Training and Activities

• 00:13 Still sleeping off my day with the kong balls 2 days ago, #

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Defying the Laws of Physics

Hero is obsessed with Kong balls. Give Hero some Kong balls and his brains disappear. Seriously, he has no self-control, no skills or abilities, all he can do is obsess over them. We give him 2 at a time, because then he gets distracted going from one to the other, otherwise he'd probably forget important things like breathing! (Plus he keeps himself endlessly entertained trying to get them both in his mouth.) He will literally chase them around the house until he's beyond the point of exhaustion. He got to play with his Kong balls on Friday and he's still sleeping it off!

Training and Activities

• 12:12 I got a rope toy as big as my head!!! Happy Christmas everyone! Gotta go chew! #

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Training and Activities

• 19:49 Oh my dog! Our Pack's Leo is on Inside Edition right now! #

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Training and Activities

• 13:42 If you get enough snow, it's like swimming except when you get cold the house is right there! #

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Training and Activities

• 20:39 Snow is cold. I don't like cold! #
• 20:48 Angel in Dog costume by my chiropractor - tinyurl.com/87cpnl #

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Training and Activities

• 21:32 Which is better - rubber kong balls or being warm? Not sure. Both is best! #

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Training and Activities

• 21:02 There was a pibble on the news sledding. I'd rather sit next to the heater though! #

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Training and Activities

• 23:24 I like being warm! #

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Training and Activities

• 23:45 Juli got me a new sweatshirt! It says The Hulk and has a picture of the human version of a pibble on it. #

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Training and Activities

• 01:35 I went out in the cold and didn't get a treat!!! Of course I had to countersurf until I fixed it! #

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Training and Activities

• 00:02 I lke eating plastic! #
• 18:23 I got my own little bowl of coffee this morning!!!! Heavenly! #

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Training and Activities

• 12:57 Why would anyone waste good coffee on nasty artificial creamer? Yuck! #

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Training and Activities

• 09:14 At a weird vet office. No breakfast, no treats for wearing my feedbag (muzzle) Why? #
• 18:11 It got worse, they did all sorts of weird things to me, rolling me around and tapping. #
• 21:04 I am obsessed with catching bugs. Yum! #

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Training and Activities

• 22:52 My pawrents got married yesterday. I was best dog and Pico best bitch. #

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Training and Activities

• 09:30 The beach! Run like a crazy boy #

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Training and Activities

• 17:48 Forgot to mention that I caught Juli's migraine last Monday night too. #

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Training and Activities

• 09:20 Juli is getting a migraine. How can she not know this? #

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Training and Activities

• 14:44 Bummer! Just found out i'm the wrong blood type to be a blood donor. Practicing shoes with sick Juli. #
• 21:49 I killed a mouse! It was fun and made Juli happy! #

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Training and Activities

• 20:07 It's 8pm, why are we still at work? #
• 21:21 Ok, this is really getting out of hand, we should be home on the couch by now! #

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Training and Activities

• 18:31 Worked again today except for a 2 hour nap in the car. #

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Training and Activities

• 18:01 How come I don';t get free lunch at work on free lunch Wednseday? For that matter how come I don't get lunch ever? #

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Training and Activities

• 16:59 At work. @mushrush is singing! #
• 18:44 I'm smart! I couldn't reach Juli's head to give her my regular alert, so I put my paws on her lap and licked her face so she'd lower it #

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Training and Activities

• 14:29 Oh my dog! Coffee is SO good! #

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Training and Activities

• 21:50 My brother scratched my nose and made it bleed! So what I was threatening worse! #
• 21:53 @mushrush "PEE STICK" I want a pee stick! #

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Training and Activities

• 04:02 Where are my people? They should be in bed with me!! #

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Training and Activities

• 17:42 Just got exiled to the car 'cause I barked at the UPS lady at work #

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Training and Activities

• 11:42 Got kicked out of daycare for being too hyper #
• 11:46 @grabbyfingers Really, I'm not that good, but when I'm bad I'm not allowed to use the computer - then I forget #
• 20:20 Just as @grabbyfingers was saying that I really was good, @mushrush was witnessing me misbehave #

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Training and Activities

• 20:19 Worked monday and today (home til 2 then the vet 4 my feet then work) #

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Training and Activities

• 23:09 I have hicups! #

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Training and Activities

• 15:57 Juli got me 2 solid red rubber balls like I like to play with at daycare! #

