Paws for a moment

Today it has been 4 years since I came to live with Wendy- and Steve

I am celebrating a special day today - altho I heard I was *not* going to be getting anything special to eat since I barfed up the babycake from Cupcake Royale last year.

I am in a unique situation. I get to go to work with my mom every day. I used to wonder what she did when she left. Now I know. Altho this is a different job than the other two she has had since I came to live here in West Seattle. The first year she was working part time and was gone about 6 hours - just perfect timing for a nice walk outside. Then for two and a half years she had work that I used to go to sometimes. I really loved working at SeaTac Airport. We were in an old portable building that used to be a school at one point and I loved running down the looooong hallway and visiting all the people there who loved me. Then they made a stupid rule that said I couldn't come anymore so I stayed home for about a year. But she still tried to make her days short or come home in the middle to give me abreak. Especially after we moved to the townhouse and I no longer had a yard.

Then suddenly she was home every day beginning September 2008. She spent the entire day in front of the computer, looking for a J-O-B. For a few weeks dad was home too but he got a new J-O-B working at Microsoft so it was just mom and I.

Mom has a real estate license and she loves green living and healthy homes. She moved her license to a company called GreenWorks Realty, the first green real estate company in the country. That was in November. She listed a house for sale in December and we did Sunday open houses together and I got to meet new people.

February is when my life *REALLY* changed. I heard mom say the company she worked for was having trouble and they had to layoff the office manager. For once mom got a break - her experience let her step in and fill that position on a contract basis, very part time and not much money, but it meant she was sitting in the real estate office every day. We've been coming here every day now for three months. I have finally settled into the routine and am not shaking in the car the whole way wondering if we are going to the emergency vet clinic in Wallingford. I settle down when crossing the Aurora Bridge and getting close to Greenlake.

Mom's talking about looking for a J-O-B again because she still is not selling enough houses, altho the market has finally picked up and she is on the phone a lot. Dad is on a contract at Microsoft and will not have work in October and mom is worried about keeping the house where we live. But she loves being with ME all day every day. I wouldn't want to change anything either. We shall see!

There have been a few big milestones. Aside from my pet therapy work at a local convalescent home that really got me socialized, my mom was also interviewed for a book (Dog Park Wisdom), and *I* am on the cover of the Spring 2009 CityDog Magazine "Dog in the West". Here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/qjpdfe

Celebrate with me today as I honor 4 years with my forever family.

I am a Sophisticated Townhome Iggy Now

Well, the rumors were true and it took a few months to build the new house, but my mommy and daddy packed up the house and got rid of a lot of stuff and my and my kitty family moved to a 3-story townhome in High Point (www.thehighpoint.com) Now we can go out the front door and go for a walk on a real sidewalk and at night there are street lights so no one (or dog) can sneak up on us. We go for walks three times a day, and I only had a poo accident in the house when I was sick for a few days. My kitty sister Sprite was sick with something else at the same time so mommy and daddy bought a carpet steam cleaner and you would never know we had been sick! The last two nights have been raining so hard mommy has not taking me for a late night walk and is instead trying to get me to use the Pet Loo on the deck (www.thepetloo.com), but I have proven it to her that I can hold it and I don't need that fake grass!

I really like it here at my new house. Granted, it's a lot more serene than I am used to. I don't have a yard to go bark at squirrels or other kitties at anymore, but in exchange I get a lot more walks WITH my mommy, and I can lay on a big pillow next to a heater all day, so it's cool, errr, warm. It has been three months since we moved and I think you can say I am now fully adjusted to my new house. There's hardly anything ever to bark at, which adds to the serenity here. Mommy says she is going to start taking me to a school or go do agility training so my mind doesn't turn into mush like oatmeal. Personally, I like oatmeal, I like getting to lick the bowl out when it has had brown sugar in it. But mommy is the boss!

There's a lot of talk around here of a new house

I've been hearing a lot of talk this week about mommy and daddy giving up this farm house on a quarter acre in West Seattle and moving to a townhome at City View in High Point, about a 3/4 mile up the hill from here. I think I will miss my big yard, but the neigbhorhood is so walkable and has pocket parks and we will still live close to all of my favorite walking places anyway, it might not matter. I think hardwood floors would be interesting, and mommy has promised me "Parks4Pets.com" potty grass on the new deck. I hear there are lots of stairs. But, there also is a 2-car garage and that means I can get into the car without getting rained on! That rocks!

