It is FUN living on a lake !!

I love to swim in the lake.  Almost every day Mom takes Avalon and I on a bike ride around the lake and we always get to stop and take a swim.  I am getting better everyday at swimming and almost can keep up with Avalon except for jumping off of the boat ramp.  One thing I have learned though is not to make a quick stop when we are biking.  Avalon tries to keep me in line but I sometimes ignore her and then things happen that shouldn't.   One time while Mom was picking up our deposits I decided to take off and things really got interesting when the bike kept going and Avalon and I stopped.


I got to go on my first boat ride !!  What FUN it was !!  I have asked Avalon what that thing was on the boat ramp when we were out swimming in the back yard and she told me it was like a car but on water.  She told me she has never gone on a boat ride because she gets car sick and Mom and Dad think she will get boat sick too.  I didn't get boat sick but I did think it would be cool to go swimming out in the middle of the lake.  Mom told me I had to have a life jacket on to do that so we just stayed in the boat.

Last week Miss M and Miss K had special treats for me.  First Miss K came over and brought this funny looking thing that played music.  She played for us a song she said she learned at music camp.  I  thought it sounded wonderful.  I had a hard time sitting still because I wanted to go over and learn to play too.  I heard Mom say "puppies can't play a fiddle - they have paws not fingers".

 Next Miss M and me walked to her Grandma T's house.  I had a luxury bath in their outdoor spa, my paws massaged, my fur styled, teeth cleaned and ears freshened.   I just love to have my ears freshened.  While I was at my outdoor spa Avalon went to her indoor spa.  She looked funny when she came home.  They cut her fur short instead of styling it.   She looks like me now a Lab instead of the Golden she is.

After my spa treatment we went for a walk around the lake and stopped and walked over a thing Miss M called a grate.  I guess while I am in training I have to learn to walk on all kinds of surfaces.  Miss M walked first to show me - I gave her a treat so she would know to give me a treat when I walked over.  We both did a great job.

I go with Mom on some of her errands now as she calls them.  I am not sure if I really like going because they usually are boring and not much fun.  I ask how come Avalon gets to stay home and play and I have to go.  I wish Mom understood puppy talk when I ask but she just doesn't.  However, I think Miss M might understand some words ?  I heard her say it is like learning another language.  She has picked up a few words like Sit, Stay, Down but Come Here is a little challenging.

Last weekend was a busy one for me. I got to spend time with Miss C and Miss M and her family.  First Miss C came to our house with her Mom on Friday.  I was sooooo excited to see Miss C.  She has been busy and I have not gotten to see her for a while.  However, we made up for it with a wonderful afternoon together.   She was a little rusty on her commands but we worked on them then swimming !!  Miss C is in the National Junior Honor Society and gets volunteer credit when we are working together.  I signed her volunteer sheet so hopefully they can read paw writing.

 Sunday was a busy day last weekend too.  First, I went over to Miss M and Grandma T's house for a family BBQ.  It was a little misleading since I didn't get any BBQ but I still had a great time meeting Miss M and Miss K's extended family.  Mom came and got me when their company came over. My two legged sisters were there and I had soo much fun with them and Mom and Dad's other company swimming in the lake.  I think Avalon and I spent most of the day swimming and were so tired that we went to bed early.  I drank a little too much lake water and woke Mom up in the middle of the night needing to go out and hurry up.

Milo - who is older than me but still from KSDS Inc. and also in training to be a Guide/Service Dog came over and we got to go swimming.  Miss M and Grandma T came over in a thing that looked like a small boat but had paddles.  I am not sure if Milo had been swimming before ?  He was a little nervous at first but learned really fast and even jumped off the boat ramp.  I hope he comes over again.  I like him and his Mom.

Mom thought that I was ready to hear some loud and live music so yesterday I got to to go to a concert at Shadow Lake.  The music was loud and the band even sang songs.  Dad came out after he got off work and my Aunt Allison, cousin Zach and Grandma K came too.  We stayed and listened longer than Dad.  He left to go get some dinner for us however, when Mom and I got home I didn't get any.  Only my puppy food.

Lastly, one of the most wonderful things in the world came again this week.  My puppy food from Hill's Science Diet.  They are such nice people and donate my food to my parents and all of the other puppies at KSDS Inc. Guide/Service Dogs.  THANK YOU HILL'S  !!

Look what came in the mail !

It has really been HOT here in our home land of Nebraska in the USA.  That means some of my walks have been cancelled which also means I have gotten to go swimming in the lake a lot more !  I love swimming.  Dad has given me several swimming lessons and says I am a natural.  They even let me swim alone now and I am starting to learn to jump off of the boat dock like Avalon.  I heard them calling me their Jr. Jumper.  I even have my own special orange toy to fetch in the lake.

