Bbbbbbbbarking all day

Early this morning the lady took me to a dog park and I was an angel.  No one was there at first, but this dog the lady called, "Hooch"  came. The lady said he looked like a TV dog, whatever that is. He was great at first and we acted like dogs do, but then he picked up a ball and how was I supposed to know he was over the top protective of his ball? I came up to him like I had before and he tore in to me. Yep, I peed myself, but good grief, HE WAS HUGE and he took me right down to the ground and then just walked away.  Okay dokay.  Lesson learned.  Don't go near dogs bigger than me when they have a ball in their mouth. Afterwards we ran around together, but I wasn't quite ready to be buddy best friends again.

Things have been crazy today.  The house across the street is getting a new roof and there is all sorts of banging and hammering and people walking around.  I have done my part and barked the entire day.  She thought if she took me over there and introduced me to the men I would stop barking.  She thought if she sat with me on the sidewalk across the street from them I would stop barking.  No and no. She let me in the house and I was a quiet and very happy dog.

Right now the lady has me inside tied to the table.  I don't really want to go into why she feel she has to do this, but I can kind of understand it. I really hate her cat and the feeling is mutual.

Hide and sneak

The lady taught me a new game today.  She had me sit and stay on the rug and then she went upstairs and called me.  It was super exciting and I loved it.  At the beginning, it was too hard to stay on the rug and I would sneak off it, tip toeing oh so quietly, towards the stairs. Drats, she always would hear me and make me go back to the rug, sit, and stay, all over again.  But, it was still so much fun.  At the end, after I found her, I would race back downstairs and sit on the rug and wait for her to call me.  She said I do have a brain.  I guess that's a good thing?

Making the place feel like home

I thought the fluffy bed inside the dog house needed airing out again, so I dragged it out of the dog house and shook it while running around the yard. It took awhile for it to exit the dog house though, so I guess you could say I rearranged the furniture in my world.  Again, the lady was not happy with me.  She said something about why did I wait till it snowed to drag the dog bed all around. And since the dog house was upside down, wet,  and in the middle of the yard, she gave me a snarky look for that too.  Like I can control the weather.

We played a lot today. Walks, runs, ball at the park and frisbee in the front yard.  Shasta thinks she can take the ball right out of my mouth and she is sooo sneaky about it too.  She walks around me and acts like she is searching for something and when I look down, she grabs the ball right out of my mouth. But I have her figured out now. I take it to the lady first, well, most of the time. The lady makes Shasta come to her when I have the ball.  I can't help myself because I am so proud that I beat out Shasta in getting to it first that I have to come and show Shasta the ball-while it is in my mouth.  Yes, I put it right in her face and prance around and it is a nan-er, nan-er moment for me and I LOVE it. Since Shasta gets in trouble if she chases me and the lady never comes after me, I know I have to give the lady the ball or the game is over.  Once when I didn't, she turned and walked away from me.  Just like that.  Hello, we are in the middle of a game here!  Leavers are losers! I dashed after her, but wouldn't give the ball to her hand; I dropped it on the grass. Showed her who was boss.

The lady didn't tie me up the other night and now I know it was a test.  Epic failure!  Shasta has one sheep skin to lie on and I chose the other.  It smelled soooo good.  I started to nibble and got a little obsessed with it. The lady heard me and came over and I got to hear my least favorite word again. NO!  Then she tied me up and I had to sleep in the dog bed.  When I grow up, maybe I'll be able to have a sheepskin to sleep on.  I'm pretty sure that won't be happening soon though.

Borrrring dog days

The lady has been gone a lot. All day yesterday and most of today. I got a walk yesterday- on a leash the whole time, but I was good and heeled when she told me too, but some smells were too tempting not to smell. I was bored and though I didn't dig, I did destroy everything in the recycle garbage on Wednesday. Today when she returned home, she took Shasta and me for a walk and I was a perfect angel. 

She brings two balls to the park, but usually only throws one for us to race after.  Shasta is super competitive. I'm faster than she is, but she goes all out and I'm happy to follow, unless the ball is closer to me, and then I race for it.  Right before the lady throws it, she looks us in the eye and tells us who should get it.  If Shasta doesn't try to 'herd' me, I'll bring it back to or near the lady.  She calls Shasta the clean up crew as she grabs the ball I bring back and drops it at the lady's feet.  Sometimes I'll surprise the lady and drop it in her hand. I always get lots of happy sounds from the lady when I do this and sometimes I even let her pet me and ruff up my scruff.  Today was fun because the lady sat down in the grass and had us bring the ball and drop it on her lap. 

The lady is being careful with me because I jumped another dog at the dog park.  He was a little cocker spaniel and I thought he was acting weak and that made me feel like acting tough.  I didn't know he had a bodyguard in the shape of a Malamute Husky.  This dog rushed me, grabbed me by my scruff and tossed me like a rag.  He didn't want to fight, but he definitely wanted me to stop what I was doing.  And I did !!!  But after about 5 minutes I went back to that little dog, but he huddled down between his man's feet and I couldn't get to him nor would I let  the lady catch me.  Again, the Husky rushed me and knocked me off my feet. But he got hurt when he ran into me. I am pretty solid and didn't mean to hurt him, but he was limping after running into me.  The lady talked to the man and then she caught me and we left.  She said we can only go back when there aren't dogs there, at least for awhile.  She makes me sit and be still whenever another dog is around and I have to let them smell me. So embarrassing, but I'm not as worried about them attacking me.