layout we have ever seen.  And then our decision became easy.

Since the day we broke ground on the Brigade this pup has been with us.  More than any other she has made our site a beautiful and exciting place to be.  Which makes Erin our second anniversary Pup of the Week.

If you are reading this on the Tanner Brigade you have seen the marvelous job she did with her Mom Aunt Donna to create a layout celebrating our anniversary.  When I announced the party for tomorrow she made mention that she could do a new design.  But both Erin and Donna are quite busy.  We would certainly understand if she were unable to do it. 

But Erin always comes through for us.  Every original design that has been created for us she has done.  And even though this is her business she has never asked us for a single kibble.  (Editor's note from Pocket Dog: Wouldn't it be nice if Foley represented paws for free in legal cases instead of charging kibble.)  Plus Erin and her brother Buck are so famous they were interviewed on another blog.  You can read it .here

For those of us in the blogger community like Koli and Felix, Smoochy, and Silvie, we know how respected Erin's Freedom To Bark site is in the rest of the blogger world.  To be honest, because of the work that Erin did on Doggyspace, we thought she was part of their management.  And boy did she prove us wrong.  I was surprised that someone gave so much advice for free.  In this blog written two years ago Erin did better then anyone explain what was wrong with Doggyspace under the former management.

Because of some physical issues Aunt Donna has had Erin has not been as active on the site as others, but she is always watching over us.  If anyone is having problems with their computers Donna is the first one to step up and help.  And again she never asks for a dime in compensation.

Her computer skills are also offered to other bloggers.  She is the most influential pup on the Internet.  And most important:   She is on our side.

I think Erin wouldn't argue if we made every member of The Brigade the Pup of he Week this week.  In their own way every member of the Brigade makes this the most special pup home on the Internet.  I could start naming all the wonderful pups, but if you are Brigade member, and are reading this, then we mean you.  You all bring something special and needed to the site.

It has been a very difficult year for the group:  loss of dear friends like Baron (Bear Bear), Pepsi, and harder still the loss of members of our human family.  Gina, who never left us without a smile, and Jackie Pool, whose passing on February 12 has left a large hole in all our hearts.  But with every passing, or illness, we have all gathered around to pick up the hearts of those that were broken  and helped rebuild them again.  As we proved with Boris last week, our prayers carry a mighty weight.

It has been nothing but a pleasure to help hold such a wonderful group together.  When the Ning Weasels asked us for money to keep the site going our members contributed enough to keep the site paid in full for three years.  So while the sun shines brightest on Erin this week let's get everyone together for a picture..  Erin's in front, try to squeeze next to each other 12 and Matilda, Hattie stop staring in jealousy at Sydney's dress, Hurley put down the frisbee, Logan get yourself dried off, everybody get ready, and say Tanner Bub.

Excellent.  Wait why is there a yellow spot?  Oh Pocket!

Ask Aunt Foley featuring actual questions from actual dogsQ

As always these are actual questions from actual dogs.

Dear Aunt Foley:  Our sister Sydney has recently posed for the centerfold of a racy pup magazine.  We are a little embarrassed as we don't want to be known for living with the town pump.  And worse yet Mommy took the picture too.  It feels like we are living in a family of porno addicts and neither of us want to go into the industry. But what if Mommy forces us?
Moose and Buddy

Dear Moose and Buddy:  I have seen the pictures of your sister and I would have to classify them as soft porn  It's not like she's on the stripper pole.  I think they are simple and tasteful.  I do think you have to talk with your Mommy about your reluctance to follow your sister into the business.  The problem is you have to be careful how you sleep.If you sleep on your back there is nothing you can do if your Mommy takes a picture of your exposed gentle area.  If this does happen contact me immediately.  You are entitled to the privacy of your own gentle area.  I can switch from Aunt Foley to Foley Attorney at Paws with a swish of my tail.

