An explanation for avoiding blame for a hole in the lawn was first written here, so if you see this quote 100 years from now you will know it was originally written by Corky the Shelter Dog:

“An ounce of puppy cuteness can erase blame for a ton of mischief.” – Corky

The dirty face portrait of me, Corky the Shelter Dog, as shown here was the inspiration for the quote above. You can see comments about this photo and the number of views on Twitpic where a BIG version of this photo was first posted.

Here’s the original caption for the photo:

“Somebody digged a hole in our lawn? What hole? Where? …and WHY you asking me?”

Dogs do what dogs do by nature, and hiding evidence isn’t one. Yes, the photo definitely casts suspicion on yours truly for digging up the lawn, yet if asked and could talk I’d reply with a question to avoid admitting guilt. Who says dogs aren’t smart?

The photo here is me, Corky the shelter dog, exploring rocks and showing off my summer doggy haircut in winter.

Spring is ony a couple weeks away, yet because of a problem with matting the groomer needed to clip my fur down to 3mm (1/8th inch).

Attempts to leave the fur a little longer didn’t work because the clippers pulled and hurt (so I tried several times to b-i-t-e the groomer). They had to call my parents for permission to give me the buzz cut. At least they left some fur on my head and bushy tail.

Okay, so a summer doggy haircut in the spring may make sense, but in the winter? Thankfully, I live in Florida so a summer haircut should work year around.

This winter has been especially cold with temperatures staying 15-20 degrees below average, so here’s the good news! I got clothes! I have a blue fleece jacket with high collar, and a purple down hooded coat to keep me cozy when it’s really really cold.

Pictured here is a new doggy park pawpal met recently. Have you ever seen a bigger doggy grin?

On Sunday my parents took me to visit a flea market in Kissimmee, and discovered only service dogs were allowed. With a fresh bootprint on my butt we moved on to Plan B, and went to Partin Triangle Dog Park for the first time. The park is just outside the city limits of St Cloud Florida on Neptune Road, and is divided into sections by size.

The one acre park opened in 2009 and has a small dog area with a separate entrance marked “Up to 30 lbs Only” and the other for larger dogs. As usual Dad was a picture taking machine so a new gallery of photos will be added to my website “soon” displaying the dogs I met at Partin Triangle Dog Park.

At the end of walks and clicker training I’m often treated with doggy fun playing peekaboo.

The game is easy to play. Dashing to the top of the redwood deck I can peek around the upright posts or above and below the horizontal rail boards to look at Dad on the other side. The photo here is extra cute because I’m resting between rails with paws crossed, and have my tongue out drooling in anticipation.

He moves left or right to mix up the correct response and says “Peekaboo” as I follow and then pose as shown in the photograph here. I’m immediately rewarded for stopping where he said “Peekaboo” with a treat depending on what he has in the treat bag for clicker training that day.

The reward could be a small chunk of chicken, beef, or turkey. Sometimes it’s Bil-Jac chicken liver training treats. On some occasions it’s frozen peas which is a bargain for his budget and tasty for me!

The doggy fun playing peekaboo is about more than the game and getting treats. The playful moments add up to a bond over the years that is priceless just like in the commercials. Doggy leash: $10.00. Chicken liver treat: 20 cents. Moments playing peekaboo: priceless.

Instead of having to select “Previous Video” or “Next Video” to navigate through each episode of my video story of Corky the shelter dog, I decided to add a new option on the video pages. With the release of the latest video entitled Corky and My Three Beds the list of all videos was added as shown here on every video page:

The illustration (smaller than actual size) shows the video player (left) for viewing dog videos on my website, and to the right is an example of the video episodes in order. This way as you view one video you can follow links to watch my entire story in sequence from the beginning.

A special thanks to all my fans, and remember there are more pet videos of Corky on YouTube including exclusive video not shown on my website!

