On August 10th, I turned 1 year old. Mom says I am no longer a puppy, but now I am a dog - but deep in her heart I will always be her little puppy girl. I still weigh 75 lbs. So what happens when a CCI puppy turns 1 year old ? Well it is pretty much like any other day for us. Here are some photos.
Can you think of anything better than having your coat brushed by mom, followed by a luxurious pedicure by dad. I love to doze off across dad's legs while he does my nails. Mom always wants to paint them, but dad says "no, they are to dark and no one will see the paint". 
Finally I couldn't believe it, mom brought out my gift ! A new red fleece teddy bear. She got me a new baby. It is the bestest gift ever! Until the next post, happy tails to all. 
My half sister, Wink, came to stay with us for 2 weeks last month, (July 18 - Aug 2), while her mom went home to Idaho to visit family. It was so much fun around our house!! Wink and I got to run around the back yard, roll around the grass, chase balls, dad would throw bones and balls for us to chase and bring back to him, (sometimes).
Most times our most favorite game was - "you have my toy and I want it NOW", or "keep away" .
Yea you know what those games are. We also invented new games on our own, like run at top speed, then dive under the coffee table on our stomach with all four paws straight out to our sides and slide out the other side, we called that the "slip and slider". Sometimes the one in the back would go fast enough to PUSH the one in the front through the other side of the coffee table.
Sometimes Roudy would try to join us in play, but we were always to rough and wore her out to quickly. Mom said she was too old to be playing that way with us young kids. Roudy always needed to lay down and nap a lot during the day while we played. She's 11 years old.
Sometimes when we got a little too out of hand, mom would say "OK, kennel". And we would both jump into one kennel together. If we were lucky she would let us stay in the one kennel together. One time, we got a little too rough in the kennel and the side popped off. We just stood there. We knew not to leave the kennel or mom would be mad, but she wasn't, she just put the side back on and then put me back into my own kennel by myself.
Mom and dad said taking walks with two dogs and one person was a real challenge, since we always seemed to want to get tangled up. I'm a right side walker and Wink is a left side walker, unless we start sniffing. What's the problem??
Wink said the best part about our house was Sunday evenings. And I agree. Because that's when we get Frosty Paws. Frosty Paws are a doggy version of ice cream cups - YUMMY. At first Wink wasn't so sure how to eat hers. But Roudy and I were wolfing ours down and she caught on real fast that this is "good stuff", then she couldn't wait until the next Sunday for Frosty Paws night. It was a sad day when mom had to pack up all of Winks stuff so she could go home to her mom. Our house was so quiet without that little puppy around. Wink is only 8 months old and I hope I taught her a few good things to get her through life. I love my little half-sister.
Until the next post, remember to hold those tails high and proud.
Mom's new boss is in the office this week and today everyone got together for a luncheon in the conference room. Her new boss had a special announcement to make. Every year mom's work place gives out special cash awards to charitable organizations that provide worthy and notable contributions to society. Mom filled out the reams of paperwork last April and today, Mom's new boss announced that my mom WON a $10,000 award for CCI. Mom was so excited that she jumped out of her chair hugged a couple of the guys and started crying and jumping for joy. She is so excited for Canine Companions for Independence. She knows that there is so much good work they can do with this award. The check for CCI will be coming to mom in a couple of days and then mom will be allowed to tell CCI and make the presentation. So, we can't tell anyone at CCI just yet that they have this money coming. It's a surprise - shh. But I had to tell all my friends how excited my mom was. And all the guys at mom's work were so glad for her and me that she won this award for CCI. Watch for photos of the presentation of the check, and keep those tails wagging.
Last week our CCI puppy class went to Liberty Park. Our trainer want to see how we reacted to the ducks, (yawn, better things to do than look at ducks), the kids playing in water, (now that's neat !), the water fountains, (pretty interesting), the birds, (ho, hum - got one at home), and other distractions. It was a beautiful day and after a couple of hours our tails and tongues were dragging. A couple of people stopped us and asked questions about CCI and got literature. Who knows, maybe we might get future puppy raisers, and be able to help someone who needs a CCI dog to help a handicap person. It was a very good outting. Here are some photos, enjoy - see you next posting. 
Keep those tails wagging.
Two weeks ago during the evening hours, our CCI puppy class went to the downtown Gateway Shopping Center. Our trainer wanted to see how we reacted to new types of distraction. It was GREAT. We got to stand on the rocks, watch the horse and carriages, and ride the elevators.
We watched the kids play in the water fountains, climbed stairs. Everywhere we went people wanted us to stop so they could pet us, but our moms and dads told them that we were working right now and maybe later.
Here's a picture of me and my mom taking a break by one of the waterfalls. I just love sitting here on the cool rock watching everything going on around us. Mom likes to "people watch" too. It was a fun outing. And I didn't get to distracted - well not much!
Here's a picture of me, mom and dad. We were on the 2nd level by the restaurants. It was pretty hard for dad to resist the good smells coming out of the restaurants - (jk dad). Until next post, keep those tails wagging.
This year mom and dad went on a long, long, very long vacation WITHOUT me!! They made arrangements for me to stay with Lindsay and her husband. At first I was very excited, because I thought that I would get to play all day with Daya, (another CCI puppy). But then mom explained to me that Daya had gone off to advanced training at CCI in California. But, on the bright side for the very first time ever, I was going to be an only puppy and get all the one-on-one attention.
I thought Oh Boy, this is going to be my vacation also. Man was I every wrong. When I got to Lindsay's house the first thing I did was run through the house, up and down the stairs. Right away I learned real fast that Lindsay knew all the CCI rules and the same rules that apply at home also apply at Lindsay's. BUMMER. But it was real nice at Lindsay's. She did let me into the bedroom - which is something mom and dad never do.
I also got to have 2 Saturday play dates with other CCI puppies, we went to the grocery store, and everyday Lindsay took to work with her at the beauty salon where all the women would pet me and say that I was such a good girl and that I had such a pretty coat. I was pretty much a good girl, once I learned that I still had to obey the rules. But I missed mom and dad, and I know that they missed me. 2 weeks is such a long time to leave me. These are the photos that Lindsay took and emailed to mom and dad while they were on their cruise. Until next post - see ya'.
For those who ever wonder what it's like for a 70 pound CCI puppy to get a bath - here's a look.. Dad just couldn't resist taking these photos of me completely undressed and sitting in the tub. I only hope that my friends and siblings don't get a hold of these.
Please mom - be careful back there. NO DAD - don't take a photo of me getting my rump washed. OH gosh, is there no dignity left for me?
Now it's time to get towel dried. I could do this a lot faster if she would just let me stand up and shake it all off, (right in their faces too, I might add - a good way to get back at them for these photos).
Now Dad's going to use the warm blower on me. My but that does feel good. We need one of these at home. Mom and Dad like taking me to this place called Laundermutts. It's a self service dog washing company. They say it's reasonable priced and they don't have to bend over to reach the tub. The guys who run the joint are real nice also. OK, I'm all clean and smell real good again. Time to go. Now you see some of what I have to put up with on a regular basis. All part of being a CCI puppy. See you next posting.
Can you think of anything better than having your coat brushed by mom, followed by a luxurious pedicure by dad. I love to doze off across dad's legs while he does my nails. Mom always wants to paint them, but dad says "no, they are to dark and no one will see the paint". 
