August 1 thru 7 2010

Do you remember Cooper. Well, Vickie got some pictures of him in his new home that we will share later on in the blog. I just wanted to let you known right up front that HE IS HAPPY. Thanks to everyone who helped with both Cooper and Dizzy and all the other homeless dogs that have stayed with us thru the years. They have been very very lucky. GREAT HOMES, loving families.

It makes me feel so good to know my friends are ok.

So guess who has to go back to Obedience Classes. Yep, you guessed it. Me. Now I don’t really mind cause I really like Tonia my trainer but I don’t really understand why exactly I have to take it again.

It all started last Tuesday when Vickie piled all six of us into the van and took us to the park. It is the park down where Vickie goes to church and it is a lovely park.

It has beautiful corn stalks completely surrounding the lovely shaded park and we all get to run and play. I get to play in the irrigation ditch which is filled with wonderful clear cold running water most of the time. Sometimes the park itself is filled with this running water when they are watering it. I love it.

On Tuesday there wasn’t any running water in the ditch, just some standing water. Vickie brought me a new ball to play with and I had pushed it into the ditch. It is a whole lot bigger than those old tennis balls and I was really getting fond of the thing when all of a sudden it bounced away from me and into this dark tunnel and out of sight.

Now I have been going to agility classes and in the class they are teaching me to go through tunnels which was kind of scary at first, but once I realized there was a treat waiting for me at the other end, well, it became worth the risk. So I decided I would head into the tunnel, get my ball and get a treat.

It was a lot smaller and darker than the tunnels I had been going through in agility class, but I figured I could make it so I scrunched down and headed in. All the time I could hear Vickie calling me back. Demanding that I NOT GO IN THERE. But my ball was in there. My lovely new ball.

So ignoring her, I headed further in. There was water in this tube and the further I went the deeper it got. I could still hear Vickie. She was really sounding upset. She really wanted me out of there. But my BALL……My Ball was still down there. So ignoring Vickie I went even deeper into the tunnel. This tunnel was different than the other tunnels cause it was so small and it seemed like there was no end to it.

I started to get nervous. Just barely hearing Vickie now, I was hit with the thought that I might be placing my self in danger. Mmmmmm I tried to turn around and go back but it was such a tiny tunnel. The water was up around my head neck and shoulders now and it was dark…..really really dark. All of a sudden I stopped caring about the Ball.

All I wanted to do was get out of there. BUT HOW. This was getting pretty scary. I don’t think I have ever been so worried. Still crunched down, almost like I was crawling on my belly, I figured that if I tried to shimmy backwards towards the sound of Vickies voice, I just might get out. It took some time but I finally got everything out but my shoulders and head at which time I felt Vickie grab my sides and pull me out all the way.

Whew!!! I got to say, seeing the sun again, smelling the fresh country air, and being lectured lovingly by Vickie was a welcome thing.

The thing is, MY BALL. It is still down there. So when Vickie and the other dogs all got up and started back to the car, I was tempted to go back into the tunnel to see if my ball had followed me out.
I got about 3 feet from the tunnel when I heard Vickie, in her REALLY STRONG command voice to “LEAVE IT” For about two seconds, I held my ground as I thought about what the consequences might be, but then I remembered the scary moments in the tunnel and I decided (on my own, and not because Vickie was standing there with her hands on her hips and a very firm look on her face) I decided to go back to the car and forget about the ball. At least until next time I come to the park.

If Vickie ever lets me go there again…..

So off to obedience class I go again. Only this time it is mostly fun. My buddy Murphy and my girlfriend Annie are also going, plus Tonia is there and you know how I love Tonia.

It was great to be back in PetSmart again. That is my most favorite store in the whole world.

Before and after class, me and Murphy get to go up and down the isles checking out the birds, turtles, snakes and Oh Yeah the Toy Isle.

Boy if Vickie were just rich. I see tons of toys I would love to take home....

