Snow Day, Snow Day - I love Snow Days

 On Sunday, November 21st, I woke up to a foot of snow on the ground.  This was my first snowfall.  Boy do I ever love this stuff.  It's soft, fluffy, and little cold on the nose.  But it's so much fun to run, jump and roll in.  I like to put my head under the snow and make little tunnels as I push my nose along looking for any good smells that might be under all this stuff.

Dad laughs at the way I get a white beard, and mom gets worried about my cold ears and feet.  She's always trying to keep me wiped off.  She brings me in after about 15 or 20 minutes to warm up, but then I run back to the door to get out and play some more.  I just love this stuff.  I wish we could move to Alaska.

At the end of a couple of hours, it was finally lunch time - I worked up a big appetite.  But then I always have a big appetite!!  Then I curled up with my big sister Rowdy and took long afternoon nap.  What a great Sunday.  I wish everyday could be like today.

Another Vet Visit

 Yesterday was time for another visit to the vet.  Seems like I go to see this place quite a lot.  Mom says it's because she wants to make sure that everything is OK and on track with me.  First stop is sign in at the front desk.

Next stop, check out the mean cat in the cage - yup, he's still here.  Hey buddy, no one is going to adopt you until you start taking some sweetness pills.  Just a thought.  Hey, hey don't go hissing at me.  You sound like mom's cat now.

 Next stop, step on the old weigh scale - 28.9 lbs.  Right on track.  That's a 8.9 lb gain in 3 weeks.  Not bad, if I say so myself.  If I keep this up I'll catch up with my dad in no time.  Now into the exam room.

This is vet I was telling you about.  He's not a bad guy, but don't turn your back on him - you'll get a needle in the rear quarter.  This time I got 2 shots.  He says the eyes, ears, nose, teeth, belly all look great.  He ask mom about my eating and pooping - hey I know how to handle that department buddy.  Mom says I'm regular eating machine.  He laughs and says I'll grow into my feet.  He says to come back in a month and then it will be time for the final series and my rabies.  OK can we go home and get something to eat now?

Play Date

 On Saturday, November 6th, our puppy trainer, (Roxann), came over to the house with her little puppy.  His name is Murdoch.  He's going to be a search and rescue dog when he grows up.  As you can see in this first photo, he is only half my size.  But Roxann says he will soon catch up with me.  He had so much energy.  We ran and rolled around the grass.  Roxann also brought another trainer with her, (Alexis).  They were going to help mom and dad show me the "correct" way for CCI puppies to play.

Also, Denise came over with her CCI puppy, Malmosa.  Malmosa is a month older than I am.  But mom says I am just as big as she is and I will probably be bigger than Malmosa - since I take after my dad.

Malmosa and I both ganged up on Murdoch.  On Saturday the girls ruled.  The puppy raisers and trainers spent most of the play date pulling us off Murdoch and spraying us with that nasty vinegar water.  Both Malmosa and I have to learn not to "mouth" when we play.  That apparently is a big no, no.

It was a fun afternoon, and we were three tired puppies at the end of the play date.  Mom and dad said they learned so much from just the short time that they spent with the trainers.  Guess that means I'm going to have to start being more well behaved.  But on the plus side, it also means I get another play date with Murdoch and Malmosa in a couple of weeks - YEAH.

1st Day at Puppy Class

 On November 3rd, I finally started my official puppy training class.  Boy am I ready to show them everything that mom and I have already learned.  I already know sit, down, let's go, kennel, and cuddle.  I'm going to graduate on the first night!!

As you can see some of these guys are big, suddenly I wasn't the B.D.O.C., (big dog on campus) anymore.  Look how still and patient they are!  I could never set that long and that still - could I ?  Nothing distracts these guys, not even kibbles, what's wrong with them, or is it that they've been very well trained over the last year.  Looks like they do a lot of laying around in class.

Suddenly our trainer, Roxann, decided it was time for the puppies to learn the "correct" way for play.  OH BOY - now you're talking right up my alley.  I know how to play.  The puppy raisers took our capes and gentle leaders off, then Roxanne threw out a big bucket of tennis balls into the middle of the room.  It was every dog for him/her self.  It was so much fun.  We were all jumping and grabbing tennis balls.  BUT - I learned quickly that "mouthing" other dogs is a CCI no,no.  And you quickly get sprayed in the mouth with vinegar water - yech.  But it was a lot of fun and very hard play, trying to keep up with all the big dogs is very hard work.  Can we do it again soon?

Then at the end of class everyone got to say goodbye to Flair.  She's a golden retriever who is being returned to CCI for "advance training" to be placed with her special needs partner.  Everyone wished Flair a happy journey and told her what a good dog she was.  Mom said in 15 months, when my turn comes everyone will do that for me, and there will be lots of tears of joy for me also.  Good Luck Flair, some lucky person will be very blessed with you in their life. 