Dear Aunt Foley:  My Mommy recently cut off my balls.  Well, let me clarify, she didn't have the balls to cut off my balls.  She hired a man to cut off my balls.  Why would one man cut off another man's balls?  :  Apparently this is common practice.  Some old guy named Bob, I think he's Drew Carey's Dad, is always saying off with their balls  So I have two questions.  Where the hell are my balls?  Why did I have to get my balls chopped off?  Why do other dogs let their Moms are their Mom's snip man chop off their balls?  OK that's three questions but I am very worked off.  Mommy cut off my balls.
-Fuzzy Bacon.

Dear Fuzzy:  Oh Fuzzy I must admit that a lot of it is the fault of us lollipops.  (For those who don't own a Foley to English dictionary a lollipop is a female dog, a much nicer term then the more popular b*t*h,  If we don't have our forlorn ovaries removed we seem to put out a scent with our pee that causes the same reaction as Paris Hilton in a short skirt when the fleet comes in.  This seems to drive you boys wild.  You climb upon your red rockets, fly over to our house, and then we perform what Soap Opera magazines refer to as "a romp."  Now this isn't so bad, I have read on some pay dog sites that it's actually quite fun, and a stress reliever. But another problem is us lollipops are as fertile as a Mississippi cotton field.  So there are more dogs, and then they end up in shelters, and things become very sad.  I have some suggestions to stop the practice.  If you boys are getting your balls snipped off why can't we keep our ovaries?  It's not like we can do anything with them and the worst thing that can happen is that we become impossible to live with and Daddy says that is how Mommy becomes once and month anyway.  *Pause as Foley hears the sound of her Daddy being hit in the head with a skillet.*  Also, we could do the romping, if someone could slip some protection on your rocket.  I mean brush our teeth, pick up our poo, squeeze our anal glands, wipe up our vomit, clip our nails, trim our tail hair and they draw the line at this?  But until that day comes we are all going to have to live but the human rules as snip and cut so we're not a pain in the butt.  As for where your balls go, they are used as replacement balls in skeet ball games.  True.
-Aunt Foley

Dear Aunt Foley :  I was very excited because I was going to meet my two dog friends Sierra and Nase.  It was wonderful when the arrive.  My Mom forgot to bring her camera but that's not why I am writing.  I just want it noted that when you're older you forget things like your camera or peeing outside.  The real reason I am writing is because Sierra and Nase brought their horse.  The thing scared the screaming Vick out of me.  The only thing I know of horsies is watching Mr. Ed.  I asked the horsie a question but he did not answer.  Obviously he is an under developed horse.  Should I mention to Sierra and Nase that they may want to have their horse tested for being a little "slow." Should I assume they know that they know this sent when they left they were towing the horse in the short bus?  Or should I just mind my business.  - The Rock.

Dear Rocky:  I personally have never met one of these horsie things .  I have seen them marching by me on parade.  But I don't know if they could talk or not.  They did take the biggest vicks I have ever seen.  I wouldn't say anything to Sierra and Nase.  Either they know they have a horsie who is a couple of gallops behind the rest or they don't.  Either way, as I am sure the horsie is aware, ignorance is bliss.  Many a dog relationship has been ruined by an inappropriate comment made about a horse.  You don't want your relationship being one of them.  As for your problem with Mommy forgetting the camera I can only tell you how Pocket would handle the situation.  She would remember the drawer where the camera was kept, and,  before an important event, she would pee in front of the drawer.  While Mommy was soaking it up, she would remember the camera.  Full proof.  -Aunt Foley

Dear Aunt Foley:  I don't know if you know who the slope nosed named Justin Bieber is.  He is a shaggy haired boy who young girls go nutty over.  He started dating this girl named Selena Gomez and thousands of mean little girls began sending her nasty messages.  Now the same thing is happening to me.  Last week I went to see my friend Einstein perform at his agility show.  I want you to know, despite what they say on BarkMZ, that Einstein and I are just good friends.  I enjoyed the competition very much.  I was honored to get my picture taken with him.  Plus he smells like chicken.  But we are not dating.   Now I am getting lots of messages from jealous lollipops who worship Einstein.  I just want these messages to stop but no one will listen to me when I say there is nothing going on between us.  What should I do? -Mollie

