How time flies!

Wow! I cannot believe how the time goes. I have been so busy with my family that I can't seem to find time to paw an entry...plus where we live right now we don't have anything but slow old dial-up Internet...Dad's been working out a way for us to have high-speed though.

Well, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's were all wonderful for me. My adoring family shared some good stuff with me. I didn't receive any toys for Christmas this year (Mom had recently bought & given me some new tennis balls), but I did receive a new food bowl that matches the water bowl she bought several months ago. She wised up and purchased one of the stainless steel bowls that has the rubber stuff on the bottom to keep it from sliding across the floor whilst I am eating. Practical gift, but very important considering one of my fav things to do is eat.

It has been a blessing to have my new sister, Savannah, to play with (though from time to time she gets on my nerves...Mom assures me this is normal, as she and her sisters didn't & don't always get along). Savannah really enjoyed Christmas & got several toys for gifts...Mamaw & Papaw get her lots of toys, because she has such a short attention span that she has to have a lot to keep her busy (and from chewing up National Geographics, historical fiction/non-fiction books, and playing cards -- yeah, the toys are working ;) No, really Savannah is learning how to behave properly. She is much more successful with the potty training bit than she was the last time I wrote, and she has learned some tricks...she can sit, stay, wait, lie down, jump, and sort of crawl when Papaw tells her. Mom worked a little with her recently on catching things in her mouth...Savannah was able to catch a few pieces of popcorn & then later, her little tennis ball a couple of times. She needs more work to get as good as me though...my mouth-eye coordination is more developed.

The past few days here it has been unusually warm, but I've enjoyed it greatly. Mom & I went for a nice long walk yesterday, and ended up being joined by one of the neighbors (nice Mrs. Frances W.) Hopefully we'll get to visit with her again soon.

Well, I am going to go for now. Mom says it is time that she used the computer to get some work done.

--Cisco

My New Friend!!!

As promised...some time ago...here's a pic of me and my new friend and play-mate, Savannah. She came to our home in early September, and since then we've become the best of friends...actually, she's more like a baby sister (with very sharp teeth). We like to play tug, chew on one another, and beg for treats. Mom, Papaw, and I are teaching Savannah some tricks...she already knows how to sit, and we are working on down, shake, and roll-over. Oh, and Mamaw is trying her best to potty-train Savannah...which is going a bit slow...Savannah is also known as "The Dribbler." Hopefully, we'll have her trained very soon...although, Savannah and I both have to admit that watching the slaves...er...humans clean up is quite amusing. Well, I must go and play some more. Later.

The Latest Addition to My Pack

Okay, so I haven't pawed an entry in a long time. Sorry...things have been pretty wild here, so I haven't had very much time or inclination to dish about what I or my humans have been up to doing. However, I cannot let this latest event pass unnoticed or unmentioned...today a new puppy came in to the pack. My current pack consists of me, Mom, Dad, Mamaw, Papaw, and Uncle Adam (extended pack is too numerous to mention), and today a new puppy was delivered to our house by a friend of Mamaw's. The latest addition is a buff (though I don't think she's very muscular) cockerspaniel who Mamaw has dubbed "Savannah" (in honor of all the $ she is spending there on Uncle Adam's extended education...he's trying to become an architect---perhaps he'll eventually design me my very own luxury bungalow, equipped with automated everything). Anyway, Savannah is tiny...she is barely 6-weeks old, and she is always after me when she is awake. This frightens me, because I am sure she intends to find milk valves on me...I have no wish to be nibbled...especially considering I do not, and in fact, have never had any desire to be a milk-dribbler. Now, when the milk-fiend is asleep, that's a different story...she's actually kind of sweet and cute, and that's when I take my sniffs of her. Speaking of which, I think I'll go check on her now. More later...w/pictures.

