Winter Time Blues ?

I understand what Mom means by the"Winter Time Blues".  We have been having VERY cold and windy days lately.  Mom won't take us out for our daily walk/bike ride unless it is at least 20 degrees so we have been spending more of our days inside and there is just so much you can do to pass the time.   I work with Mom on commands but that is kind of getting old. I have been trying to work with Avalon but she says she doesn't have to do them anymore so refuses to play along.  Mom did take me along on a few errands but I must admit I would have rather stayed home.  We would get all warmed up in the car then out in the cold then warm up inside at the store only to go back outside to get cold again.  I can't wait until it is warmer to go on errands with Mom.  I liked those days.

 
One day it was nicer outside and Miss M came over and out we went.   That day I learned how to walk on water.  It was soooooo cool.  First, Miss M showed me so I would not be frightened then out we went together.  We practiced our commands on the ice.  It was slippery so you had to be careful but it was a lot of fun to be outside and with Miss M.  We were out for a long time so when we came back in it was nice to warm up.  I hope we get to do that again !!

Miss M and I are still going to that wonderful dog training place.  We work on Miss M's presentation with me for the talent show and other commands I need to know to be a Service/Guide Dog.  Miss M and me did a trial run to make sure we have the time down right.  Miss M reads her speech then we go through the commands we are going to use.  I think we have this down but will keep practicing till the show in February.


Another time when we were at school practicing I tried on my new doggie boots.  They put one on my front foot and I walked around then they put another one on and we walked around again. Then they put the last two on my back feet and we walked around.   I heard them kind of laughing at me because they said I looked like a marching soldier.   They did feel weird on my feet but after I coached Miss M to give me treats for marching around I got use to them and we just walked.  I heard Mom say there are some different ones at home so I might be trying some more on ??


I love the weekends when both Mom and Dad are home.  Lots of times we spend our evenings in the kitchen.  Mom is cooking dinner - for them, not us - and Dad will share some peanuts with us.   I have even taught him to throw them in the air so I can catch them.  He thinks it is sooo cool that he  keeps doing it so I keep getting peanuts.  I even make sure sometimes that Avalon is grounded so I am the only one getting them.  She isn't too happy about that  :(   and has made that clear to me by pushing me off.

Avalon and I got to go out on one of the warmer days after some of the ice and snow had melted for a bike ride over to the tennis courts.  We thought however it would be much more fun to run in the mud from the melted snow.  Mom was not too thrilled about it when we got away from her when she was letting us out of the tennis courts.  I think she said some words that I can not repeat. Half of Avalon looked like me - she is a light golden but looked black like me from her legs down.  I am black so you could not see all the mud but my fur sure felt icky.  We both ended up in the bath tub when we got home and again I think Mom said some words I can't repeat. Mostly those words came out when I jumped out of the tub wet and still muddy and tried to shake the mud off.   I did some decorating - brown and black polka-dots on the walls.

Miss M came over a few days later to visit.  It was too cold to be outside so we practiced some of our commands inside while Grandma T and Mom visited.  They were making reservations for us all to go see the movie     "A Dog's Purpose"  This will be my first time at a movie and it is a movie about dogs.   

I received a cool email this week.   The Salvation Army posted our story that was in the Papillion Times on their facebook page. It was nice that they thanked us for Bell Ringing but even nicer that they promoted Guide/Service Dogs and posted a link to KSDS Inc.  my future college for service dogs.  

Lynn -

Key is featured on our Facebook page today for our ThanQ Thursday feature.  I tagged KSDS in the post so they see it and linked the article from the Papillion Times and Key's blog.  

https://www.facebook.com/SalArmyWstDivVolunteer/

Ramona D. Arthur
Divisional Director of Volunteer Services
The Salvation Army Western Division

Next week is going to be a busy one.  First the Movie - Second another practice session - Third a practice run for the talent show at school and last the talent show itself.   Dad is getting all exited about something called the Super Bowl at the end of the week.

A New Year !

 Boy, it was sure busy between Christmas and New Years.   I thought Christmas was over but we still had another celebration.  This time it was with my grandma Keuter and my aunt/uncle and two cousins.  Kind of have a crush on one of the cousins. Nice dinner at the lodge where grandma lives and then opening of more Christmas gifts.  My sister Aunna was there since she had to work on Christmas Day.  She has a very important job - She is a nurse and was taking care of sick people.  Kind of like my Vet but she has two legged patients instead of four.

