The Results

Mom and I are bravely putting this out there in order to hopefully help someone else. As I wrote in my diary, I was in the hospital. I've had a few bouts of illness and, much to our surprise, the result is that most likely it's all been related to Addison's Disease. Yep. I am now a special needs pup. We are all "special" in our own way, though, right? : ) Anyway, when the vet said she sent off the test, Mom thought, "Oh, no big deal" but had that feeling in the pit of her stomach. The test came back waaay positive and now I am to receive regular injections and, for the present, I'm on prednisone. All I can say is that I've never been a good eater and now I LOVE food! Plus, I am more like my playful self again. I wasn't eating at all and was slowly sinking away. Truly. This has made all the difference. Thank goodness to my vet who caught it and started me on fluids and other treatment and saved my life. We thought I had a kidney infection and it wasn't that at all. We are just glad we know and are putting this out there so if someone else has mysterious illnesses that seem to reoccur, you might want to check for Addison's. Thank goodness our vet did. It saved my life.

A Sleep-Over

I am having a sleep-over, but it isn't necessarily the fun kind. I have a kidney infection and am staying at my vet's for a few nights. Mom will miss me big-time and is hoping I'll be home again, very soon, and as good as new.

Pack Walk and a Naughty (VERY) Child

Recently I wrote about going on the pack walk. Mom and I went again today. It was good practice and all six of us pups were great. A weird thing happened today, though, and I would like to talk about it. It's a bit disconcerting. We had done our walk and were down-staying in front of Starbucks and practicing avoiding distractions and such. A man was walking by with two cute little boys. Mom was just starting to comment that kids are my favorite, which is true. The next thing we knew, a little boy kicked me right in the jaw! Yes he did! Mom was so surprised and we both handled it well. I just didn't react. Mom is thinking that the good thing that came out of this distressing incident is that perhaps that means I will be a good therapy dog. I've been very patient with kids, but this one was more than a test. I have moved beyond this undesirable incident, but Mom is still feeling rather badly about it. The man said, "Sorry!" and grabbed his son by the hand and high-tailed it out of there. We hope he had a word with that son, later, though. Anyway, people are surprising sometimes and us dogs are good to be as patient as we are with them.

"Pack Walk"

Here is something neat that I get to do. There is a trainer in the area who does a "pack walk" on Sunday afternoons. We walk for about an hour on Second Street in Long Beach where there are loads of shops, people, dogs, motorcycles, skateboards, restaurants, you name it. This time there were just four dogs, but it was still excellent practice. We had four black dogs of various breeds and teased that it was a black dog conspiracy. One guy came by and said his hair used to be like mine, but now he has it shaved. He was funny! We walk in a line to each corner, practice sitting at the light or corner and "heel" to the next stop. After we walk, we practice down-stay for a while in front of Starbucks. Everyone came by and looked at us and we were on our excellent behavior. There is no avoiding distractions. Mom is supposed to deal with it. You see, this is called dog training, but I have figured out that they only call it dog training to make Mom feel good. It is really ALL about her. It's people training in disguise! ; )

Granmille has a special visitor

Did you read my last entry about the special visitor? Mom just talked with my Granmille and SHE has a special visitor! It's a miniature doberman pinscher and a little girl, too. She was in Granmille's front yard, barking at her cat. Now she's on Granmille's lap. Off to the vet tomorrow to see if the little one has a chip. We hope so! Granmille put up a sign, but so far, no takers!

Granmille is my Grandma Camille. : )

A Special Visitor

It can get kind of lonely when you're an only pup! Guess what? I had a sibling for a day! Last Thursday, a little girl yorkie was found in the bushes at mom's school. What to do? Mom called my daycare and they couldn't take her. She had no tags, although she had a collar. She looked very young and tiny and Mom knew someone needed to watch over her. Mom drove the baby to my vet and they checked for a chip. No chip! Poor baby! No tags and no chip! Well, the vet gave her a quick once-over and pronounced her safe to bring home so I lucked out! I got a sibling for one whole day! Mom carried her in that night and I was so surprised! Mom knelt down, holding her gently and I sniffed. She sniffed. We decided the other was a-okay. Mom put her down on the floor. The baby explored and I followed her closely so she wouldn't end up in any more trouble. Someone got in touch with mom that night and Mom gave them our phone number and address and they never came by to pick-up little Sheila. (We named her!) So, Sheila spent the night in my kennel. I don't particularly care for my kennel and was more than happy to share. After work on Friday Sheila and I bounced around and played. We hopped, leaped and spun. It was a blast. Sheila hid under the couch! She is that tiny! Unfortunately our fun came to an end when a nice couple from school came to pick-up little Sheila. The couple brought their other yorkie and the two hit if off. In no time at all, the couple was walking away with Sheila on a leash and trotting beside them. Well, having a sibling was fun, even for a little while!

