JAZZ and DIXIE

Happy 2nd Birthday to Rena

2012-01-29T16:25:00.003+09:00

Jazz and Dixie were quick to jump in and help celebrate their little sister's Birthday! They were kind enough to help with eating the cake and with opening the presents!

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-09T15:35:00.002+09:00

Hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday season. Here we are enjoying some beautiful winter sun on the back deck today.

Naughty Dog dog run

2011-11-23T17:31:00.002+09:00

Today was a national holiday here in Japan so we decided to make the most of the beautiful autumn weather and head outdoors with Jazz and Dixie and Rena. We took them to a nearby dog run and all three had a good time. Rena has been dying to take J and D for a walk "by myself" so today in the safety of the dog run she took charge and J and D obliged her by walking around and around with her.

2011-08-09T15:42:00.002+09:00

The last weekend in July Shin's brother's two Beagles, Rocky and Bobby came to stay overnight on their way to Texas. The family moved to Texas and Rocky and Bobby needed to be at the airport early in the morning for quarantine so they stayed the night before. Walking four beagles was a bit of a task! Glad I just have the two!

Keeping Cool in the Pool

2011-07-24T16:05:00.003+09:00

Everyone keeping cool in the pool in our back yard. Jazz and Dixie don't care for swimming but it had been so hot that we decided to cool them down with a bit of a swim.

Happy 8th Birthday Jazz

2011-05-18T08:46:00.003+09:00

Yesterday was Jazz's 8th Birthday so I baked another sugar/salt free cake that both Rena and dogs could eat. Everyone enjoyed the cake.

Happy 5th Birthday Dixie!

2011-05-06T22:37:00.003+09:00

Yesterday was Kodomonohi (Children's Day) here in Japan and also our middle daughter, Dixie's 5th Birthday. We all went to a nearby dog run and had cake at home to celebrate.

Thanks to everyone for their concern. We are all ok. Heading to Australia tomorrow.

2011-03-14T17:01:00.002+09:00

Snow!!!!

2011-02-15T16:30:00.004+09:00

It snowed again last night but this time the fall was quite substantial. By morning even though it was already melting quickly there was still a lot on the ground in the back garden for all the "kids" to enjoy. Jazz and Dixie ran around full tilt chasing each other through the white stuff while Rena and I made a snow man from things we found in the garden.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-31T16:48:00.003+09:00

As a little pre Christmas holiday Shin took us all away to the Hyatt Spa Resort in Hakone. It was pretty grey and cols but we had a wonderful time with the whole family. Jazz and Dixie were met at the car and taken away for a pedicure and brushing while we settled into our lovely room complete with doggy en suite and doggy toiletry drawer with personal welcome letter!! Despite the weather we rugged up and took the girls to a dog run overlooking Lake Ashi. There was no one there and as the dog run was a bit small we braved it and let Jazz and Dixie off lead to run around the fields. I was quite worried though as we hardly ever do this as you never know what smell a beagle will get wiff of and take off. Anyway we let them have a bit of freedom to run around like complete idiots and then finished off with a walk on leash so mum could relax a bit! We also visited a very well manicured garden overlooking the lake. We had a great time away.

2010-12-15T23:11:00.002+09:00

I put up the Christmas tree today with the help of Rena, Jazz and Dixie and then tried to take some pics of them all in front of it. Had to promise J and D their favourite treats to get them to sit there!

Rena's First Trip to Dog Field with J and D

2010-11-04T16:44:00.002+09:00

The typically beautiful Japan autumn weather is upon us, so yesterday being a national holiday we set out to make the most of it with the whole family. We haven't been to our favourite dog run, Dog Field since before Rena was born so we all went there for the day. Jazz and Dixie were so glad to be back and able to run around like crazy in the warm sunshine.

Relaxing with J and D

2010-09-08T20:08:00.003+09:00

Ahhh there's nothing better than chilling out with the dogs on their sofa while sucking on Jazz's tail!

Rena thinks she is a Dog!

2010-08-20T13:05:00.003+09:00

I think our little Rena thinks she is a dog! Now that she is getting around quite well she is able to catch Jazz and Dixie by their feet and she is also interested in what they are doing. Rena has many of her own toys but prefers to play in Jazz and Dixie's water dish and with their toys. Jazz and Dixie don't mind at all and get their own back by sneaking a few of Rena's soft toys and balls now and then. I can't make the difference clear to Rena or the dogs so I give up and I guess they just have to share everything that's on the floor.

Dixie and Rena are Good Friends

2010-08-02T19:40:00.002+09:00

Rena has started to commando crawl and worked her way off her play mat to get over to her new friend, Dixie. To my surprise Dixie is more interactive with Rena than Jazz. I thought it would be the otherway around. But Jazz is still looking out for Dixie and now her littlest sister too. I am so happy that the girls like Rena and are starting to show more interest in her. Dixie has worked out that if she plays with Rena she gets extra attention from us as well.

Beating the Heat!

2010-07-25T19:16:00.003+09:00

Wow 2 months have passed since I last blog and little Rena is 6 months this week! Where does the time go? Its been very hot here in Japan these past weeks. I wanted to go swimming with Rena but there are many places that don't allow babies unless you join a class that has oh so many rules and turns out to be quite expensive. Anyway we have been splashing about in the back yard in a small paddling pool that I bought for Jazz and Dixie a few years ago. This weekend Shin bought us a new much bigger pool that can fit us all in, including Jazz and Dixie. Now some of you may know that Jazz and Dixie are not really fond of the water, especially Dixie. It was so hot outside that we thought the girls should also benefit from the cool of the pool so we put them in as well. Both stayed a short time before jumping out and rolling around on the grass. Jazz waded around in the tummy high water but Dixie didn't move around much. Maybe after a few more times they may get used to the water??

A Weekend Away

2010-05-14T17:06:00.005+09:00

Last weekend we went away for the first time with Rena to celebrate Dixie's 4th Birthday and Jazz's 7th Birthday. We stayed in a dog hotel that just opened. The concept of the Caro hotels group is to provide good quality hotels that people can take their dogs to and enjoy good food as well. We have stayed in a few of the other hotels in this group and think they are great. Shin made use of the grooming room and washed and blow dried the girls so they were looking lovely for dinner in the hotel dining room. After dinner Jazz and Dixie shared a cream berry sponge cake made especially for them which they devoured in no time! The next day we took them to the beach for a walk along the water. We had a great family holiday.

Kinuta Park

2010-05-02T18:54:00.002+09:00

The weather was great today so we took Rena, Jazz and Dixie to Kinuta Park. The wisteria were flowering and smelling beautiful.

Taking Time to Smell the Flowers and Roll on the Grass!

2010-04-11T18:49:00.005+09:00

Another beautiful spring day and garden is looking quite colourful. Hello to all our buddies.

A warm spring day in the garden.

2010-03-21T17:58:00.001+09:00

Such a beautiful warm day to be out in the back garden with Jazz, Dixie and Rena.

A new baby sister!

2010-03-04T21:05:00.003+09:00

No not another beagle! but a two legged sister for Jazz and Dixie! Now you all know what has been taking up my time! When things settle down I will try to get back to blogging more regularly. Hope all our old friends out there are doing well.

Yokohama Port

2009-12-20T16:44:00.006+09:00

Yesterday and today were a little chilly but so bright and sunny. The girls spent a lot of time in the garden and sun spots around the house as well as on an outing to Yokohama on Saturday. Jazz and Dixie were very happy to be out smelling new smells and enjoying the sun. While walking through Yamashita Koen we met a little beagle puppy out of his first walk with his new owners. He was 3months and oh so cute!

B-Wood Dog Run

2009-12-13T19:17:00.003+09:00

It rained all day Friday so we didn't go out all day and then Jazz had to go back to the vet yesterday so we decided to treat the girls to a new dog run which Shin found only 10km away from our place. We had a little trouble finding it at first but in the end we found a spacious wood chip dog run. There were several other dogs there when we arrived. Dixie played a bit with a schnauzer and a jack russel and Jazz decided she was going to be the boss of the dog run even putting a very rambuncious young lab in its place! As we were getting ready to leave a couple arrived with three very active beagles! They were all a lot smaller than Jazz and Dixie, rather loud but very cute!

