OMD--I LOVE AGILITY!

Agility is fun! I get to run up and down big ramps and swoosh through a tunnel and run fast-fast-fast . It's kinda' like doing zoomies around the room while listening to Mommy tell me where to zoom. I'm not afraid of the bridge thing, and I "get" the basic idea of weave poles. The only thing I didn't like was the "table". I have to get on it and down or stay for five seconds. It's so hard to be still while I'm itching to run around the room and play on the apparatus!

Mommy is so proud of me! She thought that I would like Agility, but I LOVE it! The man who is a national agility judge said I'm a good girl and scritched my ears. Then he stood at one end of the bridge with PUPERONI, while Mommy stood at the other end. All I had to do was run back and forth while staying on the wooden part and hit my marks and there'd be a piece of puperoni waiting for me.

I got so tired in an hour--still I didn't want to stop! Mommy put me in a crate so she could watch the next more advanced class. We did OpFam--object familiarity--she wanted to watch Novice. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I just couldn't. I fell asleep right there in the crate! It was a power nap, though. When we got home later, I was ready to romp in the yard with Louise. I can't wait for next week!

I love my classes!

Mommy is finally feeling much better after her surgery, and we've returned to our Rally classes. I missed them so much when we didn't go! This last class Mommy shared some 'citing news.

Next week I'm going to take the test to begin Agility! Whoo-hoo--I love running through the tunnels and through the weave poles on Doggy Game Nights! If I listen to Mommy's words and follow directions I'll get to do these things and more--every week! Am I a lucky girl or what?

I will still go to Advanced Rally, and another class that will refine and upgrade Mommy and my obedience skills. Louise is finally going to try Novice Rally. It has taken her a year of Basic Obedience to overcome her fears, gain confidence, and feel more comfortable inside her own skin. We are very, very proud of her!

Recently Mommy took me on a six mile walk/training at a wooded recreation area--what a fun time! The path took us near lakes with ducks on them, past people with strollers or on bicycles, past other leashed dogs, and even near a herd of bison! I was a well mannered girl the entire time! We saw many, many other dogs pulling on their leashes, lunging at people and dogs, and not listening to their pawrents.

Lots of people remarked on how well behaved I am, and also what a good looking dog I am! I think having good social manners enhances one's natural beauty. Mommy is going to start carrying cards with our obedience club information on them. She believes that everyone can have their peeps trained in effective pawrenting if they are willing to be consistent, work hard, and stick with the program! I believe that I am one of the luckiest girls in the world!

I'm A Diary Pick of the Day!

We have lots of celebrating going on in our house this morning. First, Mommy got a phone call, telling her to look outside. It's snowing--big, beautiful fluffy white flakes coming down like crazy! Mommy gets to stay home another day, and we went outside to play before the sun is even up!

While we were eating breakfast, Mommy jumped on the 'puter and got really excited. I am a Diary Pick of the Day! I just knew that posting my rules of comfort was a good idea! Well, there ensued a lot of hugging and dancing, and Louise was doing a full body wag! She got so excited she even did one of her little red wolf howls! I'm really happy too--I like my diary 'cause I always have things to share!

What a special day! Fluffy SNOW and DPD--I am such a lucky girl!

Rules to Live By: Comfort

It has been brought to my attention (by Mommy) on numerous occasions that I am a comfort seeking pup. Some of my fav activities include rearranging the pillows to my liking before flopping on the pawrents bed for a nap; squeezing my body between the couch pillows and whoever is sitting next to them; and in a pinch, using one of my sisters as a cushion/pillow.
I find softness sublime, and luxury a necessity. I have therefore formalized some rules to live by:

1. Never sit on the floor when you can sit on a chair. (Even if it's just a folding chair at
obedience club.)

2. Never sit on a chair when you can recline on a couch or bed.

3. Pillows are necessities, not accessories. Drag at least one, preferably two, into your crate. Claim them as your personal property. Use all others to pad your body & world.

4. Tear up all crate pads of insufficient thickness and/or softness. Mommy will finally
get an acceptable one--treat it with respect.

5. All clothing must be soft and static free--use a dryer sheet, Mommy! There's nothing
worse than a body-crackle when Mommy takes the hoodie off!

6. Always poop & pee where it is convenient for you. Who wants to go behind a bush when the middle of the front yard is available?

7. When riding in the car, ALWAYS make a bid for the front seat--the view is much more
pleasant. Only give in when older sister grouches at you--then sit in back seat and
make unhappy sounds.

8. Curl up next to Mommy, optimizing body contact. By far, this is the warmest and
comfiest place on earth--especially if she throws in a belly rub!

Well, there you have my ideas on living comfortably. Next topic: My rules about food. . .

My Birthday Month

It's been a wonderful month. Mommy bought me Nina Ottosson toys and special treats. And on Sunday she made a super-special supper for us to enjoy. She poached a bag of cod fish fillets--so yummy! Us girls and the puff-fuzzes were very serious about enjoying this most delicious feast. The puff-fuzzes just had fish, but Mommy added sweet potatoes and green beans to our bowls. I don't think I've ever eaten something so delicious!

And now it's a new month. Since I had chicken juice on my kibbles tonight, I wonder if Mommy has forgotten that January is over? I am such a lucky girl!

So, this is ICE.

Wow--you know, I had SO much fun playing in my first snow--well, I was really looking forward to snow again today. We did the "snow chant" for the weatherman, but I guess he didn't hear us---'cause when we went out this morning, IT WAS BIZARRE!

