I have a home!

I met some very nice people the other day, and they want to take me home with them! They gave me food, and were very patient with me, so I know they're good people.

My new family is moving into a new house, so I get to stay with my foster mom for a little while longer. I'm a bit nervous about the move, but I know everything will be okay.

I want to thank all my friends who have been so kind to me since I got out of the shelter. Especially Riley and his mom, who were ready to bring me all the way to Canada if I didn't find a home in California. I'm sorry that I won't get a chance to meet Riley, but I'm sure that he'll find a really nice brother or sister when the time is right.

The beach!

Today I went to the beach. When we first got there, I chased Sunny, and suddenly I was in the middle of water and it was almost up to my head! I stopped and didn't know what to do. My foster mom called me, but I didn't move. I've never been in the middle of so much water, and I didn't know if it was safe. I stood there for a while, and my foster mom thought she might have to rescue me. She kept calling me, so I finally tried to move. I could walk in the water, but it was slow and felt funny. What a relief to get back to my foster mom!

After that I only waded a bit. Bella and Sunny went waaaaaay out in the water. Maybe when I'm a bit older I'll be able to go out that far too.

Oh, Canada?

My foster has been talking about sending me to live with Riley! He's one of my Pup Pals already, and I bet he'd make a good brother. Isn't that exciting? He lives far away though, so my foster mom and Riley's mom say we have to "think about it" and "wait and see."

My foster mom says she'd like to find me a home that's closer, but that the most important thing is to find me a really good home, even if it's far away. Riley's mom is nice. I think she's spoils him a bit, and she'd probably spoil me. Riley lives in a place called British Columbia. My foster mom says it's very nice and she's like to visit someday. You know, a couple weeks ago she was mumbling about moving to Canada, but I didn't think she meant me!

Gosh, I wish the humans could make up their minds. But they need to "consider all options" and "work out the details" and boring stuff like that. My foster mom still wants to try to find me a home in California, but if she doesn't find a home for me in the next few weeks, she might decide to ship me north.

So I guess I'll have to wait and see. At least I can chew on Sunny while I'm waiting.

Ouch!

Well, I got neutered. They said that it was a simple procedure and that I'd feel fine in a day or two, but that's not the way it worked out. I didn't feel okay at all, and I had to back to the vet. It kept hurting for a whole week!

But now I'm all better. Yay! That means I'm ready to go to my forever home, if I can find a forever home.

Doesn't anyone want me?

Point Isabel

Last weekend I went to Point Isabel. It was fun! There were lots and lots of dogs there, and I was so interested in them that I didn't listen my foster mom at all. I had to stay on leash, but that was okay. I don't mind walking on leash. I'll need more training before I can be off leash around other dogs. I looooove other dogs, and just want to play with them.

There was water there too. I got in it, and it was wet! Pretty cool, huh?

My foster mom thinks I should write about how I like my crate much better now. I don't try to run away when it's crate time, and sometimes I go in there when I don't have to. It's a nice place to take a nap.

Out and About

I'm all better now! No more coughing, and no more runny nose!

Yesterday I got to go shopping. There were strange people in the store and I was a little bit nervous, but they were all nice people. They smelled good too.

I bought some new food called Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul. Boy, that's a long name! But it's good food. I didn't like the first food I had. It was kind of plain and yucky, and I only ate it if I was very hungry. My foster sisters will eat anything, so they can finish the food that I don't like.

Then we went hiking again. My foster mom put me on a long leash, and I practiced coming when called. I was very, very good. If I keep being good, soon I'll be able to hike off leash.

We saw some giant dogs. Sunny said they were cows - I've never heard of that kind of dog. I was scared of them and barked. My foster mom gave me treats every time we saw the cows, so maybe they're not so bad after all. I'm still scared of them, but I'm going to go back there and practice not being scared.

My foster mom made an appointment for me to be neutered. I don't know what that means, and it sounds like it might be scary. But my foster mom wouldn't make me do anything bad, so I guess I'll be okay.

After I'm neutered, I'll be ready to go to my forever home. I can't wait! I hope I find someone who wants me soon.

Hello, Rain

Yesterday I met rain. As near as I can tell, it's just water. When it rains hard, I can drink anywhere and don't have to go to the bowl.

I went for a hike in the rain. That was very nice, and there were so many good smells on the ground. I had to stay on the leash, but that was okay. It's very easy to get distracted and forget to listen.

Rain is good, and hiking is good.

My Education

I'm still recuperating from this horrible cough I picked up at the shelter. I can't go to the dog park or the beach until I'm all better, so I've been using my time to study.

I missed out on a lot of early education, and I've got some catching up to do. Can you believe that a week ago I didn't even know about going potty outside? But don't worry, I learned that one quickly. I haven't made any mistakes in four days!

I've also learned how to sit, and I come when I'm called. I can stay too, but only for a little while. I chew on toys, and don't wreck my foster mom's stuff. When my foster mom fills a kong with wet food and puts it in the crate, I know that it's time to run away as fast as I can!

Okay, so I'm not perfect. But I'm not horrible, either. Once she gets me in the crate I settle down pretty quickly. I sleep through the night, and in the morning I stay quiet until she lets me out of the crate.

I'm going to keep studying, so that when I meet my forever person they'll say, "Oh my, what a polite puppy!"

I hope I meet my forever person soon.

Meeting people

Today I met some new people. Some were nice, and some were not so nice.

I saw a man in a red shirt, and I said "Woof!" to him. He didn't look friendly, and he said "Dogs don't like me." What a strange thing to say. Maybe dogs don't like him because he has a bad attitude. My foster mom walked me away from him and said I didn't have to meet him.

Then I met some very nice people. At first I was scared, and I barked very loudly at a man. But then the man sat on the floor and gave me meat. I was still scared, but the meat was very good. After a few minutes, I figured out that the man was nice, and pretty soon I was friends with him. He said I was a good dog.

Maybe the man in the red shirt should sit on the floor with meat. I bet dogs would like him if he did that.

I wonder what I am?

I've got spots on my tongue, so I guess I'm part chow. I've got ears like a border collie, and I'm pretty smart too! Some people think my coat is like a retriever's. One thing's for sure: I'm big! I'm already fifty pounds, and I'm not done growing. I don't know how big I'll get. I asked the vet, but she just shrugged her shoulders. Maybe I'm part Newfoundland. I sure do love the water, and I like to put my paws in the bowl while I'm drinking. I haven't been to the beach yet, but it sounds like fun and I bet I'll be a good swimmer.

Whatever I am, I just know that I'll be the perfect big black dog for someone.