 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi, I passed on November 10, 2011. I am sure my human will think about continuing the website as a resource for those interested in Bearded Collies. I had a long and very happy life. I would have been 15 1/2 on Nov 17, 2011. My dad hugged and kissed me before I left to continue my journey.
October 27, 2011 - hi firends. Some of you asked how I am doing. Next month I will be 15 1/2 years. Well .. I get around slow. It takes me a long time to go up a stair. But I do go upstairs on my own every now and then as I like to sleep by the humans when I can. I have lots of accidents. I like to sleep a lot. But I like to go outside, be by my humans, and have my cookies. I guess cookies are not all bad, I have survivied a long time. And so now I have been on the internet 15 years! I had one of the first Beardie web pages, different server way back then. Hey - the internet was pretty new still when I started. We made animations frame by frame, and had to use code to write the pages back then. I let the human help of course as my paws got stuck on the keyboard. Heck, the human started before the PC came out so he had some experience.
October 10, 2011 - My best friend Checkers went to the Rainbow Bridge today. So Sad. He had cancer. He was my Beardie adopted brother who live with me most of my life.
May 9, 2011 - Well, just another week and I will be 15 (May 17, 2011). If you are thinking of a Beardie, keep that in mind. I now pee wherever and whenever I want and get away with it. My humands know I am getting old. I still make it up the stairs, very slowly, at night to sleep with my humans. I have trouble going down the stairs.. but maybe because an EX- human son in law of my dad's ran me over with a car a couple years ago. (the EX doesn't mean dad killed him, although maybe he thought about it as there were his grandkids around too at the time..) OK.. I mostly make it to some towels the humans put downe for my "accidents" (hey, I get away with it). I have cataracts so I don't see well... don't hear well either (convenient when I don't want to come). I will make it to the lake to swim .. or wade.. the long distance swimming is out this year. I miss going on the boat, maybe the human will lift me up onto it this year for one more ride.
My beardie siblings are still around too. Checkers barely gets around and is basically near deaf and blind now.. and he won't be 14 until Ocotober. Rags (fat Rags) manages to get in the SUV but he is a youngster at 12. Heck.. he got that way a bunch of years back when his ankle snapped and they wanted to amputate and dad wouldn't let them. he can still run, sort of.. he would rather walk. He sees OK and hears OK.. so he is one up on the rest of us. But these guys copy my accidents, I guess the urge is too much with the neat smells....
So, yes.. I am alive and hope to make it another week to my birthday. Dad has to be away, so we may celebrate this week (maybe just in case?). The rest of the humans will be here.
Sorry I don't write more, everyone is super busy here all the time .. I have trouble seeing the monitor... oh well... I am a do you know... PS - you know this summer we will have been on the internet for 15 years with a web page .. that is something too. Last check we had over 2 illion visitors (2,357, 421) just to the front page. The server says we get up to 50 or even 100 hits on other pages for each home page hit .. so we could be in the.. 100s of million possibly by now.. Dad doesn't try to track those all the time anymore as it chews up the web space just for the records.
May 16th 2010 in the evening - I turned (will turn) 14 on May 17, 2010. OK I admit it, no one thought I would be here this year. My brother Checkers too, In fact last summer the vet told dad that Checkers was done for it (in so many words), but he is still ticking too. His hips are basically shot now. Kids don't read this OK, I don't want to disappoint you. The thing is my bladder isn't what it used to be - so I have accidents all the time, in the house, now. When I am done, I guess the human or maybe Rags or someone will keep up my page. Don't get me wrong - I am still here, still enjoying .. just realistic. I know the pages are popular (lots of references). There is no plan by the humans to get a younger and newer Hobo 2 or something. Dad said "Hobo you are 14 years now and that is pretty good for a dog". I thought - I'm a dog? I only go up stairs once and awhile now. The climb is too much and the granite floor downstairs is cool anyway. But I stick by my human dad like glue in the evenings now.. every moment counts you know. I want to enjoy the summer, my favorite time.. then we will just wait and see what the year brings. I already had cake, it is the weekend - lots of humans here to celebrate... nice presents, but it is the time with the humans that s my best present.. for them.
