Happy Holidays

BEST WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

JUNO AND MONTY

OUR MOM AND DAD, TOO

The Season

advent cookies

I think I was too young to appreciate the holiday season last year.  I was just getting used to my forever family.  Mom put these long red things on the wall...they have 24 small cookies and 1 big cookie.  Monty is teaching me that they are called Doggie Advent Calendars and many years ago Mom made about 100 of them for the Golden Retriever Club.  Now she just makes them for friends and, of course, us.  Monty says we get one every day when we sit nicely in front of the calendars...he spends a lot of time sitting there. See the one with the red yarn part way down...that's an old one.  Mine is new!  We're at the beach and Mom forgot to bring the calendars but Monty says not to worry because that means we will have to do "catch up" when we get home...that means lots of cookies.  We get lots of treats anyway but he always wants more.



go dog go

This last weekend was VERY busy.  Mom and I went to a Porti match so she could help out.  Maddie came to help Mom and play with me...pretty cool.   One of the dogs was nervous around kids so his owner had Maddie give him lots of treats...he warmed up to her but is still a little timid about her.  Kids are my favorite next to Monty and my mom and dad.  Monty stayed home and our neighbor boy, Corbin, came over to let him out and play with him.  On Sunday, Dad was home from sailing (they won!) so he went with us to the Porti Holiday Party.  Every single dog there was MY KIND!  WOW!  One of the things they do is have a gift exchange...you bring a doggie gift and then you get to pick one out from the pile.  I picked (with Dad's help) three tennis balls with squeakers in them.  Monty loves them...not so sure my people do. Mom was in charge of the games and Dad helped me do them.  I think the dogs and people had a good time, but next year Mom says she will use a bullhorn, whatever that is.  I was really tired so Dad was going to take me out to the car...well....just outside the door of the building we were in there is a big fenced area for dogs to run around.  The only thing to do with something like that is...GO DOG GO!!!  I wasn't really all that tired.  It was fun to run around with other Portis, but I did eventually wear out.


Maddy's new friend

 Our friend Casey who moved to Bend will have a new house in a few days.  It is really big and he has 3 fenced acres to run around in.  Too bad we aren't closer.  Their house is on the other side of town from where I was born.  Mom helped us send Casey some edible Christmas cards.  He should get them soon...hope he savors them.

That's it for now.  Gotta go guard Granny's chickens.

     'til next time,
                           Juno

Being Thankful

On Sunday I will have been with my family for an entire year.  I am very thankful that I came to live here in Bellevue with Dad, Mom and Monty.  They are so good to me.  They have been great about my good and bad things...of course there are many more good things about me than bad.  They have persisted in getting me to eat, gain weight and grow well.  Monty never steals my food even though he would love to but always waits until Dad or Mom tells him he can clean up the bit I left or lick my empty plate. They got rid of those nasty fleas we brought home.  I get to sleep wherever I want except at night and then I sleep in my crate...have tried to go someplace else when they say "time for bed" but they caught on and grab my collar when we come in from last outs for the day.  Mom's been teaching me fetch...I know she's teaching me something and it's not just playing around because there's parts I have to do that I would rather not, like the "wait" part.  I do it because she wants me to.  Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up all my Portiness, actually, none of it.  Dad takes me for walks and I make it easy for him because as soon as he picks up his shoes and socks I'm right there and follow him around until we go.  He never has to look for me and Monty knows that I go first so he doesn't cause a fuss.  We went almost 4 miles the other day.

3 mice and me

One of our friends in the Porti club put together a calendar with naughti Porti pictures on it and guess what...I'm there for the month of May.  It's one of those pictures of me looking into Granny's chicken yard.  We told Granny today and she is really excited.  It's a good thing we ordered 2 of them so she can have one.

Mom's been busy making these stuffed mice for my girls for Christmas. I try to remind her that I'm one of her girls too. Last night she was stuffing some while we were watching TV and I tried to take the green one. Maybe she will make me one now that she knows I like them. She let Monty hold one and it was the green one!  Not fair!