Getting Ready For Christmas

2009-12-01T20:19:00.004+09:00

Time has really flown this year and as today is already the 1st of Dec. I thought I better start getting Christmas stuff ready so I put up our mini wooden tree and took some pics of the girls. I didn't even bother with hats or antlers this year as Jazz and Dixie hate things on their head and its really difficult to get them to cooperate so while they were lying on the sofa I just draped some tinsle over them, turned off the flash on the camera and snapped away. Here are some of the better ones but as usual Jazz was not impressed!

More Autumn Fun

2009-11-28T18:19:00.003+09:00

Another great day sunny day so after visiting the vet we took Jazz and Dixie to Yoyogi Park Dog Run. Jazz especially was happy to be off the lead again. They both enjoyed smelling the ground through a thick carpet of leaves. After a romp around in the dog run we took a walk around the park which was very colourful.

Autumn Snapshots

2009-11-27T10:24:00.003+09:00

I really think that autumn is the best season in Japan - we have been having some lovely warm sunny days and the leaves on the trees are very colourful. Last weekend we took the girls to our local forest park for a walk. That day there was also a petting zoo, leaf pool, outdoor painting and some other activities for children which was really a great way to get children out experiencing nature. Jazz again was very interested in the goats and sheep!

A Lovely Autumn Day at Senzoku Pond

2009-11-10T12:55:00.004+09:00

Sunday was another glorious autumn day so we decided to take the girls out to enjoy the sunshine. We set out to discover a new park however when we got there we found that there was a Matsuri (festival) going on so it was very crowded and there was no parking so we decided instead to go to Senzoku Pond. We have been there several times but Jazz and Dixie still love to go and check out the wild life and have a good sniff the whole way around the pond. There were many different kinds of ducks, gulls and koi enjoying the beautiful day. We were surprised to find that there were no turtles out sunning themselves but perhaps they have already gone into hibernation or been removed from the pond. We had lunch overlooking the water and then headed back home contented with our afternoon out in the sun. From tomorrow we are expecting four days of rain:(

Metamorphosis

2009-11-04T10:38:00.002+09:00

The weather has been great recently and except for a bit of rain we have been enjoying bright sunny autumn days. Both the dogs and the turtles are catching all the rays they can at various sun spots around the house. I sometimes wonder if Jazz and Dixie haven't turned into lizards who are very content to lounge around in the sun for most of the day. In our previous apartment there was only one spot where they could enjoy the direct sunlight and for only a short time.

Daddy's taking us to the zoo today, zoo today...

2009-11-03T17:37:00.006+09:00

Jazz was very curious about all the animals she saw especially this mass of guinea pigs!

Dixie was more interested in the smells coming from the animals especially the mountain goats! And if there had have been poop on the outside of the cages she would have rolled in it for sure!

Today was Culture day here in Japan and therefor a national holiday. Shin had the day off and as it was such a bright sunny day autumn day we decided to take the girls out somewhere. Shin found a small zoo not far from here that is free and allows dogs to enter. There was a mix of domestic and wild animals and birds but all seemed very used to people and even dogs. Jazz was very curious and more scared of some of the animals than they were of her. She looked intently at all the animals and chatted with a few. Dixie on the other hand was more interested in the smells coming from the different animals and had her nose stuck to the ground and hardly realised the animals producing those smells! The quality of these few pics is not that good as they were taken on my mobile, I left the camera in the car!!

Our Very Own Backyard

2009-10-23T10:28:00.005+09:00

Jazz and Dixie have never had the luxary of their own backyard as up until now we have lived in apartments here in Tokyo but our recent move has changed all that. We have a back yard!!! At home in Australia its not unusual to have one but we have been extremely lucky to find a place here with such a big back yard. The grass needs to be replaced, which I intend to do in the spring but it is a nice open space for Jazz and Dixie to run around in. Usually when we come back from our morning walk we spend some time out there playing around. As you can see in the video here Jazz loves to play cat and mouse with Dixie. If Dixie didn't stop and let Jazz catch her there would be no way that Jazz could get her! There are also several spots now for Jazz to lie in the sun in the garden, on the balcony and by the sliding doors in all the rooms facing onto the backyard. Dixie is still too busy exploring and catching grasshoppers to crunch!! to take the time out to lie in the sun.

We are Back!!

2009-10-20T17:43:00.003+09:00

WOW its been such a long time since I blogged I almost forgot my password and how to blog!! In that time away we moved to our new place which is fantastic as it big and has a huge back garden by Japan standards. Coming from a small one bedroom apartment to this house is taking us some time to get used to! We've been here about three weeks now and finally Dixie is starting to settle down and realise this is her new home. She was very nervous at first and was always on high alert but now we are starting to see some of the old Dixie. It was a much easier move for easy going Jazz who now has so many places to lie in the autumn sun that she is in paradise. About 10 minutes from our new place by car there is a forest park that is quite large and that has a great grassed picnic area. The weather on Sunday was wonderful so we made sandwiches and took them and the girls to the park. We are really enjoyiing these warm autumn days before the cold winter sets in. I still have stuff to unpack but think that can wait as I really want to be outside in the garden or out and about with the girls.

Jazz goes Fishing!

2009-09-06T10:21:00.002+09:00

The last post I did about a month ago was about a new toy that Jazz (and Dixie) got. Well Jazz has learnt how to pull the string by herself to make the fish move. She just kept on pulling it until we took it away from her after having a good laugh. We are in the process of moving so I haven't really had that much time to post but just had to post this one!

A New Toy!

2009-08-09T08:40:00.004+09:00

Yesterday we headed out to discover another of Tokyo's parks but when we got there we found that it had all been roped off in preparation for last night's fire works display. As we neared the park in the car they were doing a few practice runs with the fireworks and even from in the car Dixie freaked out so we drove a little further down the road and stopped in at Lala Port which is a shopping mall that has a part where dogs are allowed and also a small dog run. After a bit of a play around in the dog run Jazz and Dixie were more interested to check out the pet shop. There I found another cooling T-shirt for Jazz which matches Dixie's and also a new toy for the girls. It is a red sea bream (Tai in Japanese) and when you pull a string it vibrates. Well Jazz just loved it. Dixie might have too but Jazz was just not sharing! When she gets something she likes it is very hard for us to get it back from her and Dixie rarely challenges Jazz for it. Dixie usually just has to wait until Jazz has had enough. There are some toys at home that are predominantly Dixie's and Jazz doesn't show much interest in them so Dixie has her share of toys to play with, but as yet she hasn't had an opportunity to play with the Tai.

Koganei Park

2009-07-26T18:57:00.004+09:00

Mmm that hamburger smells good Dad!

Please can we have some?

Today was another hot sunny day but luckily the wind was blowing. We set out to discover another of Tokyo's parks - Koganei Park - about 20kms from our house. It was another well established park with lots of big trees for shade and open spaces of green grass. They also had several dog runs but in this heat not many pups were there. Jazz and Dixie wore their cooling t-shirts and got wet down a few times so as to stay cool and enjoyed checking out the new park.

Tambara Lavendar Park

2009-07-21T11:29:00.009+09:00

From left to right, Chura, Dixie, Jazz, Bell, Carla, Cookie,Chamame,Piero, Viola, Naki and Mimi.

