Guess Who Came to Dinner (Kinda)?

If you don't recognize these beautiful animals they are Crikit, Ginger and Sparky, of Barking Loud! They were in Tucson this weekend with their parents, Marsha and Joe! They are so nice, they drove all the way across town to visit with me and mama (and my grampa who lives with mama). Actually they drove all the way from TEXAS! WOW!

Mama was again worried how I'd react to big dogs. How do you think I did?Well, at first I was too busy with the rawhide bone that Marsha gave me to really care who else was around! Besides, it turns out that poor Ginger was more fearful than I am!

She was usually off in a corner of the yard! Mama wasn't able to get a close-up picture of her, but she did get one of Sparky and Crikit (but if you click on the above two pictures you'll get a big picture that gives you nice close-ups of Ginger!).

On occasion, I'd let the others sniff me a bit. So long as I had my bone to gnaw on.

At one point, I attempted to kinda sorta sniff out Ginger, and she almost let me sniff her.

But then she ran away.

So I went back to the bone.

But then I let Sparky and Crikit sniff me, and I didn't even have the bone near me!

And I went up to Sparky all by myself too!

Well, okay, I was going after the pupperoni treat that Marsha was giving to Sparky. Don't worry, Dr. Keil, I didn't get any!

I had a really good time visiting with Sparky, Ginger and Crikit, and their parents. It's obvious they love their furbabies, by the way they seek them out and look at them.

You need to go check out Barking Loud after they get back home. I'm sure they'll have even more pictures up (hopefully of me and the doggies; mama hates having her picture taken!).

And one last message to Joe and Marsha: Thank you for the visit, the rawhide and the BALL!

Dog Park Video

As promised, here is a short video of my venture into the off-leash area at the park where mama's co-workers held a Pet Picnic. It may not seem like much, and you'll see that I don't much react to the other dogs, but mama says it was a very big deal that I went in the area on my own free will and didn't cower and hide.

I Made a Liar Outta Mama

For the past couple of months, mama had been talking about some plans for her co-workers to get together with their pets. They planned a "Pet Picnic" for a Saturday in March at a centrally located park. Mama had for a while debated about whether or not to take me. See, I'm not a big fan of big dogs, and I tend to get carsick. The park is about 20 miles from home, so naturally she was worried. But she decided to take me. She bought a patio chair cushion to raise me up a bit in the back seat, so I could see out the window. That's supposed to help dogs who get carsick not get carsick.

Well, today was the day. She went to the store, bought the cushion and a new leash. She packed a lunch and the macaroni salad she made yesterday. She put my crate in the back seat (the small one) so that if I got too stressed out I could go in there. She also packed up snacks for me and toys. Then she put me in the car (actually I jumped in on my own). Off we went.

The ride to the park was uneventful. We found the ramada easily. It was in the perfect spot: Close to parking, right next to the enclosed off-leash areas, and right behind a big marked off area where some group was doing dog agility! There were plenty of picnic tables. The Parks and Recreation workers even stopped by a few times to be sure we were the right people using the ramada (we reserved it about 2 months ago). The first people we saw were Gabe and his kids.

Gabe and his kids were nice. They helped carry the cooler and the crate back to the picnic area from the car. I was so grateful that not only did I let the kids pet me, I let them pet me all at once (I was too busy keeping a close eye on that ice cream cone).
That was one way I made a liar outta mama. She's been telling tales of me not being good with kids. I am TOO good with kids. As long as they let me approach them, and they aren't running at me!

I made a liar outta mama another way, too. She also was telling tales that I'm scared of big dogs. Mama took this picture a bit too early, but see me there in the bottom of the picture? I was walking toward that Newfoundland puppy there. Yes, he's a PUPPY. If she'd have waitied a second or two, you'd have been able to see that I got right up to that big puppy and sniffed him! For a little better view of how big this puppy is, take a look:Now, since I did actually approach this big dog on my own accord, do you really think I'm afraid of big dogs? HUH?Okay, maybe just a little bit sometimes.

Mama was really looking forward to meeting Mitzie, a Border Collie mix that belongs to her former co-worker, Sara. She said they were always talking about us and our antics. Yes, Mitzi has antics, too! Here's a picture of both of us with our mamas:Though I did notice she (Mitzi) also spent a lot of time looking away from me.

I thought maybe she didn't like me, but mama thinks she was just wanting to go join the agility games behind us.

I made a liar outta mama another way, too:

Notice that I don't have a leash on in these pictures? That's because I was in the enclosed off-leash area for small dogs! This park has the most amazing off leash areas, I couldn't help but go in! Mama did have to carry me past the big dog off-leash area next to this one, but I went in on my own and I didn't shiver and quake and I trotted along a little bit, too! Stay tuned. In a couple of days mama will post the video she has of me in the off-leash area with a cute little white dog.

Okay, I think I made my point about me making a liar outta my mama. Here are some pics of other dogs and people that joined us today.

Mama's a bit upset about that last picture of Eileen and Don. She realized when she got home that she didn't have a picture of Corina, their Yellow Lab mix they recently rescued and nursed back from Heartworm. She's a sweetie. Maybe Eileen will email her a picture and mama can post it.

A good time was had by all who went, and those who missed it were, well, missed.

There was one way in which I did not make mama a liar, though. Remember I mentioned that mama bought a cushion to put on the seat to raise me up? And the tales she tells of me getting carsick?

Don't worry, mama didn't take a picture of that. But let's just say the option to return the cushion to the store has been revoked.

Guess Where Mama Took Me?

Yup. The groomer's.
I hate going to the groomer's. Mama doesn't understand why it takes 4 to 5 hours to groom a dog. I guess they can only bathe one at a time. But mama took me to Petsmart groomers again today. Sylvia got me done in 2 hours! Don't I look good?

Whew!

I haven't posted in a while cuz mama was "too busy". Harumph, is all I have to say. Although I do have to admit, she did look like she was working very hard.Do you see those two cans in the very back (one is in the corner behind the grill)? Those are filled to the brim with rock. See that green "carpet" under the grill? That was all rock. The very rock that is now in the cans. See, before last week, mama had this area blocked off with some fencing to keep me out. I kinda like trying to eat the rocks by the grill. I think stuff splatters when mama uses it, and makes the rocks taste good. But the fencing didn't work; I always found a way in.

So over the past 7 days, mama raked up, shoveled up, and swept up the rocks and put them in the cans. Today she put this green stuff down and now there aren't any rocks there to taste anymore. She says she wishes the green carpet was a bit wider, and that she maybe put some plywood under it to make it even, but she also said there was only so much expense she was going to put in to a rented house.

Here's what it looks like all done.Here's what I look like sitting on the finished project:See how nice I look? Aren't I sitting and staying really, really good? (Mama had to bribe me with a treat).