Four Legged Views

Vickie and I really like the old fashined way of sending letters and getting them. I like it most because the mail girl sometimes leaves me a treat, so I make it a point to go out with Vickie to get the mail every day.

So far this week, I have been pretty dissapointed. No treats and nothing but bills. But we will keep trying. That is the fun of it. It is like Christmas. It isn't Christmas every day but when it does come it is full of fun times.

So remember last week when I asked you all to send Vickie subliminal messages. (Subliminal....new word for this dog but I think I got it right.) anyway, I asked you to send her the message....BERT, MOUNTAINS, Vickie.....

Well IT WORKED.

Thank you thank you thank you all. It worked really really well. This week was the BEST ever.

First thing Monday morning after work Vickie and I piled into the truck and headed up to the Art Nord Trailhead where we set off into the woods.

Now we didn't just go hiking for the fun of it, we went up to set up a tracking problem for Murphy. It was the most perfect day for a tracking problem.

We got to where we wanted to hide and Vickie sat down to wait for Paulette to arrive and start Murhpy out. I got to play and roll in the tall green lucious grass under a towering pine tree with great branches that spread 15 feet outward in all directions.

WE waited and waited. Suddenly I put my nose into the air and smelled something off in the distance. It was Murphy, I could tell, and he was closing in on us so we got all quiet so's not to give off our location.

Hidden deep under the pine tree we were almost invisiable and Murphy would have to track us right up to the bows of the branches to find us.

And of course, HE DID. He is a great tracking dog.

AFter a fun reward and play time we all hiked back to the Art Nord parking area where Vickie and me played some more. This was to give Murphy and Paulette about half an hour to set up a track for me. (Like I need the practice)

Well I guess I do need the practice, because it was a long hard track. I finally ended up trailing instead of tracking because the ground they walked over was hot, rocky, and dry. But don't worry, I never missed a turn.

And the best part is that they hid in a wonderful spot with a cool clear stream in it so that after I found them I coudl take a dip while we all waited for Vickie to make her way down the steep hillside to where we were. Ohhhhh I love Love LOVE Water.

After the training, we all just took our time, enjoyed the scenery, took a break here and there, of course kept our eyes open for those nasty rattlesnakes and eventually made our way back to the truck to head home. I was pretty tired.

In fact, I was so tired that I didn't even mind it when John and Vickie went back up the mountain to look for moose without me.

They had a great time too, especially when they came across this momma moose and her twins.

The babies where hidden in the trees by a pond and after John noticed the ears, Vickie and John just sat down and waited them out. They finally came out and drank and swam and played in the little pond. Very cool. I kinda wish I had been there, but I have a hard time sitting for such a long time so it is probably best I didnt' go.

They even came across this really big brute of a guy. Vickie took a video so's you could see him. Check out how big the moose's antlers are compared to how little John looks. John and Vickie aren't too smart though. I think Vickie said John was about 10 feet from the guy in the video and she was only 20 feet. I hope she is smarter come the mating season. I hear that can be pretty dangerous.

(This one takes a long time to download so you have to be patient but it comes quicker if you go to this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMom0XaOtjY )

Now back at the kennel, I had a lot of company this week. Vickie says it is because school is just getting ready to start so everyone is taking a last short vacation and all their dogs get to come here so they can have fun too.

Jasper and Polo kept me running all day long the other day. They are kinda fun boys just about my age. Maybe a little younger. We had such a great time, but my bones are a little tired now because of all the tackling and bouncing we did. But, it was worth it.

Daisy and Gunner spent a few days too. Daisy can make the loudest baying sound you ever heard. She jumps up on Vickie to give her a sloppy kiss everytime we come out to visit them. Oh and by sloppy, I MEAN SLOPPY....

Monday was Cleo's birthday. I think she is about eight years old. She is so beautiful for an older gal. If she would give me the time of day, I would love her forever. But, she just sees me as a baby, not the young handsome man that I am. Oh well, there are lots of other girls out there.....Like Annie......

Too bad Cleo, you are really missin out....

Buddy and Jimmie Dean were here too. I never seen two dogs with bigger, longer ears.

