Day 4 A Visit from the Princess

Things have quieted down a bit around the house now that Diesel has left.  Diesel and Bonnie had some great play time together, but they were a bit to wild for my liking.  Now that Diesel is gone I can play with Bonnie and we've become good buddies.  We went to the dog park again and we ran and ran.  Mom can't figure out why I had so much energy as I have been entertaining Bonnie all day and usually I'm exhausted when there's a foster puppy in the house.

We've been playing in the yard too.  The weather has been pretty warm and Bonnie, being part Husky, loves to be outside.

Sometimes she just likes to be close to outside.  It's hard to find a few rays of sunshine to nap in, but Bonnie found a spot.










Bonnie decided that she would give Gio a second chance and boy is she glad she did!  Bonnie has decided she wants to be Gio's best friend.  Her whole body wiggles because her tail is wagging so hard anytime Gio comes around.  She's been very gentle with Gio; no pouncing on him and she's given him space.  As a result Gio isn't running away.  They have the most fun when they are on opposite sides of the baby gate and play with one another through the spindles.

Princess Annabelle came to visit today and brought us Christmas presents!  She thought Gio was pretty nice.  She threw Gio's toys so he could chase them and gave him some hugs as well.  After she left we all had to have a long nap!  Mom says tomorrow is another busy day so we should get lots of rest.  But she also said that it's OK if we all want to sleep in.   I'm going to sleep in for sure!  Bonnie might have a different plan. 

Day 1 Welcome Giovanni

Well, it's happened again.  Yesterday Mom came home from work with a new foster.  A kitten this time!  When will the madness stop?  Diesel went back to his foster Mom last night so it is a lot more quiet.

Gio is about 3 months old and is pretty small.  Zoe and Oscar were both adults when I came to live with them so I've never seen a kitten before.  I really, really, really want to be his friend!













Gio doesn't want me to come to close to him though.  I'm trying very hard to be polite and Mom says I'm doing a great job.  Gio is very curious and isn't afraid of dogs, he'd just rather keep some distance right now.  I'm sure in a couple of days we'll get to say a proper hello.  Bonnie hasn't been quite as polite but she's still done a very good job at giving Gio his own space.  Gio hissed at her and Bonnie has pretty much decided that he's not worth her time.  Girl's are funny like that.

Gio has some very nice markings, but doesn't really like to have his picture taken.  Mom took a lot and he was always looking the other way.  At least in this one you can see how handsome he is.

Mom would like to say that no, we didn't get new, bright red carpet.  When we moved into this house there were two big industrial mats in the basement.  Since most of the house has carpet, they've come in handy when we have puppies that aren't house trained....and pee a lot!





Speaking of puppies that pee a lot, Bonnie and I went to the dog park today.  We both had a great time.  Bonnie had to stop and say hello to everyone we saw.  At first she was a bit hesitant with some of the big dogs, but then decided she was Queen of the Park and made friends will all the dogs too.  We were both so tired when we got home that we had dinner and then immediatly had to have a nap.  Bonnie is still asleep and it's time for me to go to bed as well.  It's hard work entertaining a puppy and a new kitten all day!

Bonnie Comes to Stay Until Christmas

Today another puppy came to stay with us!  Mom and I need to have a serious talk about the visitation schedule around here.  I'm already exhausted from entertaining Diesel and now there's an even younger puppy in the house.  Mom reminded me that Diesel is going back to his foster Mom on Monday so it'll only be a couple of days with our two visitors. 

This is Bonnie.  She's a 10 week old Husky cross and as you can tell she's super cute! She's already decided she really likes my bones.  Thankfully no one is fighting over the bones so Mom says they can stay in the toy box.

As some Huskies do, Bonnie has one blue eye and one brown eye.  This did it for Diesel, he is in love.  He hasn't left Bonnie's side since she arrived and has been (mostly) gentle with her.  She is by far the feistiest puppy we've had so far.  Bonnie can certainly hold her own with Diesel and (although I'm ashamed to admit it) can put him in his place better than I can.

There's been a whole lot of this going on though.  It's all in good fun, but it's the kind of fun I'd rather not have today so I'm staying out of it.  We went for a really long walk before Bonnie arrived and I'd really just like to have a nap!








Well Mom says it's dinner time so I guess I better go.  Stay tuned for more adventures with our new house guests.

Diesel Comes for a Mini Break

Tuesday night a nice lady that Mom works with dropped off her foster dog Diesel.  Diesel is going to be staying with us until Monday.  Am I the only one that thinks it's weird that Mom comes home from work with new fosters and other people that she works with has fosters too?  I'm still not sure about this 'work' place she talks about, but I think some day I need to go and make sure that it's really an office like she says and not secret code for 'place where dogs hang out'.