Dear Mollie:  I understand how hard it is when dogs draw their own conclusions about relationships.  You sniff the random butt and all of a sudden you are in a life time commitment.  It is almost impossible to stop these rumors from spreading.  What you have to do is just rise above this base accusations.  As for this misunderstanding with the handsome and athletic Einstein I am sure there is nothing going on between you.  But if there is understand this:  I will cut you lollipop you understand me?   Einstein is the love of my life even he doesn't know it yet. But he will soon and no one will stand in the way of my true love for him, you hear me? No one.  Then again if there is nothing going on don't pant it, it will all work out. - Aunt Foley

Boris is our May 15, 2011 pup of the week

Wow, this Boris character, he's less than a year old and he's been named Pup of the Week twice in the last month.  If Boris lives an expected life scan of 15 years, and wins Pup of the Week at the rate he is currently winning it at, he will win it 360 times.  Which, given the poor week the little fellow has had will be fine with us.  Because at this point last week it seemed like it would take a miracle for Boris to be here to win the award this week.

When little Boris came to live with his new family, his Mom and siblings Max and Tupper, it was a very happy day for everyone.  But the little pup tested positive for heartworm which sent his new family into despair but did earn him his first pup of the week.

Then he came back home and the roller coaster our friends were on began rising up.  But a few days later it began crashing down again.  On Monday, after a good weekend, Boris was lethargic and not eating.  His Mom rushed him to the dogtor.  There was weight loss and a fever.  There is nothing worse then when you think you are out of the woods and you only end up in deeper woods.

The dogtor gave his Mom pills for Boris to take.  This made her question why Boris didn't get these pills when he left her care, and. if he had, would he be suffering so?  Once a Mom loses faith in a dogtor it's all over. She asked her Tanner Brigade family if she could get a second opinion and we all told her to tell the vet  "forget you."

The next day Boris was sick and trembling.  His mother called the original dogtor but neither the dogtor or the dogtor tech cared enough to talk to her.  She severed their relationship at once and thanks to her daughter was able to find a compassionate dogtor willing to see Boris immdeiately  Unfortunately our friend had to have all those alphabet tests that I don't understand, but they only run if things are very serious.

Also Boris had lost another pound and he was running out of pounds.This was Boris' sad diagnosis:  He had a fever, he had an elevated white count, and his liver enzymes were high.  Beats me too but it sounds bad.  What was good is that Boris' Mommy believes in this dogtor and the prayer brigade and bridge angels were praying for and watching over Boris constantly.

The next day, Wednesday, little Boris was not improving.  He was not eating, vomiting, and using all the strength in his little body to fight the embolism.  At least the dogters let his Mom and brothers bring a squirrel toy so he would have a touch of home.  It was obvious that, if his Mom had not made the change of dogtors, little Boris would not still be with us.  The new dogtor even left his Mom visit him and hold him which meant so much to little Boris.  It may have given him the burst of energy to push him back towards health.  When a Mom trusts a dogtor a pup can feel it when they are held.  And that makes a pup know they are going to be all right.

The first sign that a miracle might be upon us was when Boris had stopped vomiting.  But on Thursday the roller coaster began to go down again.  Boris had developed a cough.
And the dogster did not want to try feeding him with a cough.

Despite the bleak news there was hope.  His white blood count had returned to normal.  There was a drug protocol that the doctor believed in.  But it still felt like we were counting on a miracle.

Friday morning the dogtor reported on a miraculous site:  Boris was eating for the first time in days.  There would be nothing unlucky on this Friday the 13th.  Then Friday afternoon around the doggy world pups and parents began to do the Happy Dance.  Boris had cleaned his plate twice and held it down, the miracle we had counted on had come through, Boris was on the road to recovery.

