Youngsters are getting Bigger, too!

We went for a long walk yesterday.  I didn't really want to go.  I did my usual STRIKE in the courtyard.  That's where I put my feet down and won't go forward no matter what mom does.  But she tried something new.  She said, "Guinness, we're walking to the Dog Park.  Now do you want to come with me?"

What, I thought.  Walking to the Dog Park?  Normally we drive.  Is this a trick?  I wasn't sure, but I decided I should give it a chance.  I could always go on strike if we went the wrong way.  So I agreed and ran out the courtyard.

When we got to the library stairs, I went on STRIKE again.  I just wanted to be sure.  But Mom said, "Guinness, did you forget?  We are going to the Dog Park."  So I gave in and went on.

Well, we DID go to the Dog Park!  And guess what?  There were dogs there!  And one of those dogs was a puppy Marmaduke.  I didn't even know Marmaduke could ever be a puppy.  And this puppy was bigger than me.  And he's only 8 months old.  Look at him!

He runs funny.  His human says he only runs in a straight line.  He doesn't do turns.  And he looks like a pony when he runs.  But I liked him.  And we had a lot of fun.  I was tired and had to rest before we made the long walk home.

I guess I can trust Mom if she says we are going to the Dog Park.

I really do like to walk.  I don't know why sometimes I just decide not to.  I probably need a Doggie Shrink.  Dad thinks maybe I do. 

Hope you have nice walks and go fun places like I do.

Love, G

My Auntie Debbie

I had a visit from my Auntie Debbie (the lawyer not the dentist).  My mom has a lot of friends who are real smart and do real hard jobs, like both of my Auntie Debs.  And this Auntie comes to visit just me!  And I really like that.  Mom thinks she comes to see her, but I know better.  She just pretends to visit my mom.  I start barking as soon as I hear her at the door, 'cuz I want her to know that I am really glad she has come to see me.

The last time she came, I let her sit on my couch with me.  We wrestled and played.  I was real careful not to hurt her.  Mom tells me I have to be careful because I'm stronger than I think I am.  And I think I'm pretty strong, so that means I could probably push Auntie Debbie off the couch without even trying.  I don't think I want to do that.  Auntie Debbie might not come and see me again if did.  Mom took a picture of us.  I behaved myself for the picture.  I know how to pose for pictures.   I SHOULD.  As many pictures as mom has taken of me and I have to pose!

I hope my Auntie Debbie comes back again soon.   Actually, I hope all my Aunties come to see me.  I really like all my Aunties.  Auntie Deb the Dentist and my Auntie Annie in South Carolina who takes care of rescues like me.  And Auntie Kelley who takes care of me sometimes.  And Auntie Jan who takes care of me in Arizona.  I have lots and lots of Aunties.  Everyone needs lots and lots of fun aunties.

I hope you all have your favorite aunties, too.

Love G

I learned to shake!

Mom and I went to work Monday morning.  I had double duty but I didn't know it till we got there.  Then once I had made the rounds saying hello to all my friends, she made an announcement.

"We are going to teach Guinness to shake his paw today!"  What?  That was the first I had heard of this.  I guess Mom didn't bring funny pictures like the last time.  Instead, I get to be the funny picture.

So sure enough, we tried.  She made me sit.  Which I do very well, thank you!  Then she said "Shake", and she stuck her hand out.  I saw she had treats in her other hand.  I had to think.  What could I do to get her to give me a treat?  So I went all the way down on my belly! Everybody laughed.  And Mom said, "No, Guinness, not Down.  Shake!"  I just looked at her.  What's this "Shake" thing?  I'll do whatever.  Just give me one of those treats.

So we started over.  About 6 times.  She kept grabbing my right paw.  Then she would say, "Yes, Shake" and give me a treat.  Finally a light clicked on in my head.  I lifted my right paw.  Boom!  I got a treat.  I did it again.  I got another treat.  They were ALL laughing now.  I didn't care.  I had figured out how to get those treats. 

