Fred Fred and Ferga Dog immediately got down to the hard business of eating theirs up. Feargal Butt had important rituals to perform first, however:

What can I say? Instinct rules.

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»

In the first (short) video, Fred Fred runs around after getting his birthday bath:

The second video features the Fergus Dog gets all freaky after being released from his birthday bath:

Now it’s Feargal Butt’s turn to get freaky following his own bath. Meanwhile, I’m exhausted:

The next video is a two-parter and features the boys going berserk outside after the baths are finally done:

Here’s part two of the outside freakiness:

And in the final video of the day, the boys FINALLY get the payoff: their birthday cake (honey-banana) and their birthday Dentabones. Happy birthday boys!

The cause of all the ‘citement? A chow-chow dog walked down their street. In front of their house. Shocking! (I don’t think Fergus even knew the puppy was out there. He just joined in for the fun of it.)

Play time in the snow. « Feargal shows Fred who’s the boss of the backyard »

1. Beagles see the snow for the first time.

2. Beagles see something across the street.

3. Beagles have a good long whine.

4. Beagles go out in the snow again. Yawn.

All the glorious photos are «*here*».

The boys get neutered two days into the new year. Gonna be a whole new year in a lot of different ways.

Rob Harrell’s «*Big Top*» is no longer published, but all the past strips are in UComics’ archive.