On Saturday night we got a call from some friends of the beagle reunioun group that we got together with back in May asking us if we'd like to join them for a day outing to a lavendar park. We had nothing on for Sunday so we agreed that it sounded like a fun outing and set off quite early the next morning for a 160km trip out of Tokyo to Gunma prefecture. There was quite a bit of traffic and we needed to do a few stops along the way so we ended up getting to the lavendar park at 10.30ish. In winter this area is a ski resort but transfers to this wonderful colourful flower park in the summer. The lift up the ski slope was operating but we thought we wouldn't be able to take the girls on it so proceeded to walk up the steep slope with Jazz and Dixie out in front! Most of our beagle friends were already at the top so we ate brunch and then let all 11 beagles and one toy poodle out in the dog run there. What fun they had and what a spectacle for all the visitors to the park to see so many cute beagles out together. Dixie ran about like crazy with the cool green grass beneath her little feet and Jazz played ball with any ball that people were throwing around. Jazz also did a bit of jumping but try as we may we couldn't get Dixie to go over, just around! It started to rain a bit so we headed back down the slope with Dixie still right in front urging me on faster and faster till I thought I would fall and roll down behing them! At the bottom we assembled for some group photos in front of the flowerbeds but Jazz and Dixie unlike all the other beagles were not cooperating at all and in most of the pics they had their butts to the camera! Shin and I swapped positions and I was able to snap a couple were they were at least facing the camera. After that we drove on a further 23km to a dog cafe with beautifully manicured dog run. By now it was quite hot so I sprayed the girls down with water and we sat beneath sunumbrellas drinking iced drinks and eating cakes. We arrived home early evening and everyone was exhausted after a great day out.

Misumoto Park

2009-07-13T11:08:00.003+09:00

I finished up summer school on Friday so after a week of not being able to spend that much time with the girls we decided to take them out this weekend. Yesterday we went to a great park on the other side of Tokyo. It was another huge park with lots of open green space and water with a dog run. However the grass in the dog run was knee high so we decided instead to walk around the park which was quite cool on a 30 degree day. A lot of children were playing in the water ways trying to catch tadpoles and small fish. Jazz and Dixie of course did not step foot in the water. We had lunch there and while throwing away our trash we noticed that one of the bins was for "pet" (actually in japanese it said PET bottles but they shortened it in English). We had another great day discovering one of the many parks around Tokyo.

Showa Memorial Park

2009-06-29T19:40:00.008+09:00

Wow its been more than a month since I last blogged. A lot happened in that time with school ending, a trip home and Jazz being in season so we didn't go anywhere with the girls. Yesterday Shin drove us to a great huge park, Showa Memorial Park. We had to pay to enter but inside they had a great series of dog runs, beautiful gardens and lots of green grass!! Yes that's one thing I miss living in Tokyo - big open grassy spaces. The girls had a great time and made a few new friends in the dog run. We then sat out on one of the lawns for lunch and meet another couple with two beagles. We were lucky to beat the rain which set in just as we were leaving. It was nice to be back out exploring new places with the girls again.

Fun at Sakura Dog Run

2009-05-23T18:02:00.003+09:00

Today Shin took the car in for its 6 month service and then drove us to Sakura Dog Run in Chiba. Jazz and Dixie really enjoy themselves at this dog run and today was no exception. It was a bit hot today so I soaked their cooling t-shirts in cool water and that made a big difference. There weren't many people there today so we basically had the back dog run to ourselves to play ball and sit in the shade with the girls.

We have been tagged by our beagle buddies over at Dughallmor Beagles so we thought we'd join in. We still have another tag to play about our sleeping positions and will post once we work out how to make a collage for the sleeping pics we have.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Copy the image, rules and questionnaire.

3. Post in your blog.

4. Answer the four questions.

5. Pick 7 friends to share with.

6. Come back to BLoGGiSTaiNFoCoRNeR and leave the URL of your post in order for your blog to be added to the master list.

7. Have fun.

Questions and answers:

1. The person who tagged you? Dughallmor Beagles

2. His or her site title and URL? Dughallmor Beagles

3. Date you were tagged? May 21, 2009

4. Persons you tagged? Cinnamon&Cookie, Noah, River, AO4 and Kess.

Happy 6th Birthday Jazz

2009-05-17T18:40:00.003+09:00

Today Jazz celebrated her 6th birthday. I can't believe that its five and half years ago that we brought her home as a cute little puppy to our old apartment that did not allow pets! We moved shortly after getting Jazz and have been happily living with her and Dixie in our current apartment across from the park. The weather wasn't very good today so between rain showers I took the girls for a walk over to Jiyugaoka to the Three Dogs Bakery to buy Jazz a Birthday cake. They told me that the cake I wanted would take about 6 hours to thaw so I decided to go for chicken meat loaf and a smaller fresh cake instead. So for dinner Jazz and Dixie scoffed meat loaf and birthday cake!

Last Weekend

2009-05-16T12:49:00.004+09:00

Yes a whole week has past since I meant to post these pictures! This week was super busy with report writing and parent teacher conferences but now that its all over for the year and there are only 3.5 weeks to go I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and can look forward to summer holidays! Anyway last weekend Shin found a new dog run about 2 hours out of Tokyo in a beautiful part of Nikko. This place is a Pet Resort where "animals always come first" and is set in a forest. Some parts have been cleared to make several dog runs. The grass was in need of a mow but we had the whole place to ourselves and the weather was beautiful (29 degrees). We had a picnic lunch and lay in the shade of some big trees. What a great discovery!

Family Reunion Third Day

2009-05-09T19:19:00.005+09:00

The 5th of May was Children's Day in Japan, Dixie's Birthday and our last day of our great little weekend reunion! We had a great time catching up with everyone as we missed last year's reunion.

Carp windsocks are flown for Children's day.

Nana at breakfast in the pension.

Jazz and Dixie at breakfast in the pension.

Momo dressed as a bear.

All the beagles at Akarenga Pension from left to right; Poki, Beat, Momo, Momo, Bel, Piero, Veronique ,Cookie, Milk, Dixie (pink) Jazz (blue), Gonta and Nana.

Family Reunion Second Day

2009-05-09T18:19:00.008+09:00

After breakfast the second morning we set out early to another nearby dairy farm so as beat the crowds lining up for icecreams. At 10am in the morning we were able to secure a delicious soft serve ice cream each. Jazz and Dixie also enjoyed a taste. Jazz and Dixie enjoyed running around like crazy with me in tow through the lush green grass. As last time Jazz freaked out when she saw the cows. She is so curious but can't bring herself to go near them and starts to spin around in circles!

Shin and I both nearly lost our whole icecreams to Jazz whose favourite food in the whole world is icecream!

It was safe to hand my icecream over to Dixie who just licked her share nicely.

Jazz's uncle Gonta and aunty Momo.

Momo, Milk and Cookie all waiting patiently for their icecream.

Jazz and Beat

For lunch we went to a soba noodle cafe with outdoor seating just perfect for our doggy companions. We were joined by two more beagles here, Piero and his new sister, Veronique.

Jazz eyeing the soba noodles

Jazz and Dixie sharing a soba noodle.

Piero

Piero's little sister Veronique and Bel

Jazz and Dixie looking not too pleased with all the posing for photos.

After lunch we drove to a near by lake and walked all around it with all 13 beagles! There were many "how cute" comments and many people asking if they were family etc. The beagles enjoyed all the attention and the good smells around the lake. After that we drove up into the mountains hoping to catch a glimpse of a still snow covered Mt Fuji but it was too cloudy! We stopped in a a souvenir place and bought some fresh milk for the girls. Then we headed down the mountain and back to the pension were after dinner we celebrated Dixie's 3rd Birthday and Poki and his sister Cookie's 2nd Birthday.

Trying to get a group shot with Dixie not really cooperating!
View across the lake to the mountains in the distance.

A beagle walk along the board walk.

Family Reunion First Day

2009-05-09T17:55:00.006+09:00

Wow already a week has gone by and I am just now posting the pics from Jazz and Dixie's family reunion. Last Sunday we set out to early as we knew there would be a lot of holiday traffic. Surprisingly we made good time and arrived in time to have lunch with Beat (Jazz's brother), Momo and Poki, Bel, Momo and Milk and Cookie. After lunch we visited a local farm hoping to have an icecream made from farm fresh milk. Well everyone else had the same idea so we decided not to wait in the long long line but went to buy some other farm produce. After that we went for coffee at a cafe by a local lake before heading on to the pension we were staying at. They have a dog run out the back so Jazz and Dixie could play with some of their beagle relatives in there. We all rested before dinner in the pension dining room complete with all the beagles!

Momo, Beat and Poki

Momo, Bel, Dixie, Jazz, Momo, Beat and Poki.
Jazz and her brother Beat.

Poki and Beat at lake side cafe

Happy Birthday Dixie!

