October / November Happenings

Wow - where has the time gone!!  Can you believe it's been 2 months since I last visited with you?
Well where to begin...  I am still going on outings with mom and dad, (the farmer's market, grocery stores, restaurants, malls, etc.).  I graduated from the Dog Good Citizenship Class, (of course - I told mom I would ACE it).  But most importantly something BIG has happened in my life!!!   Mom and dad had a vacation scheduled for the last 2 weeks of October.  I was going to stay with my puppy sitters Charlene and Alan - they live way up in the east foothills in the large luxury mansion and have 2 Canine Companion for Independence dogs that have been released from the program, (Stacy and Belize).  I love visiting and playing with Stacy and Belize, (we run, jump and have all kinds of fun).  I was so looking forward to my 12 days living with them.  BUT, on the 2nd day I starting changing and came "in heat".  Yup, I am now a "woman".  And I couldn't stay with Stacy and Belize anymore.  Instead I had to go to Amor Animal Hospital and be kenneled for the next 21 days.  I was so lonely  I was there exactly 1 week and mom and dad showed up to visit me and exercise me and every week mom came to see me with treats and to exercise me, brush my teeth, clean my ears, brush my fur and give me lots of hugs.  She always told me that she loved me and it would soon be over and I could come home and that everyone, (even the cat), missed me.

 I didn't get released until November 12th.  Mom said that I was a lot more calmer.  Dad said that 3 weeks of solitary confinement will do that to any woman.    I was so glad to come home, even though I couldn't remember some of my commands every well.  On November 15th, mom and dad, Rowdy and I drove down to Kanab, Utah so that mom and dad could volunteer on Saturday and Sunday at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.  I was so hoping to get to go with them, so I could play with the puppies and kittens.  But NO!!  They made me and Rowdy stay back at the condo in the crate.  But they took us for nice long walks every morning and evening and it sure was beautiful in the red rock country.  On Thanksgiving Day, Rowdy and I went with mom and dad down to Springville to celebrate turkey day with their friends, (Neil and Karen).  We like Neil and Karen - they have 2 dogs, (Sofie and Max - but sometimes Max growls at us, cause he's old.)  We all got to out out back in their big fenced back yard and run and play, and their dogs have lots of stuffed animals that I can shake and run with.  It is great.

 But one thing that still hasn't changed, no matter how big I get - I still like to climb into mom's lap and snuggle just like I did when I was a little puppy.  Only now I'm a big dog, (who weighs 56 pounds).

Sometimes I like to just sit beside mom and she hugs me and tells me that she loves me.  When she's not expecting it, I give her a quick kiss on the ear.  She just laughs and says, "thank you for the kiss".  I know it makes her happy when I kiss her.  She told me the other day that next August it's going to be hard to tell me good-bye when I go back to CCI and she's going to miss me a lot.

Hope your turkey was delicious and your getting your Christmas shopping done, it's coming up fast.

So - until next time remember, don't lick and keep those tails waggin'