Blog - Susan Abel Sullivan, author

A Goober by Any Other Name Would Still be Just a Big Galoot

2/15/2014

Our big galoot Bo...or should we rename him Goober?

Do dogs really care what we name them?

Absolutely not. They'll answer to anything as long as we're consistent.

Bo was a difficult dog to name. Originally we called him Beauregard, then shortened it to Bo, then added another Bo (Bobo) so that it wouldn't rhyme with "no,"--trust me, you do not want to name a pet anything that rhymes with no because you then have to come up with some other correctional word or sound and it's easy to forget in the heat of the moment. The poor dog does something it shouldn't and instead of hearing "no," they hear what sounds like their own name. Very confusing.

But several months after settling on the name Bo, it became evident that his true name--meaning the name that's in his soul--is Goober.

This truth was never more evident than when Bo went in for his surgical recheck and staple removal yesterday. The vet tech who cared for him during his six-day stay affectionaly called him Goober. And he'd perk up at that. After she left the exam room I told Bo, "Even B. knows your true name."

And that's when I had an epiphany. The hubs and I need to change Bo's name. The situation reminds me of T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Naming of Cats." It's a difficult matter according to Eliot because a cat has three different names. There's their everyday name, their particular and peculiar name that belongs to no more than one cat, and then their secret name that only the cat ever knows.

So I took the name Goober for a test drive yesterday. "Hey, Goober!" I said to Bo enthusiastically. His face lit up and he wagged his tail. Then when I said, "Hey, Bo," it was like the sun had gone behind some clouds. Hmmm...even the dog likes the name Goober better than Bo.

So Goober it is. It'll probably take longer for the humans to adjust than for Bo/Goober. Because the dog knows his true name.

Doing it Doggy Style...Dogs in Fashion

2/12/2014

Dogs on PJs

Like Lea Michele's character of Rachel Berry on Season One of GLEE, I love wearing clothes with animals on them. And dogs on clothing are just so stinkin' cute.

Here's a photo gallery of my Doggy Style in fashion and accessories, including PJs, thermals, shirts, sweater vests, sleep shirts, t-shirts, socks, and handbags.

Click on a photo to enlarge...

My Dog Has a Zipper on his Belly

2/8/2014

Is this a zipper or a stapled incision?

Bo finally came home from the hospital yesterday. The vet tech said she wished they could put zippers in all the dogs who eat weird stuff and then get obstructed so that the vet could just unzip their guts, reach in, and remove the offending item.

And ironically, Bo's stapled incision looks like a zipper.

He's doing pretty well considering he had one surgery to remove a foreign object from his stomach AND large intestine, and another to remove the drain inserted into his intestine during the first surgery. He's rather subdued, which is to be expected after having major surgery and being on pain meds. Hell, I felt pretty damn bad a week after my bilateral hip replacement surgery, so I can certainly empathize.

But he's happy to be back home with me, the hubs, and his canine pal, Moxie. Three of our five cats--Ernie, Sabrina, and Zoe--are also glad he's back. It's been a regular reunion around here at Casa Sullivan.

I want to thank everyone who has supported "Buy Books for Bo," from buying books to sharing the message through social media and good old fashioned conversation. If you haven't had a chance to yet, there's still time to tweet and share Bo's story on Facebook by posting a link to this blog or by joining the "Buy Books for Bo" event page on Facebook and "sharing" it on your profile.

If you're new to Bo's saga, check out my two previous posts.

Reunited and it feels so good...

Buy Books for Bo: an Update

2/6/2014

Me and Bo at Christmas

Bo has been in the animal hospital since last Saturday for two surgeries: one to remove a stomach/intestinal blockage and another to remove the drain inserted into his intestine during the first surgery.

He's doing well, happy and alert, and will hopefully get to come home tonight. Bo might be the most challenging dog we've ever had due to his OCD/Pica issues (see my previous post for more details on his mental disorder), but he's also the most affectionate dog I've ever had.

Bo is seventy-five pounds of cuddle bunny. His favorite thing to do when he's not eating the wood hot tub or a collectible that a cat knocked off a shelf onto the floor is to sit in the hubs' lap. When the hubs comes home from work, Bo wags his entire body. He adores his canine pal, Moxie--it was love at first sight for the two of them.

