SalesPup

Woof!

Another great day. Warm weather, great company.

I had a chance to visit with my favorite people at Ingleside Nursing home in Mt. Horeb today. Everybody gives me lots of pets and loves! Mom is teaching me to get a little closer to the residents so that they can pet me better.

Then, off to the Bank of Cross Plains to pick up goodies for Poker for Paws,

and Terry's Piggly Wiggly to go grocery shopping and to pick up gift cards for Poker for Paws.

Finally off to Red Robin to meet Mindy AND to pick up a couple gift cards for Poker for Paws. Mom and dad received a surprise. They saw a nephew (Josh) of theirs working there who they have not seen for years! What fun!

Wow! Mom and dad are starting to get lots of "stuff" for the raffle! Posing for pictures is such hard work!

Now, we need more entries for playing poker. I hope that everybody starts sending their entries in! I want lots of people and pups there having fun...with a good petting for me too!

Slick

Welcome Wagon

Divit lounged around his new home after the morning walk around the school. In the afternoon, life got busy. A quick trip to the grocery store for a Diet Coke fix followed by a trip to the drug store. Unfortunately for Divit, Echo's pal Al was not there, so no cookie. Maybe tomorrow.

On our evening canine walk, Divit met the Oregon Canine Welcome Wagon (Kane, Sable, Ellie, Chase, and Trish). Everyone got along for the most part. Only a few displays of dominance to let the new guy know where he stands. Buddy stuck up for his "brother".

Divit tolerated the real trip to the grocery store for more Diet Coke and other essentials - not very exciting for a dog. He walked with me and the cart without incident and we received a few compliments on our handsome puppy. We complimented Divit on his in-store manners, no sniffing or licking.

Race Course

Woof! Woof!

Yesterday mom had me running around again, visiting with folks that are donating items for "Paws for Poker". Boy, am I tired. Here I am at Bennett's Sinclair in Middleton.


Then, we went to the Badger Kennel Club where I "doodled" around little signs that were on the floor. Mom was lost again! U-Turns, 270 left and right turns, 360 left and right turns, weaving around orange cone thingees, stop, sit, back up,,,,she MUST have lost her mind! But, all the time she gave me lots of praise and "good dog", so I must have been leading her around the floor OK. The best part was the end of the course where there is a little red star that says "finish". (Sigh)


Slick

Our new Dog - Divit

Marley left us this afternoon. Just in time too. As we were starting to trust her, she went potty in the house. Also, Marlene wasn't happy that I was ruining her project. In return for our secret weapon, we received what appeared to be Buddy's brother.



Divit comes to us after having x-rays on his hips and elbows. Fortunately he and Moby both passed.

This evening we simply introduced the two black boys on our walk to the park. Divit walked close and was attentive. We worked on HALTing this evening. The dogs were allowed to play a bit on the return trip. Their styles, energy, and looks are so similar that we truly can not tell them apart. Thankfully they know their names.

SlumDog?

Yesterday Lisa introduced Marley to a foreign substance, grass. In her thirteen weeks of life, we weren't sure if she had ever seen the green/brown vegetation. Upon seeing it for the first time, she knew its purpose and immediately initiated the lawn.

This morning on our walk we worked on recalls, our daily focus. We worked on SIT yesterday. Buoyed by her prior good behavior and exercise this morning, Marley ventured into Madison. Puppies, like the stock market, prior performance does not necessarily indicate future results.

Marley was the center of attention while we stood in line for SlumDog tickets and while she pranced to our seats. She slept through the first hour and then awoke in a frisky mood and would not lie still. So I rewarded her by letting her rest in my lap until she was sleepy - she's not our trainee :-)

Taking another risk we stopped for lunch. There was no honeymoon here. Marley wanted to play. So I rewarded her behavior by giving her a rawhide bone to chew on - she's not our trainee :-) She rested after fifteen minutes of activity.

Marley took a long evening walk through the field with Buddy. Upon returning home, she sprinted to her crate eagerly awaiting FOOD. However, she had to wait for the weekly ear cleaning which she tolerated quite well. Thought she would be tired after the busy day, but she is terrorizing Buddy as I write this.

