A Little Bit of Barney History

Read all about the KillBarney blog and learn how the KillBarney Tripawds Traveling Barney tour came to be.

Perhaps a little history lesson is due while we wait to find  out where Barney is headed next. Followers of the KillBarney Tour, may wonder if there is more than one Barney. Maggie asked that exact question before posting about her visit with Barney in Maine. The following is our reply …

A long time ago, in a lush land by the sea far, far away, Tripawds founder and Chief Fun Officer Jerry G. Dawg had dragged his people away from their computers to go for a walk and they came upon a yard sale. Jerry sniffed a Barney doll and the couple thought of how fun it would be to see their dog destroy the purple icon that had come to identify a completely different generation of TV children.

One Barney led to another and before long Jerry had developed a co-dependent relationship with his purple posse. There was Big Barney, Travel Barney, and his arch nemeses, the Singing Barneys.

Periodically, one Barney would succumb to the thrashing, but more and more often Jerry cherished his Barneys so they grew in numbers as they were liberated from more yard sales and thrift store shelves. When the pack hit the road after Jerry’s amputation, a big ol’ bag o’ Barney’s had to come along. Barney had his own RV Blog first, posting pictures from roadside attractions across America.

When Jerry passed, Barney was there with him, on their Barney blanket, under the big Montana sky. Back at the rig, a bag o’ Barneys awaited their fate.

One went to Jerry’s girlfriend Lalla in Israel first, and another to his best friend Winston in Oakland, CA. Barney B in Texas, needed one of course, as did Jerry’s look alike, Rocco in Washington.

When the Tripawds Blogs community was launched, Killbarney started the first member blog and was quickly promoted to be the third site Administrator, along with Admin and Jerry. Here the Tripawds team shared photos and videos from Jerry’s cross country adventures with Barney. Then came the Killbarney Tour idea.

One of Jerry’s few remaining Barney dolls was packaged up and shipped off to Caira Sue. Wyatt continues to destroy another – which has become affectionately known as FrankenBarney around the Tripawds headquarters – and the rest is history, in the making. Stay tuned for more Travels with Barney!

Barney packs his coat and heads for Maine!

Maggie takes Barney for a walk in the Snow in Lake Portage, Maine and KillBarney reviews the rules of engagement for the KillBarney Tour.

Well, this isn’t exactly how it’s supposed to work, but Barney had such a pawsome visit with Maggie in Maine that we’ll let it slide.

You can see Maggie’s latest blog post to read all about the fun time they had at the Can Am 250 Mile Sled Dog Race, and see a video of Barney riding Maggie in the snow.

You can also find out where Barney got his new winter coat, and what the Maggies have in common!

With that said, lets recap some rules of engagement here:

  • The Killbarney Tour is a stealth operation
  • Recipients of Barney should email Jerry or a send PM to Admin with a few words about their visit along with a photo.
  • Killbarney will then update his Tour Map and publish a post here announcing the latest stop.
  • After that, members can then follow up with more details and photos in their own blog. (Non-blogging members can feel free to submit up to three photos.)
  • PM the member of your choice to receive Barney next to get their mailing address, and send him on his way in a timely manner.
  • Be sure to sign the trip journal included with Barney, and feel free to add a memento from your home town.*
  • The host Tripawd to draw first blood shall have his/her people mend Barney, and add a needle with  a spool of heavy duty thread to the box.
  • Other than that, anything goes!
  • Get creative with your KillBarney photo opportunities, or make a video.
  • Play by the rules and no one gets hurt … except maybe Barney! 🙂

*Once a few trinkets are in the box, we could treat this like a geo cache with each new host keeping an item and replacing it with something of their own. We don’t want that box getting too heavy!

Barney Hangs Out With Tri-Pug Maggie

Three legged pug Maggie hosts Barney for some quality couch time in Livermore, CA.

Barney came to visit us in Livermore, California from Gerry in Madison Wisconsin.

When Gerry’s mom Bri asked us if we could entertain Barney she said she had seen a sign! While doing the Barney photo shoot outside the Great Dane Pub (Nova was before Gerry) she saw someone walking two pugs and she just knew that Maggie the pug had to be next!

Maggie has been a little under the weather these past few weeks, not quite as energetic as usual. When Barney got here I must say she was not that excited to play with him. So Barney’s visit turned into him just hanging out as part of the pug pack. I even sort of look at him as a good luck charm now. I know this goes against the whole KILLBARNEY world tour thing. But he has survived Maximutt, Caira Sue, Nova, and Gerry, not to mention THE Jerry. He has made several cross country trips and never lost his luggage!! I’m not sure I know anyone luckier than that. And I must admit that I don’t harbor the Barney hatred that some have. For the people I hung out with the little purple guy you loved or hated was Prince! Maybe my attitude rubbed off on Maggie a bit.

So Barney was just one of the pugs – he slept with us at night, went to the dog park (in the stroller) even went to a couple of vet visits, although he waited in the truck – no sense picking up any germs! He visited my parent’s house, where the girls spend a lot of time. He helped me do our first sub-Q liquids at home. And he brought some really nice early spring weather. I kind of hate to send Barney on his way – but he needs to get back on the real KILLBARNEY tour. Hopefully his next host is ready to rock and roll!!!

See Maggie’s blog for more details and pictures, and stay tuned to find out where Barney ends up next.

Like that sweet ride of Maggie’s? Check out the selection of strollers for dogs large and small in the Tripawds Gear blog!