Monty

Monty is one of the best things about my life here.  He never gets mad at me and I'm told I can be very annoying especially when I'm too full of energy. Can't be true!  Annoying, moi???  Monty lets me curl up and sleep right next to him and never growls at me even when he is chewing on something he really likes, sometimes he does hog the pans Dad gives us to lick and today it looks like there's a lot of them.

Casey watching...
probably for me!

Monty's cousin and my boyfriend, Casey, is gone. So sad. His mom sent us a picture of Mr. C watching the river at
the little house they are renting in Bend. Mom says
he's looking for those big ships that went by his old house. I hope they get a new home soon.

There are lots of things to be thankful for ...my 5 girls, the boys across the street, our beach house, Granny and her chickens, all the people who think I am just wonderful!

                             Enjoy your Thanksgiving,
                                                                              Juno
Who are my friends in other countries?  I'm thankful for you.                 
                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Monty's

What's Up?

helping Monty clean soup bowls

Been kind of lazy lately...change of season and all.  Ya know there are some people out there from Germany, Russia, Latvia, and Malaysia who have hit on this blog.  Don't know if it was accidental or what but think that's pretty cool.  I like to think I'm a "canine of the world", after all I am Portuguese!

Thought you might like to get caught up on what's going on in my life...you know that destroyer comment?  Well...Juno was a naughty girl.  I chewed up one of Annie's boots.  I'm really sorry but Mom said it would come out of my allowance..what's an allowance?  I seem to be getting fewer treats though, is that what she meant?  Been eating really well otherwise and haven't even been getting a song before meals.  Dad says, "Juno, get off your butt and get over here!". He did buy a couple of chickens to cook up and add to my food. He saved the breasts, thighs and legs for people food and boiled up the rest for "Juno juice" which is added to kibble. Mom does the same thing with turkey legs.  Am up to 31.8#!  I don't eat out of a dog dish like Monty, that's too plebian!  I have a plate with a bit of a lip on it so not too much food goes on the floor when picking and pushing it around.  Mom bought a glass pie plate to set on top of a bowl for me to use at the beach.  What they won't do for me!  As it should be. That Monty really likes to clean my plate but Mom doesn't want him to get fat so she makes him lie down and stay while I finish up.  The other day she had to leave the kitchen for a couple of minutes so I quit eating and left the room.  Monty was in exactly the same place when she came back.  He got lots and lots of praise...what's the big deal?  I leave meals alone all the time.

playing tops with Annie

good times with Mr. C

What they can't do is keep Casey here.  Mom and Dad said they are leaving next Tuesday and I probably won't see him again!  Monty will be sad and so will I.  Somebody said that he would get a buddy when they got a house in Bend.  Dad said he'll get a girl of his own!  I don't like to think about that.  They will probably get another boy anyway. 

We're at the beach this week so we can help Granny and put the vegetable gardens to bed.  Dad's beeen working pretty hard.  They are going to go out with Casey's Mom and Dad and then Monty and I will get to do hugs and kisses with him...more likely rough and tumble.

                    Love ya' all
                                     Juno

In My 2nd Year

being thoughtful

When humans get older, I understand that they become more thoughtful about life.  I was thinking about that yesterday when I was helping Mom in the backyard.  Our yard has a deck which is great for launching myself off of. There's gravel covering the dirt because grass doesn't grow. There are a lot of great big evergreens to block the sun.  Monty told me there used to be great dirt spots that would become puddles when it rained...good for digging and getting his blond coat dirty.  There are some flower beds and 2 kennels.  Shortly after I came these high green wire fences went up around the flower beds...Monty was a little disgusted because he only needed little fences about a foot high.  He's a wuss, you know.  The granddaughters use the kennels to play with us.  I think I told you about this a while back.

OK, being thoughtful about helping Mom in the back yard...This gravel is great to do my "go dog go" act of running REALLY fast, making sharp turns, leaping off the deck and scattering gravel everywhere.  I've also got 3 spots where I like to dig.  Mom doesn't like that.  So, the sun came out and Mom decided to groom us outside and rake the gravel so it was even and didn't have the ditches that happen when I go tearing around.  She started raking and I started running!  Every once in awhile I'd stop at one of my stations and start digging.  Just trying to give her something to do. That's the thoughtful part.  She'd come and fill that hole so I'd go to station #2.  She'd fill that one so I'd move on.  You get the picture.  For some reason I don't think she was happy because she went in the house and came out with this stuff she calls hot sauce that she dumped in the holes.  I didn't think it was so bad.  Then she came out with something she sprinkled on my digging spots.  That made me sneeze and I didn't like it much.

