Day 246

Mr. Squeaky Chicken, rest in peace.  You were such a faithful friend, even after I broke your squeaker and you became Mr. Squeakless Chicken.  I loved you from the moment I met you, in the dog toy aisle at Target.  Mario and Mom let me pick out a toy, and I swear you called - clucked or maybe crowed? - to me.  Love can be painful.  I am sorry that I loved you too much and caused your neck to tear.  Irreparable damage.  Thank you for being my trusted companion.  Hey, Mom?  Are you reading this?  Can we please go to Target this weekend and get a replacement chicken? 

Day 245

I like to make friends when I go walking.  It seems everyone wants to meet me!!

Day 244

The cats like to torment, I mean visit, me when I am in jail.  Okay, okay, I am just gated into the kitchen, and it's my own darn fault.  If I could get outta here, I would chase the sweet kitties.  I am not sure which one I would chase first -- eeny, meany, miney, mo, catch a Muffin by the toe.  Yes, Muffy, definitely The Muffmeister.  Mom says that as soon as I learn to behave, I can have more freedom around the house.  My mind is willing, but my flesh is weak.

Day 243

Success!  I know I have not ascended the entire staircase, or even most of it, but success comes in increments.  Celebrate!

Day 242

The stairs I hate the most are the ones inside my house.  Mario is teaching me to go upstairs.  He turns it into a game of fetch, which is pretty fun for me.  He throws my favorite toy, Mrs. Squeaky Chicken, and I get to retrieve it.  We do this over and over and over.  I'll get there, I promise!

Day 241

Abram returned to Mexico today, via Tucson, Arizona.  Goodbye, Abram!  Thank you for taking such good care of me!  I love you!!  And I will miss you, too!!  I hope you read my blog daily so you can keep up on all of my adventures.  I am a very exciting dog, and you would not want to miss out!

Day 240

You know that Mom and I like to take long walks at Orchard Beach, The Bronx Rivera, during the off-season.  Mario has never been there before, so I took him today.  We walked for hours.  In the below photo, we stopped for a rest and a drink.  I made many friends.  People like me, and it's completely understandable.

Day 239

Do you ever get a creepy feeling that someone is watching you?  Maybe even following you?  Ah, forget it.  I think I am just tired and need a nap.  I've been awake for hours.

Day 238

The agenda for puppy class tonight is subway stairs.  Given my disdain of stairs, Nicole excused me from class.  Instead of going to class, Eli, me, and Mom went apple picking.  Eli likes the Empires the best.  We picked Cortlands and Fujis too.

When the bag started getting heavy, I helped out by carrying an apple.  I do not like eating them, but carrying them is fun!

Then, I posed in front of this perfect tree for Mom.  Aren't I pretty?  Eli, on the right, has his head stuck in the tree, searching for the perfect Empire.

Eli is definitely taller then me, but if I stand on my hind legs, I may beat him!

 
Mom and I visited the pumpkin patch.  I was feeling hungry so I checked in for a treat.  I miss all my classmates, but I had a great day!!

Day 237

Today, I returned home to my family.  I had lots of fun with Nicole, but I am happy to be back!  Even Hemi missed me.  Muffin, not so much.  Eli, Christopher, Mom, and I took a walk at Orchard Beach this afternoon, and Mom snapped this photo.  It's a cute but odd pose.  Truthfully, I was trying to eat whatever I could find on the sidewalk, and Mom assures you that you DO NOT want to know what I found.  I am a dog, please remember that.  Nicole thinks I am losing my girly shape and put me on a diet.  I now get 2 1/2 cups of food a day instead of 3.  I am not really into food all that much, for a dog, so I will not even notice.  But do you really think I look fat in my leash?  I think I am rather stunning, a guide dog in training who is afraid of stairs and wears braces.  I am doggie perfection.

Day 236

Me and Josie took Nicole for a hike at Bear Mountain today.  Don't we look like twins?  Double trouble!

Day 235

Nicole's friend and colleague worked with me on steps today.  Mom saw this photo and does not understand why I did not ascend these steps with ease. Perhaps just being in a new place is a bit overwhelming for me.  Spending the week with Nicole is a fun adventure, though.  Everyone is so nice.  My family misses me, I know it.  I am sure they cannot wait until I return on Saturday!  I wonder if Hemi and Muffin miss me.  They must.  The house must be so boring without me!

Day 234

At Nicole Camp I get to go to work every day with Nicole which is really really fun.  I get to sleep in a very comfy crate, almost like home.  And I get to swim in the pond.  Camp is fun!!

 

Day 233

Can you hear them?  "Aw, come on, Rhythm.  Come up the steps and play with us!!"  I want to play, I really do, but those steps are big and scary!  I am not sure why I am so afraid, but I just am.

Day 232

I am spending the week at Nicole Camp!  Nicole is my teacher.  She is going to work with me on steps.  Even though I have made improvements, I still hate many staircases.  In order to become a guide dog, I need to be confident going up and down all stairs.  After all, there are not too many blind people who want to carry their dogs up and down the steps!  The first photo is of me in the car.  Mario dropped me off.  When I arrived, Nicole wasted no time and practiced steps with me right away!  Josie, the brood that Nicole fosters, ascended the steps to lend moral support.  Finally, it's bedtime.  My new buddies, from left to right, are Josie, Bailey, Dexter, and of course me!!  I am sure it will be a really fun week!  My family misses me terribly, but they will be okay.

Day 231

Caught in the act of chewing that which should not be chewed.  Oops!

Day 230

To all my human readers, a tidbit of doggie advice:  I think it's really important to pause once in a while and smell the flowers, even if they are not roses.  I think sunflowers are particularly beautiful.

Day 229

Today is Friday the 13th, Human Bad Luck Day.  Although since I am a dog, it really does not apply to me.  Here is a picture of me playing with my favorite doughnut toy.  I say my favorite because it's just about the only toy I can play with.  Everything else interferes with my braces.  I miss my squeaky chicken, but I love this toy.  Mario and Mom laugh at me when I get my paw caught in the hole and I hop around the kitchen on three legs.  I am so glad that my people are so easily entertained!

Day 228

Metal mouth! Tinsel teeth! Do you like my new braces? I still have the vampire fangs on my lower canines, but now I also have braces on my front teeth that look very human. 

Day 227

I like to read the paper in the morning while Mario and Mom leisurely drink coffee.  This morning, I read an article in the food section about truffles, ridiculously expensive mushrooms that are a human delicacy.  People train dogs to sniff out the truffles.  People just do not have the talent to find them alone.  That got me to thinking - yet another career option - I could move to Italy with my people and become a Truffle Hunter.  Wouldn't that be awesome?

Day 226

This way.

Sit.

Down.

BELLY RUB!!!

Day 225

I went back to the dog dentist today.  I was very brave!  I walked into the examining room and onto the table all by myself, even though I really did NOT want to be there.  Mario and Abram were very proud of me.  Even the dentist was proud of me!  I am proud of me too, so I guess we all agree on how awesome I am.  I must return on Wednesday to have my braces adjusted.  I cannot wait to get these things off!

Day 224

Playful me.  Aren't I funny?

Day 223

Mario and I like to go on long walks through our neighborhood.  He cannot resist photographing me!

Day 222

Abram took me to Central Park in NYC.  I made friends with a giant poodle.  Then, I admired the horses from a distance.  If I get too close, they might step on me!  I gazed at the skyline.  Isn't it beautiful?  And, finally, I took a little nap.  I love nap time.  PS:  I am photogenic, slender, blond, leggy, and gorgeous.  Perhaps I should become a supermodel?