May 2008 - I turned 12 on May 17, 2008. No big fanfare, I guess the humans are just so used to me now that birthday parties don't happen any more. Hey - didn't even get emails from my friends. That is what happens when you get old. I am feeling a bit older than some other beardies my age. But then again my dad didn't live this long. I have trouble going up the stairs, I hardly ever try to get on the couch, no more jumping (which I loved). Funny I was the one with the excellent hip scores and Checkers with the one bad hip gets around better than me (and he will be 11 next November). My human actually thought I might not make it through the past year (and he loves me so much he hugged me every day and still does). Sure I take the medications... they don't help much anymore. I do have my coat back (that was gone for most of one year - so much so I get groomed only twice a year now and don't really get any mats anymore). The humans thought maybe I had cushing's as my hair would fall out, but maybe some sort of cancer... no one really wants to know (nothing can really be done). But I am out by the lake, sometimes run a little to chase the boats, ducks, geese or swans that go by. I take a quick swim, and feel better (and cool). I bark, I love everyone, maybe a little grouchy some days. But everyone forgives me. Sometimes they need to help me get off the floor, other days I can do it myself (hey - maybe a little prostrate problem, that fits my ailments pretty well). Maybe I will make it another year, maybe not. It is a good life and I hope (for my human's sake) that we can be together a while longer. Have to really applaud those beardies that live to be 15, or even more...
June 1, 2006 - Long Time No Speak - We are now up to about a million and a half visitors.. and time flies. I had an operation just before my 10th birthday. My tail was infected, and it was pretty serious. But I am OK now - and TEN YEARS OLD as of May 17, 2006. And our web page is about to be 10 years old in August! That makes us one of the oldest Bearded Collie web pages on the internet. I have heard some claims of older, but lets be honest here, I started by searching for all the Bearded Collie pages (my human started searching before I was born, and actually got our web page up as soon as he found me (before I came home with him). The first thing added were the links to all the other existing pages at the time. Since then, we have seen those pages disappear (the few that were on the internet).. We may now be the oldest Bearded Collie Web site.. if you know of one you think is older let us know.
September 23, 2004 - Today we had visitor number One Million (1,000,000) at abut 9:55 PM Eastern time. My human says we actually get a lot more "hits", sometimes 50,000 or more a day on Beardie Net - so we are happy that many people from all over the world come and visit and find something of interest.
You may wonder why Hobo doesn't keep up his journal daily or even monthly any more. Well, that is because his dad gets very busy volunteering for so many things and can't always help with the pages (and using paws takes a lot of time on the keyboard). Also because most days are similar for the Beardies here. We enjoyed the summer and now are having a warm fall (so far).
Every day seems about the same. The Beardies go out early in the day, then the human dad takes all of them out for play in the middle of the day. Most stay outside for a few hours and then have another play time with the humans late in the afternoon. The humans go out with the beardies a couple more times in the evening at last thing at night, but the beardies can go in an out as they please.
Summers are filled with lots of time by the lake. All of the Beardies here like to wade in the water to cool off. Then sometimes we dig holes and lay in them during the day (usually under the deck or under a shade tree).
November 29, 2003 - I had a great Thanksgiving! I am glad because all this fall I have had an allergy. Each year I begin to itch, probably from the mold or fungus on the tree leaves that fall all over the ground. Usually a little Omega 3,6 fatty acids help my skin heal but this year I needed a couple of medicated baths too. The leaves are all cleaned up now, and snow on the ground today. Lets see, what else is new? Well, you have not seen a lot of photos of me for awhile - that was because of all my problems this year, I sort of tore up my nice coat. It takes a long time to grow back, but is coming in now. My human says I eat too much - I weigh almost 70 pounds right now. So we are working on that. But I still go out and do my jumps and run, as strong as ever. My humans also still tell me I am the best dog in the house because I am the best with the kids and humans. I still pick on Rags sometimes though and they don't like me to do that.
July 10, 2003 - Everyone is asking how I am now after that poison incident. I am doing much better. My follow up tests are all normal, except I have high cholesterol. My human and I have been spending more time running outside and I am back to jumping my agility jump in the yard. Yikes, I have old photos on my cover page .. but I chewed a lot of my hair when I got sick (spit out hair balls for a week). My coat looks awful - and I don't know how long it will take to grow back (maybe 6 months or more). The human will take some photos of me in the water - then you won't be able to tell how bad I look.
On July 4th they set off huge fireworks right near our house. I decided to just stay in the bathroom a couple of days. I of course would come out late at night, when things got quiet (have to eat you know and then go outside).
June 5, 2003 - Last Sunday (June 1 ) I got into something I should not have. I really don't remember what it was. But I was out playing and got out of the yard for a few minutes. I had burrs all over me, so I sort of ate them off my legs (along with some hair). I might have eaten something else, or even licked some chemicals (maybe from someone's lawn). I got really sick and my humans took me to the emergency vet. I was very sick to my stomach and became dehydrated. The vet gave me some medicine and I had to wear an Elizabethan Collar. Yesterday I was sick again and up came some hair balls, and again today. The vet thinks it was more than just burrs that I ate. Some really odd stuff came out of me. I still want to chew my legs and right now most of the hair is gone from my legs - so the collar has to go on at night again. I am running around OK, the chemicals must be out of my system (if there were any). I have to go back to the vet later this week. So all my dog friends, watch out for those burrs in the long grasses, and say away from people's lawns as they may spray chemicals on them. I sure isn't fun to be sick.
