Is it spring? Why isn't the pool open yet?

Ooooh, Tank and I had a wonderful trip to Pennsylvania with the old girls! We stayed upstairs in a motel with scary-fun metal stairs we could see through; learned to walk, poop, and pee on solid ice; got tons of treats and rawhides; and I even made the cut and got an extra competition in the MOOOOOOOOVEMENT CLASS, because I'm such a nice strutter! We were SO tired on the way home that we just snoozed in our crates. We're ready to go earn some titles now.

I got an EXTRA driveway walk this afternoon. Grandpa Wayne took us all this morning before he left to tune a piano. Ralphie, Miller, Molson, and I had a wonderful romp. Grandma Wendy took JUST ME this afternoon and we practiced my happy-tail-stand and strutting. I could have strutted lots more, but she kept taking rest breaks. I even got liver treats on the afternoon walk. I overheard her talking to Grandma Kathy on the phone about daily conditioning and training. I think that means more walks and adventures in my future!

All the ice and snow is gone and there are wonderful smells to smell outside. I can't understand why we can't go swimming yet. That stretchy thing is still on top of my pool.

Exciting news! My litter mate Bunny is competing this weekend in Rally and Obedience. The Grandmas are going to watch. I don't know if I get to go. Even more exciting, my other sissy Aurora is moving back to Virginia from Las Vegas! She's such a city girl now I hope she'll still let me @#!$# her backside!

SUNSHINE!

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

The sun is back and I get to play outside more. Tomorrow I leave on my Winslow Way trip to Pennsylvania. I'm so excited! Today is packing day so Grandma Wendy will restock my red travel bag that Grandma Kathy and Tank gave me for Christmas. I LOVE MY TRAVEL BAG! It has toys! It has bowls! It has chewies and bones! It has my favorite FOOD! What could be better?

BTW, I haven't told about my favorite food, Life's Abundance from Trilogy Healthy Pet Net. It is SO yummy! It makes me sleek and shiny and healthy. If you want to know more about it, check out Grandma Wendy's Healthy Pet Net website by pasting the following LONG link into your browser:

http://www.healthypetnet.com/HealthyPetNet/Home.aspx?realname=40037427

The only way to get this human-grade-ingredient food is to order it from a rep, so that's what we do. Grandma Wendy is a rep but just so I can get my favorite food. It is delivered to our front porch by UPS. If you want some, check out the site and see what you think. No pressure. I like it and it agrees with me, don't know if you'll feel the same.

Oh, almost forgot! I have a new webpage at

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/950770

Paste that link into your browser and come visit me there. Your dog can have a page, too! It's free and there's a cat part, if you want to make a page for your furry, scratchy, hissy, chase-able cat!

Rain, Ice, Sick Humans

ARGHHHHH! I have been plagued by rain, ice, and sick humans for the last long days! I haven't been down the driveway in DAYS! It's 31F and the trees and walks are icy. The humans have been using that as an excuse to skip THE WALK. Finally Grandpa Wayne took me for a walk this morning. Bro Miller and I had serious cabin fever. It was pretty slick on the driveway and Miller ran off into the woods so Grandpa Wayne's mad. I would have gone with Miller but I was on the leash. Wayne's back outside yelling and blowing the whistle now.
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Friday I will go to Harrisburg, PA with Grandmas Wendy and Kathy and Bro Tank. We're going to a "Winslow Way Seminar" to learn the finer points of AKC Dog Shows. We get to stay in a motel and jump on the beds. We'll get lots of TREATS! We'll get BONES! Whoopee! I LOVE dog show weekends!

My New Year's Adventures

Life has been so busy and exciting that Grandma Wendy hasn't had time to help me get this post online! The first weekend of 2009 we went to a United Kennel Club (UKC) Conformation Show in New Kent, VA with Brother Tank and Grandma Kathy. I earned more points and came home with lots of blue ribbons and 2 Reserve Best Male/Female ribbons. I am hot stuff!

Grandma Wendy's been under the weather since New Year's so I brought her a present in bed. She thanked me -- but only after squealing and dragging me out of her room. You see, I found one of the younger Guinea Fowl in MY dog yard, so I picked it up and ran it in to Grandma to cheer her up -- right through the doggie door with half-bro Miller right behind me. Lots of feathers fluttered into bed when I plopped the bird in front of her. Then the bird flew around the room and crash landed in the big sunken bath tub behind the bed. I got a doggie treat in the kitchen while Grandma chased the bird around the room a few times and finally caught it behind the cabinet. It would have been faster if she let me help.... Oh, the Guinea's fine. I have such a soft mouth! What a good retriever am I!

