Abbie injured her leg day before yesterday. She woke up limping yesterday, so I nursed her all day. It paid off because she is moving so much better today. We had thunder and lightening and I think she strained it as she was frightened. Maybe when she jumped off the bed.
She is almost walking normal. Just a twitch now and then. She should be 100 percent by tomorrow.
We have had rain for the past two days so we have spent a lot of time indoors. Abbie likes that because she just gets to 'cruise' with her Auntie 'Dee'. She better get ready for the arrival of the new baby....Peaches will come visit when she has had all her shots and is old enough to take in the car. Punkin is another story....she would run Abbie ragged, so she will stay home.
No big plans for the next two days. More recovery time for Abbie and cleaning for Auntie Dee. She is looking forward to Mom and Dad coming home on Saturday.

Her name is Peaches!

I have always believed that animals find you, you don't find them. I have never been looking for a pet when I found any of mine. Otis was sitting in a big cage in a dirty pet store. I told them to open the cage and let me have him. I didn't care what it cost, he was not spending another minute in that little cage. He lived 9 wonderful years with me.

Peepers came to me at midnight by one of my co-workers. She weighed about 4 pounds and poked her head out from under the co-worker's jacket. She had found the momma and daddy and just needed to find homes for the pups. I took her at midnight and named her 'Midnight Peepers', soon shortened to 'Peeps'

My cat, Piffles, was in a cage in PetCo where I had gone to get food for Peepers. We had just lost Otis that summer and Peepers was so lonely. When I spotted Piffles in that cage....well, you know the story. Piffles and Peepers soon became fast friends and I was glad that Peepers had the feline company, but thought she might need some canine company as well.

It was only a thought in my head when I saw this ad on Craigslist that said 50% Pug, 50% Shitzhu. Pure curiosity sent me to 'just see what she looked like'. Well, her name is Punkin and she is now a year old. Piffles hates her. Peepers is gone and Punkin is alone during the day by herself. AGAIN.....just a thought in my head that later on, maybe we would get her a companion.

So, I am dissolving my business and today was moving day. I Pulled the truck up in front of my store and began the gruelling process of loading the truck. I glanced outside to see a crowd of people in front of the Horizon Pet Store. There stood the owner, looking at me and pointing to what was in his arms. A 5-week old Golden Retriever that was cuter than any baby you have ever seen. I walked out to pet her and when I looked into her eyes, I saw Abbie. Abbie has been such an influence on me and my life. Just last night I wrote 'I wish I could clone Abbie'. Do I need to tell you the rest.......

She comes home with me on May 17th. She is not named yet, but I will never look at her without seeing Abbie in her. I want her to meet and play with Abbie while she is a puppy so that Abbie can teach her a thing or two. I never thought about owning a Golden, but someone I love very much has longed for one. This will be 'our' dog.

And so my theory stands true. She was meant to be. She chose us and not the other way around.

I will keep you posted on her name when it is decided.

To Abbie's mommy and daddy.........There are eight more pups in the litter. They range from blonde to Red and all are adorable. Every consider another one.....I heard a rumor that you have a TERRIFIC pet sitter so she would be well loved!!!!

Missing in action

The weather has been so beautiful here that this was the best shot of Abbie I could get today. Look really hard.....waaaaaayyyyyyyyyy back there.....she's there! No, really!

She is doing well and runs and greets me like she is a puppy all over again. I wish I could clone her......I want a Golden just like Abbie Girl.

We are just cruising, taking walks, running in the yard and hanging out. Auntie Dee brought her a bone and she ate it so fast I thought she must have buried it somewhere.

We got the poor deceased pigeon out of the bushes and have had no more accidents.

Remember this time last year? We had the strange noises in the closet incident. That still baffles me. And Abbie locking herself in the bathroom still bothers me to this day. We are quite the pair.

We will be cleaning house this week and getting ready for Mom and Dad to come home. Thats it for now!

Well the sunshine didn't last more than two days. But those days were glorious! It is cold, wet and rainy today, but Abbie and I are keeping each other company. I had some medical tests this morning, so I am not at the store today. This gives me lots of spoiling time with Ms. Abbie

Everything is smooth as silk. The gardners are here today and Abbie went out to say hello, but wanted to come in and lounge with me. We played with her new toys for a long time this morning so she is worn out right now. As usual, only good news to report.

Abbie and the Sunshine

Abbie and I are enjoying the sunshine. It has been beautiful and today looks just as promising. We went for a long walk and I brought her a HUGE bone to knaw on. She enjoys being out side for a couple of hours and then wants to come in to see what's going on in the house. I think she just wants to see what Auntie Dee is having for lunch or to grab another cookie.
I will be gone a few hours today so she will be enjoying the outside for a bit. Other than that, we have a day of rest and relaxation! She is perfect as usual and is happy as a clam! I'm sure she misses Mom and Dad, but I am being a good substitute. No worries on this end.

Good Bye My Little Girl....

Peepers would have been 12 years old in September. She lost the use of her back legs due to a damaged spine about a year ago. She never let it get her down. She would drag her little butt all over the house if she wanted to get somewhere. About six months ago she became incontinent and we bought her Tinkle Trousers to catch her urine. She adapted and didn't seem to mind. She did not appear to be in any pain and remained happy to be by my side. She began showing signs of pain about two weeks ago and carried an odor that can only be described as an infectious odor.

