Initiative and the Herriotts Pack

Kathy here. Yogi is 19 weeks old. He has his own outdoor chair, (we got him a plastic chase lounge because Stephen thinks he will tip over our plastic Adirondack style chairs in another 20 pounds). We were all sitting out last night watching the evening fall and Yogi suddenly got up, went over to his potty area, relieved himself, returned and jumped back on his chair. This morning he self initiated Fetch by bringing me the toy to throw.

Yogi wanted me to tell you he got some PeeMail from Nash of the Herriotts pack. Nash said, "I've been enjoying your blog. Some in our pack here are sad because the puppies turn eight weeks old Thursday and for the most part will be joining new packs as they go to their forever homes. I am going to miss those little motor scooters."

Stagecoach Yogi

Hmmmm. Now that I am getting bigger less people want to pet me. They used to line up to meet me.  Now sometimes in Home Depot or Lowes I see them move away from me. Some people still want to meet me, but they all say they have or have had dogs. Stephen, do I need to try to change, do I need to try harder? Stephen just smiled and played me a Nightcore song called Try.

Stephen and Kathy noticed the Dickie's BBQ in Puyallup had outdoor tables and called to see if I could eat with them at the outdoor tables. They said of course, but I could not go in the restaurant. Stephen had the Turkey, Kathy had the Potato, I had Kibbles.

Dickie's Puyallup has a stagecoach. It was pretty rickety so I didn't climb up on it, besides I was more interested in the flowers around it. Dickie's sound system was playing Willie Nelson's Stagecoach, maybe it was puppy reasoning, but I thought it was apropos.

Happy Memorial Day

Something is different today, but I think it is good. It started out normally, the pack woke up at 5:55 AM and I went potty, (dry crate for over a month now, my pillow gets to stay in my crate all the time). Then we had quiet time.

But then at 9:00 AM where training was supposed to begin, I got fed from a bowl instead of earning my kibbles training. Happy Memorial Day Kathy said. So I have a day off. Then Kathy called her puppy, Hunter, and said Happy Memorial Day and thanked him for his service and Hunter told her to thank Stephen for his service. Do Service Humans wear a jacket?

When I came up on the elevator, Stephen was listening to the Best of Clash. My favorite songs were Rock the Casbah, Should I Stay or Should I Go?,  and I Fought the Law. By the time Complete Control played I was bored with the Album did a Lay Down. Stephen looked down and smiled and said Touch Song Yogi. I have done Touch Yellow and Touch Blue, Touch Stephen and Touch Kathy, Touch Left and Touch Right, what is Touch Song? Kathy started to say something, but Stephen said, "Let him figure it out". Hmm. So I stood up and pressed my nose onto Stephen's screen. A pretty cool song called The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie started. I liked the line about "I want to lick a little bit", but I didn't like the line about gotta make it rain somehow, I like sunshine better.

Anyway, to all the Service Humans, Happy Memorial Day. “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.” -- Billy Graham

Girls Run the World and other songs

I just can't get Ellie, the two year old boxer, out of my mind. I met her at a park yesterday, now whenever I fall asleep, I dream about her. I guess it really is true, girls do run the world. Do you think it is the real thing or could it just be puppy love? These things are complicated when you are just 17 weeks old.

Stephen, can you buy me a new song for my ibark collection? Sure thing Yogster, this week exceptional Stays are fungible, if you can Down Stay the length of the song Hold On, I will get you a song. What are you looking for Yogi?

A puppy song Stephen.

Hmmm. Here is a Daft Leopard song by Pentatonix that always makes me think of puppies. And here is a recommendation from our puppy Hunter on Snoutbook. Here is what he said:

Out of respect, I didn't want to post this on your wall, but in the evening, when your day is over and things have calmed down and you're just relaxing and already have a glass of wine or a beer out, listen to this cover of Sultans of Swing.  This man kills the guitar...  And I thought you might appreciate some good quality rock and roll.  : )  Love you

Spin one more for me Stephen. It is about time for you to Crate Yogi, let's pick a calm one.

Rest in Peace Baxter

Why are you so sad, Stephen?

I am remembering losing Yogi I.

Wasn't that something like 140 dog years ago?

Yes, Yogi II, it was. He was slipping away, but he wasn't in pain. Then one day, about lunch time, he made his way to visit with our neighbor, Papa Don, he was going really slow, but he made it back to the front hall and laid down on the carpet and died in Kathy's arms. I remember telling my friend, Mike Poor and he cried. That is how I feel now.

