Shaw Festival visit

Dearest readers, we had quite the outing yesterday. I was on the computer the other day when Daddy wasn't looking and my paws discovered that the Shaw Festival had a day when there were no plays. As the world revolves around the Shiba Inu in general and Oasis and I in particular, this must only mean that our adoring public has taken a day away from the hubbub of the theatre and they were expecting us to make our appearance. Just a few short hours later and we were riding in the back seat of the car to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

There are only two ways we travel -- in our Vari-Kennels or in our Vest Harnesses. For this trip we were in harnesses. We arrived at 11am and found the crowds were thick and welcoming. It was kind of hot but we were well watered from the portable watering bottle/dish thingy that Daddy carried.

If we had a penny for every time we heard "they look like little foxes", Oasis and I could retire in Monaco or someplace rich sounding. Aside from that it took close to 2 hours to walk the downtown stretch, about two kilometres in total. There were so many of our adoring public that simply wanted to meet with us, and with our regal graciousness, and a bit of wiggling butt, we met with each one.

The most special ones were right at the end of the route. Despite the town being dog-friendly (most hotels accept dogs) we only saw two water bowls, one at the Bark'n'Fitz and one at the Shaw Spa.

The ladies at the Shaw Spa fed us very yummy holistic cookies and we visited with them for close to half an hour. It's the kind of place that Mummies everywhere would want to visit, they are such nice people. http://www.shawspa.com if you wish to see them on the internet...

The trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake capped off a nice week at a cottage, an invitation extended to us by some close friends of ours. We went for lots of walks around Bobcaygeon and even had an overnight visit with some of Mummy & Daddy's family along the way.

That's it for now -- my paws are tired as it's pretty late and I need to secure my spot on the bed before Mummy and Daddy come in for the night. It is *my* bed after all, and I have a right to be on it first, don't I?

8 = 11

I can't wait for Oasis to come back home. Mid-way during our 8 week camping trip she needed to go back to Granny Laura's at Koyote Kennels for a long visit.

I sure miss her. I know we'll yuk it up bigtime when she returns in December. Granny sent along a few photos to help us with the missing her part. Check out her Dogster page and you'll see the new pictures.

Our 8 week camping trip turned into 11 as Mummy and Daddy's house retrofit went a few of weeks longer than planned. BUT I got my backyard just a couple of days after they got the keys, *and* that means I got to run around, leash free, in my own backyard for the first time in 8 weeks. I also showed the first Shiba 500 in a couple of months [Daddy: and that means we knew she was truly happy].

Our first visitor to our new home was the esteemed moderator of the Yahoo ShibaInuCrazyinCanada group. I was honored to be in the presence of such royalty. I simply cannot wait to meet the rest of her pack, Kira and Suji. Mummy and Daddy had coffee and learned a couple of tricks that they think will keep me in check a bit better, but I'll show them true Shiba Spirit! Did you know that the Ki in my name means Spirit? That makes me a true expert in Spirited-ness :)

[We chose the name Sikoya because we liked it. We later learned that Sikoya -- this exact spelling -- was the North American Native's God of the Animals. Our dearest friend, our breeder, added the Ki to the name.]

Just this week the boxes got delivered into the house. It's pretty topsy-turvy around here with a bit of foul language every now and then when they can't find something they need in a box but I think that's how all cross-country moves happen. When their stress goes up I think they are getting excited and playful and I become their counsellor and jump in with the closest toy I can find in my mouth and doing a full Shiba Smile :) That calms them down pretty quickly...

Yesterday I got into the remnants of a compost pile and got pretty stinky pretty quickly. That earned me a bath... and then today, me, Sikoya Ki, the fierce hunter, scored a mouse! I rolled in it before Daddy could stop me, and that earned me another bath! [just a half bath...]. At least one of the retrofits they got in the house was to get one of them tankless water heaters that comes with precise temperature control -- and that meant my bath was *ekzactly* 108 degrees F. Not too hot, not too cold, just riiiight.

Dear readers, they have unpacked my dog beds and my leather couch and loveseat, as well as my dishes and food and their bed (or is it MY bed?). I really don't care what else they unpack at this point as long as they let me go out and mousehunt in the big ole backyard. Anything else they unpack that I can sleep on is simply a bonus at this point!

The World According to Sikoya goes global!

Dear readers,

This is just a quick note to let you know you can catch all the action from here over on The Worldwide Shiba Blog Collection at http://shibafun.eigenstart.be/

Be sure to check out all the worldwide links at http://shibasites.eigenstart.be/

There are lots of sites to keep your paws clicking away while your humans aren't near the computer!

From Calgary to Ontario - the 8 week camping trip!

