What a busy week!!

 Good afternoon everyone!

I am so excited to share that my family purchased a new "big bed".  From the chatterings at dog school, it is my understanding that some 4-leggeds sleep on the bed.  Mom says that people ask her where I sleep a lot of the time.  In the photo I had to try out the bed, first of course.  I really like the new bedspread it is very soft fabric, but...I prefer to sleep under the bed.  I find that it is the most comfortable there.  When my mom goes to bed, I usually hop up on the bed to wish her a good night, and maybe watch TV a little, but when I am ready to "saw logs" as they say I retreat to my domain under the bed.  The best part about my location, no one else in my house can get there so I have utter and complete privacy.  One of the great things about the new bed is it is super quiet, not noises when mom tosses or turns or has to get up in the middle of the night for nature calls.  Therefore, for the past week I have been getting lots more sleep.  This has been great because I didn't realize that I would be so busy.

Mom has been working with me on new jobs for my "Open Obedience" class at school.  It's TOUGH!  One of the hardest new things I have to learn is to retrieve a dumbbell and 1) not think of it as a toy, and 2) hold it in my mouth until mom says let go.  Yuck and yuck.  But I am trying.  Mom snapped a picture of me and the dumbbell on Tuesday afternoon.  I wasn't really feeling the dumbbell. I mean I would fetch it, but I didn't want to take it back to my mom or use it as a school tool.  I just wanted it to be my new toy.  So it was back to school on Tuesday night for my class.  Well mom was pretty embarrassed that I was twisting and turning my head and putting up quite a "2-year-old tantrum" I think she called it in front of all my classmates.  Well after watching my classmates do cool things like get to jump over a high jump to go get their dumbbells and bring them back I have decided that maybe it's a skill I want to learn.  On Saturday, Dennis took the video included of me doing my best to not be afraid of the dumbbell and put it in my mouth.  This is the first day that I have been willing to take the dumbbell from my mom while being in one place.  You'll hear mom say don't pull it away. I still have that instinct to say "Mine!" but hey baby steps.  Learning is tough stuff!

On Thursday afternoons I have my agility class.  I love my agility class. I am starting to feel confident, and mom and I are becoming a great team.  However, on Thursday afternoons during my break between school sessions, mom started running with Dr. Suzanne.  This past Thursday, mom decided that I could help out the girls at the front desk at Veterinary Associates while she went and ran with Dr. Suzanne so that she could get her workout in before we had agility class.  I was a big hit, and very well behaved. I am trying to earn some "store credit" at Veterinary Associates for a cute haircut or maybe some fun dog treats.  

Once we made it to agility class, mom explained to me that we would be working on some different obstacles.  I am trying to get ready for a competition the first weekend in August.  Anyone that wants to come see me perform, I mean compete should come out to Tulsa Dog Training Club in the afternoon on Sunday August 4th.  Well mom snapped a good photo of me conquering what's called the sway bridge.  She said that some 2-leggeds are even afraid to go across a bridge like this.  You should notice that there aren't any pawrails or guards to keep us 2-leggeds from falling off the edge.  It was a great class.  Ms. Dovie really likes to push us to be better and better. I think she is the bomb! Although my mom sure likes to give her a hard time.

On Saturday, they had the annual summer picnic at Tulsa Dog Training Club.  All of the 4-leggeds were invited.  Mom decided that since I had been having such a great week, and put that silly dumbbell in my mouth, that I could go!  I was the only "little" dog there.  After the 2-leggeds ate some food, (there wasn't any super yummy leftovers for 4-leggeds, but mom snuck me some chicken yummm yummm), they had some games for dogs.  This photo taken outside is me watching the silly big 4-legged dipping their heads in a 5-gallon bucket trying to get a hot dog.  I was laughing on the inside because I already had a bite or two or chicken.  Why on earth would I subject myself to dunking my head in a bucket of water for all of the 4-leggeds to see my beautiful fur after a bath...I don't think so.  Then when all of the 4-leggeds were done dunking their heads for hot dogs they went inside for hot dog races.  Mom suggested that I sit this one out too, as there weren't any little dogs for me to run against.  I am still a little afraid when a large dog comes charging at me, so we just hung out and talked with other members of the club.  It was fun to see everyone at school without having to do lots and lots of work.

Although it was a fun week, I hope this next week is not quite so busy.  Mom says I'll be missing my Open Obedience class because she is going to give a special talk at Oklahoma State on Tuesday when I would normally go to school.  I bet I will still have to practice that dumbbell thing though...

Until next time, keep your tails waggin'

Boca