Miss C has not been here as much lately.  Her Grandpa said she is busy.  I miss her but she is a teenager and has lots of activities going on.  I did get to go over to her Grandpa's house and spend some time with her and some of her friends while Mom and Dad were helping my two legged sister Aunna move.  I was sooo happy to see her too because I had to stay in my kennel while they were gone.

My best friend and personal Jr. Puppy Raiser Miss M has been here a lot.  I get soooo excited when she comes that I have to spend time in the mud room to settle down.  I sometimes leak too.  I am trying to hold it in but when she comes I just know special things are going to happen like Miss M getting to put my Puppy In Training Vest on.   It arrived in the mail and Mom and I decided to wait till Miss M came over so she could be the first one to put it on.  She will say to me " Get Dressed" so I guess it is like wearing two legged clothes.  All I know is that when I have it on I get to go out with

Mom and Dad along with Miss M, Miss K and Grandma T.  Mom did make me wear it on one of our weekend walks and I have to heel which I have learned I have to do when I am dressed,but when we got to the open area of the lake on the dike Mom took it off and I got to run free just like Avalon.   Mom said since I know how to swim now she is Ok with me running around however she did not like it when I found some icky stuff to roll in.  I smelled funny afterwards so Mom made me go swimming to wash the stink off.  I might just do that next time when I want to swim because Mom doesn't understand puppy talk when I ask to go swimming.  Avalon told me she does it all the time so she can get in the lake and swim.

Miss M and Grandma T filled out my monthly report this month with the help of Mom and me.  Miss M also has a report card she fills out on me each time we play together.  I feel now I have to be on my best behavior but since Mom says I am in my terrible two's I try to hold true to that.  I did see one

of them and Miss M gave me A's and B's so I guess I am not that terrible.    While Miss M and Grandma T were filling out my report card Miss K and Mom were making apple butter.  The house smelled sooooo good.   Avalon was hanging with us too and thought she would teach Miss M how to shake.  It is amazing how quickly they learn - Avalon got a treat just like me in one try !!  She loves Miss M too.

I had another BIG first !!  I have had to watch every day as Mom and Avalon would leave for a
bike ride and go swimming in the morning but this week I got to go along.  It was scary at first since you have to stay away from the wheels and I learned the hard way  not to stop but it sure is fun.  We
bike over to the dike on the lake then get off the leashes and run and swim.  Avalon and I usually leave a deposit and sometimes more than one for Mom which she picks up and puts in the bike basket.   There are special big baskets at the end of the dike that she will put our deposits in.  I have been by the big baskets when she does this and boy they are smelly when they are full.  I love to smell everything but that one is even icky to me.  I have seen Mom hold her nose.   When we get back home we usually have to spend time in the mud room drying off.  Smelly wet puppies as Mom says.

My first trip with my new Puppy In Training Vest on was to the Farmers Market.   Mom thought it would be better to practice first outside so if I got too excited and leaked it would not be a mess inside to clean up.  We walked around then I asked Miss M if we could work on commands so I could get some treats.  I heard Mom say she bought a treat pouch and I could see it on Miss M's hip.  Mom, Miss M, and me all get to wear our ID tags when we are out so everyone knows who we are.

I also had my first OFFICIAL Puppy In Training outing too.  Mom first took me to a meeting with Grandma K and I got to ride on an elevator.  I think Mom was a little frustrated with me since we left the meeting and went outside for a bit.  I must have been good enough because I heard them tell Mom I was welcomed back ?  After the meeting Mom and I went to Hy-Vee which I heard her say was a grocery store and walked around then Pet Smart to pick out a new toy and return a bowl Mom bought for me.  I didn't like the new bowl.  It had raised bumps in the middle so it was hard for me to eat my food so I just tipped it over then ate my food off of the floor.  Mom was not pleased.  Before we went home we walked around outside at Shadow Lake which is a place with a lot of two legged people stores.  We didn't go in any but walked around outside practicing commands.  I need to work on Mom - she doesn't understand I get a treat every time I work with her on a command.  She did have the treat pouch on and I could smell treats so I don't understand the problem.

We are an Official 

 KSDS Inc. - Assistance Puppy In Training Team

Holiday on the Lake

It has been kind of boring here at the Lake recently.  Last week Mom was really busy, Miss. M was at Vacation Bible School and Miss C. had family stuff going on.  I wonder how many litter mates Miss C has ?  I miss them so much when they don't come over that I get soooooo excited when they do that I leak.  My Mom is not too happy about that and I have to stay in the mud room till I settle down.  Mom also tells me I am still working on those terrible two's and she can't wait till I grow out of them ?