We woke up this morning and she was shaking. She sat for hours as she was in too much pain to lay down. She had mucus coming from her mouth and when she looked at me with those big black eyes (her peepers), it was if she were saying 'I think its time momma'. I have always believed in Quality over Quantity. I knew I had to let her go. So, she went to her favorite vet and went to sleep for the last time. I am going to miss her immensly. She was one of a kind.

Thank God for my adopted pets through my pet sitting business. Their unconditional love helps heal the hole she has left in my heart. Sleep well my little girl. You are now at Rainbow Bridge.

Teddy and the Rain.....

Teddy and I are doing just fine. He doesn't care for the rain too much and I have been coaxing him out with a treat. I think he has ME trained. But, he is very good about going out and doing his business and the walks we can squeeze in without the rain. It has been snowing AND raining very hard here all week. Are we ever going to see Summer?

I'm learning more about Teddy's personality. He is a tease! He will act like he wants you to play with him or let you pet him and when you come near, he runs and barks. He's funny. He will NOT let me put him up on the counter for his brushing. I am attempting to do it on the ground, but this isn't what he is used to and wonders what the heck is going on.

We have the rest of the week together and I will look forward to seeing him again. He's definitely got his OWN personality.

Teddy Bear......

Meet Teddy. A lovable (on his terms) Keeshond and my newest fur friend. Teddy and I have been together since Thursday, but blogging had to be postponed until I could access the internet.
I had met with Teddy a couple of days before his mommy and daddy left, so my scent was still familiar to him and he led me directly to the cookie jar. Let me tell you a secret……….ALL my adopted fur children lead me to the cookie jar. It’s a Pet-sitter thing! Somehow they know I am there to do three things; Give cookies, Give cookies, Give cookies.
I have been a little under the weather so I have spent a lot of time with Teddy. Its been raining and the weather has just generally been yucky! So, we have stayed in, played (he refuses his hula hoop). We are trying to get a nice long walk in but the weather is not cooperating. However, tomorrow is promising. It is suppose to be nice and we will get some sun hopefully.
Teddy is sticking to his training. He doesn’t perform for me the way he does for his parents, but we do what we can so he doesn’t forget. He spends most of his time in front of the fireplace as you can see in the photo. When I asked to take his picture, he looked at me (the second photo) like ‘Who Me?’
He has been a perfect angel and he is doing well. I will update the blog again in a couple of days.

Pondering.........

We had a break in the rain and snow today and this is where I found Maggie. She was pondering.....probably thinking about what ELSE she could chew up.

I was gone just a few hours today as my store is closed on Monday. So, I thought I would spend time with them and give them some exercise. In the short time I was gone, they anhialated the house! She and Baby chewed up a rubber black mat and any piece of paper they could find. They even had a pair of nail clippers...can't imagine where they found those. They have trained me to make sure EVERTHING is picked up, put in a closet and all the doors are closed. They are out of control....but, they are so damn cute you can't stay mad at them. So, I just clean up the mess and we move on!

I am sure that mommy and daddy know this about Brutus, but he is having some problems with his teeth. Primarily due to his age, but he has trouble chewing and this usually a sign of bad teeth. It might help to use warm water on his kibble to soften it so that he can chew a little better. However, never let it be said that he is passive. Teeth or no teeth...if Maggie or Baby mess with his bone, he will rip their head off! Teeth or no teeth! LOL

This is our las night together. I will clean up before I leave in the morning, but no promises on what Mommy and Daddy find when they return home!! Good luck!

Pooch Pawrty!

I got shot of our boy, Brutus. He is so mellow and loving. He's a nice balance to the holly terrors, Maggie and Baby.

I came home yesterday to what appeared to be a pooch party that would be equivalent to a sixteen year old having a huge party while their parents were away. What would be beer cans and broken furniture by teenagers, they chewed furniture, wood, paper, and whatever else Maggie and Baby could get their teeth into. They were perfectly fine at noon when I checked in on them. The party began between noon and five! But, they all slept very well last night as I am sure they were tired from their party!!!!

We woke up to about four inches of snow this morning. I could see it falling when we woke at 7am. I couldn't believe that just two and half miles down the road in Maple Valley there was no snow at all...just rain. But here in Ravensdale it snowed like crazy. I left for about an hour or so to go to the market and returned to just hang out with the threesome.

They are all healthy, happy and have not had any battles too big while I have been here. I am sure they are missing their mommy and daddy, but they are welcoming me like a part of the family and this is a good thing!

Meet the New Additions....

Well, at least you can meet two of them. This is Baby, the Sharpei and Maggie, the Yellow Lab. The senior Sharpei, Brutus is a little camera shy or he just doesn't care to have his picture taken. But, I won't give up....I'll snap that mug of his tonight!!!

Yesterday was my first day with the three of them. These are truly active dogs. Their mommy and daddy pay the mortgage and the dogs just let them live there! But, that's the way it is at my house as well.