2009-05-05T17:00:00.003+09:00

We just got back from a great weekend away for our Beagle Family Reunion and I have many photos to sort through before writing about what a great time we had and all the things we did. But I just had to do this post quickly as it is a very special day today - our little Dixie turned 3 today! We celebrated her birthday at the restaurant in our pension with 11 other beagles, a black lab and a papillion. Beat, Jazz's brother's mum ordered a cake for Dixie, her youngest beagle, Poki and his sister Cookie. We sang happy birthday and then the cake was cut and shared amongst all the guests. Being beagles the cake was gone in seconds!

Heiwa no Mori Park

2009-04-26T19:45:00.004+09:00

Yesterday it poured with rain all day so we couldn't really take Jazz and Dixie anywhere. We decided we would take them to a pet shop and then Costco but everyone else in Tokyo had the same idea and the line to get into the car park at Costco was too long to wait in. This morning we decided to try again and this time there wasn't a line up. After getting a few things we headed to Heiwa no mori Park as it was close by and one our way home. We have never been there before and found that it was in fact a lovely green park that joined onto a water front park and man made beach. The dogs were not allowed on the beach but we enjoyed a walk in the lush, cool clover and had an icecream so the girls were very happy. Next weekend is a long weekend and we are going on a reunion trip to meet up with Jazz' litter brother, Beat and many other beagles some of which are related to both Jazz and Dixie. I am really looking forward to the break.

Prime Land Dog Run

2009-04-22T18:17:00.005+09:00

Its been another busy week as I am rewriting our cirriculum at school and I had a friends wedding to attend on Sunday. We did however manage to get out to enjoy this great sping weather with the girls on Saturday. Shin found a new dog run about 55km out of Tokyo. It was made up of three small dog runs and a pool area. Jazz and Dixie were the only two in the main run but the neighbouring dog run was playing host to a Newfoundland meet with 11 big black pups! I thought Dixie would freak out especially when all the neighbours were barking but Jazz and Dixie remained very quiet and stuck right by me when we were near the fence. We didn't use the pool area as you had to pay extra and Jazz and Dixie would not have stepped one foot in the water! We played around with the ball for a while until I cleverly threw it over the fence and down into some farmers garden! It was non retrievable much to Jazz's disappointment. After that the girls didn't run about much so I used the opportunity to get some close ups and posing shots. It is very easy to take pictures of Jazz but a little more tricky with the ever moving Dixie!

A Fantastic Weekend!

2009-04-12T20:51:00.004+09:00

Today we went in search of a small pond for my turtles. The first pet shop we went to didn't sell them so we headed off to another pet shop near Senzoku Pond. They didn't sell them either but we did end up buying new harnesses for the girls. Then we started to walk to the pond and found that they were still having a Hanami Matsuri (Spring Cherry Blossom Festival) and had all the usual festival food vendors set up all around the pond. We stopped and ate yakitori (skewered BBQ chicken) and yakisoba (noodles with cabbage, shrimp, ginger and seeweed) for lunch. The girls were very happy with the things they scored from the lunch table! While walking around Jazz and Dixie caught sight of the turtles and koi in the pond and were very curious! A typical festival game here is catching goldfish with a small scoop and being able to keep the fish you catch - well Jazz and Dixie thought they would really like a turn at that game. The woman in charge didn't look so happy when Dixie jumped up for a closer look! We didn't end up finding a pond for my turtles but we certainly had a nice time at Senzoku Pond. In the days before Shin and the girls I used to live near this oasis in the surburbs and walked around the pond every morning before going to work. Its a little far to walk there from where we live now so it was nice to drop in by car today.

On Saturday the weather was fantastic so we decided to head down towards the Shonan Peninsula to Dog Garden Resort in Fujisawa. The "resort" has a cafe terrace, dog run with fake grass and swimming pool and a pet shop. It was quite funny to see Jazz and Dixie jump up and into the pool as it was empty. Obviously they could smell there wasn't any water in it or they certainly would not have jumped right in. It was quite hot and Jazz and Dixie were not to interested in playing in the dog run so we went upstairs to the cafe terrace for lunch in the shade of a huge palm tree! After that we went for a walk along the beach before heading back to Tokyo.

Happy Hanami

2009-04-04T20:26:00.003+09:00

This weekend all around Tokyo people are out enjoying picnics under the cherry trees in various parks around the city. Many of them are so crowded that picnic mats cover all the ground side by side and many people flock to the best spots. Having Jazz and Dixie and not being lovers of such crowds we decided to opt for a less popular park to do our cherry blossom viewing (Hanami). Rinkai park near Oimachi has a very nice grass area and lots of cherry trees with low branches to sit under and not so many people as other parks Ive been to in previous years. Its raining now so I wonder how long the blossoms will last - such short lived beauty. This park also has a dog run that Jazz and Dixie had a bit of a run around in. When we got home we went to meet up with beagle friend, Nala and some of the staff who used to work at Pet Love Cafe in the dog run near our house.

A Reunion With An Old Friend!

2009-04-03T19:02:00.007+09:00

Three years ago, in a time before Dixie, one of Jazz's best friends at Dog Inc left for London with her family. Jazz and Daisy loved to play crazy games together - in those days they were both younger and crazier. Daisy has returned from London and is back at Dog Inc. Both Jazz and ' Crazy Daisy' as she was affectionately know have calmed down a lot, they still like each other but don't play as they once used to.

Jazz and Daisy's last day at Dog Inc before Daisy left for London, February 2006

Three years on: Jazz, Dixie and Daisy, with staff dogs Soldier and Ingo at Dog Inc this week.

Satte Dog Run

2009-03-28T18:25:00.005+09:00

Today we discovered a great new dog run about 60kms from Tokyo. Shin found it on the net and we set out hoping that it would be as good as it showed in the pictures. It was quite cold and windy today but the girls were excited to be somewhere new. The place was divided into three dog runs; one for under 10kgs, one for over 10kgs and an agility course. Even though Jazz doesn't weigh in at under 10kgs we started there first because of Dixie's fear of big dogs. After some playing and running around with other dogs we decided to try the bigger dog run. Dixie was ok except for when we met a very cute and very excitable, 8mth old Basset Hound. Dixie kept barking at her as she ran up to us to play. The dog run was right next to a steak restaurant so Shin and I stopped in for lunch while Jazz and Dixie had a rest in the car. They were very happy that I remembered them and gave them a piece of steak for being good girls.

A Jazz and Dixie Day

2009-03-27T18:36:00.004+09:00

From left to right: Dixie, Jazz and Nala.

My Spring break went by so quickly! Its been nice to spend more time with the girls even if the weather hasn't been so great. As today was the last day of my holiday I decided to make it a total Jazz and Dixie day! This morning we walked with Shin to the bus stop and then on for an hour walk in the park. It was sunny but very chilly. We stopped in at As Classics American Diner for breakfast. They make the best club house sandwiches in Tokyo there! After breakfast we headed home and did a spot of gardening on the balcony. Jazz and Dixie had to oversee what I was doing. After that we made carrot juice so the girls got to crunch on some carrot sticks which they love! Then it was back outside as it had warmed up a bit and the sun was still shining. We arranged to meet up with a beagle friend of ours, Nala. We walked together over to the next suburb to have coffee outside. As we sat with the girls so many people came to pat the 'cute beagles'! At one point we were joined by another girl beagle called Momo. So many children wanted to pat and play with the girls we could have opened a 'Beagle Petting Zoo'. After coffee we continued our walk on to a local pet shop were I picked up some snacks for J&D before walking home. We were out for 3 hrs! I got a little colour in my cheeks and the girls are now snoring on the sofa! I wish there could be days like this every week!

Return of the Sun Lizards!

2009-03-24T20:12:00.002+09:00

Where does the time go? It's been more than 2 weeks since I last posted! As usual work is keeping me very busy but we are managing to enjoy weekends away with the girls. Spring is here although you wouldn't know it by the wintery cold weather we are having this week. Last week was beautiful, with warm sunny days but since I am on Spring break this week and have the time to be out and about with the girls it has turned cold again. Other signs of sring are the cherry blossoms and the sun rising higher in the sky and shining in on the girls in their favourite morning sunning spot. I got out of the shower the other morning to find them like this!

