Guess Who's a Canine Good Citizen????

When we got to my Gilroy class tonight (we missed last week) Janet had to fill out paperwork for me to take my CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test, which was being given to my whole class.  Janet said it was a good thing she didn't know in advance, or she would have been a nervous wreck.

We figured it would be a good opportunity for us to find out what we needed to focus on so we'd be ready the next time the test was given.  But guess what?  I PASSED FIRST TIME AROUND, AND WITH FLYING COLORS!

Janet's so proud of me that she won't shut up.  She's told Mr. Bill and called Scott on the phone.  Then she told me I had to update my blog and share.  Frankly, I'm just glad I have soft blankies in my crate in the house.  I've scooched and wadded and piled them up so I can sleep soundly and warm all night long.  AAAAhhhhhhhh.......nighty-night!

Bone Jour!

Janet asked Bill to get me a bone from the butcher, and he brought me THIS.  

We didn't expect a mastadon femur!  My eyes got HUGE when I saw it----the first night, I was so excited that Janet had to take it out of the kennel so I would eat my dinner.  At first I couldn't figure out how to pick it up.  I spent a couple of days getting the physics right so I could move it around easily.  Even though Janet now latches my kennel door whenever I'm not inside, I like to hide this FABULOUS bone by wrapping it up in my blanket.  I don't want some darn cat coming in and sniffing at it and getting cat-cooties all over it.  I've now learned that "Meaty Bones" biscuits are not the real thing.....they're OK, but my horizons have definitely been widened.

It's gotten cold here, and I don't like it.  Even though it's inside, I hate sitting on cold concrete in my Wednesday-night class---and lying down is even worse!  I've been spending some of my daytime at home in my sleeping crate inside the house.  Boring, but at least it's warmer.  When it's wet I don't even want to go for a walk.  I've always turned my nose up at these dogs I see in sweaters and boots.....but maybe I'm secretly a little envious?

So the really big news (even bigger than my bone) is that I have now been to a dog park!  Bernie and Bosco and Janet and I had been to the one in Gilroy one day, but we were the only ones there.  It was still hot, and we didn't feel like playing on gravel.  But last week we went to the Morgan Hill dog park and it's all grassy (and you know how much I love grass) and there were a bunch of other friendly dogs and owners who made me feel like I could trust them.  So Janet let me off my leash, and we dogs ran and played and jumped on each other like a pack, and had GREAT fun!  Unlike Bosco, who acted like he'd never met Bernie before in his life, I checked in with Janet a few times and laid down in front of the bench to observe everyone else's behaviour.  Janet says if it doesn't rain that we're going back again on Friday, so I'm looking forward to running with the pack again.  And by the way, Amelia, I wasn't BOSSY at all!

Janet's making me work on down-stay and sit-stay forEVER.  She says I have to be able to do that for my Canine Good Citizen test.  I already know I'm a good citizen, but apparently I have to prove it....sigh......



Bone?  What bone??



Oh, LOOK!  Here's my bone!
I wonder who wrapped it up in my blanket???



Three-Month Anniversary

It's been exciting around here lately.  Janet's smooth child, Scott, got married on September 30th to Megan.  I love her too, so I'm glad she's officially part of the family now!!  While everyone was out of town, my Auntie Trudi came three times a day to walk and feed me.  Trudi knows a lot about dogs and I'm really comfortable with her.  I slept in the doghouse inside my big kennel all night long.  Janet thought I might bark at night when I didn't get to sleep in my crate in the house, but the neighbors told her I was very well-behaved, even when they had a late-night party right on the other side of my fence.

Last weekend Janet had something called an "Open Studio" where a bunch of people came to look at her garden and the pottery she made.  Let me point out that no one asked if this was OK with me.  Saturday was all right because it was only people, and even Trudi's mom came and met me.  But Sunday there were a lot more people and some of them brought their dogs right into MY SPACE!!!  I'm fenced up in my kennel trying to be a good greeter, and here are these strange dogs walking around in MY YARD, going places I'm not even allowed to go and peeing on MY PLANTS.  I didn't care for the whole scenario one bit, and I spoke right up and told everyone so.  Janet told me they were customers and guests and we both had to just suck it up and be quiet.  Not my idea of a good time.  I still haven't quite gotten over this insult, and I'm making sure Janet knows it, too.

That being said, between Bosco and all the well-behaved students in my training classes, I'm starting to get over my cautiousness around nice dogs.  Today Janet and Trudi introduced me to Tobin, her 2-year-old yellow lab.  We took a long walk that ended with us side-by-side and being very friendly with each other.  He's very handsome-----not as hunky and mature as Bosco, but definitely a lot of fun.

