Happy Easter!

 

” Every Easter the Easter Beagle comes dancing along with his basket full of eggs, which he hands out to all the good little children.” -Linus Van Pelt

Dear Santa- 2012

Dear Santa,

We have had an exciting 2012. Frappy and I were busy helping Mom out with the family business, Follow Me Dog Training LLC. We traveled to Ohio, Indiana and to Georgia. We met a lot of new friends and had some good times. Mom said that I did a great job staying on the “NICE” list but she wasn’t so sure about Frappy (something to do with a certain squirrel incident and her and Roger the Rhodesian Ridge Back knocking her down and twisting her ankle.) So I leave that decision up to you. Grandma and Grandpa, in MD, adopted a new dog a couple weeks ago. Her name is Callie. Frappy and I are getting to know her, so we decided to include her in on this letter to you and she mentioned that the Martini we are leaving for you on Christmas eve is from her.

I have everything I could ever need, but the three of us wanted to get a letter out to you so here are our Christmas wishes:

• We have a few human friends that are spending their time in Afghanistan and other places far far away fighting for and supporting our country. We also found out one of my close friends is being deployed again in August. With this in mind, we Wish that all our men, women and Military War Dogs that are supporting the USA on foreign soil be safe and courageous this holiday season and until they can come home. 
• We wish for the ending of breed specific legislation, spay/neuter laws, and dangerous dog laws that are poorly written and are not helping.
• We wish all the new puppies and rescued dogs that find their homes over the holidays will explain to their owners the importance of training and exercise. (do you need some of Mom’s business cards to drop off at those homes?)
• We wish that they would outlaw those flexi/retractable leashes…those things are dangerous for us dogs and our owners.
• We wish for an end to dog fighting through legislation that makes sense…blame the deed not the breed!
• We wish that when we wake up Christmas morning the room will be filled with Tennis balls, Cuz balls, Discs, Kong balls, tugs and warm beds.

Frappy wanted me to put in something about squirrels, but it wasn’t a very pretty wish, and I think it really would put her on the “Naughty list”

Frappy an I also wanted to remind you that we aren’t at our RVA home so, feel free to go there…mom always keeps the fridge full of beer and I know she didn’t finish off some brownies before we left. Thanks for everything Santa! Have a safe trip, the Leinie’s (and Martinit) will be waiting for you and I promise not to bark when you come down the chimney!

Love from your favorite Malinois, and those other two 😉

Leinie, Frappy and Callie

Callie, Frappy and Leinie

 

2012 Olympics I support our USWNT!

Mom and I love watching a good soccer game. The 2012 Olympics start on 25 July with the Women’s soccer games. USA v France play at Hampden Park in Glasgow Scotland. So in honor of the games taking place in Scotland, mom is drinking one of her all time favorite beers.

 

Fraoch Heather Ale has been a favorite of my mom’s since before I came into her life and even before she had her first Leinie’s.

Good luck the the US Olympic Team! Go get them USWNT!!!!

 

Honoring our Heroes

The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men.
~Minot J. Savage

Memorial Day is not about pool parties, back yard bbq’s, or trips to the beach. It isn’t a three day weekend because teachers need a break or the average Joe needs a break from the rat race. Memorial Day IS about a proclamation made in 1868 by General John Logan, national commander for the Grand Army of the Republic, to have flowers placed on the graves of Union and Confederate Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. After World War I, Memorial Day changed from honoring our Civil War soldiers, to all those Americans who had lost their lives fighting for our country.

Memorial Day is not about war. It is about people. People who bravely laid down their lives so we can be free. It is about honoring them and their sacrifices…..from those that died on that vast field in Gettysburg to the street battles in Iraq and the deserts on Afghanistan. Lets not forget our Military War Dogs! From the first war dog Stubby, A Pit Bull hero from WWI, to Cairo the Belgian Malinos Navy Seal who helped end Osama Bin Laden and the 4000 MWD’s that saved lives in Vietnam…these dogs deserve a moment of reflection!

3pm is the National Moment of Remembrance, put down your beer, get out of the pool and take a moment to think of the men, women and K9’s that have made the biggest sacrifice for our country.

And while you are at it, if you have a Veteran with you, give them a hug and thank them and their families for continuing the fight for American freedom. I honor these veterans and currently serving warriors everyday, and hope you do as well. Please keep in mind that the words Happy and Memorial Day, do not go together….the biggest oxymoron ever. 

Thank you!

Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes – Rememberthere is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth.  ~W.J. Cameron

Congrats Hardywood Park Craft Brewery!!!

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery has had some amazing news the past couple months.

First there was the mention of both the Single and Gingerbread Stout in BeerAdvocate Magazine #63. But the Gingerbread Stout was awarded a score of 100 from BeerAdvocate, and 100’s don’t come easy!

This past weekend was the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America in San Diego. The Hardywood Gingerbread Stout was awarded the bronze medal in the Herb and Spice Beer Catagory! About 3,921 beers were judged in different categories, 799 Breweries were represented and 211 judges from all over the country were in San Diego.

