Lick or Eat

I took Sammy trick or treating! Oh man, it was so much fun! All week last week was spending time going back and forth from Bone Jour, the doggie daycare for the Nebraska Humane Society. First we went, no one there. Day two, went back got an application. 5 PAGES! We had to fill out five pages worth of information on the Samer Doodle! I understand needing my info: address, phone number blah blah; I understand needing Sammy's basic age, breed and his vet info for his vaccinations, the vet information all that; I understand needing to know he is a good dog. But really...3 pages of how he plays with other dogs?? Can't we have a basic one page?? Oh well, after that we took it back on day 3 to schedule a time for day 4...The Interview. Yep, we had an interview. I was starting to wonder how they got dogs there! Anyway, it all went just peachy. Day four we got Sammy in, answered the same questions from the application while Linda, our interviewer, petted Sammy. Then she pulled out a puppy that was there, Chloe, a five month old golden retriever-yellow lab mix. Immediately I thought, my what big legs you have Chloe! Sammy went right up to Chloe and licked right on the face! Linda of course laughed. Then they ran and ran and ran around in the training room and she said, "Oh, he will fit in just fine! He will love it!" So we took a tour of the building and the parts he would use while he was there, the side for small dogs. Then we arranged for Sammy to spend the rest of the day there. Wow did he just love it! He got to run around, without a leach or rope, with all the other dogs and puppies. He was in doggie heaven! We came back to pick him up 4 hours later. Linda was there and yelled out, Sammy's parents are here, send out Sammy. So Sammy came out of the play room with a lady who was pointing to us, Sammy jumped up trying to get back in then the magical moment where he saw me!!!! He came running over! He bounded to say hi to me and Erik, bounded to say goodbye to the others. As soon as I picked him up, his eyes went half way shut! Wow, he was sleepy from all that excitement! He fell asleep in the car before we left the parking lot!
We then went to Monie and Papa's to give them some pictures, Sammy in tow. Usually Sammy can't get enough running around the house and attention. He made his rounds, with extra to Monie, then I sat down with him and he slept on my lap! No energy for the little guy. Then I started to tell them about Growl-O-Ween. Villiage Pointe has a pet store that was going to sponser this Growl-O-Ween where doggies would come to trick or treat! There was costume contests and all that listed on the advertisement. I could tell, not everyone saw this as the coolest thing ever! Oh, well.
Saturday I got Sammy in his halloween sweater and then we went on our way. We got to villiage pointe and there were tons of dogs, and they were even in their costumes! Sammy was in his second day of doggie heaven! How it worked was some stores were participating, and those stores had someone at the door where when the dog came up, they gave him/her a treat! We had a little bag to drop them in. As we walked around we ended up meeting Sammy's distant cousins! Yep, we met FOUR other corgis! Now three of these corgis were all one family and were all dressed up for Halloween, one was even a witch with a hat! That is when I really saw how Sammy still does look like a puppy! I have been thinking he looks all grown up, but not now. The last corgi we met was an elderly corgi, she was 11 years old. Sammy just walked right up and licked her on the nose, and she lifted her lip and Sammy knew it was time to stop licking. And on we went. Dog trick or treating was well beyond my expectations, and I wish I had known it was gonna be so cool, I would have been there right at 11! Sammy loved seeing the other dogs, and was really good at walking around the mall. As for the trick or treating, nope. Sammy had his own ideas. It's a good thing he is an only dog, I tell ya. He had no concern for the actual treat once it left the persons hand. He was great at running up and saying hi. They would dig in their bag like Santa and pull out a big juicy treat. Sammy would look up with his ears back, smile big, puppy eyes, jump up and take a lick, just a tester lick. Mmmm mmm, that is good. So he would grab it, drop it on the ground, jump right back up for more attention, and he would succeed! Often that elicted more treats, which was far from his objective. He just loves everyone! He is getting much much better, though. He has it down to the 2 pet and move to the next willing adorer! Well, almost. He had a thing about the things! (haha) Yep, someone dressed up their 2 lab-sized dogs as "Thing one" and "Thing two." They were behind us, Sammy did not appreciate that. He wanted to be with them and he made it very difficult to walk with. Unlike the things, Sammy was not all dressed up, he was in his little Halloween sweater. It is a knit turtle neck that is black and orage striped. On the back there is a skull and crossbones! Yep, my pup is bad to his little bones! I believe he was a hit with his sweater, and if we had entered him into the costume contest, he would have won! Wow, did he have a great time though! I really liked it as well! I can't wait to do it again with him. We almost ate at the outdoor seating of Panchero's, and I wonder how well behaved he would have been. Hmmm....next time!
After trick or treating, we went to get Sammy his big dog leash and collar! He is growing fast. He has been on the little green harness and matching leash since he came home (August 7, 2009). It is completely expanded out now. We have not worked with him on a collar, but he needed something bigger, and it was time for him to get something to last longer than his puppy days. He needed his adolecent days, and that called for something cool! I have been looking at every pet store in Omaha. (I am not over exaggerating.) We landed on Petsmart selection. When we got there we met a new friend, Harley the puppy bulldog. She was only 4 months, and right away Sammy was whipped. He did all the work in that playing regime! It was so cute. We stood in the aisle and watched Sammy and Harley play for close to 20 minutes! Then we got down to business. Sammy ended with a leather collar and 6 foot leash. Not just leather, don't worry. It is a brown leather with a little detailing in it (itsy bitsy dogs and stars) with a golden yellow back. It really brings out his fur! He looks so big in his leash and collar! Not only does he look like a big dog now, but you know he is a boy dog! My little baby is all grown up!
We went home next where Sammy spent the rest of his day being l-a-z-y! It was good for him. While I was at work the next day, my mom came in and asked Sammy and I to join her at NFM's dock halloween hoop-la. How could I resist showing off my baby! He had so much fun! He got to run around and pet all sorts of new people and...and....AND KIDS!!! He loved it! He loves