I managed to get in the door without too much of a battle. They were very anxious to see me. They greeted me like I was part of the family and I had only met them the day before. This is not my usual policy as they need time to get your scent and understand that you are there as their friend. (You can read further down in my old post about a German Shorthair. I met with them the day before they were flying out due to a death in the family. Mocha seemed to be fine, but when I arrived, she was having no part of me getting into the home. She actually tried to bite me. But, it was HER home and I don't fault her for that. I should have had more time with her)

Anyway, back to the threesome, they are doing awesome. They each got a big bone last night and that kept them busy for a while. Maggie slept on the back of the couch, Brutus in the little square bed I brought into the Rec room and Baby slept on the blanket on the footstool to the chair. All were happy! They are good dogs.

New Treats!

Abbie and I are doing OSCAR night. Although she would rather we do OSCAR MEYER night, she is enjoying the new treats I brought her from Costco. She knows they are in her cookie jar and has no problem showing me what she wants.
We spent the last two days doing some spring cleaning. Everything from cob webs to scouring the bathrooms, she just lays by the front door until its time for another cookie! Actually, she spent some time outside today as it was a beautiful day. I drove my friend to the airport and when I returned she had a friend with her. A large dog that I believe lives across the street. She looks like a Begian Malinois? She was sweet and friendly and Abbie seemed to enjoy playing with her.
As usual all went well. She has helped me nurse myself the last two days as well. I took a pretty hard fall at work on the cement and hurt my tailbone. She just jumps up on the bed and lays down with me as if to know I am in pain.
I have decided that my next dog child will be a Golden. Probably within the year and I would love it to be the clone of Abbie. She truly is the best ever!
Abbie and I will be together again in April. Until then, I will miss her.

Underdog........or Wunderdog

Abbie and I are spending time together again. Always enjoy my time with her. She enjoyed her day today. She spent time outside for about four hours in the sunshine. But, she was glad to see me when I got here for her dinner time.

I brought her some new treats. Costco has started selling them. They only have one percent fat and they are bite size. She scarfed them up. I attempted a new trick with her. I have never tried it with her before but since she is so smart, I thought she might know what to do.

I made her sit and stay. I placed the treat on her nose, holding her snout so she would know not to move. She let me get that far....as soon as I moved my hand, she flung her head and threw it across the room and then chased it. Well, at least she gave it a try! She needs to work on her accuracy, but she can do it, I know she can.

We plan to spend all day Saturday and Sunday together, with the exception of a little shopping for Auntie Dee.

I will post some recent pictures of her tomorrow! She is doing great!

Abbie

How can you resist a face like that? She is such a sweet dog and she is in hog heaven at the moment. The weather has worked in our favor the last few days and we managed to get some walks in after the fog lifted and before the sun went down. Auntie Dee bought her a new bone today and she will get it tomorrow before her mommy and daddy come home. She has spent time outdoors while I go to the store. But, I always leave around noon to check on her and put her in the house it is too cold. We are suppose to get freezing temperatures and possible snow flurries the next few days.

So, everything is fine on the homefront. We have been cleaning house and doing some chores and getting ready for everyone to get home and be back to the normal routine. She loves her Auntie Dee, but loves her mommy and daddy even more.

Simply a great day!

Kira has been enjoying the sunshine. The fog made a comeback late this afternoon, but she had sunshine for the most part. I saw her today three times! Auntie Dee gets nervous when she is outside so I take breaks during the day and do a little road trip to see her. I visit Abbie across town as well. Thank goodness I have friends who help me out at the store!

Kira and Joe are splendid! Nothing to report except a perfect report card!

Abbie girl.....

Abbie has been great. She is loving the sunshine and also the company! We went for a walk today as my store is closed and it gave me time to do two dog walks today. We are visiting and eating dog cookies. Well, she is anyway. Everything is quiet and relaxed and she genuinely loves having the attention!

Two Peas in a Pod.....

Kira and Joe are doing great as usual. Nothing new to report. Kira is loving her outside time as the weather has been fantastic the last two days. Hope it continues. Even though I am working, I go visit during the day while Kathy watches the store. We feed at 5 and Kathy is spending the night with Kira and Joe the next few nights while I am off at another sit. But, no one gets neglected as we live so close and it is so easy to spend time with them.

I'll post in a couple of days when we have some more pictures. But, all is fine now!

Kira and Joe.....

I have been at Kira's for two days. Kira has a new catmate named Joe. Both Kira and Joe are solid black and after getting to know Joe, I believe he was sent to this family because he and Kira seem to have a secret bond.
Last time I visited them, Joe was new to the house and stayed in the spare room most of the time. He has progressed into the rest of the house and he and Kira seem to get along very well. They have both slept on the bed with me and they are respectful of each other's space. Both have great personalities and they were very lucky to have been adopted by this family.
Both Kira and Joe are doing great. My friend, Kathy, is helping me out as I have two families this week. However, her help works out great as Kira knows us both and she loves us both!
Stay tuned for pictures coming soon.

Abbi the elusive.....

Abbie thinks I am part of the family. However, she knows she can 'play' me and does this every chance she gets. She is used to my crazy schedule and always greets me with open paws. I sometimes wonder if she puts on a few pounds from all the treats she gets from me. I know her mommy and daddy give her treats, but she knows she can look at me with those big soulful eyes and I give in every time. She has been escaping her yard lately. I have learned where she does this and have confined her to her back yard which is about an acre! Poor Abbi.....only an acre! But, she loves the front of her house so we walk often and spend time out there so she will not feel deprived.She is a gentle, comical and intelligent canine and she has my heart forever.

