Update!

Wow, I have been away from the computer and my diary a long time! My human keeps hogging the computer!
Lots of things have happened in the last few months. At the end of January I turned 1 yr old!! Mom threw me a party with hats, singing and liver cupcakes, I was so embarrassed! But, the cupcakes were nummy!! My best buddy Benny was even there and I got awesome toys as presents. Mom even posted a picture of me in my party hat on my page, thanks alot mom! Geesh, now all my pals can see me looking silly.
And mom started taking me to something called "beginners obedience" in April so I could learn some manners. Psh, I am a little angel! The class makes me nervous because it is alot of noise and activity but I am slowly getting used to it. So far in class I have either polished or learned to sit in heel, down, stand, stay in all 3 positions, come when called, front finish, walk politely in heel with attention and we just started working on about and left turns. I heard mom telling the instructor that we will be going to intermediate classes too, I hope it won't be too hard!
The best thing about class? The treats! Every time I get something right mom gives me a yummy morsel and praise. So I try really hard to understand what she is asking of me so I can get my reward. Sometimes we don't communicate very well but hey, mom is still learning too!

The weather has gotten really nice here lately and that means we get to go to the DOG PARK yay!!! I love playing in the lake there and herding the other dogs. Sometimes I let them chase me just to make them feel better. The dog park is the one place I can bark all day long and not get in trouble for it, I love it there!
I had mom post a video of me and my BFF Benny playing in the lake there, I hope you check it out!

Well, thats all I can think of for now. If I can get my human to let me use the computer again soon, I will post more updates!
Kisses to all!
~Hunter

I'm a star!

Mommy FINALLY got around to taking pictures of me in my service vest today. I had her put them up on my page so all my pup-pals can see them! I had to get a bath today cuz mommy got this thing called a dog dryer...it blows air really fast and I get dry faster than a towel and it makes me all fluffy, which mommy likes. So of course she had to test it on me which means I have to take a bath. Poo! Why doesn't SHE take a bath and use the doggy dryer on her fur to test it out?! Jeesh. After my bath I got to go outside and pose pretty for some pictures with all the leaves on the lawn. And mommy brought out the agility jump she made this weekend. I really like jumping over it because I get a treat or a toy for doing it =} And gramma took some video which is on my page too, so you should go check it out! Mom promises that once the real camera film gets developed she will post those pictures too because they will be better.
Last week my mommies sister was in the hospital and I got to come for a visit once. I was a really good boy except I kept TRYING to tell mommy I had to go potty by whining when we were in a doctors office but it took her a little while to figure it out. Eventually we were done at the doctors and I got to go, phew! I was a good boy for holding it so long. Then we got to see mommies sister and I hadn't seen her for like a week and I just couldn't control myself! I wanted some pettin's! But all in all I was a good boy and nobody said anything negative to us when were there or told us to leave. We did get ALOT of funny looks and stares though. You would think people had never seen a dog before.
Well thats all I gots for now.
Woof woof to all my fellow PSD's!
~Hunter

Wal*Mart

So, Mommy finally finished my vest with some help from gramma. I don't mind wearing it at all and am even learning to dress myself by putting my head thru my vest and waiting patiently for Mom to fasten it. I keep telling her to get pictures up since I look so handsome in it but you know how slow humans can be. So, this past week, Mom went to Wal*Mart and I came along. I felt pretty special, how many dogs get to go to Wally-world right? Right away when we walked in, the door lady tried to stop us from coming in. She said dogs were not allowed in the store! I was even wearing my vest! Mommy nicely explained that I was a working pup and off we went shopping. I was being really well behaved, well mostly, nobody's perfect right? The grocery aisles are still a little challenging for me because there are sometimes little tasty morsels or crumbs that I just can't pass up. That would be food abuse to just leave them there on the floor! It finally came time to check out, when all of the sudden, a lady comes marching up to us, wagging her finger at Mom, telling us that we have to leave because dogs are not allowed. Not again! I guess Mom and I thought that since we had been there for almost an hour, everyone would know we were there by now! Again, Mom explained why I was in the store (not AS nicely this time) and we went back to checking out. A minute or 2 later, that lady came back and apologized for the way she acted. Good thing too, I could tell Mom was upset by this lady. She said she didn't know SD's came so small. SMALL!?! Who is she calling small??! Geesh! Well, Mom told her that SD's come in all shapes and sizes and perform many tasks for their handlers. Go Mom! After she left I helped Mom calm down by "rising" up on her knee. This puts me within petting reach and helps Mom level out again. Mom says that next time we go to a store like that, she will tell the door person to let management know that I am there so there are no surprises.
We also went to an agility trial (as spectators) this weekend. That was cool but it was a looong drive and far away. There was lots of other dogs there that I wanted to play with but they were busy. I don't know what I think about agility yet, but Mom says we are going to give it a shot. I think I am game for that! =}
I gotta go outside to go potty so I will WOOF at you all later!
~Hunter

