Category: Adventures with dogs

The Sunday Schnauzer – Never Eat Alone Again

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer26 Comments

🎶 Summertime and the livin’ is easy…🎶 The patio door remains open all day and there is one of those magnetic screen doors covering it, allowing both human and doggo to come and go effortlessly. It also means I never eat alone, anymore.

Even though Bowser likes to remain vigilant at the front of his own yard most of the time, he has this 6th sense about when I am getting ready to sit down with some food and invariably appears.

I will look up from my breakfast, and poof! There he is! Raspberries from my garden, oats and cottage cheese – in case you are interested.
I really need to remember to close that patio door if I want to eat in peace.
But then, who would I get to do the pre-wash of my dish?

Yes, I know, I do know…Even if I didn’t actually create this situation I am certainly rewarding and perpetuating it. Humour me!

Elbows up,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Zen Master Bowser

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer18 Comments

Bowser and the chickens are still peacefully cohabitating, when together. We are somewhat amazed but remain ever vigilant.

Majestic Mama Blue with her brood.
Mama Blue settling in the cool dirt after her dust bath.
Bowser observing the chickens and remaining very Zen.
Bowser in doggy lotus pose. Weirdo. Yes, he is staring at the chickens in the distance.

We hope your weekend is equally Zen.

Elbows up,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Trench Warfare

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer22 Comments

Note: I wrote and scheduled this post to run weeks ago. No, I have not magically recovered from Covid-19. I am still isolating from the world.

The forestry company that manages the trails Bowser and I walk on just about every day has decided to dig a bunch of trenches at all the entrances to our trail. This is apparently to discourage motorized traffic on their roads. Last year there were people setting up camp down by the creek (even an RV got down there, somehow!) so I do understand why they want to discourage this behaviour. And I get dismayed by the amount of trash that I pick up (the stuff small enough to carry, anyways) that gets left behind by the campers and partiers. But does this strategy even work?

Our first trench enounter. There is a small slice of walkable area left, on the side.
After 100 metres or so, we encounter a second trench. No pathway left for walkers.
I clamber carefully down into the trench.
Bowser waits patiently for me to scramble back up the other side.
At another access point, we find this: someone with a quad or what-have-you has broken a new trail around the trench. Which we took full advantage of.

Sure enough, a few days later Bowser and I had to step off the trail to allow a mud-encrusted pickup (not related to the forestry folks; just a good ol’ boy enjoying the dirt) to roar by us. Good job, Trench creators!

So I ask you, great minds at the Forestry: what did digging these fucking bullshit trenches accomplish? Other than making it hard for us who walk your trails to enjoy them?

Feelin’ salty, but keeping those elbows up!

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Who’s Walking Whom?

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer14 Comments

You know how Bowser likes to take the leash (the poop bag, actually) in his mouth and start off by walking himself down the street? Well, usually he lets go at the end of our street and I take over from there.

But sometimes he just doesn’t want to let go. And then this happens:

This can go on for a few hundred metres, at times.
Schnauzer stubbornness, in all its glory.
In other walkies news, my favourite Ocean Spray bush is getting ready to burst into bloom.
Closeup of the flowers.
No matter how the walks start, they all end up this way!

We hope you get some great walks in, this weekend.

Elbows up,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Hot Chick Summer

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer24 Comments

A couple of the hens have gone broody so my son-in-law decided to take advantage by purchasing some fertilized eggs for them to sit on. The first batch started hatching a few days ago.

Mama Blue and her brood.

Of course, this has caused much excitement among the humans here. But what about Bowser?

What are these little things that cheep and peep?
Bowser was initially intrigued but quickly lost interest.
Kinda boring, Mom. Can we play now?
What about you, Oma? Will you pay attention to me?
I’m still your favourite, right?

Yes, yes. Of course you are! But don’t rest on your laurels, Bowzie Boy 😉. Those chicks are awfully darn cute!

We hope your weekend is filled with cuteness.

Elbows up, and Happy upcoming Canada Day! Feeling very grateful for living here! 🇨🇦 🥳

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Bowser And The Chickens

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer25 Comments

I meant to post these photos last month and they got lost in the bazillions millions hundreds dozens of photos I accumulate on my phone each month (almost all of You Know Who). So here of some photos of Bowser and his daddy and the chickens, all peacefully (?) coexisting and free-ranging on the property.

Bowser’s daddy likes to let the birds out every evening to free range around the property. A sort of chicken enrichment exercise, if you will.
He is also letting Bowser (under strict supervision) get used to seeing the birds wandering around the property.
Ocassionally, this happens. Something triggers Bowser’s chase instinct and off he goes. Hence the need for strict supervision.
But most of the time, it is more peaceful. And Bowser does stop chasing when Daddy says to.
Curious, watchful, but calm.

Because Bowser is who he is (and we love him for it), he will never be able to be around any small thing unsupervised. A farm guardian dog he will never be. It is not in his DNA. Schnauzers were bred to hunt and kill small prey around a farm, and Bowser cannot discern between vermin and domestic small things.

And, let’s not forget his love of anything that squeaks (or squawks):

Like I said, supervision is CRITICAL and MANDATED 😉.

We hope you have a calm and peaceful weekend.

Elbows up!

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Walkies On A Hot Day

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer, See the Beauty22 Comments

Last week we had our first taste of hot summer weather. Did that deter us from our regular walking schedule? Not on your nelly!

Bowser is ready to go.
And we’re off!
So many daisies to be seen.
Bowser and I enjoyed a couple of salmonberries, each.
We saw the occasional Columbia Lily blooming in the more forested parts of the trail.
Cooling off my dogs in the creek 😉.
Actual dog, cooling off in the creek 😄.
Back home again, and Bowser finishing off his al fresco breakfast.
Nap time!

And so ends our hot weather walkies! We hope you can get outside and enjoy your weather too, whatever it may bring!

Elbows Up,

The WB

The Sunday Schnauzer – Reminiscing

On By Widow BadassIn Adventures with dogs, Bowser the Schnauzer20 Comments

My daughter reminded me that this past week was the 3rd annniversary of Bowser coming into our lives. So here are some of the many, many photos on her phone of that first month with our favourite little rascal.

Mommy and Daddy think I am going to be happy to stay in this crate to sleep. HAH!
This is more like it!
And this!
In the clover with my then-favourite toy – the turtle.
Clam shells smell very interesting.
I was very bitey back then.
I survived endured was tortured with had my first bath.
Daddy and me.
I always have kisses for Mommy.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing these photos of Bowser as a puppy as much as I have. We hope you have some fun reminiscing of your own to do this weekend.

Elbows up,

The WB