Congrats also go out to the other 4 Virginia beers that took home medals.

Hoppy Hoppy Easter!!!!

Hoppy Easter Everyone!!!!

That elusive Easter Rabbit was too smart for my plan again. Frappy says to blame the squirrels. Brady was fascinated the Bunny brought him something and now wants to spend every Easter with us. And Mom is laughing at me while she noshes on a Cadbury Creme Egg. He left me another letter, which was very nice of him, but I would rather meet him in person.

Dear Leinie,

Hoppy Easter to my dear Malinois friend. Frappy is right, blame the squirrels, they told me about your plan. I have to say, the dyed eggs were a nice touch this year. I just couldn’t stick around though to meet you….and frankly I believe it would be unsafe for my health.

I did leave you, Frappy and your Mom a present and even included something in there for young Brady. Maybe I can convince him at a young age not to hunt me down in the future. Let your Mom take the toys out of that nasty Easter grass for you. It is a choking hazard to you and all pets! I have been lobbying for years for the holiday people to get rid of it. And as you know, stay far far away from the chocolate. Make sure you teach Brady about chocolate, he seems like a cute little guy and I don’t want him to have a glass of hydrogen peroxide poured down his throat on Easter! The Wubba is for Frappy, the Jolly Egg is for you and the stuffed rabbit is for Brady. And as always the Leinenkugels is for your mom!

Below is a quote from one of my arch nemesis’s one year, it is kind of self explanatory why I choose not to meet the people or dogs I deliver to.

Elmer Fudd: I’m waiting for the Easter Wabbit. When he comes in looking so fwuffy and cute with his wittle basket of Easter eggs… BANG! Easter Wabbit stew. He he he he.

Have a wonderful Easter and we’ll see what happens next year!

The Easter Bunny

Thanks Mr. Easter Bunny…I’m taking notes and asking mom where I can learn about this Elmer Fudd guy. Right after I go play with my new Jolly Egg! My friends down at the Georgia Dog Gym have one and I coveted it. They are a ton of fun and perfect for a high energy dog like myself!

Frappy was playing with her Wubba.

But we had to make Brady earn his Easter gift. At first he wasn’t too pleased and a little confused:

We’ve all been there little buddy, at least you are too young to hold the basket in your mouth! But then Brady really took to the ears..this dog wants to be a model when he grows up!

Enough torturing the new guy and we gave him his stuffed rabbit and he was very pleased with himself.

Another Easter and another missed opportunity to meet the big Bunny. Hey Mom, can we go watch some Looney Toons, I hear they have some research, er cartoon, called “Easter Yeggs” that I should watch.

HOPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!!

This year, my plan can’t fail…..

It is that time of year again…the Easter Bunny is making an appearance. I took alot of notes after last year’s fiasco. And I am thinking I might retrace my steps to two years ago and try the carrot thing again. So I had a meeting and sadly, this is what I have to work with this year:

Austin, the Schnauzer has left already, but he was here last year and said he could help young Brady learn the tricks of the trade. I don’t know how much help these three are going to give me but we’ll see.  I think Frappy might be more help this year since the I read her last years letter from the Easter Bunny saying the Squirrels were helping him and foiling all of our plans.

So step one: Lay down a carrot trap

Step Two: dye some eggs and place them strategically around the yard…someone mentioned I might be able to fool the Bunny with my own eggs…

Step three: Working on young Brady’s wind sprints so he can help track the bunny down tomorrow morning.

Step four: Try on the bunny ears, and wait patiently till tomorrow morning.

 

Happy Easter Everyone!!!!

Be Mine!

“There is no age-limit in this matter of loving a dog or being loved by a dog. No one is too young or too old to love a dog or to be loved by a dog.”
— James Douglas

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!

Best thing about the Super Bowl…the commercials!

I like to sit with my mom while she enjoys a nice cold beer and watches Soccer…Football is not really my game. But the Super Bowl was tonight..congrats to the Giants for a last minute win! I think mom was just watching for the commercials and I am glad she was because there were some awesome commercials this year. If you want to see all the ones that focused on dogs, go to the Follow Me Dog Training LLC blog.

I wan to give honorable mention to Bud Light for their commercial this year! They deserve an award for the cool rescue dog Wego! Even though I call myself a beer dog and do a pretty good job getting beers for my mom when needed..this dog is just awesome!!!

The put out a teaser first and then the commercial..both masterpieces…I told Mom she needs to go get a Bud Light next time she is out and support great commercials like this one.

Cheers everyone!

 

Great things happened on 24 January

24 January is a special day in our household!

1. It’s my Birthday!!!!!!! I turned 7 this year. I don’t feel like a 7 year old. Mom took me out for a turn with a frisbee and I got some special time with her. That was awesome. Here’s to another fantastic year!

2. Beer Can Appreciation Day: on 24 Jan 1935 the first beer cans from Krueger’s Beers are sold in Richmond VA and are a huge success!!!!

Of course our canned beer of choice comes from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co!