The Renaissance Faire

Mom took me to this thing called the Rennaisance Festival on Labor Day. This place had alot of people like the State Fair but it was very different because I didn't have to walk on any concrete or asphalt so my paws was alot happier. There were lots of people dressed really funny and there was other dogs too! Mommy shared some turkey leg with me, that was VERY yummy! And there was more people telling mommy how cute and beautiful I was, like I don't already know that pfft. =} Mommy bought me this silly collar that looks like a jester's hat so I looked pretty dorky all day. Mom kept telling me it was cute but I still don't believe her. While we were there, we sat and watched some border collies working sheep, that was really cool! I was sooo calm and cool headed, I just sat and watched like the good dog I am =) I don't think I really care about sheep too much, I like cats and ferrets much better and of course my fellow canines too. At the end of the day I got to meet a real live, full-grown elephant named Chrissy! She was eating grass (She has good taste like me) and flinging dirt with her trunk. She got me and Mom kinda dusty but thats OK, it was neat to see such a big four-legger. And how many service dogs or any dog for that matter, can say they have met a real elephant up close and personal?

On another note, Mom FINALLY ordered my first service vest! She got it from SitStay.com . It arrived Friday and I think I look quite dapper in it =D She still has to put all my patches and stuff on it but she promises me that she will do that soon and put pictures up for everyone to see how handsome I look when I am all dressed up.

Well, I have to go terrorize the kitties some more >=)
Bow-wow for now!
~Hunter

The State Fair

Mom and I went to the Minnesota State Fair yesterday. I have never seen so many two-leggers! I musta got petted like 21,658,754,369 times! Normally mom doesn't let people pet me when I am working but I was behaving so nicely she allowed the kids to meet me. Everyone kept telling my Mom how gorgeous I was. And a few police people and Fair Officials stopped my mom because they thought I was a pet and pets aren't allowed at the Fair. I was being such a good boy, couldn't they tell I was a service dog doing my job? Jeesh! We went to the Purina Pet Building and there was other dogs on display there, including another sheltie! She didn't like me very much but thats ok, it was alot of fun! We also saw another service dog in training from Helping Paws of Minnesota. He was a sable and white smooth collie and he was 7 mos old just like me! He looked like me a little except he was bigger and it looked like he had a funny haircut, weird. Most people were considerate of the fact that I was working and left me alone, alot of people talked about me or pointed and stared when we walked by but I don't mind, I know it's just because I am so darn cute =) Then Mom and me were going to Heritage Square to check stuff out and a mean lady STEPPED ON MY PAW! I yelped because it hurt and scared me but that mean woman didn't even stop to check on me or say she was sorry! How rude! It was a big day for me, aside from all the people and noises at the Fair, I also went to my first restaurant (ok, it was a cafe' but it still counts) AND rode public transportation for the 1st time. I was such a good boy and handled it all like a champ!!! Mom kept telling me how proud she was of me =) Tomorrow we are going to something call Renaissance Festival. Well I am still tired from all that excitement, I think I will go nap on Mom's feet....
Thanks for reading!
~Hunter