Dogster

return to top

Everyone Knows It's Windy!

I'm a Pilgrim!

I should probably explain the new photos on my page. I got to go with mommy to her friends' house for Thanksgiving, and we dressed up like pilgrims! I behaved myself very well all day, even though my pug friends Cosmo & Butter were barking at me a little. I didn't know why, so I just kept my distance. Then my pup pal Angel came over too. It was a very Dogster Thanksgiving.

Then my mommy introduced me to a strange creature, which you can see in the other new picture. It looked like me, but it didn't move or bark or anything. It didn't even try to smell my tush! I don't know what it was, but everyone thought it was really funny when mommy got me to sit down next to it.

Shake, shake, shake!

WoOhOo! I have a new trick! I learned how to "shake." My mommy tried to teach me a few months ago after I learned "down," but I just didn't understand what she wanted me to do. I just got all nervous and laid down, because that seemed to get me some good rewards. But then this week mommy said she had read my "pup pal" Dutch's diary and was inspired that he finally learned how to "shake," so she started trying to teach me again.

Well, what do you know - this time I learned it in 3 days flat! At first I would only lift my paw about half the time - I thought it was the right thing but I just got so nervous. Then I realized I got lots of pets every time I did it, so I kept trying. I knew I had it down pat when my mommy put me on the spot for some visitors, and I nailed it three times in a row! Now I have a whole routine - Sit, Shake, Down - and I love all the attention I get when I do it well! Hooray! My mommy says I'm a smart girl. I think she's right!

Bad News and Good News

Oh man, what a week. Something bad happened, and something good happened.

First, the bad news. My mommy took me to the vet because I wouldn't stop licking my butt, and neither would any other dogs! Something about my butt was suddenly very enticing to the entire dog world. The vet took a look and discovered the culprit: I have a ruptured anal gland. What the heck is that? Well, the anal gland is the reason dogs sniff each other's rear ends. It's the same thing that, on a skunk, produces that nasty skunky smell. Apparently I got a foxtail or something stuck in there somewhere along the line, and it got infected and ruptured. GROSS! Now my mommy has to squirt my tush with iodine twice a day, and I hate it! (Not as much as I hated having my ears cleaned though). I've also been getting cheese treats three times a day, and although I gobble them up, I'm starting to suspect that there's some medicine in there too. Hmmmm.... The vet says hopefully it will clear up and I'll be good as new. If not, I have to have surgery AGAIN. Yuck. I might also have another mammary tumor - we're not sure if it's that or just scar tissue from my last surgery. Mommy is watching it closely to see if it grows. If so, it's gotta come out!

Enough of that - time for the GOOD news! I learned how to swim! I was afraid of the water before, even though I'm a grown-up. I can't help it - nobody ever took me to the water before I was rescued! Well, the other day at Point Isabel, I saw my buddy Rufus going into the water, so I followed him. I tried to walk on top of the water - it LOOKED solid to me...but I fell right in! At first I didn't know what to do but then I just started paddling and I swam around in a little circle, then climbed out on the rocks and ran back to mommy. I was still kind of scared but it sure was fun. I might have to try that again!