Rise and Shine and a little Hunting Banter

Both Cleo and Luna sleep in bed with Jim and I. This was something I adamantly fought when we first brought Cleo home but then I quickly became the biggest offender. Things only got worst once baby Luna joined our pack. Although both dogs excel at hogging covers and taking up as much space as possible they are quite different when it comes to waking up in the morning.

Mommy's little love bug

How Cleo wakes you up: If she wakes up before Jim or I she gradually starts to army crawl up the bed. When she finally reaches you she touches you with her paws and curls them back to her like she's trying to hold you. If your smart you hold out and pretend you don't notice this and eventually she worms her way up and rests her spotted dog face on your neck and nuzzles in. It's rather heavenly actually. In fact, she did this very thing to me this morning. We embraced and I sung to the Folgers coffee theme song, "The best part of waking up is Cleo in the morning." As my sister in law Becker says...why talk when you can sing?

How Luna wakes you up: Instead of quietly stirring she kicks around like a toddler having a tantrum and sighs heavily over and over again. It's almost like she's annoyed your not awake yet.  After about 30 fidgety blows she stretches, flaps her ears and yawns so loud that she might as well be howling. Then she storms across the bed like Godzilla taking Tokyo, kicks you in the lip with her dog talons drawing blood and then immediately drops a dog saliva soaked stuffed fox on your face. Well good morning Luna. After standing triumphantly with one paw jammed into your chest she flops down unapologetically and begins to speak Klingon to Cleo and chews on her ears. Within minutes a canine brazilian jiu-jitsu match breaks out on top of you and your expeditiously forced to retreat to the safety of the bathroom to save yourself from being trampled to death. Fun stuff. All before morning coffee. (Which is hilarious as I hate coffee but couldn't say "All before my morning earl grey tea" as it makes me sound like a flippin pansy).

Someone looks awfully innocent when sleeping huh? Till she jabs you in your sleeping face.

Anyway the past week has been quiet in our house as we basically tried to recuperate from four days of liver injuring Thanksgiving festivities. Luna did destroy by favorite Victoria's Secret cheetah bra and somehow found and ate a Frisbee I didn't even know we owned. We also managed to hunt almost everyday over the holiday and we had our first experience with goose hunting!  

6 dog Thanksgiving morning hunt. This pic includes Cleo and Luna, one of their older sisters Grace, a middle sister Maggie, their father Max and Blackthorn's Bonnie! From left to right: Cleo (3), Bonnie (16 months), Luna (9 months), Max (8), Maggie (2) and Grace (4).

Cleo rocking the intensity while on point

Little Luna Lu with a very nice retrieve

The goose hunting was a blast. Bob Gelder invited us to his spot in New Jersey and we spent half a day camped out in his blind with Cleo, Luna, Bonnie and Bob's friend Marty. At first the dogs were a little confused at the goose calling and having to sit in the blind but they quickly caught on that after all the shooting you get to retrieve gigantic birds. Epic win!

Cleo in the decoy field

My view from the blind

Cleared for Landing!

At first Cleo wasn't sure what to make of the Geese but by the end of the day she was lugging them back to the blind. Baby Luna on the other hand (who is not forced fetched) didn't quite build up the confidence to pick them up and bring them back. She did however run excited laps around them barking. It was in all honesty very funny and cute. By dusk it is was quitting time and after having spent three hours pheasant hunting in the morning and 4 hours goose hunting in the afternoon 9 month old Luna climbed into my lap in the blind and leaned into me as if saying I think I need a nap mom. We left excited knowing we found another new addiction.

Cleo lugging the goose in

Luna and Bonnie wishing Bob would give the goose back

Bonnie G with an awesome retrieve

I think the next thing on Jim's list is some duck hunting. Anyway check us out and follow our shenanigans on facebook at: Adventures of a German Shorthaired Pointer.