Meet the newest Additions!

These are the newest additions to the Playful Paw Family. Three Mini Aussies and one very lovable Golden Retriever.

Belle, a shy, kind of skiddish young lady has recently been adopted and is looking for a new home. Moby, the Retriever, Abby, a Mini Aussie, and Red Red Roxy.....also a Mini and full of energy.

All of the pups are doing awesome. Everyone is adjusting to the schedule of my being in and out.

We are bonding and they are very happy to know that I will be feeding them. They LOVE to eat and are getting lots of treats.

We are still here.....

Its been five days since my first post and it shocked me as it has only seemed like a couple of days. But, Ms. Abigail and I are doing fine. She has hated that it is raining every single day and she can't go outside while Auntie Dee goes to work, but she loves it when I come home mid-day and play with her and let her run. I am usually only gone six to seven hours for work, so she is only alone about four at a time. She is getting used to the routine and loves to run and play and especially loves the extra treats.

She and I have been playing at night. She loves to run like crazy after her squeak toy. But, like myself, she is aging and chasing that thing on the tile flooring isn't a good thing as she almost ran into the wall a couple of times.

She and I go for the mail once a day and she has to carry a piece of mail with her. She's no dummy as she knows everytime she does this, she gets a cookie. I sometimes wonder who is taking care of who!

We are watching television tonight. She is snoring (she has a princess snore) right now.

There is a pet store next to my store and I would like to take her there as they have free bathing equipment and on certain days, you can wash your pets for free. I will check into this and see if it fits our schedule. She can always go to the store with me at work for the rest of the day! I think she might like this!

All is well on the Abbi household.

Fall with Abbi

Abbi and I are spending some time together again. I always miss her when I am away awhile, but now I get to see her about every two weeks and that keeps our bond strong.

She is trying to work me tonight though. She keeps going to her cookie jar and she has had WAY too many today, so I am not giving in. She is standing beside me now giving me her little growl as if to say 'But, I Want a Cookie'.

The weather is kind of sucky right now so she can't stay outside. She has been getting out of her electric fence and I think I know why. There is an area on the property that she goes to every time and walks the same route and comes out by her mail box. So, there may be something wrong with the flag at that point. I won't leave her outside but I will go in the back and close both gates and stay out there with her and she seems to be okay with that.

Other than that, she is the best. She is just as loving as ever and I will enjoy the next two weeks with her!

Happy Howl-o-ween!

I just realized it has been a few weeks since my last posting. Pet sitting is a seasonal business and right now all of my clients are happily spending time with their animals. I can't fault them for that and it warms my heart that the clients that I have are so good to their animals.

I will spend some more time with Abbi beginning the ninth of November. I have some new pups on the horizon. Three mini-Aussies and an Aussi/Border mix. I will post pictures of this gang when I begin sitting with them. But, we have met and are ready to spend some time together.

For my loyal clients who check my blog from time to time, thank you for checking. I look forward to seeing all of your pets soon.

Abbi Knows What She Wants

I have been with my dear Abbi since last Tuesday, but I have been without a laptop until yesterday. So, here is a little update on Abbi. We have been very busy today as we wanted to really do some cleaning for her mom and dad's homecoming.

Abbi has me trained. At night, she will give me this little growl. If I don't pay attention, she will do it again a little louder until I pay attention. Sometimes, this happens in the middle of the night. I KNOW she doesn't do this to her mom and dad, so she really has me trained rather than me having her trained.

When she comes in from her walk or from a visit out to the bushes, I always ask her 'What do you want'. She barks. I say 'Well, show me what you want'. She runs to her cookie jar and shows me exactly what she wants as you can see in this picture.

She also likes to carry the mail in with me. I have to give her a piece of mail or the small paper so that she can deliver to the doorstep.

I've never believed in cloning, but if I were to consider it, Abbi would be who I would clone. I love her to pieces!

She's Growing

Its been some time since updating my little Punkin Head. She is still full of life and surprises me every day by her similarities to my Otis who left us in July, 2007.

She is six months old on October 1st. She will become a 'woman' soon. Although they say females slow down after being Spayed, I doubt it will slow her down one bit.

She is smart, comical and loving. I will soon begin some training as she is definitely in need of it. I would like to begin taking her to work with me once I have opened my small consignment shop. I bet you are thinking she is going to be my guard dog because anyone can see how intimidating she looks (hurrump, hurrump), but she will be more of a conversation piece than anything. How can you not love that face.

She is dressed in her clothing that her other mommy bought her. She is about 10 pounds and not expected to be much larger. She is lean and her color lives up to her name.

Stay tuned for her Halloween pictures. Bet you can't guess what she is going as? LOL.

More pet sitting stories on the way................................

Time Flies......

I can't believe it has been more than a month since I last blogged. My August sit cancelled, so its been quiet. Well, as quiet as it can be with a four-month old puppy.

Punkin is growing, but she is going to remain small. She had her third set of puppy shots today and she has gained two pounds. She is now weighing 8 lbs. I doubt she will be much bigger than 10 pounds. I am glad she is small, but what they say about Dynamite comes in small packages is absolutely true.