Annie loves me
Of course

Was thinking about the great things in my life, short as it has been so far.  Of course, the best is Monty and then comes Mom and Dad.  One great thing to do is take a nap with Monty and Mom on the big bed...I get myself sandwiched right in between the two of them and it is just great.  Mom works hard to give me good meals and I'm really beginning to appreciate it.  Dad takes me for walks almost every day and I get to go before Mr. M!  Dad's tried taking us both together but I showed him I like my alone time with him. Guess how!  Other great things:  the beach house, Granny, Casey, chickens, human aunts and uncles, Mattie, Tori, Annie, Eizabeth, and Cathy, Corbin, Brenden, and Aaron, any bed, and parties.


Mom said I'd better get this posted...I wanted to tell you about my new name...THE DESTRUCTOR.  Probably in my next post.  Don't know if that's a better name than fleabag which is what they called me for awhile.

                                                Later,
                                     Juno

One Year Old!!

                                                                    

new red collar and bunny

My how time flies!  Mom said that but I don't understand.  I see birds, planes, fetching things, bees and bugs flying but never anything anyone called time.  I think it's a human thing.  This is my birthday week...yes, week...and there's a whole bunch of special stuff just for me. Saturday night we had Sarah's girls overnight and I aslways get into mischief when they are here.  They take all these toys out and leave them on the floor downstairs...what's a girl to do...some of them are good to chew on so, of course I did.  We are minus one large turtle.  They didn't play with it anyway.  Monday, Mom took me with her to the vet's so we could get some medicine for Monty and I got a new red collar.  It is really pretty cool and looks gorgeous against my black coat although it's hard to see some times.  After that stop we went to Petco and Mom let me try out new toys.  I picked one of those stuffing free rabbits because I can really give them a shake to be sure they are dead.  When I brought it home,  Monty wanted it too so we played tug with it and got in trouble for being so rowdy in the house.  Then Tuesday I went to the beach  with Mom.   We walked down to Casey's house and he got his mom to take off his electric collar



in Kathy's pond


so we could run around.  That silly boy picked up this huge stick...almost a log...about 6 feet long and was dragging it around.  Kathy said he was showing off for me.  I ran and ran but Casey didn't follow me so finally I came back and went through the little fence around Cathy's pond to get a drink and cool off.  The fence is to keep the raccoons out so they don't eat the last 2 fish, but if I can get through, I bet they can.  The sad news is that they sold their house so will be moving at the end of the year or whenever they find a new house in Bend.  Monty doesn't know yet but we will both miss Casey a whole bunch. When we got home Mom spent a lot of time getting little seeds out of my coat. 



BIRTHDAY!!!

Dad finally got here so we could do my birthday cake and pictures.  The cake was really good.  I didn't even have to eat my dinner before I got some but I did eat all my dinner.  Wonder what special things they have planned for the rest of my birthday week!  By the way, I'm up to 30.4 lbs. I'll never be fat though!


'TIL NEXT TIME

                    Juno







An Overnight with Cathy and a Water Trial

on the bed

Cathy wanted to have a vacation with Mom, Dad, Monty and ME!  Well, who wouldn't!  She is one of the granddaughters and has a big sister, Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is 13 and doesn't do overnights with us very often.  Cathy is 6 and she likes us...of course. We like her too.  When the granddaughters come I get to go to the park with them and that's cool because there are other kids and dogs there too.  It's a good thing we went on Saturday because Sunday was raining and Cathy would have gotten all wet. Wouldn't bother me...I'm a water dog!  She is a good dog person so I let her bring me home on the leash and sat when she told me to.  I even got up on the bed when she did...don't tell her I always do that.  Monty got up too and that bed is kind of soft so it makes him unsure.  I was proud of him because he did it for Cathy.  Remember, he likes to sleep with the granddaughters.  In the morning he got in bed with Mom and Cathy.  I couldn't because I was in my crate.