Anyway, Diesel is about 8 months old and we're not really sure what breeds of dog he is.  He has mange, like Willie did, so it's hard to tell what his coat will really look like once it's all grown back in.  Diesel is mostly black with little bits of white on him.

 He does have big ears though!

















Diesel hasn't been around a lot of other dogs so he's a bit unsure of himself and there was a lot of barking the first day.  I don't understand why other dogs like to bark to get attention, they should learn that acting cute will get you all the attention you need...works for me anyway.  I don't really like barking so I just ignored Diesel.  Since he wasn't getting what he wanted he gave up pretty quickly and now there's hardly any barking at all.  Mom says that's a good thing because she has a bad cold and the barking wasn't helping her headache.

Because Diesel hasn't had any vaccinations he can't go to the dog park.  It's unfortunate because he has lots of energy and I bet he would really like to run and run until he's all tired out.  We did go for a long walk yesterday and afterwards Diesel had a nap as soon as we got home.  He's good on a leash when we're on the sidewalk, but a bit less so when we were off on a pathway.  Mom says she's cutting him some slack because there's so much to smell on either side and that leash is only so long!

Diesel knows how to sit and shake a paw.  He is also very polite.  He really loves treats and will sit and wait (impatiently) for a treat and is OK with me getting a treat too.  Diesel's foster Mom though he might have an issue around dinner time with some food guarding, but he's been great.  We both eat in the kitchen together.  Diesel would like to eat my food but Mom says 'No' once and he goes off to eat his own. 







Well, Mom says her cold medication is kicking in and it's nap time.  I'll update again soon.

What's Been Going On

Have y'all missed me?  I haven't posted in a few weeks because we haven't had a foster dog come to stay with us since Willie left.  But that doesn't mean that we haven't been helping out AARCS when we can.

At the beginning of November Mom picked up a newly rescued dog, named Precious, after work and drove her from Calgary to Nanton.  Mom said that I couldn't go because she wasn't sure how Precious was around other dogs and she couldn't risk any fighting while she was trying to drive.  I decided this was probably best because Mom likes to use the highway as her own personal indy track and doesn't need any distractions.  Mom did manage to get a picture of Precious while she was waiting for the foster Mom to arrive.

Mom says Precious was really friendly and great in the car.  She's still up for adoption so go check her out.

















A couple of weekends ago we had not one, but two puppies, named DW and Binky, come and spend a Saturday and  Sunday with us.  Because they were only here for a short time they pretty much played with the toys, napped and played with one another.  There wasn't time for them to settle in and play a whole lot with me.

Binky is on the left and DW is on the right.  Aren't they super cute?  They were very good puppies too.  They really liked their kennel and would go into it all on their own whenever they wanted some quiet time.  They were good at going to the door to go outside too.  They're not up for adoption yet, but it looks like their sister might be Fern and she's up for adoption so I'm sure it won't be long until Binky and DW are up for adoption too.




Lastly, Mom picked up another dog, named Conway, after work one day and brought him home with her.  Conway's new foster Mom then came to our house to pick him up.  Conway is up for adoption as well.  His profile states that he doesn't like other dogs and Mom knew this when she picked him up.  However, I need a pee break as soon as Mom gets home from work and Conway was at the Vet's so he needed some fresh air too.  Mom decided we'd have a meet and greet in the back yard and see how Conway would react to me.  He gave one little growl and that was it!  Off for a walk we went.  Conway and I got along great on our walk.  He wasn't mean to me at all.  Things might have been entirely different in the house or when toys or food are around though.  Conway's new foster Mom was waiting when we got back from our walk and Conway was soon on his way. 

Mom didn't get any pictures of Conway, but there are a few on the AARCS website.  Mom and B both commented on how the pictures don't do him justice.  He is much cuter in real life.  And boy does he love people!  He was very friendly to Mom and B and acted like he'd known them for years.

So, that's what we've been up to.  Still keeping busy. 

Day 62 Goodbye Willie

Tonight Willie went to his forever home.  Already to house is way too quiet.  I'm about to start the 24 hour nap that happens every time a foster leaves and Mom says she's going to have a big glass of wine. 

We're both really excited for Willie.  He's going to a great home where he'll get lots of love and never be unwanted again.

Here's one last picture of Willie and I together.  Sometimes I thougth Willie was a bit of a pain, but at the end of the day he was a really great buddy and I'm going to miss him.









Mom says there's presently no foster dog lined up to come and stay with us, but that's likely to change at any moment.  Check back often to see who I'm going to help next.

