March 28, 2011

Return of the Swamp Monsters

This weekend, it rained.

A lot.

But by Saturday afternoon, a small break in the downpour arrived.

Confined to the house for the better part of two days because of the storm, Miley and Howie jumped at the chance for a few minutes of outdoor freedom.

To do this.

And this.

Nothing thrills them more than the swampy, marshy, sunken pit of the backyard that only appears in the spring after a heavy rain.

Howie’s no stranger to the mud.

Get ready…

Plop!

Just before he reaches his destination, Howie gets really excited and starts running like this.

This mini soccer ball is his LIFE.

He carries it with him everywhere.

To bed. To eat. To pee.

Sorry.

Don’t worry! I’ll save you!

Glurk.

Miley goes in for the grab…

And comes up victorious!

Miley. She’s the dainty one.

So prim. So proper.

Spring. The time of year where we say, Oh well! They needed a bath anyway.

More from Amanda:

Howie's Been Practicing!

Make It or Miss It Howie Style!

Make It or Miss It!

Miley and Howie's Christmas

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92 Comments

1 kimberly March 28, 2011 at 3:47 am

I LOVE the Howie and Miley picts – you make me smile and that’s a tough thing to do these days… Thanks for the smiles so early here in California (2 am).. Insomnia sucks. -

2 Mary March 28, 2011 at 4:16 am

I adore your Miley and Howie posts! I have a pair of Boston Terrier mud puddle lovers too.

3 Heather March 28, 2011 at 4:23 am

Your dogs are awesome! :)

4 Robin C. March 28, 2011 at 4:35 am

Such great pictures! Miley and Howie look like the happiest dogs! Thanks for sharing those pictures of your dogs experiencing pure joy!

5 Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) March 28, 2011 at 4:36 am

Adorable!!!!!!

6 Jane Crawford March 28, 2011 at 5:31 am

Precious. Thank you for making my morning!

7 Merck March 28, 2011 at 6:06 am

Omg, this are so funny!! I can’t stop laughing! My grandfater had a Boston terrier as well, these photos bring back great memories!

8 jenny@boxandb March 28, 2011 at 6:27 am

Love these pictures!! Yay, for the mini soccer ball…..

9 Jennifer March 28, 2011 at 6:34 am

Amanda, thanks for your frequent posting of pics of the dogs…. I can’t tell you how many times I head over to your site when my 4 y.o. boy is in a grumpy mood. He LOVES seeing the funny pictures of the dogs (we started with the peanut butter ones from Christmas). I can’t wait to show him these!!

10 Chrissy Farnan March 28, 2011 at 6:35 am

Super photos and boy oh boy that toy is a prized possession. May favorite photo is the air born photo which looks like he’s lying on a pillow with his paws almost crossed.

11 Becky March 28, 2011 at 6:36 am

Awesome photos…love the furbabies!!!

12 Chere Mortensen March 28, 2011 at 6:40 am

They look like they are having the time of their life. Hope Kevin was at home to help you give them a bath. Your bathroom must have looked like a bomb hit it.

My little cocker spaniel does everything with a tennis ball in her mouth. Yes she can bark, pee, poop, sleep, anything a little dog needs to do. Dixie has not learned to eat with it yet. But she is working on it. The ball is always near by.

13 Lynne March 28, 2011 at 7:00 am

They are magical.
Thanks for sharing.
Lynne x0

14 HeatherB March 28, 2011 at 7:26 am

Love your photos – fabulous actions shots!

15 DebbieB March 28, 2011 at 7:55 am

Great pics! Love the mid-air action shots. Your doggies look like a lot of fun.

16 Debra Carter March 28, 2011 at 8:02 am

Those are Awesome Pictures!! Love the doggies!!

17 Crystal Perkins March 28, 2011 at 8:05 am

I absolutely love this series! Though I don’t know your pups personally, I think you captured their personalities so well, and they look like they are having so much fun!! Wonderful action shots, thanks for sharing, really made me :o) today!

18 Toni Legates March 28, 2011 at 8:09 am

Totally loved return of the swamp monsters!!!

19 Dawn Lepper March 28, 2011 at 8:26 am

How do you get such great photos? These are funny, adorable and just awesome. Whta lense and camera did you use for these?

Thanks for sharing.

20 Pamela Palmer March 28, 2011 at 8:36 am

I love to read about your dogs. They are so precious. I have two yorkies. My grandparents had a dog like yours but, it had a glass eye or atleast that is what they called it. I was a child. Thanks for sharing. Whoever, is taking the pictures are doing a great job.

