Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Rain


my back yard

who could poop in that?

'are you going to hold the umbrella for us?'
Rain, Rain
Go Away
Come Again
Another Day!

it has rained for the last bijillion years, so long in fact I have grown webbed feet. (carrie: your a lab- you came with web feet!) and before my friends with snow start in on me I'm a LA dog, I'm used to sunscreen and flip flops. BFF keeps pushing me outside to do my business but the backyard is a lake, and the front yard is a little too open for a lady like me.

Do you other PITS go out in the rain? I'm made of sugar and spice, along with a puppy dog tail - so I'm confused. Actually it is a moot point BFF won't hasn't been out in the rain, and when she does, she leaves me home - something about wet dog. Don't know what she is talking about wet human an't all that nice either.

Stay dry my friends
Truffie

Monday, December 27, 2010

Relaxing

So Waffle used to jump up and lay across you until you gave her what she wanted. Usually it is a walk or breakfast. Eventually she changed her method to kind of recline on you like she is a movie star reclining on her sofa - ready for her close up.

Oooooo my squishy puppy love your droopy eyes and happy ears! makes me just want to squish you all up!

Here she is being coy about her picture. She is reclining the the famous Eggo - who is home from Minnesota for Xmas

Saturday, December 25, 2010

What a haul

Seriously this is the outcome of three adults shopping for two dogs.
(please ignore the fur on the floor- you vacuum and vacuum and it never comes up)

Friday, December 24, 2010

why puppies are better than Barbie dolls

So shopping at Target I find this cute little dress. Tried as hard as I could to say no, but it fit and she was too cute in it.

 So I bought it and had a nice time playing dress up with Miss Truffie. Waffle was quite glad she was too big to fit in it. 
So I brought the dress home and we played dress up - which is way better with a lab than a Barbie doll

So from now on friends instead of buying your small friends Barbie dolls, buy them a lab instead. With Labbies you learn leadership, self discipline (that poop won't scoop itself), compassion and responsibility. All things little girls (and boys too) need to learn in life.

Truffie: Enough already!

I wore the dress - where is the hedgehog?
Merry Christmas from the Girls

Sunday, December 19, 2010

My Snack O' Meter

by The Waffler

Well today we dodged a major bullet today. I hesitate to say this but my snack o meter almost hit full today. I know many of you thought that was impossible on a lab, but today I went to my 1st agility class. Actually it was an intro to agility we got to try out the tire jump, A frame, the tunnel and the double hurtle type jump things. Rules for the class were simple, no corrections, lots of praise and a huge handful of treats! I could hardly believe my ears, I had to shake them to make sure I heard right. No corrections and treats just for trying. WOOO HOOO sign me up!

So being a good guide dog (well almost Guide Dog) I was taught NOT to take the blind person into obstacles but around them, I had to learn that when it is just you - and they tell you to- you're supposed to go through the round thingy. After a few tries I got it right and bingo a nice snack jackpot! I liked the double jump too, it was fun to run around and leap over things. My friend Marie was a little hesitant at first, they gave her lots of treats and instruction, so by time it was my turn I knew what I was supposed to do. Marie really didn't want to go up the A frame they put her treats on each bar and told her what to do. I was just so excited I wanted to jump up their an give it a try (and gobble up her treats) I knew BFF had a whole handful of treats, I knew what I was supposed to do and when it was my turn I shot up the A frame gobbling snack up as I went. I wanted to go back the other way for more snacks. The tunnel was just as fun too, but it smelled like pee.

BFF brought carrots and these snacky sausage roll stuff from natural balance, plus I eat the snacks Marie spit out (silly poodle) and the nice smelly fishy snacks the people running the class gave me.  yuuuummmm  - then the best dog day dream happened - no a frosty paws truck and liver snack truck did not collide in-front of my house - but the person in front of me dodged left and her dog dodged right and her bag of treats flew in the air! It was raining dog treats! nom nom nom nom all good!