Cathy the dog trainer

Last weekend we went to a Portie water trial.  Mom and Dad helped a lot but I got to get out of my crate and visit some of my friends, both canine and human.  Those tests they do look pretty cool but I don't think I'll be doing them.  It's that old balance thing!  Maybe I could put my head under water and get that toy and even sit on the back of the boat.  Don't think I could swim out to the boat or do the 1 minute swim.  We'll see.  The other granddaughters showed up with their parents and we went in the water.  I did swim around a bit without my life jacket.

fashion by Cathy

Mom says "bath today"!  She finally got my coat back under control and bought some stuff to help it stay that way.  She also found some food I like.  It doesn't have a bunch of ingredients in it and  she still adds stuff like chicken and broth but I eat everything in my bowl.  She sings me an eating song to get me to the "table".  Cathy tried to sing me a dinner song but it wasn't the same as Mom's so I didn't come!  Gonna have to step on the scales this week.

thinking about growing up

                  Hey!  It's my birthday a week from
                                    Wednesday.
                            Wonder what I'll get?
                                        Later,   Juno

End of Summer?

My friend Ripley

Mom said this was the end of summer but I find that hard to believe.  I think my life is a continual summer!  I do know she is trying to get rid of my "summer of sea and sand hair".  It's a real struggle what with the weeds I got into and running around with the Golden boys.  Mom is having trouble getting the clippers through it and is using all her patience to work on the knots a little each day.  Dad says that patience thing is a challenge for Mom. Thank goodness she's working slowly because I don't like sitting still that long.

Ripley and Me

Last week we went to visit our friends Sandy and Jim.  There were a bunch of other people there too and one last puppy named Ripley. Her new mom was there to do some water work and get to know her.  Ripley is a really nice little girl,  she even played with me.  Ripley's doggy  Mom came later and she DID NOT like me so I just stayed outside.  No sense in being around a dog that doesn't like you.  We went down to the dock and my mom took me in the water which is really nice.  It's warm and clear.  Too bad Mom didn't put her water shoes on so we could go further.  I was swimming without my lifejacket. The lake is called Wye Lake and it's shaped like the letter Y, isn't that funny?  There's another one close by called Square Lake, I wonder if it's square!

Dad's gone to a sailboat regatta in Bellingham this weekend but next weekend there's a Portie water test we're going to.  No, I'm not in it!  Mom and Dad are going to help do some of the work and I get to play with Ripley.  Maybe I'll swim a little bit since it's supposed to be hot.  I'm sure glad we don't live where there are tropical storms and hurricanes...that looks awful.

I guess a lot of our friends will be going to Georgia for the national in a couple of weeks.  Our friend Annie is taking the pillows Mom made to see if people like them.  Some of them are really cute.  Mom finished the Portie quilt to donate to the club so now she needs another project...MEEEE!


                        'Til next time,
                                          Juno

Summertime and the Living is Good



cami jacket



meeting Farley

Lots of things going on for us...maybe that's why I haven't done another blog for a little while. Last time we were at the beach, we met Val and Pam at Hansville for a walk on the beach.  We were pretty cool walking along...three Portie girls and one guy. After the walk we went up to Buck Lake so Val and Pam could do water work with their dogs.  Mom didn't know we were going to do that so she didn't bring my life jacket or any water clothes for her...that didn't stop us!  Val lent me a water coat that is made from something like a wet suit but has a nice cover on it.  I think it's called camouflage, hunting dogs wear them and they also insulate the wearer from cold water.  Buck Lake is not nearly as cold as Puget Sound!  Anyway, Farley and I went in the water and I swam quite a bit.  Farley was very gentle and encouraged me to keep going.  Lots different from going in the water with Casey...Casey tries to mount me and I go under.  He's such a big oaf...doesn't he understand that  nothing will come of it!  I tried sitting on Pam's boat with Mom and it was much better this time. I hope we can do that again.  That Harley can be a little bum...the back of our car was open and he jumped in my crate and ate the cookies I hadn't eaten.  That's O.K., he's a nice guy.


party Portie
first mate Portie




getting the toys

 At the beach we have this bucket with toys in it but Monty can't get any of them out and he usually wants the bones that are in it.  We have four bones.  So...guess who has to help him.  You got it, me. Sometimes I have to dig way down and take every thing out just so he can get what he wants.  Dad said that last time they got ready to come home Monty didn't have to be dragged to the car...he just walked out and put his front feet on the bumper so he could be boosted in.  Dad thinks he wanted to come home and see me because we had left a day earlier. I think he's beginning to like me almost as much as I like him.

