Just like any other day.

WAKE UP It's SATURDAY

 Meeting with my friends for our Saturday Walk.

 Big ones and little ones.

 Tennis Balls and Frisbee's

 And lots of Zoomies

 My Buddy Goose got to come too. 

 Goose Met a Goose (I made a funny)

 Spring made an appearance

 And now it is time to go home. 

Pup Pairs and Therapy Kids in Training

It is Wednesday night and I am pretty trashed.  My Vickie has been keeping me so busy now that I am well.  We start off at 4:45 am and go till we both drop at 10 pm.  

Starting off the day, we get our friends all settled in to the day care after feeding our overnight guest.

 James Dean and his Foster Brother Rocky

 Annie and her new friend Murphy

 and of course the infamous pair Carly and Zoey.

At 10 we were off to the Hospital to visit the patients.  And today was such fun cause I met this little teeny 2 year old girl who was thrilled to see me.  There she was this little itty bitty thing sitting in the hospital bed with tubes here and there and a sad little face.  When she saw me, her beautiful face lit up like a candle and she called for me to come up and visit her.

Of course I only have to be asked once.  After Goose's Mom Michelle fixed the bed with a clean sheet and my Vickie cleaned my paws with a sanitizer, Up I went.  I layed right next to her with my head in her lap and she started petting me on my ears, then my eyes, my nose and finally a gentle caress on my head.

After a while she was so happy that she wanted to hug me and that really felt good.  It felt so wonderful to have those sweet little arms reach around my neck (she was so tiny that they didn't go all around my neck) then she kissed me on the forehead.  WONDERFUL

Later on during our visit she crawled up on my back and sat there excitedly bouncing up and down.  (My Vickie had her hand between the little girl and me so that there wasn't a lot of pressure on my stomach.  You know, the ball thing.)

Anyway, she was the highlight of my day.....I THOUGHT.

 After our visits at the hospital, we had been invited to a school where a group of children had been doing a lot of reserach on Therapy Dogs and they wanted to meet a real life one.  So Me, Murphy, My Vickie, Paulette and Michelle went.

 They asked us all a lot of questions and we had a great time answering them, showing them how we do stuff and then just letting them sit and pet us.

 I showed them how I lay my head in your lap.

 Or how I lay beside you when you are feeling sad. 

It was a great great time. 
Then we came back to work where My Friend Erianne was waiting to take me on a walk while My Vickie and Judy finished up the jobs at the kennel.  Pretty cool, I get to go walking and she stays around and scoops, waters, cleans and feeds my friends.

Now it is 8:30 and I am already getting ready for bed, while My Vickie finishes up the blog.  By 10 pm, we will both be fast fast asleep ready to start all over again.

Have a great day my friends.

Bert

It aint fun to be sick

Now that I am feeling better, I just wanted to tell all my friends who are feelin poorly that, I am hopin you feel better soon.

 I was surprised when My Vickie told me that so many of you were sick.  Like my buddy Goose  who is suffering from some unknown illness that has had him down for three or four days now.   Or Halle who had been one of many who is fighting the seizure monster. and of course K    Just to mention a few

 I want to send my strongest "Get Well" wishes to all of you and maybe you will be lucky like me when you are better.  See, when I felt better and I went back to visit the patients at the Hospital........

 I was greeted with a "Glad Your Back" basket from the employees there.  It was so exciting to open the packages.  There were treats and a big ole juicy bone and guess what my boss gave me.......

 Can you believe it.  They gave me a big ole Yellow ball. 

It was actually a joke.....darn it......I really don't get to have it.....cause I eat them......but it was kind of funny for everyone but me.  It was right there just out of reach.....

Anyway....to all of my friends out there.  Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments, your love and well wishes.....and for those of you who are not feeling well.....

I am sending a big ole "Get Well Wish" your way.

Love
Bert

BAck With A Vengance

Oh YEAH BABY.....I AM BACK
and I came back with a vengeance.
My Vickie had my whole week so full of activities, it tired me out and I am fast asleep right now.
So My Vickie is writing this post in my name.
Monday:  7 different 40 minute demonstrations with my Buddies Murphy and Tucker
Tuesday:   Off to the groomer and then To the Hospital for My Patient Visits
Wednesday:  Back to the Hospital for a few hours and then another demonstration later in the evening.
Thursday:  My friend Toby couldn't go to the hospital so another bath and back to the hospital
(I should note here that My Vickie is very careful to see that I get a very gentle shampoo because I have to bathe so often....not counting all the swimming I get to do)
Friday:  My other buddy Elvis wasn't able to go to the hospital so I filled in for him too as well as another demonstration that afternoon.
SATURDAY: Play Day....Play Day....Play Day

 Here I am making sure My Vickie is staying put while I keep track of one of the speakers.

 Pretty Good STAY.  Don't ya think?

 If ya look hard you can see Me, Tucker and Murphy in the crowd.  We just love kids.

 And YES, it is true.  That is Annies mom tossin me a "Tennis Ball"  Oh Yes....It is true.   A TENNIS BALL

 And all my buddies took a dip in the river with me.  It is running pretty fast now so we are not allowed out in the deep end, but we still get to get wet.

 What a great group and I am loving it.

 Check it out, Don't Baci and Logan look like grown up versions of Stanley and Murphy. 

 WE tired to catch some good pictures of zoomies, but this was the best we could get.

And YES.....that is me.  A long dive across the river.  Can you tell which end my head is on.