Here is a very rare photo, Marley briefly showing respect for her mentor.

Secret Weapon

Up early for a walk and potty. Now that the weather is nice my running partners, Echo and Oliver, are gone. Buddy and I only went for a short run. Buddy thought "My Lucky Day", run in the park and an outing.

We volunteered to man the OccuPaws table at Mounds Pet Food Warehouse. We brought our secret weapon, Marley. No one could walk by without stopping to pet her and stopping is the first step in donating. Who could resist this face?



Marley walked in the park and met a few more of the local riff raff. She arrived home, soaking wet, and prepared for dinner. Unfortunately, she would have to wait as John and Marty were taking her out to dinner (and we got to tag along). We were needlessly concerned with a thirteen week old puppy in a restaurant as she slept the whole two hours.



Upon returning home Marley and Buddy entertained us all. They wrestled and romped, bit and slid for sixty minutes. Who needs television?

Social Butterfly

Marley hasn't been sleeping in a crate, so last night was her first overnight in the metal box. We prepared her by putting her in the crate two hours before bedtime and let her cry herself to sleep. After a fifteen minute nap, she was up and ready to go again. Her routine is play, drink, sleep, potty, repeat until bedtime. She slept through the night without any crying, thanks to Buddy for tiring her out.



Other than a dozen trips up and down the stairs, Marley's big adventure was a walk to the dog park to see Buddy's pals (Kane, Sable, Victoria and their owners). She socialized with the big dogs at the park and the big dog at home.

Busy, busy

Woof Arf,

It's been a busy few days for this pup. Tuesday we stopped at the Monona State Bank to visit friends and make a shameless grab for Poker for Paws prizes. Uncle Bill here made sure we were taken care of.

Then Wednesday morning I got to go with Reggie to that nursing home place where everybody pets me. I know those people in those metal chairs like to see me, but sometimes I think the nurses like me just as much.

Then the best part of the day, we went to return Fuzz Face to the dog store I think. Lots of human blah blah before they tortured me...Mom said Down-Stay and then everyone played tennis ball fetch with Fluff Ball. I managed to hold my ground even when the little monster dropped the ball in front of my nose...sigh.


Then that night, Dale and I tried catching yummy beef and pork as Mom, Dad, Mindy, Nikki and Kurt ate Ribs at Fat Jack's. Mom talked about prizes and donuts shuns there too. I wondered what a charitable donut was???


Finally as I got really tired we went somewhere with about a zillion green people with badges and patches and stuff. Lots and Lots of human blah blah until we went in a smaller room and then Nikki decided it was her turn to blah blah blah about Dale and guidedogs and stuff. I was almost asleep when Dad barked and started blindfolding all these big green people and dragging them up and down the halls with Dales harness. Then they said the Boy Scout leader pledge or something and I finally got to go to bed.


Slick

Our New Dog - Marley

Tonight we traded Oliver in for a newer model in a different color. We brought home thirteen week old Marley, our first chocolate lab. We have this bundle of energy and hyperactive teeth until Monday evening.



I'm not sure we knew what we were getting ourselves into. Two weeks ago when I met Marley in Janesville, I thought she was housebroken because she became agitated when she needed to potty. It turns out that she hasn't even started the process yet. Looks like four days of sleep deprivation.



She seems to prefer going potty on snow banks. So it might not be that bad. She just let us know she had to go outside. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Family Member

It's bedtime and Lisa just took Buddy outside. Oliver is crying by the door. What am I chopped liver? It doesn't take long to develop a bond of friendship and companionship.

It doesn't take long to get attached to our dogs. After four short days Oliver seems like a member of the family, even if we occassionally call him by the wrong name. He has learned to live with our idiosyncrasies and we accept his faults.

We got out this morning for a walk while the high school traffic was in full swing. Oliver is more accepting everyday. No outings today for the OccuPaws puppy in training and to compensate he went for two evening walks to expose him to more strange dogs. Oliver respected a young boxer's puppy permit. Double walks also helped burn off some energy.