Everyone is Back Home

2009-03-08T16:41:00.004+09:00

Jazz, Dixie and Shin are all home! On Friday and Saturday I had a teachers' conference from 8- 5pm both days. As I would not be able to spend any time with the girls at all I decided to let them go to the pet hotel at Dog Inc from Friday morning. Shin was in Paris this last week and came home yesterday evening so now everyone is here! It looks like the girls had fun with each other.

Girl's Day

2009-03-03T18:52:00.003+09:00

Today is Hinamatsuri (or Girl's Day) here in Japan. This is our third Hinamatsuri since starting our blog (2007)(2008) and today I bought some of the traditional sweets eaten to share with my girls. We tried both "sakura-mochi "(bean paste-filled pink rice cakes with cherry leaves) and "kashiwamochi "( rice cakes wrapped in kashiwa (oak) leaves. Kashiwamochi are traditional Japanese sweets usually eaten on Children's Day on May 5th but they were being sold together with the girls day sweets today. A great thing about Japan is the festivals, celebratory and seasonal foods - there is just so much variety! Happy Girls Day to all the girls out there.

A Stinky Dog Run and a Run at the Beach!

2009-03-01T19:26:00.003+09:00

On Saturday after a week of rain we decided we would take Jazz and Dixie to an indoor dog run as the ground was still very wet out. Shin did a bit of a search on the internet and found one that looked ok about 50kms out of Tokyo so we headed out. The first thing we noticed when we got there was the smell of dog pee pee but decided to give it a go anyway. I lead Jazz and Dixie into a big shed with a fake grass floor and immediately Dixie was attacked by a chocolate lab. That made her very scared and edgy with other dogs there and thus she preferred to sit up on a bench or on my lap. Jazz was a bit more adventurous and went up to people for a pat but neither of them was interested in playing there at all. This happens in the Komazawa dog run too especially in summer when it gets particularly stinky so I think that Jazz and Dixie super noses are offended by the oder! They usually love the grassy clean dog runs we go to and can run around for ages but when it comes to concrete or fake grass they are not interested! The dog run was not far from the beach though so we headed down there for a bit of a run on the beach. It was quite cold but Jazz and Dixie were in their element, running and pulling me along behind them. I only wish I could have let them off the leash but with all those smells and that vast open space I am scared I would not get them back. I envy the Dughallmor Beagles who often run along the beach and always look like they are having such fun. Shin went off to Paris today for a week so its just the girls and I at home this week:(

Another Nice Weekend

2009-02-22T20:25:00.005+09:00

On Saturday we took advantage of another good weather weekend and headed out with the girls to a dog run in Chiba that we went to a few times in summer. The grass wasn't as green due to the winter but all three dog runs were opened into one big run so Jazz and Dixie could chase each other up and down the hills and also play with a few other dogs that were there. Today was another nice day so we went to a nearby park with dog run. It was nicer to walk around in the park in the sun than play in the muddy dog run. Its great being able to get out and about and make the most of these cool sunny days.

Unusual Weather and Victorian Bushfires

2009-02-14T20:10:00.005+09:00

Today with a forcast top of 21 degrees C we decided to take the girls to Dog Field dog run. February is supposed to be the coldest month here in Japan and we have been having max's of 9 or 10 but this weekend we have unually warm weather both today and tomorrow before returning to 9 again on Monday. Anyway we are making to most of this warm spell to spend a lot of time outside with Jazz and Dixie. They had the sole use of the dog run today until 2 golden retrievers arrived. Mt Fuji looked particularlly beautiful today covered with lots of snow and no clouds arround.

On a different and more serious note we have been reading our pal Opy's blog and keeping an eye on the news of the continuing bushfires in Victoria, Australia. Many humans and animals, both domestic and wild have been lost and injured in these horrific fires. The Healesville Sanctuary's Australian Wildlife Health Centre has been taking in and caring for injured wildlife. Zoos Victoria has set up the '2009 Bushfire Appeal' to collect donations.

An Award from Beagle Buddies

2009-02-03T19:48:00.003+09:00

We have been awarded a great award by our beagle friends, Luv Bug and Bandit. Thanks a lot guys, for passing this award on to us. We are so happy you are our friends.

The Friend Blog Award
These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hopes are that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.
A lot of our friends have this award so we'd like to pass it on to those who don't.

Front Yard Revisted

2009-01-28T19:04:00.005+09:00

On the weekend we went back to Front Yard Dog Run to stay over night with Jazz and Dixie. Last time we stayed in the trailer house (right)but this time we stayed in the caravan (left). It was freezing when we arrived and a bit overcast but the girls got in a bit of time in their private dog run. We made a BBQ dinner just before the rain set in and then we settled in for the night.

The next day was bright and sunny but still quite cold! Jazz and Dixie couldn't wait to get back out in the dog run to chase each other around and rough house together. The trailer home next door had two German Shapards staying there and when they came out to run in their dog run Dixie began her usual crazy bark/howl that she does when she sees big dogs. She is trying to show that she is fearless when infact she is really scared. Anyway we all enjoyed our weekend away.

Long Time No Blog!

2009-01-18T18:48:00.005+09:00

Its been a while since I blogged or commented on friends blogs, but getting back to school got busier than I expected! We have been enjoying being mobile and have taken the girls somewhere each weekend. Yesterday we went back to a dog run that we dicovered in the first week of Jan. It is a grass run with agility equipment that is very clean. Yesterday was a nice sunny day so we thought we'd go and run the girls through the agility course a few times. If I have snacks in my hand Jazz does the course perfectly but Dixie tends to skip out the things she doesn't like such as jumping through the tire. Both Shin and I ran them through the course a few times as well as playing fetch the ball many times so Jazz and Dixie slept peacefully all the way home!

Snow Fun

2009-01-01T19:53:00.004+09:00

Last weekend after returning from Australia we took the girls on a little weekend getaway to Sugadaira, Nagano which is a ski resort area. We stayed at a Caro Foresta Hotel which are so pet friendly. When we arrived there was already snow everywhere, including the dog run where we let Jazz and Dixie run around for a bit. Dixie loved the white powdery snow but to Jazz it was just frozen rain and she wasn't as impressed! We got some great photo opportunities!

Australia

2008-12-28T18:45:00.007+09:00

Shin and I went to Australia for 9 days just before Christmas while Jazz and Dixie had their own little holiday at Dog Inc. The day we arrived we got the BBQ in my grandmother's back yard going and cooked up flathead fillets, steak and sausages. I miss being able to have barbies in the back yard!

The next day we headed out of Melbourne to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary and the Yarra Valley Winery area. While at the sanctuary we saw various Australian animals and then sampled some good Australian wines on the way home.

While out and about we noticed a lot of other dogs and contantly thought of our Jazz and Dixie back in Japan. This beautiful dog was tied up outside a hairdresser and was very gentle.

We also headed out of Melbourne to the Hepburn Spa area famous for all its mineral spas. We stayed with my mum and grandma in a self contained apartment. We ate well while we were there!

We also tried our hands at fishing at a local trout farm where we caught trout that were later served to us at lunch.

We then travelled to Brisbane where we spent the last few days of our holiday. It was quite hot in Brisbane after Melbourne's very changeable weather. We had a great time although it all seemed to go by so quickly. However it was good to come home to Jazz and Dixie who were so glad to welcome us home.

While we were away...

2008-12-26T12:06:00.005+09:00

While we were in Australia on holiday Jazz and Dixie had their own little holiday at Dog Inc where it looks like they got right into the festive spirit!

Jazz did her usual getting between the covers trick to keep warm.

