New Friends!

Life has certainly been busy, what with the ground drying up after the snow left, going to the new dog park, seeing my old neighborhood friends cuz everyone's outside again, and meeting new people.

Mom told me that someone named Kari was coming to meet me, but I wasn't sure what it was all about. I figured I'd think about it when she came. Well. She did. And right from the start she made me THINK! What's with that?!? Mom and I had a routine. Someone comes in, I bark to let them know they should think twice about pulling any funny business, they come in the house, where I bark to emphasize that I'm in charge, although I also have to keep away from mom. If she catches me I have to listen to her and at least sit, even if I don't stop barking.

Kari stopped on the OTHER side of the gate! She changed the rules! AND she brought CHEESE! Ohmigosh! What's a pup to do? I barked. She turned around. You heard right - she turned around and ignored me! How rude! I ask you, what's the point in barking if the person I'm barking AT doesn't pay attention? So I stopped. And she turned around. So I started barking again, and she turned around AGAIN. I was stumped. I just stopped barking and stared. She turned around fast, and gave me some cheese!!! Wow! Suffice to say that it was a very confusing visit, but very rewarding too! There was learning to look at her face instead of the treats, sit and be quiet (yuck!) instead of barking, and then this weird thing where she kept moving the cheese over my shoulder until I laid on my side. Hey, I got cheese when I did it, so okay, I'd lay on my side.

As if all this weren't strange enough, MOM's been acting this way ever since Kari left! And there's something about 'at ease' and 'relax', but just telling you this much has worn me out all over again, and I haven't told you about my other new friend.

Yesterday Mom and I went to the dog park, and there were WAY too many rowdy, noisy dogs. As usual, Mom was talking to everybody (Note from Mom: I was not!). Well LOT'S of people anyway. In fact, at one point she went out of the park to the car and left me inside! Yes, she came right back, but still....

Anyway, the next thing you know, there's a really nice young lady who's talking to Mom, but really looking at me. So of course I showed her my best tricks - Toast, Touchdown, Rock & Roll, and such. And of course, she was impressed! We kept running into her the whole time we were at the park, which was just fine by me because I knew she was admiring me the whole time she pretended to talk to Mom. They eventually sat down at a picnic table and were just yakking and yakking, so I took a nap underneath the table. I must admit, Cutie (that's what I call her) was very dog-sensitive. She helped Mom keep the water bowl full, and admired all the pups that came up to take a drink. A very well brought up girl, I thought.

Soooo, now we have 2 new friends! And it's not even full Spring yet! Looks like this is going to be a very fun year!

A Very Special Gift!

Mom has been gone a lot the past few days. Not good. I'm telling her so quite loudly as she's typing, so I'm getting a lot of "Moxie, that's enough!" and "Moxie, GO LAY DOWN". What doesn't she get about me having my say? After all, she's supposed to be typing FOR ME! I mean, she did take me to the dog park this afternoon as soon as she FINALLY came home, but what did she do when we got back to the house? Put me in the BATHTUB! So what's a little mud got to do with anything? I thought she'd be happy it wasn't icy outside anymore!

Sheesh!

After she gave me a pretty good towel hug, I got my supper. Then she pulled a big book out of her bag and told me it was for me. What?! Why would I want a book? Then she read it to me. It's written by and about Hanni, a real working dog! Hanni is a genuine Seeing Eye Dog for her partner Beth. Beth is a writer, and she actually helped Hanni write the book and get it published! She did for Hanni what Mom is doing for me on my blog! I didn't know any other dogs had human partners that typed for them!

Hanni helps Beth all day, every day. She keeps Beth safe indoors and outside. The book title says it all: Safe & Sound.

I don't do that for Mom, but I do keep her safe when we're together - especially when we're at home. I bark every time someone walks by, drives by, or comes to the door. I bark whenever I hear something that could mean someone's trying to get into the house. But you know that. You've read my profile. I protect Mom and our house. Just like Hanni makes sure Beth is safe and sound.

Anyway, Mom actually met Hanni! Beth too, but to meet a real Morristown, NJ Seeing Eye Dog, well, now THAT's something. And do you know what Mom did for me? Well yes, she bought the book, but she got Hanni to SIGN IT. AND Hanni signed it to ME! Wow. I haven't ever had something like this. Thank you Hanni! I'd sure like to meet you myself someday.

Lost Weekend Part 2

The warm feeling stayed with me all weekend, even when I came home, got sick that night, and Mom had to take me back to the doctor place. She was really scared, which made me scared. They did the thing where I had to lay on a table and this machine kind of buzzed again, but since I'd been through it before, and nice people were petting and talking to me, I was okay with it. They let me go back in the little room where Mom was, but only for a little while. Then it was back to my spot.

A little while later they poured some stuff down my throat, then waited, and then did the buzzing machine a lot of times. After that, it was really boring until Mom came to visit! YEA!!!! We even went out for a walk! Oh I felt sooooo good! And I really wanted to go home with her, but she explained the doctors wanted to be very, very sure that I was absolutely not sick anymore. Then she gave me a big hug, and I went back to my spot. *sigh* It wasn't until the next day at suppertime that they finally let Mom take me home. Thank goodness I'm still here! And thank goodness for whoever sent the warm love hug too. That kept me from feeling afraid, and even made me a little less lonely.