Hello Dogster Dogs!

Hello everyone! My name is Buddy Grau and I am completely new here. (Grau means Gray in German, which I am - both gray and German. Dad got to name me because Mom brought me home against his best wishes. Sound familiar anyone?) I was just adopted by this kind family two days ago. I had surgery the day before they came to meet me so I was still a bit wobbly, but they loved me anyway and took me home. I was very scruffy and had lots of mats in my hair, but my new mom cleaned me up and even gave me a haircut. I look much more like a schnauzer now than in my photo. Mom says she'll update the photo soon. I don't know what that means, or what the thing is she calls a 'camera,' but my new older sister Lexie says I should expect it to be pointed at me often. She told me I would get used to that.

About my new sister: she's a miniature schnauzer like me, but she's a girl and has cropped ears, unlike my floppy ones. She's a little smaller than I am, but right now I weigh less than her. The vet says I need to gain weight. Mom said I was lucky because she wishes her doctor would tell her she needs to gain weight. I think if Mom wants to gain weight, she should just do it, but Mom frowned at me when I suggested this. Anyway, my sister doesn't seem really happy to have me around. I have been very, very nice to her, except that I have stolen her bed. When I first saw her bed, I laid down in it right away. Mom shooed me out of there, but Lexie could smell me in there and hasn't used her bed now since I arrived two days ago. Sorry, but it was so comfy!

I went to the vet today and got a clean bill of health. Mom was so glad I didn't have kennel cough or anything else bad. Mom says that now I can start to socialize with other dogs, which sounds like fun, but I'm a bit shaky on my legs yet so I have to be careful. The doctor said that was simply because I don't weigh enough. I tend to sort of tumble when I go down stairs so they sometimes carry me. I don't mind.

I am so glad to have a new home and a new sister. Mom says I can write in here whenever I want to, but I think I'll just dictate until I gain weight and have steadier paws. Thanks to everyone for a warm welcome!

Oh, What Fun!

Last night Mom walked my sister, Lexie, and I over to baby Oscar's house. We had so much fun rolling around in the grass and playing. Lexie didn't want to join in. Mom says she's not as young as I am so she probably won't play as much as I want her to. I had fun romping with Oscar.

Mom is trying to train me. She wants me to recognize my new name. I think it's "Buddy," but I'm not quite sure. Whenever she said "Buddy," and I would look up at her, I got a tasty little treat. I think I'll keep looking up at her when she says that word. That word tastes good.

I am walking so nicely with Mom. My sister pulls hard on her leash and makes Mom frown. Mom says we have to work on that. We also kept tangling up our leashes. It got really bad on the walk home when we heard a ringing sound and Mom had to talk to that little silver thing by her ear. She was obviously talking to someone in there, while we twisted ourselves into a crazy mess. Mom finally got to a bench in the park and sat down, untangled us, and finished her conversation with the invisible person in the thingey. Lexie told me it's called a cell phone, whatever that means. I'm learning so much! I'm even learning to SIT and STAY when we get to the corner before crossing the street. Mom has a hard time getting us both to do it at the same time, but we are rewarded when we do, so I think I'll keep trying to do that, too.

I have not marked or had any accidents in the house, except that first night when I had diahrrea. Mom said that wasn't my fault. I'm such a good boy!

Trick the Mailman!

Today Mom and I played a trick on the mailman. I didn't realize what she was doing at first, but when the mailman came to the door she said to him, "Wait a minute. I have something to show you." Then she got me to come to the door and I placidly, and quietly, said hello. "See! I've been working hard and she no longer barks!" Mom said. The mailman looked perplexed for a moment, but then suddenly Lexie realized someone was at the front door and she came running and barking. The jig was up at that point and the mailman had a good laugh. He knew I couldn't be the same dog that usually greets him at the door, yapping her head off. We sure fooled him, for a few moments anyway!

New Photo!

Hey, don't I look better now? That first photo was kinda sad looking, but I'm cleaning up nicely. Mom couldn't get me to the groomer until the first week of August, so she just washed me up and trimmed me herself the best she could. I think I look dapper.

Play?

My new big sister, Lexie, actually offered to play with me this morning! How cool is that? I was distracted by Mom, though, and sort of blew her off. To me, to live is to play, so what's the big deal about one passed up opportunity? Mom tried to explain what a stretch it was for Lexie to offer to play and that next time I better jump at the chance. Oh. I just didn't realize that. I thought everyone just played whenever they wanted to.

I have a few things to learn about "older" dogs. Imagine not always wanting to play. I'll try to respond better to her next time, if there is a next time . . .

I Think I am Home at Last

I am settling into my new home nicely. Today is my eighth day here and I have not had any accidents in the house whatsoever (except my first night - see my first diary entry - that episode doesn't count because Mom said it didn't count). Mom says whoever had me before must have been crazy to let me go. I have been a perfect gentleman, though I have to remember not to jump up and put my paws on people.
I walk very well on a leash; I rarely bark, though when I do it's not so harsh and loud like Lexie - a rather puppyish bark, Mom says; I sleep soundly through the night; and I have started to get a good appetite, which Mom says I need for now. I am polite to strangers (Mom says even better than my older sister), I don't bark at the mailman or company, I am cuddly and sweet, and I even let my sister have her own bed back tonight. I left some boogers in it from my drippy nose, but she didn't seem to care tonight. She had been sleeping in the dust under Mom and Dad's bed since the day I came here over a week ago and tried out her bed.
Maybe she is beginning to accept me as part of the family? I hope so.

Ahhh

Okay, I let her have her bed last night, but this morning it's mine again. He, he.

Float Like a Butterfly . . .

. . . Face Full of Burrs. Ouch. They didn't hurt getting into my beard, but sometimes it hurts when Mom pulls them out, especially around my mouth and my skin pulls way far away from my teeth and then I shake my head and then Mom has to clamp down on my skull and gently start over. Sometimes Lexie gets into them, too. There is some plant growing in our yard, along the edges in Mom's garden beds (I love exploring in the deepest parts) that has these little, green sticky-balls on it. Whenever I brush past it, they stick in my fur, usually on the frontal parts of my body, like my face, chest and front legs. They are really small, about the size of a B-B, and green. Lexie says we have real cockleburrs, too, but they don't mature to stickiness until the fall, and they are usually up higher on the plant.
I try to avoid the sticky little greenies, but once I smell something, I just plunge right into the brush without thinking. If I try to get them out myself before Mom sees, I just manage to push them deeper into my coat. Since my coat is a silky schnauzer coat, unlike my sister's thick, wiry coat, those micro-balls tend to hang onto me more easily.
Mom says she can't wait for my groomer appointment on August 6. I hope groomers have treats. If they do, I think I'll like them.

Latest Photo

My new Mom had the biggest kid in the house grab Lexie and me and then she got out that thing Lexie was telling me about . . . the camera. Lexie's right. I am getting used to the camera thing. I'm also getting used to getting grabbed, cuddled, rubbed, teased, treated, and played with. What a life. Wonder if Lexie knows how good she has it?

Girls Can Be So Silly

My sister, Lexie, just ran around the house all happy and skippy and crazy because her latest essay got noticed by some Webmasterdog on here. What a girl! I'd rather lie here and chew on one of Mom's many pairs of Keen Newport H2 sandals than act all silly just because of my diary being hacked into by hundreds of unknown canines. Mom says they're not hackers. Okay, they're not hackers. Pass me the red shoe. The red ones taste the best.