Dear Readers,
A lot has happened since I last wrote. Our house got painted right around the time Oasis wrote this (http://www.dogster.com/dogs/639262/diary/Please_pretty_plea se_rub_my_belly/441028) entry, and a lot of stuff of mine was missing when I got back to the house. As it turns out I would see my stuff pretty soon, but you know us Shibas, it's gotta be NOW, NOW, MINE :)

A few weeks pass after our Volunteering Weekend (see previous Diary Entry) and the next thing I know, Oasis and I are out at Granny's house (http://www.dogster.com/local/CAN/AB/Cochrane/Kennels/Koyote _kennels-118659) and am hanging out with my Buddies for about a week.

Then Mummy and Daddy arrived and they had the travel trailer with them :). That could only mean one thing -- We're going camping!
I was so happy I couldn't stop doing Airplane Ears and Shiba Smiles for an hour!

We stopped in Swift Current Saskatchewan, Brandon Manitoba, Winnipeg Manitoba, Upsala Ontario, Marathon Ontario, Massey Ontario, Killbear Provincial Park Ontario and then straight down to Knight's Beach on Lake Erie. We hung out with Mummy and Daddy's family for a handful of nights and now we are camping outside of Hamilton. My humans say it's because we are all moving from Alberta to Ontario. We'll move into our new forever home in early September, but for now we are C-A-M-P-I-N-G fulltime! Oasis and I are so happy we can't contain ourselves.

It was pretty tough being in the kennel for 8 days, but at least it wasn't 5 long days for transit - the norm - as this allowed us time to stretch our legs out. Daddy and Mummy made it pretty comfy for us, as we got some smoky beef bones (yum!) and a big handful of treats each morning when we kenneled-up. We got lots of fresh water, partly opened windows for air and the fans that Daddy built into the back of our kennels going all the time - we were pretty pampered. Daddy and Mummy kept telling us that we were such good girls (we were).

So now we are hanging outside the trailer most days and lounging in the sun and shade. Except for when we go and visit people ...

Today was the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup, and as we got there the rain started up. There were about 25 other Shibas there, and as the rain was very hard (and Daddy forgot the umbrella), we never made it into the area of the Totordeca Dog Park that the other Shibas were at. I didn't care if it was raining, but Daddy was pretty wet. Mummy stayed in the truck, and after Daddy got to the truck he was able to wring out a few pounds of water from his shirt. I'll make new friends out there next time.

On the way home we stopped in at the most hugest big pet store ever -- Ren's Pets (http://www.renspets.com/) and Sis and I attracted *a lot* of attention. We scored some good deals on pet beds, treats and some matching leashes. Geesh, I never knew that our humans were such yuppies...

So now we are back at our temporary/permanent home and just hanging around. Mummy and Daddy are Oooo-ing and Aaah-ing at the fact they are totally plugged into services and have a microwave and flatscreen TV that they didn't have when we all left Calgary.

And Sis and I are just happy to be with our pack.

All together now ---- AWWW

Shiba Hugs
Sikoya and Oasis

Volunteering Weekend 2008

It's nice to be back at home. I was away for a bit, and I understand I missed a whole upsetted house as interior painting got done. That must have been a mess, and no wonder that Oasis was a little out of sorts when I got back. It didn't take long for her to rebalance though after I got done chasing her around the backyard a few times.

Spring has finally showed it's face here in Calgary, and that means a couple of 4" dumps of snow in late April and early May, and green grass showing up. It means that shedding season has begun.

And that means *birds* to chase! :) Daddy is uncharacteristically smart when it comes to allowing me chasing birds - he won't let me. I think he figures I'll strangle myself at the end of the flexi after I take off. Oasis is much more stealthy than me and can get closer and doesn't tend to get to the end of the flexi. I could stand to learn from her.

This weekend marks my third weekend as the "Japanese beer-hunting dog" for a cycle tour through the Rocky Mountains. It's a 3 day event that runs from between Banff and Lake Louise to Radium BC, next day to Golden BC and then back to the start on day 3. We ride along in the luggage truck. Before each mealtime, Daddy marches me up and down the lineup and tells people I am hunting for beer hidden on their persons before they go into the group's meal. [some of the venues are dry] I haven't found any yet, but Daddy just knows I will one day, and claims it will be shared with the volunteers in the crew.

The photo of me with the mountain backdrop was taken on this tour a few years ago when I was just 8 months old.

And this year Oasis gets to come along and learn the ropes! It should be quite a site with the two of us sniffing out everyone and meeting the estimated 400 riders that go on this tour. We get to visit with Jade this year as all the hotels in Radium are booked, at least the ones with dog-friendly accomodations. I can't think of a better excuse to tear it up with Jade than full hotels!

That's it for now... typing is quite tiring and Daddy needs his computer back. I need to hit the couch as the sun is beaming in and the spot is nice and warm. Bye for now dear readers.

Camping at Last

Who says humans are smart? I gotta tell ya about our camping trip. First off, I *love* camping. The smell of the outdoors, freshly dropped beef on the ground when Daddy misses the bbq and the endless scenery changes.

But they decided to go camping on Vancouver Island in November. NO-VEM-BER people! How smart is that? Not very I'm telling ya. Kind of cold, foggy and a bit miserable.

