Friday Fun Days!

Tomorrow's Friday! That means I get to go play with my friends Buddy and Rudder! I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow!!!

Usually Buddy and Rudder and I have class together with our moms and Miss Lindsey on Saturday mornings, but sometimes we get to just play and run and go for walks. Last time we had a Friday Funday we went to Miss Lindsey's house and then we walked down to the creek at her house and played in the water. I guess Miss Lindsey didn't know I don't like to swim. (I still have to tell you about when they tried to drown me in the swimming pool!) She kept throwing the balls out into the water. I tried to go get one, but that water got really deep! See?. . . 
Lucky for me and Buddy, Rudder likes to swim. We played a fun game! The people would throw a ball out in the water. Rudder would swim out to get it and bring it back. Then Buddy and I would chase him back and forth trying to get the ball away from him. Our people thought we should let him return the ball so they could throw it again. We liked our game better! All they were going to do was throw it back in the deep water again.





If you want to see how much fun we had, you can watch our movie.   
After playing in the creek, we all went back to Miss Lindsey's and got baths. :-( I sure hope we don't have to take a bath tomorrow. Mom just gave me a bath this afternoon! (I tried to hide behind James, and behind the sofa, and in my crate, but she kept finding me. After all that, I was really good and got in the tub ALL BY MYSELF!)
I'll tell you what we do tomorrow. And after Funday, we're going to Grandpa's and I'll get to play with Jessica and Uncle Glenn is going to bring Daisy to play with me!!! This is going to be a great weekend!

SHE LEFT ME!!!

I don't understand, and I don't like it!!! I'm her partner! Why does Mom keep leaving me at home? How can I keep her safe if she doesn't take me with her?!?
Last week, we were at the dog park and she got a phone call, and the next thing I knew we were back home and Mom was walking out the door without me. She didn't get home until WAY after bedtime, and made lots of noise that I didn't understand, after I'd already been dealing with the super loud storm. That time she brought Dinky home for a visit.

Today she tricked me into going into my crate, and then had Miriam come lay down in her bed. Like she thought that was going to make things better. Mom and I are PARTNERS! We're supposed to be TOGETHER! What doesn't she understand about this? Is the concept so difficult to understand? I am HER dog! She is MY person! She takes me interesting places. I keep her safe. Nowhere in that contract does it say anything about leaving me home, in my crate or out of it! Next time I'm going with her! I CAN help her at the doctor's! I did it before! She told me I was wonderful last week! Why didn't she take me today? I CAN lay still and quiet wherever I need to! I'll prove it to her next week in class! (I hope there aren't any hissing cats in that classroom!)

Monsters at the Dentist Office

Yesterday I took Mom to the dentist's office to get her teeth cleaned. If she'd just eat crunchy kibble like I do, she wouldn't have to have them stick all those things in her mouth. We brush my teeth with yummy toothpaste stuff. Maybe that would work better for her than the yucky mint stuff she uses?
Anyway, I was telling you about our trip to her dentist. . . They have a really shiny elevator. I'm getting really good at riding in elevators! Do you remember when I used to be scared of the big elevator at Target? That was a long time ago, like May, I think Mom called it. I'm so good at elevators now! I even showed my friend Buddy how to ride in the elevator with the glass wall! He wasn't scared at all because I was there with him. (So was his partner Jamie, that helped too.)
I didn't sniff in the elevator or the hallways or even when we got back to the little room with the big chair. I really wanted to inspect that room and make sure it was safe for Mom. There were all sorts of funny smells in there. I wasn't sure about all that, but Mom told me to lie down by the window. I tried to tell her I needed to inspect things, but she insisted so I lay down.
She climbed on that big chair, and then the stranger lady wrapped something strange on Mom's arm. Mom wouldn't let me check it out for her and told me to lay back down. Then I heard a MONSTER! I TOLD HER I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS SAFE!!! I jumped up to find that monster, but Mom didn't follow me, so I stopped right beside her chair. Only the chair was higher than it had been. Mom took me back to my spot and then climbed back on that chair. I couldn't see her until she hung her feet over the sides of the chair. I was much happier with that. I was really good the whole time that strange lady kept sticking things in her mouth and making scratching sounds and then the sucking machine made noise and more scratching and whirring and sometimes the lady turned the chair, right over my head. It was hard to stay still for that, but I was good and did what Mom told me to do.
I could lay still when the chair turned, but how's a dog supposed to lay still when there's a MONSTER growling between him and his mom? Mom got back up and told me everything was okay. Finally I understood what she was saying about the chair making that noise, and when the dentist man made the chair move, I stayed down and just looked at Mom. She told me it was okay. I guess I believe her about this, too.
I sure hope we don't have to go to the dentist very often!

Dinky came to visit!!!

I don't know quite what's going on here, but my friend and dog-cousin Dinky came to spend the night! Or actually four nights! I've had someone to play with EVERY day! Dinky LIKES to wrestle and run, so we've had lots of fun! I shared my toys, because Mom thinks I would eat his tiny little toys. I wouldn't, but that's okay. I have socks and Tug and a rope to share.