Bo's medical care costs are now at $3400 and still climbing. So if you'd like to help us help Bo, please buy books. Specifically, MY books.

I have two novels and two short story
collections available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com, Kobo, and many other online retailers (plus Books-A-Million brick & mortar locations as a POD: print on demand). Novels are in print AND eBook; collections are eBook only. My second novel, The Weredog Whisperer is part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone novel.

If you've bought/read all of my books, please consider "sharing" the link to this page on your social media sites and verbally with friends and co-workers who like dogs and/or books. I've set up a fundraising event on Facebook--Buy Books for Bo--that is open to the public.

I also have several copies of Weredog Whisperer and a few Haunted Housewives if you'd like to buy a personalized, signed copy/copies from me. $15 + shipping for one book; $25 + shipping for any two books. Media Mail is $3 or I can ship up to 2 books in one Priority Mail padded flat rate envelope for $6. I accept PayPal. Or cash, if you're local. Cash is good. LOL

Thanks for everyone's support!

Do Pit Bulls and Snow Mix?

1/29/2014

Bo didn't want to go out into the snow to potty

Pit Bull Terriers aren't snow dogs. That would be breeds like the Saint Bernard, Great Pyrenees, and Newfoundland. Pit bulls like to soak up the sun. They are one of the few breeds that will choose sun over shade.

So when yesterday's surprise snow storm deposited four inches of pretty powder on northeast Alabama, Bo (our hound/pit mix) didn't want to go outside to potty. In fact, when I opened the door, he turned tail and tried to slink away. I had to literally SHOVE seventy-five pounds of dog out the door because he and Moxie are too big to do their business inside the house.

Bo did not like snow.

But you know what? Once he got across the deck and down the steps, he decided it wasn't so bad after all.

And on his 3rd, 4th, and 5th times to go out yesterday, he ran right out the back door and positively frolicked, running willy-nilly around the yard like a crazy dog, jumping on Moxie in play, and stealing her tennis ball.

Moxie would do her business and come back to the door. But Bo made several circuits of the fence perimeter, making sure no wild animals, stray cats, or unauthorized humans had entered the property.

So I suppose Bo and snow do mix.

Slide show below. Click on "play" and then wait a few seconds and it'll start.

The Origin of Brown Nosing

1/22/2014

Moxie "brown nosing" our cat, Ernie

The origin of the term "brown nosing" has GOT to come from dogs. If I didn't know better, I'd totally think it was inspired by my pit bull, Moxie.

Notice where brown-nosing-the-cats falls on Moxie's list of favorite things to do:

1. Eat wild animal poop in the backyard.

2. Eat cat poop from the litter boxes.

3. Lick the cats' butts, aka, brown nosing.

4. Lick Bo's junk (Bo is our other dog).

5. Tie: play with her tennis ball; swim in the pool.

6. Eat any food that isn't hers.

7. Eat actual dog food.

8. Sleep.

9. Play with Bo.

10. Get a back scratch and/or belly rub from her humans.

Here's the thing about the dogs brown nosing the cats . . . the cats LOVE it. They ASK for it. They writhe with pleasure, the little hedonists. And apparently the dogs get something out of it, too, although it may be an addiction like gambling where they keep hoping they'll hit the jackpot of golden poop popping out of a cat butt.

So now you know the (unofficial) origin of the term "brown nosing." Yes, thank you very much. I'm always happy to provide educational tidbits on this blog. Ha!

Canine Siamese Twins?

1/20/2014

Joined at the hip? Moxie and Bo

Dogs certainly know how to relax. Moxie and Bo are so comfortable with each other that they appear joined at the hip as if they were a new breed of canine Siamese twins or maybe a canine push-me-pull-you (from Dr. Doolittle).

If people were to glean any wisdom from dogs it would be: play hard, eat heartily, and sleep long and deeply.

Happy MLK Day! Hope you enjoy your day as much as Moxie and Bo are enjoying theirs.

Click on each picture in the gallery below to enlarge each photo.