I saw trees that were 4' in diameter and lots of feet tall. Big ships. Lots of different birds -- yes, I did try to chase them. And we even got to cross on a ferry boat, twice. Daddy felt a bit queasy so I slept with him in the trailer while we crossed. I think it made him feel better.

We stopped off to see Jade on the way back (her picture with me as a pup on this page). Jade just had cruciate surgery a few months ago, but for an 8 year old she sure has lots of spunk still in her! Unfortunately she hurt her other knee while we were there, and while her spirit was willing, her knee was weak and we had to keep the party down to a dull roar. I hope she has a speedy recovery like the first knee surgery.

On the way back we visited Oasis and her pups. She'll be home in a few weeks and I can hardly wait. She's lost a lot of fur (like I did, see prior diary entry) but she'll grow it back like I have. I'm darn near beautiful again I tell ya, since my fur has grown back in. I'm ready to meet my adoring public...

Speaking of which, I am a model Shiba this upcoming weekend (along with a few kennel buddies) at a trade show. I know my fans have been waiting for me and I can't wait to see them and give them a little paw and rub fuzzy butts with them. We are out promoting the breed and the kennel where I was born.

My paws are tired so I gotta run. Shiba *hugs* to all.

Back at Home

It sure is nice to be home again. All of my puppies found their forever homes. I had two girls and a boy. Two of them had big white socks and they were all cute as buttons. All I need now is for all my fur to grow back in. My goodness, I certainly look terrible :( as all I have left is my hair. Winter's coming and I need some fur!

Once I got here, I sure missed my puppies for a couple of weeks though. Daddy caught on pretty quick that I was having a bit of anxiety about it, but he made me feel good despite myself. AND when I came home Mummy and Daddy had a surprise for me -- Oasis has come to live with us and now I have a playmate forever! I'm so happy I can't stop smiling and chasing my tail. The only time I growl is when she gets near my extra-yummy treats, but Daddy's showing me how to deal with that.

Sometimes Daddy puts us on a brace when we go out for a walk together. I think I'll have a bit of re-learning to do as I tend to drag Oasis around a lot when I'm on the brace with her. But look at it this way-- as she digs in her heels, her nails get a free sanding down on the sidewalk while I drag her along!

Overall, It's just like old times. I don't seem to mind not being the only puppy in this household as I feel like there's enough love to go around for all of us. All together now ... awwwwWWW.

Puppies!

Dear readers,
A lot has been going on since I last wrote an entry. Frerose Mighty Nebo came and stayed with us for a while and is now in his forever home just north of us. We'll go and visit him someday soon. Daddy and Mummy miss him a lot.

Right around the time that Daddy came home (see prior entry), Mummy was taking me out to the kennel a whole lot. The boys sure were *very* interested in me.

Fast forward to today - and, ta-daaah! I am the proud Mummy of 3 red puppies, two boys and one girl. Two of them have cute white socks and one sure has very nice markings on it.

I guess the next seven weeks are going to be kind of busy :) :)

I sure am tired, though, so must make this a short entry.

But, just before I run, yes -- this was a planned litter done at a kennel. Daddy and Mummy are no backyard breeder types.

Shiba Hugs & Smiles to all!

What's an airport?

Dear diary,

It's been a while since I've written, and it's mostly because not too much has been happening. Daddy went away working for a while and it was just me and Mummy. We had lots of fun and cuddle time.

Then one night she took me to a big noisy place and just walked me in on my leash. This is pretty special, for I don't get to walk into too many buildings. There were thousands of my fans there, but only a few would come over to say hello. I appreciate the privacy that I was granted that evening as it's nice to be in a public place and just "blend in", ya know?

This place had lots of people arriving, and then leaving after they claimed their luggage. I saw one other dog that evening. I think Mummy called this place the Airport.

Then all of a sudden, Mummy swoops me up and walks towards someone and kisses him -- how dare she, I mean, like who is this guy -- and then I realize it's DADDY and I was so excited I could barely contain myself I had to kiss him all over and we had a group hug and then I jumped into his arms to show him how excited I was to see him again I didn't leave his side all night and for the next two days. Phew! I'm so Shiba happy he's home (airplane ears, squinty eyes, wagging tail and everything) he better not leave again that's for sure.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. We went out for some training - hmph, I'll show *them* who needs the training. I get put on a 50' training lead and get fed yummy treats to just lay there. Then they keep moving farther away -of course I want to follow them, for they have the treat supply- but I have to wait and endure their lack of skill in tossing me goodies from a distance. It's a good thing neither of them plays for a ball team. I think they called this "recall" and "off-leash" training part one. Dunno when part two is but I hope there's more yummy treats.

Half-Sister is finished too!

Just a quick update to those of you that are following this diary... my half-sister Oasis has finished her championship too! Quicker than I did too! I'm so proud of her.

She stayed with us but only for a short while just after I finished. Just long enough for me to show here what I learned. Unfortunately I've only seen her once since then but we had *lots* of fun on that visit. Maybe one day she'll come and live with me again... maybe...