The Beagle Boys Turn Three Years Old
8-Mar-10: Feargal, Fergus, and Fredrik turn three years old. How time flies!
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The Flash Player and a browser with Javascript support are needed.Edit: Here’s the recipe for the cake (I skipped the carob chips and the frostings. They wolfed it down so fast, they didn’t know something was missing):
Banana Carob Chip Dog Birthday Cake
• 2 cups water
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/8 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 Tbs baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs honey
• 1/2 cup carob chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
2. In a mixing bowl combine water, bananas, vanilla, egg and honey.
3. Add whole wheat flour and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Pour mixture into an 8-inch cake pan sprayed with a nonstick spray.
5. Sprinkle carob chips on top.
6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Decorating suggestion:
Make both the Cinnamon and Carob frostings (below), then ice the cake with one, and use the other as a decorative trim.
Cinnamon Frosting:
1. Combine the following ingredients and blend thoroughly:
• 12 ounces nonfat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp honey
Carob Frosting:
1. Combine the following ingredients and blend thoroughly:
• 12 ounces nonfat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3 tsp carob
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp honey
Makes One 8-inch cake.
Source: «Dog Treat Recipe Exchange»
New Pics on Flickr!
Finally posted some «*new pics on Flickr*» of the boys. Whatta buncha beagles!
Family Reunion
I know I haven’t posted in awhile, but the latest gallery should make up for it: On 30-Mar, the boys were reunited with their Daddy, Buddy Bear Castro, and their sister, Isabel, and also got to meet their big brother, Bear, from Buddy’s and Ginger’s first litter. We also had the sad occasion to see mama Ginger’s gravesite. Spaghetti was served and a very good time was had by all; thanks to humans Susan and Lisa and the kids.
All the glorious photos are «*here*».
Happy New Year!
Happy 2008 from the Hell Hounds!
The boys get neutered two days into the new year. Gonna be a whole new year in a lot of different ways.
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Current Photo Galleries:
• *«The Beagle Boys Week 8»* | 3-May-07 | Feargal, Fergus, and Fredrik celebrated their Week 8 birthday by spending lots of play time outside and getting their first vaccinations at the vet lady’s office.
Some Random Photos
A new photo album is up and contains *«random pics from June 2007»*. Lots of beagle sleeping in this one.
I’m working on a couple of cute videos. But for now, enjoy the pics!
Week 14 Photos
A new photo album is finally posted: *«The Beagles Boys, Week 14»*. It includes this classic photo of Fredrik and Fergus which I was incredibly lucky to get. They never stay still long enough in any nice pose, so this is a very rare photo:
Lots of exciting things happened: The boys had their second round of shots and went for a ride in the car and walked around with leashes and harnesses for the first time and got a new swimming pool and everything. It was all quite exciting!
Feargal weighs 17.6 pounds, Fergus weighs 14.8, and Fredrik weighs 13.8. That’s why we call Feargal “The Big Dog” and “The Big Galoomph.” We’ll have to watch his weight. The boys are doing well, growing in leaps and bounds and having lots and lots of fun. When I get some time this weekend, I’ll work up some videos. In the meantime, enjoy the new gallery!
Compare/Contrast
The Fergus dog is no longer black-headed and has lost quite a bit of his puppy-ishness. Here he was on 20-April at six weeks:
And here he is today at 12 weeks:
They grow up so fast!
Picture of the Day: Fergus is Ready for a Nap
When Fergus gets ready to go to bed, he runs into the playpen and flops down. There is no in between, no winding down. It’s just run in, hop on the bed and we’re gone. But first, he eyes things around him:
He just has two gears … fast forward and park.
Picture of the Day: Feargal is Reprimanded
Feargal has just been reprimanded for chewing on the potty training pad:
The first of many such looks he will shoot our way.
Picture of the Day: Fred Posed
Fred is looking mighty beagle-dy here:
One of his truly rare moments.
Week 8
The last two weeks have been incredibly … topsy-turvy, so I haven’t been able to update things. But here goes.
The boys have grown like weeds. They’re doing fabulously, although Feargal seems to have an allergy to something around here and is scratching a lot and needs half a children’s Benadryl a day. Fredrik has undescended testicles and would probably be unable to have kiddies himself if we were planning that, which we weren’t. Fergus is all beagle, nothing wrong with him, full of energy and the most beagle-dy of the bunch. Feargal often acts like there’s a streak of basset in him, prompting us to occasionally refer to him as a “bagel” — a cross between a beagle and a basset. He’s supposedly not, but still. Fred seems to be a week or two behind the others in his development and is the most baby-ish.
We went to the vet today for our first vaccinations. It was quite an operation, but we did it successfully. And got a 20% discount for having three at once. The boys were whiney, but very good. We may have some worms, and I have to take some of their poop to the vet tomorrow. Otherwise, things are well on track.
Pictures from their birthday are up in the *«Week 8 photo gallery»*.
Their routine pretty much follows a usual pattern: up at 6 a.m., out for some play time, in for some breakfast, back out for potty time, back in for nap time. Up at noonish for lunch and play time, back in and down at 2ish until dinnertime. Up and about and playing while we eat dinner, then they have their dinner, then a nap until 10ish, when it’s time to go out for final peepers and poopers. Then down for the night in their kennel, and then we repeat the whole thing all over again.
The last two weeks have been extremely eventful, but more on that later. For now, enjoy the pics!
Week 4, Day 30 of the Boys’ Life
Day 30 of the boys’ lives and boy are they beginning to have personality. Feargal is the timid whiner who is always hungry, Fergus is the dominant, curious, explorer, and Fredrik is the dignified, solemn, and often very sleepy beagle.
