Merry, Merry Christmas!

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

...but not much.  Isn't there supposed to be snow in December?

My PR mom says she shops for Christmas all year long, but this time of year she usually shops online.  However, she took me to find a present for my PR dad.

We looked at Bronco items... but maybe this isn't a good year to be excited about Denver's football team.

I walked past some toys and they barked at me!  No joke!  How do they do that?

Oh well.  I think I'll give my dad some socks because I, um, like to hide them.

Here's what I want for Christmas.  I didn't know until last week that they came in Harriet-sized packages!

My PRs were invited by a kind friend to spend a few days in Branson, Missouri.  When they started pulling out suitcases, I started getting worried.  What was going on?  I'd just come back from being at doggy camp for three weeks.  Were they going to send me away again?  My attitude wasn't the best.

We drove up to the Denver airport parking lot and said goodbye to the mountains.

Then we waited for the bus to take us to the terminal.

We had a bumpy ride, and once we were there I took a walk with my dad.  When we came back, my mom looked at me and said, "Harriet!  Your nose is turning pink!"  Well, I didn't do it on purpose!

 

Then we waited for our boarding passes.  If I don't look happy it's because I don't like bumpy bus rides or waiting in line.  But that was nothing compared to going through security!  It took forever!  Not that I mind being patted down... or scratched on the tummy, either.

Finally my mom went through the Magic Security Doorway; then my dad took my collar off and sent me through.  I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.

Then when we got on the plane, the floor started tilting up.  Yikes!  Daddy, let's go home! 

But I took a nap (good for all ills) and then it was time to get off the plane.  And what did I find?  In Colorado it was dry, but in Missouri there was some SNOW!  Yippee!  I know what to do with snow without needing to be taught!

My PR dad rented a car.  It had a slippery back seat, so my mom put old sheets on it.  Even so, I only wanted to stand.  My attitude still wasn't very good.

But the hotel was terrific.  They like dogs!  They provided dog dishes, a mat to put them on, and a nice cushy dog bed (I put it inside my travel crate).  And I was welcomed with smiles in the restaurant, and didn't have to keep my cape on every minute to prove I was a service dog!  Four-footies, if you ever go to Branson, this is the place where you want your people to stay.

We went walking.  Right outside the hotel door (and right outside our room window) was this.  Wow!  

We looked in shop windows.  I practiced my ups...

...and back in the room I practiced my jumps.  (Um, jumps take lots of energy.)

 

We drove around town.  Standing (!) in the car, I saw lots of Christmas lights.

I did lots of walking, too.  Missouri smells different from Colorado.  I needed to sniff every inch.  I didn't know if I wanted to Hurry on strange-smelling grass.

We went to some shows, and I had the best time of anyone; I slept through them all.

Then we went to a place called Silver Dollar City.  My people were freezing, but I had my nice fur coat on.

And I got lots of attention.

Can you see my tail wagging?

There were lots of Christmas lights there, too, and loud music.  But I don't mind loud things.  I find them interesting.

One day my dad said, "Let's go to another show."  In the afternoon?  Me?  That's when I take a nap!  Oh, I went along, of course.  They can't do things without me.

Before the trip was over, I was cool!  And not just because of the temperatures.  I didn't have to worry about my Hurrying.  I didn't worry so much about the car.  I was an expert on elevators.

I'd made lots of friends.  Here are two of my buddies from the restaurant where we had breakfast every morning.  They made sure I had peanut butter.  GOOD people!

I have to admit something.  I enjoy making a fuss about doing some commands with my cape on.  Sometimes I won't do a Down, or I do it stiffly, as if I were mad (because I am).  And I won't roll.  Well, when we were at the airport, I did my "mad" Down.

After a while my PR mom reached down and began to scratch my tummy very gently.  It felt so good that I ended up rolling right on my back.  Sneaky Mom!  When she stood up to take a picture, I realized that I'd given myself away, of course, so I stood up.  Don't tell anybody!

And the flight home was a cinch.  I'm a seasoned traveler now!  Airplanes don't worry me at all!

I'm back home, and wearing my best Christmas bandana.  I'm excited about Christmas.  I hope you are, too.  I hope that you thank your Creator for Christmas, and that you get lots and lots of bones and peanut butter from Sandy Paws!

Vacation Time!

I've had some fun lately.  For a whole week I went out to the country!  But I don't have any pictures to prove it.

And I go to puppy class.  I'd like class better if I didn't have to wear my cape.  I'm sort of anti-cape right now.  But I have to wear it anyway.

At home, of course, I can go capeless and have fun.

And Buddy comes over once in a while - not always with his people's permission.  We were trying to learn how to dance one day, but we couldn't decide which one of us should lead.

I'm helping at school, too, and I will show you some pictures when my mama can take some.

Once a week I usually go with my dad to his office.  He just can't do his Fridays without me.  Today he went to visit a client, who has two very nice office dogs.  We greeted each other as - well, as dogs do - and my dad kept looking at me.  Why?  Dogs always say hello to one another that way.

So on the way home we stopped at my friend the vet's office!  And the folks there said, "Yes, she's in heat."

No way, folks.  It was COLD outside.

When I got home, my mom explained it to me.  "Harriet," she said, "being in heat means you're not a  puppy any more.  You're a grownup dog!  You could even have baby puppies."

"Is that what I'm supposed to do?"  I wondered.

"No," she said.  "CCI doesn't want you to have puppies right now.  Maybe next year at this time, if they really, really like you, they'll ask you to have little CCI puppies, and that will be your job.  Right now, though, do you know what it means?"

Of course I didn't have any idea.