Day 58 Willie has been Adopted!

Yesterday was a really busy around our house.  Mom had to run some errands first thing in the morning and Willie got to go with her.  I was quite upset that I had to stay home and even more so when Willie told me they went to the Dog Park!  Then a very nice family came to see if Willie was the right dog for them.  I didn't get to go for a walk with them so I was upset again.  My day was not starting off well.  A bit later I got to go to Pugoween!! This explains why I was forced to sit around all morning.

This year I dressed up as a cow.  Mom says I look pretty cute, but it took a lot of pictures to get one where I wasn't scowling at the camera.

There was an AARCS dog, Reggae, at the pug meet up.  Reggae is about 10 years old and has some medical issues.  He's an AARCS forever foster, meaning he'll stay in AARCS care for the rest of his life.  He had a great time.  I hope he gets to come to more meet ups. 
Here he is meeting the youngest pug at the meet up.  Beau is only 10 weeks old.  People were practically lining up to have a snuggle with him.




When we came home from Pugoween another nice family came to visit with Willie.  Both families loved Willie and wanted to adopt him, so Mom had to make a decision on which family would get to adopt Willie.  She said that sucked (her words, not mine.  I'd never be so vulgar) because she really liked them both.  In the end she chose the family she thought would be best for Willie.  Now Willie is officially adopted!  His new family will be picking him up on Thursday.  Yay for Willie!

Day 54 Still up for Adoption

The family that came to see Willie on Saturday decided that they were looking for a dog older than Willie.  It's good that they now have a better understanding of the age of dog that they want and I'm sure that Willie won't have a problem finding a forever home.  As a matter of fact, Mom got another adoption application for Willie on Monday.  Mom has been emailing with the family, answering lots of questions (Mom says she likes when they ask lots of questions) and the family might come see Willie tomorrow.

Other than that we've been hanging out and enjoying the cooler weather.  The afternoons are warm and it's still light out so we have been going for some long walks.  Willie is recovering from his neuter surgery really well.  He hasn't had to wear the cone; which is a good thing because Mom put it on him the first day for about 15 minutes and he looked pretty silly.  Plus, it was huge so he kept bumping into everything and could hardly get up the stairs.  As you can see he's feeling just fine.

Mom has been trying to get some pictures to show Willie's interesting coloring.

He likes to pose for the camera rather than have a sneak attack shot from the back.  She's managed to snap a couple though.

Look at how interesting his tail looks! 

Day 50 Willie is up for Adoption

Willie went up for adoption late Thursday.  And the really great news is that he's already had an application submitted and the family came to visit him today!  But let's back up a few days and I'll tell you all the stuff that's being going on.

On Wendesday Willie went to the Vet to be neutered.  While Mom worked I spent the day wandering around with my sad face on and my tail down.  I missed my buddy Willie.  Mom said I should have spent the day sleeping, but I was too worried about where Willie was.  Later we went to pick up Willie and I sure was happy!  Willie wasn't feeling 100% on Wednesday night so we had a quiet night.  Thursday he was back to normal!  You would never know he'd had surgery. 

Since he'd been neutered he could go up for adoption and Mom sent in his website info on Thursday and he was on the AARCS adoption website by the end of the day.  Less than 24 hrs later Mom got an email and a phone call about people interested in adopting Willie.  Mom talked to them Friday night and they scheduled a visit for this afternoon.   They came to visit Willie and brought their dog Diego.  Diego was more interested in checking out the back yard than in visiting with Willie, but he seemed to like him.  At one point we all started to play; running around the back yard and some physical playing.  Mom was shocked to see that I was trying to protect Willie when I thought Diego was getting too rough.  He wasn't, but I wasn't going to let anyone be mean to my foster brother!  I even barked at Diego and Mom said she isn't sure that she's ever seen me bark at another dog.  Sure, I like to bark at the mailman and those crazy people called 'teenagers' riding their skateboards down the sidewalk, but never at another dog. 

When we were in the backyard Diego noticed that one of the nylabones was out there.  Before Diego had a chance to pick it up and have a closer look Willie snitched it away.  He's been keeping it close ever since.  He even guarded it while he had a nap.

He forgot about it after awhile and then I chewed on it for about an hour.  Mom says we're like a bunch of 5 year olds after a new kid has come over and seen our toys.  Neither of us have played with this bone for days; but now that a new dog has shown an interest it's our favorite toy and we can't let it out of our site.









Now we'll wait to see if the couple that came to visit think Willie will be a good fit into their family.

Day 44 Neuter Time!