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Training and Activities

• 16:24 Arrrr! My pirate name is Second Mate Treacher the Silver! (working today!) #
• 16:30 @winstonthedog While in Berkley sniff for pee mail from my cousin Stella! #

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Training and Activities

• 20:28 Daycare today! ZZZ #

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Training and Activities

• 18:23 Swimming! - tinyurl.com/5875tb #
• 19:50 If you don't want bruises, don't stand behind a pibble who is learning to swim! (Sorry Juli!) #

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Possibly the Most Fun Thing in the Whole World

I was feeling really hyper yesterday and this morning and Juli was being extra boring.  Then at about noon, Juli started packing up some of her and my stuff.  We got in the car and drove on the freeway like we were going to work (or Daycare!) but for an extra long time.   Because it was so hot out, Juli had the windows down extra far and I managed to stretch my seatbelt so I could get my nose out the window without her noticing.  I found out why I'm not supposed to do that because I got a bunch of air and road dust in my nose and it felt yucky and made me sneeze.  Juli says I'm lucky it wasn't worse.

Anyway, we parked just off the freeway.  I had to crawl under a  freeway type baracade, then we walked down a path of sand with lots of yummy things to sniff.  It was kind of like my Aunt Koda's house, except there was no ocean.  After walking on the sand for a little while, we walked on some rocks and you could see the river.  I normally don't like water (except to drink), but I had to go sniff it to see what it was.  Then Juli threw one of my two fetch toys that she'd brought a little way into the river and of course I had to hop in and get it.  I'd never swam before, so at first Juli kept them really close to the edge where I could just wade.  Then she got further in the water with me so I had to swim.  It took me a few tries to really get the swimming thing down, but boy is it fun! - especially if I have toys to chase!  Not only did I figure out how to swim, I learned how to use the sandbar on the edge of the bottom of the river to push off of to change direction and speed up when I go into the deep water.  Also, I learned that it is much easier to swim downstream and then jump onto the shore and run back upstream than to swim very far upstream.  I had SO much fun!  There were other people and dogs there, but I wasn't interested in anything but swimming and getting Juli to toss my toys.  I started out swimming on leash but I was so good that Juli let me off the leash (it's allowed there!)  Did I say I had a great time?  The only bad part was that toward the end, I started to get cold.  But after we got to the car and Juli toweled me off, I was nice and warm.   I showed Juli a new trick too - I know just where and how to sit politely to get toweled off, I've just been hiding it because I hate baths!

I hope we go swimming again soon!

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Training and Activities

• 11:41 Should I be offended that Juli used a dish cloth instead of a wash cloth to wash me for work today? #
• 11:53 New furniture at office - I can no longer sprawl all over the floor. Still plenty of room for my bed though! #
• 14:52 The big boss from New Jersy came into the programmers office to chat today. He didn't notice me for quite a while - success! #
• 18:25 I learned to heel with a shipping cart and got to go to a meeting in the other dog smelling office (no dog , but I got a chewie!) #

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Training and Activities

• 19:14 Work today. And practice at a store! And I stayed in my spot while Juli went to the other warehouse! #

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Training and Activities

• 14:05 Working today. Is good. Plus a new toy for breaks. #
• 14:14 Martin is taking my picture #

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Training and Activities

• 18:10 Yesterday daycare and a couple hours at work, today it looks like it'll be daycare all day #

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Training and Activities

• 19:22 Work today! #
• 19:51 Public access - juli introduced me to automatic doors, just watching 'em #
• 20:38 Standing in the doorway at the pizza place - so hard! #

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Training and Activities

• 13:02 Maybe turning 2 is like a magic focus drug #
• 13:03 I didn't bark at the delivery guy #

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Training and Activities

• 17:11 I got stuck at home today, I wanted to go with Juli! #

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Training and Activities

• 21:19 Monday at work? New to me. I was an excellent waiter. #

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Lots of changes

The last few days have had lots of unusual stuff going on.  First, on Thursday, Juli usually picks me up from daycare and then either we go home or she lets me come practice working for an hour or so.  Last week, Juli picked me up, took me home and then she went back to work until it was almost morning.  Also, on Fridays, I usually go to work with Juli.  But this week, she left me at home.  She said it was too dangerous for me at work, 'cause she was going to have to spend lots of time in the machine room and it was too hot for me (100+ F.)  That is hot, but I don't understand how it's too dangerous for me, but she still goes. 