The next day I got a bloody scrape right by my eye and Grandmas Kathy and Wendy made me wear an e-collar (CONE) and meds for 2 days. How embarrassing! I couldn't even pee for the first 8 hours because every time I sniffed a good spot, it disappeared when I lifted my leg! Grandpa Wayne even tried to get me started with a little demo but I just couldn't get the hang of peeing if I couldn't see my target. Anyway, after an 8-hour dry spell, I couldn't wait any longer so I peed blind -- not very satisfying but it provided the necessary relief. Butt-sniffing, drinking, and eating were also challenging with the e-collar. My people kept making fun on me and calling me "Conehead". Grandma Wendy took the cone off yesterday afternoon but says I still have a pink scar. Doesn't bother me!

Whooppee! Look at the fun I'm having!

Well, we had a great party the first night at Massanutten Resort -- Saidee and 4 other hotties were there. Some guys came over later. Lots of drinking, lots of laughing. Everyone loved me and petted me and dropped tidbits to snack on. Today Gramma Wendy is at the MVOA Office using WIFI. This part is just OK. People come by and talk to me and pet me but there's nothing to eat. When we're done, we're going to eat at 5 Brothers and there will be extra French Fries for ME!

Brian, Maggie, and Collin are on there way so by dinner time, there will be plenty of action.

Day AFTER Christmas

Well, I almost got to see Marley and Me at the movies, but it was sold out. I got to wait in my car crate while my people ate Chinese Christmas Dinner instead:-(

I almost got to visit my cousins at Uncle Chet and Aunt Val's house, but after a nice walk with Gramma Wendy, I got to wait in my car crate while my people visited relatives instead:-(

I almost got to play with Cousins Carter and Shelby, but they got to play in my house while I ate supper in my house crate instead:-(

I DID get a lot of great toys to play with and, remember those roosters that were acting funny yesterday? Early this morning Grampa Don and Grammas Kathy and Wendy turned them into tasty chicken dinners! No wonder they were nervous yesterday! I'm glad to be a dog! BTW, the chickens in the photo are NOT the chicken dinners. That's Frankie and Nancy Sumatra and Junior. They are still walking around. Only 2 roosters crowing at our house now! 3 hens a-laying and three guineas complete the flock.

Christmas Eve

Waiting for Santa is SOOOOOOOOOOO hard! Gramma Wendy gave me a nice big beef bone yesterday. Auntie Molson and Brother Miller got bones, too. We've worked on them a lot and that has helped us wait. Cousin Ralphie, the Welsh Corgi, is still in his new house in Ohio with JeremyDaddy. We miss him a lot. Things are very quiet here without him.

We Labs dressed up in our Christmas Sweaters for family photographs this week. That's me in my favorite armchair. Poor Miller couldn't walk very well in his. He's a lot bigger than Mo and Me. Molson didn't like putting hers on or taking it off because she's got arthritis and it hurt her achy bones. Anyway, Gramma Wendy told Miss Mo and Mr. Miller they didn't have to put their sweaters on again. I think that might mean I'll be dressing up when I go to Massanutten for my Winter Break this week!

I don't know what's going on with the roosters today but one is in the big bird cage outside the window by my favorite armchair. He is very excited about something. Maybe Santa? Two other roosters are inside the Henspa porch with the laying hens (they give me EGGS for Christmas!) and the big Guinea. The two little Guineas are inside the Henspa but they have a special little door on the side so they can go in to eat and sleep and come out to play or get a drink. All those birds are very excited and keep making fun noises and running around. The only chickens running loose today are Frankie and Nancy Sumatra and Frankie's son. Something different is going on...I just can't figure it out.

Leftovers and Roosters

I went on my morning walk today with Grandpa Wayne but he wouldn't let me off leash! I guess that's because the last time I ran off and wouldn't come back. Anyway, today my half-brother Miller Genuine Draft and my Auntie Molson Golden ran off. They got in trouble because THEY wouldn't come back for nearly an hour. They snuck off to the neighbor's house and stuffed themselves on venison leftovers. Now we're napping and waiting to see how sick they get. Wish I could have gone with them....

The other exciting news of my morning is that I chased a rooster! Man, I love chasing birds! Yesterday Grandma Wendy tricked most of the feathered fun into the Henspa where I can't play with them. We have two young Guineas that came from Grandma Kathy's house this week and the other birds have to stay inside until the new ones learn where the food is. Anyway, the one Guinea we already had and one young rooster missed bed check last night, so they were hanging around the Henspa trying to get in to eat with the others this morning and I got to chase them around for a long time before Grandpa Wayne noticed what I was doing. He lets me out with just my invisible fence collar on and starts watching the Today Show so he forgets to check on me. I have my best fun when Grandpa Wayne is taking care of me!

Whoopee! Brother Tank and I strutted our stuff at a United Kennel Club Conformation Show last weekend in Wakefield, VA. We are such studs! We each came home with a bunch of ribbons and 75 points towards a title (100 points).

Shiner Bock Visits Liberty High School Library

I'm a new blogger and I'm actually wearing my Service Dog vest and lying under the library table while my Wendybird sets up my blog for me. It's good to have people!