21 Pat J March 28, 2011 at 8:50 am

Loved the new pictures. Great way to start off my day!

22 Jessica March 28, 2011 at 8:57 am

Bostons and Mud go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Love this!

23 Dana March 28, 2011 at 8:59 am

Oh my gosh!!! This made me smile! Thanks for posting their romp in the mud! Great action shots!!!!! Your pictures are amazing!

24 Marilyn March 28, 2011 at 9:06 am

I love all these pics but esp. the one of Howie mid air right before he reaches his destination. Made me laugh out loud. :)

25 Jennifer Irvin March 28, 2011 at 9:13 am

you take the best pictures, doesn’t matter if it’s a cupcake or a running dog…..to freakin groovy

26 Jessica March 28, 2011 at 9:30 am

Love these pictures, you really captured your babies at their most fun moments. Thanks for sharing with us.

27 Missy March 28, 2011 at 9:32 am

I loved this post!

28 Andreea March 28, 2011 at 9:33 am

Such good dogs!

I went to Georgetown Cupcake a couple days ago (current first post on my site) and thought of you (sorry I hope that doesn’t sound weird). But I just think you would LOVE their cupcakes. So fluffy and light and tasty and delicious! If you haven’t been, and you’re in the DC area, they’re well worth the wait (took us around 40 minutes)!

29 Kelly @ Dare to be Domestic March 28, 2011 at 9:36 am

I keep telling myself that this rain will make for great kayaking creeks but man I’m over it. Your poor lawn – but it looks like the puddles went to great use!!! Ours looks like it’s ready for some mud wrestling too!

I just remind myself of how green the grass will be.

30 Jackye Ham March 28, 2011 at 9:37 am

COOL pics! You should enter a contest – esp. the 3rd from the top. A definite prize winner!

31 elizabeth March 28, 2011 at 9:52 am

just love the new pics of the bts playing. I have a 14 yr old. Boston so those days are behind her, but every once in awhile that sassiness and that urge to play come out. your photography is great!

32 April Driggers March 28, 2011 at 9:58 am

I absolutely love these! You need to give us the settings you had your camera on! :) My previous two Bostons were just like this.. the one I have now is the most dainty, prim, proper … NON-dog it’s just night and day! I miss the playful fetching active ones I used to have. :)

33 Amanda March 28, 2011 at 1:22 pm: Hi April! Just click on any photo to see the settings used for it. :)

34 Mason March 28, 2011 at 10:10 am

Dear Amanda,
How on earth do you take these photos? Are you down on your belly in the dry part of the lawn?! They are wonderful! I would love to have your photo tips – you should have a photo blog! Enjoy your blog so much, (and am inspired by your weight loss story) keep up the wonderful work!
Mary Mason-Leskowitz

35 Amanda March 28, 2011 at 1:25 pm: Hey Mason! I was squatting like a baseball catcher. :) For more info, you can click on any photo to see the settings used to take it. :)

36 Ron Watson March 28, 2011 at 10:11 am

I like the one of “Super Howie” flying…My Beagle almost got excited once!

37 catherine March 28, 2011 at 10:23 am

oh my word…hillarious.

38 Kristyn March 28, 2011 at 10:27 am

I adore your Miley and Howie pictures! They’re so cute. I just want to hug them!!

39 Marcella March 28, 2011 at 10:30 am

THANK YOU…great morning giggles. I just love pictures of your dogs they are so darn cute and look to be tons of fun! Your pictures are so good…wish I was that good when I take pictures of our dog…but then again we have a Bulldog (Bruiser) and they by nature do more resting than moving! Ha..really you take wonderful pictures and always enjoy them.
Thanks for sharing!
Marcie

40 Shawna March 28, 2011 at 11:02 am

Always love your Miley and Howie pics! TFS!

41 Lori @ RecipeGirl March 28, 2011 at 11:58 am

Just darling. I can’t imagine the mess afterwards!! Love how you’ve caught Howie in a “Superman” pose mid-air too :)

42 clare March 28, 2011 at 12:08 pm

These pictures made my day.. thanks for posting!

43 juls March 28, 2011 at 12:12 pm

i love the pictures they totally capture the fun dogs have in water and with a ball!

44 jenni roseland March 28, 2011 at 12:33 pm

i always love pics of your doggies playing!!!!

