Failed Experiment

Dear Oscar, I heard you were getting a little brother. How did the experiment go? -- Puppy-Watcher









Dear Watcher,
I'm not going to make any excuses; I was a schmuck. I growled, I snarled, and I jumped the fence in our yard and ran away -- twice. I was the opposite of a gracious host.

But, hey, I'm telling you, this puppy wasn't the right fit. Or maybe I was jealous, I don't know. All my life I have heard the legends and lore of that beagle-god Hunter. And then in the front door waltzes this 6-pound black, brown, and white beagle-lab mix? I put my foot down and said no way. No beagle is going to come in here and take away my attention. Spoiled? Maybe. Bratty. Okay. But when you've played first fiddle as long as me, it's hard to give it up.

That puppy was a great dog, but not the right fit for us. Good luck, pupper. I know you'll find a forever home somewhere.

Feeling happy-but-not-overly-proud-of-my-behavior, Oscar

Undisclosed Dog, Undisclosed Lift

I received the following letter last week from a reader-slash-dog-buddy. Please read...

Dear Oscar,

I was reading your blog today and it made me think two things: I miss hanging out with you in Vermont and also, dogs can ride lifts (just keep it on the DL)! You just have your human stick you in a big backpack, cinch the drawstring around your shoulders, and then put the flap over your head! You can stick your nose out a little but don't bark or move too much when you're in the lift-line! Tell your human to just carry you up in his or her arms... it helps to shoot through the lift waiting area and right onto the chair to avoid detection! Usually I hike up too, but on the rare and special occasion it can be cool to ride the lift!

-The Big K

Dear Oscar, How do you feel about the new qualifying times to gain entry in the Boston Marathon? -- An Obsessed Runner

Dear Obsessed, I'm pretty neutral about the new standard. What affects me more immediately is that my humans qualified under the old standards. However, one of them (I won't mention names, but his name rhymes with "dark") has been pretty lackadaisical about his training. I mean, one has to run in order to get marathon ready. You can ski, play hockey, and climb at the gym all you want; it still won't help you run 26.2 miles. Besides, with the exception of the skiing (and then only when he goes backcountry skiing), I don't really get to participate in these acticvities. So it was nice to see him lacing up the running shoes today. We did 8 miles, and I felt pretty loose. Just between you and me, the loop seemed a little rough on my human. Oscar

Dear Oscar, I have some questions regarding a recent post:

1. There were some pictures of yourself with and an itty bitty, teeny tiny little puppy. Why do you appear more than just a little bit frightened in some of those photos? Why does it appear that the aforementioned itty bitty, teeny tiny, little puppy has the upper hand in a couple of those photos?

2. Who's sweater is hanging from the chair in the twice aforementioned photos? (it's very nice.)

3. Have you ever swam in the ocean? Have you ever considered trying surfing?

From an Australian beach goer.


Dear Beach-Goer,
First off, I would have expected your message to have more of an accent to it, like "G-day, Mate" (pronouced "Mite"). Okay, on to your very important questions. One, the itty bitty puppy is Holly, and you are right, I was frightened at times. That puppy has sharp teeth! I had to growl a couple of times to let her know that I could swat her like a mosquito! Of course, I wouldn't. Which brings me to Part 2 of that question, why she seemed to have the upper hand in some shots. That's the fun of wrassling with small dogs: I let everyone have their chance to be on top. And as you can see from the photo on this post, I will play with anything or anyone, regardless of size. I just love to play!

The sweater is easy; it's Alison's. Although she is a talented knitter (and happens to be related to other talented knitters), this one is store-bought. Where, you ask? Lake Placid.

As for swimming in the ocean and surfing, I've done neither. My humans have been to the ocean three times, to my knowledge -- once on a rock climbing trip, once for a marathon, and once for vacation. I'm not that interested; I'm afraid the salty water would bleach my hair. No, I have never tried surfing, but I am an avid skier.

Meanwhile, I have a question for you. I noticed that you still haven't accepted my "Friend Request" on Facebook. What's up, you don't consort with dogs on-line?

Your friend, Oscar

Ski Season...

... IS HERE!

Ski season starts a little later sometimes if you are a dog. And, hey, I don't even mind not being allowed on ski lifts. Going up is half the fun anyway.


I have included a photo, however, of the descent. On yesterday's adventure on Mount Mansfield, I only got stuck in one snowdrift after Wednesday's big storm. How do you get out of an over-your-head snowdrift, you ask? Easy: you dog-paddle!

Or, an alternative to catching all freshies is to follow in someone's ski tracks. I try both interchangeably. And both offer their own unique rewards.

Play Date

My new relative Holly came over tonight for a play date, and let me tell you: that puppy likes to party! It was non-stop. However, don't think I let you down just because I am a 4-year-old dog and mature and responsible. Believe me, I can still party with the best, and I think I gave that little whipper-snapper a run for her money. At any rate, I can't wait for the next play date. These puppies are a lot of fun!

Dear Oscar, Does the recent extreme cold hold you back? -- Frostnipped in Fairfield

Dear Frosty, In the last three days I have done a backcountry ski loop in Huntington, a 12-mile run in Richmond, and another backcountry ski in Underhill. So, yes -- I have been doing less than usual.

I wouldn't blame the cold though. After the 12-miler, Alison went cross-country skiing at Trapps -- no dogs allowed. And, instead of a major undertaking today, we were only outside for a bit over an hour. Ali and Mark made some comments about my cold paws, but I think they just wanted to hang out in front of the wood stove.

I will say this. One group of skiers acted surprised that I was outside on a day like today (for out-of-town readers or those who didn't venture out of your homes, today was sunny, about minus-4 degrees, and still -- despite the forecast which, for a week, has been calling for Arctic-like conditions today... and apparently people actually paid attention to it without paying attention to what it was actually like out!) Even last night's local news made a point to tell people that one thing to take into account when the weather is like "this" is to make sure you bring your pets in. Anyway, after that digression, we bumped into a couple of groups who asked if it was good for me to be out or whether I should be wearing booties or mushing wax on my pads. Wax on my pads? I'd lick it off, duh!

Anyway, we had a fantastic time (and even bumped into another dog who was heading up just as we were approaching the parking lot). And can you believe it? One of the groups had left their dog IN THE CAR! Are you kidding me? You should have seen the look on his face. He couldn't believe his owners took him to the trailhead and didn't take him out. I'm sure they had their reasons, but I'll say this: no weather gets in the way of my schedule!

Oscar