[Despondent]

Thanks Madame C.

I got Louis a Bow-lingual, a dog bark translator devise. Originally sold for $170 or so, found it new for $10 on a day after thanksgiving sale at the toy store. two parts, one goes on his collar to recieve the bark and a receiver unit anylizes the kind of bark. It also has a home alone mode, where it will record all barks for up to 12 hrs. He's worn it a couple of days, I didn't wait till xmas. he barked one day 53 times, 49 of those were "on guard," 2 were "frustrated," and 2 were "sad."

going through the barks individually it will have a phrase like "These are My Rules!," or "I had a lonely day." my hunch is people didn't want to pay so much money to be told their dogs are sad.

Mom sent me a xmas box and there's something in there for him. And I need to go to the pet superstore. But the big gift is going to my Sister's family for the holidays. Cousin Louis has my three nephews who adore him, and I taught my brother-in-law what Louis really likes: being petted with a sock hand, up under where his body is against the floor.

Louis will also be the featured embroidery on all my Christmas t-shirts this year. (best way to do gifts. True one-stop shopping, they'll be ready Monday.)

happy howl-a-days.

[Madam Corvax]

Surely you're joking about this bark-translator... Can't believe it

I would have liked one for my father and his Amstaff named Boss, but surely not for 170$.

Although my father claims he can speak to Boss and the dog understands and replies in various, quite complicated barks, each one of them with its own unique meaning.

[Just your average movie goer]

You don't need bark translators. If you spend enough time with a dog, you can communicate with them perfectly well. In Australia, my dogs always knew exactly what I was telling them and I always knew exactly what they were telling me.

Excited yelp in a certain pitch, with some whining - "You know, I'd really like to go for a walk. And you've got your shoes on and everything. Come on, I'll get the lead."

Wild frenzy bark - "Hey, guys. There's someone at the door."

Aggressive bark - "THE POSTMAN!!! He always comes past but he never comes in. GRRR... I don't trust him one bit!"

Whining and pacing - "Hey, you're forgetting about us... it's dinner time. Can you stop watching M*A*S*H just for one minute and give us some food? We're starving here."

Lots of excited yelping snuzzling - "Oh, it's so good to see you! Oh, hello, hello..."


See? Easy.

[Despondent]

Yeah, it's pretty garden variety with the explanations. But for ten dollars, hey.

there's also ten warning signs health wise, explanations for various body language and such. Same basic info that you learn being a dog's master, but for ten dollars, hey.

Stuff geared for dog lovers has a built in market. that's what the writer in me is counting on anyway.

[Madam Corvax]

Yip. For ten dollars, I would have got one, too, just for the fun of it.

[Just your average movie goer]

Well I guess there's a bit of novelty to it. You're right. It'd be fun.

[Despondent]

here's their site:

Bow-lingual

there's a cute commercial, too.

[Chefelf]

They did a review of this on TechTV once. Their consensus was that it was not worth $170. But $10 for some fun? That sounds like a pretty good deal.

Let me know if Louis mentions me.

[Despondent]

"He needs to get up from that Chefelf Night Life and let me in. My ears are getting cold. I deserve a treat. There goes that star destroyer again."

[Heccubus]

My new one is me with my sassy new hairstyle. You can see a larger image here if you please. I rather like my hair this way.

[Al Creed]

Lambuel is our lord and master. You MUST obey.

For more information, please visit THIS frightenly funny website.

[SimeSublime]

Hmm, I get sidetracked when I try to go there.

Hecc, you look really familiar in that shot, but I can't work out where from. With any luck, my subconsious will work it out in a few days.

[A Mighty Pirate]

I love talking to my dogs.

But they only speak german. So I need a translator.

[Heccubus]

New av is the singer from Group X as he appears in their landmark video for "Schfifty Five".

[Chyld]

I decided a couple of days ago to return to my Henry Skull avatar, because you're probably all sick of my ugly fizzgog. But when I can be arsed, I'm swapping it for the classic Chyld avatar: Guy McKnight of The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, as he appears on the cover of the Psychosis Safari single.