February 3, 2003 - I still have not been updating my journal. Hey, it is a great life and I am enjoying it! We had a really cold winter with some snow. I really like going out in the cold, but not as much as my brothers Checkers and Rags. they would stay out all day if the humans let them. Nothing really different is going on - and that is saying a lot for my family. Lucky, who belongs to my human's son and his wife, comes over a lot. In fact he has been here a few days visiting. I think he misses his humans, but he has been having fun playing with Rags (they both love pulling on toys and ripping them up). I prefer playing with my little human Emily these days (she is my human's granddaughter). Sometimes she tries to dress me up with hats or teases me, but it is fun. I am now about midlife as I will be 7 later this year, I guess I am more laid back than I was as a little puppy - but I still like to run around and get excited sometimes.
August 26, 2002 - Some have written me and said they hadn't seen any changes to the web site this year. Noooo - we added almost 10 Megabytes of new areas! During the last year we added to areas about Bearded Collie FAQ, history, collectibles, all sorts of things. And added more free clip art. The idea was to provide more information on the breed. So .. some want more of Hobo's own escapades I bet? My human has to get the camera out and catch me in the act. Honestly, I am flattered you want to see more of me and hear more about what I am up to. We'll try to do more of that stuff.
My life has been pretty normal. I haven't taken any long trips (with or without the humans). I did make a little trip once this year. We have a new neighbor about 3 or 4 blocks away. They moved here with their Beardies from the East coast. One day .. I sort of took a little trip over to introduce myself, I didn't tell the humans of course. It was funny, this family let there beardies out for a romp in the yard, then called them in for dinner. they have three beardies .. and of course four beardies came in for dinner (I can't pass up a special meal). The human mom said .. "That has to be Hobo who I heard so much about." Yup, yours truly. So, I chowed down a bit and they brought me home to my humans . Dad was a little worried because I have not taken my little trips in a long time. But you know .. we can sniff out other Beardies and I had my obligations to take care of.
Most of the summer I have been enjoying life on the lake. Checkers and I renewed our efforts to dig to Japan (so I can visit Daisy). We got the hole about 6 feet deep before dad filled it back in. I was surprised he found it because we started under the deck and went under a cement slab. I thought it was pretty well hidden. So.. we let dad fill it up .. and started on it again.
Checkers and Rags are doing fine too. Rags opens the door everyday and lets us out. He has calmed down with the strange humans, but sometimes scares them (I don't think he trust strangers). Checkers .. well he is Checkers.. he spends his days licking the humans and watching everything that goes on. All of us go swimming almost everyday, and that makes grooming tough - especially our legs which get mats.
September 21, 2001 - so many things happening this past week. But we are all to go back to our normal lives. Us beardies have been enjoying a little cooler weather here (the humans wish it were still summer). My human mom Jo Anne has a birthday tomorrow - and we will all have cake to eat. Meanwhile I have nearly finished updating my web pages. Thanks for all the new visitors - I hope you enjoy all the added information. Our beardie Links have grown to about 1000! Be sure to let me know if you are one of those who found a new place for your pages (NBC and others have dropped their free pages so many are changing or gone). I added a search of my own for my pages and had to get a new counter as the old service disappeared. My brothers Checkers and Rags are doing great! We only argue over who gets the toy with dad on the other end.
September 11, 2001 - today was a bad day for America. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon both being hit by terrorists. We are so sad for the people who lost their lives or were injured and their families. May peace come back to our world.
July 1, 2001 - Our Beardie Brother (and Rescue) Rags will have been here a whole year this week. His official Gotcha Day is July 4th - but dad picked him up with the intent of placing him with another new family on July 2, 2000. Rags has turned out to be a great friend of us other beardies. We wonder how he will do with the fireworks this year. Meanwhile, once again we are enjoying the lake and swimming. I love to go boating as well. My humans say I bark too much at the other dogs as we pass them on the lake - but I think this is a great way of communicating with my friends. By the way, this month I appeared in yet another publication - this time it was our community newspaper. Rags was there too, because of his acts of heroism last year.