Playing in the Backyard

2nd Trip to Vet

On Oct 22nd mom had to leave for some place called Georgia for business, and she would be back Monday night.  She said that dad would be in charge of the house and everyone.  You know what that means for Rowdy and I ?  
PAR-TEE !!   With dad in charge we can run around the backyard, roll around, have a great time.  No more practicing our lessons and commands, no more daily baths.  PAR-TEE, PAR-TEE, PAR-TEE.

Boy was I wrong !!  Up early on Friday and off to dad's office, only he doesn't have an office with a door like mom.  He has a cubicle and he put a fence up to keep me pinned inside.  Imagine that !!  Everyone was nice.  All the guys stopped by the cubicle looked me over, patted my head and said I was a good looking dog.  They don't hug me and kiss me like the girls at mom's office.  Dad took me out for nice long walks around the office buildings, I liked that.  Then on Saturday morning I had my 2nd  visit to the vet.  I thought OK - I remember this place.  Yea, that mean cat is still in the cage.  Someone needs to adopt that guy and get him out of here.  His problem is that he hasn't had a nice loving home for a long time and he's forgotten what life on the outside is like.  The other cats are still roaming around the place like they own it.  That reminds me - I still have not seen that cat in our house, (note to self, gotta' remember to find that cat that everyone keeps talking about - I keep catching the scent of her every so often).

So this time the vet weight me again.  Now I'm up to 21 lbs.  I've gained 7 lbs in 2 weeks.  He's said my ears, eyes, lungs, belly, EVERYTHING is doing great.  Dad said my eating is VERY good.  Of course it's good, that's my favorite thing to do!!!  And I do it 3 times a day, (dummy).!!  Then the vet gave me something called a vaccination shot.  But, he was tricky, he gave me a broken up little treat to distract my attention and I didn't know what was going on till it was over.  (He also knows that I love to eat.)   Now can we go home and play in the backyard some more??   At least the girls in the vet's office are all gushy over me and telling me what sweetie I am and how cute I am and they hug me.  I go back in 3 weeks for another round with the vet and his cats.   Now can we go home and play??
 

My Stay with the CCI Puppy Sitter

Well, I only had 5 days to get settled in with mom and dad, when dad had to go to some place called Sweden on something called a business trip and mom said she had to go along.  They said that required me to go live with someone new called a puppy sitter.  Mom promised me that she would be specially trained for my needs and would take good care of me, but I was pretty worried about who would take care of mom and dad.  On Monday evening and lovely lady name Kirsten showed up at mom's work place to gather me and my belongings.  Mom gave me all kinds of hugs and kisses, told me to be a good girl, said she would miss me and for me not to forget her.  She packed lots of toys, food and things with her smells for me.  I know I saw a couple of tears in her eyes, but I was brave and just licked her hands and said "don't worry mom - I'll be OK, have a good time and I'll see you in 6 days." 

 

After a couple of days with Kirsten, I decided to put mom and dad's fears about how things were going with us to rest - so I sent her this email below.  Mom said it made her so happy to know that I was doing well and she relaxed know I was getting along well.

 

Hey guys!

I just went on a walk downtown. It was fun, but EVERYTHING there smells so weird. I waited until I saw the grass to hurry, and got a pretty decent pile. I'm a good girl! This keyboard is interesting. I just climbed up on it and erased everything this girl wrote. She had to put me in my crate so she could start over. Her hair tastes great. I will chew at it any chance I get. Same goes for the heels of her jeans. They taste like denim, and who doesn't love the taste of denim?

I miss you guys. I can certainly tell you're not around. Because I miss you so much, I am going to try to email you as much as I can. There sure are a lot of flashing cameras around here. Am I a famous dog or something? It feels like paparazzi. There are some pictures attached. You can't go wrong with these. 
Kirsten cuddles me a lot, I think she had a rough day. Tonight her phone rang and something made her cry. It sounds like her family just lost a young, close friend in a very sad way. What if I had not been here when that happened? She would be alone and sad. I'm so glad I could be of help, it felt good. I think I want to help people when I grow up...there's an idea!

Time to eat, and help Kirsten with laundry. She has absolutely nothing to wear.

Love, 

Balsa

 

I was so glad when mom and dad came home - I showered mom with kisses all over her face.  Mom was worried that I had forgotten her, but I didn't.  And she couldn't believe how much I bigger I had gotten while she was gone.  I am so glad they're home.  I liked Kirsten, but I like being home better, and I like going to work with mom much better.

The Time Out Pin

Why is it that every time mom says SHE needs a time out for a break / to do things around the house / fix dinner / etc. -  I end up in THE TIME OUT PIN ??

 

If SHE needs the time out, why doesn't SHE get in the time out pin and try it?

 

Just asking.