Happy Birthday to Me!

So yesterday was my 7th birthday. Mom says I am middle aged like her now. I'm not sure what that means because I feel the same as always. Mom took me for a nice walk then gave me an yummy dinner. She said I got to have an extra big helping because it was my special day and because now that I have lost that extra 10 pounds I deserved a little break. She even got me some of my favorite chewies and a little rawhide bone. The only thing I didn't get was a kitten of my very own. Oh well, better luck next year!

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty

When mom took me for a walk yesterday I saw the most amazing thing. Well, I heard it first but then I saw it. And sniffed it. And even kissed it. "It" was the tiniest cat I had ever seen. A friend of Emily's (next door neighbor) was holding it and it was crying and crying so when I heard it I ran right over and gave it a kiss. And then I sniffed it a couple times and gave it another kiss. But it kept crying. The crying was making me crazy because it sounded so scared and I wanted to kiss it some more but mom said that was enough and that I was the one scaring it (I think mom exagerates a little sometimes). Mom also told me it was a kitten - a baby cat! I have never ever seen a tiny baby cat before and it was very exciting. I kept trying to go back to see it until mom finally said "I told you no RJ!" and said I was going to pull her arm out of her socket if I kept yanking at the leash trying to get to the kitten (more exageration... bad mommy). My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I knowwhat I want her to give me.... a kitten of my very own to play with!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone. Christmas has come and gone and Mom went back to work this week. She took two weeks of vacation for Christmas this year (17 days if you want to be particular). She stayed home and relaxed mostly. She did some shopping and some baking (it was very exciting when she dropped a cookie) but mostly she hung out with us. I got lots of tummy scratches and ear rubs. But now its over and we get left behind all day while she works and goes to class.

So what did Santa bring you? He brought me two rawhide bones, some Newman's Organic Treats and a new doggie bed. The cats got mice and ring things and new scratchers. The big guy sure knows how to pick the right things out.

Mom made a resolution for both of us. We are going to go for two walks a day. Neither one of us is as svelte as we should be (too many cookies I guess) and she thinks this will be a good way to get our girlish figures back. I thought resolutions were supposed to be something you did that you really didn't want to do but you needed to do. If she wants to go for ten walks a day I would be happy to go - this resolution stuff is a breeze!

Tiger

My cat buddy from the other street has been coming to visit me in the backyard a lot lately. He is very handsome for a cat. Orange and white with long hair and a big fluffy tail. Mom has been really surprised to see him though he actually lives close by... across the street from the house behind us. I think he was very smart to figure out which yard was mine just so he could hang out with me!

I HATE the kennel

Mom took me to the kennel last weekend while she went camping with her nieces. No dogs were allowed at the campground and one of her nieces is the one who usually stays with me if Mom has to be out of town and can't take me with her.

I really really really hate going there. I am stuck in a cage the whole time and I don't get to go for any walks plus all the other dogs bark and bark and bark. Mom always brings my bed and I usually spend most of my time laying on it waiting for her to come back.

The first time Mom left me there I was sure she was never coming back. I was so excited to see her after a whole week that on the ride home I was actually glad to be in the car for once. Now I am pretty sure she will come get me but I still worry and I am always relieved and excited when she picks me up. The people there are really nice and pet me and talk to me but it's not the same as being home with the cats and my Mom. I hope I don't have to go again anytime soon.

The kids next door

There are five kids living in the house next door and every night lately when mom gets home they are waiting. They run up to her car asking "Where's RJ? Are you going to walk RJ?" They run into the house when mom opens the door, grab my leash, put it on me and off we go - leaving mom standing there saying "Um, wait for me!"

And every night there is an argument over whose turn it is to walk me to the corner (they can't go any further). The big girls, Ashley and Emily, are very pushy and don't want to let the little boys have their turns. So then mom has to play referee and help decide whose turn it is. Me, all I want to do is go for my walk and with all these voices saying my name I just don't know which way to go! I wrapped my leash around poor little Desmond last night but he thought it was funny, so I guess he didn't mind.

After we pass the corner it is just mom and me until we get back to the house. But then, there they are, waiting again. Sometimes their dog Toby will be in the front yard and he and I will play. And sometimes they all come in the house with mom and me and she gives them juice boxes and they pet me and ask mom a million questions all at once. Toby even invites himself in sometimes and then he and I can chase some more (though I am not so sure mom likes two big dogs wrestling in the living room and I know the cats hate it... hehe).

Mom says she really likes all the kids, they give her hugs hello and goodbye and usually remember to say thank you. And they are always nice to me (lots of pets and tummy rubs) so I like them a lot too.

But I don't want to go on a diet...!

but Mom says I have to because I weigh too much. We went to the vet for booster shots and I weighed 69 pounds. The doctor said I should weigh about 60-65 pounds. I guess our walks aren't enough exercise to keep my weight down where it belongs because the rest of the time I am in the house. So now I have to "diet". Mom says that means less food for me. She is going to go to the pet store after work and look for a different kind of kibble... a low fat "healthier" one. Blech!

Boy just cause SHE is always on a diet she is making me go on one too. It's just not fair :(

I Love to Walk

Mom wants to get more exercise and I love to help. There is nothing I like better than going for walks. Morning, noon, night, any time, any place. And as a hound dog the best thing about it is all the good smells I can find.

Mom says we have two kind of walks - our morning "serious" exercise walks and our evening "sniff and pee walks". Guess which one is my favorite? hehe

Mom gets a little annoyed with me sometimes in the mornings cause I forget all the time that we are supposed to keep moving so she can keep her heart rate up and do that aerobic thing humans are all worried about. But it is soooo hard not to stop and sniff things especially if we haven't gone that way for a couple of days and there are new smells everywhere. What is a hound doggy supposed to do?

Night time walks are the best though. When mom gets home from work I am soooo excited and waiting at the front door. Mom usually likes to tease me a little; "What do you want RJ?" "Do you need something RJ?" "Do you want to go for a walk walk?" (She knows that the W word makes me crazy). Pretty soon I am in a frenzy... whining, barking, dancing around, even howling. And when she picks up the leash? I hop like a kangaroo to the door, stuff my nose in the corner and just stand there waiting. When that door finally opens I am off like a shot, nose to the ground, checking out the smells and looking for that perfect place to pee cause I have been holding it in all day just waiting for this moment. Ah... nirvana.

Dog Days of July

It is hot outside today. The weatherman says it is going to be 105. Yikes! And now I am stuck in the house until tonight when it cools off. Humph!

Mom sat up really late talking to her friend online so she slept until 10 am this morning and we didn't get to go for a walk. I know mom is right when she says we can't go when it is already 95 degrees out (I am stubborn and won't drink water on our walks so she worries I will get dehydrated in the heat) but I wanna go sooooo bad. So now I'm being kinda sulky and making sad eyes at her. Probably won't do any good but it can't hurt to hone my skills :)