DAY 182, Thursday, 9/6/12

Wow! Dogster Diary Pic of the Day again! What’s this, the sixth time? But who’s counting, eh?

We made it all the way to Jackson, Tennessee, tonight. I could have gone farther, but I guess Bob was tired from all that driving. Being cooped up in the truck is kinda getting to me too, actually. I’ll be glad when we get somewhere that I can run and play.

I gave Bob a break, though. I’ve started jumping up into the cab all by myself. Truth is, I didn’t really enjoy having Bob lift me. I was afraid he would drop me.

DAY 181, Wednesday, 9/5/12

[Singing]
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it
[Rim shot]

Bob and I started out on our cross-country trip today. He’s driving a 22-foot truck with Victor’s and his parents’ things in it. At first, I wasn’t sure about the truck because the cab is so high, and Bob has had to lift me up into it. It does have a nice, wide bench seat, though, and I get to look out all the big front and side windows.

Along the way, we stopped at a Taco Bell so Bob could get something to eat. He used to love Taco Bell, but now he says it’s just not the same since Tony has taught him what food is supposed to taste like. I guess when you’re on the road, though, you take what you can get. So, anyway, we were in the restaurant, and Bob got up to get a packet of sweetener for his tea. He told me to stay, and you know what? I didn’t budge an inch. Of course, that’s what a service dog is supposed to do. We should follow the humans’ commands because doing that reinforces their delusion that they’re superior to us Canines.

Today, we got all the way to Texarkana, TX, and tomorrow we should be somewhere in Tennessee.

DAY 179, Monday, 9/3/12

Yesterday, Tony said I stank like a dog. (He forgets that I’m the one with the super-strong sense of smell.) So, he had Bob spray me with some girlie stuff. Yuck. Then, this morning, after he took me to the courts to run, he brushed me really well. I hope the brushing got rid of all that perfume.

Remember my friend Mary Ann, the one whose birthday party Tony and Bob went to last week in Arizona? Well, during the party, someone left a door open, and Trixy, Mary Ann’s cat, ran away. We’ve all been so worried about her. Then, this morning, we got an E-mail from Mary Ann saying that a neighbor had found Trixy and that Mary Ann and Art had brought her home. I’m so happy for them. I don’t know what I’d do if Tony or Bob got lost and couldn’t find his way back home.

DAY 178, Sunday, 9/2/12

First, I want to thank all my pals for all the birthday wishes yesterday. You’re all grrrrreat!

Bob took me to the tennis courts this morning to get some exercise, and when we got back to the apartment, Tony had filled my water bowl with some nice cold water from the refrigerator. Wasn’t that nice of him? Thank you, Tony.

DAY 177, Saturday, 9/1/12

[Singing]
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday, dear Biscuit.
Happy birthday….

Oh, no, since I’m adopted, we really don’t know when my birthday is, but Bob and Tony chose this date for the records. So, today I’m officially two. I’m supposed to be an adult now, but I still like to act like a teenager now and then. I think I deserve a giant birthday cake, but since my tummy is just now getting back to normal after having been “abandoned” for five days, I guess I’d better stick to my regular food.

DAY 174, Wednesday, 8/29/12

The nice folks at the boarding place gave me a good bath just before Bob picked me up yesterday, but they didn’t brush me. Consequently, I had almost a week’s worth of extra fur. When Bob brushed me this morning, he said that it looked like the gerbil circus had come to town. (See Day 24.)

I got to go to the mall today, and…well…maybe I’d better back up and tell you the whole story.

Ya see, I’ve been kinda upset ‘cuz I thought Bob and Tony had abandoned me while they went to Arizona. In fact, I was so stressed out that I had an upset tummy and had diarrhea all day yesterday. Early this morning, I tried to wake the guys to let them know that I needed to go out, but it was too late, and I ended up making a mess on the living room floor. So, Bob went to the store and rented one of those carpet cleaning machines.

While the floor was drying, we decided to get some lunch and cruise the mall. Bob said I did great. At first, I pulled a little too much at the leash, but once I got the hang of it, I kept a nice, comfortable pace, and I didn’t let anybody or anything distract me. Bob said it was good practice for our trip back East. Oh, and that’s another thing….

I was upset with Bob because he promised to take me on a trip in the big truck, the train, and the airplane. When he and Tony went off to Arizona, I thought that Bob had reneged on his promise. It turns out that they are two separate trips. The trip back East doesn’t start until next week. The whole thing was a big misunderstanding.

I think Bob might need to work on his communication skills. I mean, I know he got a degree in communication, but Jeepers, that was in the last millennium—long before I was even born. Maybe he needs a refresher course.

DAY 173, Tuesday, 8/28/12

Hooray! I’m home. As the words go in one of Bob’s songs:
“My wand’ring days are not over;
Once again, I may roam,
But for now, I am happy,
‘cause today I am home.”
(http://youtu.be/FMkG8NvMFYQ)

Bob says that he was just as excited to see me again as I was to see him, but I’m not so sure about that. He didn’t tinkle on the floor the way I did.

DAY 172, Monday, 8/27/12

News flash! My diary has been selected as a Dogster Diary Pick of the Day again. Thanks to all my pup pals and human friends for making my diary successful.

[Singing]
The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow….

DAY 171, Sunday, 8/26/12

Good news. Buster, the bull dog in the kennel next to mine, told me today that he heard from Missy, the poodle in the kennel on the other side of his, who overheard a couple of the attendants saying that Bob and Tony are on vacation in Arizona and will be back to take me home on Tuesday. Woof! Woof! Apparently, they went to help Mary Ann celebrate her birthday. You may recall that I wrote a few weeks ago about meeting Mary Ann in San Antonio, where she was attending a conference. She’s a really nice lady and very smart too. I wish I could have gone with Bob and Tony to her birthday party, but right now, I’m just excited that they’re coming home soon. Arf! Arf!

DAY 170, Saturday, 8/25/12

So, I’ve decided that I’m not even going to think about Bob and Tony anymore. I’m just going to enjoy running around in my kennel, playing with my rubber bone, and rubbing noses through the fences with my next-door neighbors. I’ve completely put Bob and Tony out of my mind.