What made you think about it now, Stephen?

Your trainer at Sumner Parks and Rec, Jim, lost his packmate, Baxter. You got to meet him at his last class. I thought about that song about losing a packmate. I listened to it and thought about the words. The good news is the world is a better place because of all the dogs that Baxter helped train. He leaves quite a legacy.

Bad Blood

Stephen here. Yesterday we took Yogi to McLendon Hardware to get some cable ties for Kathy's new tomato cages. He went under a shelf. Yogi likes to go under, between, and behind things; he is supposed to be a pure bred Rottweiler, but it seems like he has some preposition hound in his blood line.

When he took his head out from under the shelf he was full of dust. Kathy started to brush the dust away and he suddenly snarled and bit her. It happened in an instant. Bandaids don't fix bullet holes, but, thank goodness, they do suffice for puppy bites. Still, I am starting to seriously consider having him neutered. I understand he comes from a strong bloodline, but at the end of the day, that stuff is all ego. What matters is that we form a great pack.

P.S. The "shout out" to Taylor Swift is for you Madeline. She doesn't really move me, but I am glad you have an artist you like to follow. But if you have the time  to listen, every part of this modern composition was played by the composer, talk about well rounded!

Play date with Moncrief

Monty here from Pastor Tim's pack. My pack agreed that I could go visit Stephen and Kathy's pack today. Yogi and I are both the only canines in our pack, so it is good to spend time with each other and restore our dognity.

We romped and sniffed and romped and sniffed, then got still for four seconds and romped and sniffed. The we lathered, rinsed and repeated and repeated and repeated.

Then we went to the park. For some reason we traveled separately, I walked with Stephen. He is really bossy. He said, "I own the street and you need my permission to go on the street", whatever, I am an easy going lab so he can enjoy his power trip.

The park was nice, it was a pretty day, we met a 15 month Newfoundland and a cute white boxer named Ellie that was so well behaved. We are learning to meet dogs together as a pack would. Stephen broke out his long line and we did Fetch and Come.

We traveled back to the Northcutt lair. I impressed Stephen with my ability to keep a loose lead and not switch sides, (I guess I did not do so good on the way to the park). When we were all reunited we romped and sniffed some more till Stephen said Settle and put on a dog lullaby.

Ostrich, Kathy and I are the Photo of the Week

Wow, I am in the Auburn Reporter Newspaper. We are the photo of the week, (A galactic standard dog week is 49 dog days). A nice lady told us about it at McLendon Hardware when she recognized me. Stephen just smiled and started humming the Ostrich song.

Windmill Gardens

Today we took the moving crate to Bonney Lake Petco. Stephen and Kathy could not find my flea comb and wanted to get my nails done. Then we went to Brank's BBQ. Kathy had the loaded potato skin, Stephen had the chicken, I had kibbles. Next we went to McLendon Hardware, Kathy wanted some more French Marigolds, (tagetes), to manage the bugs in the garden. I like McLendon, they always give me treats.

I could take care of the bugs for her, but I am still not a trusted puppy in the garden. Our last stop was Windmill Gardens so Stephen could get a huckleberry. While we were there Kathy sat on a bench with a man that looked just like a plant. I sat next to her on the ground.

The big scary antler

My mouth feels funny. Kathy says it is because my big boy teeth are coming in. All I know is I was born to chew. My breeder recommends antlers. I have a few small ones. Stephen and Kathy were in a thrift store and found a mounted antler and put it in the office. It was too big and scary and I didn't chew on it.

Then Stephen took it to his chewtoy shop and cut off one of the antlers. I am still not sure I can trust it. 

PeeMail from Ultra Uber Hyper Boinggg

Yogi,

Greeat to heaar our pacmatttes are going to hooc u[p[ Please letttttt me kn0w how It goz.

V/R

G. UUHG

Dawn of the Planet of the Dogs

When quiet time ended today, Stephen put on the opening song from Dawn of the Planet of the Dogs. Why I wondered?

Stephen smiled, "Because you are always Looking at me."

I am supposed to Look at you, especially when we Heel right. "Right", Stephen said quietly. "But yesterday, when I put you in a Down Stay on the carpet, while I tried to get a shower, you broke the Down Stay to stick your head in the curtain. That was a bit creepy. Reminded me of a movie I saw on an airplane."

What's an airplane?