I do NOT like sharing my food, but Dinky learned that my Kong is MINE and he can eat out of his bowl. I did share my treats when we were both practicing our manners. I like racing Dinky to Sit, but he has an unfair advantage on the Downs- he's already most of the way there! 
Dinky barks alot! I guess it's like when I got here and everything was new and I didn't want to miss something I was supposed to alert Mom to, so I let her know whenever something new happened. It's hard for Dinky sometimes. . . his pack is gone and then my Liza was taking care of him, but she had to go to the hospital, so Mom brought him here in the middle of the night. I would have been confused also.
He was lucky to have me here to play with him in the morning, so he was distracted from missing A and E. I would be missing them also. They are fun people, and E is the Treat Master! He ALWAYS has something yummy in his pocket to share with me! Mom says they will bring us another friend when they come home. Her name is Mindy, and she's a service doodle just like me- only smaller!

Note from Kit T. Kat: Snuffie left the computer so it's my turn! I don't know what's going on here, but I've had enough! I spend months getting the big orange beast whipped into shape. I start to relax, turn my back, and the next thing I know, there's ANOTHER DOG in MY house! I'm packing my bags! Who wants to host a wonderful, intelligent, feline princess? No need to apply if your house is infested with dogs!

100 Places-or more!

Mom just counted all the places I've taken care of her. . . and it's 102! And I've only been here 93 days- we've been busy! I've kept her safe in three hospitals and at Granny's house (an assisted living facility with LOTS of ladies who wanted to pet me!), three parks, three forest trails, four cars, eleven restaurants, lots of friends' houses and stores, all over her university and Miriam's college, and through lots of other adventures. (Gee, that's lots of "lots"!)
I really like to go places with Mom! I know we're going for an adventure when Mom holds my vest and helps me get dressed. I used to get distracted very easily, and be so excited to see everything and meet all the new people who were looking at me. Once (or maybe twice?) I even pulled Mom over when she was talking to a clerk. That was NOT a good thing.
I'm learning. Now I Walk Close to Mom, so she can reach the handle on my harness if her legs feel funny, and I Lean when she stops. I remember that I'm only supposed to sniff things when we're out playing, not when I'm wearing my vest (at least most of the time). It's easier to stay focused on Mom in places we've been before, but Mom says I'm doing better all the time, even in new places. She smiles really big when she tells me I'm wonderful!

This is me, wearing my vest and seatbelt. (I got an extra trip to the park! Mom made me get dressed so we could take the picture. I figured that if I had to wake up from my nap and get in the car, I got to go someplace fun.)

67 Pounds!

Mary here- Snuffie came with me to Kit T. Kat's vet appointment and got on the scale. 67 pounds! Almost two pounds in basically three weeks- a bit fast, maybe? He looks good. His vet is pleased. We're aiming for 70, and then reviewing his status at that point.
For those of you who've joined us after the first post, I summarize. Snuffie had been on the streets alone for an unknown period of time when he was rescued. His long hair was matted and he was quite a bit underweight. His initial vet appointment here had him at 63 pounds, but then he got a haircut and had a bit of digestive upset and his baseline weight was considered to be about 60 pounds, with a goal of putting ten pounds of muscle onto his very bony frame.
I'm sure Snuffie would be willing to eat more, but I'm working to keep his weight healthy- with a good balance of muscle and fat. We try to keep service dogs on the lean side because extra fat adds to the strain on their joints. I'm thrilled at the definition of his developing muscles in his legs and back!

I LOVE HIKING!

I found my new favorite thing. . . HIKING!
Liza went hiking every morning we were at Grandpa's house. Thursday she picked an easy hike so I could take Mom with her and Jessica and Aunt Melissa could come with us. We went to see Mill Creek Falls, but we never found the waterfall. It was wonderful! We drove way back into the mountains, and I walked with Mom so well that she thought I could walk without the leash. (I've been practicing on the really long leash and in the dog park and in Maverick's yard. I'm really good about coming to check on her when she calls me!) That was wonderful!!! I could run and sniff and jump and not worry about pulling Mom over. I was SOOO happy! The bridge wasn't too bad even though I could see the stream under us. That made me nervous, but I was there to help Mom, so I was brave.

Then we got to a dam- someone built a wall across the stream! Silly people!

But I could run on the wall and get a drink and splash a little bit, but I didn't like it when my foot missed the wall and my leg got wet. 

I followed Liza down the rocks to the stream below the wall- but I didn't go in the water- at least not too much. Feet don't count, do they?

Then we went further up the trail and climbed over some more rocks. I had a hard time keeping track of my pack. Liza walks really fast. Mom and Jessica and Aunt Melissa walk very slowly. I have to be really tired to want to walk that slowly. But I had fun running up to check on Liza and then running back to get love (and sometimes cheese!) from Mom. I could run really really really fast on that trail. I had to slow down because I scared Jessica when I ran so fast. Sometimes I forgot to slow down :-( I'm glad Jessica loves me anyway. I try to be good! (Photo credits for the first four photos: Eliza Hokanson)

We took pictures all together, but Melissa says Mother Nature (whoever that is- I want to meet her too! Do you think she'll love me?) was warning us. (Photo credit: Melissa Kniskern) She made lots of thunder while we were picking up the cans from someone else's party and taking our pictures. It was really fun! because it started raining when we were walking back to the car so all my pack started squealing and running and jumping and being happy and I got to run and jump with them! I was in the front when I saw a little dog in his yard on the way to the car. I wanted to stop and play, but Mom told me to Find the Car. Silly Mom- it was right there. She could see it. But I couldn't stop and play when I was finding the car for her. Everyone was laughing and dripping wet when we got in the car. It was fun! (Mom took this one.)