kids, and these kids loved him, too! He went in his sweater, which was a hit, again! Man can I dress my dog or what! I'm so happy for him getting to spend time with kids and getting all the attention he deserves! It's been a fun Halloween for him, so far...it's not over yet! He may not get the trick, or the treat part of Halloween, but he loves the attention! And those treats, they came home with us, so maybe he licked it so he could keep it for later. Maybe he is smarter than I give him credit for. But if he was not an only dog, licking would not save those treats for later! So it's a good thing he is my only pup!

Bone Loss

The dog books were great, are great. We have used three puppy books. Now everytime, I always say Sammy is perfect he must have read the book, but really they have been helpful. However, the books have definately not prepared us for a real puppy!
Sammy, the perfect pup, has his ...Marley moments. His ...did you just do what I think you did? moments. His ....puppy moments. Let me give you a great example. At our last place, we were third floor, and the frequent potty breaks was already a pain, especially when he was too short to actually go up and down the stairs himself! One night after I got off work and Sammy went for his last walk around the complex, say 11 pm, we were walking our normal route. This complex was filled with rabbits, among other wildlife. The rabbits were mean to Sammy and liked to tease him, and Sammy ended up at a point of practically hunting rabbits. This night Sammy was more concerned with potty than rabbits. So there we were, right next to the bush and he was going. A rabbit darted out behind him. Sammy immediately switched focus, turned around and stepped right into his little pile! This is the situation the books don't prepare you for. I had to pick up the smelly, "dirty," unhappy puppy up the 36 stairs to a bath. Seriously, who, when they are puppy shopping, finding that cute little puffball with the big ears, little legs and puppy eyes thinks: in just a few short days I will be in the bathtub with you physicially pulling crap out of your butt hair and from between your toes in the middle of the night after working an 8 hour shift. Then the poor little guy had to shiver and shake from being all wet and cold! No one thinks of those precious moments, and certainly no one writes about them in their puppy books.
Last night was another, why didn't I think this would happen moment. Erik and I both worked last night. He got off at 10, and me at 1030. Erik got home first and got a head start on the Samster. When I got home he had already been fed dinner and walked. When I got home, Sammy was staring out the window and so was Erik. Good sign. Erik opened the door and Sammy ran out to say hi, I drop everything to give him lots of hugs and kisses (the books say NOT to do this, but I can't help it!). Then we make our way inside. Erik said he got a little mischevious while we were gone. Uh oh. What did he do? Sammy chewed on the brand new curtain panel maintenance had just installed earlier that day, pulled out his potty bags, ate a box, and pottied inside. Well, well, well. We head in to go to bed choosing to watch some I Dream of Jeanne before sleep. Sammy can't get comfortable. Here come the up chuck noises! We jump up trying to figure out where and how to move him before the spillage! The white carpeting? The bathroom with the white and light blue rug? We won't make it anywhere. Out it came on MY cream white quilted pillow sham! And by it, I mean a full stick rawhide bone completely undigested in a matrix of brown mashed up puppy food! It was all over his chin and paws. To the bathtub we go. I take Sammy to his 1230am bath as Erik cleans up the vomit. Back to bed, and Sammy camps out on my other pillow. Now it is time to sleep, so Erik goes to grump mode, Sammy goes to passed out with a gurgling tummy mode, and I'm left with inches of room, no blanket and no pillow. I can do it, I'm little and can sleep through anything.
Half an hour later as Sammy takes more room, enough is enough, I pick him up and maneuver him. PERFECT! I got my pillow back and some blanket! Ha, I am the boss! Time to snuggle up. Let me paint this picture for you: wet pillow, wet sheet, Sammy took the blanket before I could lie down. I lost the war.

