TURN IN PACKET

Look what mom got in the mail !!  A packet from CCI !  And it had all my paperwork for turn in for my professional advanced training in February.  It's official !  I have been accepted into CCI college.  Mom has alot of papers to fill out, I have to get a complete check up from the vet and all my original vet files, and lots of other forms that mom has to have filled out and back to CCI not later than February 8th.  Boy is she going to be busy getting me ready. 

I went to the vet on December 27th, for my annual shots, annual checkup, and monthly weigh in.  I now weigh 77.8 lbs.  The vet said that for a "pet", I was a good weight, but for a service dog I need to lose a few pounds before turn in date.  So he told mom to cut my food portions by 1/4th.  Can you imagine THAT !!  1/4 LESS FOOD !!   Boy am I ever hungry, ALL THE TIME.  I went from 4 cups of food to 3 cups of food per day.  Did I mention that I am HUNGRY !!  But I must admit I am already starting to look very slim already.  Those boy dogs at college will be wolf whistling at me when I walk by, (what ever that means - that what mom says).  By the way - did I tell you that I am always HUNGRY !!  Mom told dad that if they cut their food by 1/4 they would be hungry all the time also.   Boy, the things a dog has to do for the betterment of mankind.

Well, our household is now counting down the days.  We are driving to California and mom sometimes gets a little teary eyed about the upcoming turn in.  I just look her in the eyes for a few moments and then when she least suspects it - I give her a quick lick.  I know I'm not supposed to lick, but I can't help myself.

Until next post, wag those tails, watch where you step, and don't lick! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS - 2011

I just want to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.  And remind you to keep those tails wagging, (and don't lick - that's what mom always says to me !).   Anyways until next post, hope your holidays are merry and bright. 

SNOW DAY !!

 On Saturday, (Nov 19th), WE GOT SNOW !!.  Oh how I have missed this stuff.  It seems like forever since I've been able to roll in this glorious stuff.  I LOVE SNOW.  I love to run in the snow.  I love to make tunnels in the snow.  I love to chase my ball in the snow.  I just love, love, love the snow!!!

Even though we only got a little bit, it still felt good when dad opened up the back door and let me run loose in the back yard.  Then after I rolled around in this glorious stuff for a while, he threw my yellow ball and told me to go find the ball, I thought "YES".

One time, dad threw the ball and I had to do some real good digging to find it - but I didn't come up empty handed.  I always return with the ball!!

Mom and dad always get a good laugh and my white beard whenever I am done playing outside.  One of the best things about playing outside is the good rub down with the warm towel.  Oh, it just feels so good on my body to get rubbed all over with the towel, and mom gets between my toes real good to make sure I don't have any ice hidden away in my foot pads.  Then I get a little dog biscuit for being a good girl.  Snow Days are always the best.  Hope you've been enjoying your snow days as much as I have mine.  Until next post, keep wagging those tails high in the air.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

THE LETTER CAME !!

Mom and dad got my matriculation letter !!  I go back to CCI in California for my advanced training, (aka - puppy college), on Friday, February 17th.  Mom had a few tears, dad gave her a hug and said it would be OK.  Mom had a long heart to heart talk with me and told me that I only have 5 1/2 months to get my act "together" and that we have to start acting like we know what we're doing, or I'm going to flunk out of college real fast.  She reminded me that I need a college education to make it in the real world.  My trainer reminder her that there were other options for me, (like; search and rescue / companion training / hearing training / facility training / drug sniffing).  The trainer said there's nothing wrong with being a "change of career" dog.  But mom said not to listen to them.  I need to do my best and graduate as a CCI service dog.  So - I guess I need to buckle down and try a little harder.  No more lease pulling, no more picking up objects when we go for walks, less distractions and more focus.  Boy it's gonna' be tough, but I think I can do it.  Keeping my paw pads crossed.  Until next post, keep those tails poised high.

ONE YEAR OLD

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".    

Next, it's time for mom to clean my ears and then brush my teeth, (I especially love this part).  The toothpaste taste so yummy that I sometimes lick it off the brush before mom can get it on my teeth and then she has to put more on the tooth brush.
 
Of course, every CCI puppy goes through this each week, so we are all used to being handled and groomed without resisting.  We actually love it!   

Then mom put on my birthday necklace, my birthday hat, and gave me a birthday horn.  She said that it was time for me to "toot my own horn for a change".  Here's a photo of me celebrating my moment.

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.   

WINK'S 2 WEEK VISIT

 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.