Willie is going to be neutered on Wednesday!  Y'all know what that means...then he'll get to go up for adoption.  I've told Willie that being neutered isn't as bad as what Mom has told him, but we're all pretty sure Willie is going to be the first foster that has to wear a cone after being neutered.

We've been getting lots of exercise.  While Willie is a very calm dog, he is still a puppy and likes to run and play.  We saw lots of new people on our walk the other day.  When we were on the ridge there was a little boy and his Dad walking in front of us.  Near the beginning they were close to us and we got to say hello.  Then we got distracted by bugs (Willie) and smells (Me) so they moved about 40 feet ahead.  It was great training for Willie because he really, really wanted to go and say hello again but Mom kept calling him back when he'd get about half way.  Willie came back every time!  Then when we were walking back home we met a group of about 1000 kids.  OK, Mom says there were about 8, but they swarm and reach from all angles and it seems like a lot more.  Willie and I did great at not getting over excited and letting the kids pet us.  And the kids thought it was the most incredible thing they'd ever seen when they asked if we could do 'tricks' and we both sat when asked.  Kids...they're so easily impressed.

Willie and I are really good buddies.  Sometimes I get sick of his constant wanting to play but I do like having him around.  He's good at playing chase around the coffee table in the living room or around the dining room table.  Every once in awhile he'll even play a game of tug o war!  Then we nap.

Day 35 Dog Days of Summer

We've been holding onto summer and enjoying time outside as much as possible.

Soon it'll be too cold for me to lie on my Mom's lounge chair and I won't get to spend afternoons napping in the sun.  You can already see the leaves turning on the tree and this photo was taken last week.

Willie is enjoying the warm weather as well.  He spends a lot of time frolicking around the yard.  He bounces around like a little colt jumping here and there or running full speed around in circles.
















Willie especially likes a 'toy' that he snitches off the table outside.  I'm pretty sure he knows he shouldn't be playing with Mom's hat.  I know enough not to join in on this game.  And as you can see, it was all fun and games until someone knocks over a table.  And really, did Willie think if he jumped up onto the chair and pretended like he'd been there the whole time we wouldn't know he was the one who knocked over the table?

Willie went to the Vet yesterday to be vaccinated.  The Vet says he's doing really well and he's up to 30 lbs.

As you can see he's bigger than I am now.  Thankfully he doesn't know it yet and I'm still the boss.  I win our wrestling matches and can still pin him down.  Willie is the gentlest puppy that we've had so far.  He constantly chews on my legs or my tail or anything he can put his mouth on, but it's very, very gentle.  I don't seem to mind at all; although sometimes I'd just like to lay around and do nothing all day.

Day 28 No More Mange!

Wednesday Willie went to the Vet and she said he doesn't have mange any more!  Let's hear it....YAY FOR WILLIE!!  Willie will still be on his medication for a few more weeks, but he goes back to the Vet next week to get vaccinated.  Then the Vet will decide when Willie can be neutered.  Willie is making huge progress and Mom says later today we're going to celebrate with a special treat.

Yesterday Mom talked to Nicky from AARCS who gave her some suggestions to help Willie learn that it's OK to be by himself.  So now we're doing some new things around the house; like eating in the dog room.  We're trying to show Willie that it's a great room to be in so that when he's in there by himself he's not unhappy.  Mom and Willie have been hanging out in the dog room as well.  Nicky is a professional dog trainer so if you'd like to learn more about her she has a business called Pet Potential and a facebook page.  Stop by her page, say Hello and let her know that Willie sent you. 

It's not always craziness around the house.

There is some nap time fit into the daily schedule.  Thank goodness because this puppy is going to be the death of me.  I'm exhausted.  I don't know where he gets his energy from, but I like to have several naps during the day and Willie needs to learn the value of a good nap!

He is super cute though so it's hard to stay mad at him.  Mom tries to entertain him so that I can have a much needed rest.  See me napping in the background?

Day 25 House Training

This week we've been working on house training.  Willie's last foster house said he hadn't had an accident in the house, but that's not the case at our house.  We started over from scratch and Willie is doing really well now.  So good that the gates are all down and Willie is free to wander the house.

Now that the gate is open Willie is making sure it's not going to get closed again!  Even if that means sleeping on it.  This really can't be very comfortable.












Willie still goes into the dog room when Mom goes to work, but maybe soon he can be in a carpeted area of the house.  Yesterday Mom had to go out for a short time so she left us together upstairs with some paper on the floor if Willie needed to pee.  When Mom came home Willie had peed; but on the mat by the door, not on the paper.  Mom said she couldn't really be mad at him because going to the door is what Willie is supposed to do when he needs to go to the bathroom.  Mom says next time she'll just put  paper by the door. I don't know why she didn't think of that in the first place.

