Day 134

Look how big I am!

Small, January 31

Medium, March 26

Large, June 10

Day 133

Tonight in puppy class I did not behave very well.  It was a stressful evening.  Mom locked the car and house keys INSIDE the car when we were preparing to leave, and our neighbor had to break into the car with a hanger.  Surprisingly, it took about 10 minutes.  Then, we went to class and although the entire fiasco took 20 minutes to resolve, I was only a few minutes late.  I think all the commotion made me a bit snarky, though.  As guide dogs, we must learn to tolerate wearing a harness, so as puppies we wear clothes to help us get used to wearing something other than our fur.  I hate wearing this t-shirt.  Below are my friends and classmates, Scooter and Georgie, wearing their shirts.  I need to practice by playing dress up more at home.

Day 132

I know that I am born and bred to be a guide dog, and I will LOVE that career, but sometimes I wonder if being a fire dog would be fun too. 

Day 131

If you look to the left of me, you can see the teeny tiny sliver of paint missing from the molding.  Mom alleges that I chewed it when she went to the basement briefly to put the wash in the dryer.  Moi?  I swear I didn't do it!  Don't you believe me?  Aren't the sneaky cats more likely culprits?  On behalf of dogs everywhere, I am offended by the accusation. The slander. Maybe the paint was just old or defective and fell off the molding.  There are plenty of other viable explanations.

Day 130

When I picked Eli up from school today, I met a hunky golden retriever.  Isn't he handsome? 

Day 129

I have a confession:  I am still afraid of stairs.  Not ALL stairs.  I expertly climb the stairs to my own house with my head down and with great purpose, like The Little Engine That Could.  However, other stairs scare me.  So, Abram and Mom practice stairs with me when we walk.  We climb the neighborhood stairs.  I am hoping that we do not get in trouble for trespassing!  These first stairs, I climbed on the second try.

These next stairs, I could only manage to apply my paws to the first step.  We tried three times - the golden number - and then moved on.  No pressure.

These third stairs, nailed.  I will expertly climb them all soon, I promise!

Day 128

Study buddies!

Day 127

I love picking up E and Christopher from school!  I take E to school in the morning too, but picking him up is much more fun.

Day 126

I like playing Army with Christopher and Eli.  In this scene, I am a wounded soldier, and Christopher and Eli are coming to my aid.  They will need to get me off the battlefield and to safety.

Day 125

I love playing with Grandma and Monique!

Day 124

Here's me and Grandpa.  Grandpa is not much of an animal person, but I think he likes me anyway.  I think everyone likes me!

Day 123

Grandma, Grandpa, and Monique are visiting.  Monique is a very small dog that resembles the lint my people remove from the clothes dryer.  I try to make friends, but she will have none of it.  Maybe if I did not bark, she would like me better. 

Day 122

It was hot and sticky today, and I am for the first time ever feeling lazy.  Each walk was a chore.  I hope the weekend brings cooler weather!  Mom says that Archer had a hard time in the heat, too.  Since he was black and I am much lighter in color, she was hoping that I would better cope with the heat of summer.  I think not!  I am sleeping in the basement tonight because it's cool.  Maybe Muffin and Hemi will keep me company.

Day 121

I'm just hanging out in the Living Room with Mom.  Mom is studying for a test.  I am so glad I don't have to study for tests.  It looks BORING.  I was really well behaved for hours, until Muffin appeared, and then I had to be reigned in a bit.  I cannot help it.  He is hard to resist!

Day 120

Mom took me and Eli to Barnes and Noble on Memorial Day.  Eli bought a pile of books, but I am not much of a reader, so I just made friends with the clientele.  I was very well behaved, although I did scare a few small children.

Day 119

Hey, Eli, can you find me?  Peek a boo!

Day 118

Me and my favorite rope toy.  I love when Abram and Mom play tug games with me. 

Day 117

I love to lick the both the dirty and clean dishes in the dishwasher.  I even like to lick the inside door.  Of course, the dirty dishes are the best!  Mom won't let me lick them, though.  Grandma told her that she should let me.  My future blind person will never know if I sneakily lick the dishes, and I am really not hurting anyone, and I like doing it so much, and how can you resist my cute face?  Mom still says no.  She calls herself persistent.  I call her stubborn.

Day 116

I love my bone, especially when Mom puts peanut butter inside and I get to lick it out.  Yum!

Day 115

Where ever I go, I am often the most popular one in the room!  I am a kid magnet!

Day 114

Every morning, I walk Eli to school.  And every afternoon, I pick him up.  I love Maria, the crossing guard.  Maybe it's the smell of her dog that permeates her clothing, or maybe it's because she has blond hair like me.  I am not sure why, but I love her.  Every time I see her, I pull on my leash (I know I am NOT supposed to do that) and wag my tail with excitement.  I generally do not jump, but I find it difficult to keep all four paws on the ground when I see her.  She loves me too, by the way.

Day 113

I went to CVS for the very first time today.  Eli and Mom took me.  We ran out of dish detergent, and it's very important that both my water and food bowls are cleaned every day, so we walked to CVS to make the purchase.  It was fun walking around the store.  My behavior was stellar!

Day 112

Me and my ball.

Day 111

We went back to Orchard Beach today, and I got to try out my new extra long leash in the water!  I was definitely better able to build speed and get some air.  I love my new leash! As soon as we got home, Mom gave me a bath.  Now, the house smells like wet dog.  Hey, I'm worth it!

Day 110

Me and Mom picked Eli up at school today with his friend, Christopher.  The ice cream truck visited the school, and Eli and Christopher ate their cones on the way home.  They chewed off the bottoms, sucked out the ice cream, and used the cones as telescopes.  Why are my people so weird?

Day 109

Fun in the sun with my new extra long leash!  I love my stick.  Mom says I can hold it, but I am not allowed to chew it.  Too bad.

Day 108

Double trouble.

Day 107

Believe it or not, I am very comfortable chewing my bone in this position.  I have a cute butt, and why not show it off?

Day 106

When I become I guide dog, I need to confidently lead my person over storm drains, manhole covers, sidewalk grates, and all other strange under footings.  Here I am, practicing.  I nailed it!

Day 105

Happy Mother's Day!  Me and Eli took Mom to the Botanical Garden.  Lilacs and peonies, my favorites!  Peter came too.  He's always the photographer, rarely the photographed.

Day 104

With my puppy jacket comes privileges ... I get to accompany my people to the local watering hole!

Day 103

I need a little nap after my walk ...

Day 102

Best friends forever!

Day 101

I am no longer a lap dog!

Day 100

It's Day 100, and I have earned my PUPPY JACKET!!  Hooray for me!  Now, I can go to restaurants, the mall, the botanical garden, and expand my adventures.  Yippee!

Day 99

Here I am, running across the kitchen floor with my purple donut toy.  I am swift and difficult to capture on camera!  Mom thinks I look funny and she wonders how I can see where I'm going, with my eyes obstructed.

Day 98

Peter has a red, Mustang convertible. Today, we drove to Connecticut, went on a long hike, and then went to a farm for ice cream. Here's a photo of me in the car, sitting at Mom's feet with the sun in my face. Bliss.

Day 97

Today, I went to Maggie Spillane's, our local pub, for the first time! First, me, Peter, and Mom took a long walk, and then we stopped for a drink. I had water. They had beer. We sat outside because I have not gotten my puppy jacket yet. After I get my jacket, I will get to go inside the pub and meet everyone. I can't wait!

Day 96

I like to squeeze through the cat door and run into the living room and underneath my favorite purple chair.  Abram is onto my game, though, and he taped the cat door shut!