Janet says this Saturday we have to skip all the "Pit Bull Awareness Day" get-togethers because we're going to an "agility event", whatever that is.  If it's like at my Gilroy school when we sometimes get to walk up on ramps and jump over little bars, I think I'll like that.  On Sunday we'll be back at Bad Rap class, which I've had to miss twice because of my people's activities.  If I'd been consulted, I would definitely have traded that stupid open studio for a training session with Tim.  It sure will be nice to see a bunch of good-looking square-headed dogs again!!!

Progress Report

Today it rained in Bad Rap class!  I guess there's just nothing I like about blacktop.  I already knew I hate sitting on it when it's hot, and it turns out I also hate sitting on it when it's wet---plus it gets my pretty white feet all dirty.  We did lots of spins and weaves today in Tim's class.  As long as I didn't have to sit, I really enjoyed the exercises.  On the way home I chewed a hole in my "indestructible ball".  SCORE!!!

In Gilroy class on Wednesday night, we did an off-leash "sit and stay" exercise.  Janet got very upset when I turned it into a personal romp through the entire building, running as fast as I could around the room until the teacher caught me.  (Apparently I wasn't supposed to do that??)  The next day, Bill installed a zip line that follows the sidewalk all the way across the back of the house.  Janet clips my leash to the cable and makes me do "off-leash" lessons on it.  I'm not happy about this.  I put my ears back and hang my head down, so Janet must know I'm not happy about it, but she doesn't seem to care.  Really?  I have to be on a leash when doing "off-leash" lessons?  That sucks.  On the up-side, I am getting extra treats while I'm doing this stuff.

Janet found me, Bernie and Bosco a terrific new place to walk---the levee in Gilroy.  It's wide enough for me and Bosco and our two people to walk in one "lane".  In the other lane there are lots of friendly folks and dogs walking toward us.  People ride bicycles and pull wagons with babies in them, too.  It's never boring.  One time we met some teenage boys who had found a little snake I thought it might be fun to play with.  They were a little intimidated by me at first, but they warmed up after Janet introduced me.  Bosco always enjoys the squirrels, but he says he likes me best.

By the way, Bosco knows our car and gets overly excited whenever he sees it.  Bill took our car to Bosco's house the other day without me, and I was told that Bosco looked all around inside the car and then laid down next to it waiting for me to jump out.  He's taking this "socialization" thing pretty seriously. And I have to admit that since he came into my life, I've become a WHOLE lot more comfortable with other dogs!!

Two-month Anniversary

I've been out of the shelter and living in Gilroy for two months!

Besides my Bad Rap Pit Ed classes in Berkeley, I've started going to school once a week in Gilroy.  The rules are the same, but the dogs are very different.  For instance, last week I met Abby.  I didn't think she was a dog because in my experience, dogs have big shovel-heads and stocky bodies or they have lots of hair and tall pointy ears and bushy tails.  Abby doesn't fit either of those descriptions; Janet says it's because she's a greyhound.  We kept looking and looking and sniffing and sniffing each other----she was just as curious about me as I was about her.  I guess she's never been around a dog that looked like me, either!

My friend Trudi who is going to walk me if Bill and Janet are gone was in our class with a black lab puppy who wanted very much to play with me and Janet.  I don't like Janet talking to other dogs, so I have to jump on her if she pets someone else to make sure she keeps loving me best.  But I think I will eventually learn to like other dogs besides my best friend Bosco.  I even wagged my tail the whole time we were in class on Wednesday so everyone there would know how friendly I am!!  A few of the people still didn't believe me, and they kept their dogs far, far away.  Janet says I just have to be the most well-behaved dog in class so they'll respect me even if they never learn to like me.

Janet hasn't been lettng me play off-leash because I decided last week while we were working with the flirt-pole that I didn't have to come back to her when she called.  So right now we're just going on walks and practicing all our walking lessons.  I miss chasing my Squeaky Kong in the park, but since I chewed it up I can't play with it anyway.  Janet has been spending a lot of time on the computer reseaching dog toys, and she got me a black Super-Kong.  I like chewing it, but it doesn't squeak.  I DO miss that squeak...

