I raided the garbage this morning and found a toilet paper roll. Chewed on that while the human was getting ready for work. It was quite tasty. Yesterday I stole a cookie from her purse (she doesn't need it; just helping her; she got it back though).

Lesli is going to Ottawa tomorrow, so I'm staying with Auntie Diane and my BFF Cosmos until Friday night. I love visiting them and hanging out with Cosie. Every dog needs a "dog's night out" with friends now and then. I'll get a few of them this week!

I'll update you all once my typist returns from Ottawa.

Change is never easy, is it?

For the record, I am mourning the loss of these days.

It is now very clear that I'm never going to be allowed on the bed or furniture again. I let my feelings about this be known in no uncertain terms yesterday. I was an ass, basically. I tested the human pretty much all day. I barked at every dog I saw. I barked at Estelle, our neighbour, and Calais, our canine neighbour. I sulked in the yard and hid behind the chaise lounge after I was popped on the nose for doing that. I lashed out at a man walking toward us in the dark yesterday morning. But, at the end of the day, when it was time to go to bed, I was tired. I just laid in my dog bed and gave up the fight to get into the big bed. At least for last night.

This morning, I considered joining her on the couch for our morning mocha snuggle. I decided, instead, to lay on the floor.

We did have a bit of a snuggle last night. I was sleeping on the floor at the top of the stairs. She came and laid down beside me. She seemed weary, too. I stretched and laid my paw on her arm, and we had a sleep together.

Both of us were tired out yesterday from all the change. I'm still a bit confused by it, and I expect she's missing all the hugs and pets she usually gives me (I'm not missing those!). She misses sleeping with me because there was a warm, fuzzy body nearby; I'm missing it because, well, it's just what I'm used to.

We will press on and come out the other side happier.

The fun continues

I gave up more quickly last night. I tried to get onto the couch, tried to get onto the loveseat, settled into my dog bed. When we went to bed, I put my paws up onto the bed for my usual lift up. Instead, she took my paws, set them onto the floor and led me to my dog bed. I just gave up and laid down. It's really comfy, and it is right beside her bed, so essentially we are still sleeping right next to each other, it's just that she's higher now.

On our walk this morning, some moron came flying out of a driveway on his bike and turned to come right at us on the sidewalk, in the dark. Clearly an Einstein award candidate. He frightened both of us. I barked at him, the human led me off the sidewalk and stood in front of me so I sat down. I felt calm more quickly than I would have before.

Oh, and last night - this is totally freaky - while we were on our evening walk, I was trotting along beside her, and a squirrel was about six feet from me on a lawn. I glanced at it, but kept on walking.

I find myself following her around the house a lot more lately. We played hide and seek again last night, which was fun. But after that, everywhere she went, I went. When she cooks, I lay on the kitchen floor. When she has a shower, I lay outside the bathroom door. If she's on the computer, I'm just outside in the hall. I used to be much more independent than this - although, last night I did enjoy a bit of fresh air while laying out in the yard on my own.

She's not kidding

I tested the human last night.

After we got home from our run at Bronte.

I decided to get up and join her on the couch. Surfed it, put my paw up. She pushed my paw off.

Confused, I stood there for a moment and tried to figure out what had just happened.

Stepped over to the loveseat, surfed it with my chin, decided if the couch was out of the question, the loveseat would do as a backup.

Damned if she didn't get up and push me off.

Again, I stood, confused. Contemplating my next move.

I headed to the wingback chair. Put my paw up.

Pushed off again.

Now I was put out. I stood there. Stared at the human. She stared back.

I tried the couch again.

Pushed off.

I tried the loveseat again.

Pushed off.

Jesus murphy.

I gave my dog bed a try. Apparently that was ok. I wasn't pushed off that.

We went to bed after awhile. I cried for her to help me up. She ignored me. Signaled that I should sleep on my dog bed. Fine. I did.

But during the night, I wanted up on the bed. I cried. I stared at her. I even barked quietly. She ignored me. I kept doing it. She guided me to my dog bed. This happened a few times during the night.

I admit, I'm confused.

Ok....I'm liking this...

Well, those days (to the left) are gone.

Change is hard but I suppose it's not always bad.

Last night, I received a clear indication that I am not allowed on the furniture anymore. I stepped up onto my loveseat and got ready to lay down. The human came over and pushed me off. I did not go easily. I was like, what are you doing?? She didn't say anything to me, just continued to move me off. After a few seconds of justifiable confusion, I chose my dog bed as a backup location and went to sleep there.

This morning, she was on the loveseat. I put my paw on the edge in preparation for getting up there - our usual morning routine. She put her hand in front of my face so fast that it startled me a bit - I aborted my plan to sit beside her on the sofa, opting to lay on the carpet in front of her instead.

I really don't know what's gotten into her. When she came home from work last night, she didn't speak to me. But I knew she was glad to see me - she knelt down and opened her arms wide, so I ran to her and we were happy together. Then she leashed me up and we went for a long walk together. Strange - but when a bulldozer went by, I felt calm. I hardly noticed it (I traditionally consider those mortal enemies that must be vigorously defended against). Same thing with a dump truck that went right by us on a side street, and an old lady in a walker. The human moved me over to the grass, out of old lady striking range, but she did it with her body and was calm. I ignored the old lady.

When we got home from our walk, we played the same game we played Sunday with that guy I liked. She made me sit and stay, then hid on me! I had to find her - omg, I was so freaking happy when I found her!!