The shower and the rainy morning

Last weekend Stephen and Kathy bought a shower rod that attaches to the hose in our back lanai where we have both hot and cold water, (that is one of the best lair building decisions we ever made). It was a sunny day so I got my  first outdoor shower. I love the puppy shampoo, it tastes really good. Then I got to lay in the sunshine, after I was nice and dry, I rolled over in the dirt, feels weird to be too clean, you know?

When I first arrived at my forever home, I had a few crate mishaps. Kathy would take me in the indoor shower and clean me up. I don't have crate mishaps anymore, after all I am a four month old. Some dogs do not like showers, but I do, especially when Stephen plays shower music.

Today was confusing. It started out as a normal day. The iBark alarm went off at 5:55, we were outside for my morning constitutional by 6. Then quiet time and we all had breakfast, Stephen and Kathy had something with eggs and I had kibbles. After that Stephen and I had our morning training session, we did all the commands and then I taught him Touch. Kathy slipped away and got her shower and then she left in the growling car.

Stephen said, "Yogi, I have got to get a shower and I do not want to put you in your upstairs crate, and I can't give you the run of the house or you will destroy everything. So come with me into the bathroom." Then Stephen told me to Down Stay. Right, you are busy in the shower dude and you don't have any kibbles your treat back is in the sink.

But what is up with this? Everyone knows you have to be consistent with Rottweilers, don't you want me in the shower with you like old times? Stephen, tsk, tsk, tsk, with apologies to Stewart Francis, my packmate is schizophrenic, but he’s good people.

Sunday - Why is Mother's Day Happy?

Today started out normal, we got up at 6 AM as usual. Well actually the alarm goes off at 5:55, but my pack lets me out the door to my potty at 6. Then we had quiet time. But, I could tell, I am 16 weeks old, you can't pull anything over me anymore, I could tell they were getting ready to go. I wonder where? Oh, there is Stephen with his Bible chewtoy protector.

Sure enough, they put me in the crate and left. Hours passed, maybe days or weeks. Finally they came home. I was so pleased, I did not have a crate mishap. Stephen took me outside to go potty. Then we went upstairs. Stephen tethered me to a dining room chair. I don't mind that, I can pull the chair anywhere. Then Stephen cooked lunch. I love it when Stephen cooks. He is the fastest operator in a kitchen short of Bill Kertsos, and puts almost as much food on the floor. I could score my entire lunch floor surfing. Then I lay down on my matt while they ate. The lunch was standard enough, Salmon, I have Salmon treats so I know that smell and some other kibbles as well. Then dessert. Sniff, sniff, sniff, it is that forbidden food. I don't know what chocolate is but it smells great and Stephen never screws up when he is working with chocolate and loses it to the floor. I watch him; I know. He slows down, he pushes the cutting board further away from the edge. I did manage to capture a piece of pineapple.

Then Stephen took me to my outside potty and of all things, he put me back in my crate. What the heck? It was something about Mother's day. What about Mother's day means I have to be back in my crate? I heard the roar of the Mustang GT, they went somewhere without me. That can't be fun. I bet they were miserable.

Hours passed, maybe days or weeks. Then they came back. Stephen grabbed is Go Dog Pack. I know what that means, an adventure. They did not use the mobile crate, so this is probably one of the private parks. On they way there, I met, Lizzie.

We got to the park and alternated between training and sniffing. Training is very important for a pack. As a canine I have to learn the different ways to train humans to give me a treat. I gave up on trying to teach humans how to sniff a long time ago. Then I met her, Josie, a golden lab. We romped and played and tusseled, what fun! She even growled once or twice, I tried to keep a straight face. Seriously, a golden lab growling? Anyway, she was as much fun as my Petco Puppy II classmate Halle. Her packmates seemed pretty cool, I saw Stephen and Kathy talking to Josh.

More new friends from Sumner Parks and Rec

I forgot their names, did I mention I have the attention span of a gnat?

Sadie

Olive and Harley

Maya

Buster

Sumner Parks/Rec Dog Obedience, Jim Grasley

After Puppy II and my Star Puppy exam we got in the mobile crate and headed to Sumner. I got to meet my teacher, Jim Grasley and his packmate Baxter. He is a really interesting man, a bit like Stephen actually, only he is not a long haired breed like Stephen.

This class is called Dog Obedience Training. To be honest I was afraid I would be bored, Sit, Stand, Down; whopee,  but there are some really cool dogs in the class. Stephen let me borrow his iPhone chewtoy and I managed to get a few pictures. There was a hot little lady Rottweiler across the classroom from me. We didn't get to Sniff in Real Life today, but I did sneak a picture of her. She is eight months old and her pack is pretty large. Stella is an English Mastiff. She is possibly the most striking canine in the class. We didn't get to Sniff either.