45 edyB March 28, 2011 at 12:43 pm

I just love it when you post these pics ~ the two of them lopving playing in the water!!!

46 Nicole March 28, 2011 at 1:13 pm

I love these posts! I am the mom of a lab and 3 mixed rescues who do whatever he does plus their sister who “hangs” with me. We know all about the mud and love to see other “babies” making the best of rainy day. (I always show Miley and Howie to my husband) One question: How do you get those mud stains out? Ha!

47 vickyspalce1 March 28, 2011 at 1:24 pm

I have two Bostons named Spot the Fox-a true male and Daisy May-a sweetheart female. I adore and love this breed of dog. Your pictures are fun, funny and magnificent! You can meet my two Bostons on my blog at http://vickysplace1.blogspot.com.

48 Jill March 28, 2011 at 1:25 pm

I love the action shots of Howie and Miley. Thanks for posting so many on your website. Always look forward to them.

49 Martha March 28, 2011 at 1:34 pm

Hilarious! loved it

50 Maria March 28, 2011 at 1:36 pm

So fun! You got some great shots:)

51 sandy March 28, 2011 at 1:38 pm

boy, they are the cutest swamp monsters I ever saw…..what a great scrapbook title.

52 Jenni March 28, 2011 at 2:10 pm

Hi Amanda!

How are you?
Love those pictures! They really made my day lol. My dogs would love those pics as a movie. They were watching Marmaduke the other day & barking at the TV lol …
Gotta buy a new camera so I can take pictures like you do!

53 Kim March 28, 2011 at 2:33 pm

I really loved looking at these photos. Loved seeing the pads of their back paws and their toes spread in a few of them shots – head on. Now that’s some mid-air action!

54 Sandra March 28, 2011 at 2:36 pm

it must suck to give them a bath right after!! a lot to clean. the dogs are cute- dirty or clean

55 Taryn March 28, 2011 at 2:52 pm

My Boston is the same way about his Octo-Bunny toy (I swear, it’s a bunny with 6 octo-legs) as Howie is with his soccer ball!

Great pictures! You seem to have so much fun with your dogs.

56 the wanna be country girl March 28, 2011 at 2:59 pm

Thanks Amanda! I laughed out loud, I need to. I love your dogs, and they are lucky to have such a wonderful mom and dad.
the wanna be country girl – Caroline
http://thewannabecountrygirl.com/millie-and-her-brood-part-5-chicken-minis/

57 Angela B March 28, 2011 at 2:59 pm

Love the pics!! Especially the one where Howie looks like he’s flying. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Super Howie!!!

Love how dogs (and cats) live in the minute. I think we could learn a thing or two from them!

58 Marissa Tunon March 28, 2011 at 3:14 pm

This pics are fantastic!! I love them!! well….. I love all of your pics!! congrats :)

59 Cookin' Canuck March 28, 2011 at 3:15 pm

Those pictures make me want to go jump in a puddle. It looks as though they’re having such a great time.

60 chelsea allred March 28, 2011 at 3:18 pm

pictures of your dogs always make me smile. They are two of THE happiest dogs in the world it seems.

61 Miranda March 28, 2011 at 3:43 pm

I love pictures of these two.. they’re the cutest things EVER! :-)

62 Lynn March 28, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Amanda…your muddy pictures always make me laugh. Miley and Howie are hilarious! I can’t even imagine what the bathtub looked like after you got them clean….but the looks on their faces in the pics say it was all worth it!

63 Mary Anne March 28, 2011 at 4:23 pm

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Boston Terriers! They sometimes are a misunderstood breed!

64 Jenny Flake March 28, 2011 at 5:58 pm

These action shots of the dogs are priceless! Your photography is so great!! Love it!

65 Megan Z. March 28, 2011 at 6:58 pm

so, SO cute! What is it with dogs and mud?! The pictures are awesome!

66 Tracy March 28, 2011 at 7:25 pm

Haha, crazy wet dogs! Great photos! :-)

67 Tricia Richner March 28, 2011 at 9:44 pm

Those are 2 crazy funny doggies! Hilarious!

68 kathleen.summers March 28, 2011 at 10:26 pm

Thanks for your post – totally made me smile! Awesome photos too. Great job!

69 kelly March 28, 2011 at 10:53 pm

that looks like dog heaven! i am sure a pain to clean them off whenever they go out though!
my dog wants to take his blanket out to pee in the morning but we tell him to leave it at the door and he does. so funny!!

