Rescue "Dopleganger"

We're sneaking this idea from Riley, the Australian Cattle dog! It's actually a contest but I thought we would do it for fun and to spot light a doggy that needs a home! The name of the game is "Find Your Better Half" and you just find your pup's identical 'better half' (the sex your pet isn't!) from the PetFinder.com website and post their picture! 

I looked at Aussies... there were 74 pages :(

 I wanted to adopt them all and couldn't find a Charlie to save my life!

 So I decided on Madison's better half....

Miss Madison, a 10yr old young Border Collie X Golden Retriever

Meet Joe! Her "Better Half"

Mr Joe a 1-2 yr old Flat Coated Retriever Mix from Washington DC

Joe needs a foster home! He lives in Washington DC and looks JUST LIKE MADDIE! So if that says anything about him I bet he's a perfect dog! 

Here's the link to Joe's page... I hope he finds a home! JOE!

In other news Charlie is thriving in obedience class! BEST part of the night...  Ms Teacher told us today that she is amazed at his progress bravery-wise! We worked on long line today and he would just trot around at the end of the line... sniffing around until I called him! During our sit-stay she came and pet him on the head and talked to him... his ears disappeared (sad dogs have no ears) but he didn't move an inch :) Quite the step from growling at her the first week! I <3 my nubs! 

The second best part of class was when we were leaving and I bent over to put Charlie's collar on.. there in a crate... quiet as a mouse... was a BIG BEAUTIFUL black tri Aussie! He belongs to our teacher and his name is Sam. I'm in LOVE (don't tell Charles!!!). Ms Teacher does obedience with Sam and I cannot wait for Charlie to listen like that! I hope Sam is there next week! Maybe Charlie and I can watch them practice! 

I am definitely going to continue onto the 'advanced' obedience class when we are ready and try Agility when Charlie is old enough. I can even see outside of class that his confidence is growing. There is hardly ever growling and he is much calmer when scary strangers walk around him. Even if I just tell him to sit he seems so much more secure! He is even sniffing complete stranger's hands... zero growling when they talk to him! Ms Teacher said that she hasn't seen many dogs come out of intense fear like Charlie has, it was really great to hear that my our hard work is paying off! 

We're Not in Kansas Anymore...

If fact... when Charlie and I woke up (with NO electricity) we thought we had been shipped Wizard of Oz style to Alaska! 

It's Alaska! ...oh wait that's the backyard!

We had 8-10 inches of "Thundersnow" last night, which is super heavy snow accompanied by a thunderstorm.. so cool! 

We NEVER see snow like this! It is up to my knees!

Snow is almost over me! And its only 7:30pm!!

Charlie and my little brother Georgie LOOVED it! 

Snow Partyyyy

Well... for the most part! 

must... journey... to .... backyard!

We saw some snow deer on our walk in the neighborhood! 

And of course MORE SNOW! 

 Charlie can't help but wonder...

"Did our friend Ryker in Alaska send us this snow??"

Meet my favorite toy..

Hi...

Meet my favorite-ist toy in the entire toy basket.

It is a paper towel roll! I don't like the paper towels... but if I see an empty roll I jump and spin and cry until someone gives in and hands it over!! Feel free to look... but sorry... I can't share these gems!

 

They're soo gooooood! And it's ONE THING that I can riiiip and shrrrrred and... oh its wonderful! 

 

Uh... you're still here... I only have one...  I don't like to share... 

 

 My favorite part is watching mom clean them up!! I make as many tiny pieces as I can! 

She has alot of fun picking them all up!

 

Flashbox! I said no sharing!!!

I looove ripping! Oh that's Stinky Fox in the picture... he stinks! Its great! 

Oh geeze... you're still there... you really want a piece huh? wellllllll...

 

How about a cute picture of me enjoying my favorite toy instead???

"Do I have something in my teeth?"

Wordless... Friday?

"Who wants a piece?? huh?"

We Went to Schooooool!

Well we survived the first class! Now I wouldn't say we were the favorites but... we certainly weren't the 'least prepared'! Here's the play by play! Maybe I'll get real pics one day... until then I played with clipart!

I plan on getting to class early... insert troublesome GPS... we arrive 2 minutes early!

BIG RED DOG sniffs..and almost knocks over Charlie as we walk in.. Charlie is unfazed... well... more like really freakin distracted by the 7 strangers! BIG RED DOG is named Charlie! (First Friend!)

We are praised for having a chain collar that fits correctly... then converse with V.E.T. who brought a b-e-a-utiful Dobe pup named Bree, and was proud of Charlie for acting nervous but.. normal? haha

oops.