Willie is getting pretty big too.  Tomorrow he goes to the Vet so we'll see how much weight he's gained.  He isn't skinny anymore and best of all he's got all of his hair back! 

Hopefully the Vet finds that he's mite free again.  If so, then he'll be officially clear of mange.  Willie will go off his medication and then can be vaccinated and neutered in a few weeks.  After that he can go up for adoption.  With such a cute face he's sure to find his forever home in no time!

Day 20 Bath Day

I must apologize for not posting for almost a week.  Mom keeps track of the days and she said she didn't think it had been that long.  I guess I'm going to have to learn how to read a calendar so that I can keep her on track.  Not a whole lot happened over the past week so I haven't had much to update on either.

Today was bath day.  We all got one whether we wanted one or not...and not everyone wanted one.  Willie has been doing pretty well with having a bath.  He still doesn't want to get into the tub, but once he's there he stands still the whole time.  Mom even managed to get in a quick picture before he hopped out.  Then he had to go back in again because he hadn't been rinsed off.






Mom says a bath helps with Willie's itchy skin.  He doesn't scratch much any more, but it'll still make him feel better.

We've been going for walks around the neighborhood and Willie continues to be great on a leash.  Willie's never been a puller, but there was a lot of weaving from side to side and back to front.  Mom says I'm as much to blame as Willie is because I can't walk in a straight line either.  Anyway, Willie's learned that he needs to walk on Mom's right side (because I walk on the left) and there's rarely anybody getting tangled up when we walk.

Yesterday we stopped to chat with the lady that lives a couple doors down.  I think she fell in love with Willie!  She has a dog, but we didn't get to visit because Willie isn't vaccinated.  She asked for us to stop by again once he has been vaccinated so that Willie can meet Sadie.  Hmmm...maybe Willie's found a new home?

Willie is being a bit mischievous when Mom goes to work.

OK, he's being a LOT mischievous!  It's not as bad as it looks.  It's mostly paper towel and newspaper.  But still, it's alot to clean up.  As you can see, Willie has a nice big dog bed and box full of toys.  Even so, he seems to be spending a lot of time trying to get out of the room and/or trying to get stuff off the shelves.  Obviously he can get to the shelf that has the paper towels on it, so Mom's going to have to do some rearranging to move stuff higher.

Day 14 Mite Free!!

Yesterday Willie went to the Vet and he was mite free!  He'll go back again in two weeks to be checked again and if he's still mite free then he'll be considered cured of mange.  He's already getting fur back in some of his bald spots and his coat is getting thicker overall. 

Willie was weighed at the Vet and he's gained another 4 pounds.  Weird how Willie's Vet thinks this is a good thing, but my Vet thinks it's a bad thing that I haven't lost any weight.  I'm trying to convince Mom we need to switch Vets, but she said that's not how it works. 

Willie, as most puppies are, is full of piss and vinegar when he wakes up.  He wants to go to the washroom, eat and play!  Not necessarily in that order.  Willie is getting big enough that if he puts his mind to it, he can jump on the bed.  This is 'my space' and as a general rule Willie is not allowed on the bed but today I was OK with a good wrestling match so Mom let him stay.

As you can see, there's a whole lotta crazy that went on.











I also forgot to mention during my last post about how it went at LTs with my best buddy Gord (and my new buddy Duncan).  Willie and I spent about 6 hours in the back yard and the lane supervising the construction of a portable car shelter.  It was super hot and we were exhausted by the end.  Don't think we're hard done by; there was shade, cool grass for us to lay on, toys and lots of water...but not where we could supervise.  What is important to note is that neither of us were confined by any means and Willie did an awesome job of not wandering away. 

Today is another hot day but Willie still won't go into the pool.  However he has decided that the hose is great way to get cooled off.  Even if it's just his head.

Day 12 Trying to Stay Cool

First off, I'd like to say I find it pretty hot outside.

Look at me...do I look like I'm enjoying all the hot weather?  Mom says I'm not allowed to complain because soon it'll be really cold and I'll have to wear my booties when I go outside.  Then I remember I don't really like my booties.  OK, I'll put up with this weather for awhile longer.














We've been trying to get some long walks in, but it's been pretty hot after Mom is finished work.  Even Willie is panting before we're too far from home.  Mom brings a water bowl so we can  have a drink but we're still pretty hot.

Today we played some fetch in the yard to see if short bursts of energy would be better.  It worked out pretty well, except Willie is terrible at fetch.  He only brings it about half way back.  Willie's not really into chasing after toys so he sees no incentive to bring it back so he can chase it again.  He is pretty good at tug o war though.