70 Steph and PB&J March 29, 2011 at 1:06 am

Oh, now I know spring is really here! The muddy monsters are back!! :) SUCH adorable pics!!! :)

71 Deborah Hallenbeck March 29, 2011 at 8:32 am

What absolutely amazing pictures. Can’t believe you got those shots. Your camera is amazing and you really know how to use it.

72 TJ March 29, 2011 at 8:49 am

Hi, Amanda! I want to let you know that I love the things you write and the photographs you take. I don’t have a professional camera (yet…still wishing), but you pictures are an inspiration! And it was your blog that encouraged me to begin blogging myself. Also, many of your blogger design tutorials went into use to pretty my blog up. So in my own way of saying thank you and expressing how much I love your blog, I have awarded you the Stylish Blogger Award: http://www.measuringflower.com/2011/03/stylish-blogger-award.html I know this if probably nothing to you since you’re up so high in the ranks of blogging, but I though it appropriate to award you with it because your blog was my inspiration. Thank you! I hope you have a great day.

73 Tami McBeain March 29, 2011 at 9:03 am

I love seeing your pics of your dogs, your pictures are amazing! Love the captions too, you made me smile! Thanks for sharing!

74 Mary March 29, 2011 at 10:38 am

Hysterical. My boston starts doing that little “prance/hop” running thing from excitement right before she pounces as well. Love the photos!

75 Kelly S. March 29, 2011 at 11:04 am

Fantastic photos as always! Love how you capture the action of the swamp monsters! They are the cutest!!

76 Meredith March 29, 2011 at 11:33 am

*LOVE*!!! I love the way you capture their movement, and your commentary is PERFECT! I was practicing my ‘freezing water’ skills the other day – whenever I am using my new camera (D3100), I am trying to think back to what you’ve taught me – you’re such a help!!! :)

77 Shelby March 29, 2011 at 1:06 pm

Those are great pictures! Miley and Howie look like they are having the best time ever!! I have a feeling they weren’t as thrilled for the bath afterwards though. :)

78 Hannah E. March 29, 2011 at 2:40 pm

Those photos are too funny. :) We have a dog, but he’s a Golden Retriever… He likes to ROLL in the mud better. ;)

I loved all the photos and they’re really great action shots! Fantastic job on the images and text.

79 Jennifer March 29, 2011 at 5:24 pm

Amanda, I LOVE your Howie and Miley posts. Their energy just makes them so adorable! Well, they are just adorable anyway, but still! :)

Have you ever heard of drawthedog.com? Your pictures would be PERFECT to submit. You should check him out.

80 Dawn March 29, 2011 at 9:47 pm

You always take such amazing action shots of your pups.

81 Nicole B March 30, 2011 at 6:51 pm

I just love this so much! I have looked at it 5 times since you posted it, makes me laugh. I also have shared it with my aunt and her friend. They love it too!

82 Joan Pratt March 31, 2011 at 6:45 am

Awesome! My family & I love the pics of your boston’s as we have one too! They are so full of life, arent they? Love them!

83 Mary March 31, 2011 at 12:30 pm

I just discovered your site, I love it!! We also have two boston terriers, aren’t they the cutest?!!! I am trying one of your recipes tonight :)

84 jenn April 1, 2011 at 6:15 am

Pure joy in these photos!!! So cute.

85 Greta April 2, 2011 at 4:32 am

Fantastic photos!

86 Debbie C April 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

WOW your pictures are fabulous and you captured such action I love it. All your food pics are so great as well. I love seeing the dog pics though they are really cute! I bet it was fun having to clean him up afterwards!
thanks for sharing!

87 Ann April 3, 2011 at 1:25 pm

That is totally the very best series of “why I love my dog” I’ve ever seen. Complete enjoyment both for the dogs and for us viewers. I gave up dogs because of traveling but I sure do love other peoples and yours are adorable. We could all take advice from them – life is fun, go for it!

88 Sara April 5, 2011 at 9:05 am

OMG! That is so cute! My furbaby Panda has the same squeaky soccer ball & it is her LIFE as well, she could spend HOURS playing fetch with that thing! Love your blog :)

89 Jill Ricketts April 6, 2011 at 7:59 pm

I have 2 Bostons, too. Roxy and Winston. They are both rescue dogs and never learned to play with a ball-and they don’t seem want to learn either. But they are a huge comfort to me. I have had all kinds of dogs growing up, but there is nothing like a Boston.

90 Nicole April 14, 2011 at 11:32 am