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Adventures of a Burrito

Florida's just great!

I really like Florida! It's a lot hotter than Missouri was, but it is so much better than Texas! In Texas, we couldn't go on walks, because there were strays that Mom didn't trust ALL over the place. And people there weren't very friendly to dogs being walked, even if we stayed on the side walk. But here in Florida, everyone has dogs that they love and get to live in the house with them and we even have a nice park just down the street!

My favorite thing to do is chase either Dad or Kiga around at the park - it's great fun! And today, I even got to meet some kids! I love kids! They gave me lots of love while Kiga just kinda sat there and gave them all dirty looks.

So much excitement!

Home life is just getting better and better! I'm figuring out the whole potty training concept, but still have to be watched a bit. Dad thinks that I should get to have free run of the house with Kiga, but Mom says I have to be "potty free" for a full month. A MONTH! Oh well. I guess I understand her reasoning.

I'm really starting to turn into a little stinker! Finally getting to make my own decisions is giving me a bit more power to try and get away with things that I otherwise shouldn't. I really love my box and sometimes even refuse to get out of it. Mom says that she feels better that I like it a whole lot than not at all (like Kiga), but she does tell me I'm a "pain in the butt" when I stay in it. My other favorite trick is when we ride in the car. Mom and Dad got me and Kiga this backseat hammock thing, that goes over the seat. It keeps the car clean and keeps us from falling down to the floor of the car if we slip. Kiga behaves very nicely with it, but I have figured out that I can jump over the edge of it and into the drivers seat before I'm buckled in. It's especially easy when Dad puts me in the car, because he always forgets to hold on to the seat belt to keep me back. I do NOT move when I'm up front, and Mom discovered that the only way to get me to move is to actually push me out of the car again. She thinks its a lot funnier than Dad does, though.

I got to meet a horse the other day. It was a strange new smell, but not really scary at all. I got to explore the stable and it was full of exciting things to find! We also went to Petsmart (see Kiga's entry for more details), and Mom got me a ball that lights up when it's thrown. She said that she hopes that I'll be able to follow it easier than a nonflashing one, since it gives off light and light is easier for me to see. It doesn't feel like a tennis ball, and is a little strange in my mouth, but it lets me play a little longer into the evening than I could before I had it!

My first days home

Well... On Thursday, September 6th, my new parents and sister, Kiga, started out on an eight hour trip to Oklahoma City from San Antonio to meet my old friend and take me to my first and forever real home. Lani came in to what I'd always called home early and gave me a nice long bath - and I DO love bath day! Getting into her car was a little scary, since I'd never been in a car and certainly never in a vehicle without a crate! My new mom called to check up on me about an hour or so after we got on the road, and the report was that I was a little shocked at this change of pace for my day, but I was doing well. The next time Mom called, about five hours later, she found out that I was feeling much better and even attempting to steal french fries!

We met up at a Phillip's 66 station that was nice and far off the highway, so the traffic wouldn't upset me or Kiga. I didn't really know what to do after we stopped, but finding another dog there really made things better! It took me a minute to remember Mom's voice and smell from three months ago, but after figuring out who she was, I felt much better! Since I knew two people, my new dad wasn't too scary at all. I got to play with Kiga a little bit, romping around in the grass, and then we took a break to get a long drink. I said good bye to Lani and Mom thanked her for both of us and with the help of all three of my people, I pulled myself up into the back seat of the car. It was a lot different than I'd been getting used to, but having Kiga in the front seat, looking back at me was a relief, and Mom rode the first couple of hours back there with me. I even got used to my seat belt in that time!

Mom and Dad were really thoughtful and brought some of the same rawhides that I've always had, and finding one of those in the car really made me happy! It occupied about an hour of my time before I needed a break from it, and it really made getting used to this change much smoother. Mom and Dad switched seats a couple of times, and we got to stop at some gas stations, but it was starting to get dark and I had trouble seeing and was a little nervous, so I didn't do anythings.

Finally, right outside Fort Worth, Mom decided that she needed to lay down and so she put Kiga next to me so she could get back in the front seat. Kiga seemed pleased with this, since she could lay down, but I was a little confused as to why I had to actually stay on my side of the seat now.

When we finally got home, I was a little scared to get out of the car. It was very dark, I was in a strange place, and it was midnight (and I'm used to going to bed at six, sharp!). After watching Kiga jump out, I found the courage, and she led me right into my new home! The carpet felt so squishy on my feet that I had to kind of prance on it. They took me out to the back yard to "let me go potty" (I'm still trying to figure out what, exactly, those words mean), but without the weight of a leash on me and in the dark, I didn't stray from the porch. Finally, Mom gave up, put me in my box (which I love dearly!) and told me good night.

The next morning, Mom and Kiga came to wake me up and we had all kinds of a good day! We went outside, first thing, and I found that Kiga had gone potty, so I decided that maybe that's what we're suppose to do outside. We came back in and Kiga showed me the stairs and the kitties. Ninja was pretty scary, but Blues, who Mom says is from the same place I am, was pretty calm. I discovered a people bed for the first time, and was pretty unbalanced on it, but laid down anyway. Right when I was really starting to enjoy myself, playing with one of the squeaky balls that is all over the house, I followed it over too close to Kiga and she barked at me. I don't really like to be barked at, it scares me, and so I decided to spend most of the rest of the day in the kitchen, where Kiga didn't really want to spend her time, anyway. At least Mom and Dad still went in to see me!

The next day, Mom surprised me by waking up very early to go to work. Kiga and I went outside, and then Kiga went back upstairs and I went back into my box. Mom left, and I had to stay home alone with Dad. I love Dad, but he's not Mom and doesn't have the same watchful eyes as her. Mom wishes that she could have known whether or not I did my "poop dance" first, but I had an accident in the kitchen... At least Dad knew enough to not get mad at me and cleaned it all up for me.

Shortly after, Mom and Dad's friends came over and brought their dog, Allegra. Having a little dog around really made things more exciting and Kiga, Allegra and I all ran around in the back yard and I finally understood what being a dog was all about! After that, my confidence has really started to bloom. I'm chasing tennis balls and following everyone around and learning to be a good house dog!

This new life, that Mom calls "retirement" is still a little strange for me, but I'm loving it! I don't have nearly as routine of a schedule, and that's confusing, but the pros really seem to be outweighing the cons! I live with a dog who will play back with me when I want to play and she doesn't spill the food all over the place, I get to chew on a rawhide almost whenever I want, I have a new den that protects me from anything that I can or cannot see, and I am LOVED actively and constantly ALL DAY LONG! Here is a nice BIG tail wag to everyone that I've met along the way, and especially those that helped me reach my happily ever after!!