WEdnesday night we went to Obedience class again. I was really good and did everything Vickie and Tonia asked me to do. I was quite the example. All except for one teeny tiny thing, which leads to a new phrase Vickie learned, that has caused me much greif.

"LEAVE IT!" yep, that is her new favorite term these days and she is determined that I learn what it means and that I learn to LISTEN to her when she says it. "Leave it" this and "Leave it" that. "Leave it" here and "Leave it" there.

I hate the words already. All I hear now is "LEAVE IT" LEAVE IT" LEAVE IT"

Thanks Tonia, thanks a lot.......

Still nothing in the mail.

I met some new friends this week too. They were called goats. GOATS. They smell different and they have these two long spikes growing out of their heads and if you are not watching they sneak up behind you and RAM you with the hard pointy things.

I am thinking that they wont be my best friends. Maybe just acquaintances.

They can be a little unpredictable.

Then there was Jimmie. You have heard me talk about him before. He is kinda cool. I mean that literally. Again, just an acquaintance. Not a critter I would go out of my way to visit. I kind of see them like I see Allred. Seen but not known. (Know what I mean)

After we visited the goats and iguana, Vickie made a side trip up to this beautiful hillside filled with flowers and big stones. She told me it was a cemetary and that her sister Wendy lived there now.

I had heard about Wendy but never met her. I was kind of excited. But we never met a human person. We got out of the truck at the top of this little hill and then walked through the stones and flowers to this spot where there was a tiny not real, bunny and some little, not real flowers.

Vickie layed down there and just went all quiet. It was different than how she is in the mountains. She was not sad, she was just quiet. Very different. I wanted to run and play in the grass and sniff all the “Not Real” flowers and stuff, but felt it was more important to just stay by Vickie. So I did.

We sat there for a long while, just looking up at the mountain to the north of us. Vickie says that there are a bunch of Mountain Goats there. John was up there yesterday and got some pictures of them for us.

She said it was one of Wendy’s favorite mountains.

Mmmmm What an interesting half hour that was. Like I said, it wasn’t sad or scary or anything like that, it was …. Peaceful …. Special …. I liked it. I liked just sitting with Vickie and letting her pet my fur while she looked off in to the distance thinking about her sister.

Very interesting……

There was some sad times this month at Canine Country Club as we lost two of our favorite guests. Jessie left us a while back from cancer. He will be really missed. He was the only one that could make Allred behave. I'll really miss him.

We also lost our dear friend Stockton. He was always there when I would do my Bert Bounce. He was the one dog that knew how to let all of the other dogs out of the kennels when Vickie left for a while.

He would go around and let everyone out and we would have a great big party. until Vickie got back. Then we all got "Time Out" while she cleaned up after us.

We will miss you too.

And Finally Saturday was filled with training. We met up with Annie and Murphy and even Jamie came along.

Annie has this cool toy that Vickie said might just work for me cause I couldn't eat it or break it. Kinda like my big blue Egg that I got from Jill at Pet Expectations.

I tried to convince Vickie to sneak it into her pack but she said I had to wait until Obedience Class this week where she promised to buy me my very own ball.

Then we got down to business and here is where that dumb "LEAVE IT" phrase came into my life again. Only this time it was sheer pain. They kept putting this really big peice of juicy meat, right in front of our noses.

Oh the smell was incredible, it took all I had to not grab it and run. Truth is everyone of us tried the grab and run with it at least once. I almost got it swallowed before Vickie stuck her hand down my throat and took it back.

You should have seen Murphy with it. He is so hairy that if you hadn't seen him take it you would never have known it was in his mouth.

So Tonia, this picture is for you......just proof that I realy can do it.......

I'll leave you with a picture of me and my little cousin Rusty. He is the newest member of the King/Bailey clan and he is pretty darn fun. He can run like the wind and we had a great time Saturday night at Vickie's Uncle Jay and Aunt Susies house. I can't wait to go back and play with him again.

Well, I guess that is all so everyone Thanks again for wishing me a great week cause your wishes, my wishes came true. So heres a wish for you.

Have a wonderful wonderful week. Think Mountains, Rivers, Party's what ever you want. I hope you get it.

Love Bert