Me and Murphy really like the fish tanks.

If I could get Vickie to let me go and turn her head for a minute, I am pretty darn sure I could get in there with them. You know, like the ice bucket from the puppy party last week. Now that didn't have a lot of space, but I managed to get in it and be comfortable. Can you imagine what I could do in one of these big ole fish tanks?

Ahhhhhhhh

Vickie spent some of the money that she could have used for me at the PetSmart toy isle on a silly ole Cat wall.

Now that mean old Allred can be up about 4 foot or more off the ground, hidden in one of the little rooms on the cat wall and wait for me to pass by, then reach down and slap me with his nasty old sharp claws.

Betty, who has no fear of Allred at all (They have some kind of arrangment between them) has taken up residency on the bottom house and Scrappy likes the big cushion behind the little room.

Well, I won't be tricked into thinking this is for my comfort too. I know Allred will make me pay if I do.

Buddy and the rest decided it was ciesta time last Wednesday about 4 in the afternoon. Buddy slept on the floor, Allred took the chair, Betty took the lazyboy and I, well I played it safe and slept under the walnut tree.

When we got back from a walk this week, Tristy was really really stinky. Even I had a hard time being around her so Blake and her mom came over and gave her a bath.

I am not sure how much joy Tristy had with getting a bath, but the rest of us are mightily greatful that she smells like lemon verbina now instead of skunk d'jour.

I finally got to meet Zero. That is Whitney and Tylers new puppy. They brought him down to see Dr. Doughty and I got to play with him some before he went. Now that is one cute black lab.

And he told me later that he really liked Dr. Doughty and that, other than one shot, the visit was much funner than his first visit to a vet.

On Thursday I got to go to the Fort and do another demonstration. The camp host lady, she really things I am one good looker and she always gives me a "Standing Hug"

This was a great fun time demo cause it was older kids adn so Vickie got to tell fun stories and they all just talked and visited for about 40 minutes while I sat with my new friend Bert. Yup... He has the same name as me. Bert. now I know two Berts.

After the demonstration Murphy and I got to go check out the new dog park. It has an agility course on it with tubes (Vickie didn't let me go thru them for some reason) and walking planks and this big red climbing wall.

Can you beleive it, Vickie wanted me to run up this wall and down the other side.

I DON'T THINK SO

Later we went into another section of the dog park and played ball. Check Murphy out. Like I had a chance at all to get that ball. Man that guy can jump.....

So here is the fun news about Cooper. He is loving his life in West Yellowstone. He was a little shook up when they took him to the groomer and shaved off all his hair. First he was emberrased, then he just accepted it. So what if he was naked....he still has a great life.

And his new brother was shaved too so they get to be naked together. I sure hope it grows out some before winter. Vickie tells me the winters there are awful cold.

Dougal sent some pictures of his weekend too. He got to go hiking up along the Art Nord trail Saturday.

I'm not sure what he is after in this picture. Sure hope it isn't a rattlesnake.

Saturday morning we met with some very special people to talk about the Delta Society and registrating me and my pals as therapy dogs with them.

There is going to be an eight hour class sometime in October sponsered by American Search Dogs for anyone who wants to learn about how to become a therepy dog and handler. You can call Vickie if you are interested.

I think I will be pretty good at it. I love it when I get to spend time with people. Especially when they just pet me and cuddle me. Pretty tough job...hee hee..

Maybe I'll be as cool as Toby, (in the picture below) who is Marion Evans Therapy partner and is very popular at the hospitals and retirement centers. I hear it means I will have to take more baths though. Not just jumping in the lake baths but real, soap and water baths. mmmmm That is something to consider..

Well, I am off to enjoy another week and I hope you all have a great one too. Hey if anybody out there wants to go and hide from me, Murphy and Tucker, I'd sure appreciate it if you would call Vickie.

I have to get ready for my next test in Search and Rescue.

Have a good week.