It was a lovely visit, although it stretched to two-and-a-half hours. (Apologies, Allens!)
It looks like the boys may be coming home with us after week 6! If they’re ready, that is. We go to the vet for our first visit on 19-Apr, so we’ll let him decide. I’ve been rearranging and cleaning things in the house, getting ready for the invasion. Can’t wait to have the boys home where they belong! It feels like it’s been such a long time since we lost Bayley, even though it’s been just over a month. Heavy sigh. I need me some beagle in my life.
For now, will just have to make do with *«the week four photos»*. Another heavy sigh. Just 86 photos this week (embarrassed grin).
Week Three Pics Are Up
Finally had time to upload the Week Three photos to Flickr. There are over 90, so it took me awhile to write captions, etc. Yeesh. And here it is already Thursday. We see the boys again on Sunday. Can’t wait!!!
More on the week three visit later, when I get a chance. For now, *«the photos»* will have to tell the story.
Week Two Visit With the Boys
We had our second visit with the boys today. Stayed two hours. (Sorry about that, mom and kids!)
The puppies have their eyes open and are shakily walking around—slowly and wobbly, but walking. I think their ears are still mostly closed, but the claws are already pretty long. We’ll have to trim them pretty soon.
The boys will go for their first visit to the vet, probably this week, and I’ll go along. Have lots of questions for the vet … such as, “What can you feed dogs that isn’t laced with *«rat poison»*?”
Anyhoo …
The puppies are very sweet, but are, of course, still in the eat and sleep mode. They won’t be there long, however. Mischievous is in their genes and it will come out soon.
Mom Ginger surprised us a bit today; we took the three new pookies to the boys so they could get used to the smell. Mom, however, really loved them. She played and played and played with them, the first time since the pregnancy, we’re told, that she’s felt like being her old self. She still takes care of business with the puppies, but she’s happy to be getting back to normal. And since she’s only a year-and-a-half old, she’s still a bit of a puppy herself and still enjoys playing. At one point, we had to calm her down, because it seemed that she was a bit confused as to what was a pookie and what was a puppy. She’s a sweetheart, and I’m sure the boys will benefit from that sweetness.
We had a terrific time, became ever more attached to them, and can’t wait to bring them home. It’s looking like possibly 27-April just might be the homecoming date. They’ll be seven weeks old on that day. Bayley came to live with us when he was seven weeks old. It’s a very special time, and we can’t wait for the day.
In the meantime, we have to be content during the week with looking at pictures. Here’s the photos from Week Two, all 115, yes, I said 115, of them. We took 151, and I eliminated some that were similar or blurry to get down to the 115. They’re just too cute to not take pictures, and I’ve always regretted that I don’t have more than two or three of Bayley as a puppy. This time around, things will be different.
Here they are: *«Feargal, Fergus, and Fredrik, Week Two»*.
My favorite photo of this week’s bunch:
Fergus Face
-Feargal- er uh FERGUS sticks his tongue out for the camera.
Talk about a sweet puppy! Can’t wait to see what he’s like this Sunday.
(Click on thumbnails to get larger versions of the pics.)
Introducing the Beagle Boys
So, we were able to go over to the beagle house here in Brentwood this evening, where we were graciously met by my student, her brothers, and her mom and dad, and also graciously accepted by the very sweet Ginger the Beagle, who made no fuss at all as we handled her puppies. Buddy the Beagle, who is their dad, was resting at his own home, so we weren’t able to meet him. But he’s supposedly just as sweet as Ginger. The family has spent the last two weeks praying over the puppies, hoping they ended up in a good home. So, it’s working out well for all concerned.
The puppies’ eyes are just beginning to open and we bonded with them immediately.
We now proudly introduce to you Feargal, Fergus, and Fredrik, the Beagle Boys, who pose along with their mom and two sisters, Isabel and Jasmine on Flickr in their very first pictures ever taken:
*«Feargal, Fergus, and Fredrik: First Photos»*.
To explain the names: In keeping with St. Patrick’s Day and my Irish heritage, we decided to be a bit goofy. Officially, they are Feargal Bayley O’Dougal, Fergus Bayley O’Dougal, and Fredrik Bayley O’Dougal – the middle name is in honor of Bayley Murphey, of course, and O’Dougal is in honor of Kit and Erin’s beloved black Labrador, the late and fierce fetching warrior, Rudy Dougal.
Feargal and Fergus are good old Irish names meaning “Strong Warrior” and “Fierce Warrior.” Fredrik plays on Frank’s Swedish heritage and means “Peaceful Warrior.” And of course, “Warrior” is Beagle-ese for “Let’s see how much chaos we can create before Dad gets home.” Plus, Feargal, Fergus, and Fred are alliterative, not to mention doofus-y and silly and goofy, just like beagles. Ginger Dog’s human kids named them Cinnamon, Sabre, and Rocky, as kids are wont to do, but we’re probably going with our Triple F Threat names. Frank came up with Feargal and Fergus after an internet search; Fred occurred to me because Little Ricky’s dog on I Love Lucy was named Fred. It’s probably all moot; they’ll most likely respond to just about anything, except when they don’t want to, which will be often. Such is life with beagles.
The Bayley chapter in our lives is closing, albeit very reluctantly. The new chapter is opening. Life, as they say, has a way of going on, even when those we love are no longer part of it.
The boys’ lives will be chronicled here at *«AirBeagles.Net»*. Note the “s” in the domain name. Can’t just be singular AirBeagle anymore when there will be three of them running around!
Gonna be an interesting summer!