Thursday, January 22, 2009

Starman and Sugar

Been a long tough week at the Towanda hacienda, where we are not sharing in the joy that half of the country is. We are in the other half...a little worried, discouraged and down.

There are two residents of my home, though, who have made it through this week with no worries other than when they can go for a walk and what kind of dog treat we are giving them next. Their life revolves around naps on the radiant heat tiles and getting petted.

Oh, if life could be that simple for humans.


STARMAN:



STARMAN:



Sugar:


Sugar:

14 comments:

Buck said...

What cuties! And SO white... how do you keep 'em that way, Sharon?

Jenny said...

Oh, to have the life of a dog. So simple, yet they give so much for their owners.

Towanda said...

Thanks, you guys.

Buck - I never have to bathe them - they have an oil in their skin which keeps their hair clean; even if they get filthy, in an hour or two they are white again.

The problem though -- is shedding!!! Wow -- trying to keep the house clean with these two around is a major deal.

DaveG said...

They probably have the same 2 or 3 times a year shed of that soft, downy undercoat that Brave Sir Hogarth has.

It keeps them nice and warm, but I swear that if we had kept all of that hair over the years, we could knit ourselves an entire litter of new dogs.

Towanda said...

Dave, I LOVE the comment about knitting an entire litter of new dogs!!!! HAHAHAHA I worked in Kansas with an American Eskimo rescue group and making jokes about Eskie fur is a common source of entertainment. You have to laugh about it ... or pull out your own hair.

One thing we have all learned -- don't wear black clothing -- it is a losing battle!!

WasSoggyInSeattle said...

Beautiful babies Sharon! I think you need a sweet, black girl to counteract the white hair. Yeah, that's exactly what you need!! :-)

In Seattle, several years ago, there was a TV program about knitting dog hair into all kinds of things. Our two older dogs shed enough to clothe the free world... if I knew how to knit. hah

Buck said...

I used to use that "knit a new dog" comment all the time in the way-back. My puppehs were dark... and one was jet-black... so you didn't wear light-colored clothing in my household back in the day. I vacuumed a LOT, too.

You know what's amazing? I've lived in FOUR separate houses/apartments and my RV over the ten-plus years since the dogs went on to their reward(s) and I still find dog hair occasionally (like in an old book, in the photo archives, etc.)! That makes me smile these days... quite unlike times past.

Anonymous said...

OMG they are just gorgeous. And such sweet little faces. I'm so jealous! I'm allergic to everything furry (even those animals with hair not fur) so no pets in my house.

I live vicariously thru the pets of my friends; I'll add Starman and Sugar to my list of surrogate pets!

Please oh please - give them both a nice deep ear scratch from me!

Catmoves said...

Beautiful dogs, Sharon. Now all you need is a pack leader cat and you'll have it made.
Re: allergies to animals fur or hair. It is almost always the dander, not the fur, which is the culprit, or so a doctor told me years ago. Is that right?

Towanda said...

Pack leader cat. LOL! They would LOVE that!!! hahahahaha.....

I believe you are right, Cat, it's the dander that causes the allergies. We were told that American Eskimo dogs do not have dander and are hypo-allergenic. When I worked in rescue, we adopted out a little female to a family with a pre-teen daughter with severe allergies to animals. Turns out she got NO allergic reaction from the American Eskimo, so I guess it is true.

Kris -- tonight they will get their ear scratches and I will tell them it was from Aunt Kris. :)

Anonymous said...

It goes beyond the dander. It's the combination of saliva and skin. Every animal with fur produces this allergen - even ones that people say are hypo-allergenic.

Kelly said...

American Eskimo doggies! They are so beautiful. I have one myself. Her name is Gracie and she sheds like you wouldn't believe! They do make THE cutest puppies though.

Do you often find "tumbleweeds" of white hair blow across your floors too?

Towanda said...

Kelly - How cool!!!

You have an Eskie, too? That is one more thing we have in common.

Maybe you can post Gracie's picture on your blog - now I want to see her!

Our two are rescues - we have had them since 2001 - and they both came with major baggage and have been quite a challenge at times, but to us they are the sweetest dogs.

And yes!!! The clumps of white tumbleweed is just something we have learned to live with!!! The Dusbuster is my friend! LOL

Val said...

They look so sweet!!! And soft!