I tell you at the end of class my snack o meter was pretty full - in fact I was one full Labrador but shhhhsshhh don't let BFF know. I had so much fun, I laid on top of her and made her promise to sign me up for the full 5 week class (every sunday) (Carrie: and let me tell you those classes are not cheap. Intro class 1 hour $27 each ouch! its like yoga class! this will not be a cheap hobby)


So I tell all yous Labbies out there drag your people to the nearest agility class - they serve cookies!

Friday, December 17, 2010

All I want for x-mas is


A Farting Hedgehog!


at BFF's school, they had a Christmas party for all the Holiday Angel Kids, their moms and dads go to school - and well with the cost of school, food and clothes there is not a lot left over for presents for the human pups. So I said I'd give up my farting hedgehog if one of the pups needed it. BFF said it was ok, it would be better I could just help out at the party and leave the present buying to her. 


 Today I had to go help some student study for their finals. They were soooo stressed out I did my bestest tricks to make them laugh and give them lots of licks and even settled down for a quick snuggle, there were four of them so I had to do some fancy dancing to give everyone some lovin'. For going my afternoon nap I took BFF out shopping for toys for the kiddies, then I had to decorate, and then supervise the sign in all the while looking cute- wheww what a day.

BFF even forgot about me, when they said Santa couldn't find the naughty and nice list. She ran out then came back and put me on a down stay in a corner, while she went to call the North pole for a back up email of the list. I was nervous, my Aunty Becki was sitting there with me but still the room was full of people and some how they all knew my name. "Truffie - Truffie- here Truffie- What a cute puppy!" But I just sat there and waited for BFF, I did break down stay when I saw my pal David, he's just the best hide and seek pal ever! We play hide and seek all the time and when I saw him, I just jumped up and ran to him - then doh! Aunty Becki was yelling at me and I went back to my corner to wait for BFF

My pal 'noopy was there I was posing for pictures when I heard Santa's bells! Gee I hope I look alright, the big guy and I have a few things to chat about. I've been soooo good - well except for that flash light episode and that Cherry Scented marker well isn't there a statute of limitations of bad deeds? I mean I was just a pup . 





Oooohhh shoot I missed him, there were so many pups all gathered around him, I didn't get to say anything to him, but he left a few friends for me to tell my wishes to.

"Dear Santa............." 
Hey somethings gotta stay between a girl and her friend. I did tell him thanks for anything he was going to bring, and really I didn't really even ask for much. I've got a lot of toys, a warm snuggly bed, food in my food bin and my bestest friend Waffle - what more can a girl ask for? (except a farting hedge hog)

Merry Christmas, to all. May your toes and noses be warm, your loved ones be snuggly and your travels be safe. 

love ya 
Truffie

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Merry Christmas and Bow Wow New Year

We did this only because Santa *might* be watching and rumor has it there might be a few farting hedgehogs in balance.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Jury Duty

By Truffie
Because I'm a big girl now, I get to do big girl things. Like Jury duty, BFF explained that I was going to have to go to court and sit and listen to what people had to say and then if they asked make a decision. Sounds pretty serious to me, but I was totally up for it.
Well up for most of it. We had to leave the house at 6:45! Here I am outside of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and yes the concrete is cold and damp. TAKE THE PICTURE QUICK LADY!

Wait in the hall, don't they know I'm here?

Once we got in things started going sideways (get it? he he - blogger did this all on it's own)
We had to wait for a long long long long time. So long I forgot why we were even there. BFF made me sit under the chair - here I am wearing the yoke of human oppression and looking sad, hoping for someone to come by and save me. BFF was mean and wouldn't let me walk around and talk to people, just because "I'm working" can't I be friendly 

So we sat there for so long they forgot about us, but around 4pm they told us all that we could got home. WOO HOO let's blow this taco stand and get home, I was so tired of being still. On our way to our car we stopped to take a few pictures. This the Lipschitz sculpture at the Music Center, it has this fun fountain that shoots up water around it. 

