Bark for Me - Dog Photography

Hola Amigos!

Mi amiga, GG, is guest diarist today. Let’s all give her a big high four with your front paw for her first appearance on my blog!

Xoco

Xoco is so cute and funny. I wish she were my dog. Unfortunately, I only have two fish named Gail and Hephaestus. :(

I love Xoco because she is so cute and funny. When she greets she is like a Mexican jumping bean. I love it when she curls up on my lap it makes me feel loved.

I'm a loyal Xoco's diary fan and it helps that I live next door so I get to see her almost every day.

I hope you like the picture with me and Xoco sorry that my hair is such a mess I had just got out of the shower.

Señor Bill is a peeg and a brute!

First the peeg part. I know it is spelled p-i-g, but I pronounce it peeg and I think it is important you pronounce it the same way I do.

Señor Bill is a peeg because he took one hot dog, dipped it into the mustard jar, and spread mustard on a second hot dog with the first hot dog and then double dipped the first hot dog back into the jar! Mi Madre and I are both mucho glad we do not like mustard! And then he ate both hot dogs without offering me even one mustard free crumb! No me gusto this action!

It is true I am somewhat more comfortable with my short hair. And even dare I say it, it bit more sassy. And now everyone can see that I have a waist. But with a beard trimmer?!!? What message is he trying to send to me here? I deserve a professional groomer, not some bowl on my head hair cut on the back porch.

Every Monday, Cotton goes out with Mi Madre. He has his own special bag with treats and toys. Cotton and Mi Madre walk down the road, cross the street, and turn onto a tiny little lane. On our walks in the evening, Cotton has shown me where he goes.

On this lane is an old white house. Eight grown ups live in this house together with their care givers. Cotton says that these people are so muy, muy sad that they forget how to take care of themselves. On some days they do not even want to live. I can not imagine ever feeling that sad, except maybe on bath day.

Cotton goes and spends an hour with them, making them a little less sad. Sometimes everyone is away when he comes, because they get so sad they must go to the hospital. Some days he sees injuries they might have done to themselves. Somedays they do not want to talk to him at all. But he says he does not care. Cotton thinks they are all really, really nice and wishes that they would not be so sad. He says he makes an extra effort to wag his tail and smile the whole time he is there.

I think Cotton has the hardest therapy job of all of us. He walks home at noon, with Mi Madre, and flops down and takes a long, long nap. I like to nap with him then too.

If it gets above 84 degrees, I head for my spot under the bed. The spot that FRB calls “where the sun never shines”.

Reilly, on the other paw, flops down onto the sun baked pavement in the middle of the intersection to absorb as much heat as she can. I keep hoping she stays long enough to be flattened by a car, but Mi Madre says I am a mean, mean girl to have such thoughts and that I must do at least one lap around the rosary each time I think such a thing! There are not enough hours in the day to allow me to keep up with this rule!

Anyway, Señor Bill no gusto the heat either. And he does not like the sounds of the little children playfully screaming and crying across the street every afternoon. He went up to the attic and brought down a big heavy box. He put this big heavy box into a window in the guestroom. He plugged the big heavy box into to the electrical outlet and the whole room feels like my spot under the bed!

I did not know until now we had such an amazing box. Why did they not tell me there was such a thing?!!? I spent two hours in this room with the box what makes it cool while my man Bill made calls. It was cool and we did not hear the little loco children all afternoon.

Now all I want to know is how to turn this wonderful box on all by myself. I wish I could read English.

I have been to the beach. Can you tell I am very tan now? I think my harness left tan lines!

I brought to Mi Madre’s attention that I have never seen the Atlantic Ocean even though we live a mere 10 miles from the eastern shore line. This, in my opinion, is muy mal. So mi Madre set up a date with mi amiga major to go to Castle Island in South Boston.

Me and Murphy were the hottest babes at the beach, I can tell you. We ran wild in the tall grass, chasing my official Boston Red Sox baseball. We took a couple of walks around the old fort. I discovered the biggest diggy diggy sand box I have ever seen! I avoided the water at all costs. We crashed a toddler birthday party.

