July 11 thru the 16th 2010

July 20th, 2010

UPDATE ON DIZZY

Thanks everyone. He found a home.

It is the most wonderful home he could

ever possibly hope for.

I'll write more on Berts Blog next week.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

You know there is only so much critisism a guy can take. Sometimes Vickie moans and groans about the silliest little things and I am getting a little tired of her one main complaint. She is always groaning about us dogs losing so much hair. Poor thing has to sweep the floors three times a day and everytime there are huge piles of hair in the dustpan when she is through.

So what does she think we do with all this hair. Of course we lose it. It is called shedding and we do it all the time. Sometimes we do it all at once but most the time us dogs just lose hair bit by bit every day.

We just can't help it.....it is how we are made.....

And since She brought the subject up, lets talk a little bit about humans and how they shed too.

I know Vickie knows that cause she talks about it when she tells children how Search Dogs use human scent to find you if you are lost.

Think about it from us dogs point of view. You worry about a little hair, but we have to SMELL you and every other human within a four mile area constantly. You guys are dropping dead skin cells into the environment at a rate of thousands a minute.

Here we are with these super sensitive noses being constantly bombarded by human dead skin cells. Every time we breath, or open our mouths, in our eyes, through our ears....GOSH it is everywhere.

So next time anyone hears Vickie maon about a little dog hair, just remind her of what us poor dogs are going through ALL THE TIME.

And not only do you humans smell, but you send out all of your moods in your smells. I know when Vickie is sad, happy, scared or mad......sometimes it is just too much for a little guy like me to handle.

But you don' t hear me complaining.....well do you?

WE had some fun times doing demonstrations this week. Lots of really fun kids. I think the reason I am not getting to do a lot of searches, you know, like Jamie McKenna and Andy my predesesors, is because I am out there teaching all the kids how to stay safe. Maybe someone is really listening.

And remember how wonderful Vickie is always saying Jamie is cause she can "Scent Discriminate" so good. Well guess who else can do it really really good?

Yep, Vickie had the kids line up their shoes at this demo and then gave me the sock to one of the shoes. My job is to pick out the shoe that matches the scent of the sock. Now I know that sounds pretty easy to some of you, but you try sticking your very sensetive nose into a bunch of smelly shoes and coming out of it all with out your eyes watering and your stomach churning.



AND YES, the answer is Bert can do it. Jamie my teacher and loving friend. Thank you for passing along some of your incredible skills to little ole me.



Dang that Vickie She made me delete the picture that was here cause she said she looked like, well, you don't want to hear what she said she looked like.


We had an extra fun time this week cause Vickies Niece Elizabeth came with her family (daddy Brian, sister Callie and brother Scott) from Vermont. We all played for an hour in the front yard of Grandma's house.

When we went inside KC and Scott got up on the chair for a little rest.

Then after a rest, they all got out a little table and did the family tradition of making chocolates.

I had to watch from the porch cause Vickie said she didn't want my hair to get into the candy. (Like their dead skin cells were not mixing into it already)

It is a great family tradition. Vickie won't learn how to make them cause she says she has too much trouble resisting chocolate as it is, but she isn't kidding anyone. She gets plenty of it around Christmas time. I know, cause I found her stash last year. MMMMM GOOD

Callie covered all kinds of things in chocolate. the favorite was marshmellows but chocolate covered grapes were the second favorite. Thats for sure. That way you get your fruit with your chocolate.

It was a happy happy day. I am so glad Vickie let me come this time. Usually only KC gets to play with the kids, but I am getting more trustworthy it seems.

I asked Vickie to show you some face shots of some of the pups that come and stay with us. So lets start with Scrappy. Only he lives with us.... but I thought he was cute in this picture so that is why I picked it.

This is Arras. He is a retired service dog. I think he worked on bombs or something in Afganistan. I think it is important that we thank him often for his work. Him and the men that are with him.

Buddy has been here for four weeks. He gets a little tired look on his face at the end of the day. I think he wants his family to come back and take him home. I told him it was ok, since I heard Vickie say they were coming back from vacation this week. He will be so happy to sleep in his own bed again.

Buck's dad is a pilot and has been away for 18 days. He is tired too. He gets to go home soon too. I feel sad for them when they stay so long but Vickie said it is better that they stay here where they can run and play all day and sleep in a nice warm bed each night, than staying such a long time in a cage.