Speaking of squeaks, when we were out in the garden the other day, I saw a rat eating berries off the vine growing on the gazebo!!!  I pulled my leash right out of Janet's hand and chased the rat, but it went through a tiny hole and under the fence.  Ever since, whenever I'm in the garden I keep my eyes glued to the spot where I saw it, just in case I see it again.  While she's brushing me in the morning under the gazebo, I sniff around and tell Janet about everywhere the rat's been the night before.  It likes to sit in her chair and eat berries and climb up and down the vine's trunk and walk across the wall.  Janet won't let me chase it because she says I do too much damage in the garden (remember my nickname, "Wrecking Ball"?)  But do I REALLY look like I would do any damage???  Don't you think I just look like the mellowest pibble ever???

Seriously...

I've had a couple of experiences this week that reminded me just how lucky I am.

Bosco and I were out on a walk through my neighborhood when a couple of Golden Retrievers bounced out of their open garage and started jumping all over us.  They just wanted to play, but you know what blondes Goldens are----and they won't take "no" for an answer.  Janet kept trying to get them to back off while they sniffed us and jumped on us and crawled under us and got tangled in our feet and leashes.  These idiot dogs were relentless.  And they kept following us down the street.  Finally Bernie asked a boy to knock on the door and ask if the humans could please get their dogs under control.  I was getting close to giving them a piece of my mind.  But I knew I had to keep my cool---otherwise I could just visualise the headlines, "Pet Golden Retrievers attacked by Pit Bull".  Janet kept reassuring me that I was doing all the right things.  After it was over at least I got lots of praise and treats....

Next I experienced bully prejudice first-hand when I went to check out a local trainer's class.  All the dogs in this drop in session obviously already knew each other.  There wasn't another bully-type in the group.  When I walked in quietly on my leash and we sat down at a reasonable distance from the other dogs to give everyone plenty of space, one of the human handlers said, "That animal's just a biting machine".  I thought that was totally uncalled for.  I managed to ignore the Boston Terrier that kept barking and trying to get me in trouble.  I already knew how to do almost all the training exercises, and I never made a sound.  But I was pretty much glued to some part of Janet's body the entire session.  It was really stressful.

So I'm looking forward to a quiet walk in the country tonight with Bosco, and my class in Berkeley on Sunday where I'll be with people and dogs who appreciate me for who I am.  I can't thank Bad Rap enough for giving me & Janet the tools to deal with these situations, or thank BACS and its amazing volunteers enough for all the love and support they gave (and continue to give) me.  I'm a VERY LUCKY DOG!!

Called Up!

When we lined up for Bad Rap class today, Donyale told us to go to the advanced class!!  She warned me that I might get sent back down to the minors, unless Tim (Racer, not my Uncle Tim from the shelter) approved.  So I really had to step up my game!  I got into a lovely down-stay for Janet, and let her walk all around me and even step over me.  Then we went to the center of the area in two lines and greeted other handlers and dogs and I was PERFECT the whole class.  OK, almost.  When I was in a down-stay and Tim came over to distract me, I popped up two out of three times.  But was this test fair to me?  I think not.  The man keeps HOT DOGS in his pockets!!  What kind of sadistic dog-trainer would do that???  I thought I had the rest of the exercises nailed, but on the last greeting, the other dog got snarky so I got snarky back.  I won't even tell you what she said, 'cuz Janet will probably say "that's no excuse".  But---other than those two ever-so-tiny infractions---I was PERFECT.  And I do get to come back to Tim's class next week!

Bosco and I have had two more dates out in the country.  We now walk so close together that we can touch each others' sides with our noses.  At the end of the second walk, Janet and Bernie kept us on our leashes, but they let us have some private time.  We kissed---it was so romantic!  I think I could fall for him---he really knows how to treat a girl.  Sigh.......  Here we are watching turkeys together.  Or maybe deer.  At this point I don't know which is which.  But isn't this guy a HUNK???

Bill cut me a nice piece of carpet that covers the space where I'm supposed stay when we're traveling.  I quietly amused myself all the way to Berkeley today by chewing my Squeaky Kong into little pieces.  Janet says the back of her car has become "The Place Toys Go to Die." 


I have to admit it would be nice not to have to spend 90 minutes on the road before I have to do all that hard work in class.  So we went to watch a dog-training session this week at a school close to home.  We're doing a "drop-in" this week, so we'll see how that goes.  Of course we'll keep going to Bad Rap, but Janet seems to think I need more training.  I don't know why.

Ya Gotta Have Friends!

Click here to listen to the Divine Miss M Singing this week's title theme!

