Persistance Pays Off!

My people keep the door to the guest bedroom closed. One day it was open and I jumped on the bed and found a mini me in the form of a beanie baby on the desk. Of course I had to have it... and I did have it for about 10 minutes. My Mom took it away and closed the door but I did not forget...

Yesterday they were gone for a few hours and although the door was closed, I pushed it open and retrieved the mini me. I even slept with it last night in my cozy kennel. I guess since I was so persistent, I get to keep it.

Yup, nothing like a mini me to cuddle up to....

Learning about cactus...

Those pesky rabbits are just trouble... I keep trying to catch them but there are more obstacles than success. I saw one and in trying to catch it (running as far as my leash would allow) I hurt my paw. There were these things sticking out of my paw and I couldn't walk... ouch, ouch, ouch! My people told me I stepped on a cactus... I don't know what that is but I suspect the rabbits had something to do with it - probably a trap they set for me.

Chores

Since my people are so good to me, I decided that I needed to have some chores to help out around the house. When the big tree in the living room drops one of it's big leaves it is my duty to take ownership of it... actually it is fun to chew. My Mom scolds me and takes it away from me but as I try to express to her, I am only trying to help! My second chore (and it is a big one) is to check out all the trash baskets and pull out things that I think should be fodder for my play - not trash. Why just this morning I managed to "save" a whole bunch of kleenex. In fact, the room decor took a step to the positive in my opinion. My last chore is to be on guard when the children are walking to/from school. I have the timing down perfect now, and my chair in the front windows - letting them know I am watching them. So as you can see, my days are very busy!

Chasing Critters...

I just didn't know what I was missing! I lived indoors the first two years of my life - busy working you know...;) Now that I have a new home I go on walks every day. (Notice the plural - I really score here with sometimes as many as six walks a day!) I am discovering new things every day on these walks. For instance, RABBITS!!!! and ROBINS!!! I know where rabbits live and hang out but they just don't seem interested in playing with me - they hop away. And what is it with that hopping? I have short legs and I don't hop, I run! Regarding the robins, the playing field is just not fair. If I get too close they go up in the air... I can jump but I can't stay up in the air like they do. These robins and rabbits sure make my walk fun - I just wish they weren't so busy and would stop and play with me...

Earning Trust... Kinda

For the first couple of weeks when my people would leave me behind they would either put me in my kennel (I feel safe there) or put this white gate thing in the laundry room door. Now the laundry room is an okay place - my food, water and a bed is there, but there is no window and I just don't like being in jail. I can be trusted, you know... well, kinda. The kinda is the temptations when they are gone. I get bored and lonely. Sure, I can look out the windows and bark at people and dogs but this alone times are the perfect opportunty to explore... like the stryofoam thing or the bathroom trash. I love the laundry basket and it is fun to redecorate the place and surprise my people. His pajamas on the stairs, her pajamas and socks on the landing and an occasional display of underwear - very colorful and tastefully done if I don't say so myself. The best thing to play with (found in the laundry basket) is a bra! Oh, what fun! I can chew on the plastic bits but the fun is running through the house with it while it chases me! My Mom won't let me keep it so I have to keep looking for new ones.


People - they just don't understand fun.

What Not to Eat

Last night I learned what Rice Cakes must taste like. While my people were out I did some exploring. Styrofoam in an empty box looked like food or a toy to me.. not so much - it wasn't crunchy and didn't taste so good. Books also don't taste good but they do satisfy the chew factor a bit. Auntie B loaned my people a book and I found it on the coffee table - had a few chews on it. I am told I will need to be very cute and win Aunite B over as a way to apologize for chewing a bit on her book.

My First Week With My New People...

My first week was challenging - I had to learn a lot.

Learning about stairs - okay, so my previous life did not include these things called stairs. My people would go up and down them but I couldn't follow... and I need to follow my Mom people because she is my favorite. Although I didn't mind being carried up and down - but sometimes I got left at the top or bottom and that just did not work or me... I learned to be very brave when my people sat on the stairs and heldout a treat - I threw caution to the wind because I really wanted that treat! They kept doing this until I had gone from the top of the stairs to the bottom and then I realized it wasn't so scary after all! Now one of my favorite places is on the landing - I can view my domain - the family room, the front door and out the windows.. and when I bark from there - it sounds very big!

Learning about walks and the outdoors - I lived in a basement in my previous life as a single, swinging bachelor. I don't regret giving all that up at all. Life is good here - meals, treats, lap time and windows to look out of - lot's of good barky days. The leash thing is a little strange but it helps me feel a little less scared. I discovered grass is good and then there are the rabbits - I want one! Now that I know about them I can smell them when I go on walks and I see them all the time. My people won't let me chase them but I know I could catch one. One of these days...My most important discovery - if I take care of my ehm... needs outside, I get a treat.  Using that behaviour modification tactic on my people has been very rewarding for me - I must find more ways to modify their behaviour.

On trouble and people expectations - I simply don't understand why I can't chew on the stair railing post and the corner of the door! Boy, do I get yelled at for that. One other thing I don't understand - why my people get upset when I rearrange their clothes throughout the house. I don't chew on their clothes, I just like to do a little decorating of my own to add my personal stamp on the place.

I am tall!  Most people don't think Dashunds are tall because we have short legs. They forget we are long and when we stand up on our back legs we are tall! I can reach a lot of things which gets me into a lot of trouble - working on understanding the rules...