It isn't home for them but we like to think it is the next best choice.

Our friend Dougal has had two really fun weekends and sent us a couple of slide shows for you to watch if you want.

They will show you some great places to go for the weekends. Like this one is out on the desert.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonzaremba/sets/72157624483088096/show/

ANd this one is from a hike to Inspiration Point above Willard. It is quite a hike and if you look when you get to the top you can see mountain goats. Sometimes, like when Trigger and John go, you get to see them up really close. Like 20 feet from you. I'd like that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonzaremba/sets/72157624406622875/show/

OK, Vickie insisted that we put this picture of her Holy Hocks (is that how you spell it) They are all over the kennel in the summer and they make it look so pretty. She was a little upset with me and Betty the other day cause we were playing pretty rough and we mowed down a really pretty one of these. It was bright yellow and it was the only yellow one that grew this year.

Whoops......In trouble again.

Vickie took her mom up to Sourdough this week instead of me. But I guess it doesn't hurt me to miss one week up there.

They had a great time and saw a lot of deer. They even saw two moms with twin babies.

So check out the cool video below. This will explain how come Trigger and I couldn't go swimming on this trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9kVYCQt7EQ

So I am taking a class on agility. The first class was last Thursday and I did ok. I walked the plank. It was 12 feet long and 12 inches wide. I didn't fall off at all the first time. But the second and third time, I stepped off. Its ok though. When you start walking the plank they don't have it far off the ground. In fact, it was right on the ground. So whats the challenge in that.

Tucker got to do it when it was a few inches off the ground but I don't know where I was when they did that, cause I didn't get a chance to do it. I am sure I would have done fine.

They did a lot of talking and there are a lot of dogs running the course so I had to sit alot. I don't like that part.

Of course the best part is that there is a pool there for me to cool off in. I was quick to find that.

On Friday we got to go to this huge park in Hooper and meet a bunch or really cool girls scouts. We came to help them get their wilderness safety badges and they specially requested that Jamie come to.

It has been so long since Jamie has been able to come with us so this was a very special event. You know, she is the best search dog ever.....I mean before I came along.

It was really hot and Annie spent most of her time in De's lap so she didn't have to have her feet on the hot cement.

Murphy did his usual "I am the tallest dog int he world" number. He really is kind of tall.
Jamie found some friends who played with her for about 20 minutes. She was in heaven, but she came home and had to sleep all weekend before she could get up and walk again. It must be rough getting old.
I kept watch on everyone and spent a good deal of the time charming all the kids with my handsome demeaner and cleaver personality. Oh, I do what I can.....

On the way home form the demo with the girl scouts, Vickie did the strangest think I have ever seen her do. To Date, anyway.

We were driving along just enjoying the wind blowing through the window as it had cooled down some after the sun went down. Then all of a sudden, Vickie starts bouncing all around in her seat. She starts screaming and hitting her chest.

The car is weaving all over the road and she is getting more and more panicked and louder and louder. She swerved over to the side of the road and into the parking area of a gas station that was right there, then dove into the back seat and started taking her shirt off.

All the time hitting herself in the chest and reaching down her shirt grabbing at something. I have never seen anything like it.

I have never seen her rip her clothing off like a crazy woman before either....and in public no less. When she got the shirt off she started shaking it, then hitting her chest again and started taking off more clothes when suddenly a little black bug flew out from between her, well you know..her top portion....the little bug looked over its shoulder in panic as it flew out the window and off into the night.

Cheeze Vickie, it was just a little flying bug..... whats the big deal.....

Saturday Vickie bought me my own personal bathtub. I LOVE IT. Just love, love, love it. I can get all hot and tired from running and playing with Betty and the others, then I can go lie down in my personal bathtub and cool off.

Then I run through the house to make sure everything is ok there, then back out again and into my pool. with the new sand that covers the front entry way, it is like living on a beach

Vickie doesnt get upset at all, she just says that it helps make her keep the kitchen floor cleaner cause she has to wash it everytime I run through.

So, yes, she may complain about my hair, but in general, she is pretty easy going most of the time. I guess I'll keep her.

Have a great 24th of July next weekend.

Love ya

Bert