If you don't know how to do the Happy Dance it goes like this.  Put your left paw in, put your left paw out.  Put your right paw in, put your right paw out, then shake your tail about
That's how you do the Happy Dance (no doubt)

And then, yesterday, the miracle occurred.  Boris came strutting back in his front door to be reunited with his brothers.  The happy family was together again.  It gives you a reason to believe when everything is at it's lowest.

Boris still has a ways to go before he is fully recovered.  He will got back to the dogtor for more treatment on Monday.  But for one soggy weekend in May he made us believe in miracles.  And any dog who can made us believe in miracles, even for a day, deserves to be pup of the week every week.






'

Our baby cousin Chali has joined the Tanner Brigade

There have been a lot of changes around here lately.  Mommy and Daddy rearranged the living room today just when Pocket and I got it the way we wanted it.  And to move the furniture they had to roll up the new rug and discover where I peed on it which would never have happened if they had not moved the furniture so I don't want to begin pointing paws here.

Also today we were knocked off the Internet for awhile when the guy who smells like prunes next door shuffled from his rascal to his tractor and ran over the "temporary" line Comcast ran to the house two weeks ago.  So with Daddy upset with Comcast and the mad tractor driver, the furniture moving, which made me want to run upstairs (before I realized we no longer had an upstairs I ran right into to wall), it has not been a restful day.  But there are a couple of good things that have happened lately.  I wish they included meeting my new grandbaby Calvin on Mother's Day but he couldn't get up in time to come see us Sunday morning.  Frankly I am not seeing a bright future for the kid.

No the first thing is that our living room is so pretty now it is going to be featured in Home and Yorkie Magazine.  And the second thing is our newest puppy cousin Charli has made a big splash here at the Brigade.

Charli's Mom is our oldest grand baby Mackenzie.  Mackenzie was born nine months before I was so we grew up together from being little pups to important figures on the world wide web. I have always considered her my second Mom even if I only get to see her a few times a year.  But now she has a baby of her own, Charli, a little English Bulldog, who may someday grow into the E at the end of her name.

Normally I would be jealous, because I am jealous of anyone who crowds in on someone I love.  When Mommy and Daddy hug I growl and bark like a father of a middle school girl seeing her get a hug from a strange boy for the first time.  But I know how much Mackenzie wanted to be a Mom on her own so I am so happy her and Charli have one another.

We never thought it would happen.   That is why I promised her when she got a puppy of her own she could be on The Tanner Brigade.  Because Mackenzie's Mom had always said no dogs, no more kids, maybe a fish it if didn't need feeding.

But somehow Mackenzie did the impossible and wore her mother down until she agreed to get a dog.  Mommy and Daddy took a "we'll believe it when we see it" attitude  but soon they saw it, Charli was home.

Last week was wicked cool because Mackenzie got to spend nights with us while her family was away.  I don't know where they went but the scuttlebutt is they went to Sea World to train those seals who took out that Bad Wolf Bin Laden.

I, knowing  a Lollipop is worth nothing without her word, sat down with Mackenzie to create the page for Charli, who had returned to her native land for the Royal Wedding.  We did not know if Mackenzie had her Mommy's permission for Charli to join the Brigade, but we couldn't interfere with her mission, even to go out fishin', so we took the safe course and blindly forged ahead.  We didn't have a picture of Charli we could use so we selected a picture from last summer, at our old house, of Mackenzie and her cousin Maddie trying to push Pocket into a mattress.

Her last night here I tried to explain everything to Mackenzie, who would then have to explain it to Charli, who is just a pup, so we didn't expect to hear from Charli for awhile.  But when Charli returned home she and Mackenzie went right to the computer and got on the Brigade faster then a flea on a shaggy dog.  She was making comments, joining groups, like a properly seasoned pup.  She has written two excellent poems, one sent in a message to the poet's corner members and the other on the group page.

She is a puppy so she is very good at giving out hugs and kisses as Brody can tell you. 

She also joined birthdays and funny corner but she has had trouble remembering her birthday so she hasn't posted it yet.

