Clyde's Day

Clyde was being a picky eater this morning. We feed him hard dog food and chicken with gravy. He picked up a piece of hard food, sucked off the gravy, and put it on top of his tennis ball. It was not stirred to perfection, I apologize!

Clyde Is Finally Home

Clyde has just finished expierencing the whole 'family in North Carolina together' adventure. First, my mom and I drive with him to York, Pennslyvania and stay the night. Then we continue on to North Carolina where we spend four days alone at the second house owned by my grandparents. We stay up late Monday night until my two cousins, (both rowdy boys after a sixteen hour car ride with lots of traffic, Ages 8 and 11) and their mom arrive. It stays that way for a week and he has adventures on the beach, and fun with foxes. Next, my grandparents join us with their dog Buddy, who is more than twice Clyde's size and an avid sniffer. During that week, my mom and I take our second trip to Wilmington, a gorgeous town in NC, and Clyde stays with everyone else, in his crate, but not for long, they let him out thinking it is time for a walk, but he won't let anyone near him to put on the leash. He did however do his buisness- during his quick laps around the house. Ew! When we got back we had a syrprise for Clyde- a blue muscle shirt that had spoiled written on it in script. Later that week my dad came down, and Clyde was experiencing what it is like to live with four adults, ( my aunt had left, two were my parents and two were my grandparents), Buddy, two boys, and me. After my dad got their, my mom and dad brought Alex, the older boy, to see the Battleship North Carolina. That day, Adam, the younger one, and I set up a Clydr photo shoot. Inside, we used sheets and bedspreads for backdrops. We took some with his shirt and some without. We dressed him in Adam's camo army jacket and hat to take some pics. Thrn we took some with us in them, with his toys, surrounded by all the props, under the bed, and asleep. Then we took him outside and I ran him to get him looking cheerful. Adam got some action shots, and some cute ones of the two of us. We took a few more inside after that, so be on the lookout for new pictures of Clyde. A couple days after, we left. The boys, grandma, grandpa, and Buddy in the truck, my dad and I in our car. Clyde stayed with my mom, and that day he rab away. Just the two of us went back and he returned that night. We left again and Clyde stayed a week with my mom ehile I was at camp. Now we are all home and Clyde has warmed up and likes to play. He comes when called to not just me, he'll play and walk away from me towards my mom and dad, and his tail is up more.

Clyde the Housekeeper

Another guest post from mom:

Clyde's taken on a new job. He pats down the lumps in the bed for me as I do my (not so level) best to smooth the thing out in the morning. I am using mom and dad's king-sized bed, so as I walk the half mile to one side to smooth and tuck, he jumps to a quadrant on the other side and pats down whatever is sticking up. He manages all four corners by the time I am done. I need his help--and I think he knows it.

Clyde is also doing well with "stay." In fact, he is taking it to the limit. Yesterday, when I got up from the lounge chair on the deck to go inside and get my camera, I called him to come with me. He must have been pleased with himself for staying so well because he picked up his head and looked at me as if to say, "Seriously? What do you need in there?" His ears were tangled in that canine bed-headed way of his, and it was hilarious. 

Clyde is a Changed Man

Guest post from Adella's mom: Clyde is with me in North Carolina while Della is at camp with her best friend in New Hampshire. I am happy to report I have not lost him for a second time. In fact, he's been pretty darn clingy these past few days, sharing my lounge chair in the afternoon and climbing onto his side of the bed at night. The streets must have been tough the day he was away. Better than that, though, he is smiling and his tail is up when we go for a walk. He is perky and silly and a lot less nervous. For example, I am allowed to find him and share a little bit of cheddar cheese with him at lunchtime. I am allowed to wake him up from his nap on dad's chair to see if he needs to do the biz before I go back to the beach. And he merrily jumps into his crate when it's time for me to go out without him. I know I am no replacement for Adella, but I am glad he gets that two people can love him at the same time!

Clyde Returns

This morning, at about 5:30, (which is the time we usually walk him in the morning), he was back. Just out on the front porch he was sitting on a lawn chair with a cushion and when we came out he came toward me to come inside. We took him in and fed him. Then he drank, and drank, and drank some more. My mom, Clyde, and I went back to sleep on the king size bed and Clyde let her pet him. A couple hours later, my mom and I took him out for a walk. My mom asked him if he spent the day with his girlfriend and he smiled...

Clyde's Great Escape

Clyde ran away today in North Carolina. He found a way out of the house and bolted. It was after my grandparents, cousins, dad and I had left, about four hours into the trip. My dad and I went back to the house and helped my mom look all day. We didn't find him. People were saying he had been following another Dachshund on the beach. The police know, lots of people know, that family may be helping him out. All we can hope for is something that we are doing works. Clyde I love you and miss you already. Please come home.

Watch this video for more infromation and to help us find Clyde if you are in the Topsail Beach, Surf City, of Snead's Ferry area:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9AhI2Ptm00

Foxes!

A few days ago I was walking Clyde by the yard and we saw foxes in the yard. They were walking towards us and barking- two young ones. I scooped Clyde up and went inside. They followed up to the edge of the driveway. Yesterday, we saw them again. They came out of their cover in the trees and brked at us, then scurried away when they saw us go inside. That was Clyde's latest interesting adventure. Tomorow my grandparents and Buddy get here, so come back soon.

The First Part of the Family

Late last night, my cousins, Adam and Alex, and my Aunt Vikki arrived in North Carolina. Clyde was a bit nervous at first, but he got used to them and stopped shaking. Today he was around them for the longest time. We went for oue nightly walk on the beach to the pier and back, the 6 of us. Clyde and I ran together, with Adam and Alex along side. For him being in a new place with pretty new people, Clyde is doing great.

P.S. He had a big surprise today that he took pretty well. We went outside before supper, and the sprinklers were on. Clyde was lapping the water ,but then he didn't like being sprayed, so he went to the other side of the yard. As soon as we got there, the other sprinklers turned on, and we had to run!

A Monocle Moment

We told our friend Mr. Lundwall how Clyde on walks sometimes will stop and lift one paw. He said he needed a monocle and a tie, (haha). Today I had to walk down the road for a minute and when I came back, Clyde was sitting up on the deck, perfectly still and upright. He watched me through the posts on the gate that surrounds the edge right down his nose, looking a bit snooty and indignant. That was today's monocle moment. Come back for more.

Clyde's New Day

Today Clyde's adventures continued. We went for walks on the beach, a couple boardwalks, and he went in a store with us when we went shopping. Clyde's breakthrough today was letting my mom hold him, cuddle him, and pet him. I also rode my bike along the Topsail Island bike trail, and my mom walked, or ran, I should say, him along behind me. If I got to far away he would run and try to catch up. Well, that was Clyde's day today. Come back soon!