Mom made 2 more Portie pillows for Annie.  We hope she likes these.  Dad wants to know when she will be finished making pillows.  I'm wondering too.  Most of them look like me but she said she was going to make some brown ones and ones with white on them.

Flash...I weigh 30.9 #.  Dad calls me a little porker...I AM NOT!

                                                 'til next time,
                                         Juno

Friends, Friends

You must know by now that I am a social creature.  This week we have gone visiting, had visitors, and of course had dinner with Granny.


Savvy and me

We had lunch with Auntie Annie, Sandy, and Jim at their house on Wye Lake.  It was kind of a long drive...especially since Mom got lost!  She even asked a county sheriff for help but we were in another county and it wasn't his jurisdiction!  Can you believe it.  Anyway, Mom called Sandy and she said it wasn't our fault because the sign where we were supposed to turn had gotten knocked down.  There were 4 adult Portis and 2 puppies at Sandy's house!  Wow!  I met Annie's girl, Savvy, who isn't really an adult yet but closer to my age.  Most of the time it was fun but they did gang up on me and I had to hide.  Next time it will be easier.  I just play a lot with the Golden boys. Mom gave Annie the pillow she made and they were all oohing and awing about it.  Hey, it's just a pillow!  Annie gave Mom a lifevest for me!  It's really pretty and goes well with my black coat.  More about that later.



company coming



Yesterday, Val and JP came in their boat and ate lunch on our deck.  They brought Jo and Sidney who went into the deck pen with me.  Monty got to be with the humans.  I guess that was o.k. because I met some more Portis.  It's been a Porti kind of week.  Val, JP, and the dogs anchored their boat and came in on their rubber dinghy.  One of the dogs, I think Jo, jumped off the dinghy and swam in.  I was impressed!

new spiffy life jacket

swimming with Dad

After Val and JP left, I put on my life vest...well, Mom put it on me...and Dad took me out swimming.  He says I'm not a very strong swimmer, I guess that means I don't swim like a Golden!  If I keep trying and eating better I'll get better.  After that, I had a bath and if the mist stops today, I'll get a hair cut and Monty will have a bath.  He doesn't know that yet and that's a good thing because he won't like it.  It takes a long time for him to dry.

If you've been paying attention, I turned 10 months yesterday.  I'm really growing up!

                                                           Have a good week!

                                                Juno







Summer Time

the purple squirrel

helping Monty

Big news! I went to the vet so Mom could get some samples sent off for testing...that's not the cool thing but I also got weighed...ta dummmm...29.9#. My hips are not so bony anymore! You know Mom said she was mixing all this stuff up and putting canned with the kibble...well, I decided that wasn't so good anymore. You know you have to keep your people on their toes. She brought home some samples of raw food from this fancy pants pet store and WOW! that was good stuff. I belonged to the clean plate club. Mom bought what she thought I liked best but I've decided it's not so great anymore. Wonder what's next. Maybe she'll kill the fatted calf!

Monty has these two things; one is called the "cookie bone" and the other is his "purple squirrel". They can both be stuffed with food or cookies of a certain size. He gets the squirrel with kibble in it and just goes around the house bouncing it and snarfing up the food, sometimes I get some. I wonder if this is a trick to get food in my tummy. I got the bone with some treats stuffed in the ends and that was pretty good. Mom put the bone up on the desk when I was through so I just jumped up and got it for Monty. Monty would NEVER do something like that so I have to help him out sometimes.

an original by my Mom

Maddie, Tori, and Annie came to stay Saturday night. Mom and Dad took them to a water park but I didn't get to go! Did they forget I'm a water dog?  Monty slept with the girls and I couldn't find him in the morning. I ran all over and up and down the stairs sniffing the air...finally I found the room they were in and waited 'til Mom let him out. That was a bit of a scare, I thought I'd lost him.