She even got our other cousin dogs, Riley and Bailey, to post something for the first time in over a year.  Riley is like a 90 pound Pocket (which is an upcoming movie on the SyFy network) and Bailey is the dog we call the Queen Mother.  She is 13 years old, sits in a corner of her couch, and occasionally raises her head to bark or sniff, then goes back to sleep.

As we approach our second anniversary Charli represents the next generation of the Tanner Brigade.

Stop by Charli's page if you haven't yet and say hey, she's a very friendly dog.  And know with pups like Charli the Tanner Brigade flag is going to fly for a long time.

We love you Charli, keep up the great work.

Hannah Banana is our May, 8, 2011 pup of the week

Pocket and I were sitting up in bed last night discussing what would happen if we did not name Hannah Banana Pup of the Week.  We imagined a group of dogs outside with pitchforks and torches calling for our pointy ears.  We shuddered and took a look out the window.  Paco was there, with his pitch fork and torch, because it was already Sunday in Italy.

Hannah Banana is one of the most popular pups in cyberspace.  A great friend, the first to be there when someone is in need, an ear to listen, or a paw to cry on.  From Doggyspace to the Tanner Brigade and all sites in between no one has a bad bark to aarf about Hannah.  So this week, when Hannah took sick, and was unable to walk, the Internet quaked stronger than after Bin Laden's death.  Hannah could not walk, one of the strongest dogs we know unable to move.  It would be like me not able to crack wise about some silly situation.

Hannah had to be rushed to the dogtors and they put her on steroids.  Pocket said this would be great for the Furminators but I shushed her.  The next day our friend was up but was moving around like me after a few bowls of Foleytinis.  The Dogtor said the steroids were making the swelling go down so apparently they work differently then they do on Jose Canseco's head.

Sadly Hannah had to be kept at the dogspital and her Mommy couldn't fit in the crate to stay with her so they had to be apart.   Oh is there are worse part about being sick then being away from your Mom?   OK, the Cone of Shame, but being away from your Mom that's a close second.

Thankfully it was only for a couple of nights.   She was a wobbly baby when she came home but in her heart she knew she was where she belonged.
The dogtor said no physical activity for two weeks, which, for a lap dog like me, means any two week period of my life, but for Hannah is impossible.

So Hannah has to be kept in a crate so she does not get excited.  You're in the crate to be kept calm, let out to pee, then back in your crate, what a frustrating lifestyle.  Isn't that what laps are for?  But I guess Miss Connie would need an awful big lap to have Hannah curled up on it.  Shortness had it's privileges
.
Miss Connie spent a lot of time trying to think of things she could put in the crate to keep Hannah busy so she wouldn't get bored.  I would offer my whirlpool bath, pool table, and Nintendo Woof but don't know if they fit in Hannah's crate or if it would be too much activity for her.

Also Hannah had to be on Prednisone.  I don't know what that is but Miss Connie said she had  to be weaned off of it.  The word wean just makes me miss my birth Mom.

Hannah won't be able to run with the moped anymore or pull the sled.  Like m,e our friend is getting older.  I am no longer able to leap on the bed or jump from chair to chair.  It's tough getting older but I think it is harder on our parents watching us.

The dogtor doesn't even want Miss Connie to socialize with Hannah which must be so hard, but she knows Hannah cannot get excited so Miss Connie has to fight the temptation to snuzzle her baby.  She also hired pupsitters to make sure Hannah was not left alone and did not start trouble in her crate  I hope Miss Connie did not pay a lot of money for the pet sitter because if you're sitting for a dog in a crate you're basically babysitting for an ottoman.

Miss Connie will know more about Hannah come Monday so all pups everywhere need to say a prayer for our friend.  She is still a pup at heart and has the desire to play like one so let's put in a word to The Big Dogs that she will be as close to herself as a dog her age can be.  And let her know if she needs to stay overnight all us dogs will find our way to the dogspital, sit in the waiting room, watch TV and stick our tongues out at Caeser Milan.

Get well soon Hannah, we love you, we love your Mom, and we love the two of you together.

