Jack Attack

The Boys Play Ball

2009-06-26T20:31:00.001-07:00

A special thanks to Oliver for the stunning photography

Ben's Favorite

2009-04-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

In order for you to understand this title, I'm prefacing the rest of the pictures with this little excerpt:
BEN'S DIARY
7:00 am - OH YUCK! DRY DOG FOOD! IS THAT CANNED MILK ON THE TOP? MY FAVORITE!
7:30 am - PEANUT BUTTER IN THE KONG! MY FAVORITE!
8:00 am - OH BOY! ZEUS AT THE FENCE! MY FAVORITE! (mad dash)
9:00 am - YAWN! NAPTIME!
10:00 am - OH BOY! MOLLY AT THE FENCE! MY FAVORITE! (mad dash)
11:00 am - YAWN! NAPTIME!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! ZEUS AT THE FENCE! MY FAVORITE! (mad dash)
1:00 pm - YAWN! NAPTIME!
2:00 pm - OH BOY! DARCY AT THE FENCE! MY FAVORITE! (mad dash)
3:00 pm - OH BOY! QUIGLEY IS SNEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE PORCH! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 pm - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 pm - OH BOY! A TRUCK RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
5:45 pm - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
6:00 pm - UH OH--DID SHE SAY "COME!"? DOES SHE HAVE 'MOIST AND MEATY'? NO? TOOTDODOOTDADOO..I'M OUTA HERE! WOOHOO! HERE SHE COMES--CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
6:20 - (pant pant) OH BOY! SOME KIDS! MY FAVORITE! BUT KEEP AN EYE ON MOM! YUP--HERE SHE COMES! WOOHOO!
6:40 pm - OH BOY! DOGS! MY FAVORITE!
6:55 pm - OH BOY! HERE SHE COMES AGAIN! HMM...MAYBE I'D BETTER SIT...HER FACE IS REALLY RED...I DIDN'T THINK SHE WAS RUNNING THAT HARD...SHE WAS ONLY STAGGERING A BIT. YEAH, I THINK I'LL SIT. FOR SURE!
6:50 am - OH BOY! A TRUCK RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
7:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
7:10 pm - OH BOY! WET DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
7:20 pm - OH BOY! A DIRTY WET STICK--BETTER THAN A BONE! I'LL SEE IF I CAN SNEAK IT IN THE BACK DOOR AND SHRED IT ON THE CARPET.
9:00 pm - OH BOY! BEDTIME! WITH JESSIE AND QUIGLEY! MY FAVORITE!
10:00 pm - HEY! THIS IS MY SPOT, MOM! I LEFT YOU A LITTLE SPOT OVER THERE--I KNOW YOU CAN FIT, 'CAUSE I SAW JUST HOW SMALL YOU CAN GET WHEN YOU CRAWLED UNDER THE DESK TO GET THE DEAD BIRD QUIGLEY WAS STORING THERE.
10:10 pm - OH ALL RIGHT!! I'LL MOVE! SIGHHHHH!!!

Master of All He Sees

2009-02-01T22:20:00.000-08:00

Until Mom says, "COME!"

Ben Closes the Door

2009-01-31T20:03:00.000-08:00

How To Tell Ben Didn't Get His Walk

2009-01-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

The really sad thing is that part of what you see on the floor is the insides of GI Rat.

Ben's GI Joe

2009-01-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

This is the beastly, nefarious plaything to which Ben aspires, much as little boys aspire to be GI Joe

He practices poses and postures every night....

Don't you think they look like twins?

Here. maybe this will help....

You c'n really see it now, huh?

The Joys of an Old Shriveled Frozen Half-Apple

2009-01-25T21:25:00.000-08:00

And the best part is eating it once it's dead...for a late night snack.

Bandit Ben

2009-01-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

...and if you don't think he's a skin full of mischief, keep scrolling...

Best Buddies After the Bath

2009-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

It was cold, with wet fur, so they wrapped up and snuggled up.

We interrupt our regular scheduling...

2008-11-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

For a dose of puppy.

Say Hello to Dixie

Jack chills on the a/c (get it?)

2008-11-11T20:34:00.000-08:00

Wish I could do that

2008-11-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Jack Splash

2008-11-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Just watching the sun go down

2008-11-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

just plain cute

2008-10-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Which angle is my best?