Nurse Cisco

Well, I think I've stumbled upon what I am meant to do in life...nursing (no, ladies...not that kind of nursing...I mean the "taking care of the sick" kind of nursing). You see, Mom woke up at 3am yesterday morning with an icky stomach virus, and she could barely move most of the day. In fact, I was quite worried about her when all she would do is lay on the cold bathroom floor...she said she was too dizzy to get up and play (so I knew it had to be serious). Well, I finally convinced her to get up and at least lay down in the bedroom next to the bathroom...and there she was for most of the day...sleeping and eating next to nothing. In fact I counted that she ate a mere 4 Saltine crackers and sipped maybe a whole can of Sprite...this is quite unusual considering Mom's appetite is almost as ravenous as mine on a good day. Well, I guarded her while she slept, and I even snuck into bed with her to keep her company (don't tell Mamaw...she doesn't want me on the bed in that room...;) Anyway, I think I would make a great nurse...I definitely have had the opportunities with Mom...like the times she had her wisdom teeth cut out and the times when she has had horrible colds. I am even somewhat successful in curing my patients, as Mom is currently at work (though she still didn't feel back to normal). I wonder if I could get a job as a nurse somewhere...what credentials would I need?

--Cisco

I've Been Tagged!

The Rules
(Hint: Copy and paste the rules so you don't have to type them again):

Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged, need to post in their diary the rules and their 7 pawsome facts. Then choose 7 dogs to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to bark them a pmail that they have been tagged and to read your diary, or, send them a fun Rosette announcing they've been Tagged!

I was tagged by Colyn

The Seven Dogs I tagged are:

1. Yeller Dawg
2. Rusty
3. Olive Oyl
4. Koty
5. Lucky Yuengling
6. Betsy
7. Holt -- I tagged Cedar...then found out that he had already been tagged...sorry:(

Here are the facts:

1. The most important one is that I absolutely love my people...to the point that I greet them anytime they come home...even if they only stepped outside for a few minutes without me.

2. I am a bossy dog...and I tend to trick my people into thinking I need to go out for a "nature call" when I just want to lure them into the kitchen to give me a treat (usually something off the countertop). I will whine until they get up (even if they've just taken me outside), lead them to the kitchen, and then point with my nose at whatever it is I want.

3. I am smarter than my people (see above fact).

4. I have an oddly shaped triangular patch of pink skin on my belly that my Mom thinks is cute...I also have a star-shaped patch of pink on my nose.

5. I am a hunting-breed dog, but I have never formally hunted for anything but my toys.

6. I like to sleep on my couch (in my parents' room) just like they do...with my head on a pillow and everything...sometimes even lying on my back.

7. My favorite place for a nap is outside on the deck, where I can hear, see, and smell all kinds of things (and animals) when I am not napping.

A Big Digger and a Little Friend

It has been some time since I last wrote, but I've been so busy lately...and I have had a tough time getting accustomed to dial-up Internet. Well, as I may have mentioned before, we are living with my grandparents right now (until our new house is built and ready to move into). Things have been going slowly (according to what I can tell), but just the other day some men came up with really noisy machines and cut down some of the trees on our property (where the house will eventually be)...I did not like the noise one bit (sounded like a massive army of killer bees). Yesterday Dad and Mom walked me for almost 40 minutes (and ran me for some of the time)...we ended up going to the site. But before we got there I met up with Patches (the elderly beagle whose people live in our new neighborhood) and this new little guy (I think he's mini-Pin mixed with something). Well, I was excited to have a potential new pal, so I went to sniff him...apparently I am bigger than I thought I was, because that little guy hunkered down and rolled over for me. He was a nice little guy, and I wanted to play with him, but Dad wouldn't let me off the leash. Fortunately that didn't stop him from following and walking with us to the property site to look at all the cut-down trees and the dirt. We even saw the big digger that the noisy men used...I really wanted to try it, because it has to be faster than the paws method...my parents wouldn't let me...they said I don't even have a driver's license so it wouldn't be a good idea to turn me loose with something that could potentially do even more damage. I had a good time though...and I look forward to seeing even more progress on my new territory. Mom mentioned that someday (after we move out of my grandparents' house) that I might have a little brother or sister (furry and 4-legged or hairless and 2-legged)...I ask...why not both???

Woofs--Cisco

Where do they think they're going???