But I did not eat the bun so as to cut down on carbs. I want to stay a hot beach babe!

We had a muy, muy grande yard sale yesterday! I am muy, muy tired today because of all of the work we did.

I tried to stick a price tag on Reilly and make her sit on the curb, but she got me back with a “kick me” sign on my back.

This yard sale was done by the whole entire neighborhood. All of my amigos were there!!! We had a bake sale and a raffle and we sold everything except the cute little Mexican! It was to raise money to help keep the children of our town off the streets and in school and to have enough teachers to teach them. In other words, the town is hurting for dinero. They have to cut many jobs and this is muy, muy mal!

We did our part. Mi Madre sold some of my tiny clothes and bought some things. Cotton scored a ROCKET SHIP at the yard sale across the street. She always finds things for Cotton. She says that Cotton will ride his rocket ship in a photo and that I can be an alien. I do not think this is a compliment.

Dog gone you Reilly! How ever did you find my password and abuse my personal diary? I am muy, muy, muy angry with you. You are such a bruja! And I do not know how to erase your unkind remarks! Just you watch your back, missy prissy!!!

So I had one tiny flea. It is gone now. I am clean. I had THREE baths. Two to rid me of the piojito y one because Cotton and I rolled in skunk poo. That bath was completely unnecessary, if you ask me! We smelled fabulous. And Reilly’s precious coat was not ruined by the flea shampoo – it had conditioner in it. I just wish it would help her personality.

In other news, we had 10 guests weekend before last. I was such a busy hostess girl. That is one of the reasons I did not notice Reilly sneaking into my personal web space. No wonder she does not have her own email address – she abuses mine. Think what she would do if she had even more access to the web.

So now we must all have flea baths with some dreadful shampoo that I am certain will leave my coat dull and damaged. Cotton and I do not use frontline or other repellents because we rarely get fleas and even if ever we did, we are white. Mother can easily find the flea and remove it. But Xoco is not white and is so hairy that she can hide a colony of cock roaches in her coat and no one would be the wiser.

Oh, I do hope my hair is not ruined. I must work this evening and always like to look my best. Darn you, Xoco.

Xoco who is in a mood

May 4, 2010

Dang, I am beat. I worked today as an official therapy dog. I rode in the car alone with mi Madre. We had traffic. I am too short to see out of the windows, but I do not think traffic is a good thing.

I was late.

That is why I know traffic is muy mal.

But I made every minute count! The chicas asked if I knew any tricks. LOOK AT ME! I am adorable. Why do I need tricks. Reilly needs tricks like rolling over and singing because she is old and not as adorable as me. I am young and fun! I can sit when asked and I do a bien down, and I might come when asked if it is worth my while, but I am not a circus dog.

Oh and I want to wish Feliz Cinco de Mayo to all of mis amigos!!!!!

Xoco, TD

April 26, 2010

You are looking at the newest therapy dog in town.

That’s right, mis amigos, I am now called Xoco, T. D. I have letters after my name!

I have business cards with my name on them.

And I have a dog tag, bigger than my nose, stating clearly that I am a therapy dog!

I can now ride the bus and the subway for free and I don’t have to be in a bag.

And best of all, I did not have to go to therapy dog school. That’s correct. I was home schooled by Mi Madre. I am gifted and talented.

Reilly says right, I’m talented. Like a ball of dryer lint. But just you watch out Sgt. Princess Reilly, the little Mexican is taking over.

X, TD

April 21, 2010

Piece of cake.

They loved me.

They want me to come back.

I even let them pick me up. Eight squealing teenage girls are no problemo to this little Mexican!

One girl did not want to play with me. She says she loves Reilly the best. What - e-v-e-r.

Mi Madre says I can keep Cotton's bag and she will get him a new on. Fine by me. Just keep it filled with treats and tiny toys and I am one happy perra pegueña!

