X is for my cousin Xena

I know I've talked about my cousins in Atlanta before - Bristol the Doberman and Bella the Min Pin.  Some of you even know about the cat in the family (who I don't get along with) called Cowgirl, but although I've mentioned Aunty Anna the poodle expert before, one thing I haven't talked about is my actual poodle family that lives in Australia - where mom's from.  It's a big family!  There's a standard poodle called Darcy, a mini (like me) called Winston and then there are three toy poodles: Ruby, Astro and Xena.  

Xena (back) and Astro 

They don't all belong to Aunt Anna, just Asto and Xena do.  The rest belong to the grandparents with funny accents and although I've never actually met any of them before, I know all about them and they know about me.  Our parents talk about us and sometimes we get to see each other on Skype.  There's a lot to say about Xena in particular because she's had an action-packed life!  (And also because it's letter X day).

Xena is a 'chocolate' colored poodle, that's a fancy breeder's word for brown.  She's almost four years old (like me) and when she was a year and a half, she had a horrible fall in her backyard and broke her leg in three places!  According to Aunt Anna, she 'snapped the radius and got two breaks in the ulnar.'  I don't know what that all means, but it sounds very bad!  It took Xena months and months to recover.  She had to wear a cast and everything.  Now she's okay: full of life and back to normal.  

Xena with her first cast

Xena after they changed her cast

Mommy says we have a lot in common because we both love hide and seek, (although Xena likes to hide under the bed and I'm too big to fit under ours) and we both love expensive cheeses!  Plus, we were around the same age when our parents brought siblings into our homes - I got a brown little sister and Xena got an 'apricot' (cream) little brother!  So now both our families have brown girls and cream boys.  

Xena with Astro

Another thing about Xena is that her mama is actually Ruby!  (Anna's parent's poodle) and I know you all love baby photos so because I don't have any of my own - I thought I'd share some of Xena's.  Even I admit it, she was cute!

Xena, 2 hours old

Here she is a little older

There were three puppies in Ruby's litter
Xena was the first born 

One more thing we have in common is that we both like to lounge around the same way. Neither of our mommys can figure out how dogs as small as Xena and me can take up so much space:

And she's okay with wearing clothes, all day any day, but just like me she doesn't like hats!

s is for Sunday-best

For special occasions mommy likes Dorothy and me to wear our Sunday-best.  This used to be a t-shirt with a bow-tie printed on it for me and a crystal collar for D, but then our Australian Aunty Anna gave me a tie for Christmas and D got a rosette.  Just in time too, because D managed to get her collar off and eat it, shiny piece by piece.

Mommy puts on our Sunday-best whenever we have to look and act our best, like trips to grandmas or when her and dad are visiting friends that let us come along to their place.  When she dresses us, she explains how we need to be careful while we're wearing our bests and not get them dirty or caught and all that other stuff.  As if I ever would!  I've never been like one of those irresponsible, rough-and-tumble kind of dogs that you see at the park anyway, but especially not while I have my tie on: I like it way too much!  Whenever I'm wearing my Sunday-best, I feel important and in charge.  People notice me and give me toys and treats.

Dorothy on the other hand? Well,  mommy might as well save her breath, I'm sure she doesn't understand anyway.  The moment D has her Sunday-best on, she starts fussing with the rosette, then after a while she forgets all about it and goes back to resembling those aforementioned park-dogs! No decorum or caution!  Sometimes I sit with my head dipped to one side and wonder why she just can't figure out that she can milk this!  I mean, when humans dress us in a cute way - then they just see us as 'cute' and do not take us seriously.  But when we're dressed in our most executive and best: humans quickly figure out who's boss!  I tried explaining this to D once - thinking she would act accordingly to get notice and respect - but it fell on huge, deaf ears.  She just thinks we should get treats and toys all the time.  It hasn't clicked.  And I suppose the day will come when she chews this collar up as well, without milking it's power, like a big dummy!

It's alright though, I like being the brain of the household anyway!  Thanks heaps Aunty Anna, for letting it be known to all!  Extra special cuddle time for you when I see you X