Going to School

I have been going to puppy school in Grand Bay every Sunday. I have more energy than my classmates. I generally am more interested in people than dogs. Dogs don't give you treats and don't pet you and call you by name.
I take my human Sarah with me, because Grand Bay is far so we have to take the car (which Charles calls the Batmobile) and I'm too small to work the pedals. Sarah wants me to be the best puppy in class, because that way we "win." I think going to class is OK. Usually what I do is wait a week after Sarah tries to teach me something, then I just start doing it to see what happens. Like in this picture, I am doing "sit". I can also do "stay" and "down". What happens is Sarah's voice gets very high and happy.
Lucy and I are getting along OK. She takes my treats, but I don't mind. I like playing with Lucy.
Last weekend Sarah went to a baby shower of her friend Alicia. I like Alicia, she's nice. That meant Charles and I stayed at home by ourselves. Since we were "batching" it, I slept in Charles' bed to help him from being lonely. Usually I sleep in my own bed, but I think sometimes you have to sleep with your human to cheer them up, just so long as it doesn't become a habit.
On Friday my humans are going away for two weeks. This makes me very sad. I'm going to miss them a lot.
Does anyone like pooping in the rain? I know I sure don't. Charles sometimes pees outside the same as I do, but only I have to poop outside - even when it's raining. It doesn't seem fair. I've tried to poop inside near the back door instead but my humans keep interrupting me. I guess they have their reasons.
But I am a very good dog. I sleep through the night, I go outside and do my business when I'm told, and I am very cuddly. Although the warm weather is making my fur come out in bunches.

My talented family

On the weekend, my human Charles went to see his niece Lydia playing with the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra at the Playhouse in Fredericton. Amazingly, they don't allow dogs to those shows. This is a true shame because I have an excellent barking voice now and I think it would go great with symphonic accompaniment. Anyway, it was a terrific show Charles says and Lydia is now the poster child for the NBYO. It's nice to know I don't have to carry all the weight in representing the family publicly.
Lydia plays the violoncello. I think it looks delicious, and if I get a chance I am going to chew on it to see if I'm right.

Oh, also on the weekend I went to my first puppy class in Grand Bay. 14 puppies took their humans to class, which Sarah calls a "ridonkulous" number. Anyway, this was my chance to meet more dogs. Dogs schmogs, I like humans far more than dogs. In fact, these days I am just super excited to meet them, so I run around and bark at them and try to jump up all I can. Sarah says I was not the best puppy in the class, although I am now learning about "down". One good thing though was when they talked about housetraining, a lot of the humans said their dogs still do their business in the house. Gross! I never do that now. Although I still don't understand why my humans make me hit a bell with my paw before they open the door to go outside.

The weather is very warm these days and that means more walks for Lucy and I. I still find walks tiring, but they do provide a chance to meet people, so that's super fun.

Tomorrow I think my human Charles is going to go for his first mile walk this year. He's been working up to it. Yesterday he walked for 0.9 miles. So just a little bit more tomorrow.

Did you know that I am a "perro" in Spanish?

I am the bestest dog

I even help with laundry. I love how dirty clothes smell, especially socks. Feet are great. I love Charles feet even more than Sarah's because they smell stinkier. When Charles has a shower, I bark at him until he shows me his feet. Once I check them out, then I know he's good to go for the day.

I now weigh ten and a half pounds, I am really growing quickly! I am also getting my humans to better understand how smart I am. For example, I used to be a "bucking bronco" when they put the leash on. And sometimes I was a donkey. I would walk one direction without trouble but coming back, they'd have to drag me. Well the other day, I went out for a walk with Lucy and my humans, and I saw how much more fun it is to walk the way Lucy does, with the leash loose. So I just did that. Then later on when Lucy signed the guestbook at a corner, Sarah told me to "go pee", so I did, right on the spot. It is amazing how easy it is to make your humans happy. A little pee on command and they go nuts.

Now my humans have put a bell by the door so I can let them know when I want to go outside. I haven't used it yet, but you just wait, I will.

Sarah is looking forward to puppy classes. This is because she's very interested in me meeting a lot of other dogs. And in learning to come when I'm called. Right now I am not a big fan of coming when I'm called. After all, if I don't come when I'm called, the humans come and get me. That seems like less work for me, and they could use the exercise anyway.