I asked Mi Madre how many pesos this job pays. She said nada! She says it is community service hours and it will look good on my college applications. I figure this and my ethnic background should get me into the college of my choice.

Xoco Reed, Therapy Dog

20 April 2010

I got a job interview today. Doing therapy work, like Reilly.

I am not "certified" and don't have "cards", but the place said I could come and try it out. Mi Madre is not sure I am made of the right stuff for this work. I told her not to underestimate me. I may be small, but I have a big heart.

Mi Madre emptied Cotton's therapy dog bag. He is very concerned that only tiny toys are in his bag. But I have not earned a bag of my own yet, so I had to use someone's! And there is no way in "H" -"E" - double toothpicks Reilly will let me use her bag. I want to make it to this interview unbloodied.

If this is a good experience for everyone, Mi Madre will work on getting me certified. She said if I am gifted, I might get to skip the class and go straight for the final exam. Fine by me. I have always found class to be rather boring and unnecessary for naturally cute and talented dogs like myself.

I will let you know how it goes.

X

April 10, 2010

Another week has been and gone and it has been full of adventure for this little Mexican.

We got chew bones in our Easter basket.

One for each of us.

All exactly alike.

But for some reason Cotton’s bone is always way better! He just has a touch. So when he is not chewing on it, I like to have a go. But sometimes I do not have time to chew on it right at that moment, so I “put it aside” for later. Because I am a perra pequeña, I can fit under the bed. I can even fit under the bed with Cotton’s chew bone in my mouth. And yo sé just how far under the bed Cotton can reach. I can put his chew bone just out of his reach. Then I crawl out from under the bed and sit back and watch him cry. I really shouldn’t do it, but I get so much pleasure out of making him cry for his bone!

Mi Madre always comes and gets the bone for him and tells me I am a mean girl and no likes the mean girl.

What e-v-e-r!

Sassy Little Xoco

April 5, 2010

It has been a very busy Holy week and I have learned ever so much. I learned that I may not wear my rosary out like a necklace. I thought I looked muy bonita with it wrapped twice around my neck and the cross to one side. I am told rosaries are for praying, not for bling.

I learned that on muy, muy bien Friday, I must be quiet and reverent from noon to 3. This too came as a bit of a blow as I just get going around noon.

In addition, I learned that I may not help myself to the wonderful little statues and flowers decorating the graves in the local cemetery. I thought the little Virgin Mary would look wonderful in my personal home shrine.

And I learned that Cotton and Reilly were right and we did get toys and treats on Easter Sunday.

I am mucho more enlightened now than ever before!

Holy X

April 1, 2010

What a treat for you this must be.

A mid-week update.

I have looked back over my entries and realize there is NO gossip. What kind of diary does not contain gossip? Not a very good one, I can tell you.

Senor Bill is learning my mother tongue, Mexican. He is muy funny when he talks. At the best of times I have a hard time understanding him when he speaks English, but mix it up with some “Spanish” (as he calls it) and I give up. I mostly just ignore him. Except when we wrastle or watch late night slasher movies together.

Mi Madre is also learning Mexican, but she is not allowed to talk in class because she knows more Mexican than Senor Bill as I have taught her well.

My cousin, Scott, and his friends Rene and Lisa, came and stayed at my house. Scott is muy, muy, muy alto. Like a tree! When Scott held me, I could see the curve of the earth. Scott’s friends came to run in races. They ran very fast. Almost as fast as Reilly. They got medals for running so fast. I think they may be part dog as they liked to run and eat and sleep. I may not be fast, but I can sleep for many hours just like them.

Now it is just me and Cotton and Reilly and Mi Madre and Senor Bill. It is mucho boring again. I am going back to bed and practice my sleeping.

March 28, 2010

Today we start holy week. I have my cross, made of palm leaves. I have my muy bonita white dress and bonnet. I have my Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe medal on my collar. And I have a weird family!

