All Kinds of Stuff

Yo.  Kai here.

I’ve started levels class with Lance at Dogs in the Park.  So far it’s dead easy.  Down‑stays, but with more distractions (like Lance barking his fool head off).  I mean, I know I’m cute and I can’t imagine why the whole world doesn’t want to hang out with me, but dude, take a chill pill.  It’s been kind of fun.  We did three levels classes in three days ‘cause Mom and Dad had to go to Michigan to see a people vet and Lance and I stayed with John and Sue.  Man, John and Sue are strict!  You actually have to sit and wait at a door before they’ll open it.  Worse yet, they’ve got Mom and Dad doing it.  Still it was fun, and now that Lance and I are getting it down, it’s not too bad.

There’s a lot of new stuff.  I’m working on loose‑leash walking.  Kinda hard ‘cause it takes a *lot* of attention.  I mean, one minute you’re walking along and the next minute there’s something kewl.  _But_ you’re not supposed to take your Mom or Dad to see it, even though you know they’d really like it.  Last night there was a tunnel that the dogs were going through.  I did it – easy as sniffing a cat.

Lance, Dad, and I went to the dog park today.  It was a lot of fun.  Though I don’t know why some dogs are such scardy cats.  I saw these two dogs heading my way, and they looked like they’d like to run around and maybe play.  I ran up, did the appropriate play bow (sort of a ‘downward facing dog’ for you humans), and they both squealed and ran to their human.  Jeez!  It’s not like I was carrying a bloody Chihuahua in my teeth!  Their loss.  There was an Australian Shepherd who was fun and a Husky who liked to run.  We went to the creek with this Shar Pei.  OK, Lance and the Shar Pei went in and I guarded the shore.  We all got good and muddy.  Lance and I went home and napped until dinner.

TTFN,

Kai

Wind

It is really windy today.  Not sure how much I like that.  It swirls my fur and it’s a hot wind.  Acceptable winds are supposed to be cold or at least cool.  They shouldn’t make you feel hotter then when you went outside in the first place.  This messes up my whole plan for fall!  I was going to get Kai outside, bury him in leaves, and then jump on him.  It isn’t going to work if the leaves all blow away.  Hmmm.  When they blow, they run – sorry, gotta go catch that one.

I’m back.  It was a particularly fast leaf.  Where was I?  Oh yeah, the wind.  I suppose I’ll wait it out.  Daddy says it’s supposed to cool down tonight, so maybe after that we’ll be back to normal fall weather.  (And soon, SNOW!). 

I’d better go and make sure Kai’s not bothering the cat again – she’s going to hurt him if he keeps it up.

Later,

Lance

Fall

Kai here.  Lance has been raving about how it’s not supposed to be hot like this and how, “He remembers when it was cold and you could run for hours and hours and not get all tired and tongue‑hanging‑out.”  I thought he was just making it up (you know, the big brother lording his smarts over the little one thing). 

I might be wrong on this one (though I’m *not* wrong on eating that paper – I didn’t get up ONCE in the night).  Today is rainy and kinda’ cool.  Great weather.  Maybe I like it not so hot.  Besides, rain means puddles and mud.  It’s like having dozens of pools all over the place.  That rocks.  It’s amazing how much mud there is in a mud puddle.

Anyway, happy Fall, Mabon, and Autumn Moon Festival everyone!

Kai

My brother the idiot!

Daddy had a conference call this morning.  So after the 4^th time when we were supposed to be quiet, we got banished to the den.  It was all fine until Kai noticed there was ½ a roll of toilet paper in the room.

So once they weren’t watching us really closely – to tell the truth, I’d fallen asleep -- Kai grabs the roll and starts tearing it up and eating it!  It made a huge mess and Mommy got really upset.  She (and Daddy) kept running around the basement and looking for the pieces that made up the roll.  Then they called the vet to see if he’s going to need to get his stomach pumped or anything like that.

Seems that as long as he doesn’t get stopped-up he should be fine.  Since he poos about 5 times a day, there shouldn’t be any problem.

I’m not sure why Kai seems to have such an issue with this.  Don’t take stuff off the table, off the couch, off the floor…  Didn’t he go to the same puppy class as I did?

He’s sleeping fine right now.  Hopefully, we won’t be up in the middle of the night.

Hmmmm.  Speaking of sleep, there’s a nap with my name on it somewhere near here.

Lance

Mission Accomplished! (Sorta)

Hi!

Kai again    

I finished a milestone this weekend. I finished my prime socialisation period having met 259 other dogs and 410 people!  This is about double of the minimum you're supposed to meet before you're 20 weeks old if you want to be able to go places with your Mom and Dad. It's not hard to meet all the people and dogs, but it sure takes time. I also went *lots* of places: a pirate festival, a Canada Day festival, the Wiggle Waggle Walkathon, the Rona (they're dog friendly), the nursery, lots of dog parks, a couple of people parks, Bass Pro Outlet, Dogs in the Park (‘course) and about every pet store in South-Western Ontario ;-). I also watched fireworks, hung out around joggers, bicycles, kids, big dogs, little dogs, puppies, a birthday party (Lance's) -- you get the idea.  It was tons of fun.  Lance says we'll go lots more places now that it's getting cold and we can stay in the car when Mom and Dad go into stores that won’t allow dogs (picky, picky, picky…)

Speaking of meeting people, why is it that you humans can't learn how to meet dogs?  Lance says it's because you have things on your minds and aren't paying attention, but I'm not so sure. When you're meeting a dog don't loom over them and come down from above -- sheesh, if a 15' dog did that to a human; they'd run screaming!  Try to meet on their level. Kids do it all the time, women too. Guys must think it makes them look weak or something. Lance is OK with it, but it gives me the willies – so I get a rep as stand-offish.  

