A Christmas Present from Millie

Millie woke up on her first Christmas to a blanket of snow and a houseful of her brothers and sisters. Not too shabby for her first Christmas. And she didn't forget Mom and Dad either. She left us a lovely surprise "present" under the tree. I guess since Santa Paws already visited, she wasn't worried about that whole naughty or nice thing anymore.

Dogs' Letters to Santa

I've recently fallen in love with "Dogs' Letters to Santa" by Bill Adler. I saw this while waiting in line at Barnes & Noble and just couldn't resist. Here are a few excerpts:

Banjo & Millie's Christmas Wishlist

Banjo and Millie have a list a mile long for Santa Paws this year. Here are just a few items they're hoping to find under the tree this year (and ok, maybe Mom too)...

Toys, Wonderful Toys

OK, OK, so the toys aren't so much for Banjo. He will have his moment when we get to treats!

Fuzzy Wuzzy Balls are a top item for Millie! They say they are great for large breeds, but Millie doesn't know she's not a large breed.

What could be cuter than a Baby Dragon by Go Dog?

Ok, ok, so it might be me that loves this Cuddly Woolie Squirrel.

Playing Dress Up
From collars to coats and boots, Banjo and Millie want to look nice and keep warm this Christmas!

With all of the snow, it sure would be nice to keep the little paws warm and dry with these Barkn Boots. And Mom likes these too so we don't have muddy paw prints all over the house!

Banjo loves getting dressed up for the holidays. He would look dashing in this Reindog Hoodie.

Banjo could use a little extra warmth when it's cold out! And while Millie may have her own thick, fur coat, she would sure look beautiful in this green Climate Changer Fleece Jacket!

Millie loves the turquoise collar by Wagwear. Alright, I'm busted. It's me that likes the turquoise collar.




  





Naptime
This is Banjo's favorite time of day. And a time of day that Millie's not too good at yet.

Though this may be too small for Banjo, Millie would love this handwoven little snuggle den.

Banjo loves curling up in Millie's tiny bed, so this cozy Heated Wellness Sleeper bed for Banjo is perfect. Also good for his slightly arthritic joints.






When Banjo and Millie are on the go, they love to have something familiar to snuggle up with. These Vintage Organic Blankets are just what they need. Olivine Fine Plaid for Millie and Glacier Houndstooth for the hound!

Banjo never needs help going to sleep. But little Mildred sure does! This Sleepytime Tonic might be a little more for Mom than for Millie.










Bathtime (yuck!)
Though bathtime isn't much fun, these items make it a little more tolerable!

Happy Tails Spa "Dry Dog Instant Clean" is Millie's first choice. It's a win-win: Millie avoids a bath, and Mom is happy that Millie no longer stinks!

Apparently a bar of soap is the most efficient way to bathe your dog... This Soap on a Rope from Cain & Abel has aloe and oatmeal to soothe dry skin in this cold, dry winter air!

Short-haired dogs like Banjo probably don't need a bathrobe (nor would a male dog feel too masculine wearing one...) but Millie with her long fur could benefit from this Terry Cloth Bathrobe!













Banjo's Favorite: Snack Time!
These are just a few of Banjo's Christmas wishes this year! However, per usual, any treat will do!

Kung Fu Fido isn't just for Banjo. Millie wants to keep in touch with her Chinese roots with these Fido Fortune Cookies.

Zuke's Mini Naturals are Millie's favorite treats, and at just 2 calories each, you can give so many and not have to worry about overfeeding!

These Pack-a-Bowls are perfect for two dogs who love to travel! In fact, they'd be perfect for a Christmas visit to the grandparents this weekend!










Don't Forget Mom & Dad
Mom & Dad haven't been too naughty this year, so Banjo & Millie have put together a Christmas wishlist for them too!

Mom particularly likes the Cisco Bike Basket so she can bring Millie along for rides!

The Croozer Mini Dog Bike Trailer is just big enough for both Banjo and Millie to ride along. This one is perhaps safer for Dad to drive.

"It's all fun and games until someone ends up in a cone." Enough said.

Vote for Banjo!

Vote for Banjo for Modern Dog of the week!

Bitter Apple is Delicious

Though Millie has made great strides in learning what is and what is not acceptable to chew, there are still certain things she just doesn't seem to grasp (or perhaps just doesn't care). You may have seen my earlier post where Millie has ripped the underside of the couch to shreds so that she can curl up in her little fort. We figured the best fix might be reattaching the fabric with a staple gun but in the meantime,we thought maybe a little duct tape would hold it together, spritzed with some of Grannick's Bitter Apple Spray to deter her from chewing on the duct tape. Though I have heard Bitter Apple works for many people, I'm afraid Millie actually likes the taste. She wouldn't leave the couch (or duct tape) alone once we sprayed it with Bitter Apple. To be fair, she wouldn't leave it alone before the Bitter Apple either. So perhaps destroying the couch is just too important to Millie to let a little Bitter Apple stand in her way, or perhaps Bitter Apple really is just icing on the cake.

How smart is your dog?

I find this post from Hyperbole and a Half hilarious! Might try the IQ tests with Banjo and Millie.

What Millie did today while we were out...

I'm glad she's able to entertain herself.

Millie Performs a (Naughty) Magic Trick

Millie has always loved hanging out under the couch. But she took it to a whole new level tonight. As I laid here on the cold, rainy, dreary day, I felt a sudden kicking in my back. Keep in mind, I'm lying on a couch, so in theory, there couldn't really be anything there that I could feel through the cushions and couch frame... But Millie has learned a new magic trick. She so delicately tore the fabric under the couch and climbed inside. So you can't find her anywhere. Millie: 1, Mom & Dad: 0.

Millie Destroys the Couch from Banjo and Millie on Vimeo.

Millie's First Snow

Millie had her first encounter with snow this morning, and I think she liked it! We walked out the front door and she saw the ground covered in white and you could just see the curiosity on her little face. So she plowed through the frozen monkey grass, realizing as soon as her feet hit the snow that it was COLD. It stuck to her fur immediately and she tried to run from it. When she realized there was no running from it, she laid down in the snow and embraced it, and tried to eat some. There's nothing like watching a puppy experience something for the first time.

GardenFest of Lights for Fidos!

When my husband and I were first dating, we went to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden for their GardenFest of lights, where they essentially decorate the entire garden in millions of beautiful Christmas lights. It's become something that I really look forward to at Christmas now every year. So this year when I learned of their "GardenFest of Fidos," I was super excited to get Banjo and Millie dressed up and ready to strut their stuff at the Garden.

So Banjo in his Santa suit, and Millie in her reindeer outfit, we all took off on a unseasonably warm evening to check out the display of lights. It was really an evening out for the two pups. They strutted their stuff all over, stopping for all the oohs and ahhs and tummy rubs. Banjo just cruised, while Millie made friends with every last person that walked within a 50 yard radius of us. We had such a great time at the GardenFest of Lights for Fidos! Can't wait for next year!