I am king of the pool

Dear Diary,

I can't believe I have been so neglectful, and not written in so long. I have been a busy pup lately, though. This summer, I lived with my human grandpa for a month because my person was "out of the country," whatever that means. Then, my human and I moved to Illinois just a few weeks after. As a lifelong Minnesotan, this was a bit worrisome for me. But aside from all of the TV and radio station call letters beginning with "W" rather than "K", and it getting darker earlier because Ill-i-nwah is futher east in CST, I think it is just fine here. I get to go to doggie day care with all of these giant pups, and I get really tired out. How fun!

I visited my in-person friend Crazy Mavis last weekend because now that we are in Illinwah, we live close to her. She and her person took me and my person to the swimming pool. I wasn't very fond of the water (too much like a bath -- blech), but I did like running around in the grass next to the sand volleyball courts. Once I found a nice spot on the hill there after I was done running, any big dog that tried to get in my spot got a loud barking to and a poke from my snout. Am I ever fierce. Woof woof! Aruuuuuu!

The pros and cons of Minnesota winters

Pros: space heater, too cold for baths, snow-really fun to play in

Cons: icy sidewalks, too cold for walks, snow-really cold

An in-person friend!

I just wanted to give a shout out to Crazy Mavis. She is my dogster friend and in-person friend, too, because she let me and my person stay at her house in Illinois for a whole week this summer. It was fun -- especially because she doesn't like to eat her food, and, if noone was paying attention, I could get extra food! Yippeeeee! You go my friend, Crazy Mavis.

Vacation, all I ever wanted

I have been on quite a vacation for THREE WEEKS. This is the life! First, my human and I drove for a LONG TIME, and then we were at my human grandpa's house in Kansas City. I stayed there with him for a week while my human went somewhere else (I think they called it New York). It was really fun because I got to do whatever I want, and, because grandpa doesn't work that much, I get to get petted ALL DAY LONG. His neighbor also liked me a lot, and so she took me for walks and gave me treats. FUN! Finally, my person came back, and I was sooooooo happy to see her. We stayed in Kansas City, but after a few days, I got to go with her to my human uncle's house to visit. Then, we drove some more and arrived in Iowa City. I like Iowa City, too, because there are always lots of people around to pet me. We went for walks on these fun trails through the woods -- I felt very adventurous. Now we are back in Minnesota. It is good to be home, but I am a little hot because we don't have air conditioning. I actually liked taking a bath to cool off -- wierd!

Uh Oh: I got caught

It has been quite a week at my house because my human finally found out about all of the bad stuff I have been doing when she leaves for work. Ooops! I like to whine and bark for an hour just in case she can hear me and decide to come back home and pet me all day. I am trying really hard to quit, though, because now she gives me a really good treat when she leaves to take my mind off of it all.

Today she found out my worst secret yet, though. I have a spot in the house where I have pottied a few times, and she found it! Uh oh. I better stop doing that, too: she wasn't very happy with me.

New duds

I am very proud of myself because my person just bought me a lovely "Iowa Hawkeyes" leash -- the black and gold really does wonders for my complexion. On Iowa and Go Hawks. I also had my first anti-heartworm medication of the year this week. Spring has sprung! Must go sleep off my hard day of play at doggie day care----

Snow is hard on vertically-challenged dogs

It snowed here a whole foot on Friday. It was nearly over my head, making it very hard to do my business or even get around at all outside. I didn't even get to go for a walk that day!

Now that everything is shovelled, it is more fun, though. I like to dive in head-first sometimes because I am sure if I look hard enough, there must be some food hidden under the snow.

Spring Break is fun

My human is on spring break this week, so it means that she is always around when I do my usual stuff -- 20 hour/day naps in the sunny guest room, bark at the postal deliverer, etc. It has been fun, though, because I can demand petting whenever I want to. She even lets me sit on her lap while she works sometimes.

I got a certificate for doggie class, too, and we are going to frame it and put it above my waterbowl. Yay for me!

Graduating from Obedience Class?

My human tells me that tonight is our last night of beginners' obedience class. I have often been the star of the class because I am reasonably calm--I am six, after all--and I already knew "sit" very well. Sometimes I get distracted and like to bark at the other dogs, though. I think that my person gets a little frustrated, but she still likes me a lot, and I get lots of treats and pets. I hope that I will graduate tonight because, then, noone can take that degree away from me!
I have also recently started attending doggie day care once a week. They are very nice to me, and my human is proud because I get along with the other dogs there.