Saturday was pretty normal.  Then Sunday was something called my barkday.  We didn't have barkdays at that other place.  But Pico and I got special treats and I got a new toy and best of all my people made a big fuss about me and rubbed my belly a lot!  Oh, and I'm 2 now.  Juli says that means it will get easier for me to focus - which should make my life easier, maybe I'll even earn more treats!

Today, Juli took me to work with her.  She never takes me to work with her on Monday.  It was great though.  And she taught me a new trick called "take a piece" - she holds out a big treat and I'm supposed to bite off some.  It's pretty cool to have a trick that just involves eating!  Oh, I almost forgot - I practiced staying under Juli's desk while she did went into the other room (and once even outside.)  Juli was so impressed by me!

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Training and Activities

• 10:13 Another day at daycare! Yippie! At home, I'm getting much better at leave it. #

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Training and Activities

• 09:43 My cat brother came to daycare with me today! I hope I don't have to play with him! #

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Training and Activities

• 21:54 Stuck at home today, but got a new stuffed toy for being good at home. Maybe it's worth it. #

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Training and Activities

• 13:08 Practiced public access at the farmers market #

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Training and Activities

• 23:34 Went for a 3 hour walk practicing looking at Juli instead of other dogs and leave it's #

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Training and Activities

• 11:03 Today's my day to practice being at work with Juli all day. It's getting pretty easy, as long as I'm not feeling hyper. #
• 13:59 Went to a meeting in someone else's office, - never did that before! #
• 17:37 Just made several visits to the server room. Juli had avoided taking me in there 'cause a lot of dogs find it scary. Not me. #
• 18:33 I'm getting really good at the follow command to get through the narrow places in the warehouse. #
• 19:21 I waited under Juli's desk while she went in the other room for more than a minute for the first time! #

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Training and Activities

• 19:01 10 + hours at daycare! Excuse me practicing good dog dog behavior #

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Training and Activities

• 09:21 Had to ignore food all over the floor to earn mine #
• 09:22 It's much easier when rich feeds me! #

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Training and Activities

• 10:57 Daycare! #
• 18:01 Practicing good office behavior for an hour or so. #

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Trying Something New

I've started using twitter to post what I'm doing, and particularly trying to use it as a training log. And than having my tweets from the day posted here. We'll see how it works.

It can be hard to keep a training log when I don't always know I'm being trained. Sometimes we go to classes and stuff or Juli takes me somewhere specifically to work on something, but she's sneaky and lots of times, she'll just starting telling me that I'm doing a good something when I'm doing it and then all of a sudden later she'll turn it into a command. That's how I learned to pee on command - ever since I came to live with Juli, she's been telling me "Good Dog, Go Pee" when I start peeing and sometimes giving me a treat. Then suddenly last week, we were outside and she said to me "Go Pee", so I experimented and peed and she was all happy and gave me treats and pats and stuff. See, sneaky!

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Service Dog In Training Gear and Baseball

Today, I got a big luggage tag like the one Pico wears on her alternate service dog harness (the one for hot weather and car trips!)  It says "Service Dog In Training" in big letters on one side and all my important information on the back.  Julie put it on my harness and put Pico in her pack and we all got in the car.  We drove over to the local park and ride and got on the MAX train.  I'd been on the MAX before, but it was a special day when dogs were allowed and I only went a few blocks.  This time we rode all the way past downtown to a place called PGE Park to watch the Beavers play baseball. 

I'm not quite sure what baseball is, but it involves my people sitting around and eating yummy food that they might share with us (peanuts - yum!) and watching people run around on a field.  Oh, and everyone sings a song about food and balls - I think it was written by a dog, 'cause that's two of our favorite things!  It was "Bark In The Park" day, so dogs were allowed and at the end of the game, we got to go down on the field and run around the infield, which is the area where most of the people playing hung out.  It was fake grass but I pooped on it anyway and Juli had to clean up after me.  Apparently I wasn't supposed to though - what's the point of grass (especially fake grass) if you don't poop on it?  Anyway, it was good that my people took me on a dog day, because it took me most of the game to learn how you are supposed to behave at a baseball game (sit quietly and don't bark at other dogs or scary people.)  I'm a little bit scared of kids in hats and there were a lot of them there, but Juli kept me so busy with treats that after a while I forgot to worry about them at all. 

We took the MAX back to our car too.  Juli says that I was almost perfect on the MAX (I barked at a scary kid once on the way there) and really good at the game and she's very proud of me.  I just know that I got so many treats that I'm actually not hungry!  And even though I didn't do much moving around, I sure did a lot of thinking and learning and I'm so tired I may sleep for the rest of the week!

