Today I witnessed a new thing. Bath time. I think it looks like a lot of fun. But I don’t know for sure, because I’m not allow to join in. But I think maybe I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.
For the last couple days I haven’t been feeling very well again. Mom gave me some buscuits that are supposed to be good for dogs, but they upset my tummy and …. well…. let’s just say I’ve been up at night and the meals I ate today didn’t stay in my tummy. Mom called my doctor and I now think he is very very evil. He told mom that I should fast over a meal. Yep, he said that they shouldn’t feed me lunch. Now I know that I’m getting to be a big puppy now, and I shouldn’t need 3 meals a day, but a puppy’s gotta eat! I was not happy with either of them.
So a big chunk of my day was spent in my kennel. I was pretty lonely, so every time I saw mom or dad or Jon walk by I would bark, and yelp, and whine, and cry as LOUD as I could. I needed them to understand that not feeding me lunch was NOT ok. In fact it was a terrible idea!
Thankfully, by dinner they had changed their mind about not feeding me, so I was allowed to eat dinner. Mom made rice and chicken for me. I wasn’t very patient. So to try to keep me out of trouble, mom had me following her all over the house. And that’s when I encountered the bath tub.
Mom went into the bathroom in the other bedroom and sat down on the porcelin throne. Dad was in the tub. Its this big metal thing and it was filled with water. And dad was sitting in it. I started sniffing and smelling and investigating. Then dad started to pet me and I got really excited because I hadn’t seen him all day. And i was hungry, which always makes me really energetic (I can’t explain it, it just is). So I started to nip at his hands. He stopped petting me, and then I went for a run around the house.
Then food. Glorious food. After that, we went back to visit dad in the tub. Well only he was in the tub. Calmer now, with food in my belly, I did more investigating. First I tried to stick my nose in the water. But my neck isn’t long enough with all four of my paws on the floor. So then I figured out that I could put my paws on the side of the tub and then I could get closer to the water. I sniffed and liked what I smelled so I decided to taste it. Do you know what?! It was hot water! And I liked it 
So i tried more. Dad pushed me away.
Again I resumed my sniffing, but I just can’t get close enough with my paws on the floor. So I got up again. Mom and dad were giggling at me. I think they thought it was funny. But I’m just doing what any normal 4.5 month old pup would do. Investigating. It is my job to know and taste and smell and paw everything that I come in contact with. Maybe as a guide dog I shouldn’t do that, but for now I am investigating. Everything that is new is a new adventure!
Then dad shifted in the tub and put his feet up on the wall. There was a whole lot of room under his legs now. Just enough room for a little pup like me! So I put my feet up on the side of the tub and started trying to figure out how I could get in with him. But i think mom figured out what I was going to do, because she started to hold on to my collar. Sometimes she is such a party pooper. Just when I think something looks like fun, she stops me (and if she doesn’t, dad definitely will!). I tried again, and again she starts to hold my collar. I know that means she won’t let me get any closer.
Well, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to join dad in the tub, but some day that will change!
I know, I know, I type on a computer all the time, but this time I have something interesting to say about computers.
Tonight mom sat down on the floor with me. She hasn’t done that in awhile, but I think she was so proud of me for sitting in my “place” (the subject of a post to come I’m sure), that she sat down on the floor with me to give me love and affection. Then I guess she got bored with just petting me or something (who can get bored of showing me affection?), because she went and got one of those little computers that sit on a humans lap and started working.
Naturally, being the nosey pup I had to come over and investigate. First, I had to show her how excited I was that she was sitting on the floor. So I came over and tried to give her big sloppy kisses all over her face. She laughed and giggled and tried to push me away — which of course, makes me think that she likes them, so I tried to kiss me more. When I was finished showing her how excited I was, I sat down and attentively watched what she was doing on the screen. It was fascinating….all the tapping and clicking on the keyboard! Plus the screen is bright and shiney. And there was this arrow that kept moving all around the screen. Of course I had to try and chase it — with my nose or paw… either one. Just to try and catch the little arrow! And sometimes, I would even put my nose close to it, just to make sure it didn’t smell good too!
Then, I was so impressed with all the fast tapping and clicking and the way the screen kept changing, that I had to show the computer how much I liked it too! Lick, lick, lllliiiiccckkkkk….. for some reason. Mom didn’t like that at all. She said my name in the cross way she does when I do something wrong. Ok, I’m a smart puppy. After the thrid time she pushed me away, I got the message.
