Shhh! I'm hunting wabbits!

I wish there was a good way to create a bunny-chasing experience for Bruster without the bad parts. Y'know, like a terrified bunny, a potentially dead bunny, potentially never seeing Bruster again.

We run across bunnies in the apartment complex a few nights a week. Bruce always smells them before he sees them. In fact, until they move he doesn't spot them at all. But when they do take off, it's INSANITY. The people in the apartments nearby probably wonder what hellish creature stalks outside their homes at night. He makes a horrible noise and he's straining against the leash, which makes it sound worse. Fortunately, the bunnies are never far from the fence, so they're out of sight quickly, but not out of Bruster's mind. He SO wants to chase the bunnies.

The closest we've come to an enjoyable chase is the laser pointer. He chases it from the door, down the hallway into the bedroom and back. There is, however, an unfortunate side effect of sudden and apparently uncontrollable pooping. It's ridiculous. He'll be going and going and suddenly screech to a halt, squat and poop.

ZOOM!
ZOOM!
ZOOM!
ZOOM!
SCREEEEEEECH!
*poop*

Poop and Circumstance

I tried, but I can't keep up the "journal entries from the dog's point of view." Oh, well.

Bruster graduated from Beginner training classes at Petsmart today. That's not to say that he's now Mr. Obedient. His recall still sucks but his stays and 'leave it's are getting better and he can sit, lie down and shake with no trouble. We're gonna get his recall up to scratch before we take him to the next class level.

I had thought about doing agility training with him because he's an incredibly active, agile and sturdy dog, but now that I know him better, I think he wouldn't be into it. He'd rather sniff the poles than weave around them. He probably would've made a good hunting dog or one of those airport drug sniffing dogs.

Graduation was pretty anti-climactic. The other two dogs in the class dropped out, one halfway through and the other after the first class, so it was just Bruce. He didn't even get to wear the little hat (that's for graduating from advanced class.) But he got a new, squeaky tennis ball and had a very big day at the dog park, so that'll have to do.

Dog Park

I have a new favorite place in the whole wide world and it is the dog park.

Mom takes me almost every day now for almost an hour but it's not enough. I want to live there! There are so many dogs! Big dogs! Small dogs! Dogs that run! Dogs that wrestle! It's great! I want to go right now! Except that I'm pooped. Becoming King of the Dog Park is tough work.

Trash Hound

Haha! Last night was great. Dad took me for a late night walk when he and Mom got home from work. He took me over by the dumpster. Usually people put all their trash in the dumpster and I can't get to any of it, but this time there was some trash on the ground! It was a plastic bottle! I was so excited. I'm not allowed to chew on plastic bottles at home, so I snatched this freebie up and raced home with Dad trailing behind me. I ran in the door and showed my new favorite thing to Mom. I should have known she wouldn't be happy for me. She told Dad to take it from me and put it in the garbage.

"But it's mine!" I said and ran around the house, getting as much chew out of it as I could before they finally took it away.

"I can't believe you let him bring trash into the house," Mom told Dad.

She just doesn't get it.

Tuesday

Things I Like
My Kong, when it's full of treat.
My new Mom, when she's giving me food.
My new Dad, when he takes off my collar and scratches my neck.
Going outside and sniffing everything there is to sniff.

Things I Don't Like
My new Mom, when she's yelling at me not to pee on her bathmat.
My new Dad, when he's telling me not to chew on his socks.
Being in my kennel when everyone else is in the other room.
The Kid who lives across the street.

Every time we see The Kid he tells my Mom he's scared of me and she has to keep him away. But then he follows us. It's very frustrating, because I really want to sniff him.

Mom put me on a really long leash today and let me run around outside. But then I started digging a hole and she brought me back in. There should really be a law against that.

We got in the car today and went to the pet store. There were lots of other dogs there. I didn't get to play with them, though. Mom said next time. Pfft. I never get to have any fun.

We also met a nice lady named Ashley. She's going to be my "trainer." Whatever that is.

Annie's Little Orphan

Every time I start to get used to things, they change. I was only with Annie for two weeks after she picked me up off the street (I was playing in traffic) before I got a new home. I liked it at Annie's but she already had two kids, big Golden Retrievers and she couldn't keep me. So now I'm here with a new Mom and Dad and I guess it's okay. They give me lots of treats, which is great, but they won't let me chew on anything. Shoes? Off limits. Books? Nope. Also, every time I hide a chewy in the couch cushion, they find it. Sheesh!

They get mad at me sometimes, too. Something about peeing in the house. I'm not sure. THEY pee in the house, why can't I? Maybe from now on I'll just do it when they're not looking...