Introductions - Meet Barkley!

Meet the newest member of our family... Barkley. He just turned 4 months old and is just a big, lovable furball. His dad was a Husky, and his mom was a Heeler/Collie. He is so goofy-looking that he is cute.

He makes us laugh, and sometimes? He makes us yell! I am sure that he is beginning to think his name is "No, Barkley, NO!" He likes to chew... on EVERYTHING! So far we have lost shoes, hats, gloves, toys, and computer parts. We are trying to keep him supplied with lots of hard bones to keep him busy.

Right now my biggest concern with Barkley is his bladder. It seems to be about the size of a dime, and he must drink a couple of gallons of water a day. I am seriously considering a revolving door in the house, as he seems to want to go back outside before the door has even swung shut. So what will this be like in the motorhome?? I have NO idea. Hopefully his bladder will start catching up with the rest of his growth.

He is a really sweet puppy who loves to curl up with us and just be loved. He has fun wrestling and romping with Rascal. He plays hard, and he crashes hard. He is also scared to death of Molson, our fat orange tabby cat. I am not sure what started the terrorizing... but all Molson has to do is walk into the room and he has Barkley quaking in his paws. I have seen Barkley go from a deep sleep on the floor, to being on my lap shivering... with just a jingle of Molson's collar!

Hopefully they will become friends in the future... as soon as Molson knows that he has put Barkley in his place.

Introductions - Meet Rascal!

I would like you to meet our big ball of energy, aptly named Rascal. Rascal is about 2 years old. He was rescued from the back of pickup truck in the heat of the New Mexican summer. He was in a mesh plastic bag amidst the garbage. He weighed 4 pounds and had HUGE ears. The person who rescued him raised and showed pitbulls. She thought that the puppy was a chihuaha and named him killer... to be a strong little dog amoung the pitbulls. HAH!

He is what we lovingly refer to as a New Mexican Dirt Dog. He is a mutt of unknown origin that now weighs about 55 pounds. He is so energetic that sometimes he drives us crazy!! He is a family dog and has so much love to go around to everyone.

The only toys Rascal is allowed to have are REAL bones, and rope bones. Anything and everything else gets EATEN! When I say anything, I mean it... plastic, fabric, rubber. Nothing stands a chance against Rascal. We have found more surprises in piles in the back yard... it is nothing to hear someone say "EWWW! You have GOT to see this!"

The biggest challenge we will have with Rascal on this trip is keeping him calm and getting him enough exercise. Rascal is going to be crated while we are on the move... for everyone's safety and sanity.

Introductions - Meet Molson!

I thought I would introduce you to all the travelers that will be going on this trip. I will start off with our feline friend Molson.

Molson is our 20 pound Orange-striped tabby cat. He is rescued, and is now about 7 years old. When we got him he was a teeny tiny little furball. He is now one big cat... with an even bigger attitude! He was raised with 2 large dogs and I think he believes himself to be a dog (shhhh... don't tell him he is actually a cat!).

He was with us when we made our trip down the west coast, and hopefully will adapt as well on this trip. He tolerates Rascal, and seems to enjoy tormenting Barkley (our puppy). Hopefully once Barkley realizes that Molson is the Alpha Male, all will be well.

My one concern with Molson on this trip is the possibility of a cat escape. With 2 boys and 2 dogs going in and out, there is a good possiblity that Molson could escape. That will be something that we will have to be very careful about. He got away once in Oregon (I left the window open in the cab) and I was so worried! We found him on the outskirts of the campground, late at night after it got quiet.

Molson is a very cuddly (when he wants to be) and is very loving toward the boys. He lets his opinion be known... very loudly. He is an important part of our family, and he claims the title of "top dog" with our furry friends.