On the way to Berkeley today, Janet told me I'd be seeing a special friend again.  Since I already knew I'd be seeing my buddies from Bad Rap, plus Amelia and my Uncle Tim from the shelter, I knew it had to be someone I hadn't seen since I got adopted.  While Janet was sitting on the bench and telling me to stop trying to pull her down the sidewalk cuz' I was bored, an SUV pulled up.  My nose told me before anyone even opened a door that it was my very own Auntie Ferne!    And she thought I wouldn't remember her----silly girl!  We had a wonderful scritching and jumping and wiggling and treating session before class started (I got ALL the treats, of course, which is as it should be).  I was so excited to see her!  I finally got to thank her for my Squeaky Kong, which remains my favorite toy.  I always look in Janet's bag for it when we go to the park if she gives me something else.  She doesn't seem to get that there's just NOTHING I like as much as that Squeaky Kong!

Because I spent time with Auntie Ferne, I wasn't the first one past the classroom gates like I usually am.  So my favorite spot under the tree had already been taken by that darn Reggie.  While Janet was talking to his handler, I laid down on the grass and stretched out like I was just relaxing and v e r y  v e r y  s l o w l y scooched closer and closer to him.  I thought I might be able to intimidate him and make him leave.  And it worked!  He barked and lunged at me, so of course I had to bark and lunge back.  After we both got scolded, Reggie's handler offered to move (YESSSS!!!)  I could not believe it when Janet said, "No thanks, our Miss Clover needs to learn that life is full of little disappointments."  Really?????  He gets my grassy spot in the shade and I get a lecture???  Whenever he was behind me in class today, he'd brag about it, too.  AND I overhead today that Amelia wrote on my shelter evaluation form that I was "bossy"....seriously---where does she get this stuff???

The new friends I made this week are Trudi and Alicia from All 4 Seasons Pet Services who will be walking and feeding me if Janet and Bill go out of town again.  They took me for a walk and said how well-behaved and how pretty I am.  So we already know they have great taste.  They had never seen a Squeaky Kong, and I was delighted to demonstrate it for them!

Bosco and I had two more walk-dates this week.  He's not used to all the cats and cars and people in my neighborhood, but I'm not used to the turkeys and deer in his.  So we both have to make some adjustments if this relationship is going anywhere.  I've always hung around with the bad boys---I'll admit that I'm a little out of my element.  Frankly, I'm not sure how to act around a real gentleman, but I'd like to learn!

Week Three Musings

Bad Rap class on Saturday was with Donna, who put treats on both sides of the wedding-march cones and made us walk past them without eating or even sniffing the treats.  Then she picked up the treats (without sharing!) and we dogs had to walk around the cones really close to each other without talking or being sharky---even me and Joey.  It seemed like all I heard for a whole hour was "Leave it!"

"Leave it" is definitely in the running for my least-favorite command----right up there with "Stay!"  Sniffing another dog?  "Leave it!"  Sneaking a treat off the ground?  "Leave it!"  Chewing on something tasty, but unauthorized?  "Leave it!"  Making noise?  "Leave it!"  In my head I'm writing a song I call "I Wanna Leave 'Leave It' Behind!!"  Maybe Scott's band The Dejenerates can record it and make copies for all the other Bad Rap dogs.  I think there's a niche market out there......

Twice last week Janet and I went for walks with her friend Bernie.  Bernie's dog is a big, handsome German Shepherd named Bosco.  Our first walk was in my neighborhood and through the park, which was a new experience for Bosco.  Our second walk was in his territory, out in the country with lots of interesting smells and birds and deer and a neighbor who walked out of the bushes and had to be barked at a little, because Janet might have needed my protection.  (After we were all properly introduced he turned out to be OK.)  Bosco seemed really pleased to see me on our second date, but I've learned not to jump into a relationship so fast.  I've been burned before, and this time I'm playing hard-to-get.

At home, I have assigned myself a job.  When Janet and I first started walking around the garden on my leash, I noticed she would find snails on the ground and pick them up.  Then she'd throw them in the fish pond for the koi to eat.  Now I find them for her and point them out---then Janet tells me how wonderful I am.  I'm HELPING!

This video is me with my Squeaky Kong.  I LOVE doing zoomies with it and chewing on it.  I hate letting go of it, even though letting go means I get to chase it again.  It's a dilemma......

I'm a STAR!

Janet found a spot in the park this week where it's fenced on three sides, so she feels pretty comfortable letting me off-leash.  When we're there she throws my Squeaky Kong or my green ball for me to fetch, or we play with the flirt-pole Bill made for me.  Hopefully someone will be able to take video of me playing soon, because I'm a fantastic acrobat----especially for such a "substantial" girl!