I have been in the hospital for five days. I couldn't believe how much she had grown when I came home. She definitely knows her name, knows who is boss (she is) and all she has to do is give that cute little tilt of her head and look up at you with those big brown eyes.....she can have anything she wants at that point.

All of my adopted fur children are doing well too. I will be with Abbie again in October. But I will keep you updated on Peepers and Punkin until then.

Last Day together.....

Kira was up bright and early this morning. I promised her that we would play ball when I got back from tending the goats, pygmy goats, sheep, chickens and two asses (and one of them wasn't my exhusband.

When I returned from doing my farm chores this is how Kira greeted me. She has the memory of an elephant. But, she is such a good dog and SMART. She loves to cuddle and have her stomach rubbed and steal my blanket hogging the bed.

I always miss Kira when I have to leave, but the good news is that I am sure I will be back to visit her again.

Saturday Afternoon

Today was a lazy day for Ms. Kira. I had to run some errands and was gone about three hours. You would have thought I was gone 24 hours by the way she greeted me.

Nala, her neighbor, has come to visit and that helps Kira release some of that energy.

We are hanging out for the rest of the day. Kira is actually standing right by me with her head in my lap...as if to say "Pleeeeeeeaaaaasssseee Can you come play with me?"

I better obey or there will be no dog treats for me tonight!

Just another day in Paradise!

Well, as you can see, Kira is just relaxing at home with her bone. She hasn't wanted to go outside for the last two days as it has been consistently raining. She just loves being indoors, chewing on her bone and hogging the bed.

I have spent a lot of time with her since I got here. I have been ill for the last four days, so Kira has not been alone for very long.
We are hoping for sunshine this week so we can go on a summer walk. She walked in the rain, but doesn't enjoy it that much.

She had a dream she was chasing rabbits. I know this because I woke up at 2am to the bed moveing. I thought we were having an earthquake. look over at Kira and her little paws were going and going. Seeee, I told you she was chasing rabbits.

Kira

I am staying with Kira again for about 9 days. As you can see she is not well-adjusted at all. I told her we needed to take pictures for her Mommy and Daddy. This was her pose. She loves it when I just hang out with her and after having treats and playing a good round of fetch....this is how she relaxes. Wish I could sleep that sound. Even the flash of the camera didn't phase her.

She is an awesome canine. She is so cute when she sees me drive up into the driveway. She comes around the corner of the back yard area and is ready to pounce on whoever is entering her domain. When she realizes it is me, she looks at me as if to say 'Well, where is my cookie'. She knows that I always keep cookies in my car.

Its kind of dreary today so we are keeping a low profile. We will go for a walk in between the rain as Kira doesn't like droplets on her back. This seems funny to me because her Mommy says how much she loves the ocean. But we all have our little quirks.

Kira will have more to come in the next 9 days!

Isn't she an Angel??? Well, Not Always!

She might appear to be an angel in this photo, but trust me, she is like a wind up devil when she is awake. She keeps me on my toes!

Punkin is now 3 and a half months old. She has gained 2-3 pounds since I got her. She weighs just under 7 pounds. However, she is at least 1oo lb.s of dynamite! I used to think that Pugs were like wind up toys when they are little, but Punkin has them all beat.

She is so much fun. She is very smart too. She will fetch and return. She has the memory of an elephant and this doesn't suit well when she goes in the backyard. No matter how I try to distract her she insists on eating the rabbit poop. No, I don't have pet rabbits, just wild rabbits who multiply and disappear throughout the year. She will make a beeline for that little black pebble in the grass. Ewwwwww. I have decided to confine an area of the grass that the rabbits cannot get into where she can run. Its one project after another with her. I have already turned my house upside down for her.

I think the cutest thing she does (and, trust me...they are all cute) is right after she poops. She thinks this is the greatest thing ever. She does her business and then you see her entire expression change and she gets a burst of energy and rockets across the floor. She runs so fast that she runs into furniture, the wall, Peepers, my leg....doesn't matter. She is a dog on a mission. I've known dogs to do this. I guess they are so happy and feel so 'free' they want to show off. Can you imagine if people....well, never mind.

So, there is your update on the Punkin Head. Stay tuned for more to come including a video.

Another Beautiful weekend with our little Josie. Computer problems have plagued me the last two times I have been here. But I think we are up and running now with the exception of new pictures to share with everyone. The weather has been very cooperative this weekend which helps with our walks each day. Although I never leave Ms. Josie alone very long, she acts as if I have been gone for a year the way she greets me. She gets herself all twisted in a knot when she hears the key go in the front door. I hate to brag.....but, I really do have the cutest animals ever!

Not much else to report other than she is doing fine. She loved sleeping with me last night (and every night ) I have been here nearly the entire time so she is loving that. She did tell me though that she misses her mommy and daddy and can't wait for them to come home and spoil her! I told her not to worry, they would be home on Sunday!

From Olivia to Punkin

The puppy is doing so good. She is very smart

and will be easy to train.
However, the name 'Olivia' does not suit her.

She is quirky, playful, rambunctious and loving.

She is the color of Punkin,

so I changed her name to Punpkin.
She is doing so well at night in the whelping pen.

I don't plan to keep her in there after she settles a bit.

I am taking her into my bedroom so
that she can get used to sleeping with me.