We'll be back to the beach this week and I think we will see Auntie Annie. Mom made this pillow for her to take to some water test she's going to.

We are wondering who the people from outside the United States are who read my blog. If you want us to know, leave a message.
                                                    

Later, Juno

Party Girl

Wow! What a week.  Last Saturday I went to a picnic with Dad's sailing friends and crew.  That was really cool because I just had the run of the house and yard. Mom says I went in rooms she'd never been in.  We were at the beach house so they would be gone a long time and just couldn't leave me that long.  We didn't get home until 11:00 pm! I made friends, kind of, with their little dog named Nicky, a baby named Jake and Suzanne!   The baby was actually more fun than Nicky. I've been waiting to meet Suzanne for quite a long time.  Of course everybody liked me.  Even though there were lots of good smells coming from the table, I didn't jump up. Dad took a cooler full of fresh crab to share and boy things quieted down when he took that out.

Baby Jake and Me

Last Wednesday, Mom's little sister and her husband came home from Mexico where they have moved for most of the year.  Betsy and Greg have two dogs, Louis and Abbey.  All four of them came down to the beach house to eat...guess what...you got it, crab.  Louis was very polite and just rested on the deck with his legs crossed but Abbey growled at me a couple of times.  Can you believe it?

Brother Jake and Me

Today I went to a Porti picnic and water match.  I met my littermate, Jake, who's quite a bit bigger than I am and barks like a big boy.  We watched a few older dogs practice their stuff and then Mandy and Sarah showed us what to train for with Ray, Sarah's young dog.  Ray is pretty cool, he's only been learning for a little bit and he had a big audience but he did a nice job and besides that, he likes me.  When they were finished those of us who have not done water work got to take a little ride on the boat.  Dad took me out but I wasn't too happy about it.  I suppose that's something we will do again.  Mom said she'd get me a life vest because swimming will help build muscle but my balance issues make  her worry.

My first boat ride

Well, this week won't be so eventful.  Dad's going to "sailing summer camp"  to race on Tantivy and Mom is going to finish the Porti quilt.  Wonder what I'll do.

   'til later...Juno

My Turn Again

Monty here to let you know that sometimes I can barely put up with her...that's Juno, of course.  She doesn't even walk nicely on the beach.  Has to grab my leash, shake it and pull me along...or my leg...or my ear.  Mom started working on making her be more respectful and it worked a little bit this morning.  Juno had to walk in position on a very short lead and sit every time Mom stopped.  I, being the good one, was out at the end of my flexi lead chugging along until Mom stopped, had her sit, and gave her a treat.  Well, that needs to work for me too so I pranced back, sat, and got MY reward. 

the destroyed leash

Speaking of flexi leads..look what she did to hers!  Here's what happened:  Juno hates toenail time, unlike me who am very good about it, so Dad had her held down and she was chewing on the webbing of her leash kind of relaxed...Mom quickly snipped ALL her nails!  Dad let Juno up and everyone was telling her how good she was...Juno jumped off the deck but the lead didn't go with her because she had chewed through it!  What a little...you know what!  Brat, I guess.  It's a good thing Mom knows how to fix things.  Juno doesn't get an allowance so they couldn't make her replace the lead.  That blue flexi leash had been through 4 Golden puppies, me included, but our first Porti and the leash was broken.

in a safe place

One thing she is better at than me is tolerating the loud noises from this last holiday.  We never stay at the beach for the 4th of July because it's just too hard.  Even Bellevue was bad this year but I did survive.  Juno was actually trying to comfort me.  Guess she can be good sometimes. I just don't understand why there has to be all that noise.  Then there's the stuff all over our beach place from these parachute fireworks.

You know Mom has been working on that quilt for the Porti club and she's about ready to put it on the big frame to quilt and was looking at the dogs on it.  She said that no two are alike and some of them have some real faults but then most real dogs have a fault or two.  Well...I say speak for those black dogs...there's nothing wrong with me!  Mom said, "Not so, you have a few faults."  Nobody's perfect but I'd like Juno to work on perfecting her behavior!