Dog Perfume Solves Mystery

1/7/2014

Cara the cocker spaniel squeezed through a small hole one day in our privacy fence that we didn't know about. She gallivanted through town for several hours before I even knew she was gone. And the kicker: she wasn't wearing her collar.

When I discovered she was gone, I jumped in the car and drove around the block in an ever widening radius, looking and calling for her.

No Cara.

When I got home there was a message on the answering machine from our dog groomer (this was back in 2006 before I had a cell phone). They had Cara.

Oh my gosh, how had they found her? Our dog groomer was quite a distance from our house.

The story they told me was simply amazing.

Cara had been found running on Quintard Avenue--the main drag through town and the busiest street. (I almost had heart failure when they told me this--she very easily could have been hit by a car!)

The people who stopped and picked her up noticed that she had been to a dog groomer recently and they recognized the dog perfume our groomer uses. The groomer is actually located pretty close to where Cara was found.

These very nice people took Cara to the groomer and asked if she belonged to one of their clients. The groomer recognized her (also amazing considering how many dogs they groom and that Cara wasn't wearing her collar) and they were able to look up my phone number in their records.

So a lost dog was returned to its owner all because of the doggy perfume she was wearing. I'm tellin' ya, I wish I could make this stuff up. Life really is stranger than fiction.

Who let the (were)dogs out?

1/2/2014

It's official! My second novel The Weredog Whisperer--published by World Weaver Press--has officially launched. Click on the specific tab to the left to read a synopsis, reviews, and purchasing info.

The Weredog Whisperer is my love song to the Florida Gulf Coast and my American pitbull terrier, Moxie. It's chock full of zany characters, humorous paranormal situations, and surprising plot twists.

I had a ton of fun writing this book and I hope it shows. There were times when I laughed so hard at a scene that I cried. My comedy-writing philosophy is that if it doesn't make me laugh, ain't no one else gonna laugh.

I drew inspiration from the Chevy Chase Vacation movies and An American Werewolf in London, as well as family vacations to Panama City Beach, Florida when my family lived in Alabama, and later, life as a resident of Florida when my family moved to Gulf Breeze (near Pensacola). Plus life with two pitbull terriers who are smart, loyal, and absolutely the most affectionate dogs I've ever had.

The Weredog Whisperer can also be read as a stand alone novel, so if you haven't read The Haunted Housewives of Allister, Alabama, you can go right ahead and dive into Weredog Whisperer. Or read both. You have a buffet of options.

Keep this writer writing and go out there and buy my book. I think you'll enjoy the ride.

Pet Porn and Confused Critters

12/13/2013

Moxie and Ernie: pet porn???

Okay, I'll say right off the bat that this photo is NOT pet porn!

Ernie, however, is a very confused kitty. He's NURSING on our American Pit Bull Terrier, Moxie. Moxie had her last litter of pups (at the animal shelter) October of 2006. This picture was made late summer/early fall of 2011. So Moxie didn't even have any milk for Ernie to nurse. But she did have some bodaciously large nipples from all the puppies she had birthed during her previous life before we adopted her.

But giant nipples aside, Moxie looks nothing like a cat. And she smells like 100% dog. We even have four female cats that Ernie could have chosen for surrogate moms. But Ernie wanted Moxie. Kinda reminds me of Babe the Sheep Pig who took up with a litter of border collies in the movie BABE. If someone made a movie about our Not-So-Little Ernie Hemingway, it could be titled: Ernie, the American Pit Bull Maine Coon Kitty. Yeah, I know, it's a long title.

Ernie is all grown up now, but he STILL tries to nurse on Moxie from time to time. "You're too grown up for this," she tells him with a growl. But she WILL lick Ernie's privates clean, so I guess he's not too old for THAT! It's a service she's willing to provide for all of our felines.

The cats actually "ask" her to do it by walking up to her face and turning their backsides to her. She gladly obliges probably hoping some delectable kitty poop will pop out from their butts like candy from a gumball machine. Anyone with dogs and cats knows that cat poop is considered a delicacy to dogs.

Cat poop and cat on dog porn--just another kooky day at Casa Sullivan.