It scareded me! There was hard stuff falling on me--it was hitting me hard enough that it HURT! I turned around and headed for the porch. Mommy was standing in the doorway, and I went head first through her legs to get back inside! She put on her coat and snapped a lead on me. She stood with me in that awfulness while I went pee pee, then we both went inside.

Ginger called me a "baby scaredy-butt". She said that if I want to live here, I'd better get used to ICE. She was grumpy 'cause she wanted fluffy white snow too. I've decided that I don't like ICE, SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN.

We waited for SNOW all day. We got some, but it is all crackly 'cause of the ICE. It goes, "crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, squeak" when we walk on it, and it's slippery-slidy on the deck. Maybe we will have real snow tomorrow.

FRIED RICE ROCKS!

I am SO happy that Mommy is cutting back on the carbs and fat! She had Chinese take-out for lunch, and came home with the RICE this afternoon. IMO, she is MORE than welcome to the steamed veggies and chicky, so long as she saves the RICE for my supper bowl.

Brown and infused with YUMMY FAT; bits of egg and veggies made it all the better. It was the best add-in to the kibbles bowl I've ever tasted! Actually, I suggested that we skip the kibbles all together and just focus on the RICE. Mommy just laughed.

Louise (being Louise) spent entirely too much time attempting to separate the rice from the kibble. Yes, friends--she tried to lick the rice off of each one before spitting it on the floor of her crate. Not me--I tucked into that bowl of lovliness--full attention until I was licking the last essence of taste from it!

What an EXCELLENT start to the week end!

My Birthday Month Continues--It's All About the FOOD!

My birthday month continues. On Friday my other Nina Ottosson toy arrived, and today Mommy loaded it with treats--just for me. She put Ginger and Louise outside, and I played with the Tornado--moving those compartments, removing the bones, spinning the levels--munching the crunchies--before we went outside to train. Such fun!

Then when we trained--oh,my-oh,my--Mommy had my FAVORITE treats in her pouch. DUCK treats--they are the bestest tasting yummies! I watch Mommy very closely for signals of what she wants me to do. And when I do it, she gives me a piece of duck treat--and I am a VERY happy girl!

It rained yesterday, so I stayed indoors and napped a lot. Mommy went shopping and came home from SAMS with a huge box of Milk Bones. Every night we get ONE Milk Bone at bed time. She opens the doors to our crates and says, "Little Girls, go to your rooms." She always has our blankies all comfy, and we run inside and sit down. Then she gives us each a milky bone and closes our doors. We know that milky bones means time to go to sleep. No more outside. No more playing. Time to have a snack and snuggle down.

You know--it's all about the FOOD--the treats--the yummies, the snackies, the kibbles, the mix-ins to the kibbles, the peep droppies on the floor, the begged tastes and bartered bites--it's all about the FOOD. Yes, I confess--I am food motivated, and motivated for food. I am such a lucky girl!

I'm an NPC too!

Everyone knows thst I can't let Louise do something without me trying to one-up her. This morning, while Mommy talked to Daddy in Arfganistan, I used my newly acquired height (I stood on the 3 step stool in the kitchen), to reach the shoe box on the back of the counter, containing Ginger's vitamins, supplements and pills .Mommy wasn't far behind me. I'd only had time enough to chew the top off of her old dog geriatric vitamins and eat 3 of them--they have a wonderful beefy taste.

First Mommy scolded me for being such a "conniving canine". Then she scolded herself for not recognizing just how conniving a canine I've become. She recognizes that all of the thinking games and obedience work has enhanced my smart, smart, smart! Using my intelligence to get what I want comes naturally, since I have a GSD temperament. Ergo, she accepts responsibility for me qualifying for the NPC club.

The vet said that 3 of the vitamins won't hurt me--just make my breath and farts smell a bit on the raunch side. And have I ever been making them air poots! He said it was a good thing that I didn't tear into the new bottle and gobble a bunch of them. Mommy thanks goodness for the cellophane plastic safety seal around where the lid and the jar come together. As a result, she has dragged out an old ammo box and a padlock. All medications-- human, canine, and feline, will be stored in this locked box from now on.

For her day off, she is "dog proofing the house." As I type this, she is busy going through the cabinet just outside of the human potty room, removing stuff they don't need that might harm us should we get into it. "But Mom, without opposable thumbs, I can't release the latch on that cupboard!" Judging from the look she shot me, she doesn't put it past me to figure out an alternative method. Methinks it best if I just lie here quietly on the futon and finish my diary entry. Since it's chilly in the house even with the heat cranked, I'll snuggle up to her in a little while. That should earn me a few "brownie points" after this escapade.

I LOVE SNOW!

What FUN! Ginger and Louise were right--snow is PAWSOME-AWESOME! The moment my feet touched it, I knew it would be great. Louise was already out in the middle of the yard spinning donuts and leaping into the air--and I quickly joined her! Together we wrestled and chased one another, and rolled in the snow in our wading pool---THEN DID IT ALL AGAIN!

What's not to like? It's wet and not wet. It crunches in your teeth. It sticks to your fur and goes whirling off when you shake; and you feel so liberated! It's exhilerating!

Mommy was joyful to see us having so much fun--so she took a few photos. But we were moving so fast or she was laughing so hard, only a few weren't all blurry. It's okay--I hope it snows more every day! Louise says that the deeper it gets, the more fun it is. Mommy agrees so long as it isn't icy snow and/or she has to shovel a lot. I'm sure that Mommy will take more photos.