I put the ramp up so she could jump

on the bed. She doesn't know yet
that she needs to lay down and go to sleep.
She shocked me today as she did something

my little Otis used to do. We called it 'Mach One'.

she runs really fast back and forth and in circles.
I can't believe she does this because I have

stayed with a lot of dogs and Otis was the first

I'd seen it. Otis used to love me putting my
hand under the blanket and he would try

to catch it. Punkin did the same thing today.

Maybe, she is Otis reincarnated.
Otis was one in a million, Peepers is the Queen

and Punkin?
Well, Punkin will be the terror!

But an Oh, so smart terror.

More Pictures

Punkin did a great job on her first night with the new family. She sleeps in her whelping pen and didn't cry all night. I had to screen the pen as the holes were big enough for her to put her head through. She tore up the screen, but all in all did a good job. I let her out this morning and she was a pistol. She couldn't run fast enough. She was all over Peepers and Peepers showed her who was boss. Peepers doesn't bite, but she gave her 'the look'.

She is going to be a good dog and I can't wait to take her to obedience training.

She will have her first Vet visit soon.

My new FurChild

I haven't blogged in a while as I have been traveling and my travel computer was in repair. I am back in business and will be blogging soon as I have several pet sits coming up.
But, before I do that....

please meet the newest member of my family.
Her name is Punkin. She is 50% Pug and 50% Shitzhu. She actually has the face of a Brussels Griffon and she is sweet as sugar. I picked her up today and she came home to meet her Pug sister and her Cat sister. The cat ran and my Pug (Peepers) thought she was her baby.

Peepers has never taken to other dogs in the house but she was beside herself

trying to take care of this little one. I am so glad they enjoy each other.
I purchased a big whelping pen some time ago in anticipation

of getting a new baby. She has her own little house to stay in when I am not home.

She gets to run when someone is here to observe her.
She was excellent on the ride home to her new house and we stopped to show her off to a friend. She laid in my lap while I drove and she has this little way of singing. She lifts her head up and lets out a little howwwwwlllll. She's ever so soft about it and it made me laugh when she did it.
She is loving and affectionate. She has been raised around other animals and there was no problem bringing her into the new home.
You will be seeing more of Punkin in the future.

Sooooo Sorry.....

Josie and I have been missing my computer. It took a nose dive right after my last posting on Josie. It will not be with me for at least two weeks.
Josie is just as adorable as ever and in very good spirits. She hates it when I leave her, even if it is just going to the car for a minute!
We walk two times a day....even in the rain. We sing at least once a day. I make her dance and give her one of her new cookies! She is doing very well, but I know she will love it when her family comes home.

Pawsitively Perfect Pooch.....

Okay, so the subject line is a little hokey...but, that is exactly what our little Miss Josie is. She is spoiled too. She is loving that I have had a lot of time to spend with her. I don't have another dog during the day until Thursday, so she has been spoiled by all the attention I have been giving her. Even when I have another dog, she still gets lots of attention. She is a good little cuddler.

Today, the rain let up for a short time. They keep promising some sunshine in the next few days, but we will believe it when we see it. This picture was taken during one of our drier moments and Josie got out to smell the flowers. She has been getting soaked on our daily walks and it was nice not to get her back wet.

We have been trying the harness during our walks. Josie has a tendency to pull on her lead. When you use a harness to walk or any time you use a lead to control your dog, the harness is the best restraint there is. As soon as I put it on, you can see a change in the demeanor. She realized that the harness was in control and she didn't pull once during our walk. Now we walk every time with the harness on. Since my Otis is not alive to enjoy his harness, I will pass it down to Josie. She actually reminds me a lot of my little Otis, so she has stolen my heart and I am sure Otis would want her to have it. :-)

We have had no more incidents with food since the first day. Of course, I have learned MY boundaries and kept food off the table. So, all is good.

Hopefully, we will get some sunshine in the next few days. Josie and I want to walk down to the park and the rain has not let us do that. I expect we will be able to do that soon.

Josie is great and I am sure she will have puppy kisses for her mommy and daddy when they get home!

Rain, Rain and more Rain!

It has been raining here for several days. Josie and I don't care, we still go on our two walks a day. Ever since Josie taught me to take the trail, that is where we go. She heads to the trail like she can't wait to get there. We walked this morning and she was soaked by the time we got back. We have a towel by the door and this must be something close to her routine as she is more than willing to be towel dried!

She showed one of her talents today. A siren went by and she lifted her head and howled like she was singing. I cracked up! When I realized she was a singer, I lifted my head and sang like her.....we howled together and I laughed like crazy! I think I will video tape her and maybe her mommy and daddy will split the prize money if she makes America's Funniest Videos.

We are doing superbly. She is a joy to be with and she really has taken a liking to me. She sleeps under the covers, on my lap and generally stays by my side. I think I have fallen in love!

Perfectly Fine

Josie had an uneventful night. The donut incident didn't seem to bother her in the least. She slept under the covers all night and is now laying in my lap. She taught me a valuable lesson....never understimate a Schnauzer on a mission!

We are low key today. I do not have to go anywhere, so I will spend a lot of time with Josie today. We had a morning walk and will probably get in two more walks before the day is over. She really enjoys walking.