My BFF’s (Murphy) mother has decided that I should explore my Catholicism with her this season. She insisted I have a dress appropriate for Easter Sunday. Mi Madre found one in the baby department! Now the two of them are trying to find a tiny white bible for me. Like the priest is going to let me go to mass! Like I am even wanting to go to mass. Unless there are milk bones at that communion railing, I have no interest in church!

And what do I possibly have to confess?!!? I share everything here!!!!!!!!!

Cotton and Reilly told me not to buy into the religious stuff and hold out for the commercial stuff. They say we are guaranteed treats and toys on Easter! I like their thinking.

But I can’t help but wondering, why are we here????

Pheeling Philosophical Xoco

March 14, 2010

Ay, yi, yi! It is muy, muy, muy wet out there. I have never seen so much water in my little life. What am I doing living in these conditions?!!?

And to make matters worse, Señor Bill just got back from 6 days in Mexico City, my mother land, and he a) DID NOT TAKE ME and b) DID NOT BRING ME BACK A GIFT! Señor Bill can be so disappointing. I give and I give and he still refuses to return the favor.

So I am stuck in the land of little to no UV rays and RAIN day after day after day after day. It makes me not want to write in my diary. Mi Madre says I can not use that as an excuse. I owe it to my loyal readers to keep up, but I don’t see the point.

Sigh. My life is at a low point.

Woe is yo, Xoco

February 22, 2010

Dang it! I got nothing but bad news and needles jabbed into my flesh at the vet today. I had my annual examination. I really did not want to go.

First bad news – I am shrinking. I am down 4/10th of a pound. Mi Madre says I am dwarfier than before. Some people would look at weight loss as a good thing. I am not naming names, but I could. But I am a SHRIMP already. I need every ounce I can hold on to.

Second bad news – my nose is turning pink because there is no sunshine in this state. I need UV rays! I need dry climates. I need a vacation.

And last bad news – I got me a trick knee. The official name is patellar subluxation, which means my knee, moves around in its socket. Ai, yi, yi. Señor Bill really wants some money back now. At least it explains my jaunty little kick with my right hind leg when I go for a walk, but it is ruining all my plans to become a world famous figure skater!!!!!!! Mi Madre says no more monkey bounces on the bed and that I must act more lady like. Like that is going to happen!

Then after all of that, they jabbed me with huge needles, draining my tiny little body of blood and replacing it with rabies vaccine. I do not care for the veterinarian’s office at all.

After that, Mi Madre dragged me and the dogs for an hour-long walk. The weather is turning muy mal again tomorrow, so she said we had best walk while we could.

I can barely keep my eyes open while I type this.

I feel weak.

Someone save me.

Sorry little Xoco

February 16, 2010

Winter is muy boring. We do not do very much. Most days it is so cold we can only take quick walks. And then when the snow melts, I must have a bath after every walk because I am a sponge for dirt and water and salt. It does not help that I love to diggy dig in the piles of sand left on the street by the big huge plow trucks. The sand sticks to my whole body, including eyebrows and whiskers (yes I do have eye brows and two of them at that). I look like an animated sand sculpture most days!

We did get valentines cards from some of our friends. Grandmother sent us a check for $10.00. We are supposed to share it. Reilly says that because she is the oldest, she should get the most money from the check and suggested we split it $6.00 for her, $3.00 for Cotton, and $1.00 for me. Cotton thinks because he is the biggest he should get at least $5.00 for him, $4.00 for Reilly, and $1.00 for me.

Yo no me gusto their math at all.

I think I should get the most because I have never gotten holiday money before. My other grandmother sent Cotton and Reilly each $10.00 for Christmas, but she forgot about me! Hello!??! How can anyone forget about me?????? Other grandmother says she will give me $15.00 this spring, when she see’s me, to make up for her mistake.

She better. I am just about out of pesos here and I need a cash infusion, pronto!