I slept on my dog bed on the floor, beside her higher bed, again last night. Piper was actually with me. I didn't try to get onto the human's bed last night.

So, anyhoo, stuff is kind of upside down right now. But, I gotta tell you, it's not upside down in a bad way. I'm kind of relieved.

WTF??

Sundays, we usually walk, hang out, go for a long hike, hang out, stuff like that.

I don't know what the hell was up with yesterday (but I think I like it).

We walked. Did the morning coffee thing. Next thing I know, we're in the car. Going for a hike, I figured. Until we ended up in a totally new place. It was cool - we walked up a big hill, explored this new park for about half an hour. Then we went into a room with a bunch of people and a few dogs. There was Maya, the golden doodle, Sophie, a pug (she was so totally funny looking!), Jersey, a mix but a really pretty dog with awesome eyes, me and another dog whose name I don't know. She's deaf.

And there was this guy. He came to take me from my human, paraded me around, looked really deeply at me - and, well, so much has changed since then. This guy, I liked him. He had some scratches on his arms, so I licked them for him. He's bossy - but you know, I can totally relax around him. Like, once, my human was eating something. I was sitting by her, and Jersey came over to check things out. I let it go for a few minutes, and when she overstayed her welcome, I gave her a few barks to tell her to get outta there. Then I figured I'd give her a few more. The guy came over, took my leash and, when I still didn't shut up, popped me and told me not to be rude.

I suppose he's the alpha and he can take care of those things instead of me.

It's really nice to be able to relax, to be honest. He got me to play a totally awesome hide and seek game with my human - seriously, it was a riot. I loved it. Apparently we're going to play it every day at home now.

I was exhausted at the end of the day. When we left, us dogs were all pretty relaxed around each other (unlike when we first showed up). The human went for dinner, I napped in the car. Next thing I know, that alpha guy is waking me up, sneaking up on my car. Trying to pull one over on me. They opened up the door, and I jumped out - without my leash - I didn't even contemplate taking off around him. Oh - and he made the human get rid of my prong collar. I have a new one now that doesn't hurt. It surprises me sometimes, but no pain! I like this guy.

My human is going to try to be more like him. She hasn't spoken to me since last night, so now I'm trying to read her body language. She wouldn't let me sleep in the bed, and I've heard rumours that I'm not allowed on the furniture anymore either.

Maybe, now, I can relax. Maybe now I won't have to protect us all the time. Maybe now, we'll play together.

Maybe now, I'll get to just be a dog.

Saturday Stampede

My human came back to get me today! I was beside myself with happiness when I saw her at the door. I grabbed one of grandma's gardening gloves as a gift offering and wiggled all over the place, squealing. We all hung out for a few hours at the house. Piper and I played, checked out the property a few times, sniffed trees etc. Then the human loaded me into the car and we hit the road.

My window was rolled down and it was a beautiful, sunny, cool fall day. I stuck my whole head out the window a few times. The air was fresh, there were smells and sounds filling each moment. I savoured it.

The best moment, by far, happened while we were driving down Northline. It's a nice country road with farms, trees, horses - and fields full of cows.

I had my head out the window when we drove by one of those fields. There must have been thirty or forty cows, adults and babies, grazing, a big group of them close to the fence bordering the road.

As we approached, I gave them my loudest, fiercest German shepherd bark.

They turned en masse - the babies, the grown ups - and ran! They freaked out and ran away from me!

It was a stampede! A Storm induced Stampede!

Immensely satisfied with this, I laid down in the back sleep and had a nap.

Thanksgiving in Kincardine

Here I am, at grandma and grandpa's place. My human drove off without me. Just like old times. Took me a few minutes to get over it, but, I'm over it.

I wonder if it's because I was such a horribly bad dog on the drive up here yesterday? Hmmmmm. Maybe I should reconsider my new strategy of barking the whole time - at cows, horses, hay bales, cars, trucks, animate objects and inanimate objects, pacing between the front and back seats and crying occasionally? Perhaps she found it, oh, I don't know, slightly irritating? Maybe she didn't enjoy stopping the car four times on the drive because she thought maybe I really had to poo - when all I did was get out of the car, have a pee and eat grass?

Maybe that's why she left me here?

I don't get it. What's her problem?

Suppose I'll make the best of it. Hang out with Piper and stuff.

We buried Bristol yesterday. Her ashes are in a box now in a grave in her favourite place to lay by the garden. I sure miss her. The humans were sad. Piper and I, well, we weren't. We just wanted to play. I would have played with him more if he hadn't been constantly pulling me around by my collar. I took it for a few minutes then told him to piss off.

Anyhoo, time to go lay on my fav dog bed here. Wonder what my human is doing.

Arthritis, my ass

WHO has arthritis? Not me! I ran like a puppy yesterday. I was nature dog, out in the woods, chasing chipmunks with unrestricted abandon. They were everywhere, little chirps warning each other that a predator approached. I scaled massive hills, lept across brush like a deer, swerved like a running back to avoid trees and other assorted obstacles.

Ok, so, I didn't catch a single chipmunk. Wiley little buggers, if you ask me. They can fit into teeny holes too, which adds an additional challenge.

I had such a fun time. Back to my evolutionary roots, in the woods, chasing prey.

Things have been quiet lately - hence, not a lot of posts. Just our usual routine.

I'm staying with grandma and grandpa this week, since mom is helping out with an election on Tuesday and then going to Vancouver for a conference the next day. It will be fun to hang out there and spend time with Piper.