Finally we took a break.  I went around and got petted by my friends.  Jill, the girl with Down Syndrome was there.  I kissed her on the cheek.  It was a good thing to do, 'cuz it made her really happy.  She told everyone that I had kissed her on the cheek.  So I did it again.

There was another gal there who stays all by herself.  She was there the last time too, but she seems to like to sit in a corner where no one else is.  I went over to her and she was a little timid with me.  But I licked her hand and she petted my head.  Then she stayed quiet again, so I went back to the table of ladies.  While I was there the lonely girl walked by.  One of the ladies said maybe the lonely girl was afraid of me.  I didn't think so.  I went back over to her and do you know what she did?  She had a BIG doggie treat hidden in her pocket and she dropped it right in front of me and gave me a big smile.  She's not afraid of me.  She likes me a lot!

Then there was Nathan.  He always has a hard time eating his breakfast.  That's OK by me.  He spilled lots of milk on the floor.  I helped clean it up.  Nathan, you can spill your breakfast anytime you want. 

Mom made me do Shake a couple of times more and then we said our goodbyes and went home.  All in all, it was a good time.  I haven't had so many treats in a long time.  Maybe ever!  It's nap time for this puppy.

Love, G.

Life with Aunt Kelley

Mom & Dad left me again.  They went to visit Dad's brother and some other relatives in someplace called Annapolis and Rehoboth Beach. 

My Aunt Kelley came and took care of me again.  We watched the news and I was worried 'cuz there was a Hurricane going near those places.  The Hurricane was called Hermine.  Kinda like the gal in Harry Potter that Mom used to read about.  That's a good book.  Or actually lots of books.  Uh, oh.  I'm supposed to be talking about the Hurricane.

Anyway, the Hurricane stopped.  So I didn't worry anymore.  But Kelley kept me busy 'cuz our weather was really good.  We took lots of long walks and I got rather tired.  We watched TV together, but I couldn't stay awake.

I'll have to get back to you next week.  Sleep well.  And don't let the hurricanes blow you over.

Love,  G

 

The Youngsters Seem Smarter These Days

 I've been meeting a lot of dogs in the neighborhood these days.  Seems like there are a lot of new neighbors moving in with their fur legged friends.  (Or did I mean four legged friends? Either way.....)  Just across the street there are two Labradors; a yellow and a chocolate.  I haven't met them yet, but it's not for lack of trying.  Whenever I see them, I take my "I AM SITTING HERE WAITING FOR YOU" position:

until they would see me and know that I was a very good dog and then come and visit me.  So far, not happenin'!

But I met this really cool youngster at the park.  I've heard on the news that young people these days expect things to be handed to them and won't go out and work for anything.  Not this little guy.  His name is Marco and he's just 9 months old. 

He's a rescue puppy like, me.  He looks like a lab, and he has a beautiful white spot on his chest, just like me.  He was adopted as a real little puppy, just like me.  But the gal who adopted him couldn't handle him and she brought him back.  That's just sad.  That's when his new Mom and Dad came and right away they took him home. 

When we met at the park, I knew he was going to be a real fun friend.  We ran and wrestled and then when I stopped to rest in the shade, he sat right in front of me and we talked until we went and played again.

And this is the best.  You know how much I like to play Keep Away and Tug o War with my Frizbee?  I didn't even have to show Marco how to do it.  He just knew!

Marco is a little small as far as labs go.  He's smaller than me.  I hope he grows just a little bigger so we can be the same size.  That would be RAD!

Love till next time,

G

Back to Work

So I did go back to work on Monday.  I saw a lot of my old friends and met some new ones.  Mom said I could wander around with my leash on so I stopped and said hello to each one (and got my head scratched!)

I especially tried to make friends with Nathan again.  He was having a hard time eating just like the first time I met him and I thought I could help.  But there was another lady there who was also trying to help him.  This lady was not an Aide or anything.  She was a client just like Nathan, only she was being a Good DooBee and taking care of Nathan just 'cuz he was a friend.  I'm going to be like that!  And take care of my friends just because I can!