Then I tried to snuggle up really really close beside her. A first this was a good plan. She gave me a scratch like I like and told me how good a puppy I was. Then I tried to sit up and stick my head under her arm, so that her arm was around me as she was typing. That didn’t seem to over very well either. She kept taking her arm away from me, so I was leaning against it, instead of having it around me.
Ok, time for a new plan. I laid down beside her and watched her type, trying to think of the next option. Suddenly I had it. I would try to burrow into her! So i started to dig and dig into her side so that I could find a nice little place to snuggle into. Some how my excited digging into her hip wasn’t enjoyable. I don’t know, humans are weird.
Finally, I gave up, at least for now. I decided the best thing i could do was try to lay in her lap and snuggle with her. Of course, the problem with this, was that I was lying across her arms, hands and the keyboard of the computer. She laughed at me, gave me a little scratch and then put me down on the ground beside her. *hmph* all I wanted to do was be par of her writing experience. I’ll have to think of another way to do so in the future. For now, I think I’m going to go back to digging into her hip, I bet there’s a comfortable place in there somewhere!
So something very strange happened this morning. First Dad packed a bag and walked out of the house. I think mom said he’s coming back on “wensday” … not sure what that is. But he’s not here any more. And then I saw mom start to load up my stuff in a bag and put her coat on. Let me tell you, I was not impressed!! Every morning mom leaves the house. Dad stays at home with me though, so its ok. But this morning?! First dad leaves, and now mom is packing up all my stuff and leaving?! How not fair!! What’s a little pup to do when she’s locked in her kennel? I yowled and howled and made all kinds of noise… needed to make sure mom heard what I thought of this plan.
But then it turned out ok. Mom came in and she told me she didn’t like all the noise I was making. So once I calmed down and was quiet, she opened up my kennel and let me out. Then she put me on my lead, took me outside and after I got busy, I got in the car with her! We were just in it a short time when we arrived at the church. I’ve visited here a couple times on walks, but she hasn’t taken me with her in the morning like she did today. She also brought a human pup barricade that she put across her door, so the door stays open but I can’t get out. I’m not sure I like that arrangement much at all. But at least I’m not home, locked in my kennel, alone.
And you know what, its not so bad here. Mom brought one of my “bone” shaped pillows that I like to lay on and put it on the ground for me. Problem is, at first she had it in the wrong place. You see, I like to sleep near her feet. That way if she tries to sneak away, I know right away and she can’t get far without me knowing about it! She also has these things under her desk that I like. They are kind of like bones, but made of something different. And they have all these plasticy-rubbery rope-like things that come out from them. And they give off a little bit of heat, and I think I can hear them hum just a bit. Well, I like to use them as a pillow for my head. But mom doesn’t like that. So she’s managed to rig up the ropes high so I can’t get to them when I’m lying down. And she put my bed under her desk. So now we’re both happy… we’ll mostly.
There’s a lot of people here too. They come to visit mom, so I come over to say hello too. I’ll sit and (not so) patiently wait for them to pet me and greet me and show me the love that I deserve. I like that part very much! A girl could get used to this
This is me, working away under mom's desk
Another attempt find a comfortable spot to sleep. I like small spaces.... even though I'm not really allowed to hide in them.
I have now experienced sand… twice! The weather down here in Virginia Beach has been so wonderful that I have been able to spend more time outside. I must say there is something wonderful about the warm sun beating down and making the ground and my fur warm. For part of yesterday I just enjoyed being in the sun and rolling around on the ground, feeling the sun-warmed grass below me. (And of course there were a bunch of pieces of bark, pine cones and gum balls from the trees to chew on which is always a bonus!).
On Saturday mom took me for a longer walk than usual. We went down to what she called the beach. At first I wasn’t so sure about the feel of the sand under my paws. It wasn’t as supportive as regular ground is. In fact its kinda hard to walk on — let alone pounce, prance, run or anything else! So I walked very carefully. Sniffing this way and that, trying to understand this new stuff under my feet. Eventually, I got a little more comfortable with the sand and then I was even more aware of all the new and wonderful scents around me — and of all the new things on the beach that were just begging to be chewed! I went this way and that, looking for new things to discover. It was quite fun!
Then I made the BIGGEST and BEST discovery ever! Sand is wonderful to dig in! I discovered it by accident. I smelt something wonderful that I wanted to get closer to. So I used my paws to move the sand out of the way. Then I realized how easy and how much fun it was to move the sand, so I just went nuts digging. Mom laughed at me a bit, and then managed to distract me from the digging (with a bit of kibble) and we kept walking.