BFF like's this bc it looks like the fountain is growing out of my head

Evening shot of LA City Hall

This was inside of the Disney concert hall



BFF thought it would be funny if I checked out the gurgling. Do you see what I have to live with?

So jury duty was a big bust, no one asked my opinion at all. If so I would have told them think before you act, wags and kisses go a long way in saying your sorry, share your toys and always take an afternoon nap. I think if we all did these things maybe we wouldn't need things like jury duty. 
But what do I know I'm just a pup.

Friday, December 3, 2010

I'm home

I'm home as soon as the dogs settle down I'll post vacation pictures.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

DONE!


FINI
Sore de kimmatta
hecho
l'école est finie
finito


30 days 30 posts is done!


I think I'll take a short break from blogging

Monday, November 29, 2010

This little light 'o mine part 2

my continuing saga with flashlights and ray guns

So when we last left our heroine they had just pulled up outside of the emergency vet clinic......

But it's not Waffle who gets hauled out and dragged into the clinic, it's me. The intake nurse was asking questions and when it comes to my breed, BFF answers 'Lab' and he says 'of course'. Hey buddy, I'm not sure I like your tone.

So I get to meet this nice Dr. who does the whole look in my mouth and squeez my tummy thing, not too cool with how he gathers some of his data (my temp is my busness mister), BFF said I was the culprit but she had another suspect in the car if I was innocent. The Doc agrees that I'm a mst likely suspect -- what up with that?!, your off my Christmas card list. What ever happened innocent until proven guilty -- ok I was guilty but still.....

Because I had just had dinner the Dr. figured that most of what I ate was still in my tummy, but before he did anything he wanted to take some pictures. PICTURES hey I'm cute sure I let you take my picture. But this is where things started going sideways. It wasn't a camera but this huge RAY GUN I was totally afraid was going to squish me. It had a bright light with and X to mark the spot where they were going to shoot me. Well as my young life was flashing before my eyes, I decided there and then never to listen to my tail again, I promised to never chew things I'm not supposed to, always obey BFF and Mom, and stop stealing  Waffle's toys. I squeezed my eye shut (the other one I kept on the tech guy) and waited for the smell of singed fur and pain to streak through my poor little yellow self.....but nothing. Hey whats the deal?! Gee Dr. Dude you know you get what you pay for, I think your ray gun is broken.

So Dr. Dude says plastic doesn't show up on x-rays, but nothing else showed up on my rays either. So that means no metal in my tummy. They gave me a poke, and next thing I know my insides wanna be on the outside and all my yummy dinner........well that is better left unsaid.

The Dr. said said what a good chewer I am. I guess all the flashlight parts got chewed up nice and small, and because I had dinner first, they were all still in my tummy --- and dinner and the flashlight where now sitting on an exam table. BFF says I dodged a bullet wheeeww I like to think I dodged the ray gun.

And all those promises I made, Waffle said promises made under duress don't count....wheeeewww I really did dodge a bullet.


Sunday, November 28, 2010

This little light o' mine....Part 1

By Truffie

So like most of my other blogger pals I'm in the throws of teenage hormones, some times I just lose my little puppy mind. Don't know how it happens, but it all goes blurry and before I know it I'm sitting in jail. I blame it on my tail, you know. It has a mind of it's own, I try and tell it to play cool, yet it's always leading me into trouble.

Case in point, earlier this month I had a little trouble that ended up with me on the wrong end of a ray gun. 
So this is what a working flash light is supposed to look like, notice all the parts. 
So the peeps were trying out teaching me how to stay at home by myself. I already have been sleeping free for several months now. Guide Dogs recommend by starting with leaving me in a puppy-proof room for 10 mins and upping the time as I get used to it. Well by early Oct. I was a pro, I could stay at home for about two hours all by myself - thank you. So what happened next I tried to blame Waffles but the evidence speaks for its self. 