There were many friends for Jazz and Dixie to play and socialise with so they didn't even have time to miss us!
We battled our way through 3 hours of traffic jams from the airport to make it just in time to pick up Jazz and Dixie from Dog Inc. The girls were so excited to see us we got almost got licked to death! Thank you to everyone at Dog Inc for looking after my girls so well. They looked very happy and fit and I could enjoy my holiday knowing they were well looked after as usual. We are off on a little weekend getaway with the girls tomorrow so I will post some pics from Australia and our holiday next week. Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-16T20:25:00.004+09:00

We are leaving for Australia tomorrow and won't be back till after Christmas so we wanted to take this oportunity to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday. Jazz and Dixie would also like to say a huge thank you for all the Christmas cards we have received from so many blogging buddies from all around the world. It has been very exciting finding mail in the mail box everyday. The postman must be starting to wonder who Jazz and Dixie are! We are renting and not allowed to attach anything to the walls so I am making do with the projector screen and speaker tops!

Weekend Getaway

2008-12-14T19:19:00.008+09:00

Yesterday we visited a place called Mother Farm complete with all your usual farm animals. Living in Tokyo its not everyday we see these animals and its the first time Jazz and Dixie have seen some of them including this very big pig!!

Included in this farm compond there were also some dog runs for Jazz and Dixie to enjoy. The weather was great and it was nice to be out in the fresh air with the girls.

Jazz had her first ever encounter with a rabbit which is quite funny considering she is a beagle! She was very curious and strained to get her head through the fence to get a better look at the cute little bunnies. Dixie on the other hand was very busy following scents of other animals and people.

And then came the pièce de résistance - soft serve icecream - made from the milk from the farm. The girls, especially Jazz were beside themselves with excitement. I had to fight to hold onto the cone and get a lick myself!

Our accomodation and a little more about our holiday can be seen here at my Holidays in Japan blog. We all had a great weekend away!

Our First Car!

2008-12-07T19:59:00.005+09:00

After years of hiring cars to take the girls places we finally decided to buy our own car. Its a first car for all of us and today was a very exciting day. Jazz and Dixie were a little scared at first of their new seating arrangements. Usually we put their crates on the back seat and they sleep quietly there. However the car came with a pet carrier option that attaches to the seats so we got one for Jazz and one for Dixie so they can be safely transported side by side to dog runs and weekend adventures. We got the car in late afternoon but raced home to pick up Jazz and Dixie to take them to Yoyoji Park just as the sun was setting. They got to run around like crazy in the dog run until we got too cold! Now that we have a car equiped for the girls we can get out of Tokyo on the weekends and discover new dog runs and other dog friendly places!

Crunchy Cucumbers and Christmas Cards

2008-12-04T20:18:00.003+09:00

Jazz and Dixie love cucumbers and are quick to share a few bites with me. I love the crunching sound they make when they eat them.

We have started to receive some of the DWB Christmas Cards and would like to say thanks thus far to Lorenza, Noah and his Sisters, Amber Mae and her sisters, Simba, Homer,Bolo, Faya and Dyos, Lenny and Arabella for their wonderful cards. It has been so exciting opening the mail box each day.

Puppy Pancakes

2008-11-29T16:01:00.004+09:00

While out shopping today we stopped in at a pet shop to pick up some basics and came across a packet mix for dog hotcakes! Knowing how much Jazz and Dixie love our regular pancakes I thought I would try these ones for dogs!! It even came with honey and milk topping and a recipe book so you can make variations on the hotcake and cupcake mixes.

Jazz and Dixie watched as I made them and could barely contain themselves when it came to eating them!! I decorated them with some dog food as an added extra.

An Award

2008-11-20T18:06:00.002+09:00

We received a very nice award from our new beagle friends at Dughallmor Beagles
Thank you so much for this award - we love your blog too and wish we could run as free as you guys do along the beach!

This lovely award is created by Crystal @ Memoirs of a Mommy in honor of Noah and the donor of his sweet little heart who ENCOURAGES us to SHARE THE LOVE! Thanks Crystal! [Click on Memoirs of a Mommy to learn and read this special love story!] The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you. Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone knows where this award originated from.

We would like to pass it on to Noah, AO4, Cassidy and Harry, and Pippa.

Special Visitors and New Lens.

2008-11-13T18:37:00.006+09:00

Yesterday we had very special visitors all the way from Oz! Noah's pinkies, as he calls them, spent two weeks travelling around in Japan and we caught up with them yesterday. They came over to meet Jazz and Dixie who where very excited to have guests. Jazz and Dixie received cool Canteen bandanas which they wore on a chilly walk around the park. I put them on today for a bit of a photo shoot and managed only single photos as Dixie was being her usual hyper self. Thanks so much for the bandanas and for meeting up with us. It was great to meet fellow dog bloggers in real life.

A while back I mentioned that we had bought a new lens for the camera and that we would test it out at Dog Field dog run. Well we did last weekend and got some great action shots.

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T17:22:00.003+09:00

Happy Halloween to all our friends. Jazz and Dixie were their usual cooperative selves when I tried to dress them up. Jazz can tolerate it for a few moments while I bribe her with snacks but Dixie really can not! So this year Jazz is Count Jazzula and Dixie well maybe she could pass as Rupunzel?? I bought Jazz and Dixie some Halloween ccokies from Three Dogs Bakery and some new toys. Jazz carried her stuffie all the way home from the pet shop!

Last weekend Shin went to Okayama with work to entertain clients at the World Touring Car Championships. He had bought a new lens for our good camera and took many great colourfufl photos. We are taking J&D out on Sunday so we will try the new lens out on them!

Its been a while......

2008-10-26T20:04:00.003+09:00

Its been almost two weeks since I blogged or visited our friends :( Work has been taking up a lot of my time. Anyway this weekend Shin was away in Okyama on business so I took the girls out for afternoon tea yesterday and breakfast this morning. Yesterday we went on a big walk and walked past a cafe with a little outside terrace that we have walked past many times before. There are no 'Dog OK' signs up but today I stuck my head in the door and asked if it would be ok to sit on the terrace with Jazz and Dixie and they said sure. They didn't have a dog menu or water bowls but the lady bought out some water in a small salad bowl. Their dessert menu was extensive and specialised in dessert pizzas so I chose a Mont Blanc Pizza which was quite good. It came with ice cream with made Jazz and Dixie very happy! Sorry about the mobile pics!

Yokohama

2008-10-13T19:48:00.003+09:00

Shin came back from Paris on Saturday evening so he hired a car to drive home and to use on Sunday. On Sunday we set out for Dog Field but once we got on the motorway we realised it was a mistake because being a long weekend there was a traffic jam kilometers long! Our usual one hour trip would end up being over two hours so we decided to get off at the next exit and headed down to Yokohama instead. We parked the car and all headed down to Yamashita Koen which just happened to be hosting an international food fair. Well Jazz and Dixie were in there element with all those delicious food smells not to mention the tasty morsles they managed to score before I could get them away. Anyway Shin bought us some kebabs which we sat in the park to eat. A guy next to us put down his curry and nan to photograph it and was quite shocked when Jazz lunged for it. Obviously he doesn't know beagles! Luckily for him she didn't manage to get any. After that we took a walk down the boardwalk and on the way met a man walking a very large cat on a leash. Jazz and Dixie were very interested but not as interested as the three Sibes at the table next to the one that the cat and his owner sat down at. I was immediately reminded of our great friends at AO4, Only one red head sibe was missing! We walked along the board walk taking in the views of the marina and ending up at an October fest event which we decided to stay away from with Jazz and Dixie! All in all the weather was great and we had a nice morning in Yokohama before heading back home.

East Meets West Wedding

2008-10-06T20:49:00.003+09:00

On the weekend we left Jazz and Dixie at Dog Inc Pet Hotel so we could fly to Shikoku and attend one of Shin's childhood friend's wedding. This is about the 5th wedding Ive attended here. Japanese weddings are generally a blend of traditional Japanese and western customs. This wedding had a traditional wedding ceremony that only the family attended where as all the others i attended had a chapel service where friends were also invited. Unfortunately it was raining on Sunday so the ceremony had to be done indoors instead of at the shrine. After that ceremony there is a reception for all guests in a big banquet hall in a hotel or wedding hall with many courses. On Sunday we made our way through 11 courses! The bride and groom don't actually eat that food or drink much of the beer or wine that is being poured for them by the guests. They spend a lot of the ceremony getting changed into different clothes and having their hair done in different styles. The more times you change the more money you have. I was so pleased to see the bride and groom in traditional kimono as most people just opt for the western wedding dress. This was the first time for me to see the wedding kimono. The cake is cut at the very beginning of the ceremony and sometimes you don't even get to eat it but at this wedding it was our dessert. Each guest also gives an envelope with money that is usually not an even number that can be divided into an equal number of notes. This money usually pays for the food and the goody bag that each guest gets. There are many things in a Japanese wedding that I am yet to understand but with time and experience I may. Anyway while we were away Jazz and Dixie were having a great time at Dog Inc and that makes me very happy to know that they are being well looked after.

