March 06

The Mrs. has yet another visitor. Although it is winter today is very warm outside and the Mrs. and her visitor are chatting on the back deck. The Mrs. is showing everyone to the visitor. I guess the Mrs. thinks there is no use in showing me to the visiting lady. I’m broken. My leg is bad. I had an accident as a very young puppy. My ‘pack’ number is last. The lady appears to be pleasant, her voice is soft, and she moves slowly. What? I hear my name! The Mrs. is calling me. Encouraging me to come and meet the lady. What joy! The lady likes me!! Did I hear right? The lady would rather have me than a younger yellow puppy? I do like this visitor. She would not let me mouth her though. The visitor said something about ‘in case you come and live with me’. I wonder what that means? Oh, time for me to return to my pack. My Mrs. is nice too. She did let me visit with the Lady.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

The lady that liked me a long time ago has returned. She and my Mrs. are chatting out in the driveway. I wonder if she will notice me? What? My Mrs. is coming to the gate. Hurray! I get to kiss the lady that liked me! I dart straight out the open gate and go running to the Lady that liked me. She kneels down and we greet one another. Oh, she pets me so good. I roll over on my back. She rubs my tummy. I love to have my tummy rubbed. Wait. I must let my pack know that I am special too. I’m outside the fence they are behind. “Hey”, I say to them. “Did you see the Lady rubbed my tummy? Beat that. I’m free!” I begin running the fence line. All the pack chases after me. “Ha! They can’t catch me. They’re behind the fence.” I run fast. I run faster than I have ever run before. The Mrs. calls to me. She starts after me as I go around the back of the fence. I  turn and run past her to the Lady that rubbed my tummy. I fall at her feet. She put something around my neck. There is a smile on her face. Her voice is soft and grateful. We walk behind the van she is driving. The tailgate opens. What is she doing? I just stand still. The ladies are talking. The lady that likes me and rubbed my tummy wants me to get in her van. Oh. My Mrs. and the Lady lift me into a dog crate. The door is shut. The Lady gets in the front of the van. The engine starts. I’m going somewhere.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 (Continued)

I’ve never before been in a dog crate like this one. I wonder where I am going? I do like to ride. The van slows and stops. The lady opens the tailgate, puts a leash on me, and I get out of the dog crate. Wow. I’ve never been here. Everything smells different. Looks different. I follow the Lady through a gate. She speaks softly to me and removes my leash. Then my Lady disappears through a sliding door. I want to be with her. I hear my Lady’s voice as she opens the sliding door. I’m fast. I dart right inside the new place. There is a big guy and he is holding a tiny baby. I give the babies foot a kiss, smell the guy, and head for the next room. This room has another baby in it. The baby is sleeping. The room is full of great toys. I take one in my mouth. My lady, the big guy, and the baby I kissed are right behind me. Ugh oh. My Lady is not happy. She wants my toy. I don’t know why but I run from her. We run around and around the big guy holding the baby. My Lady is calling my name. Hee. Hee. This is fun. We go round and round. Suddenly, my Lady changes directions. She meets me head on and I give her the toy. Now she is happy, and I am tired.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

I spent last night sleeping in my dog crate in the dinning room belonging to the ‘big guy’. Before daylight my Lady and I loaded up the van. A new journey begins. Our first stop was a McDonalds. My Lady offered me a taste of her biscuit, but I don’t like this place and want to leave so I refused. Our next stop was a ‘rest area’ where my Lady and I took a long walk. We found a place to sit-a-spell and I ate some treats. I think I love my Lady. The next stop was another McDonalds in a different place. I can tell my lady is tired. I hear a tap on the window. A stranger tells my Lady she has a problem with the van. My Lady thanks the woman and follows instructions to a garage. There the problem is fixed. No more interstate driving for my Lady. We are on country roads now. It is raining. I go to sleep. When I wake up I am in yet another strange place. My Lady is right at home here. I am exhausted and I think my Lady is tired too. I meet some other dogs, a couple of strange feathered creatures under a warm red light, another guy, a special dog named, Katie, and a gray cat who definitely does not like me!

Thursday, June 15, 2005

I’ve had a good rest and my Lady and I are taking a morning walk. She talks to me all the time. Most of her chatter sounds like ‘love’. She feeds me a really good breakfast and we go inside the house. Inside my Lady drops to the floor and I lay in her lap. She rubs my tummy and talks to the guy about ‘bonding time’. I’m not sure what that means, but I like it here. Haven’t seen the gray cat anymore.