Four Years Old

HI All! Well, today is my fourth birthday. I have been thinking about it. At four years old, do you suppose a dog is supposed to know everything and have their act completely together? What is the age that I am supposed to act like a lady at the dog park? I still like to run fast and free and jump and leap. When I'm at the dog park in Redondo, I like to play the Motorcycle Game. In this game, you listen for a very loud (hopefully Harley) go by on 190th, the street that's down the hillside from the dog park. When you hear this sound, you pick up your head and run just with motorcycle energy all the way to the front of the dog park and back to your Mom, even if she's all the way in the back. You weave your way between other dogs and humans and leave puffs of dirt flying up behind you, kind of like a pony on a Western. This is a fun game that you might like to try. It's still one of my favorites! Is there an age where I have to give up this kind of fun and be completely ladylike? If someone out there knows, please fill me in!

What I Love (My pal, Josephine tagged me! Hooray for new- pals!

I have been tagged by my new pal, Josephine. Thank you, Miss Josephine for thinking of me!

This is about things I love.

1. I love my cousin, Luc. There is nothing like a perfect friend who came automatically!
2. I love adventures with Luc, Julia and Mom and riding with Luc in Julia's CRV.
3. I love the dog beach and meeting Domino, Nancy and Armando there. We met these friends at the dog park and now we go to the dog beach together!
4. I love the days when Mom and I can be together.
5. I love the dog park where I play ball and try to make friends with other friendly pups and humans who will play ball with me.
6. I love children. I can't say enough about how much I love children. I am very gentle with them. I especially love the children who have special challenges.
7. I love following directions. If I know what you want me to do, I love to do it!
8. I love running very fast and leaping and flipping to catch balls.
9. I love hiking off-leash. Wow! Heaven on Earth.
10. I love going places with Mom: Smith and Hawken (Oh, dear. RIP.), Lowe's, the beach, the dog park, errands, traveling to Gramille's and Julia's; you name it.
11. I love the friends Mom and I have met through Dogster. Some we have met in person and others we wish we could meet in person! (Or "in dog," if you wish!)
12. I love our friends, both pups and humans, the ones that love us the way we are. (I kind of borrowed this one from Josephine. She's very smart and knows what's good in life. : )

*Anyone who wants to write about what they love is invited to play! Consider yourself tagged!

Love is special and true.

Mom on the Rampage

Well, friends. . . Mom is on the rampage. She said her heart just about falls out of her chest every time she sees a dog hanging out of the window of a car and we have been seeing A LOT of them lately! Some people seem to think it's cute, but it's downright dangerous. People think they love their pets so much, but then they let them hang out of the car window. Hello! Duh! It's almost just as bad when we see a dog sitting on a driver's lap while the car is going from point A to point B.

Please people. Get a doggie harness seatbelt. Mine is a "Four-Paws" and it's lined with fleece. We keep it hanging by the front-door along with my leashes and then we just grab it when we go places. People say, "It's too much trouble" or "I keep forgetting. " Just hang it with the leashes and you it will solve those issues. The more a pawrent puts it on, the faster they get so it becomes easier and easier. Speaking of "trouble," I think a pet that gets hurt because of a collision or falling out the window would be waaaaaay more trouble than wearing a harness seatbelt.

FYI:
Here's our routine.
1. Get stuff ready to go someplace.
2. Mom says, "Let's go!"
3. Get leash & seatbelt harness from the pegs by the front door.
4. Get "geared-up!"
5. Hit the garage.
6. Jump in the seat.
7. Sit down on the soft towel.
8. Mom reaches over, grabs the seatbelt and hooks it through the space in the seatbelt harness.
9. Off we go! I can sit-up or lay down. No problem!

There was a bill in California about requiring people to seatbelt their dogs. Silly that we have to make a bill for something that should be common sense. It was voted down, anyway.

I've always been good in the car, but with a harness-seatbelt, I am safe, too! Please get one for your pup! (Also, no letting your pup hang out of the car window, even if they seem to "like it." Pretty please.)

Me on U-Tube!

Mom and I were just minding our own business and waiting for our car to be serviced and. . . well, we ran into some people who had a little job for me! We have met before because Mom has bought three cars from Scott Robinson Honda and the good folks there wanted me to try-on the Honda Element (with a dog package!) for size. . .