A Fun Day Out

2008-10-01T19:06:00.005+09:00

Time got away from me again as I meant to post this on Saturday when we got back from a day out with Jazz and Dixie. We hired a car and took them to Dog Field, a dog run that they have grown to love. There was a Italian Greyhound/Mini Pincher met going on when we arrived but J&D were not really interested in playing with them as a few were quite agressive and quite noisy. J&D were content to play with each other and with dad with the ball. One the way home we did something we have never done, we stopped in a huge outlet mall complex. At first we thought we'd be an hour and leave J&D in their crates to rest in the car but Dixie was whining that she wanted to get out so we took them with. We sat in the outdoor eating area to have a quick bite before having a look at some of the shops. If I wanted to look in a shop Shin held the dogs outside and vice versa. They were of course allowed to go into the pet shop! Everyone thought J&D were so cute and they got many pats and heaps of attention plus a few stray fries! They were so excited and seemed to be in their element. We spent some time chatting with other dog owners too.

Farewell to a Friend and Awards

2008-09-25T19:04:00.003+09:00

Today at school Jazz and Dixie and other Thursday regulars said farewell to Nami, the black lab. She is moving to England so as a last farewell all her friends got together today for a photo shoot (click collage to enlarge)outside Dog Inc. Dixie was being her usual uncooperative self, moving around all over the place! Actually I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Dixie really liked Nami because whenever she meets black dogs she barks and tries to bite them!! Goodbye and Good Luck Nami.

2008-09-25T18:55:00.003+09:00

We have been a bit slack in posting yet again but really wanted to thank our friends for the following awards. We received the first 'I love your blog' award from Stormy and Mango and the second from Gus,Louie and Callie. We love these three blogs and all the others we visit and would like to pass on the award to all our blogging friends who are yet to receive these awards.

The Smallest in the Class!

2008-09-18T19:16:00.003+09:00

Like a lot of other dogs, the ever curious Jazz and Dixie like to counter surf or peer over things. Dixie however is sometimes just that little bit too short! Its been a while since we posted or visited but we will get some time this weekend. Things here have been a bit hectic!

Awww!

2008-09-09T18:35:00.002+09:00

Some of the cutest pictures of Jazz and Dixie with other dogs have been taken by the lovely staff at Dog Inc. Last week I was given this adorable picture of Dixie kissing her boyfriend, Ingo.

A Brilliant Award

2008-09-06T13:45:00.005+09:00

I have been back at school a week now and have been quite busy but when I jumped on line yesterday I found that Amber of AO4 had given us the Brilliante Weblog Award. Thank you very much for thinking of us Amber in that big thinking session you had!

The rules of the award are:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3) Nominate 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

So we nominate:

Amber Mae, Girl Girl, Harry and Cassidy, Gus,Louie and Callie, Pippa, Gus and Oliver, and Noah.

Rainy Day Fun

2008-08-30T18:38:00.004+09:00

After seeing the weather forcast for today which predicted 100 percent chance of rain all day we were a little uncertain to go ahead and pick up the hire car. We decided we would and stay local so we took the girls to Yoyoji Park Dog Run. The big dog run was flooded so we opted for the one for small dogs between 3 and 12kgs (actually Jazz is 13kgs!! but anyway). It was pretty muddy in there but Jazz and Dixie got to run around a bit and play with a Jack Russel and another Beagle that were also braving the mud! After that we took a walk around this wonderfully green park. Before putting the girls back in the car I washed them off a bit. It was really clouding over so we thought we'd head for an indoor dog run which we couldn't find even with the help of the Navi. By now it was raining so we headed home for a bit of lunch and a nap.

In the afternoon we headed back out because it had stopped raining. This time we took Jazz and Dixie to Rinshinomori Park known as the "oasis of calm in the heart of Tokyo" , with many tall majestic trees, some of which are rarely seen in other metropolitan parks. The park started its life as an experimental nursery, established in 1900 by the Agriculture Agency but was later donated to the Tokyo Parks Department and was opened to the public in 1989. It really was beautiful to see such huge trees and very dense vegitation right here in Tokyo. We came across a few sign boards telling us about all the species of bird, insect and reptile that lived in the park as well as the usual 'dog manner' signs. Jazz and Dixie also met some of the local park stray cats which weren't at all bothered by Jazz and Dixie's presence! Then it started to pour with rain so we dashed to a nearby foot bridge and sat out the worst of it before heading back to the car. When the thunder started Dixie was even more anxious to get back while Jazz moped along at having to be out in the rain! Anyway between the down pours we managed to have a good day out and about right here in Tokyo.

Beijing Olympics

2008-08-28T19:05:00.003+09:00

Last weekend while the girls and I were out trying new restaurants, Shin was in Beijing to attend the Olympic Closing Ceremony. He said it was a great experience and snapped many photos. Coming home his flight was delayed two hours and his baggage was missing! When it was delivered two days later Jazz did the customs dog act and checked out every inch of the bag!

A New Discovery

2008-08-23T15:28:00.005+09:00

Shin went off to Beijing today to attend a few events and the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games so its just the girls and I at home this weekend. We are having a cool spell weather wise ( 24 instead of 34!) so I thought I'd take the girls out to lunch. We intended to go to one of our favourite little cafes near the park but when we go there we found it closed. Its difficult to explain that the Jazz and Dixie who are trying to scratch the door down! So we set off for Fellows Hamburger stand only to find that closed too!! Just across from the hamburger place we noticed a big fuzzy standard poodle go into a restaurant and immediately Jazz and Dixie wanted to follow! I have never noticed that this Italian cafe/restaurant called Smile allowed dogs but sure enough when I asked at the door they welcomed us in. It was a cute little place that looks like someone's living,dining and kitchen all in one. As soon as we were seated the waitress came over with a bowl of water for the girls. I ordered one of my favourite pastas, gorgonzola penne and a coffee. I didn't see a dog menu so I got out Jazz and Dixie's snacksbut to my surprise my meal came with complimentary dog bread and cookies!! Jazz and Dixie were well impressed as was the big poodle across the way. It was indeed a lucky find and a place that I will definately take Jazz and Dixie back to - that is if they can choose between this new place and one of their old favourites, the hamburger stand.

Jazz's Best Friend

2008-08-22T10:32:00.005+09:00

A while back I posted about Dixie's best friend from Dog Inc., Ingo whom she loves to play with. Well Jazz also has a best friend at school - her name is Bella and she is a rescue dog who apparently is a Shepard and Husky mix. On her first day at school back in January Bella was given a big friendly welcome by Jazz and ever since they have been best buddies. Jazz doesn't play like this with many dogs so its great to see that she too has a best friend. She really loves to play with Bella and recently her little sister Dixie has been joining in on the fun.

Hanabi

2008-08-16T23:12:00.007+09:00

During summer in Japan there are many fireworks festivals (Hanabi taikai). 'Hanabi' literally translates to ' flower of fire'. Tonight we attended a rather large (12,000 fireworks over 1 hour!!) event on the Tama River flat with our dog group, minus the dogs of course. Dixie would have been petrified if she had heard those loud bangs! We took food and drink and enjoyed a wonderful evening watching some pretty amazing fireworks!! If you view the video here, turn down the volume first.

Thank You AO4!

2008-08-13T12:18:00.003+09:00

We were so happy to receive the "Blogging Friends Forever" card from our good friend Zimmie of AO4. We have made some good friends through DWB over the two years (since Aug. 2006) we have been blogging. Recently we haven't been posting as much but still love reading our friends blogs. Thanks very much to Zim for thinking of us and for his lovely comments about our blog.

