It's a dog's life...

It happened...they left me. I didn't think much at first, a ride in Auntie Tara's van usually means a trip to the dog park, but this time Mike and Mel had packed bags and bags of stuff. There didn't seem to be anything for me except for a small plastic bag of deworming treatment and a small stuffed pony (MY pony to be precise) -- not that I'm ungrateful, but their bags looked far more interesting -- and really who wants to be dewormed??

We went for dinner, and that seemed ok, but then we pulled over at the side of the road where there were lots of cars, people, lights and airplanes roaring overhead and Mike and Mel left.

Tara says they went to Jamaica and left her too... so she knows how I feel (she sounds just a little bitter). So far it's ok, I get to live with Tara and the family -- and play with Maisie (just like I did when I was first a puppy-in-training - while Mike and Mel moved so they could raise ME!!) and her new little buddy Chai. The play is fun and very muddy - I've had too many baths and Tara says I need to stop sitting on Maisie because she's a wimp...

I've gone to work with Brian which involves the skytrain and downtown -- downtown is beautiful -- if you haven't been there GO!! Every door you pass has beautiful smells, and tempting delights inside. I was told that at work with Brian I had to be very good because they have only just started letting him bring a puppy-in-training to work. Brian said Maisie made a great first impression so I better not bark (or barf!) or doing something equally embarrasing to damage the rep of the average puppy-in-training (for fear that they might revoke his puppy priviledges).

Well, let me tell you, I aim to please!! I have been an angel, Brian has quite the setup - a cushy blanket under his desk, a water bowl, toys... when Mel gets home I'm telling her that I can have toys at the library and I won't grumblesnort...or growl...I'll just hold them ever so quietly and be perfectly behaved prince. So good in fact that the next volunteer orientation will have several people from Brian's workplace that think this puppy-raising thing looks like a whole lot of fun (and thanks to me and Maisie think that all PADS dogs are perfect!).

Today I have a day off with Tara and Maisie, we're hanging at home and a trip to Big Dog Little Dog Bakery was made for some peanut butter bits. Life is good...Jamaica can wait, I've got a dog's life here and it's pretty good!

Library Blues

Hello again! Sorry its taken me so long to write another blog for you guys, Melissa has been hogging the computer doing "homework". Stupid homework. It takes up all my computer time and Mel doesn't pay any attention to me. HARUMPH!

You'll have to excuse my grumpiness, the past few weeks have been INCREDIBLY dull. Mel wakes me up bright and early and I'm all excited and ready to start the day! I wriggle with anticipation at the joy the day will bring! I dash through the house with my bear in my mouth grumbling away! But then she says those dreaded words. "Off to the library!" Sigh...

The library is the lamest place for a pup in the whole world. Its full of people but none of them so much as look in my direction. Its like their eyes are attached to the papers in front of them. I can hardly believe it, as I get noticed EVERYWHERE I go (handsome boy that I am). And its quiet. Incredibly quiet. Usually I can get away with a little grooming, and I really feel like I should, considering the yucky puddles Mel makes me walk through, but in the library I get busted! How can you hear a little lick?! Ugh...AAAAAND Mel won't bring any toys for me, heaven forbid I have a bit of fun, so I'm stuck lying under the table, looking out the window wistfully. I know its all part of my job, and Mel says I do really well at the library, but it can be a little tedious. Oh well. Mel says we only have to go a few more times and then she's off school for almost 3 weeks! Maybe we can spend EVERY SINGLE DAY at the dog park!!!!!!

In other news, we went to the PADS Volunteer Christmas Party a few nights ago and boy was it fun! Puppies everywhere, and lots of people who were eager to give me a few pats. I tried to be on my best behaviour, but sometimes I couldn't help but get a little excited. I think some people were mad at me for being so goofy, but I was just having so much fun! I know that when I'm out in public I'm supposed to be on my very best behaviour, but hey I'm a dog, I'm not perfect! Anyways, we met this weird looking man, dressed in lots of red velvet, and he kept yelling HO HO HO! He was a little strange, but most of us dogs seemed to think he was ok (maybe it was those cookies he gave to our handlers to give to us). All the people were quite enthralled with him. I did notice through the night that we were wearing the same outfit though...I guess people appreciate a dogs fashion sense after all!

I hope this blog will be a little more active once stupid Mel is done all her stupid homework. She seems to be taking an especially long time on an assignment called "Facebook". Hmmmm.....

Woof woof!!

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Back to School!

The last few days have been an absolute blur. Yesterday Mel took me to this giant store with tons of papers in it and made me stand in line for HOURS to buy some piles (don't know what anyone would want that much paper with silly black squiggles on it...some of the pictures are neat though!). Then she whisked me off to ANOTHER line to get a purple plastic thing she says she needs to get us home on the bus. Personally, I think my winning smile and rugged good looks could get us on the bus for free, but Mel seems to think otherwise. Finally we went home, and I thought we'd get some play time in, but Mel sat down with those silly piles of paper and wouldn't take her nose out. You'd think there was a pile of Rollover in there (and there wasn't I checked!). I entertained myself with the kitty while M&M weren't looking and was whisked into my kennel to sleep.
Imagine my surprise when Mel opens my door at 6:30am. What the heck are we doing up so early?! I yawn and scratch and take my time, and can tell Mel is getting irritated. She practically shoves my kibbles down my throat and then BAM we're flying out the door. I can't understand what she's so excited about. Why are we up so early?
After a lengthy bus ride, which I got to snooze in thank goodness, we arrive at 'university'. There are tons of people with strange humps on their back (come to think of it, Mel's grown one on her back too....must be something in the water...) and they're all rushing around like they've got somewhere to be. Mel takes me to 'lectures' and I get to stand up in front of a room of people and they ooooo and ahhhh and I'm feeling quite important. After some older people called 'profs' talk at us for awhile and I take another nap (some of the hump-backed people join me). When the profs finally stop, Mel lets some of the hump-backs scratch me behind the ears. Mel says we're going to be coming back a couple of times a week and if I'm nice and quiet and pay close attention to the profs, I might get a 'degree'. I don't know exactly what a 'degree' is but I hope it tastes like bacon.