The evidence - notice there are a few parts missing
Mom was going out with her girl friends and BFF had to work late, so Mom fed me dinner and left me and my toy box (Carrie: full of bones might I mention) to play until BFF came home. Usually I take an after dinner nap or chew industriously on my bones until I fall asleep. Except that night my tail said 'hey lets jump on the sofa and look at all the pretty things up there'. I know, I know  '4 on the floor' and all that but what can I say I'm a slave to my tail. After that my tail decided that we should take a look at what was on the fireplace shelf/hearth thingy - I only had to put two paws on that to see what was there - so technically I was only half breaking the rules
That's when my tail really got me in trouble. You see when ever I'm happy it waggs, and well I like to be happy so when my tail said chewing on that flashlight would make it happy and chewing up the parts would make my tail would wag really fast, well what's a girl to do? I tried and tried to resist, but my tail sat there limp and sad - which made me sad and I don't do sad, but I knew this would be trouble, but one little nibble couldn't hurt.

The parts that went into my tummy
It started with one little chomp, but ended with a me facing down this ray gun. You see one little chomp lead to another, then another and pretty soon.....well you see the pieces up there? You get the picture. Actually don't know why there was such a fuss, everything went down without a hitch, actually I only got 1/4 of the silver thing down, I was working on the rest when BFF got home, (note to self: never bring evidence to the authorities, next time hide in Waffle's bed) she took one look at the silver thing and freaked! FREAKed is the only way to describe the wild chase around the room as she threw pillows and blankets hither and yon looking for the rest of the flashlight.

FREAK! BFF starts opening my mouth, feeling around with her fingers, don't know what she was looking for I'm not a chipmunk, then she starts patting me down like she's TSA and I flunked the metal detector. She moves on to The Waffler, after several calls to my leader, I get tossed into the car and off we all go into the night. Driving like the Freak she is BFF has Eggo on speaker phone from Minnesota giving her directions to the emergency pet clinic. PET CLINIC WHAT'S WRONG WITH WAFFLE!

to be continued.....

Saturday, November 27, 2010

because


Mom made me. She thinks my furs are not warm enough, I try to tell her I'm a labbie but does she listen? noooo. It has gotten cold at night so now when we go out for our 'go-go' she makes both BFF and Me wear jackets. Sesssh there was a teacup chihuahua and he was laughing at me. The shame :(

Friday, November 26, 2010

A good Truffie Story

So I've been meaning to tell this story for a few weeks. No pictures 'cuz I don't live with my camera, people.

So I had to drop mom off at the airport for her trip to Minnesota, and mom doesn't always travel light. So I was hauling mom's luggage while she held the baby's leash. We like taking the pups to the airport it is noisy and crowded, there is the occasional police dog and the luggage scales work well for weighing the pups.

Mom was flying Southwest, and it is easier to use the self check in, and when the staff person came to do the luggage tag thing, she was taking a while, then she starts asking about Truffie. Not the usual questions, like how long do you have them, how can you let them go..., how do you train.... ect. I don't remember the exact questions (I was chatting with mom) but it became clear that they were processing the paperwork for Truffie to get on the plane. I think said something like 'wait, wait no no she gets to say good bye at the gate' - I meant the security gate, so she starts asking me for my ID, when I asked why she said 'well whose going to take the dog home?' This was BC time in the morning (before coffee), I'm not effectively communicating with the gate agent, there is a line, she just hands me a gate pass and goes off. Mom who has arthritis in her hip, back and knee is thrilled to have someone to haul her junk to the gate, and truly I'd prefer to see mom to the gate anyway.

We had to go through security and I opted to put Truffie on a down stay while I went through and then called her to me. I knew she was going to set off sensors, I even told the TSA agent that her leash and collar were metal. Instead of patting her down, they asked to removed her jacket and collar but kept on her head collar and sent her through  again -- and she didn't set off the alarms. Assured that she met safety standards, off we went to the gate. Truffie handled the whole thing like a pro, in fact I think she was a bit bored with the whole experience. I mean if you look at it from her perspective, the airpot is a lot like a huge mall, with people, feet, shops and a McDonald's.

