In my absence (or perhaps before I even left) Jake managed to split a nail and crack a tooth.  The nail got partially pulled and we are watching it and doing some meds and the tooth has to be pulled (the root is exposed).  Poor guy! He’ll have to be put under anesthesia for the tooth and that always makes me cry nervous.   I do sort of feel like this was the defining moment that he was meant to be mine though.

For now, here are some recent pics.  Pretty sure they are hoping for the dog sitter to come back in all these photos!

Is that awesome dog sitter coming back? i hope so.

Oh where, oh where did my dog sitter go?

Hey you, my toe and tooth hurt. Fix it.

I’m hungry.

Wait, why do I only have one sock on, is this a joke? Stop calling me LL Cool Jake.

I had seen others post photos of their Yellow Brick Home pet portraits and I’d be filled with such happiness for them and EXTREME jealousy for myself.  You know the type of envy I’m talking about, the angel side of you thinks ‘good for them!’ and the devil side thinks ‘I want the goose that lays the golden egg!’.

So I commissioned one.  Even hitting the ‘buy’ button was exciting!  The exchanges that occurred via email about colors (hot pink!), mood (the odd couple) and ideas (I wanted it to celebrate how their differences make them so much alike) were extremely delightful.  It was an awesome experience from purchase to delivery!   You know how you can just sense a person is delightful, even through email.  Yeah, that’s how it went.  I sigh just thinking about it.

I was in the Bahamas when YBH posted the photo of my boys on Instagram and Facebook.  The noise that came from me when I saw it was probably a healthy mix of teenage-girl-meets-Bieber and a hyena-in-heat.  I. Was. In. Love!

Upon return from vacation, even the delivery box made me squeal! The detail on the painting is friggen amazing, I mean seriously people, this is talent – from the freckles on Melvin’s face to Jake’s wrinkles.  It’s my boys, on hot pink deliciousness!

So to all of you who want one (and I’m a tad embarrassed about my immaturity) but HA, HA!!!!  Me gots one!

Seriously, this is why I don’t have to worry…

This is how the dog sitter woke up every morning. He’s bringing sexy back.

So sweet (and PS Jake is in the teepee).

Walk time!

Protectors.

I am headed to a little place called Paradise Island!  The boys will be spending five glorious days with the wonderful Vasha (who will hopefully still love us after she sees the 98 pages of instruction that I left for her!)! I miss them already but they LOVE Vasha and she sends lots of photos to let me know they are having a great time in my absence!

Boys, check!  Luggage, check!  International data roaming plan so I can read all your blogs while I’m lounging at the beach, sipping on adult beverages. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK!

I won’t be posting but I hope you will be!

xoxo, me.

No joke.  Melvin has started hiding from Jake in the morning.  It’s both very sad and extremely hysterical.

This is how he does it…

This is what he does when Jake makes noises that say: “Where is my nemesis brother?”

And here is Jake crying.

Jake is new but he’s obviously not a puppy, he’s five-and-a-half.  He has spent three months with me which means he spent 63 months someplace else.  Rescue groups can only tell you so much about a dog, some of it you learn as you go.

In his previous life, Jake had access to a doggy-door.  This I knew but I was not sure what that meant for us.  When dogs can use a doggy-door they don’t have to learn to hold it.  So when Jake became part of our family, although one could argue he was housebroken, I treated him as if he was not.  I had hoped he would at least go to the door, any door and look for a doggy door which would then indicate that he had to go out and I could praise him and start associating a word or action with that need.  Nope.  He would just walk and then pee.  The key was catching him mid act (which finally happened)  and escorting him outside (check, check) and praise the be-Jesus out of him (and then some!).  We are one month without an accident.  Ah, baby steps!

Another fun fact (not really) is that I’m pretty sure Jake got fed human food.  I’m not talking about approved human food that can also be bought for the dog, but more like pizza, and sandwiches and whatnot.  This is a no, no in our house mostly because Melvin cannot have anything so it wouldn’t be right to feed Jake when I can’t verbally explain to Melvin why he’s being denied the joys of plate food.  But also, Jake and Melvin eat well. Really well.  Sometimes they eat better than the humans. They get veggies and fruit and much wholesome goodness. I spent a long time training Melvin to not beg.  He might stare you down from the required distance he must be when someone is eating, but what perpetually hungry creature wouldn’t do that?  Jake on the other hand will climb onto you when you are eating and try to take food off your fork.  Not aggressively, it’s more much more adorable than that.  If only it was acceptable.  Or permitted.  He’s slowly learning boundaries with food, having Melvin helps a ton with this one, but I still get up about twenty times during each meal to push him back into the acceptable ‘perimeter of gawking’.

One last thing that I didn’t know before I got him, that NO ONE who knew him well bothered to mention, is that dude can snore.  I mean all 31 pounds of him could out-snore Godzilla.  I’m 100% sure of this. The negative issue you can’t change, you just gotta learn to love!