Camping

I went camping for the first time two weekends ago. Mom is a little slow in letting me get my diary updated.

I got to sleep in a tent with mommy and her little sister, I don't know what all the fuss is about, it sure is comfy in there.

Tent photo!

I also did a lot of swimming and hiking, I love swimming!

Swimming photo 1!

Swimming photo 2!

And I went in a canoe for the first time! I was a very good boy and just sat there watching everything on shore. I even laid down and fell asleep and took a little nap for a bit. I wasn't scared at all, OK, well, maybe a little bit scared but mom was with me. Then the next day I got to do it again, I wasn't scared the 2nd time.

I had lots of kids to play with, they sure do love me!

I can't wait for the heat wave to end so I can go camping again.

Mom says next trip will be a backpacking trip where we have to walk to our campsite instead of drive to it!

Oh boy, I've got my pack on and I'm ready to go!

Pack Boy photo!

Tick Tally

mom - about a gazillion
pup - about a gazillion

We got into a tick nest today. These teeny tiny nimph (mom says that means baby) ticks were all over us. They were so hard to see it took mom two hours to do a full check on me. She's not even sure she got them all cuz they're so hard to see in my fur. Some of them were smaller than the size of a period.

She said that's not the first time it's happened to her but she also said it wasn't as bad as the last time.

Geesh, wicked things. I hate them.

So the totals so far are:

mom: 3+3+gazillion= more than a gazillion
pup: 11+29+gazillion= more than a gazillion


Well, there's always next weekend. I'm sure I'll pick up some more little brown bastards.

Über Athlete

On Sunday mom took me to a Dog Fitness Park.

First of all, and most important, I have a girlfriend! Oh boy was she pretty, I couldn't take my eyes off her. I hope she's there next time I go back. Mom calls it Puppy Love.

I ran the agility course, swam, chased other doggies, swam, swam, ran through the woods, swam, played ball, played fetch, played soccer, and ran some more.

The best part was something called lure coursing. This thing was going around and around and it was going so fast but I kept up with it. Almost caught it a few times. I don't know what happened to it though. It disappeared but I kept running to try and find it. I ran the entire wooded course two more times but mom made me stop. I told her I could've found it if she'd let me keep looking.

After the lure course I went swimming again.

Oh boy was I tired but I can't wait to go back again!

Luna Tagged Me!

I got tagged in a game. Here's how it works!

Rules -----
Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged, need to post in their Diary the rules & 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!

My random facts -----
1. I own two cats. Er, OK, one of them owns me, but thats because she doesn't run when I chase her. She'll smack my nose if I'm not careful. The other cat, she's all MINE!

2. I sneak cat food whenever I can.

3. I like to drink from the plant watering can.

4. I can't stand when someone shuts me out of the bathroom. You never know when something fun and exciting might happen and I wanna be there for it.

5. Sometimes I sneak and eat rabbit poo when mom's not looking. I spit it out right away when she catches me though.

6. I love apple slices but only get them for special treats.

7. Fetch is my favorite game but I only play it when there are no other distractions around.

Dogs I'm going to tag -----
Oscar - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/467305
Ben - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/468192
Frankie - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/470234
Wednesday - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/179990
Bela - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/104428
Quinn - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/79964
Bailey - http://www.dogster.com/dogs/514376

Tick Tally

mom - 3
pup - 29

Ripley wins, again!

Stupid little parasites, we spent about 40 minutes in the woods and I got covered. Mom thought they'd have died down a bit by now but I guess not.

She's going to get me an all natural band to wear to repel them. She says she won't add another pesticide to my system since I'm already on Frontline Plus, but FP doesn't repel.

Don't tell her that I secretly enjoy the tick check after our hikes. Mom uses a flea comb to help get through my long hair and that part is the best! It puts me right to sleep!

Puppy Gills

Mom took me to a lake two weeks ago. There were a lot of other springer butts there. They were all from a rescue group.

I played with a couple dogs just my size and they taught me to SWIM! I love water now! I can swim under the water and get rocks off the bottom. My favorite thing to do though is get slimy rotten tree branches off the bottom and chase the other doggies with them.

I know I still swim kinda goofy cuz I'm still just a kid and new at it, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

I sure drank a bunch of water though because I kept putting my head under. My mom said I must have fish gills for a stomach because water would go in one end and right back out the other.

I went potty in the water once, but don't tell anyone.

Puppy Odometer - 30 mile mark

Mom said I hit my 30 mile mark just recently. She takes me to a nice little forest near our house several times a week for my long walks. I like when we walk in the neighborhood, but hiking in the forest is SO much more fun. There are so many more smells.

Mom says she's going to put me into tracking classes when the season starts up because my nose is always on the ground. We play 'find it' games in the woods and she hides pieces of yummy treats for me to discover. I follow my nose really well because it always knows where to go.

Yummy cookouts!

Mom has let me go to two cookouts now! I'm such a good boy and I don't beg and I still get lots of yummy yummy food! People spoil me and slip me bites when mom's not looking. I won't tell if you won't tell, just keep the goodies coming!

Puppy Agility

Last week mom took me to a puppy agility class for the first time. I was hoping to find more doggies there my age but everyone was 12 months or older cuz the class is for pups up to 2 yrs old. I don't mind playing with older doggies though, they're all fun in my opinion.

I really like going through the tunnel and the tire. What I didn't like though is when mom made me walk through a ladder on the ground. I got about three rungs in and tripped and did the splits. I had no idea I had back legs. I got up and looked at them for a long time trying to figure out where those things came from. Mom said I had a really funny look on my face. I'm getting better at it though with some practice here at home. No more splits, boy was I embarrassed in front of all the other doggies that I did that. This time I'm going to go in there and show everyone what a good job I can do at it. I hope they teach me new obstacles tonight, I like learning new things and mom makes it so much fun talking to me in silly voices and giving me pets and treats and telling me what a good boy I am.

Mom says I'm better behaved than the older doggies but she doesn't know that's just because she didn't feed me my dinner before we went so I was really hungry and really wanted those treats and I'll do anything for a treat... or does she know? Hmm...

Hiking with friends

On Sunday we got to go for a short hike after my very first cookout. I was a good boy so mom said I deserved it. I just stayed right under her chair the whole time (well, most of the time) while she ate and I didn't even beg (well, not that much at least, I'm only a boy still!).

The best part about the hike after the cookout was that I had a friend come along. He has two legs so not a puppy friend, but he was just as much fun. My friend would get really great sticks for me and he ran and played with me. He would throw the sticks and I would go chase them but I got confused a few times and didn't know which one he threw so I just picked up any old stick I could find. The best part is, he likes to get muddy and dirty just like me! It doesn't get any better than that!

Mom says he's a little boy just like me. I sure hope I get to hike with him again, we're pals now!