Between Christmas and New Year's Day me, Miss M and Grandma T went for my first official private obedience training. It was the same day right before Christmas at the Lodge with Grandma. Ms. Kathy - the head trainer - is so nice but I have learned she is the one teaching commands and not me teaching her.  Miss M and I worked on a lot of my old commands and learned some new ones.  One of them is my out of control excitement when I see Miss M.  Ms. Kathy laid down the law and I learned fast that if I control my wild child within me and listen I get way more treats - so again I think I am still training them too.


 I went on a few errands with Mom getting groceries for the New Year's Day weekend along with making a few returns at the stores.  Not very exciting like at training classes but Mom says they are still training sessions. New Years's Eve has a special meaning for my two legged Mom and Dad.  It is their anniversary.   First however, they celebrated the day before with watching the HUSKER football bowl game with some friends then the next day - can you believe this- had their Christmas together along with a great anniversary dinner !!!  Avalon and I could smell something wonderful cooking for about three hours but it was for their special dinner and not us.  Mom and Dad have traditions they follow each year.  Prime rib dinner on New Year's Eve then Hoppin Johns and jerk ribs on New Year's Day.

Miss M came over and I went down with her to Gradma T's house and practiced some of the new commands we learned at obedience classes.  I wanted to stay outside and play but Miss M had other plans.  I kind of rebelled but Miss M is much bigger and has those treats I like so much that I had to give in.  Miss M is still out of school and can come over and play with me.  I wish it was summer and she was out of school all the time like last summer. We got to spend so much more time together plus is was warmer !!

The next week we had another training session with Ms. Kathy.  I really like going there.  Another training session followed the next week but this time we practiced our skills we are going to use in the tryouts for the talent show at Miss M's school.   I will tell you more about that later.  

 Miss M and I also got together again and practiced some of our commands.  However, I did get a really bad grade. I just was not on my A game and Miss M and Grandma T told Mom that.  I was afraid I was going to get put on time out but Mom just sat down and talked to me about good manners and how we need to practice them.   During that week my sister also moved into a new apartment.  Mom was gone most of the day so Avalon and I had to stay in the mud room.  Mom put one of our new Christmas toys in the mud room for us along with a bunch of our old toys. Avalon
and I shared playing with the new one and old ones while Mom was gone.


This week was the tryouts for the talent show at Miss M's school.  First, we had that other training session I mentioned earlier with Ms. Kathy. This time Miss M had her speech ready and what commands we were going to demonstrate. We practiced for a whole hour on them with lots of treats for me.  I think I might have put on a few pounds with all of the training because I heard Mom say we need to cut back a little at dinner time when I have been out at training sessions.   I am not for that !!!  The next day Mom, Grandma T and me left early to get ready for the tryouts and for me to settle in before Miss M got out of school.  While waiting, we decided to go over to the church.  Miss M goes to a Catholic school.  Mom said I had to be quiet and really mind my manners.   Miss M finally got out of class and came to get me.  We were in the school office and I did mind my manners at church and when Miss M came.  We went down to the music room to wait our turn.  There were lots of other kids there trying out also along with Miss K. I kept my wild child under control and listened to Miss M.  They finally called our name and we went in.  I think things went great. Now we are just waiting to see if we made it to the finals.  If we did we will do our demonstration in front of the whole school.  After tryouts Miss M took me to her classroom and showed me her desk.  I wonder when I go off to KSDS college that is what my classroom will look like ??

A wonderful package arrived yesterday - My Science Diet puppy food.  Mom and me were getting a little nervous since my dog food container was about empty and no new package had arrived.  We are all now relieved it came since the weekend is coming and we heard on the TV a big icky rainy ice storm is coming on Sunday.  Maybe up to an inch of ice on the ground.  That means they will be putting the icky stuff on the roads and sidewalks that makes my feet feel like hot potatoes.  Mom is ready this time though.  My doggie boots arrived in the mail so we might try them out.  I will let you know later what I think about them. We also have a training session on Monday but the storm is to be in full force that day so I am guessing we probably won't be going.  Maybe Miss M can skate over to our house and we can play.

Hope we don't lose power and be in the dark.  They are warning about that this morning on the TV.  Mom has lots of candles so might be using them ??

Happy New Year to all of my family and friends !!