Tomorrow she will have to be alone a little bit. A friend is having her birthday tomorrow and I am taking her out to lunch. I ordered her a birthday cake yesterday with her picture on it. I a certainly glad it wasn't on the table yesterday too! Whew!

Not much to report as Josie is doing so well and we have been relaxing. Will write again in a couple of days!

National DogNut, er, uh 'Donut' Day!

Josie and I began our first morning having tea and watching the bird in the back garden. Of course, this wasn't until AFTER our morning walk. She took me to the trail at the end of the street near her house. She was determined to get there and kept pulling me along on the leash. It is a myth that we walk our dogs.....they usually walk YOU. She was a Schnauz on a mission and there was no holding her back. She sniffed and walked and did her business and then turned around as if to say 'Ok, now we can go home'. So, back to the house we went and then she allowed me to have my morning tea.

While sipping my tea and talking to Josie, I surfed the internet for a few things I needed to investigate. I found an article that said 'National Donut Day'. Yes, today was National Donut Day and if anyone knows me, I have never met a donut I didn't like. So, I got permission from Josie to take a little shopping trip with my friend and I promised to return in two hours. I noticed she didn't have any cookies and put it down on my list for her. After all, if she couldn't have a donut, she surely could have a cookie and pretend it was a donut!

My friend picked me up and we went off to check out a few new stores in our town. I told her about National Donut Day and we vowed to get us each a donut (or two). We happened upon this little bakery in Black Diamond. From the looks of the building it had been there since World War II and we were sure it wasn't in business anymore as there were no cars! But, we stopped to check it out anyway. WOW.....we were like kids in a candy store. We began looking at all the pastries and told the clerk we wanted a big box because we were going to buy one of everything. My favorite sweet is flaky pastry. They had Raspberry Turnovers that were right up my alley. Took 3 of them. Then I spotted Canoles! Took 2 of them. We spotted a Cocunut Cream Donut and knew we had to get that one in honor of National Donut Day. We also threw in a Raspberry Cream Cheese muffin for good measure. We had our box of goodies and decided to return later to order a birthday cake for a friend. AFter all....WE came first!

We had been gone close to two hours, so I suggested we stop by and drop off the donuts and pastries and let Josie out one more time. I bought her some little natural cookies and I wanted to give her a treat as well. She ate two of them. When I stopped, I separated my sweets from her sweets. This left the Coconut Cream Donut and one Canole in the box. I set it on the table to put my jacket on and walked out forgetting to bring her sweets. We laughed and said I did it on purpose and promised to grab it later.

Can you guess what I am going to tell you next? When I returned, I didn't notice anything until it was time to find the donuts for my friend. I looked at the table and there on the floor at the leg of a chair was an EMPTY box. Little Ms. Josie had a Donut party all her own. And, she didn't just eat ANY donut....she ate the rich, expensive ones! There wasn't a lick of cream anywhere. Not a piece of coconut to be seen. Not one trace of those donuts were found. All I could say to her was "I bet you are going to have to go outside a LOT tonight". Hopefully, she can handle her sweets!

So, lesson learned. If I were confuscious, I would say "Do not underestimate small dog only one foot high.....can climb mountains for bite of sweet"!

Josie is Rosie!

This is Josie. She is a new sit for me and she is so sweet. Her mommy and daddy are very nice as well. I am doing a 'test run' with Josie this weekend as it is just an overnight visit. I begin an 18-day stay on June 5th, so you will see a lot of Josie to come.

When I arrived, she was in full guard dog mode. She barked and growled as if she were a Rottweiler! It took her a bit of time to warm up to me. She wanted to be friends, but she needed to protect her territory first. After a few cookies and a good walk, she warmed right up to me and is now laying in my lap watching T.V. But don't believe for one second that she has forgotten her mommy and daddy. She goes to the front door and sniffs under the door. She knows they are coming back and she wants to greet them.

She is very cute and very well-behaved. I enjoyed walking her as she loves to walk. I can tell Josie and I will become very good buddies!

Brandy and the Gang!

Meet Brandy! She is sweet as sugar and smart, to boot. She lives with her two-legged owners and sisters and brother. She has quite a diverse family of fur relatives as well. Three dwarf hamsters, a guinea pig, a rat, a bird and two fish!

I am delayed in posting Brandy's picture due to not having wireless access at her house. So, I came home today to post her beautiful mug on my blogspot.

Brandy has been the perfect angel. We go for walks, play in the back yard and just hang out. I have spent a lot of time with her this week and she may be spoiled when her family comes home because shhhhhhhh....don't tell anyone.......she hasn't been in her crate since they left!

Brandy is very smart. I believe her mommy told me that she is a retired service dog. Her tempermant is perfect for socializing as well as being part of the family.

All of the fur and feathered children are doing well and their family can return to a peaceful, welcoming gang!!

