Dear Oscar, Why have you been listening to soul music lately? -- Motown Marvel

Dear Motown, That's just "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips! The reason I've been listening to it is to honor the new addition to the team here in Richmond: Gladys the puppy! Gladys comes from a litter of six that were taken in as strays when they were 3 weeks old in Tennessee. Also in the litter were Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and Percy Sledge (Percy was actually adopted by another Richmond family!).

Anyway, Gladys arrived yesterday, and it really brings back my puppy days. I may be big, but I'm still a pup at heart. In addition to playing, wrassling, running, and licking, I've been humming all the Gladys songs I know -- that is, the only one I know... "Midnight Train." Long live soul music!

Oscar

Dear Oscar, Is Spring ever going to come? -- Desperate for Warmth

Dear Desperate, I have good news: I have seen three sure signs that it is Spring. 1) My human took the plow and the tire chains off his truck this morning. Granted, it was snowing while he did this, but he didn't seem to think it was going to accumulate. 2) He is no longer shouldering those long 2x4-looking things and heading to Stowe every day. Instead, he is sitting at his computer, writing. And you know what that means... lots of walks to the river for yours truly! (He really likes his breaks, it seems!) Finally, 3) That same human participated in the annual "Bring Your Dog To Work" day! Does it matter that nobody else ever participates? No! Does it matter that there is a strict rule prohibiting dogs from work? No! Because it's spring! Every year, it's the same thing. We work, then we hike up to the top of the ski area where all the lifts are closed. Then we ski down. The down part, is the hard part for me. My human can actually go pretty fast on those groomed ski trails -- faster than me, that's for sure. In the backcountry, I can keep up. The photo above is how tired I was on the way home. That was a lot of running.

I hope this answers your questions!
Oscar

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.