She said, "It means you get a three-week vacation at Doggy Camp!  You'll have wonderful people to feed you and take care of you, and maybe even some other dogs to play with."

Well, I'm always up for playtime.  So we drove out.

Every dog has his - well, her - own apartment.  (Where the boys are I don't know, but I guess I'm not supposed to.)  And they all barked hello!  I'd never heard that many dog hellos at the same time in my life!  I wasn't sure that I liked it.

But my mama said I could start meeting the other girl dogs tomorrow, so I'll wait and see what happens.  I have my peanut butter, my carrots, and a couple of new bones, so I don't imagine I'll suffer too much.

I'll let you know what happens in three weeks!

These Are (Just) a Few of my Favorite Things...

Life is good!  Here are a few reasons why.

 





My squeaky pig (but Olivia and I chewed him up.  I hear people talk about things like Christmas lists..?)

This is a big Nylabone.  Add a little peanut butter to it and it's fun for a long time.  Also in my favorites list are hard bones stuffed with, um, things, and ice cubes.  Ahhh!

FRIENDS!  Olivia is my cousin because she used to live at my house when she was a pup. 

Oh, yeah - little bitty cookie bones!

Buddy...  and carrots!  My people give me pieces of carrots because I like working for food but I don't want to get too pudgy.   (Actually, I wouldn't care, but my people do.)  And of course Buddy, my neighbor, is great for burning lots of calories.  I have lots of other doggie friends but I can't post them all here.

What's my Gentle Leader doing on this page?  Take it away!  Actually, it's not too bad.  But sometimes I don't like it and I get stubborn.  It doesn't belong here! 

Here is Mr. Grey!  He and I like to play together every day. 

I like Cetty, too, but she doesn't like to play with me.  She likes to take naps and hide in the furnace room.

I used to like to play with Nonny, but my Creator moved him to kitty heaven.  I hope kitty heaven and doggy heaven are the same place.













I like to supervise the birds.  They need me.

Last but not least, here's possibly my most favorite Favorite Thing (this week):

TUMMY RUBS!   YAY!

Catch (Up With) Me If You Can!

WOO-HOO!  All right!  My mom found that picture file!  (Don't know what I'm talking about?  Read the previous post.)  It was hidden inside another file.  She claims she doesn't know how it got there.  I tell ya, if computer keyboards were designed for paws I could do a better job of keeping track of things....  Oh, wait a minute.  What did I do with my bone?

So here's what I've been up to - not in any given order - this summer.  I've had such good times that I wonder what autumn will bring.  

(Don't tell anybody, but... I'm having such a good time I almost forget to hate my Gentle Leader!  Almost.) 

BIRTHDAY BARK IN THE PARK:  If you've never been to a dog birthday party, you've missed a good time.  Olivia - who is related to me because we were raised by the same PRs - had her party at a park near her house, and four of her doggy friends were invited.

The Birthday Girl is the one behaving herself.  Zebrina and I were, well, having a harder time being good.

The cake was made with good things!  Good things dogs can eat, that is, without getting sick.

And we romped all over the park!

AHHH, VBS:  Briefly, here's a picture of Katie, Jenna, and me when they came to my house for Vacation Bible School back in July.  (I did go one morning and stood in line, but my mom didn't get a shot of it.)

And here's one of Katie, Jenna, and their Aunt Anne.  I love all of them!

JENNA AND HARRIET, THE PARTY GIRLS:  I was invited (with my family) to Jenna's birthday party.  She's seven now.  That's, like, maybe one in dog years.  She's still older than I am!

I wasn't the only dog there.  Here is Mayzie.  She's fun!

Jenna opened presents...

... and I destroyed old balls.  Fair trade.  My mom says, "Don't you get liking balls too much, Harriet!"


SO YA WANNA GO BACK TO EGYPT:  One special day I took my PRs to Denver.  We met (of course) Megan, Jenna, Katie, and their mama.  

We did a little wandering around in the hot sun...

... and then went to a cool museum...

... to learn about a fellow named Tut.  Wouldn't Tut be a nice name for a dog?  It's short, and easy to understand.  Except that Egyptians seem to have thought more highly of cats than dogs!

Anyhow, King Tut wasn't even there for me to meet.  His picture was.  No, it's not posted here!  You wouldn't like it.  I wonder what I'll look like when I'm three thousand years old.

Everybody had a good time.  And there was a special King Tut room for children to play in, too.
 
 






While Megan...

...Katie...

and Jenna had some fun...

 

...I made some friends and showed them how lovable CCI dogs are.

TREAT AND RE-TREAT:  My PRs took me up to the mountains.  Ahhh!

My mom is in the church choir, and they were practicing music for Christmas.  I don't sing (they are glad), so I hung out with Dad, making people happy...

...enjoying the scenery, and looking at some of the wildlife.




No, I'm not dead.  I just look that way.  Why isn't "play dead" an official command?






SPEAKING OF WILDLIFE:  Here's another place my PRs and I went!

I got to ride a bus to the stadium.  There were a gazillion people there, but no other dogs that I could see.  So I knew there was something wrong with this game right away.

There were a couple of kids who thought they were hamsters.  But that's not the same.


My dad tried to get me to look at a real horse (on the field), but I couldn't smell any horse.  All I smelled were other people's snacks, which they did not drop near me (I'm not supposed to "hoover" anyhow).

My PRs brought bits of carrots for me, though.  (I'm watching my girlish figure.)

Well, so the football guys were doing this...

... and I was doing this.  The Broncos won, but I didn't quite see it.  I was, um, snoring.

My dad says I did what a service dog is supposed to do.  But I just don't think highly of football.  Now, if I could chase that ball, I might change my mind!  How about it, NFL?