 I had a great spa afternoon with Miss C.  I really do think she is going to be a groomer when she grows up.  This time she even gave me a luxury bath along with styling my fur, freshening up my ears, cleaning my teeth and massaging my paws.   Miss C did a much better job with my nails then Mom.  Mom cut my nails and one had a little red stuff coming out.  She put some yellow nail stuff on it so all was OK.  I am still training Miss C to do commands and each time we do them I get a treat.  How GREAT it that !!


Mom and Dad went to something called the College World Series - A baseball game.  Mom said I had to stay home because I don't have my training vest yet.  They were gone all afternoon so Avalon and I just hung out.  Glad Avalon understands puppy talk - we talked about what it is like when you get to go out with Mom.
When Mom and Dad got back they put their new outdoor TV up and I got to watch a game.  It is kind of like when I play fetch with Mom except instead of throwing the ball they try and hit it with a long stick.  After a bit Avalon and I got bored so Dad threw ice cubes out on the deck for us to chase then we played till I got sleepy and took a nap.  It was dark when we came in and bed time so every one took a "hurry up" and headed to their beds.  I wish Mom understood puppy talk so I could ask her why Avalon gets to sleep with them in their bedroom and I have to sleep in my den out in the living room.


Finally Miss M came over and again I was soooo excited I leaked.  I had another fun spa day then I worked with Miss M on her commands.  However, being in my terrible two's as Mom says thing were a little more challenging.   I think everyone will be glad when I outgrow them.  I don't think they are so bad but what do I know as a little puppy.  I heard something about the terrible teens ?  It is something like the terrible two's but you are older ?  Miss M went with us to the Heartland Vet this week.  I heard the Vet say this is my last set of shots.  I heard Mom talking to the Vet about my leaking and if she thought something was wrong so the Vet tried to get a sample but I didn't have any hurry up in there.

Later, Mom was running around following me with a potty container and put it under me when I hurried up.  Dad took it to the Vet and she said everything was OK - I just need to settle down and not get to excited.   I am not sure how to do that because I just love everyone and love to play with everyone.  Mom said I need some little pink pills but the pill she gave me this week were brown so no bugs will get inside of me then something on my back so no bug will bite me.  I get them on the 1st of each month.

I finally got to go into the BIG bath tub out in the back yard that Mom and Dad call a lake,  I wasn't to sure about everything at first then Avalon kind of showed me the ropes and off we went.  I don't think I have had that much FUN since I came home with Mom.  We played in the sand digging, played in the water and jumped off the shore station.  Dad gave me a few swimming lessons and I heard him say he thinks I am a natural.  I need some more lessons though until Mom and Dad will let me go out in the lake where they say the water will be over my head.  Avalon gets to play with a yellow ball but I  have to play with a big orange tube.  I guess I am not allowed to play with balls.  I like my orange toy better.  It is easier to find in the water.


 Let me tell you now about a Holiday my Mom and Dad call Independence Day - July 4th.  We started the day by taking our weekend walk around the lake.  We saw some people putting up these big rockets out on the dike.  Avalon started telling me about all the LOUD noises they will make tonight and she does not like it.  Mom and Dad spent the afternoon putting up red, white and blue decorations and fixing some BBQ food.  I tried asking Mom if Avalon and I were going to get some BBQ but lunch was only our Science Diet kibbles.  I was waiting all day to get to go over to Miss M's house.  She was having some of her two legged friends over and she wanted me to meet them,   Mom and Dad packed up my bag and we were off around dinner time.  It was sooooo much fun !!  I got to play with everyone, we did some commands so I could get some treats then there was a flag ceremony.  There was music and singing then they took down the US Flag and folded it.  I was wondering after Miss M got done doing her flag folding command if she was going to get a treat ?


When it started to get dark we headed home.  Mom and Dad wanted to make sure Avalon was OK and get everyone ready for the BIG bang noises.  Some were already starting but I was a big girl and was not frightened like Avalon said I might be.  When we did get home Avalon was frightened though and I found her in my kennel hiding.  I tried to comfort her but she said she would be OK after the fireworks show.  Mom took me outside with her and I watched some of the show but did come back in when it got really loud.  I was not frightened - the noise just hurt my ears.  Everyone got to stay up past our bedtime because the noise kept going on and on after the show.  Mom and Dad ate dinner really late and I was hoping they were going to share but nothing !  I just don't understand why we get the same thing everyday and they get all kinds of different food ?

Happy Independence Day  U.S.A  -  July 4th