There's a new kid in town...

Dum dee dumm  dummm, we were taking our morning walk.  I have lots of buddies here, but I hardly ever see them in the morning. Haha, that's cause I wake up my pack just as the sun comes up!  So, it is usually really, really quiet.

But one day, there was a man and a dog up ahead.  This dog was a little bigger than I am!  He's new here.  He looked a little sad.  :(  But, I'm a friendly guy (and polite, too!) so I knew that I should be quiet and gentle.

We s-l-o-w-l-y came up to each other and sniffed noses.  Yay!  His happy meter started!  Mine was already going.

I've seen him a couple of times now, so when he sees me his happy meter starts right away!  I guess I have a new friend!

His name is Simba.  He is a pit bull.  He is a lovely caramel color with white paws and some on his chest and face.  The first time we saw him, his owner, from a distance, explained that he had been abused and was afraid of men and other dogs.  But, he agreed to give an approach a try.

Harry has an innate sense about people and other dogs.  He approached cautiously and gave Simba a little room so that they both reached their noses out to one another.  With that, the tails started wagging on both ends!  Simba even allowed me to pet him gently on his head.  He has such a sad expression, it breaks my heart.

Since that first successful meeting there have been a few more, each one slightly more relaxed than the last.  Poor, sweet Simba.  He has a loving home now and a doggie buddy!  Welcome to the neighborbood, Simba!
 

It's all in the game.

Haha, I do this thing with my hoomans.  It's fun!  When I get a special treat, like a bone or a dental stick, I run to the bedroom with it.  But I don't eat it right away.  I yell a little.  That way someone comes in to check on me!  I did this enough times that I have Mom and Dad trained now.  So then what happens is they take the treat away from me.  Yeah!  But it's ok because it's just a game. My happy meter starts going and I have to find out where my treat went!  Sometimes Mom throws it so I have to chase after it.  I'm so glad I was able to train them to play with me!

Harry has a bunch of toys that he doesn't play with.  It seems that he was never taught how to play as a puppy.  We've tried.  If I throw a ball or a frisbee for him, he just looks at me like I landed from Mars. 

But Harry has also developed a sense of play and humor.  It started when he didn't really want to go outside for his walks, so I had to coax and cajole him. But he can no longer deny that he knows the words "out" and "up." So, while he still tries to pretend that he is incapable of walking, he gets up and out much more quickly now.

He has invented a new game for us to play.  It's called, "Take My Treat, Please!"  Twice a day, he gets a special treat.  At noontime it is a dental stick and after his suppertime, it can be a variety of things, from a chewy "bone" to doggie ice cream.  He never jokes about his ice cream.  But all the others now require that we go through the usual ritual of having him sit and raise his paw before getting his treat.  Then he runs off with his prize, into the bedroom.  In a very short while, he starts barking.  That is our cue to go in and pretend to take his treat away.  I usually hide it in a pocket or the back waistband of my pants.  So, when I show him my hands, there is no treat to be seen!  His tail starts going and he enters "play" mode -- butt up in the air, head jostling from side to side. Where is it? Where did it go?  After we search around for a bit, I throw it across the room for him to fetch. At this point, he happily chows down.

I wonder what he will think of next? 

Living it up at the hotel......

This place is noisy!  I can see through the walls....I can see all the other dogs.  My own bed is here and my chewy bone.  But Mom and Dad aren't here.  I don't like this.  I'm a little scared, too.  

"Hey!  Hey, you!  Black and white!  Yeah, you!"

"Hello.  I'm Harry."

"I'm Spike.  You must be new here, huh?  First time? Ah, don't worry, kid.  Your pack will be back.  This a just a hotel.  It's a hotel just for us dogs!  If you give it a chance, you might even like it!  I've been here a couple of times already.  It's ok!  Makes going home even more fun!"

"If you say so.  I'm not too happy right now."

"Well, you'll get your regular food, you've got your bed from home and a toy.  These guys take you outside a lot, too.  You might even get a bath!"

"Really?  What's a bath?"

"Haha, you'll find out.  It's nice.  Makes you all fluffy and silky.  Don't worry, kid, you'll be fine!"

I did get a bath.  I got all wet and scrubbed up.  It WAS fun.  I didn't sleep, much.  I really, really wanted to be home.  But I did get to go out lots of times and I did have my own food from home.  I was a good boy the whole time!   

And then, the lady was taking me out of the noisy part into the big front and there was Mom!!  And Dad!  Oh, yay!  Yippee!  I'm going home with my pack!!!   I'm so happy I'm crying.  Aroooo!  

When we all got home, Dad was bringing my bed inside.  Hey, Dad!   Watch me, follow me!  I'll show you where it goes, just in case you forgot!!!  That's it, down this hall, and right in here.  Yep!  That's the spot!  

Mom gave me suppertime.  I guess she didn't know I already had it.  So, I nibbled a little.  Then we went on a big walk in my neighborhood!   Dora was in the car with her pack, but she called to me from the window!  "Roo, rooooooo!"  I missed you, too, Dora!  

Then the best thing, Mom gave me ice cream, my favorite, very best thing.   It's so good to be home!

 We had to drive out of town, just for three days.  Harry stayed at a dog "hotel and spa."  He had never been separated from us before.  I was nervous and concerned.  But this place came highly recommended and we had had a tour, which was especially nice because Harry was along for that and he remembered the place.