I have endured for this long, but I must say I am about to crack...my loving family continues to go off every day (except for Saturday & Sunday) and stay gone all day long. They tell me they are going to work (in order to provide me with food, shelter, food, medical care when I need it, and food), but I'm not sure I trust them. I have been for rides with all of them at some time or another, and believe me, we never go to work. Besides, why couldn't they take me with them? Mamaw and Mom both work as teachers...surely they could use my assistance...I could help by herding the students from place to place or I could encourage the ones who don't like school to start enjoying it--look at my picture--would you want to miss me by staying home from school? Mom teaches instrumental music, so I could definitely help there...I could howl and whine when the students are out of tune to let them know they won't just hurt my ears but their audience's if they don't fix the problem. As for Papaw and Dad...well, from what I can tell by what I smell, both of them eat pretty well during the day (especially Dad)...and I know that Papaw spends much of his time outside with--a dog-friend no less. Surely I could help just as much as this gal named Brownie (she's a choco-lab like my friend Cocoa)...besides I could make a new friend. Dad doesn't spend much time outside, but he occasionally has to drive around during work...I could provide him with some company (and then casually suggest that he share his lunch...which would help with the diet Mom says he needs to go on...jokingly of course...I don't know if he'll be reading this later...tee, hee, hee...maybe I just got Mom in trouble :) ) Oh well, anyway, I am here doing a dog's daily work by guarding the homefront. I'll be so glad when Mamaw and Mom get out of school at the end of this month...then I'll have my people all day long! Yippy!

Hiking in Kingsport, TN

My wonderful parents decided to take me to Kingsport with them this past Saturday. Mom said she needed to go look for a music book, and then she talked Dad into going and bringing me along. Her plan was to go to Warrior's Path State Park. After she was unable to find her book (and Dad bought a new pair of sunglasses) we went to the park for a hike...I mean a real hike...up and down with rocks and roots in the path...we could see people on boats (we were kind of close to a lake or something)...I really enjoyed my journey, but I was so tired afterwards that I slept most of the way home. It was a great day!

One Sneaky Cat!

Good day to all!

Thus far my morning has been somewhat predictable save for one tiny detail...I could have sworn on my favorite snack (popcorn) that I heard a cat in the house while Mom & Mamaw were having their breakfast. I went to investigate, of course, but could turn up nothing...I even sniffed the vacuum...perhaps one was hiding in there. Get this, Mom & Mamaw were whispering together when I re-entered the room...I don't know what they were up to, but it was something to do with that sneaky cat...I just know it! I'll find it yet. I just have to patiently wait for it to make its move. I promise I won't hurt it...I just want to sniff it over and make it get out of my house...Dad is allergic to them afterall!

Off to search for the sneaky cat.

--Cisco

TGIF

Thank GOD it's Friday! That means Mom, Dad, Mamaw, and Papaw will be home with me all day tomorrow and most of the day on Sunday! I am soooo excited! I am also tired from such a long work-week...some people just don't realize how hard we dogs work. Granted, I do spend some time sleeping outside during my workday, but at the least bit of suspicious noise I have to wake up and bark. Being a guard-dog is a tough job, especially at our house...there are so many new sounds I've had to get used to hearing. For example, up here there are so many more animals that I never heard or saw before (like all those crazy orioles that try to fly through the windows in the family room...that noise really used to scare me)...and those little blackish-brownish things that Mom tells me are moles (I thought moles were those dots of color on my parents...who new they could come off and dig in the dirt?). Of course, I had seen deer before, but whoa, we have a lot more up here. Then there's Uncle Joe in his big red truck...it makes a loud noise kind of like Papaw's diesel truck, so then I'll get my hopes up that he's home...and just as quickly my hopes are dashed...Joe is okay I guess, he just barks a lot of swear words that I can't repeat for fear that Mom will wash my mouth out with soap (just kidding, she'd not do that...). Well, I think I have run out of things to say, and Mom expects me to work hard and not spend all my time on the computer today...she still hasn't figured out my secret way of getting back into the house while they are gone...and if I have it my way, she never will....MUHAAAAHAAAAAAHAAAAA! ***sneaky bark-laughing***

Rubs & Scratches,

Cisco