April 25, 2001 - Wow, I was in the Florida Today Newspaper. You can check my Beardies in the Media section for a link. My Advice Column was right up there with Ann Landers and Dear Abby! OK, I won't let it go to my head (much). This came after I received a few more awards for my pages - I am so proud. I hope you noticed that we really expanded our Bearded Collie Information and Description Sections - and also added a whole lot of special Bearded Collie articles, summaries of collectible descriptions and lot more. If not - check out the whole index on the Bearded Collie Index page
March 14, 2001 It is a whole new year and I have not written. hey, I got a little fat over the winter - now 57 pounds. But that isn't too much for a Bearded Collie. My human has started me on some stuff to reduce my weight - mainly running and jumping again now that the snow is mostly gone. My brother rescue (Rags)is doing great. You have to look at his page. he is now a big part of the family, no longer shy at all. Dad spent months working with him. Each little step was a big deal - rewards and love. He is a hero, a lover and a friend. Checkers is doing fine too. Always the lover, but now the boss (sort of) - at least he thinks he is. We all look forward to spring and summer when we can play hard and run fast.
January 2001 - hey, my human was interviewed for Dog Fancy Magazine. He told stories of me and my bothers Checkers and Rags too. Dad isn't famous, but he is well known as helping with rescue and other Beardies stuff. Personally I think my pages made them notice us <VBG>
August 4, 2000 I have a lot to write about. Last month, dad picked up a rescue that didn't work out at its new home. His name is Rags. Then, for the 4th of July, he tried Rags out at another home. In between, Rags spent a couple days here with us. Then that new home decided they wanted a smaller dog .. get the picture? Rags was not looking for his 4th home. Well, Rags came home here with us, and he is still here. I think Rags might just have found his home. He is a big guy so far as height goes, but kind of skinny. He has AKC papers, but is obviously a pet shop dog - half his face is white and he is sort of out of proportion. He was not socialized - he didn't want to look anyone in the eye at first. But now he is a real lover .. he lay on dad's lap .. see why I think he might have a home here? Dad says if a really really special home came up, he would consider placing him - but for now .. looks like he is going to stay (Maybe forever) And now some bigger news:
Last weekend was our family reunion. All sorts of stuff happened that day .. the head of a golf club came off and crashed through our big window. Then that night .. 10 of the kids were out in the boat and it sank .. they are OK (better than the boat or the window) .. the next day .. the boat was salvaged .. pumped out and lifted up on a hoist by the lake. Dad went out and climbed up from the dock and got in the boat to see what was wrong .. I joined him (I had to jump really high to get into the boat). Later, I jumped out of the boat and went to get some food. then a minute after that, dad jumped down from the boat .. and was walking along the dock when he saw something white at the bottom of the lake. He looked over the other side of the dock and saw Checkers under water! He had seen one of his feet. He reached down and found that Checkers was wrapped up in a cord. He tore the dock apart, and managed to get Checkers head untangled .. but it looked like Checkers had drowned. mom came along and helped drag the limp body out of the water. Dad grabbed under Checkers and pulled up hard under the rib cage. Checkers spewed out a bunch of water. . then started breathing. It took awhile, but eventually he could get on his feet. He is OK now (the vet put him on antibiotics to help prevent against some lung infection). What a close call. Checkers must have tried to jump in the boat when I did, then fell in the water. The cord was an electrical cord that the dock repair guy forgot to re-attach.
July 4, 2000 I am afraid of Fireworks. You may notice
that these days I only write to my journal when I have something important
to say or an event. Well, today I found out I am afraid of fireworks.
Not just a little, I am really afraid. That loud noise is too much.
I hid in the bathroom all day and I don't plan on coming out until they
stop for a long time. My humans are being real nice to me.
There are things that a dog can take to help - like something called rescue
formula, or melatonin. Didn't work for me, the only answer was to
stay far away from the big bombs they explode. Yes, I will sleep
in the house - I just won't go outside.
June 1, 2000 - just a note to say how happy I am to have summer come again and be able to swim in the lake. Yes, beardies do like to swim, or at least wade. I sometimes go out and paddle around. Most of all, I love to take rides in the boat.
April 8, 2000 - Wow, we have so busy all of winter has passed since
I last wrote to my Journal. Now it is spring, the weather has been
great. The ducks and geese are back on the lake. My beardie
adopted brother Checkers almost look grown up. And to think that
in another month I will be 4 years old (May 17th). That means my
web pages will be 4 years old too soon.
The web has come a long way - for example - I am now using Netscape
6 (beta) to write this. When we started, Netscape was just starting
out too. We used to write in html using notepad. Then Netmanage
Chameleon - that was great for a while. There was no java back then
- at least no one could see it if you used it. Anyway -we had a mild
winter, but I got some good photos on a sled. PS - I ran away again
today (that must be why they call me Hobo). But I only went to a
neighbors house - they have two springer spaniels. So I am home,
and got some mats removed (yuck). Big things will come this year on
my pages - can't tell you yet - it is a secret (but we will be using some
neat software). We have been answering questions - mostly privately
- from my advice column. Nothing spectacular, but mostly normal questions
with special situations. Thanks for looking.
January 1, 2000 - the new millennium. What will it bring? (Snow for sure)