   Oh well...I ccan always hope.
                                                             Monty

Happy Birthday to Us!

the blonds and me

Happy 9 month birthday to all my siblings and to my Mom!  Hers is not 9 months though.  Dad made this great fritatta that we took up to Granny's for breakfast, Uncle Pete came too but not Mike and Jacqui because Jacqui is sick.  I say it was great but could only tell by the smell. 

I ate all my breakfast this morning...Mom put in some canned dog food that had chicken,cranberries and blueberries in it. It's called  Red, White and Blue , I think it's seasonal...then she added some bacon from their breakfast. Good stuff!  Monty was disappointed because I didn't leave anything for him to clean up.

You must have guessed that Dad's home from his sailboat race. I had to show him all my tricks when he got home so I ran lickety split around the kennels in the back yard, dug a couple of holes and snagged him a couple of times on the fly.  I'm sure he was impressed!  He's had to learn how to fix my food now that I'm getting all this canned dog food and other enhancements.

Monty and I went for a long walk with Dad down to Sand Dollar Cove...that's what we call it because sometimes there's a bed of sand dollars down there.  Did you know that sand dollars stand up on their edges to eat on the incoming tide?  They have very thin tentacles that float out and collect stuff from the water.  Just some info my Mom shared with me.  Anyway, we were headed home, came around the point and passed Casey's when whoo hoo...Tom called us back.  Dad let me go first and we had a fun play time with that gorgeous blond boy! 

swimming in the sound

I heard about all the Portis and their people at the water test and training this weekend.  Wish I could have gone but it's been great here.  I went swimming for the first time in the sound.  I bet that water is colder than the stuff at the lake.  Mom gave me a bath afterwards with warm water and that helped.  Sure glad we have that new faucet put in outside that mixes cold and warm water.

Mom and I head home Thursday and Dad and Monty come Friday night.  Dad has to stay because crabbing opens on Friday and he has to get out there and get started.  I hope nobody starts any loud fireworks before they leave because Mom says Monty is petrified of them...I don't even know what she's talking about.  Sarah, Trevor and their kids usually come and use the house over the 4th I guess.  They have to kind of protect it. 

Well, that's all for now...

                                                             Juno

I'm Getting Fat...Not

choices

I've finally gained a couple of pounds and am up to 28.5#. When we came back from the beach we went to see my vet so I could get weighed.  I like to go there because I get to play with Dr. Deb's poodle, Hazel.  This time I met her greyhound, Cosmo, too. Dr. Deb said maybe we could get me up to 30# by the time Dad got back.  I don't think that's going to happen, but I have been trying (usually) and so has Mom. She is jumping through hoops to accomplish this...and Monty is hoping I don't "lick the platter clean" so he can gain some weight too even though he doesn't need to.  Here's how it goes:  Mom adds canned dog food to my kibble but she has to keep switching it up because I don't like the same stuff two days in a row; she heats up the canned stuff so it smells really good and sometimes adds steak or chicken juice.  When she came home with a roasted chicken that was still hot, my nose was just a twitching...thought it was for me.  I do get some of the juice from it.

checking to see if it's right

We made it home from the beach without much trouble with you know who! Aunt Annie said I should whisper over and over to Monty to "get in the car" for the days before we left.  I did that but it didn't work.   Monty didn't want to get in the car and I was really trying to cheer him on so Mom pulled him up to the back of the car, gave him a little pinch to the tummy and he put his front feet on the back so she could boost him in.  I told him he did a really good thing and what Mom did wasn't mean.  It was nice to get home but I still can't find Dad.  Mom keeps saying pretty soon. 

Look at what Mom's making!  She said it's going to be a quilt but not one I can put in my crate or rearrange to my liking.  I don't understand because it has a bunch of Portis on it...sooo, what's she going to do with it?  I know Dad will ask so she's been thinking of donating it to the club for a fundraiser or whatever they could use it for if they want it. She's kind of in the design stage and I try to help.  Did tell her there needs to be more dogs on it! We're thinking of making one with all or some of the water training things on it too.  I'm a little worried that Monty will feel left out.