Xoco who feels gypped

January 24, 2010

It has been exactly one year since I met Mi Madre y Reilly y Cotton. I was just a little baby back then, living with a foster family and waiting to be adopted. I will tell you how it all happen.

Cotton needed a playmate. He was making Reilly crazy, asking her to play all of the time. So Mi Madre said she would get him a little girl. Cotton was very happy. But Mi Madre had to find just the right little girl. So she began to look at animal shelters in New Mexico. She just could not find the right little girl.

One weekend she decided to not to look for a puppy and just hang out with friends. They went to Teca Tu, a favorite dog store in Santa Fe, and an adoption event was happening. In the arms of a very nice human girl sat the cutest little dog girl in the whole wide world. Si, it was I! I was 5 months old. I had been found wandering the streets of a town in Southern New Mexico. And I was adorable. Mi Madre says she took one look at me and said, “that’s the one”. And I am not even a Jack Russell Terrier like she was looking for. Mi Madre called her friends and had them come look at me. They liked me. She took photos of me and sent them to FRB who was in Abu Dhabi. He thought I was awful small. She signed up and was first on the list to have me come and visit her home.

By the way, I was so adorable that 5 other families signed up to have me visit their home if Cotton did not like me.

I made my home visit to them two days later. I was a little shy of Cotton and Reilly, but they seemed to like me. Mi Madre gave the adoption lady some money for me. Reilly says she paid far too much. And then we went shopping and bought a tiny crate and bowl and collar and leash and toys just for me. Reilly says she told her mother to stop spending money right then!

The rest, as they say, is history. I met Free Range Bill a week later. He was very nervous about meeting me. He was afraid I would be frightened of him! HA! I ain’t scared of nothing. He fell in love with me in 10 seconds. I am just that kind of girl.

So that is how I happen to be here and I am a pretty happy about the whole deal.

Lucky Little Xoco

January 9, 2010

I must share some sad, sad news.

Buttercup has passed away.

I am muy sad as Buttercup I were “sisters”. We each had furry bodies and we each loved to eat crickets.

Well, I love to squish crickets and Buttercup loved to inject venom into them and suck out their juices.

Buttercup was mi Madre’s pet tarantula. Señor Bill and mi Madre believe that Buttercup may have been 22 years old. She has lived at La Casa de tres loco perros for 6 ½ years and was supposedly 16 when she arrived.

I liked to go and look at Buttercup. She lived in a big glass cage that had logs to hide under and live plants. And crickets. I would catch the crickets that escaped. I put this task on my chore chart and got 10¢ a week for this important task.

Sigh. I don’t know how I am going to make any more money now.

Out of work Xoco

By the way....my email address is finally working! Give me a shout out sometime.

January 4, 2010

Dear Diary

It is a new year.

And to celebrate, I have been a perfect little dog. Even in the blizzards we have been experiencing, I have insisted on pooping and peeing outdoors. Sometimes I shiver and shake for effect, but I get the job done. I am numero uno!

Cotton and I have slowly been making our way through destroying all of our Christmas gifts. We tore up a jolly snowman – Cotton even ripped the poor guy’s head off. It was awesome. And I made my very first, all by myself, hole in our toy rat. I was so pleased with myself.

The one gift I wish I could get my teeth on, and have a really wild game of tuggy with Cotton, would be my pink Mohawk hoodie. People literally stop their cars to look at me in this hoodie. Strangers bend down and pick me up off of the sidewalk when I am wearing this hoodie. Excuse me! Boundaries, please! But mother insists I wear something while outdoors or I become a damp sponge of a little dog and our neighbor Dan starts saying he will use me to wash his truck. So I am forced to endure the hoodie.

I had such high hopes for this year. I do not care for being such a dwarf!

Xoco the short

By the way, I now have my very own email address.

Mother and Señor Bill have put parental controls on my access to the internet, but I am sure some of your emails can get through. You can reach me at xoco@barkformephotography.com.

Remember: No one is short on the internet!

Xoco's Diary

xoco@barkformephotography.com Xoco's 2009 Diary