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So I have this really good idea -

We have at least one full bag of Castor & Pollux dog biscuits that expired last week. They are their fabulous Natural Ultramix Wheat-Free Dog Cookies (Juli says I have to have wheat free cookies 'cause I'm stinky when I eat wheat - humans have weird ideas of stinky!) Juli got them for me at the Doggie Dash in May and they still taste very, very good. But I think, just to be sure, that I should eat them all up now, just in case they go bad. Juli says properly stored recently expired cookies are perfectly fine and that's no reason to just eat them. She points out that if I have any doubts I can read the dates on the cookies in her lunch bag. Darn!

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Singing Workday

On Thursdays, I usually go to work with Juli to practice for when I'm a full service dog. Sometimes I go other days too. Today Martin, who works there too, took a picture of me and sent it with this caption. He gets dogs.



All dogs have many songs.

This song should go:

"Laying long... T-Shirt on... Singing my song..."

Frontin'

Like Dutch, I'm a lover, not a fighter. Heck, I let my bunny brother, Buster, beat me up. But, that's not to say that I'm above Frontin', if I think it will get me out of trouble.  In fact, I'm pretty good at frontin'.

Today, Juli took me to run errands with her and the Farmer's Market we met a little pibble girl who is just a few months younger than me. We were sniffing and I got a little nervous, so I growled just a tiny bit. Next thing I knew, she'd rolled over and was showing me her belly. I didn't know what to do! No dog (or any other animal) had ever submitted to me. In fact, my bunny brother taught me how to submit to a bunny (you have to let them under your chin and then you groom them.)

So all you dogs out there who know how to be dominant - uh, I think I need some lessons. Next time I have a scared friend, how do I let them know that it's okay and they can play?

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I didn't know there were so many dogs in the whole world!

Today was amazing.  Julie got me up early and we got in the car and drove somewhere I'd never been before - apparently it's called "downtown."  As we were driving we started seeing more and more dogs walking beside the street.   I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to play with other dogs - usually more and rougher than the other dogs like, but the people at daycare are helping me with that. We parked the car in a garage and almost every car had a dog! It was amazing. Then we went over to the park, and it was FULL of dogs. Dogs everywhere! And other pibbles too! And they kept coming! I got to meet so many dogs, and sniff pee mail everywhere. Plus people were handing out dog treats. It was like heaven! Then all of the dogs and people went for a walk on the street and in the park. After our walk, we wandered around and I got to meet more dogs and be admired by more people. Also, I found some AMAZING yummy treats and Julie bought me 3 whole bags of them! Did I mention I met a bunch of dogs and bully admirers? I also got to try being a disc dog and just for trying it I got the BEST TOY EFFUR - the Ruff Wear TurnUp. So much fun! I barely put it down all day. You can bite it and then let go and it will shoot out of your mouth so you can chase it. And it bounces around so you never know where it's going. Plus it's easy for your people to throw for you. Really, the BEST TOY EFFUR! My sister, Pico, talks about Ruff Wear all the time and has all sorts of Ruff Wear stuff. I like my Ruff Wear leash too, so much so that I tried to chew it up. It still works though. Anyway


Oregon Humane Society Doggie Dash = AMAZING!


Ruff Wear TurnUp = BEST TOY EFFUR


Oh, and I rode the MAX today for the first time. We took it back to our car because dogs were allowed on it today for the Doggie Dash so Julie said it would be a good day for my first practice. It took me a couple blocks to get used to it, but then I curled up and took an unobtrusive nap on the floor just like a fully-trained service dog!

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Doing Juli's Homework For Her

This week for obedience class, Juli's homework is to list 25 things I like. So I thought I'd help her out by making the list for her, because, well, honestly, I'm a better student than she is.

1. my rubber bone


2. Nylabone Galeleo


3. my stuffed dragon


4. tearing apart stuffed animals


5. tiny stuffed animals that fit inside my mouth


6. marking


7. sniffing pee mail


8. playing rough


9. playing with Buster (my rabbit brother)


10. eating rabbit food


11. Kongs (with or without food)


12. my tire


13. generally chewing on anything rubber


14. jumping on people - espcially when they like it too!


15. sitting at the head of the bed


16. belly rubs


17. giving kisses


18. having people sit on the floor with him


19. clicker training


20. cow legs


21. treats made from lungs


22. bully sticks


23. being talked to


24. coming inside


25. being in the bathroom when the heater is on


26. playing with other dogs

I could go on, but this should do for now.