The staff told me he had been a very good boy - ate his meals and did his business.  They gave him a bath so even though his fur is short, it is now very soft and silky.

Harry was so excited to come home he was making sounds I've never heard before.  And it was clear that he was exhausted.  After leaping down the hall to show us where his bed belonged, he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

Good to be home, good to be together.  Home, sweet home.

I wanna go home, where I belong....

Oh, hey!  I remember this place!  Yeah, we came here before....but...what?  Mom?  Dad?  Where are you taking me?  Mom?  Dad?  No, no, no.  I do not like it. No!

Please don't wake me,

No, don't shake me
Leave me where I am
I'm only sleeping.
("I'm Only Sleeping" Lennon/McCartney, 1966)

There were loud thunder monsters the other night!  I was really, really scared.  I was up all night long!  I tried to curl up really smaltl next to Mom, but it sounded louder over there.  So then I would go back to my bed, but my insides would start shaking, so I would go back to the corner.  And the rain was hard!  It sounded like it was going to come inside!  

By morning, when it was time for my walk, it was all over.  The ground was still wet - I was licking wet grass and puddles!  After my breakfast, Mom and I went back to bed for a nap.  I was sooooo tired!  

I guess I was too tired, 'cause everytime Mom moved just a little bit, I got startled.  And I wanted to sleep!  Why can't she stay still?! Grrrrrrrrr.  Ooops.   That annoyed Mom and she ordered me to get down!  I'm sorry, Mom, I'm just tired, really, really tired.

Harry wasn't the only one who was tired.  The storm had everyone up most of the night.  The creek was running higher than I had ever seen it.  The raindrops sounded like they were as big as baseballs!  Splat! 

When all was said and done, and Harry and I were ready to nap, I moved.  I moved my foot.  Just a little.  What's that I hear?  Was that a growl?  Oh, no, no, no.  That is unacceptable.  Down you go!  He must have gotten the message, because later, when we were refreshed and awake, Harry tried to snuggle in my lap.  At almost 60 pounds, he is NOT a lap dog!  I think it was his way of telling me he was sorry for being grouchy.
 

Lazy day....

Boy, oh boy!  It got really hot outside!  I mostly stay in when it's like this.  Being too hot isn't good for pups like me.  I'm nice and comfy on the big bed in the bedroom!  It's a good spot, 'cause I can see out the windows and keep an eye on the neighborhood!

But, guess what?  We all sat outside today!  That was fun....  there is a big tree out back and it has lots of shade.  So, Mom and Dad were sitting out there and I wanted to be out there, too.  And now I can because I have a long, long, long leash!  It attaches to the tree, so I can be out there with my pack, but I can roam around if I want to.  I sat in the sunshine for a little while, but my spots got  hot, so then I went to lie down in the shade.  There were birds and squirrels and chipmunks to watch, too!  I tried to catch the chipmunk, but he was too fast for me.  And there was a nice, smelly breeze, too.  I kept my nose working hard!  Oh, boy!  I hope we do that again soon!

We are lucky to have a mature maple in the back of our house.  It keeps us shady through the hottest weather and sunny in the winter.  Here is what it looks like in the fall.

The weather changed drastically from a chilly start to May to a scorching end.  We put a couple of outdoor lawn chairs under the tree to have morning coffee and tea - the temperature had not yet gotten unbearable and there was a pleasant, light breeze. 

I recently got a "tie out" for Harry - a long weather proof lead that we can wrap around the tree.  That way he has some freedom to move around - which he did, quite a bit.  He looked as though he was surveying his kingdom.  "And all of this.....is mine!"  His nose was working overtime, held to the air and wiggling around like it had a mind of its' own. 

We stayed out for over an hour - until the heat started really kicking in.  The forecast is for it to cool down a bit next week, so hopefully, we can spend more time outdoors in the  comfortable shade.

 

Saturday in the park...

Oh, boy, I am soooo tired!  We had such a big day yesterday.  I missed all my naps.  We were in a BIG park ALL day long and I couldn't close my eyes!  I was just too excited and didn't want to miss anything!  

It was nice and warm and sunny, too!  Lot's of people came up to see me.  There was a little girl, too.  She reminded me of my hooman friend who visits her grandparents around the corner from my house.  Some of the people knew me already!  They met me last year!  

I jumped in and out of the car a million times!  I had ice cubes and biscuits.  I only got a little irritated when a big puppy thought that he could take my water bowl.  It's MY bowl.  The rest of the time I just watched a whole bunch of dogs go by - big ones, little ones, noisy ones.....

I'm glad that people took my books because when they do that, they help my buddies at Almost Home Dog Rescue of NJ.  Thanks!!!

We spent the majority of the day at Allaire State Park.  We got there at 6:30 a.m. and it was already packed.  Luckily, it was a gorgeous day.

Harry, as usual, would not allow himself to nap, so he was as exhausted as we were by the time we headed home.

Many, many thanks to all the kind people who bought books and donated to Almost Home Dog Rescue of NJ!  Harry and I hope you enjoy the books!  Although specifically aimed at a young audience, I have been told that adults enjoy them, too.

While the books are available via the internet at Barnes & Noble and Amazon, I can offer discounted pricing. Just contact me via junivolz@gmail.com.  Free shipping, too!