half birthdays don't mean half a cake!

Sammy turned 6 months on Saturday! His half birthday was probably more for me than eveyone eles combined, but that's ok, everyone had fun!!! Friday was the preparation day, starting with petco (where the pets go!!) Sammy loves petco trips, let me tell you! We know the petco workers, and they know Sammy. He walks out probably a pound heavier from all the treats he is given! We grabbed some doggie food while we were there, and this is the only instance where I can't wait til he is a year old so we can buy dog food instead of expensive puppy food! Anyway, so then it was time to get his birthday present....his sweatshirt! He really likes his little WOOF hoodie, too! Of course we hit up the treat bar on the way out and on we go to get his birthday cookie! We went to the mall to the petstore thingy by the food court and there are a MILLION things I feel like i should get him there, so it took a bit, but eventually I made my way to the special cookies. We ended up with the peanut butter cookie, double dipped in doggie chocolate, and there was a cute little heart on the end. Next on the list was Petland. I need to clarify that we didn't go there for his birthday, instead we went there to check on harnesses because he needs a bigger one, he is getting humongous! I ended up finding a bone that was a shape of a corn on the cob, and it was bacon flavored! They had a bunch of things on sale like that (ie: bbq ribs) that were on sale from the summer. After petland, we had to go to our fourth petstore of the day, petsmart. Finally, I got his baby book! Sammy had soo much fun on Friday getting all the stuff that I hoped for something special on Saturday to slightly overshadow Friday. And I got it.....

We woke up Saturday to....SNOW!

Not the usual, dusting, sloppy snow, but a wonderful giant flakes, 3" of snow! I got all suited up and took Sammy out for his first steps. Yes, it was small steps for dogs, but a big leap for Sammy! Immediately he LOVED it. He ran and ran. Then he learned how to open his mouth and walk to eat snow followed by just burying his head in the snow! After that Sammy got sleepy and had to take a nap for the second part of his day. We got snazzy, and went to the grandparents/great grandparents. Erik, Sammy and I got some pictures taken outside in the first snow. Then we went to my grandparents and he got his birthday cookie! I think my grandma, Monie, and I might have liked the cookie as much as Sammy did. We really enjoyed watching him take it down! He was a great pup, he didn't just gobble it down, rather he liked off the chocolate, then picked it up, flipped it over (no chocolate spilling), and licked the opposite side. Once it was ok, he then started eating the peanut butter cookie, piece by piece. You can tell Sammy is an only dog, he doesn't feel the need to inhale his treats, food, or anything else. Nor is he worried about protecting it from others! It's all about Sammy, and he knows it. In fact, he might not make it in a big dog family because his senses aren't as fine as with dogs that have siblings to compete for food with!