Willie still isn't a fan of water.  Using the pool as a water bowl is about as close as he gets to going in.

He does seem to be putting on some weight though.  His previous foster home said he'd up on 4 pounds in the two weeks he'd been with her.  He must have been really skinny before he came to AARCS because he was still quite thin when he came to stay with us.  Mom didn't think he'd been continuing to put on weight but she's noticed in the past few days he seems to be bulking up a bit.  Tomorrow Willie goes to the Vet for his 2 week check up to see how his mange is doing so we'll see how much he weighs.  Paws crossed that he doesn't have any live mites.  If not then that'll be a huge step forward in his road to becoming a healthy puppy!!

Day 9 Ahh...Summer Days

Since Willie did so well at the off leash park Mom decided it was safe for him to be off leash at the park near our house.  Willie didn't stray at all.  He would either walk beside Mom or chase after me.

Here he's trying to decide which of those two things he should do.  It's hard to see me in the small pic, but if you click on it you can see me up ahead on the right checking out the long grass.

Willie decided he should check out what I was doing.  He still likes to go back to Mom and make sure she's OK.

Mom also decided to take some pictures along the way.  We saw lots of ladybugs, which Mom found unusual as she doesn't recalling seeing ladybugs in Calgary before.  Maybe she just hasn't been looking.  Anyway, even though we went for a walk in the morning it was getting pretty hot so I liked all the rest stops we got along the way.  Willie even waiting patiently until it was time to move along.





We went for a long walk yesterday too and I was a bit pooped today.  Like the trooper I am, I made it the whole way.  I'm not going to be shown up by a puppy!  I even managed to stay awake longer than Willie when we got home.  He was asleep as soon as we got in the house.  We both had a long nap, played in the yard and now it's almost nap time again.  Mom says we have to rest up because tomorrow we're going to LTs house.  And if that wasn't exciting enough, my best buddy Gord is going to be there!

Day 7 A Bit About Me

So I know the blog is about my wish but I have some stories to tell and they don't make sense without you knowing about what's been going on with me so I'm going start with that.  A few weeks ago Mom noticed that I was scratching A LOT.  We went to the Vet, who said I was allergic to 'something'.  Could be food, could be environment, could be seasonal.  The Vet said he couldn't change the season (sometimes he is funny) so we'd start with food.  I got new food, which I really like.  The part I don't like is the fact that I don't get any treats (gasp) or any bones (gasp!) or peanut butter in my Kong when Mom goes out (GASP!!!!!).   The good point part (according to Mom) is that 1.  I'm not scratching any more.  2. I had a rash that's gone away.  3.  I've almost completely stopped shedding!  None of this is better than treats and bones and peanut butter (according to Me).  Mom got some new treats by a manufacturer recommended by one of her friends.  They are the same protein as my food and Mom said she knows she's breaking the 'rules' but they are the same ingredients so she's hoping I'll be OK.  Now...on with our regularly scheduled program....

Mom went into the office on Tuesday, so Willie spent the day in the new and improved dog room (I said she's been busy around the house while we haven't had a foster).  Mostly this was to see if Willie could hold his bladder through a work day without have an accident in the house.  He can't.  Willie had most of the toys with him so I figured I better check things out when Mom got home.  Guess what I found?  A Kong with peanut butter in it!!  Willie didn't even clean it all out.  Silly puppy has a lot to learn.  I grabbed that and took off to make sure it got properly cleaned.  Mom was right after me and took it away.  Boy was I mad!  To make up for this we had some treats.  I use the term 'treat' kind of loosely because we have to work for them. 

Willie is learning to 'sit'.  He's really good at it too.  Almost too good.  He 'sits' all over the place now, looks at Mom with a look that says 'OK, I'm sitting, where's my treat?'










It's been raining in Calgary for the past few days so we haven't been outside much.  Yesterday was nice and Willie and I enjoyed running around the backyard.

I'm teaching Willie how to play a good game of chase!











This morning we went to the dog park before Mom started work.  Willie hasn't been vaccinated so he can't be around other dogs.  So we went really, really early when the park is almost empty and there wouldn't be any dogs around us.  Willie got to go off leash with me.  He stayed pretty close to Mom and only ventured away from her when he was chasing me.  Now when we go to the off leash park close to our house Willie will be able to go off leash and Mom won't worry about him running away.

Since this post is (mostly) about me I figured we should end it with a picture of just me.