There's a water working/test weekend but we aren't going.  My neurologist said I have to be really careful about swimming and probably not do it because my balance is so screwy.  It would have been fun to go watch though.  Mom said another time because they are celebrating Elizabeth becoming a teenager.  Wow!  That's a lot of years.  Elizabeth is really nice...she always wants me to sit on her lap so of course I do. I even got on Pat's lap at the birthday party...well, almost.

                         How about if the sun comes back?
                                                             Juno

I Love My Mom

Mom takes me lots of neat places.  This last week we went to Old Silverdale and I finally got to meet Auntie Annie.  It was kind of funny because she sat down in the driveway of this coffee shop and started feeding me treats...what's not to like about that!  Then we went for a walk to this waterfront park where people were waking their dogs.  I didn't get to play with them but it was fun anyway.

We went up to make Granny's dinner the other night and I went into the field next to her house to roll around in the tall grass.  Well, it wasn't just tall grass.  There was a bunch of stuff Mom calls "bindweed" which is just like what it's called.  Here's a little video of me all bound up.  It's got this sticky stuff on it too...Mom had to use her brush to get out the stuff she couldn't pull out...then I had ANOTHER bath.  I've had way more baths in my short life than Monty has had in his 5 years!
                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Yesterday I went to my very first birthday party!  All Sarah's girls have birthdays close together so there's one party for them together.  (Sarah is Mom and Dad's daughter.) You've seen pictures of the girls on my blog...Monty gets to sleep with them when they stay at our house.  Anyway, we had to go to Monroe and it was kind of a long trip but I was good.  Monty didn't get to come...guess why...car phobia.  One of our friends at the beach took him out for a "you know what".  There were 2 cats at Sarah's, one of them ran away from me and the other swiped at my nose so I left that one alone.  I did go looking for the other one but cats are good at hiding. When the girls were opening presents, I helped tear up the envelopes so they could be thrown away.


checking



                                             I like to be with Mom or at least know where she is.  Sometimes I have to check on her in the shower and   then wait for her to come out.  Keeping the bed warm is an important job too.

snug on the bed

    I think it's time to get a trim.  Later,           
                    Juno

waiting

Life is Good

We made it to the beach!  No thanks to Monty!  He would NOT get in his crate!  Mom had all these delicious treats in it, even some kind of animal hoof which he really wanted, but NOOOO; he wouldn't do it.  I was in my crate cheering him on to get in so we could go.  Actually, I was asking for the treats.  Finally, Mom got Michael, our good friend, to come and lift him in the car and we were off. Mom had to use the rear defroster because he was breathing so hard everything fogged up.  I do feel sorry for him and wish I could help.  Mom's tried lots of stuff to help him, but nothing seems to work.  Thank goodness it's a short enough trip, only an hour if we get right on the ferry.  No wonder he didn't get to come to Bend when I came home with Mom and Dad.

cheering on the boys

CASEY IS HOME!!!! We, got to play on Thursday.  The boys get really rough and look like they might hurt each other but they are actually very careful.  I dance around and cheer them on.  We get to explore at Kathy's house and Monty found the deer trail, thank goodness he had enough sense not to keep going.  He doesn't always use it.  Today, Monday, Mom was trusting us in the yard...she shouldn't have, at least not the blond boy!  Monty started to the beach and started south (that's the way to Casey's if you didn't guess),  Mom called us and I came running back...Monty just looked over his shoulder so I got my leash on and we took Monty's for him...guess where he went!  You got it, Casey's house but Tom and Kathy weren't home so we talked to him through the sliding glass door.  I had to help get our boy home by guiding him with his collar.


hanging with the guys

 THEN!  We went down on the tide flats because the tide was way out and our friend Annie the Airdale was down there running.  She's a really nice dog that was rescued by Karen.  I can't keep up with her but I get a good workout trying. Monty started going toward the bank and the houses up there, of course I followed, he's the older one and supposed to be responsible.  Mom blew her whistle and we came back but then he did it again and we went all the way up the hill...I came back but the Mont didn't.  We had to traipse through yards to get him.  Mom was angry!  Dad just called and boy did he get an earful.  I think Monty has lost his off leash privileges.

   'til next time,
                         Juno