Friday, June 16, 2006

I suppose this is my new home and family. I am settling into a consistent routine. The special dog called Katie is much older than me. My Lady loves Katie. I like her OK, but she doesn’t really play much. I can tell Katie is not like most dogs. I want to catch that calico cat that lives outside. She looks like she has a lot of secrets. My Lady is always using words like sit, wait, OK, leave it, get it, off, come, let’s go, stay. I know what most of these words mean already. I learn fast. Today I met my Lady’s Little Miss. She is a curly haired girl almost four years old. I love her! So does my Lady. The Little Miss is a very pleasing gentle child. I’d like all children to be like her. Alas, I think she will always love Katie more than me. Yet, we play the ‘get toy’ game and everyone claps and is real happy when I bring them the toy they tossed.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Today I met Pooh Bear. She is a cream Lab and lives outside. She is six years older than me, but she runs faster and wants to play all the time. I run some with her, but not as much as Pooh would like. I just want to be very close my Lady. I like it here. My Lady had company, but not the Little Miss. I make sure I watch my Lady and I follow her everywhere. Sometimes I surprise her and jump up to see just what she is doing at the kitchen sink. I am very quiet and I make sure not to make my presence known so I can watch longer. When my Lady finds me exploring the kitchen sink, the dining room table, the counter top, sideboard, or furniture she uses that word ‘OFF’ in such a voice that I put all four of my feet on the floor in a hurry.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Today began like most days. While my Lady was standing at what she calls a ‘step-back’ I noticed a juicy looking bit of wood on the bottom door. My teeth started chewing that juicy very old wood. Oops. I’ve not heard my Lady use that voice with me before. She was NOT happy. I backed up and put my head down. My Lady told me, “Shame on you.” Then she led me to my indoor dog crate, and told me to go to bed. I went inside and lay down. Saying nothing more my Lady shut the door and went away. I am so sorry. I will never chew the step-back again. I don’t know why, but it makes my Lady so unhappy. My desire is to make my Lady happy. I love her. My heart is sad. I must do better.

Monday, June 19, 2006

This day was very different. I do remember it even started in a different way. Much of the day is a blur to me. I remember being led away from my Lady by a pleasant talking girl. She put me inside a kennel run. I was heartbroken because my Lady was nowhere. I couldn’t see her. I don’t remember much else except some pain and then no pain. I just couldn’t think or keep my eyes open. Then like  a dream I head a familiar voice. I wanted to go to the voice, but I was too sleepy. I think it was dark the next time my eyes opened. My Lady was with me. I was at home again. I just wanted to sleep.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

This morning I wanted my Lady!! She came to me and we went for a walk outside. I had a light breakfast and water. I seem to recollect something quite tasty from yesterday, but I’ve no idea what it was. Never mind I tell myself. Regular food is GREAT!! I feel much better today, but I am kept inside the house and I am not allowed to run with Pooh Bear outside. I really want to catch that Calico cat. There is just something sinister about her. Katie is so nice. She is smart too. I want to be like Katie. The hen called Peeper Pooper is a noisy chicken. She puffs herself up to impress me when I walk past her. Plus, she clucks and fusses a lot. I think my Lady would call that ‘talking way too much’. I am still tired from my strange ordeal yesterday so I’ll go to bed early this evening.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

 It is very hot. I like my outdoor pen. I visit it twice a day; otherwise, I am indoors with my Lady and Katie. Something special is going on today. My Lady is busy ‘packing’ whatever that means. Katie acts a little different today. I suppose I will find out what the big deal is eventually.

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

All is quiet & cool inside the house. It is hot outside today. Katie is sleeping in her ‘private space’. Mister is sleeping in a recliner. My Lady is upstairs. It has been a long time since I last wrote in my journal. I have been very busy. Let’s see? Packing means we are going on a trip. I must write about my first trip with the family. I am truly a member of the family. It feels so good to have a nice family. Katie is my sister. She and I go everywhere together. When we travel our crates set side-by-side in the van. When we stop we are always in a strange place. The Mister takes Katie for a bathroom walk and my Lady takes me. We have a drink of water and a small snack then we all load into the van and ride. We went to a place in the mountains. There were a lot of people there. These people I learned are extended ‘human family’. Katie already knew all of them. Katie and I slept in our crates in the basement each night. The Mister and my Lady always remembered to give Katie and I lots of love, walks, and play. There is another canine family member here. Her name is ‘Q’. She doesn’t look anything like Katie and I. Q was not especially happy that Katie and I were visiting her home with our people. Katie is always wonderfully behaved and well mannered. I am learning to be just like Katie. Katie has shown me how important it is to have good manners. Q is lacking in good manners. I don’t want to be like Q. She is not a good example to follow. It is nice to have a family and Katie to emulate.

I must spend some time talking about Anya cat. She lives inside the house like Katie and I do.  Anya cat is the gray beast that absolutely did not like me the very first time she set eyes on me. Anya used to open her frightfully big mouth with the sharpest of teeth and hiss at me. Now Anya cat has calmed a bit. She doesn’t hiss at me nearly so often. Katie says just ignore Anya. Katie says cats are simply irritable creatures that God must have mistakenly made. Makes sense to me!! As for Butterfly, that sneaky outdoor cat, she has become a lot less sinister. Butterfly is actually jealous of me. For some odd reason Butterfly is in love with Katie. Katie says Butterfly is just something she puts up with like Anya. 

I remember a time when I never wanted to be put into a dog crate. Now I have learned that my dog crate that sits inside the house open all the time is my ‘private space’. I sometimes go inside my crate when I want to write or just be by myself. I love my new home and family.

 There is a small black Dachshund here. His name is Magic. He is hairy! I find him quite amusing. He is so macho acting. I don’t think he has many friends with such an attitude. I have discovered that a quiet steady spirit and presence will get you a lot further in life, and always be willing to learn.

 When fall comes I am to begin school. I think I have proven myself a good student already. Katie tells me that school is fun and I’ll enjoy it a lot. Pooh went to school too and she agrees with Katie. They both tell me that I will meet some very interesting ‘characters’ at school. They tell me to never forget that good manners are important; still, so is protecting my Lady. 
 

TO BE CONTINUED

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