PADS Walk and Roll 2008!

This year will be my first year participating in the PADS Walk and Roll for Independence. I’m going to march 5km through Central Park on August 24th with Mel and Mike to raise money for other pups in training like me. As I’m getting older now, I feel it’s my responsibility to show the new young pups in the program just how much of a difference one dog can make!

Did you know it costs $35,000 to raise and train me from start to finish? You could buy a million smokey bones with that kind of dough! I’m just starting to realize how expensive I am, and because I won’t get paid for the work I’ll eventually do (except in delicious treats of course!), this walk seems like a good way to give back to PADS.

I hope you feel as strongly as I do about PADS. I know we don’t know who my client is yet, but I know that, whoever they are, I will do a lot of really important stuff for them! Living in a wheelchair can be challenging, but if I’m there to open doors or pick up keys, maybe it can be a little easier. Mel keeps telling me that when I grow up I’m going to change someone’s life. I don’t know if I’d go that far, modest mutt that I am, but I know I’ll help and I know that tons of dogs after me will help too.

That’s why I need your help. My dog friends are no help; though they’ve got big hearts they don’t even own wallets! I hope that you, my human buddies, will be able to help me on my quest of being the top-fundraising dog at PADS and do Mel and Mike proud!
If you would like to pledge me in the PADS Walk and Roll, there are a few ways to do it. You can go online to http://www.pads.ca/ and click “Pledge a Registered Participant” and look up Melissa. Donate with a credit card and a tax receipt will be emailed to you immediately. If you'd like to send a cheque send it to:

PADS Pup Link

c/o PADS

9048 Stomont Ave

Burnaby, BC V3N 4G6

Thank you for supporting us PADS pups and the important work that we do!

Woof!

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Grumble-Snort

When I get something in my mouth, something really good like a stick or a toy (sometimes even a really smelly sock will do), I get this wonderful feeling inside. I get so happy and so excited that I have this neat toy, that I just NEED to show people what it is and how excited I am (Mel says its a golden thing. I don't know if thats good or bad :S). I run up to the nearest person, tail wagging out of control and I grumblesnort! I woof, I grumble, I snort, I wiggle because I'VE GOT A TOY AND YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!!! Its this wonderful feeling, this euphoric wigglefest. And, whether its a 'golden thing' or not, I know you like it. I see the smiles and the laughing when I run from person to person showing my newest treasure. YOU LOVE IT!

And yesterday, at the PADS Puppy-Pity-Party, a party for all the pups going into advance training, Tara tells me that my grumblesnorting is equivalent to you human's laughter. So really, when I grumblesnort my headoff it means I'm laughing like an idiot and obviously really enjoying myself.

So if you see a golden like me approach with alot of vigour and noise, check to see if we have something in our mouths. Chances are we're not being nasty, we're probably just laughing!

Off to play in the sun!

Woof!

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Hats Off to You!

Hiya everyone! I can't blog for long because we're at PADS and Mel seems to think that SHE should get control of the computer, but I wanted to let you all know that this weekend me and a bunch of my furry pals will be marching in a parade! Hats Off Day is this Saturday June 7th and we'll be marching down Hastings Street between Boundary Road and Gamma Avenue with our favourite bakery Big Dog Little Dog! The parade starts at 9am but the festivities keep on going until 2! Come and check us out and give me lots of pats!

Woof Woof!

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Work Hard to Play Hard!

I see ALOT of people in my line of work and y'know what some of them say? That its "mean" to make me work. That I should get to "be" a puppy. I don't get it. Just because I get to wear a nifty cape doesn't mean I am any less of a puppy and most of the time I love my job! Sure, sometimes its hard and sometimes I wish I was at the dog park rolling in the fields with my dog-friends, but don't you? You can't tell me that every day at work they have to drag you away from your desk because you're having so much fun. People don't seem to understand that I'm just like them, that I go home, take off my cape and then I can do whatever I want! (Well almost whatever I want, M&M don't seem to fond of me rolling in doggy-doo or eating rocks. Silly people don't know how to let loose!).

I even get to go on vacations! A couple weeks ago Mike took me to the island on that odd "fairy" thing again to go on a BOYS ONLY fishing trip (I felt bad leaving poor Melissa cause I know she loves our nightly puppy-snuggles, but hopefully the kitty kept her company. Not as good as me, but a good stand in). We were gone for a whole week and I barely had to wear my cape and work at all! I zoomed up and down the beach, I chewed on MILLIONS of sticks and I even went swimming for the first time! I got to meet my Grandpa Rick, and boy was he fun! He let me sit in the front of the boat with him and even let me sniff his fishies a little! I got dirty and wet and there were SO many neat things to sniff! I felt like a kid in a candy store it was GREAT! When we got back home, I was refreshed and ready to work again. Everyone at PADS was happy to see me and said I was way bigger than when they saw me a week ago. Must be the sea air.

I had alot of fun fishing, but I have lots of fun at work too. I take my job very seriously and work hard for those treats, but I also recognize the benefit of a good vacation! You have to work hard to play hard!

Woof Woof!















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