2008-10-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Do you like me from the side?

Or is straight on better? Does it make my nose look to big?

Jack eyes the squirrel

2008-10-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jack's window

2008-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Jack and the Vacuum Cleaner

2008-10-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Don Quixote tilted at windmills. Jack the Great tilts at the Vacuum Cleaner.

For a Truly Great Jack Story

2008-10-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

follow this link....
Why dogs need butt cheeks

In the End

2008-10-07T18:45:00.001-07:00

Pictures from my last walk with Jack....

He's back home with him Mom now and delighting her with his quirks and idiosyncrasies.

A Bit O' Refreshment on theTrail

2008-09-17T19:09:00.001-07:00

Jack's Foxy New Friend

2008-09-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Can you see her? After following her up the hill, Jack turned and came back to us. He was panting and said, "nice tail!"

The Frosting Fiend

2008-09-11T19:40:00.001-07:00

Did I hear "frosting"?
FROSTING! FROST ING!! FROS TING!!!
Good, I'm glad you heard me...
You heard me didn't you?

NOW!!

That's better Is there more in that can? I think there is!

I think you're holding out on me

I can see I will have to help myself...

(My Gosh! What have I created? By the way, that picture that looks like a snarl is actually my great ability as a photographer catching the start of a bark)

A Pillow To Dream On

2008-09-10T19:52:00.001-07:00

Hidden Pictures Playground

2008-09-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

Remember the Highlights Magazines in the dentist's office? Remember the Hidden Pictures Playground feature? Well here's my version -- find the black lab in the burn after sundown. (Hint: look for the pink tongue).

My First Belly Laugh in Months

2008-09-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

Jack and Jessie and I took the hard trail again today. Since Jessie would never make it on her own, I hooked her up to Jack, as usual. He certainly didn't hide his boredom, but he was game and kept moving.

Then he saw a squirrel. He bunched up over his hind legs for the launch, but I grabbed the belly loop of his harness just in time. He sprang, but, because of the restraint, his momentum took him up instead of forward. He levitated with great vigor over and over and over. When he realized that he was bounding in one spot, he started emitting a sharp bark with each launch, as if to add some thrust. I laughed till I cried. I tried to capture it for you, but by the time I got the camera ready, he had figured out the game and it wasn't as vigorous. Still, it's pretty funny.

Raspberries???!

2008-09-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

It turns out that Jack LOVES raspberries. K-So and Jessie declined.

The lunge...

Back for seconds, and thirds, and...

Comfort Inn

2008-09-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

Back On The Road Again.....

2008-09-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

It's hard to understand why somethings burn and others don't...

Testing...Testing

2008-09-02T19:14:00.001-07:00

Drop Back and Punt

2008-09-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

What to do when you leave the tennis ball catapult behind.

Did We Have To Leave So Soon?

2008-09-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

(Yes, we were sitting at a red light)

More of the Same

2008-08-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Helper Dog

2008-08-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

This part was really steep!

Heaven Is Still Burning

2008-08-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

The truly perfect place that the dogs and I found to walk and throw and climb and run burned on Monday. To see some really amazing pictures, go here and look at the photo gallery.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4097842

We are devastated. However, there's a bright side. Once they let us back onto the burn site, we won't have to look out for rattle snakes, we won't get cheat grass seed in our socks, or grass up our noses, or foxtails in our ears, and I won't have to battle the deer for Jack's attention.

This is just days before it burned

Many Deer Canyon

2008-08-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

Because Heaven burned, we had to find a new place to walk. Jack named it. Notice that he is not off his leash and that the ball is forgotten.

Jack's Favorite Food (Now)

2008-08-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

I thought he was going to swallow the container before he cleaned it out. Speaking of which, I think he did a better job than the dishwasher might have done.

Anyone Heard of Doggie Ice Cream?

2008-08-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Neither had we, but everything has changed.....

Hands off!

...and all I can say is, God Help the Cat! The value of his life is inversely proportional to his distance from the Doggie Ice Cream.