After finishing his birthday cookie, Sammy got presents. I hafta say, my mom picked out the greatest toy for her grandpuppy! He got a little stuffed goose. Sammy loves this goose so much, probably because the sqeaker sounds like a goose! That night when we came home, Sammy walked around and around just squeaking his goose. Sammy has his own little clubhouse. Behind the chair and couch, is Sammy-land. He goes back there to take a nap in the dark, but not far away from the action, so he is still involved. He takes stuff back there that he doesn't want to share. But being the cute little ADD dog that he is, nothing stays back there because after he goes through all the trouble of hiding his rawhide in his clubhouse, then he decides it sounds like a tasty idea! So he always ends up going back and bringing it back out to the living room and chewing it for a while. He now has his route where he runs through his clubhouse, under the breakfast bar, through the dining room, down the hall, into the bedroom, back around out the bedroom, back up the hall, through the dining room, across the living room to the entrance of his club house and back the the beginning. It's the Sammy circle. He took his new goose and walked the Sammy circle for almost an hour and the whole time "quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack..........etc" without so much as stopping for a drink or to sit. Erik and I couldn't help but sit on the couch and watch. We couldn't move to disrupt his fun!

Once he was finished, his half birthday was completed with his peanut butter surprise! I took his bone and shoved some peanut butter in it, then froze it for some time. He enjoyed it immensely! Sammy then passed out from all excitement! Sunday he got his corn on the cob, but slept almost the whole rest of the day!! He was awake for awhile to go visit his BFF, Grant. Grant (and his family) moved into a new house and Sammy wanted to take Grant one of his halloween black cat treats as a housewarming gift. What a sweet baby! Then they ran and ran like crazy dogs so Sammy could come sleep all night long!

Sammy had a great birthday weekend! Now we can't wait for his real birthday in just 5 months and 28 days.....and counting!!!

Sammy!

Sammy is the most beautiful pembroke welsh corgi in the world!!!! I'm probably a little biased, but oh well. Sammy keeps me very entertained and on my toes. I always have so many Sammy stories, so now I can share them much, much easier! Today was Sammy's 2 month anniversary of his homecoming! This is something I was particularly excited to celebrate (like his 6 month birthday this Saturday, Oct. 10 (gifts welcome)). However, today I should share that he is not feeling very well. Sunday, Sammy was unhappy to be alone while both Erik and I were at work, so he started sniffing around. He sniffed a little too close to Erik's backpaack where he was able to find an open trail mix. Not just any trail mix, mind you. It was some kind of energy induced trail mix. This super trail mix was comprised of peanuts, m&ms and raisins. What I quickly learned Sunday when I got home was how raisins are a natural diarhetic. Sammy was scratching at the door frequently and for the duration of Sunday. Monday was a so-so day for him. A lathargic, yeah I guess I can chew on my bone kind of a day. By Monday night, he was slowly slipping into a "uuggghhh" state. His bathroom deposits resembled non-digested, whole peanuts. (A delight to pick up around the apartment complex.) Tuesday was most definately not any better. He was very upset at the prospect of me leaving. Sammy has learned that my backpack is the anti-Sammy. He knows that means I will be gone for a little while, left to his own entertaining. However, this was the worst I've ever seen him! He sat at the door and barked at me. Then he took to licking me. I almost skipped class for my little baby! I came back to him once again completely inmobile! He kept asking to go out (he knows to lightly scratch the door) and everytime the poor little guy tried to potty, but every attempt was futile. Whoever said dogs can't mope has never met a sick corgi! Later that evening he did have quite a bit of smelly success. Luckily, it was not my turn to take him out! He came in bustling like the proud little toddlers on the pampers "I'm a big kid now" commercials. Then we resumed our fetch lessons (yes, I hafta teach him how to fetch, it does not come naturally to my pup). Then it was bed early for Sammy. Today was a late morning having to drag him out of bed. All day he has been a little bit lazy again. Sammy pulls out toy after toy (he has his own toybox) and drops them, then drops himself and stares at it like "please bring me the energy to play." Right now he is sitting on the floor chewing a bone, so maybe that is a good sign for tomorrow, and more importantly Saturday!