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Dog Daycare

Juli started a new job on Monday where she works in the office all the time instead of at home. So far this week, she's been making Pico and I stay home. Rich has been here most of the time - although when he left and left me in my kennel yesterday I got out - but I was good and just lay on the bed and didn't even chew on anything I wasn't supposed to.

Today was different though. This morning Juli took me with her. She parked at what I know now is her office, then we went for a walk through the industrial park and into a different business. It smelled nice and doggy and I could hear and smell a bunch of other dogs. The people there greeted both of us by name like they were expecting us and told me how cute I was. I was thinking this was pretty good until they started taking me away from Juli and she just said "go with." Then I wasn't sure it was a good thing, but it turns out it was. The place is called Airpet Hotel and they do something called dog daycare and boarding. In other words, PLAYTIME!!!! I finally got to play with some other dogs. There were two young bully type dogs like me and the three of us played and played. I guess after playtime there is nap time, but Juli came and got me before then because the network was down at her office. But we got back to her office and the network was working again, so I had to stay there and be bored for a while - but then we went home so she could work from home because the part she needed was still broken. Anyway, I hear I get to go back next Wednesday. I hope my friends are there then too! It was so fun to play with other dogs!

The Vick Dogs Hava A Blog!

Juli and I found the Vick Dogs blog today! We saw Jonny Justice on TV on Friday which was really cool. Then today we found that he and 4 of the other Vick dogs share a blog. That's even cooler!

I didn't have it as bad as they did, but like them I belonged to people who didn't take good care of me (they said they got rid of me because I chew up stuffed animals when I'm bored, but I think they didn't like that I'd rather die than fight), I was at the shelter (but only for one day thanks to Juli and Pico), and now I live with a really nice family that understands dogs. Like them, since I left the shelter I've been learning about all sorts of new stuff I didn't know about. I surprised Juli today by knowing a new word "walk." I didn't know what a walk was when I came to live here. I'm still not sure why they call it a "walk" when really, Pico and I do much more sniffing. It's not really a walk, it's a chance to sniff pee mail. I love pee mail! I didn't get pee mail at my old house.

Yesterday, we started a new dog class with Juli and Pico's friend Amy. It's a clicker training class and this week I'm supposed to be learning that when the clicker clicks, something good is going to happen. Juli has been trying to show me this for a while, but Amy had some new ideas. The problem is, I'm still amazed that good things happen at all! My new people are almost always nice to me. The meanest thing they do is take away things that might be bad for me like the sticks I'm trying to eat and give me something safe like my kong or make me go in my kennel with my bed and toys. But, I'm still worried that they'll hit me or something. Even though Pico told me that they don't believe in it.

The groomer and other places I never knew existed

Julie takes me to lots of places that I never knew about. For instance, until I came to live with Julie I'd never been to the vet except when I was really sick as a puppy with something called Parvo. Apparently, going to the vet and getting shots can keep you from getting sick! We even go just to visit! And why not? I usually get treats or at least pets!

Today, Julie took me to a place called the groomer and I got a warm bath and a good brushing and lots of love. Who knew they had special people and places just to give dogs a bath? They even gave me a St Patrick's Day buttoner. I look so clean and pink and distinguished. This was so much better than getting hosed off at home! Julie says I shouldn't get used to it, it's just that I was shedding so much she was afraid I'd plug the drain at home.

Blue Boy No Balls

Hello everyone! I'm Hero, also known as Little Boy Blue. I was adopted from the Willamete Humane Society in December 2007. My old owners told the shelter that I was a pit bull mix, but I pretty much look like a big headed American Pit Bull Terrier, however there is picture on Wikipedia of an American Bulldog that looks a lot like me.

I live with my human pawrents; my dog sister, Miss Pico; my cat brother, Mike, and my bunny brother, Buster. Miss Pico is a retired medical alert dog and I'm learning to be a medical alert dog. Pico taught me to alert already, but I still have to learn basic obedience and public access skills.

I got my nickname "Little Boy Blue" because I'm a boy and part blue. I think the little is a joke, because I'm not very little. I'm glad Julie choose to focus on the blue, because she also talks about my pink nose, and I'm just not a "Pinky"! I picked my internet handle, "Blue Boy No Balls", because in order to be allowed to leave the shelter, I had to get neutered. I'm not blue about that though! As my friends at Bad Rap say Who Needs Balls When You Have Brains (Support Bad Rap and get the t-shirt here!)