Day 3 Out and about

Yesterday was a very busy day for us.  First we went for a long walk in Fish Creek Park.  Willie is very good in the car.  He's very calm, lays down on the back seat and stays put.  He even waits politely until Mom says it's OK to get out of the car.   We met some nice ladies who were getting ready to go kayaking and Willie tried to get one of the ladies to fall in love with him.  It almost worked too!  I was busy playing in the water while Willie worked his magic.  Willie didn't go into the water, nor has he gone into the pool.  Because of his mange he gets a bath about once a week and Mom can already sense that he's not a big fan of the tub...if running out of the bathroom when she turned the water on is any indication.   Tomorrow is bath day and I'm getting one too so maybe when he sees how much I like them he'll be a little more enthused about them.  Yeah, it's a long shot, but he's going to get baths for the next little while so it'd be nice if he at least liked them a little bit.

After we went to the park we went to the pet store!  I love going to the pet store because I get lots of attention.  Willie enjoyed it too.  He waltzed right in like he'd been there a million times before.  It was a quick trip to pick up a new chew toy so we didn't do much browsing.  Still, Willie got to check out lots of new sites and smells (oh boy are there a lot of smells!) and handled it very well.

As if that wasn't enough, later in the day we went for another car ride to The Taylors.  Mom already knows that Willie likes cats so we didn't visit with Ike.  Willie introduced himself, we ran around the back yard a bit and then it was time for another car ride home.  Lots of car rides, lots of new people and places and Willie did great.

Today Mom worked from home.  She said she is amazed at how well Willie behaved himself.  He's more than happy to play quietly with some toys on his blanket.  Then Willie and I play for a bit.  Then we sleep.  Then it starts all over again.

As you can see the shoe is still an object of affection.  Yes, Mom says she could pick it up, but Willie needs to learn not to chew on shoes if they are out.  (I think maybe she's just too lazy to pick up her shoes).  Anyway, Willie is a chewer...not unlike all puppies.  If he can put it in his mouth then he will.  He understands what 'No' means and will stop when Mom tells him too.  Usually the first time; the shoe being the exception.  Willie seems pretty smart so Mom is sure he'll catch on and leave shoes alone in a few days.

Day 1 Welcome Willie

Today we got a new foster dog!!  It's been over a month and I've been waiting patiently for a new friend to come and stay with us.  We were on vacation, then Mom was working on some stuff around the house and all of a sudden it was the end of August!  Anyway, today Willie came to stay with us.  As you can see he's a very handsome boy.

We're not really sure what kind of breeds Willie is made up of.  Maybe some sheppard, but he looks brindle colored as well.  Doesn't really matter because he's pure bred cute!









Willie is about 5 months old and isn't up for adoption yet.  Mom says he'll be staying with us for a few weeks because he has something called mange.  It's not the kind that I can catch and he's taking some medicine so hopefully in about 4 weeks he'll be over it. 

Willie has been pretty quiet, but it is only his first day with us.  We went for a walk to get to know one another and then we've been hanging out in the yard. 

It was pretty hot out so we spent sometime in the house for a bit.  Willie seems to like Mom's shoes.

These are Mom's 'yard' shoes and they smell like sometime died in them so you really can't blame Willie for wanting to get right in there  and check them out.












Stay tuned because I'm sure they'll be lots more adventures to share as Willie settles in.

Day 25 Goodbye Cookie/Kiki

A lot has happened of the past couple of day.  We've been going to the dog park and hanging out in the back yard, but more importantly, yesterday Mom got an adoption application for Kiki.  J called Mom right away and she and M came to see Kiki last night.  They spent a lot of time asking Mom questions and getting to know Kiki.  J decided right away that Kiki was the dog for them but it is M's first dog so he needed to think about it a bit.  They did say that Kiki fit exactly what they were looking for in a dog so it was just a matter of making 100% sure that they were ready.  J called Mom today and said that they had decided and Kiki was going join their family!

Here are a couple of final pictures of Kiki

Kiki was a little unsure of this bigger dog we met at the park but he was such a sweety that she soon learned he was nothing to be afraid of.  Kiki's confidence around bigger dogs is growing with every trip.  On our last trip to the dog park we met a huge black sheppard and Kiki was in love!  She was wagging her tail and trying to play with him/her.  Mom had never seen her more excited around another dog...with the exception of me of course.

Kiki's new favorite past time is to to relax in the sun. 












I'm sure Kiki is going to have a fantastic time in her new home.  Mom says we're going on vacation next week so we won't have a foster dog until we're back.  I'll make sure to update everyone as soon as a new friend comes to stay!

Day 22 Still up for Adoption

The family that came to see Kiki on Sunday decided that she was going grow into a larger dog than they wanted.  It's too bad, because I really liked them.  I hope they decide to look at some of the other dogs AARCS has up for adoption because I'm sure there's a dog that will fit in with their family.