Wild Abount Lettuce

2008-08-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

Takin' His Medicine Like Man

2008-08-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Outtakes

2008-08-21T20:52:00.001-07:00

Savoring the Lingering Bouquet

2008-08-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Jack, upon tasting an open-faced saltine and frosting sandwich.

(With the TV accompaniment--I planned that)
He said afterward it tasted like grass.

Afterward, he cleansed his palate with crisp toilet water, for a fresh-flush finish.

Who Needs a Cart?

2008-08-17T21:04:00.001-07:00

With the help of Jack, Jessie made it all the way to the top of the road--1.5 miles all uphill!

The Gate That Jack (and Grandma) Built

2008-08-16T19:59:00.001-07:00

The pintle and eye hinge that eluded me for a year.

Notice what it keeps out...
And what it lets in.

Here's the reason the other gate didn't get fixed today. There's three of those inside the gate!

The Big Black Lab

2008-08-14T21:40:00.001-07:00

Who will throw my ball? asked the big black lab
Not I, said Grandma the pig.
Not I, said Jessie the silly goose.
Then I will get my ball rolling by myself, said the big black lab.

And he did.

The big black lab picked stood over his ball waiting for grandma to throw it.
And who will toss my ball up the hill? asked the big black lab.
Not I, said Grandma the pig.
Not I, said Jessie the silly goose.
Then I will carry it myself and get it rolling said the big black lab.

And he did.
Again and again and again.

Backyard Olympics

2008-08-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

It Was a Long Hike

2008-08-13T20:44:00.001-07:00

Slimy and Slubbered But Not Gutted

2008-08-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

To answer Susanna's question...

A bit worse for the wear, but still game!

Wrong Side of the Gate

2008-08-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

I was watching the Olympics and kept hearing a dog barking. It took me awhile to realize the barking was much closer than the neighbor's dogs. I went to investigate.

Jack figured out that I closed the gate with his new toy on the back side. He went over the rail on the porch side,

then couldn't get back because the lawn side is a whole 6 inches lower. That's when the barking started. I laughed at him and told him to figure it out....

Little frustration coming into play, but he finally got it!

That's when he realized he'd left the toy behind....

Grandma's been holdin' out on me!

2008-08-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

King of the Mountain

2008-08-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Back to the most important thing

Sunset for Mom

2008-08-06T19:58:00.001-07:00

Baby, Get Ready

2008-08-02T20:22:00.001-07:00

Garnish

2008-08-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

When the "Moist and Meaty" is gone, there's nothing like "KittyFood Garnish" to light up supper.

After Running Away

2008-07-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

What a Difference a Crop Makes

2008-07-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hey! You! Down Here...

2008-07-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Weren't we going to have Moist and Meaty for supper? Isn't that what you said? When might that be?

Next Generation Jack

2008-07-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth
BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.

BigDog has an on-board computer that controls locomotion, servos the legs and handles a wide variety of sensors. BigDog’s control system manages the dynamics of its behavior to keep it balanced, steer, navigate, and regulate energetics as conditions vary. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a laser gyroscope, and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine temperature, rpm, battery charge and others.

In separate trials, BigDog runs at 4 mph, climbs slopes up to 35 degrees, walks across rubble, and carries a 340 lb load.

BigDog is being developed by Boston Dynamics with the goal of creating robots that have rough-terrain mobility that can take them anywhere on Earth that people and animals can go. The program is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).

video

Dead Dog?

2008-07-27T12:11:00.001-07:00

The Fru-Fru Ball is Interesting After All

2008-07-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Harrumph!

2008-07-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

She didn't take me for a walk tonight.

I'll survive...just.

Them Thar Hills Got Deer! pant! pant!

2008-07-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

...or so these two intrepid hunting dogs say...

The Big Walk

2008-07-23T21:55:00.001-07:00

According to the map, it's 1200 feet rise in 1/2 mile. It takes us about 2 hours to do the whole circuit.

End of Stage 1--looking down at the parking lot (the car is a little gray dot just over Jack's shoulder), then up to the destination.

End of Stage 2--same as above

End of Stage 3--I wanted Jack to sit and pose for the picture. He was reluctant, but sat. Sort of. He kept trying to lift one haunch then the other. That's when I noticed he was sitting on an ant swarm. About the time I realized that meant I was standing in the same swarm. That was about the time they started biting me. Needless to say, the shoot was short!