Autumn is my mommy's favorite season!

Welcome to the time of year that the leaves change colors and weird squash turn up on the front stoop. I don't quite understand the decorating going on, but I imagine they will start to smell really good the older they get.

I am out walking almost every day with my mommy. Somedays she takes me to work down by the airport and there is this really neat trail along Des Moines Creek and we go for walks in the middle of the day. It is great! I have to wear a polar fleece jacket most of the time, which I hate because I get all static-ee and itchy, but I suspect I would freeze my little tushy off if I wasn't wearing it. I get kinda bored just laying on my bed under her desk sleeping, but she gets up and walks around to go to the copier or the kitchen or the bathroom so I follow her all over and be sure I don't miss out on anything good. There are some nice people who work there, so I make the rounds and get my back scratched. I haven't trained everyone to bring treats yet - I suppose that's good since we are both on a diet right now. Mommy is using WeightWatchers Online - it's easy for me since I don't get to serve myself anyway. I have to say I am glad she finally got smart and switched me from that dry food, which wasn't bad as dry goods go (Timberwolf Organics, various flavors) but I much prefer my doggy stew from www.NaturalPetPantry.com with added salmon oil and vitamins. I noticed the hair on my back is getting thin and I think the high protein content in that food was making me fat! I bet I slim down real quick and other people stop making snide remarks about me liking my food. Funny thing is I really *didn't* like that food, but she would sit there and make me eat it all before I got to go likc the kitty dishes. Slave driver!

Anyway, so it's getting colder out and they've finally started turning on the furnace in the morning which is AWEsome. The new kitties haven't figured it out yet it's the best spot in the house so it is ALL mine. It's the only thing worth getting out from under the feather comforter for...I heard them talk about a fireplace insert they are going to be getting and how much I am going to like it - I wish I knew what they were talking about! It hasn't arrived yet but I imagine it will soon and then I will understand.

Well, I better get going. I need to go for a walk before it gets dark!

Ciao!
Sophia

Calling All STARS!

Old Navy searches for new spokesdog

Could YOU be the next face of Old Navy? The retail clothier is searching for a canine mascot to replace Magic, which starred in more than 60 commercials between 1995 and 2001.

Actually, there was more than one Magic, the Airedale terrier mix that shared the spotlight with the late fashion icon Carrie Donovan, as well as with Morgan Fairchild, Ivana Trump and Liz Smith. But that's always the case with celebrity dogs.

If you want to be im-paws-ibly famous, submit a photo and fill out a doggie profile at www.oldnavy.com/magic by May 29. Old Navy will whittle the entries to 12, based 75 percent on looks and 25 percent on "personality." A panel of celebrity judges will narrow the field to six dogs anyone can vote on from June 23 through July 7. Top dog gets to star in a new ad campaign.

Iggy Ambassadors launched in Seattle, WA

Wow I am so proud of my mommy. She's working really hard to help other iggies find good homes. She has launched a meetup.com group for our hometown, http://itgreyhound.meetup.com/145/ to help bring people and their dogs together. In the process of making some new friends, she hopes to raise awareness about dog rescues and adoption, and also to raise money to help pay the medical bills for so many rescued iggies.

She also is organizing an all-iggy walk team for the Furry 5K! I think it is the only race/walk that allows 4-legged "competitors" in the entire city! If you live here in Seattle, you can sign up for the Iggy Ambassadors team by visiting http://www.furry5k.com/default.htm

Hope to sniff you soon! Just let me sniff you first, ok?

Ciao!
Sophia

Look out world, I am online!

My mommy has been keeping a blog since she went back to my homeland (Italy) over the winter holidays. This morning she read an article in the Seattle PI about Dogster.com and that I could have a place to have a blog, too! http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/265972_petsites10.ht ml (copy/paste to a new window)

So here I am! I am very excited to have a way to meet new doggy friends. We are trying to form a small doggy play group close to home (we live in West Seattle). My mommy is also involved with the local Italian Greyhound rescue group and will be having playdates here at my house. I am psyched!

Well, I better go and paw up some pictures for my online photo album. Oh, and if you want to catch up with what I have been doing since my mommy started her blog, go to www.pensandpixels.com/wendysworld.

Ciao!
Sophia