Resort UpdateHi, The resort starts off the new year with a new website, a website having it's own domain name http://jowlflapper.com/ for the main part, and http://wigglebuttwags.com/ for the 'Year at the Resort in Images' section. Hopefully this will provide a more reliable level of service, less downtime, fewer forms not working, and be far more easier for me to manage. There will also only be these 2 e-mail addresses used 'jowlflapper at jowlflapper.com' and 'wigglebuttwags at yahoo.ca' (the others having been overwhelmed by Spam). Also new this year are this Mailing List, and the Photo Requests section. Last year there were few unfortunate events, mostly due to the fact that the Sniff Visits and the Arrival and Departures were exclusively private events, with all the other guests remaining in the main part of the house until your much cherished guardians had safely departed. The event that put an end to all public Sniff Visits (where the guests got to meet the sniff visitors and their guardians) in 2004 was a big brouhaha much enjoyed by the guests (to my total despair). A sniff visit that went to the dogs, and then total chaos in a matter of seconds. It happened on a busy (11 guests) Sunday in August 2003, when a small schnauzer with attitude, and her overly anxious guardian dropped in for a visit! I suggested that maybe the guest might like to stay in her car until after the other guests had been let out of the house, but this was pooh-poohed by both as not being necessary (...gets along great with other dogs...). So, I opened the door, and the wild horde came thundering out of the house on turbo boost. Now, what usually happens is that the new visitor freezes and remains motionless, or better yet hides as all the other guests try to sniff his or her butt then go off to check out the guardian/s for any hidden treats! However, this schnauzer had a death wish or something, and promptly bit the Bull Terrier leading the charge on the nose (Maggie), and then tried to take a chunk out of a charming Pitt Bull's rear end (Angel)! A wild fur flying event ensued, with not much really happening, seeing that everybody was piled up in a huge mound, but then the frantic guardian stepped into the middle of the fray, and held her darling up high over her head. This caused the other guests to jump up on her, as they tried to nip the little upstart on her butt, which they did several times, seeing that the schnauzer couldn't get her butt out of the way. Once the dust had settled, the guardian had several deep scratches on her legs (not a good idea to visit wearing shorts), and the schnauzer now smirking safely in her car had several bites (nothing serious) on her butt and back. Needless to say, I never saw either again, but they did send me the vet bill, which I paid, even though I thought the amount was rather outrageous. The few unfortunate events in 2004 included notably a guest by the name of Denver (Pitt Bull) who stayed here at the resort for a week, and had a great time. However, he spent hours gleefully hunting frogs down at the pond, and used his nose to dig about in the muck. This resulted in a sore bloody red nose. He then broke a toe nail off while trying to climb a tree after a squirrel, and had several minor long scratches from a jaunt through the brambles... As a result he departed a total mess, with a guardian who was utterly convinced that her sweet little darling had been abused and humiliated by all the other guests and myself! :-( The only other events causing concern, being a new guest who hid, and couldn't be found (I thought she had escaped, and went into panic mode, but eventually found her hiding in a impossibly small space under a old piece of farm machinery), and several guests playing the can't get me into the house game (the worst being a new guest who couldn't be fooled all day by any of my clever tricks, but who then late at night (just as I was going to call her guardians), barked at the front door. She then came in wet and covered in mud, promptly jumped up on my bed, shook herself (sending water and mud everywhere), gave me a wolfish grin, growled at the other guests on the bed (who had dared to complain), and then nested in for the night. I was tempted to toss the little rat into the bath tub, but decided I'd had enough excitement for one day!). Last year saw the enclosed area expanded, with the 5' fence enclosing the entire area now updated and considered complete. The front gate was also made escape proof (padlocked at all times, with a step ladder provided for unexpected guardians to use to climb up over the gate. Of course the big new feature, much appreciated by all the retrievers/labs, and considered as a big booby trap by the border collies, was the spring fed pond!! It was deepened and lined with a pond liner to keep the water fairly clean, and the banks from collapsing into the pond as a result of all the splashing guests! The busy Christmas Holiday period went off without a hitch, mostly thanks to the valiant efforts of long-term guest Patty (Deputy Concierge) who rode shotgun, and regular guest Rogue who did crowd control! :-) The *Stars* though were the fearless puppy hooligans, who entertained everyone with their wild antics and nightly floor shows (ball of fluff tails and legs rolling about across the floor, and...). Some have raised concerns about boarding a puppy (under 6 months) here at the resort, and have even decided it was too risky a undertaking and cancelled at the last moment. Puppies love it here, and more often than not are adopted by one of the older guests who take on the roll of foster Mom. Of course there are moments of high drama here, say when one guest nips another on the butt (slight oversight), when a food freak tries to steal another guest's food, or when a sleeping guest is bounced off the big bed late one starry night by another guest looking for more room... However, these events never involve the puppies or the other smaller guests, who as a rule are never taken seriously by the bigger guests (not a threat), no matter how fearsome their growls. There have also been many last minute cancellations of late during the busy holiday periods, which has caused me allot of bother! As a result, a cancellation fee of $60 has been introduced if a vacation is cancelled within 7 days of the scheduled arrival (added to the total of your next vacation) during a busy period where there is NO VACANCY shown. A vacation cut short for whatever reason will now also pay the full amount owing. The only other problem has been with guests who have not been neutered, they have tended to mark continuously in the house and out, engage in unruly behavior, be dominant, and make things rather unpleasant for myself and the other guests (in all other regards they have been outstanding guests)! As a result, I have reluctantly updated the resort's requirements with the requirement that all 'NEW' guests staying at the resort be spayed or neutered, unless under the age of 6 months (exceptions will be considered on a guest by guest basis if requested). Another minor change is that the front gate is no longer left opened in anticipation of a arrival or a departure, or cars allowed within. Instead the gate is now opened only after you or your guardians have arrived, and your car has been parked well outside the gate. The cat guests were as charming as ever last year, with Pablo's nightly serenades to the moon, Merlin's one and only downstairs visit, and Lemon and Lime's dashing and playing about at 3 am being the only memorable events. =^..^= As a result of Merlin's downstairs visit, the cat suite of rooms upstairs has now been made more secure, with there now being no possibility of a cat guest being able to come downstairs for a late night visit, and cause a riot! Finally I would like to remind all guests that it is never to early to book your next reservation here at the resort! I had to say 'No' to several last minute guests over the holidays, which is never much fun for me or them! :-( Hopefully with these changes, 2005 will be a delightful and enjoyable experience for all our many outstanding and very distinguished guests! :-) Jowl flappingly yours, Jowl Flapper
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