We sure hope you will be able to run and chase butterflies in the backyard soon.

Our wonderful gifts from our good friends Cooper and Lulu

Today we would like to say a big thank you to our friends Copper and Lola from the Cooper and Lulu blog that you should all check out.  We won a caption contest and that sent us a wonderful package, unlike the cheapos who run The Tanner Brigade caption contest where the winner don't get squat.

Hold on I am getting a note from Pocket.  "Dear Foley:  We run the Tanner Brigade caption contest.  We're the cheapos."  *Foley swallows the note.*

Moving right ahead let me tell you what we got and how we got it.

We were walking to get the mail at the prune house mailboxes.   Pocket didn't leave any Vick on the ramp so already things were pretty sweet.  There was a big package on the table addressed to us.  (Here are the elderly, unstable, and forgetful village they don't put big packages in locked mail boxes.

They put the packages on a big table by the mailboxes.  Daddy was going through them and he said "here is a package for the two of you."

Well now we were excited are we wanted him to open it right away.  But Daddy said we had to walk home first.   Halfway there a man stopped in his car to see us.  He told Daddy he used to raise Standard Poodles and he doesn't have a dog now and misses them.  We ran up to him, let him scratch us, gave him licks, but after awhile we stopped.

Because we wanted to see what was in the package.  But Daddy kept talking to this guy about the ladies in the neighborhood.  I was like "Dude, I got a package to open, move along."

They kept talking.  Pocket and I were pulling on the leash but we couldn't budge fatso Daddy.. Finally they ended their conversation and we began walking home again.   We got on the porch.  Daddy took a knife and opened the package.  The wonderful Cooper and Lulu had sent us a squeaky squirrel that we immediately began to fight over.  There were two squeaky balls that are good for our teeth.

There was also a package of peanut butter treats.  Now this is how you treat dogs who win a caption contest.

So a big thank you and smoochies to Cooper and Lulu for treating us so well, being such wonderful, generous friends, and making us feel so special.

Out of all the gifts you sent us your friendship was the best.

Here is Pocket with some of the gifts.  She is resting after playing very hard with them.  Fatso Daddy was busy talking to someone and missed taking the picture of us playing.

A guided tour of our new digs by Foley and Pocket

We have been here nearly ten days and we have been quite remiss in not taking you on a tour of our new digs.  Please accompany us on your guided tour.

The first thing we do is wake up in our bed in the morning and take a look at our bedroom from our snuggly bed.

We walk out of the bedroom and into the living room.

I get to walk, as you can see, while Pocket has to be carried.

We then go on the porch and look out the back porch door as we wait to get leashed.

 Then we go for a little walk and find a nice spot to relieve ourselves.

We come in and line up waiting for our treats which looks just like where we line up for treats in our old house.

Then I will look out one side window from my favorite chair.

Pocket looks out the other window from our couch.

This week our grandbaby Mackenzie has been staying with us and we rush down to her room to see her (she is not in this picture unfortunately.)

Then Mommy goes to work and Daddy takes Mackenzie to school.  When he gets back Daddy takes us for our walk.  We got out the front door.

We walk down the street a little way until we come to the grass.

This is some first class, A-1 primo grass.  Just feeling it between your piggy toes makes you feel as high as a kite.  It's the best grass I have ever been on.  If you send me your address I might be able to send you a couple of ounces.

Then we go under a tree for shade.

We continue along smelling everything we can, under trees, under rocks, under everything.

We have become very popular during our walks.  People come out of their houses to see us.   They stop their cars to ask about us or scratch us.  The men cutting the grass stop and smile as we go by with our tales up high.  Without us our parents would be the weird people who hardly ever came out of the house.  With  us they are known by everyone, the parents of the two most popular carbon based units in the village

After a half hour we return home where my parents have claimed their new home and Pocket and I have planted our flag.


We go inside for a nice cool drink.

Then we lay on the camouflage rug.  It looks just like me and you barely see me when I'm on it.

Pocket thinks she can't be seen, but she can.