Kira and Nala

Kira got her buddy back. Nala came to visit yesterday. She barked behind the fence over the weekend but couldn't come out to play. I think she was locked out and couldn't get over to Kira's house. They had a good day romping when the sun would come out, but once it began to rain, I let Kira in to wait it out. Nala? She laid on the deck getting soaked. She wasn't budging until Kira went out to play with her. I never noticed that Kira likes to catch bugs. Ewwwww. She kept smacking her jaw at the air and at first I thought she was just quirky. But, then I looked over and she was trying to eat the knats. She's a funny girl.
Kira was absolutely perfect as she always is. She loved all the time I spent with her this time. I only left her long enough to feed my own dog and shower, so she was never alone for more than a couple of hours.
Today we will play and walk. Her mommy and daddy come home tonight so we will make sure the house is clean and Kira is worn out so that she will sleep. I know she is going to be very excited to see them come home. I'll miss her until my next long stay in July. However, I am fortunate to see her on an occasional Friday. She's one of my faves!

Raining, Raining, Raining.....

Rain, Rain, Go Away....Come Again Another Day

I can hear Kira singing this song. She looks out the door and when she sees it raining, she turns around and jumps back in the bed. She definitely does not like being outside in the rain.

This seems funny to me because her mommy tells me she loves the ocean.

So, I can assume, she likes it on her paws, but not on her back.

She is stretched out this morning chewing on her bone. We have been up since 6am

and she has had a cookie, played ball, tug-o-war and gone outside.

Its all about Kira and I think she knows that.

As soon as the sun peeks through, we will take a walk.

She won't mind getting rained on if we are exploring!

Happy Dog!!!

I apologize for the delay in journaling Kira's progress. We have been having a 'technical difficulty' accessing the internet, as we cannot connect to wireless at Kira' house.

Whew....enough of the apologies.....................

Kira is doing fantastic. We have had 85 and above degree weather over the weekend and yesterday. She is getting a lot of outdoor time and we have been playing with her great big basket ball and her little orange ball outside. She has also been playing with Nala, although Nala has not come to visit since Saturday? She visited with the dog on the other side of her house while all the kids were out playing, but never went beyond her boundaries.

She is getting lots of treats, walks and social time. I am with her quite a bit as this is a slow period for me so I can devote all my time to her. I plan to take her for a ride tomorrow...it is raining like crazy today and we are just hanging out. She doesn't like the rain at all. I have to walk out with her or she won't go outside. I am SURE she has me trained!

Not much new to report. We are having a good time and she is getting a lot of love and attention. She hogs the bed still, but that's okay, I love her anyway!!!

A Raisin In The Sun

Isn't she beautiful. Kira and I have been together for two days now. She has a playmate named Nala who lives next door. Our first morning, Nala came very early to visit. She stood outside the door and barked until I opened it to let Kira outside. They are very cute together and Kira and Nala played for a long time before laying down on the deck and resting.Much like children, when Kira wanted to come in, she came to the back door. Nala took her 'waiting' spot in front of the garage and Kira would come into the house for a bite to eat, a drink or just to hang out with me. I am able to spend a lot of time with her as I have no other visits at this time.

She likes hanging out in the yard, but our 85 degree weather makes it

very warm for her so she has been happy to alternate.
We are going for a long walk in the evening. It will probably be 90 degrees

today based on how it feels outside this morning. We went out on the deck

to have tea and enjoy the morning. Nala has not come to visit today?
Kira is still a bed hog, but she is a sweetheart and it is easy to just sleep

next to her and pet her belly as she loves this!
I will take her for a ride this week and we will spend our evenings walking and seeing the miniature horses. She is doing great even though she misses her Mommy and Daddy.

After the SPAW.....................

Abbie was so excited that we were going to play a new game. She jumped around like she was two years old. That is.....until she saw the dreaded hose! Today is fairly warm and the sun is shining. I wanted to get her cleaned up as she went out the other day and rolled around in the dirt. She had quite a few mats that were not budging with the mat splitter, so we had to do a little removal on some. No problem, she was laying on her back and I was brushing her and she was in dog heaven!

She wasn't quite sure what we were doing when we began, but she soon got into it. I didn't leave one of her collars on (wrong move on my part) and she got away from me while she still had her doggy shampoo on her. She proceeded to hit the shrubbery and roll around in the bark and dirt. Soooo, we had a second bath a and I learned a lesson....leave one collar on her so I could hold onto her. But, all is good. As you can see she is napping now. She was rewarded with a treat and now she is ready for a nap. We will finish the job later by giving her a good brushing and maybe a big pink bow on her collar. She is so sweet.

Raccoon Bowling Night at Abbie's!

Well, there were no noises in the closet last night, but I swear there was bowling on the roof! I could hear scurrying across the roof and a couple of thuds every few minutes. It literally sounded as if the it was bowling night for the wildlife!
After checking the traps this morning, I found no signs of extra critters in the house.
I ran an errand and was gone no more than thirty minutes. When I returned, Abbie was waiting to go outside at the back door. I let her out and she went straight into the shrubs that line the back of the house and she kept looking at the roof. I said 'What is it, Abbie?' and she intently looked up at the roof. She was not taking her eyes off the roof and she was in hunt mode, relentlessly sniffing out the shrubbery and the earth around it. She definitely knew there was something on the roof and it had been down on the ground earlier. She must have been watching whatever it was out the back door while waiting for me to come back in. She did not give up until I said 'Okay Abbie....you chased it off' and we returned into the house.
My guess is that this is a opossum or a raccoon and it has access to the house via the vents on the roof and the wall entries. I am very surprised this is the first we are hearing from this critter, but I hope it takes up space somewhere else in a hurry because Abbie's mommy is not going to want to come home!!!!