Miss October

My nickname next door at BFF's house is Miss October. RL says it's because of this calendar photo of another fawn and white Beardie that appears on the October page. She says that's what I could look like if I would let her groom me every day for 2 or 3 hours and let my hair grow out. She also says that sometimes I act like Miss October (meaning I guess that I like things a certain way and can be stubborn about it).
If this dog is getting brushed that much I don't think she's having very much fun. I'd rather run in the mud and play chase with BFF than stand for that much grooming no matter how many treats I'd get.

Return to Weird

Every night RL gives me a bowl of food and then watches me push it across the kitchen floor. Or sometimes I push it into the dining room. Eventually I eat most of it. Tonight I pushed it under the dining room chair and then had a nice dinner. I liked eating with a little protection over my head. You never know when....well, I'm not quite sure what I need protection from, but it's nice to have anyway.

Linda, the Treat Lady

I think Linda might be one of my very favorite people! She lives with DPL and BFF. When DPL comes to get me, I always spend a few minutes running with BFF, but then I like to go and see Linda. She gives me a big bowl of water and my favorite treats, then turns on the air conditioner so I don't have to hear any scary noises. If I'm still nervous, I put my head in her lap and she tells me everything is ok. She says I take care of her and she takes care of me.
After the trucks left yesterday we had a dog party in BFF's yard and tried to take a group photo. You can see Max the Chihuahua in the background. The other two dogs live next door to BFF but I can't remember their names.

Bella can't come out today

Bella asked me to post today (this is RL). Construction on the house across the street ramped up considerably this week, including a new favorite fear, the nail gun. The downstairs is no longer protection enough, now I turn on the dryer for her to mask the noise.
I was hoping that since today was Saturday, they might give her a break and take the day off. Instead, the cement truck turned up. Combine diesel idling with the rotation of the cement drum and I wasn't sure she'd survive it all. I did just check on her and she's laying down in front of the dryer (with a heartbeat, poor thing).
I have a little doggie bag of chicken for her as a treat when they leave.

Look! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superdog!

It's gotten much cooler in Minnesota and RL says I'm getting full of myself. I've always been really good at jumping and leaping (I frequently jump over BFF when we're playing). Sometimes now RL opens the back door so I can get a running start and I leap off the deck....probably about 6-7' RL says.
So I'm not sure why it was a big deal when I jumped out of the car window yesterday. The car was stopped and we were coming to visit Sheba and RL's friend. The only problem was I didn't know which house Sheba was in. I ran up and down the block trying to find her. RL says next time she's keeping the windows rolled up and I have to walk with her nicely to ring the bell. That's fine, I suppose, but not as much fun.

Radio dog coach

RL was working in the basement this morning (which is really my hang-out) and listening to this woman on the radio. RL told me that her name is Tamar Geller and she calls herself a "life-coach for dogs." At first I thought that was stupid, but we listened some more and she really had some good advice. Did you know that "barking is like chocolate for humans?" She said it releases good feelings in dogs!
She's a big fan of our Animal Humane Society and dog adoption. RL likes adoption (she said the dog before me was adopted) but she did buy me. I'm glad because she really knows how to handle my anxiety. Today was such a bad day...there is construction happening across the street...and she turned the dryer on in the basement so I didn't have to listen to it and could take a nap.

RL's Blue Day is my Great Day

RL says she had a bad day today. She was trying to clean out some frozen turkey drippings from the fridge this afternoon and I was right there ready to help her. Something happened (it wasn't my fault!) and the whole thing spilled on the kitchen floor. Once again, I offered to help, but she put me in the basement for awhile (I could hear her swearing upstairs, not very nicely).
When she let me upstairs again I knew she was feeling bad so I lay on the kitchen floor and licked out all of the grease from under the cabinets and dishwasher that she'd missed when she washed the floor. I can't tell if she appreciated that or not.

Things are back to normal

Last week was a bummer. BFF had a stay over friend called Cranky Franky because he didn't like any other dogs besides BFF. Not only could I not play with BFF, but I couldn't go for any walks with DPL or get treats and cuddles from Linda. RL tried to make it up to me but it just wasn't the same. Cranky left last night and I got to go spend a few hours with BFF before bed. RL says she knows when I have had a good day by the way I sleep. She says she checked on me before she turned out the lights and I was on my back with all four paws splayed out.