Beagle Intelligence...An oxymoron?

There are several interesting publications that look at the relative intelligence of various canine breeds and I have yet to see one where the beagle ranks high. One of the most famous experiments is one where a towel is placed over the dog's head and the human uses a stopwatch to see how long it takes for the dog to remove the towel. Apparently, Poodles and Border Collies are able to take off the towel in under 3 seconds. Beagles on the other hand tend to sit there motionless for a long time. I asked Jack about this and he argues that any dummy can take a towel off his head. He, on the other hand, takes the time to enjoy the unexpected shade and take in the smell of my new dryer sheets.

Now, I do have to admit that I have questioned Jack's intelligence on occasion. It is a little known family secret that when I would take Milo to the groomer....(see before photo)







...and bring him home later...(see after photo)








Jack thought I brought home a new dog. Beaglemoron??? You be the judge.

Happy Birthday (Saturday) to Girl with Phone and Angry T. (Yes, they were born on the same day 5 years apart)


Enjoy some pictures from the dog park:


Here is Oakley and LOG (his best friend)











Jack: "Yes, I believe we HAVE met......"










Jack after the dogpark: Zzzzzzzzzz

THE BIGGEST LOSER

Readers of this blog have informed me that I am a loser. I have failed them by forgetting the reason behind JUST JACK. It was just "supposed" to be for and about JACK. I agree...I have meandered a bit. However, I have news to report. News that will unite young and old. News that will unite the liberals and the conservatives. News that will unite the moral majority and the immoral minority (or vice versa). Move over Kirstie Alley... Step aside Valerie Bertinelli... Game over Oprah.

Jack weighed in this morning.




and the scale read......







drum roll...............

44.5 pounds

That is down from 50 pounds! Jack....you rock. I am sending a testimonial to Iams. You should be their poster beagle for Iams Weight Control Formula.

Misery Loves Company

So you may think it's a little crazy to have a website dedicated to an overweight beagle. Apparently I am in good company.

Battle of Beagle Bulge cool photo

Beagle Fat Camp (what's next...The biggest loser on Animal Planet?)

Pooch Portliness-Drugs for chubby dogs..Is that covered on my plan?

Fat Dog in Court-custody battle looms. Maybe they should spend the money on a personal
trainer.

The best part was that Just Jack appeared on the google results list. Way to go buddy, you are famous! Jack did his 2 mile walk with ease last night. Chili Pepper laughed at me as I was trying to get them out the door. Ceasar the dog whisperer would not approve. I don't know how he can walk so many dogs and not have a tangled mess of leashes and chaos. I took 2 of the dogs last night and a third one wiggled out the door after us. Are there any professional dog walkers out there? I need help. I'd like to be able to take all 3. HEEELP!

The Beginning

OK--So we are guilty of being the parents of a morbidly obese beagle named Jack. We are the owners of this dog and have full control over his food intake, right? What is wrong with this picture? Our other canines are within their appropriate weight guidelines. Before you judge us, you should know that Jack is no ordinary beagle. He is the Houdini of canines. Despite his pudgy appearance he can maneuver his way into cabinets WITH OR WITHOUT childproof locks. He knows exactly when the time is right sneak his nose up on the countertop to snag a loaf of bread after someone has made a sandwich. He even sub-contracts to the dog with the best manual dexterity to open doors to food sources that he is unable to break into. (Note from Milo---- the Bichon-Frise with amazing dexterity----Jack never shares the loot).

So--we begin this blog to chronicle the progress of Jack becoming a more slender version of himself. And as he is the "middle dog" we have named his blog: Just Jack. He is insecure and shows some symtoms of Middle Dog Syndrome. Tune in tommorrow for photos of the weigh-in.