End of Stage 4--Sandy first (my house), Provo second (Grandma's house)

Stage 5--The top. The first level ground since the car. Then the road down

And finally, the bottom again.

Sunflower

2008-07-22T20:34:00.001-07:00

REAL Men

2008-07-21T21:09:00.001-07:00

Well, in spite of the fact that he's had his balls cut off, Jack is a real man. I bought him a new ball that's pink, squishy, perfumed and covered with fru-fru.

He hated it with the first bite.

I put it in his swimming pool.

He patiently fetched it and dropped it in his toilet.

Three times

I got the message. Pink, perfumed fru-fru has it's place and real men know where that is.

...and New Buddies

2008-07-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Old Buddies

2008-07-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Doggerwoky

2008-07-19T09:48:00.001-07:00

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

___________________________

"Beware the crittence Cat, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the gunkamoeabole One, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

___________________________

He took his sluby orb in fang:
;
Long time a skeevy walk he'd sought --;

So zursted he in the sedgy scree,

And braced him for the gaut.

___________________________

And, as in rykish thought he sat,

The arkuchet, with crimson yaw,

Came flanging through the sulty spew,

And whitared as it threw!

___________________________

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The doki Orb ageda-gadabumed!

He snat mid-air, and with it spludged

He went tatumping back.

___________________________

"And, has thou caught the hennky Orb?

Oh COME (to me) my negrish boy!

Thou holy kukurigu king

Of the fraky doggerwok!"

___________________________

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Not-So-Still Life with Ball

2008-07-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle...

2008-07-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

Like This?

2008-07-10T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Most Common Action Shot

2008-07-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

It's Mine!

2008-07-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dog Tired

2008-07-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

Let Me Show You

2008-07-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

If you look this way....
This

Then this way...This

Then this way...
This

And the best of all...
This!

Dog Camping

2008-07-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Can We Play Ball NOW?

2008-07-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Look...

2008-07-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

...and the cause.

It Had to Happen

2008-06-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

Jack lost a ball tonight. It took a downhill detour and both of us lost track of where it went. He looked in every sage, every bunch of grass, up and down the drop off, to no avail. Neither of us was particularly anxious to spend any more time, since at 8:00 it was still 96 degrees. We just came home and called it a write off.

I imagine we will find it on some subsequent walk.

Waterdog

2008-06-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Dog Days of Summer

2008-06-28T18:38:00.001-07:00

Who did that?

Can I come in now?

After the Walk

2008-06-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

The Ball Boy

2008-06-26T20:36:00.001-07:00

______________________________

Who's in Charge?

2008-06-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

A Story

2008-06-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

So tonight Jack and I climbed part way up Lone Peak. A very small part, to be sure, but a very difficult part. The slope was steep enough that on more than one occasion, I almost fell over backward. For Jack, it was a cinch...at first. He had his ball and every now and then he'd set it down. Of course, since there was no level ground, the ball would take off on it's own walk--down, and it wasn't really a walk--more like a dash. Jack would jump to the chase and mostly he got to it fairly soon. Once he just stood and watched it go. I said, Jack go get that ball. He ended up catching up with it at the bottom of the hill, just before it rolled over the edge of another steep drop. After that he was a little more careful.

As we neared the top he was standing over his ball as I huffed and puffed up to him. He'd pick it up momentarily and drop it again. My interpretation was that he was tired of carrying it and wanted me to take over. It was slimy and muddy and, in general, not something I wanted to put in my pocket. But I hated to lose a ball, so I picked it up. Then I realized why he didn't want it any more--he had dropped it in an ant hill and was swarming with red and black ants. They thought they were at slime feast. I rolled it under my foot and squished out as much of the slime and ants as I could, then picked off the last hangers-on and put it in my pocket. He didn't ask for it again, but he did keep an eye on the growing wet spot in my pocket.

What I don't do for this dog!

The Start of the Walk

2008-06-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

A Dog With a Job

2008-06-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Saddle up!

Giddyup!

Morning With No Walk

2008-06-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bobbing for Rocks in the Moonlight

2008-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Dog With Ball

2008-06-19T20:43:00.001-07:00