Because mom walks with a cane, we went to the gate to get her a pre-boarding pass, and that gate agent started to process paperwork to put Truffie on the plane! By this time, I was wise to them and I explained that thank you but no, the pup was still in training and would be going home with me. The gate agent was so sweet she kept asking, "are you sure?"  I assured her that Mom did not need Truffie or any service dog, she just needed a head start down the gangway. So we sat with Mom until they called her flight and took off for work. While I thought it was a pretty special morning, Truffie just took it all in stride.

I thought it was a great experience for Truffle. She did so well, we were stuck in line at security she just chilled, lots of kids around and people all who wanted to pet her. I really limited the meet and greet because I wanted to drive home to her that she was working, I knew that how she behaved would reflect back on the real working pairs that would come after us and I didn't want to mess things up for them. I really did try to make it clear to the gate agent that she wasn't a service dog, but at one point it was easier not to argue. In the end I was glad for the experience.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Turkey Day

I Truffie am thankful for.......
My big sister Waffle

I Waffle am thankful for my.....

Baby Sister Truffle

The girls may fight and squabble, but deep down they are good friends and I know on this day of remembrance they both are happy to have each other. While I'm sure there are other things to be thankful for a love of family and good friends is certainly nothing to sneeze at. 
I hope that everyone is warm, and safe and with people who love them tonight.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Life is.......

Better with Haltis..... (or so says Waffle)


Truffie has a different perspective. But I know that Waffle felt that it was about time the squirt got her own Gentle leader. Cleaning out the files and came across this picture from the first time she put on a halti. Not too pleased as you can see, on the other hand this made Zeb's day, that halti she has on came from him (such a nice guy gave her the halti of his own nose). This was at the San Diego mini-funday, she was acting up and I was exhausted, just got back from a trip to DC and drove two hours to SD for the event. I was glad the halti fit because I didn't have the energy to keep her in check. She was crazy, because she had been cooped up at home while I was away for work, so she was just all over the place, the halti helped keep her in check.

New GDB rule requires all pups be comfortable with a head collar, so a Gentle Leader was in her future weather she liked it or not. My cute little pouty pup.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

a family picture

Continuing cleaning out my funday file, a family picture
A Funday Reunion. Love how both Truffie and Lani sit the same

At Funday we went to the siblings meet and greet, but of course it has been so long ago I forget whose, who. Lani of course is 2nd from right and Truffie is the one with out the jacket. I think it's funny that all her kids are in haltis, Lani never needed one, even at funday with all the dogs roaming around Lani never pulled.

Taco, Topaz (?), Truffie, Lani, and Tahiti (?)
After we took a picture another sib showed up. Lani had 3 YF and 2 YM and one lone black male. The one black male is Timothy (that's Lani's human Brother), I think he lives in Arizona, one of the Yellow boys who was Travis was given as a pup to the Canadian Guide Dogs, so that left 3 yellow girls and 1 yellow boy, lucky that all of them were there. I don't know who is who, I love the look the pup on the end (red bandanna) is shooting - she is trouble
Ever get 5 pups to look in the same direction?


Told you she was trouble, I gave up after a while. If you've ever been to funday you know the mass crazyness, it was just easier believe me. For those who haven't been, imagine 300 PIT's and their raisers all looking for friends, siblings, and breeders. This summer I don't think I made it to any of the workshops, between shopping, picture taking and meeting with her sibs, I don't know where the day went. It was nice to see her sibs, didn't really get to chat with any of them so I have no idea what their personalities are like. Out of all the pups, Truffie takes the most after her mom, Taco is a bigger than the girls and bit more blocky - the rest kind of vary is size and color. 

Monday, November 22, 2010

who's who?

Zeb at 5 months

Truffie at 10 months

Zebie at 5 months

Truffie at 5 months


Truffie at 10 months

Zebie at 5 months

Zebbie and Truffie are both Kentucky pups and share quite a bit of the same looks, and the same playful character. I came across these pictures and was shocked to see how much they look a like. It was even funnier how much they seemed to end up in the same crazy positions.