Drill Master (aka Teacher Lady) comes to help us with the Sit... Charlie growls. I recieve a STERN talking to about my puppy's aggression :( Then Charlie is literally drug... i mean he layed down and she pulled him on his belly... away from me to practice Sit with Drill Master. Amazingly he listens! And accepts pets from her!

Like this... but hey.. it worked!

It wasn't all downhill from there though.. we were praised for our loose leach walking and the other pups showed us up...

B.R.D. Charlie gleefully pulled his loving master to the floor trying to make another friend.

Kinda like this...

5 of the 9 dogs in class pooped or peed (AMAZED Charlie wasn't one of them!!)

A pit-mix tried to eat Charlie.. only Charlie.. and by eat I mean pulled his owners along trying to taste his Aussie pants following us! Ah! I think they got the doggie aggression version of the talk I received :/

Nom Nom Aussie Pants!

At the end of class Drill Master walked up to us again.. no growling! :)

So all in all I was VERY happy with Charlie. He tried SO HARD his 'Sits' were precise and his walking was very good! And he really seemed.. ok.. in the enviornment! Nervous but not any more so than some of the other puppies! YAAY! We can't wait for next week!

I iz concentwated oh so hard! I WILL be a good school puppy!

Yoga Puppies

Our first instructional post on yoga for dogs! 

The beautiful models Maddie and Charlie will demonstrate a few basic beginner poses! 

First is the "Mountain Pose" Stand very straight and focus your gaze... hold for 15 seconds.

The Border Collies and herding Aussies practice this pose daily and are experts!

Charlie will demonstrate my personal favorite, "Balanced Nubs"...

this pose takes many many years of concentration to achieve!

Next we move to the old favorite, "Downward Facing Dog"...

Maddie straighten you tail! 

Much better! 

When you have practiced doggie yoga for a very very long time you will achieve mind control powers, enabling you to do our final pose, the "Levitational Ball"

Hehe hope you have fun trying doggie yoga! Remember... Concentwation is Key! 

We'll be practicing today to get limbered up and ready for... CHARLIE'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL tomorrow! We will be going to basic obedience class and our vet, who has Charlie's aunt.. or cousin... not sure on the relation will be there with a client's dog! 

      I've held off taking him until now because of his anxiety issues, yes I know taking him out should only help them, but until recently I honestly thought being in a room with that many strangers would be too much!
   
    But in light of recent events such as a Christmas party when Charlie was begging for cheese from alll the guests (he's 'allowed' to beg from strangers right now...ugh) and sitting in my cousins lap! We also went to the pet store yesterday and for the first time Charlie walked up to total strangers and accepted treats without reeeeaaaching and leeeeaning toward our ...no longer scary... pet store worker friend! She was bowled over by his random progress! We had guests over another night and Charlie was nervous, he couldn't find me so he sat with my teenage brother, who normally TERRIFIES him!!    

PROOF!

    

So tomorrow night off to puppy class we go!

Wordless Wednesday

RIP Luke "Golden Boy"

We are hugging Luke's mom and family over blogdom as Luke passed away Saturday. I loved reading his courageous stories and hearing of his mom's all star "Love Protocol" that I'm sure Luke will always remember. Luke was a beautiful Golden Retriever and he'll be missed by his real life family and his blog land friends <3

We love you Luke's mom (and Bleu!) sending hugs and sloppy kisses to you!

We'll miss you even though we never met you Luke

<3

A Day at the Lake!

Today mom took me to the lake by our house! I've been swimming here in the warm months but never in the snow! I LOVE the snow SO MUCH! Its fluffy and sniff-able and eat-able!

Hey where'd the water go?

There was so much to see! 

Adventure is out there!

nomnom stick!

There was a boat shed that apparently I've seen before...

Anybody in there?

I don't think so!

AHHHHH

It was a little too relaxing so I decided mom needed a little excitement... 

"Charlie stay away from the lake..."

this lake?

"Charlie I mean it! You don't know if its frozen!" 

hmm...

ompf!

"See! Now you fell!"

Nobody saw that right?...

"Well now maybe you'll listen Nubs!.... Charlie! Again?? Really??"

I'm tellin you... there used to be water and ducks here!

right here...

"Charles get OFF the lake!" 

Oh hey wow its frozen...

Okay Okay geeeze!

I have no idea what she was so upset about... I see geese out there all the time! Good thing they werent there today.. I would have had them! 

After a while mom said she was frozen and we had to go back to the car... 

Do we have to?

Hahaaaa sucker!! You can't catch me!