Sorry about ranting. I kinda’ got carried away.   (I tend to that.)

Where was I?  Oh yeah, Saturday Mom and Dad took me by myself to some places. Usually, it's the four of us and Lance takes the lead cause "he's older and all that".  This time I did it myself.  It wasn't all that hard. (I think Lance is hogging the spotlight.)  On top of the usual places, we went to the lakefront in Burlington.  Lots of people around and this really neat walkway where you could look down on the people in the park.  I liked that a lot.  Lots of wedding parties taking pictures (I had to ask my Mom about the people in the long dresses), but none of them wanted a picture with a dog.  Hmph!  (Mom has a dog in her wedding photo...)  We hung out at a coffee shop and I met a miniature Doberman Pinscher.  It was a lot of fun – except for the lake.  I’m still not sure why water should move around like it’s trying to get you.  It’s not natural!

Gotta nap now.

Kai

Hi from Kai

Hi!

            Kai here.  Just because Lance got firsts doesn’t mean that he’s better.  He’s just bigger.  (Which means he’s easier to catch and bite on.)  In the picture, I’m the adorably cute grey guy.)

            I’m a Taurus, born May 3^rd and I’m a bit of a Mama’s boy.  Not that Dad’s not great too, but my Mom’s the best (sorry Dad).  I really love that I have a brother to play with; he’s really cool and since he’s got all that fur (see picture), I can bite him almost anywhere and he doesn’t mind.  Lance keeps trying to get me to swim.  I don’t know what the big deal is.  Sure water’s great and all that, but getting your head wet?  Not touching bottom?  Naaaah.  I’ll stick to my wading pool and streams I can splash in.  Speaking of splashing, have you ever run through the pool and made splashes?  Great fun.  Try it some time.

            Like my bro I went to Dogs in the Park’s Early Puppyhood class.  Though I got to go to graduation (Mom, Dad, and Lance were celebrating Yule on his graduation.)  I won longest sit stay in the competition – that’s dead easy, you just sit around and people shove food in your mouth!  What could be more easy and fun?  I’m about to start the Levels class at Dogs in the Park.  Hah, Lance.  Wanna race to the next level?

            The other day I found out something about the little grey kitty (I think Mom calls her Audrey).  SHE KNOWS THE BITING GAME!  I was looking at her (OK, I was shoving my nose in her face) and she grabbed my ear with her paw and then she bit it!  IT WAS GREAT!  I barked and tried to get her to do it again, but I must have had some rabbit poo on it – she shook her head and ran away.  I’ll have to try again after it’s been raining and my ear’s cleaned off.

Bye for now,

Kai

           

Hello from Lance

Hi,

            My name’s Lance and I get first post because I’m older.  (In the picture, I’m the red sable.)

            As my Daddy said, I’m a Shiloh shepherd, a year old (born 2009-08-22) – that makes me a Leo.  I love running outside, hanging with my peeps (Mommy, Daddy, my ‘brother’ Kai, and my two cats – not sure they reciprocate on that one), swimming, chasing balls/Frisbees, meeting new people or dogs, and SNOW.  I really, really, really love the white stuff.

            My full name is Kai-Lyn’s Lancelot du Chaine (or Lancelot, Leaf-Killer; Lord of Snow; Great Mouse Hunter), but Lance will do fine; I don’t stand on formalities.   I’ve been living with my human mommy and daddy since I was 8‑weeks old.  When I first moved in, I had an older sister named Merly – I guess more like an aunt than a sister.  She was a black and white dog and tolerated my antics pretty well for being an adult.  We played a lot, OK I played and she growled at me when it got too much.  However, Mommy and Daddy worked to make sure I had things to do.

            Just after I came home, Mommy and Daddy took me in school.  I went to Early Puppyhood Education at a place called Dogs in the Park.  Not only was it a lot of fun, but I learned how to get along with other dogs and people.  (I think Mommy and Daddy learned about this stuff called ‘sit’ and ‘down’, but they don’t it very well.  I do it better.  LOL)  Dad and Mommy say it’s very important for puppies to socialise and learn new things when they’re puppies.  It makes us happier dogs.

One day early this spring, Merly went to sleep and didn’t wake up again.  I was sad.  Mommy and Daddy were sad too, and when they were I would bring them something to cheer them up.  I didn’t have anyone to play with, but Mommy and Daddy worked to keep me busy.  This summer, after I’d had time to grieve; a new dog came into the house.  His name is Kai and he’s the best chew toy a puppy could ever have.  We play a *lot*, and when we’re not playing we’re probably sleeping.  I’ve figured out lots of stuff about being a big brother (the keep away game, chase, I can get your foot, and other things).  

One thing I’ve really had a problem with is sharing attention and time.  Not that I’m greedy or anything.  I like Kai and I like it that Mommy and Daddy like him, but I don’t like it when Kai gets to go to puppy class and I have to sit in the crate.  I loved puppy class and now I have to wait my turn.  I don’t like it, but then I get my turn later for Rocking Horse Walk ('cause I get to SWIM) and Levels Class and Kai has to wait.  So I suppose it’s OK.

Come see me any time.  I’m sure we can find something to do. 

Lance

Inagural Post

My DW has been pressing me to do this for a while now. My knee-jerk response is that I have nothing of interest to post, and while I'm quite an arrogant b*****d my life just isn't interesting enough to foist on the unsuspecting public.

Then I decided to write about our two dogs. I'm going to attempt to write this in as much 1st dog viewpoint as possible.

So this is likely the 1st and last time that I, Don, will be posting as me.