There was also a big BIG body of water beside the sand. It was the biggest pond I’ve ever seen. The waves were really big too. I didn’t get to close to it — it made a lot of noise and that made me somewhat nervous. But the noise of the water made me have to get busy on the beach a few times — but I don’t think mom was to happy with that. You see when I get bigger and I’m a guide dog or some other kind of service dog, I won’t be able to “get busy” while I’m working — just when my owner or handler says I can. So I will have to work extra hard on not getting busy while I’m out walking. But the sound of all that running water — it just got the best of me!!
Speaking of getting busy — there have been some break throughs in that area. I am sad to say, I’m not able to get through a day without having at least one inside accident, maybe two, but it is getting better. Mom talked to the Guiding Eyes vet about my peeing and they said I probably had an infection, so now mom gives me medicine 2x a day. That seems to be helping, I don’t have to get busy quite as often — but I still forget to go to the front door sometimes. Hopefully soon I will get this sorted out. But I am sure glad that the GEB Vet was able to help us out!!
Yesterday was another beautiful day! It was in the 70s (or 20s for the Canadian folk) and so mom and dad both put on short pants (it was fun to lick their legs a bit) and we went to the beach again. Mom took off her sandles which was exciting. Because any time she put them down to try and take a picture of me, I would run after them. Clearly she was offering them to me as a toy. But before I could get to them, she’d pick them up or move them out of my reach or something. It wasn’t very helpful. But I guess I just have to work harder to get to her shoes!! Maybe next time I can play with them!
Yesterday was another big day for me. So many new and different experiences. But then, most things seem to be new these days. I hope that I’ll get a paw up on everything soon!!
Yesterday I slept (mostly) through the night until 6am! And, I am pleased to announce, I didn’t make a mess in my kennel. Mom took me outside to get busy before breakfast and I made it all the way outside …. it was hard for my little bladder but I did it! Breakfast was yummy — i really like the food they serve here! Then mom sat down on the floor and I curled up on her lap for a little after breakfast snooze. A little while later I saw dad carrying my kennel out the door. This was cause for concern, because I really like it here and didn’t want move again!! Sure enough, not long later I was lifted up into the back of the white car and I got into the kennel and dad and I went for a drive. (I’m not sure why mom didn’t come with me, and I’m not sure I’m happy with her for not doing so!)
This drive was short. We went to a very new smelling house to meet a man who smells a bit like dad — but like an old dad. My dad called this human dad, so maybe this is my granddad? He was friendly and would stroke my back when I could get close enough to him (dad was keeping me on a pretty short leash to make sure I didn’t have an accident on the white carpets!). But even more interesting was the thing called “Isaac.”
Isaac is about my size, but sleeker. And he’s covered in black fur. But his fur is different than mine. He’s got a long tail and these little ears that stick straight up. I know he’s not a dog, but I’m not quite sure what he is. I thought maybe he would be a good playmate, so I tried to go over and introduce myself so the fun could begin. No such luck. The Isaac’s smell is all over the house, so I’m thinking that this is probably his house and that the human is his pet. No matter how I tried, the Isaac wouldn’t let me get close to him to play 
But he also never left the room where I was in, unless he needed to get busy (and why is he allowed to do so inside but I’m not….. it’s cold out there?!). He always watched me from his perch on the TV or on the couch or where ever he happened to find a cozy place to curl up! Another complaint: mom and dad don’t let me on their couch or bed, so why can Isaac?
Over all it was a good day. I didn’t mess at all at Isaac’s house. But when Dad took me to a new place to visit mom for a little bit, I was so excited I couldn’t help myself. Then after a short visit dad took me home and I’m sad to say I had a few more problems there too. I really don’t have a good hang of this yet. But by the end of the evening I would run into the place where I get my food and get busy there — at least with it being a hard surface and not the soft ground in the house it was easier for mom and dad to clean up.
In the evening mom and dad were at a meeting at the church so I was in my kennel and when I got out I was HYPER!! I found my favourite blue star and was running with it everywhere in the house. That is, running with it, when I wasn’t attacking it to get the squeeker out. Mom tried to settle me down with some massage, but after been cooped up for the evening I didn’t really want any of that. But finally, I was a tired puppy and when mom sat down on the ground, I curled up on her lap and fell asleep.
This morning I’m pleased to report I slept until almost 7am. But I just saw dad walk out of the house with my kennel so I better get going, i think I’m going on another car ride.