I thought one man was sleeping.  He had one of those metal contraptions in front of his chair and his head was down.  I went over to check on his metal contraption and I nuzzled his hand to make sure he was OK.  He jumped a bit, but then he smiled a really big smile and patted my head.  He liked me, I could tell.

I asked Mom if we could bring something with us to share with the folks to make them smile.  So she and I went online and picked out some pictures about funny dogs.   Here is one of the pictures:

I could really identify with this guy!  If you want to look at more pictures, just click on this:  FunnyFidos.com . 

They all seemed to like the pictures, so I let them look while I explored the place a little more.  I did not know that they had birds in a cage.  I stood and stared at the cage, thinking they were just fake.  But they were flying around in the cage.  Weird!  Then there was a huge box with fishies swimming around.  Maybe that's where they get their lunch.  I never stay long enough for lunch so I wouldn't know.  But the fishies didn't look very big for a lunch.

After I explored some more, Jill, the gal with Down's Syndrome arrived.  I don't think she remembered me, but she liked me just as much as last time.  She giggled everytime I touched her hand, so I kept doing it.  She has a very nice giggle. 

Pretty soon, mom said we needed to go home.  I said goodbye to all and that I would see them all in two weeks.  They all smiled back at me.

When we got home, I helped Mom open the mail.  She got a birthday card from me!  Do you like it? 

Hee hee.  It wasn't really from me.  How would I mail a card?  It was from my Auntie Annie.  But doesn't it look like it should have been from me?

Have a great week.

Love, G.

Checking In

I know you've all been waiting to see how my job is going.  I wish I could tell  you.  But we've run into a few issues.

First, let me tell you.  I DID TRY to go to my job a couple of Mondays ago.  But Mom drove me to the parking lot.  (I still don't have my driver's license.)  What do you think we saw?  A big Ambulance and a police car in front of the door.  I wanted to go right in and see what was happening.  Mom said, no, we had to stay in the car while she called the 'ministrator.  (I think that's who she called.)  She said to the 'ministrator, "Guinness and I are in the parking lot, but it looks like you have some serious issues.  Would you like us to come back another time?" 

What?  Come back without finding out what was going on?  I saw one of my friends from last week get into the back of the Ambulance.  We couldn't just leave?  Could we?  But apparently we could.  'Cuz Mom just started the car and we headed home.  She said we would go back in three weeks; after she and Dad got back from Arizona?

Now that was the first I heard of her going to Arizona with Dad.  And I hadn't seen any clothes piling up in the back room where they put the stuff before we all go in the car to Arizona.  Uh, oh, I thought.  They're leaving me again.  And sure enough, two days later, they went away in the morning and that evening My Auntie Kelley came.

My Auntie Kelley stays with me lots.  Especially when Mom and Dad are gone for more than a few days.  She works at Mom's old bank, right up the street.  If I needed her, I could bark real loud and she would come to see me.  (I've never tried that, but I'm sure she would.  She's that kind of Auntie.)

I try to be good when Mom and Dad are gone, but sometimes it's hard.  Like when the mail man leaves the mail on the floor in the front hall.  Mom used to leave a sign on the door so the mail man would put the mail between the doors when I was younger.  I used to eat the mail a lot.  I don't do that so much anymore.  Not since I got old enough to drink wine. 

But today I was bored.  I went and read what the mail man had left.  There were three big white envelopes that said they were from Capital One Credit Cards.  I know Mom doesn't have a Capital One Credit Card, and anyway, what would she need with three envelopes from them anyway.  So I ate one.

Auntie Kelley caught me, but not before I swallowed the rest of the envelope.  It was pretty good.  I would recommend trying a Capital One Credit Card envelope if you ever get hungry.

I was still licking my lips when we went outside for a walk.

Hope you had a good week.  I'll be back to work next Monday and I'll tell you all about it. 

Love G