And for you Goose f\Fans, he was here too, he was just helping My Vickie set up some training for our Search Dogs Handlers that come down from Idaho to train.   Thanks Goose 
And finally a fun video of all my buddies at Canine Country Club, the demos, the kids, the walks, just all of this months fun.

Happy Sunday everyone.

Bert

Welcome Stanley and Murphy

My Vickie and I have been waiting and waiting for two new little golden doodle brothers to come to their new home and today was the day.  We have followed their blog for the last four weeks as they talked about being born, living with their brothers and sisters, loving their mom and finally today......when they moved in with their humans.

If you get a minute, would you welcome them to blogville.  Murphy and Stanley are their names and you can visit them Here Too.

It's in the air

My Buddy Goose had the best post yesterday Titled "Are You Having Fun Yet"  You can check it out Here if you havn't already read it.

Him and his human are very wise....

I have been down in the dumps for several weeks now so you can understand how reading the post gave my spirits a lift.  I felt better just reading it.  And better still cause My Vickie said, "Bert Buddy, It's time for you to go out and have some fun, You have been very good for so long, so this weekend, you get to go on the walks, OFF LEAD......AND...... you can swim all you want."

 I can't wait to get to my mountains and play.

 I am so happy that I can even look at Allred and not see "The Devil" but an almost sweet looking boy.

 And to my great delight,  Goose's human came by today and brought me.......

wait for it........

wait for it.......

BUBBLES

 Lots and lots of bubbles. 

 Tons of bubbles.

Bubbles and Joy and Fun and Happiness.

Life is so good.

My Week Begins

After being on "Bed Rest" for three weeks, I was beyond excited to start my week with a whole day full of kids.  Me, Murphy, Tucker and our humans went to a Junior High School for the day where we did 7 different demonstrations that totaled about 300 + students.   AND IT WAS A BLAST.

 Of course, it is extra fun because when we do demos in the schools, I am allowed to be off lead and travel through the kids getting my pets and love from one after another.

 At one point I spotted a Blue Ball.  A BALL.   A BIG BLUE BALL. 
I had to get it.   I just had to get it.  I stretched and stretched, but could not reach it.

UNTIL

 Yep, I just stepped up onto the chair and BAMMMM the Big Blue Ball is MINE

At least until My Vickie saw "A BALL" in my mouth.....Then it was gone.....

 This school had  the very coolest teachers ever.  See that person standing on the desk to see what I am doing.....Yep, that is the teacher.  She was so much fun all day.  And funny and fast and WOW, My Vickie was blown away with how cool she was.

 And what were they laughing at.  Yep, I modeled the plastic bag rain jacket instead of Murphy. 

OK Murph....I see what you mean.   This really isn't cool.

 But even wearing a plastic bag is worth it in the end.  I think they are all crushin on me.  (Note for Charlotte,   "can you see our secret?")

Back at Home........

 Murphy has come to stay with us for a few days. 
It is such a relief to have someone else around to distract Allred.
Careful Murphy

Hey Jed and Abby,   Got any suggestions?????

Is it spring yet?

SPRING TIME IS COMIN and I get to be a part of it.

 Our favorite tree in the whole world is one particular Pussy Willow Tree that My Vickie started from a branch taken from her Sister Wendy's pussy willow tree the year she died.  It is the tree that tells us when spring is coming.  It whispers in the wind above our heads as we make our way through the kennels, it gives sweet nectar to the bees, it changes color with each breath of the breezes the tickle its little bud and velvet flower.  It's perfect softness against a blue sky Welcomes The Beginning of all other beauties of The coming Season.

 With it, this year, we meet a new member of our extended family and friends, Rudy.  With it comes the days of playing outside, sleeping in the beams of the sun rays that break through under our huge walnut tree. 

 All good things come with the Spring Time

 Well, not all good things......Like, it was James Dean 's Birthday last Thursday, but he was not feeling well, so we had to put off his Birthday Party until Next Week.  Basset hounds are really sad looking when they are sick.  Actually, Bassetts kinda look sad all the time.....Anyway, we are hoping James Dean is feeling better this week.

 I keep trying to tell Zoey that I have a girlfriend, but she is always trying to sneak in a kiss here and there.  But don't worry Charlotte.....I am true to you.

 I know I already told you but it is worth repeating cause My Buddy Murphy passed his Therapy Dog test last week.  Yeah.   Won't he be wonderful for the patients....?

 So FINALLY I got to go out on a walk with my buddies Goose, Murphy and Annie.  It was so great.  My Vickie made me stay on lead for almost all of the walk and that was a bit of a bummer, but at least I got out and got some fresh air and exercise. 

 While we were walking, we passed a lot of people out enjoying the springlike weather on their bikes.  I was walking way over along the river when a group of folks went riding by and I heard someone call "Bert"  "I see Bert".  I ran over to see who it was and it turned out to be one of the kids from a school I had gone to a few weeks ago to teach about Wilderness Safety.   It is fun to be recognized. 

 On the next day, we went to one of our favorite haunts and met up with a ton of my friends.  I just had to put in a picture of Murphy cause My Vickie thinks he is the coolest looking dog in the world cause he looks different with every step he takes.

And YES.....there was WATER.....I didn't get to be in it a lot but I finally did get to swim a little.  Oh how I have missed my water.

So if your not too board now, here is a short video with pictures of last week.  All my little friends, all my big Friends, and a few other things.....Have a great week everyone.  AND THANKS AGAIN for all your love while I was ill.  I know it made My Vickie fill better....Me Too.