I like giving into her delusions now and then.

I now give the sign that I am a Monster fully walked and delighted, the curved tongue

Within an hour I am fast asleep dreaming of my  next walk.

Brody is our May 1, 2011 pup of the week

I believe that, with a quick perusal of blogs and reactions this week, that the pup that deserves to be honored is obvious.  With my move, the indelicate handling of the kitty condo, and my having to get used to everything new I, Foley Monster should be pup of the week.  Wait I am being pawed a note by my bothersome little sister Pocket..  Hmmmm....It says here that most of our posts and blogs have concerned Brody

Well, if the rest of your pups feel that almost dying, have to go to the hospital, and scaring the Vick out of your friends is pup of the week material so be it.  So here is to Brody our May 1, 2011 pup of the week.

Now that I review the blogs it does seem that Brody may have had a slightly more heroic week then I did.  Our first news of Brody's blues was a posting by sweet Sofie Jean telling us that urgent prayers were needed after it was discovered that he had a blockage of some kind.  His wonderful Mom Candice also posted on the Hooman Book saying that she had to rush our close friend to the hospital.  We dogs don't ask a lot of questions.  We got right to the praying.

Especially for Brody:  He is one of our most popular members, a sweet, gentle giant who stars in the cutest pictures with his adorable sidekick Blake.  On Monday morning Brody had some diarrhea, and according to what they tell us, he vomited up some stuffing.

He also vomited up some plastic coins from Blake's birthday party.  I don't know why Blake would be feeding Brody coins.  Maybe he needed change.  Or he fed Brody the coins and pulled his tail hoping that Brody's eyes would light up with three cherries and his butt would spill out even more coins.  Anyway Brody had something in his intentional system and it wasn't good.

The next day when she got home our poor friend was in his crate covered with vomit and Vick.  If this wasn't humiliating by itself he then had to get hosed off outside like a circus elephant.   Then they did the one thing that Brody loves beyond all others.  They put a big bowl of food in front of him.   And he turned away.  This set his parents into a full panic.

Brody not eating is like Pocket not peeing.  It is what they are put on Earth for.  His parents rushed him to the dogtor who decided to run a Barium upper GI test to see if dye passes from his stomach to his colon.  I don't understand a word of that but not one bit of it sounds like it is conducive to napping, playing, eating, or snuggling.

They hooked him up to and IV and Miss Candice said he was shaking in pain with each breath he took.  Our poor boy was in tough shape as his heartbroken Mom left him that night.

Miss Candice and Mr Jeff's big concern was that Brody would need surgery.  If the Barium did not pass from his stomach then the blockage had to be removed.  In the morning the Barium was still in Brody's stomach.  This was not the news any of us wanted to hear.

Also his blood pressure dropped because of medication but the alert doctors straightened that out quickly.  Even with all his medical problems everyone at the dogtor's office said he was a sweet boy who was giving them no problems.  All that was left to do was to wait, and we all hate to wait.

The next word of his condition came from sweet Lily.  She copied from Humanbook that Brody, while still at the vet, had improved during the day, was happy to see Miss Candice, and had tons of energy when he went outside.

Then, on the 27th, came the news we were praying for:  Bordy had been cleared to come home.  Whatever had been in his stomach had passed to his colon .  The man was still saying it was stuffing from a toy of his but I have ordered my own series of reports.  But we were happier than an upper class twit Londoner with front row seats to see a pretty brunette marry a balding uniform wearing weirdo.  Our Brody was going to be OK.

I hope you know how worried we were about you Brody.  You and your family are our treasures and we hope to someday be up at the Bridge looking down as Blake types stories from his dog  about his family.  Your Mommy and Daddy love you bunches even though it may not seem like it since the first thing Mommy did when she got you home was give you a bath.  Blake loves you too, his protector, his best friend, and his piggy bank.

I think Brody, that you didn't earn pup of the week for getting sick, but for being everyone's best friend.  I must admit, you are even more worthy than me, and I don't say that often.