Buffy’s Diary

Just thought I’d show you me in my “dogula” costume.

So yesterday was apparently an exciting day for humans in Virginia … or maybe in this whole country.  They do it every year on the same day.  The humans love it.  They talk about it.  Yell about it.  The moving picture box in the living room talks about voting.  Humans get really excited about it.  (Well mom doesn’t.  She said it was illegal for her to vote… go figure)

But I’m really not sure what the big deal is.

Dad took me to vote and I got to wear my vest.  We went to the voting place and there were a bunch of people there.  I was really excited to be there. I mean with how exited humans get about voting, I figured there would be a big party or something.  But it was NOTHING like that!  We went to the voting place and there were a bunch of people here, but no party.  They just stood in line, quietly.  Then walked over to a booth, quietly.  Then they walked out of the room, quietly.  No one wanted to play with me!!  How does that happen?!  Especially when you’re as adorable and irresistable as I am.

The only good side is that dad gave me lots and lots ot treats as I worked well.

So two nights ago I had a very interesting experience. Mom and Dad forgot to put me to bed.  Or at least I think that’s what happened.  Dad took me out to get busy like usual.  But then instead of putting me into my crate, he moved my big cozy place into their room and put it in the corner.  Then he told me to “go place” and gave me my bedtime snack.  Mom and dad did a bunch of stuff in their room and then went to bed and turned the lights out.

Well, not one to ruin my own good fortune, I went to sleep.  Then a few hours later I woke up.  I felt a little guilty about letting them forget to put me to bed, so I went over to say hi to mom and reminder her I should be in my crate.  I was quiet of course, I didn’t want to wake up dad.  She scratched my ears and then said something that sounded like “go place.”  Still being tired, I went back to my place, curled up and went back to sleep.  A few hours later I woke up.  Thought it really was time I went back to bed, so I got up and walked over to get mom to take me back to my crate.  Another head scratch.  Another “go place” (I think) and so again I went back to bed.  The next time I woke up I figured I wasn’t getting anywhere with mom so I went to talk to dad.  He did the same thing!  But instead of going straight back to bed, I figured I should see if mom had come to her senses yet, so I walked back to her side of the bed.  But she still wasn’t getting up.  So I went back to my place.

I kept checking in with them — probably 5 times throughout the night, just trying to be helpful.  But for the whole night I was allowed to stay in their room!!  It was fantastic!  So much more comfortable than my little crate.

The next day Dad told me that I needed to learn how to sleep through the night without checking in with them every hour or so, because when I was partnered with my blind person, they wouldn’t like it very much if their new roommate (that’s me!) kept waking them up.  I don’t get it, I was just being helpful.

Well last night mom and dad didn’t forget to put me in my crate.  But maybe they’ll let me try again…I really want to be a good service dog, so I need to practice all this new stuff now, while I’m young.

I have an exciting announcement to make!

I have recieved my first working-dog vest!  Its this blue vest that I wear sometimes when mom and dad take me out.  Its a special vest. You see when I wear this vest I can go into places other dogs don’t get to go.  I know because I can’t smell other dogs in the places I’ve been.

The most magical part of this vest is that it means that mom and dad can take me with them where ever they want.  Well sort of.  Here’s the thing.  Big dogs who are seeing eye dogs or other service dogs are allowed to go where ever their partner needs them to go.  According to the people in Richmond, I can too.  But not every human realizes that a service dog in training has the same ability to go where ever its raiser or trainer needs to take them — provided the dog is wearing their vest.  So mom and dad are asking people if I can come into stores with them.  Last saturday we went to this place called the mall.  It has lots and lots of people in it.  We just went to one store, because mom and dad thought it might be overwhelming for me to be there for too long.  Mom took me into the change room with her.  At first I was looking back at dad, trying to figure out why he wasn’t coming in the little room too.  Then I glanced straight ahead and then had to do a double take because there infront of me was the most beautiful dog I’ve ever seen.  She was blonde, like me, and had a blue vest on like me, and was excited to see me like I was to see her.  But when i went to greet her, a cool, smooth surface greeted my nose, and i realized we couldn’t play together.  So once mom got my attention again, I followed her instructions and did a down-stay until she was ready to leave the little room.

After we left the mall we went to two other stores, both for short trips.  I got to smell a lot of new things and see new things and practice my position changes in strange, new places.  By the time we left a place called kmart I was ready for a sleep.

In the evening Mom and Dad took me to a “howleen” party or something like that.  They wore funny clothes and I wore a different vest.  Dad said I was “dog-ula” and kept saying (in a really weird voice) “I vant to suck your bloooooood…ha ha ha ha…”  I don’t get it.  Mom forgot her camera, so she didn’t take a picture, but someone else did.  So once she can get some we’ll post some pictures.

All I have to say — working is hard work and makes me very sleepy!!

And to be honest its been over for awhile.  But for a long time, I thought it was going to take forever before it would end.  I hear human females have a small understanding of what heat is.  But here’s the difference.  Their heat lasts for 3-4 days, maybe 5 usually no more than 7.  For us pups, well, 3weeks is concidered short.  4 weeks is not unheard of.  Yep, mine?  Mine lasted 5 whole weeks!

Some thoughts… though I try to block it from my mind.

When a pup is in heat, it really takes over your body.  Sometimes I was fine, just my happy little self.  Sometimes I was really tired, and I would just sleep and sleep.  Actually, I had far less energy than I was used to.  But then there was other times.  I would be sleeping, curled into a little ball, and then mom or dad would say something wrong.  Or look at me wrong.  Or not pay attention to me.  Or pay attention to me in the wrong way.  Or… well to be honest, I didn’t need a reason.  I just let them have it.  Loudly.  Frequently.  It was like I was a dog possessed by a barking machine (an angry barking machine) and i couldn’t control it (or didn’t want to?).

To make matters worse, Mom and dad had lots of guests around.  So they didn’t like it when I barked.  And they tried to get me to be quiet.  But that kind of backfired.  Because I figured out that barking was a good way to get them to pay attention to me, and to do it quickly.  It was glorious.  I had even more firmly wrapped mom and dad around my paws.  They would jump to my command!  And it seemed to amuse at least some of their human guests.  Some of them thought I was funny and entertaining!

Well, they got wise to my plans and my teachers from puppy school came over and talked with dad (mom was at work).  I didn’t hear everything that was said, but I know now that it wasn’t in my best interests.  Now, whenever I bark at someone, they turn their backs and IGNORE me!!  If I bark louder, angry at their disobedience, they walk out of the room and won’t let me follow!!  So now, when they stand up and face the other direction, I slump down into a down behind them and grunt my disapproval.  But really, this is all a show, because once I am lying down and quiet, they turn around and give me treats and love.  So really I’m still getting my attention!  Haha.  Wrapped around my paws!