Yesterday it was very, very hot outside and in the house.  Kiki hardly moved all day, which meant I got to rest!  It was a good that I slept most of the day because the more I move around the more overheated I get and I'm not very good at cooling down.  After work Mom put fresh water in the pool and all three of use went for a little swim.  Yes, even Mom got her feet in the pool, it was that hot.  After we cooled down we were in the mood for a bit of playing.  It wasn't long before we were hot again and decided that we should just take it easy for the rest of the night.

Today it's cooler so we went to the dog park.  Kiki put the very tips of her paws in the river today, but that's it.  Mom isn't encouraging her to go into the river because it's still high and running fast and she doesn't feel it's safe for Kiki to venture out too far.  There were lots of dogs down by the water so we made some new friends and had lots of play time.  We even met another dog who's Mom and Dad adopted him from AARCS.

Day 20 Dog Park!

On Friday Mom and Kiki went to the Vet.  I didn't get to go because it was too hot for me to wait in the car.  I still really wanted to go, but Mom said No and sometimes I like to let her think she's the Boss so I stayed home.  Kiki told me all about it when she got home and they went to Tail Blazers.  Kiki says she's very sorry she peed on the floor, even if it was just a little bit.  She got overwhelming with all the new sites and smells.  Then they went to the Vet where Kiki got a shot.  This means that Kiki can now be around other dogs!

We went to the dog park yesterday morning and Kiki had a great time!  She was a bit hesitant around some of the bigger dogs, but after all, she is just a puppy.

Kiki listens to Mom so well that she got to go off leash.  Kiki came every time Mom called.  She did really, really well.  As you can see there were lots of people and dogs out already so Kiki got to meet lots of new people and dogs.

Here I am in my favorite spot.  Mom says good thing I had a bath on Friday.  And also that she's thankful Kiki doesn't like the water so at least one of us didn't get wet and stinky.  Although Kiki did take a few somersaults in the dirt so she didn't leave as clean as she arrived.

Kiki has a good nose.  She enjoyed walking through the tall grass and checking out everything. 












She also had to stop to say hello to every person and every dog.  And of course everyone was more than happy to stop and say hello to a puppy.  It was quite a long walk.  Mom and Kiki stopped to say hello to another lady and Kiki jumped on Mom, which she rarely does.  Mom gave her a stern "Off" and she didn't jump on her again.  She jumped on the lady and that lady gave her a stern "Off" as well and Kiki didn't jump on anyone else the whole time.  Kiki is very smart.  She picks up on commands right away and it's good to see that she listens to other people as well.

If that wasn't enough new news, Kiki also received another adoption application!  A family is coming to see her tonight and they sound very excited to meet her.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it goes.

Day 17 Well, It's Official

Kiki is now bigger than me...just by a little bit.  She doesn't weigh as much and she's still not nearly as worldly so I am still ruler of the house. 

Yesterday we went for a long walk and saw a lot of other dogs.  Unfortunately, Kiki's still only had her first shots so only I got to say hello.  Kiki is not very happy about this as she'd like to interact with the other dogs as well.  Friday she goes to the vet for her second set of shots and you know what that means....we can go to the DOG PARK!!  We'll be there bright and early Saturday morning.

This week Kiki got her licence from the city.  Mom put it on her collar and excepted her to act a bit strange, but she just went along her merry way as if nothing was new.  She is really a laid back dog.  Nothing like when I first got a tag put on my collar.  Look at how little I was!



Day 14 Still Available for Adoption

The lady that put in the adoption application came to see Kiki on Saturday.  She thought Kiki was super cute (duh) but is looking for a smallish dog.  We haven't heard back from her, but we're taking that as a sign that she's not going to adopt Kiki.  She is looking for two dogs, has adopted Sika and I think that's great!  I'm happy that any dog gets adopted, it doesn't have to be the one that stays with me.

Last week Kiki and I both got a bone.  Of course the best bone is the one that she has, even if it's the one she just stole from me.  Bones can sometimes be a challenge because they are so good but Kiki is great at sharing (and stealing); no possessiveness at all. 

As you can see (under her belly) she's not letting me steal it while she has a nap.  As you can also see, sometimes newspaper is also a good toy and she's an excellent shredder.

We've been spending a lot of time outside since the weather is nice and it's hot in the house.  Kiki and I both like to sit on the chair with Mom, but she says there's really not enough rough.  Especially when we start to wrestle.  Kiki looks pretty happy to lie on the grass though don't you think?







That's all the news I've got for today.  It's raining so it looks like we'll be spending the day inside.

PS...Dear LT--Mom told me what you said about the Kong picture and I just want to say; the camera adds 10 lbs!!