Here’s me showing Sam our cat what came in the mail to ME today. This is Corky’s first Valentines card ever ever and it came all the way from Illinois.

A special THANKS to @Niqqi from Twitter, a girl puppy and one of my favorite cutie patootie Bichon Frise pawpals in Twitter, for sending me this wonderful greeting! You can learn more about Niqqi on her Niqqi’s World blog or watch her puppy adventure videos on YouTube!

The baby kitty picture shown below is my little (older) brother Sam the cat taken in 1998, and shows his little sister, Nikki the puppy who was the newest family member. Both pets were less than 1 year old at the time and would play for hours wrestling like best friends.

The photo of them hiding happened one day as they were playing. A storm blew in and a ferocious boom sounded as thunder followed lightning very near their home. Scared witless, the two took off on the wooden floor spinning in place trying to get a grip. Side by side they spun across the floor like in a cartoon with barely enough traction to make any progress.

Mom and Dad had to search to find out where they went, and found them in the bedroom huddled side by side under a stand near the bed. Lifting the cover as shown revealed the cuteness of cat and dog buddies hiding together like best friends. Nikki passed away within a year of this photo from a rare congenital blood disease that mystified the vet. At 11 years old Sam still has the same cuteness except those huge ears look tiny now on his adult head.

The very familiar formula for calculating dog age in human years is their actual age times 7. While this provides a fair measure of the equivalent chronological age in the earlier years, the calculation is inaccurate for combined variables of age plus dog size. Larger dogs age faster and an accurate formula is not linear, so the years times 7 is very general.

Try the following table instead for pets aged 1 through 20 years old as adapted from a poster in my veterinarian’s office that listed estimates for up to 25 years old. 20 seemed sufficient, so for ages or weights not shown, you may want to contact the Guiness Book of World Records!

Table for Cat or Dog Age in Human Years

*Note: Values extracted from a poster at our vet’s office with data by Fred L. Metzger, DVM DABVP

Yes, the estimate works for cats or kittens, too! You can use the same table, yet for your cat you should only need the small dog 0-20 lbs data. Having a small breed puppy or mutt and a pet kitten born around the same time while maintaining reasonable health would mean having pets that should age at the same rate in human years.

This week marks one year in my forever home since being rescued from doggy jail. The photo shown is me just over a year old and my favorite for 2009 and was originally taken in color. Who could imagine that cute face being dumped on the street and discarded like yesterday’s newspaper?

It happens to pets every day worldwide. The economy nosedive to rock bottom and the worst conditions in nearly 100 years explains why.

Humans are forced to cut costs and choose between paying bills for basic necessities and that unconditional love and loyalty from their dog. Cats get dumped, too. I get it. Being a responsible pet owner means if you must surrender your pet in the face of unforseen and extreme financial difficulties there’s a right way to do it.

A year ago my groomer was telling my guardians that people bring pets to their grooming business, open the door, toss the pet inside, and then close the door and run. Why? They know pet groomers are pet lovers and will have a slightly better chance than just being tossed on the street (like I was). The situation is worse when the pet is let loose outside the business and must be chased down in a parking lot or traffic!

If you must surrender your pet, take it to a pet shelter or rescue organization. When you voluntarily give up your pet you can at least share health or other issues so caregivers know what is needed. PLEASE. Do not dump your pets. They were family members and have a better chance of survival to find a forever home and family if you do the right thing.

Enjoy this audio recording of Twas the Night Before Christmas narrated by Jim Degerstrom who Corky calls “Dad”. The photo to the left is Jim’s Dad reading this story to him when he was a little boy more than 50 years ago!

Listen to this mp3 version recorded today for his grandchildren Hannah and Sarah (and YOU) to enjoy on Christmas eve, plus read along with the full text version by Clement Clarke Moore inserted below. In addition, you may download the Night Before Christmas mp3 and take it with you.

Press right button below to listen. (play time 03:41 min/sec)

PLAY NOW

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Poem written by Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863)