Petco Puppy II First Class, AKC Star Puppy

I started Petco Puppy II with my friends Halle and Lucy. We are learning Stay. I am not so sure Stay is really fun. Halle, Lucy and I are becoming a pack of our own having spent seven Saturdays together. I really enjoy puppy play time at the end of class, now that is fun! Stay, puppy play time, hmmmm, which one is more fun, think, think, think.

 Woooo Hoooo! I got my AKC Star Puppy certification today. How cool is that? What's a Star Puppy?

Whoops, I just farted and Stephen is looking down at me, with only mild amusement. I may not have a full command of human languages, but I can read people pretty well.

Field trip to Buckley

After work we went to pick up tomato plants from Take Root farm in Buckley. I could smell a horse and other rich smells. They would not let me out of the truck, but Stephen opened the truck door so all the wonderful smells could come in.

Then the pack thought it might be fun to drive into Buckley and walk around Main Street. The economy in Buckley is suffering. You can tell by the empty buildings that have almost no smell and the lack of gum chewtoys on the sidewalk.

We parked the mobile crate behind The Queen's Ransom. Kathy went in and Stephen and I came out. She found two garden tripods for her tomatoes. She got me something too, she thinks I didn't see it but puppies and crocodiles are very good at seeing even though our eyes are barely open. Then Katie Petrovich came out with her puppies.

One peed on the sidewalk right after he came out of her store before I got to meet him. I guess when ya gotta go, ya gotta go. Then we took a walk and saw the old gas station. The sign to right of the door says Hippies use side entrance. What is a Hippy?

Next stop was a snack at Wally's White River Drive In Restaurant. They bring the food to the mobile crate. Stephen had their house made clam chowder. Kathy had a chocolate malt, I had kibbles. 

While the pack was digesting our food we visited the outside exhibits at the Foothills Historical Museum. This is a huge sled, not sure what they did with it, but try and stop them.

My 16th week old birthday and Fetch

Today I turn 16 weeks old. Lucy and Halle were both 16 weeks old when we started Petco Puppygarten 1 and now all three of us have graduated.

I had a visit from Chris from Manners Unleashed yesterday. Mostly Kathy asked Chris questions, but she helped me with fetch. Then I slept on it and today I've got it. It is a fun game. There are two designated fetch toys, one is a Chuckit Blue and Grey Flying Squirrel and the other is a Yellow NERF Football Launcher. Stephen and Kathy do not leave those toys on the floor, (if it is on the floor it's mine), when we are done playing fetch. I like running after them when Kathy or Stephen throws them, but I have to be careful on the slippery floor. I have already run into the wall a couple times.

After I Fetched nine times in a row, Stephen played the Fetch song, (it's very catchy), but it is puppy music. Now that I am 16 weeks old, I want a big boy Fetch song. 

Kathy was a bit concerned I might learn some of the colorful language, (does that mean yellow or blue?), but Stephen said, "Kathy, Yogi only knows 16 words of English: Look, Sit, Down, Stand, Wait, Leave It, Come, Fetch, Stay, Find It, Find Heel, Settle, Good Boy, Yes, Right and Left. Besides, I let him stream it from DogTube, but I didn't buy it for his iBark player. And it is an obscure enough song that I seriously doubt he can find it using the Doogle Canine to English translator.

Puppy in the diswasher

Kathy here: we do not put our sharp knives in the dishwasher; it dulls them. I had Yogi tethered to me in the kitchen and I was hand washing the knives. I looked down and Yogi was in the dishwasher. I told him, "Yogi, that is silly, you are a dog, not a dish".

During quiet time Yogi did a search of Doogle images and pushed his iPaw over for me to see. Apparently he is not alone.

Pet Pros at Lakeland Center

I am almost out of my primary large breed puppy food. Kathy calls it Nutri Source, but I call it small kibbles. Stephen and Kathy like it because I tolerate it well, (humanspeak for easy to clean up). But, my Vet thinks I should be on a non-grain food. I like it because the kibbles are bigger. But after a few days I started producing pooh to consistency of pudding. So, the pack talked about it and we decided to go to Pet Pros at Lakeland Center, get a bag of Nutri Source and try to mix the two.

