I'm still learning...

We’ve been here in this strange new place with no grass and hotter ‘n hades for over a week now.  Mom & Dad had been leaving me in my cage when they left.  Then Dad said, “I’m going to give you your freedom in the master bedroom.  But freedom comes with responsibility, Guinness.”  I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I think it meant I should not have eaten the bathroom rug.  Because the next time they left, I was back in the cage.

 

 

Mom & Dad decided I should try Doggie Day Care at a place called “Always Unleashed”.  It was great.  They had a swimming pool and a “Hounds Lounge”  and I got a report card that said I could come back.  I really liked the swimming pool and met lots of fun guys and gals.  But OH, I was beat!!

 

This is me, 10 minutes after we got home:

 

 

Dad thought I was gone for good.  But it wasn’t long before Guinness the Tree Carrier was back!

 

 

And it was on that trip, that I discovered REAL GRASS.  They actually have real green grass here.  Oh, what heaven.  I might never leave. 

Anyway, I guess that’s all for this week.  I’ll let you know how things go.  Mom and Dad have been pretty busy and have only played golf twice.  But I think they’re having a good time out here. 

Talk to you later.  Hope all is well with you.

Guinness.

Kidnapped to Scottsdale, Arizona!

I was happy in St. Louis.  Going to the Dog Park, taking lots of walks, watching the world go by from my window upstairs.  Mom & Dad said I was "watching TV" when I sat and watched everything that went on in Clayton.  I could sit there for hours.

 

But then one day, in the middle of the night (OK it was 7:00 in the morning), I was spirited away in the back seat of the car.  I told them they missed the turn for the Dog Park, but they kept driving for hours and hours with me in the back seat.  I WAS NOT HAPPY!!

 

 

After 12 hours of this torture, they stopped at a Mexican place called LaQuinta.  Then they expected me to watch tennis after all that travel and tension.  The US Open Tennis was on, they said.  They must be crazy.  I was pooped!

 

 

The next day, we arrived at a strange house.  And you wouldn’t believe the back yard.  They call this stuff grass!  And they say the plants bite.  I don’t know.  I’m not getting close.

 

Last night we were holed up in the house because of the Monsoons.  Mom tried to coax me out, but I wouldn’t come.  Not shittin.  Not poopin.  Not goin.  No way!

 

 

But last night, I went outside with Mom and it was really pretty.  Maybe we can stay for a while longer.

 

 Love,  Guinness.

 

My famous brothers and me!

There is something you should know about me before we go much farther.  I was not the first puppy in my family.  In fact, there were two Chocolate Labrador puppies before I came along.

Mom has pictures of the puppies on her desk.  I asked her about them.  (I was afraid she might like them better than me because they are what they call Pure Breds and I'm just a stray.

I mean, get a look at this one picture.  This is my older brother, Hercules.  Isn't he sweet?

He stayed with my mom and dad for 14 years.  Then when he went away, they adopted Caesar Rodney.  This is Caesar Rodney.



Caesar Rodney stayed with them for 15 1/2 years.  I asked Mom if she loved them best because they were Pure Breds.  But she said, no.  That each of us have our own personality and she loves each of us for being who we are.  She said Hercules was the Serious One.  He was quiet and good and loved Dad best.  Caesar Rodney was the Mischievous One.  He was always in trouble and they called him "Caesar, No!" most of the time.  (I think I would like him best.)  Caesar loved Mom best.  Mom says that I am the Funny One because I can make her and Aunt Debbie and lots of people laugh.  I like to make her laugh.  But I don't think I can tell if I like her or dad best.  I like them both the same!

Did you know that all three of us are famous?  Hercules had his picture published in Dog World in 1974.  Caesar Rodney won third place in the Fox Photo contest in 1988 and his picture was published in Dog Fancy.  Me?  I won third place in the St. Louis Post Dispatch 6th Annual Cutest Pet Contest and my picture was in the Post.  Here it is:

 



See my picture on the bottom?  Why didn't I get first prize?  I'm pretty cute there.  But anyway, it makes me happy to know that me and my brothers are all famous! 

I should go now.  I've bragged enough about my siblings and me.  Next time, I'll tell you about my new adventures in a new world!

Love,

Guinness

Life in St. Louis...

I'm back now, and I'm going to tell you just a little about my life in St. Louis.  Mostly I slept in my cage while Mom & Dad worked.  But Mom always came home at lunch time and we had lunch together and then went for a walk.  I took Mom & Dad on lots of walks. 

One day, I remember, I got pretty confused.  We came back from a walk and I thought Mom had already gone into the condo and left me outside.  See, I was worried:

 

 

I was surprised (and embarrassed) to find her behind me.  My face turned red!  (Not really.  My face can't turn red.)  She promised she would never leave out all by myself.

 

 

When we walked, I sometimes sit and watch people walk by.  They would be so happy to see that I was interested in them.  People need to feel important too, just like dogs.  So I would sit very tall (well, as tall as I could being just a puppy) and stare until they would laugh and call me the cutest dog they had ever seen.  I didn't believe them, but it made us all feel good.  This is me sitting pretty when I was little.  I shouldn't have stuck out my tongue, but I was trying to make Mom laugh.  It worked.

 

 And sometimes when we walk, I just like to sit in the grass.  Grass is great.  It's cool and soft and sometimes good to eat.  I call this picture, "Pooped Puppy in the Grass."  Then we would come back to the house and all I could do was collapse in my cage.  Life is good: I'll be back next week -- after my nap!  

Love, G

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

How it began...

 

I am a Rescue Dog.  Stray Rescue, actually.  I was found in a basement with my brothers and sisters when we were only a few days old.  We were very lucky.  I was brought to a Foster Home where there were other dogs and a very nice family.  In fact there were even some two legged puppies who liked playing with me.  It was nice.

But one day they took me to a Whole Foods Grocery Store with a really busy parking lot.  I hid under a chair and went to sleep.  I wasn't getting in the way of all those people and feet.

Suddenly, I was picked up by a woman who started cooing at me and cuddling me.  Whew!  I didn't know what she wanted, but it felt nice.  Then a big man arrived and held his arms out for me.  Well, he looked very nice, so I jumped right in.  I think he really liked me too.  After awhile, they went away, but they promised they would see me again.  Why would they see me again?  It didn't make sense.  But I really hoped they would.  I gave them both a big sloppy kiss before they left. 

And three days later I knew.  My Foster Mom and my favorite two legged puppy put me in the car and drove and drove and drove.  We finally got out in a strange place.  And there was the woman and the big man.  I knew then that I was going to stay with them.  Don't know why I knew that, but I did.

I was still pretty little then. This is me.  I wasn't much bigger than Dad's foot.

  

My new parents gave me lots of toys.  And so did their friends.  Mostly I ate all of them.  Including the mat I'm lying on and that cute fluffy bunny rabbit. 

 

        

You should see what I did to

Aunt Debbie's Kong Toy. 

 

 

 

 

 

Next week I'll tell you about my life in St. Louis.  And introduce you to some of my friends.  So stay tuned!

 

Love, G