We know many of our friends already have this award. We would like to pass this award onto another beagle duo Diesel and Marvin who have kept us entertained with many a good beagle story. Thanks guys.

Keeping Cool

2008-08-07T10:57:00.003+09:00

Its really hot and humid here at the moment and not really nice being outside in it. Thank god for the park across the road which provides us with shade and bit of respite from the heat! I am walking the girls early, coming home for their breakfast and then taking them to the local dog run all before 9am to avoid the hottest part of the day and then going out again as the sun is going down. In between the girls are lying around in airconditioned comfort but still do a spot of sunbathing in the morning sun that shines in through the balcony doors. I have also bought doggy sorbet to keep them cool. Actually they seem to be doing better in this heat than me!

Attention Seekers

2008-08-02T13:08:00.003+09:00

Jazz and Dixie love the company of other dogs and humans alike. Whenever we go for a walk we have to greet almost every other dog we come across, children and babies and even people without dogs. At school they like to be around certain other dogs such as Ingo (pictured) and the staff whom they really love. The girls really are very friendly and always seeking attention.

Dog Garden

2008-07-27T11:03:00.004+09:00

Yesterday we went back to Dog Garden Dog Run with Jazz and Dixie. It is so hot and humid here in Tokyo but at this dog run (about an hour from home) it was much cooler because of the trees, the green grass and the breeze. I wet Jazz and Dixie's new T-shirts, put them on and the girls were away - racing around the dog run like crazy, chasing each other and playing with some of the 9 Border Collies we were sharing the dog run with. There was also a small pool which I put J&D in but Dixie immediately jumped out. I also sprayed them a bit with a hose much to Dixie's disgust - she hates water even more than Jazz does! Both girls found something smelly (dead worm??) to earslide and roach on! It was quite funny to watch them do that on the down hill grassy slope. Fire works from a nearby summer festival scared Dixie and sent her running to the safety (??) of a wooden gazebo where she was joined by a scared Corgi. Jazz stuck close by us. After about two hours we headed back to Tokyo stopping at Costco and another dog run on the way. The last dog run is part of a shopping mall complex that has a large pet shop and a dog run you can use free for half an hour. It was too hot to stay out for even the thirty minutes though, so we went back in to check out the pet shop and ended up buying J&D a new bed each that is covered with a cooling fabric. Despite the heat we had a great day out with the girls.

A Little Something from Oz

2008-07-25T20:29:00.004+09:00

When I came back from Australia I got the 'customs dog inspection' as soon as I got in the door! Jazz and Dixie sniffed out the Smackos Straps and Chomp and Chew rawhide bones I had brought back with me. Both the girls really do go 'wacko for smackos' and really enjoyed getting the filling out of the rawhide chews!

We're Back!

2008-07-18T11:11:00.006+09:00

I have been in Australia for the past two weeks thus I have not posted or
visited any blogs since my last post. I had a good trip home and enjoyed my time with family and friends. I missed Jazz and Dixie and of course Shin but I did have some furry friends to keep me company while away. The first two pictures are of my grandma's cat Griggo and the others are of my sister's cats Mouse and Kitty. The last few days of my trip home were spent on Fraser Island, the worlds largest sand island. We were
surrounded by bush and the sea, it was so relxing there. Anyway once I
get settled again I will scan and post lots of cute pics of J and D at school and visit everyone's blog.

Presents from Paris

2008-07-05T14:29:00.004+09:00

Shin was in Paris on business for the week and returned home today with a lovely gift for the girls. While there he visited an up market Paris pet shop, Pinceloup and bought new leather leads for Jazz and Dixie. They are beautifully made and smell wonderful. Of course J & D were more interested in the toys he had also bought. Jazz claimed the mouse and managed to chew the eyes and ears off! Thanks to Shin for the great presents.

A Visitor!

2008-07-03T20:42:00.005+09:00

When Jazz and Dixie were brought home from school today they came home with staff dog, Ingo who came in for a bit of a play around with Dixie. I was just reading AO4's blog the other day about all the visitors they have been having and was complaining that we don't get any. It was nice to see how happy Jazz and Dixie were to welcome Ingo into their 'dog house'.

All's well that ends well.

2008-07-01T20:09:00.002+09:00

The day started out badly for Jazz and Dixie today! First I overslept and they had a late walk and late breakfast, then they both had a bath which they hate and then I took them to the vet which they hate even more! So after all that torture I thought I would treat them to lunch at Tokyo People's Cafe. This is a cafe resturant that is attached to a bank, that allows dogs and has a dog menu. How much more convenient can you get - you can do your banking with your pet and while you wait you can have a coffee or something stronger! and a meal. Jazz and Dixie had their favourite black sesame cookies. People often comment on how dog friendly Tokyo seems - well this area of Tokyo that I live in is really a dog's paradise! However other areas, especially the countryside don't have many if any of the dog friendly places I always write about. A lot of country dogs are Shiba's that stay outside to guard the house. I love living here as Jazz and Dixie can do a lot of shopping, dining and playing around this neighbourhood.

Dog Field with Friends

2008-06-29T11:08:00.005+09:00

We had planned to return to Dog Garden dog run with some of our Komazawa Dog Run friends but found out yesterday morning just as we were heading out that they don't allow big dogs. Two of our friends are labradors so that meant a quick change of plans and a visit to our favourite dog run, Dog Field. Shampi (Yellow lab) Momo (Black lab) and Hokuto (Shiba) all met us there and they all had a great time romping around the huge open space. It must be a great feeling of freedom for all the Tokyo dogs - they can run and run on a perfectly manicured grass space till they drop! While there the girls were joined by another beagle girl called Choco who was more interested in hanging around with us than with her master. The weather held out and actually we all got a little bit of colour from the sun. On the way back we saw a very cool yellow lab in a sidecar heading down the road so I quickly tried to snap a pic!

Weekend 2 at Dog Inc

2008-06-22T20:24:00.003+09:00

I went back to Shikoku on Friday after school and came home this evening so Jazz and Dixie got to go to Dog Inc two weekends in a row! They had a great time as usual and have both crawled under their towelket on the sofa and fallen fast asleep. Zzzzzz. Now I have to get ready for the last week of summer school!

Jazz and Dixie's Weekend at Dog Inc

2008-06-15T18:45:00.003+09:00

I went to Shin's home town in Shikoku yesterday. It was just a quick over night stay and back to Tokyo again today but I enjoyed a good yakitori (bbq chicken) dinner and I got to see the new house which is very nice. Anyway Jazz and Dixie checked into Dog Inc Pet Hotel yesterday morning and came home this evening by shuttle bus. I was told and can see from these pictures that they both had a good time. Jazz was especially playful today. I just love those 'ears shots' - she looks like Dumbo! Both girls are now fast asleep on the sofa so I know they had a busy weekend. Thank dog for places like Dog Inc. Thanks to all the staff there who always look after Jazz and Dixie so well.

A Huge Thank You to Baby and Boy!

2008-06-11T20:53:00.003+09:00

After some hassels with the delivery man our parcel from Baby and Boy arrived!! Jazz and Dixie were super excited and knew immediately that the parcel was for them. When we got it open they went wild taking out the goodies inside including the packing foam pieces! Jazz immediately claimed the blue dog stuffie while Dixie went straight for the squeaky tennis ball and the snacks, trying to rip them open herself. It was such a great parcel for the girls. Thank you so much to Baby and Boy - you guys rock!

Cleaning Day

2008-06-08T19:17:00.004+09:00

Went on a bit of a cleaning spree this weekend which included taking the covers off all the sofa cushions and washing them. In the mean time I covered the sofa with two huge towels which are called 'towelkets' here (a cross between a towel and a blanket for the hot humid Tokyo summer nights). As soon as my back was turned Jazz and Dixie jumped up on the sofa to inspect their new 'bed' and were soon fast asleep as I continued cleaning around them! Ah its a dogs life!

An Interesting Book

2008-06-03T20:18:00.003+09:00

Today my boss gave me an interesting little book - Fandex Family Field Guides: Dogs. She knows how much I love dogs. As I was photographing it, of course Dixie had to check it out. I wonder if she knew which one was the beagle. Can you find your dog?