What are Kibbles you ask? The term originated was coined by a German Shepard in 1790 which is 1,575 dog years ago and a bit over 22,500 puppy years, (those three seconds add up when you have the attention span of a gnat). It stems from the German people word for grinding. Most kibbles are formed from meat and grain meal and then formed into those famous pellets. Perhaps you are familiar with the Kibble and Bits song. I had always thought kibbles were for dogs, but they make them for cats as well. Never, ever, get between a cat and her kibble.

Meeting Geoff Molichi

We were walking back home and a nice man waved to us so Kathy asked if he would like to meet me. He said he has a lab, so maybe we can have puppy play time on a nice day.

Banana Slugs at Wildwood Park

It was another beautiful day and the pack wanted to go outside. We decided to use the mobile crate and went to Wildwood Park in Puyallup. They have a waterfall that is a lot smaller than Victor Falls, the only other waterfall I have seen.

On the way there we listened to Taimane Gardner, a half Samoan, half Haole, ukulele player from Oahu. Her Toccatto by Bach was really good, but I liked Tico Tico the best. She has more of a South American flair than the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Speaking of South America, have you ever heard the four paw version of Tico Tico? Here is another one.

When we got to Wildwood Park, we walked along a path in the forest. I am starting to know some of the forest smells, but here was a new one. It came from a shiny ribbon on the trail and I followed the ribbon till I saw this guy. Banana slugs process leaves, puppy poop and moss, and dead plant material, they digest this food and then put fertilizer on the forest floor.

Puppies, ducks and geese sometimes eat banana slugs; we roll the slugs in soil to get rid of the slime.  Cornmeal works even better, but it is easier for a puppy to get dirt than cornmeal. Even though we saw two, Stephen wouldn't let me eat them. Yogi, have a kibble instead, as Crocodile Dundee would say, "Not bad eating, but they always give me gas."

Petco Bonney Lake Puppy I class of 2015

Stephen here: this is the graduating class. The lady with the apron is Nikki, the instructor.

PeeMail from Malibu

Malibu wrote while we were doing celebratory pictures after the graduation and I was a little bored, so I read her note in my account from Stephen's iPhone chewtoy. She is a Border Collie Dam that just dropped her litter. She is from the Heriott pack.

Mom and puppies are doing just fine!

And they are bonding as a pack, though some of the puppies will be leaving for their forever homes.

This litter of Border Collies has 6 female & 4 male. They were born April 3, 2015. If you want more information, you can send a PeeMail to: HappyHatsFarm@gmail.com

Puppygarten graduation, meeting great canines

Final exams were harder than I would have guessed and the whole pack had to take a part in them, but we made it through. Puppy pushups, (Sit, Down, Sit, Down), was my best showing, I did eleven and a half in sixty seconds. Stephen played Pomp and Ceremony on his kazoo when I got my diploma, (suitable for framing).

I also got to meet some really cool canines. Outside of the Petco, I met Abby, a Broholmer Mastiff. She is ten months old and as you can see, plays hard to get.

I also got to meet the Dog 1 class. Gunner is a boxer. This was my first time with a boxer, so I boxed him three times. That might not have been the smartest thing I ever did.

Kona is not pure bred. His pack brought him a little early and he spent a little time in puppy play time, even though he is not a puppy. He is a rescue dog and I think he is going to be an outstanding canine.

My second big boy walk and Look Port, Look Starboard

We went to the park again without having to use the mobile crate to get there. I practiced keeping a slack lead, well most of the time; I think I was born to pull. And the whole pack practiced Wait, Look Both Ways, before crossing the street. It was not as exciting as yesterday because I already knew some of the smells.

I managed to score two extra treats by taking a leak before and after the walk right after Stephen said, "Go Potty". I just shrugged my shoulders, you would think Stephen would want stay outside with me, it was a beautiful day, but he wanted to get back to his MacPro chewtoy.

When Stephen and Kathy finished lunch, dog oh dog those codfish burgers smelled great, Kathy called Garrett Stevens, a dog trainer back. He told her that with smart dogs, you have to be careful doing the same old tricks. I recognized some of them from the list, Sit, Stay, Down, Stand, and Come, but is Roll Over and Shake? I guess I will find out.

Stephen said he was glad we could introduce some new material and at the end of our training session he had me sit and he stood beside me and we did the Look command. But then he had me Look Left and then Look Right. Kathy gently reminded him the pack had agreed to introduce this as Look Port and Look Starboard.

Then I was tired lay down on my mat. Stephen put on some music for me from The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. The first song, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly started off a bit slow, but then they really rocked Born To Be Domesticated.