"A tired dog is a good dog." - Marlene Morga

Full Crate

Having a new dog in the house re energizes you. My walks with Oliver have been longer, we are looking for more opportunities to get out, and we are just spending more time with our four-legged student. It also highlights strengths and areas of improvement in both the "new" puppy and our primary.

Oliver is a quick study. After our long evening walk, both he and Buddy were ready for dinner. I guess we only need one crate.



Unfortunately for Oliver, he didn't get to stay in the crate. Buddy got to stay and have his dinner served in the crate. Not because we like Buddy better, but Oliver still had work to do (library and grocery). He handles most situations well, he walks great, he has good manners, and he has even become friends with Buddy. We feel better about Echo's connection with Buddy because after only a few days Oliver and Buddy have similarly bonded.

Oliver isn't perfect, he didn't like the traffic around school this morning and he refused to sit by the counter in the library. He also patrols the raised surfaces in the house for food or other chewables. Overall he seems much more comfortable. Lisa is trying to teach him that there are two people in the house - he doesn't have to follow me around as I move from room to room.

We are not perfect either. We still only get his name right about half the time. That might sound bad, but with two dogs our accuracy rate is normally only about seventy percent.

Hi Ho Hi Ho

Woof fellow rafflers,

I went off today, first for breakfast at Denny's with Mom, Dad and Evan...something about Slamming a Grand or something and it was free - whatever that means.



Then Mom took me to visit two nice places that are giving prizes for "Poker for Paws".


True Value Hardware in Cross Plains (I get to go there a lot) gave me a Dewalt 60 piece drill set thingie - don't know what it was for but Dad thought it was way cool.



Then off to Call of the Wild in Cross Plains who gave me two pictures that the people who made em, signed em - must be like a check or something that hasta be signed to be good???



Anyhow, Mom's sitting by the phone waiting for more calls, I guess. Me - I'm napping.


Slick

Hockey Again

Last night Buddy was away and Oliver was our only dog. He was nervous and timid in his new surroundings which is to be expected. This morning we ran through the park and met Buddy for the first time. It seems to take Oliver some time to warm up to new dogs. Then again Buddy can be overwhelming, just ask Echo.

Oliver wants to go home. Not because he's having a difficult time adjusting to the new surroundings, but rather because he had to endure another hockey game. Before the game we met Don Becker, his law firm is a major supporter of OccuPaws. We offered our mutual appreciation for each others' efforts. During the game, Oliver rested comfortably. He wasn't even bothered by the horn which unfortunately did not sound last night (Badger Men never scored).


He was tempted throughout the game by a half eaten hot dog that was dropped by a rugrat in the row behind us. It was still there as the final buzzer sounded. Good Dog!! After the game, we stayed around for the skate with the Badger Women's hockey team. Oliver was in the front row and met some of the players.


Dinner at a restaurant, a long walk, dinner in his crate, ear cleaning, and nail trimming ended another long day. Oliver is resting comfortably after watching the Puppy Bowl - ready for bed.


Lisa thinks he looks like Archie, I think he looks more like Echo.

Slick says Hi Lori, Brenda and Robin

Woofff,

I don't know who the heck they are, but Dad says they are important.

Now back to my day yesterday. I was all excited about going to Badger Kennel Club until I was put inna crate!!! That really makes me mad. All those dogs to play with, but no, Dad and Mom both ended up helping teach some classes while I cooled my heels watching. But all was forgiven....

We went to Milwaukee to the Pet Expo and I met a new girl friend...MARLEY - I wuv her!!! I may even forget about fuzzball.

Then I met about a zillion people who wanted to say hi to me and all the gang. I found a good way to meet people was to stick my head out the side curtain - lots of petting. Then Marlene had us all sit or stay and Mom and Dad left - something about a training opportunity. Hmmmmm. Anyhow, here we are. I'm the handsome one sitting in the back in the middle next to Dale and Sophie.

All for now,

Slick