Today was my first day back in Bad Rap class since I got adopted.  I was a little nervous at first because I haven't been around this many dogs recently.  But I guess all those walks and micro-lessons with Janet during the last two weeks must paid off, cuz Donyale said I was MOST IMPROVED in the whole class!!  I did a beeeeyoooteeeful wedding march (as long as Janet had a treat in her hand, even if I didn't get to eat it right away); sat nicely (ditto); made eye contact (ditto); and did a down-stay that lasted for over five minutes!  Donyale's my new BFF, because first she told me I did amazingly well, and then she told Janet I needed to have more treats when we were working on stay.  YESSSSSS!

I stopped by the shelter to visit Amelia for hugs.  Tim came out to see me too, and I climbed right up on his shoulders and hugged him and licked him all over----I was so glad to see them both!  Then I stopped kissing Tim and made it clear that he and Janet needed to stop talking because it was time for me to get in the car.  I really didn't want to stay at the shelter any longer....it was nice to visit everyone, but I was ready to go HOME!

Lookit my NEW TOY

My Auntie Rooster came to meet me and brought me this awesome squeaky ring!!!

My Nickname and how I earned it

I have a nickname, given to me by Janet's son Scott.  I'm now known as "The Wrecking Ball".

On Thursday Janet had me jump in the car.  She took me to Scott and Megan's.  When we arrived, Khepri and I were being a little scrappy with each other.  Since Khepri can't see she has trouble with visual boundaries and I'm still figuring everything out with regard to other dogs.  So as a precaution, all three of us dogs had to go to PetSmart and get MUZZLES!  Muzzles suck.  I stayed at their house until Sunday night.  Whenever I went outside my crate and Khepri and Oliver were out, we all had to wear our muzzles just to make sure we didn't get into any trouble.  At least I wasn't the only one.....did I mention that muzzles suck?

I didn't like the idea of Janet leaving me behind, even though she promised it was just for a couple of days while she and Bill went to L.A.  I whined and cried and carried on for a little while.  Scott and Megan were nice to me and took me for walks with their dogs, but I didn't like being in another new place so soon after Janet took me to my new home.  I thought I was never going to see her or my nice big kennel and my new bed again.  Then Sunday night there was a knock on the door and Megan put Oliver and Khepri in the bedroom.  She opened the door just a tiny little bit, and GUESS WHO I SNIFFED WAS THERE??????

I pushed Megan out of the way and pushed the door open with my whole entire body and jumped on Janet and ran down the steps and down the sidewalk (she was hollering at me to "come here this instant" but I was too excited to pay any attention to her) and then I ran back UP the sidewalk and Janet got this very funny look on her face as I raced as fast as I could right up to her with all 65 pounds of me LAUNCHING itself into the air at her!!!!  Then I ran into the house and knocked over a fan and broke that, then a I ran into the back yard and ran around and around and around and around and then I came back and launched myself at Janet again and then I ran around and around and around some more while I knocked over some of the yard furniture.  That's when Megan told Janet about my new nickname that Scott had given me over the weekend.  I had already earned it!

Ten Things I Learned This Week

10.  I have my very own chain-link kennel like the one I had at Berkeley (only much bigger) and also a travel kennel inside that.  I have a brand-new trampoline bed like I had at the shelter, but I like to ignore that.  Whenever I get fed at night, I like to save some of my food for snacking on the next day, just in case.  I usually lie down in the shade inside the travel kennel during the day.  I'd rather be crashing around in the garden, but that's not allowed.....sigh....

9.  At night I sleep in a wire crate in the enclosed patio on a nice soft pillow.  I get one Meaty Bones biscuit whenever I go into my crate.  YUMMMM!  I like the biscuit part, but I'd rather not be in the crate.  In this house, walking around at night is not allowed.....sigh......

8.  I like going inside Janet's house because it has lots of soft furniture.  I already know all about furniture, so I must remember it from the "before" place.  I LOVE jumping on furniture and curling up---it's so comfy!!!  But here that's not allowed....sigh....

7.  Janet and I go for walks twice a day.  I wish Donyale could see me doing the wedding march everywhere I go!  I hope I can remember to do it when I go back to Bad Rap training.  We go past many fences where dogs bark at me, but I'm not allowed to bark back.  I've been very good about that, and haven't barked once!  (Well, I did once, but that was about something different.)  Some of our walks are to a park where there are children.  Children are nice to lick, but licking children at the park is not allowed.....sigh....

6.  Next door there is a young girl-dog named Lexie.  Lexie barked at me until we went for a walk together with her person, Eric.  Now that she knows who I am she doesn't bark at me so much.  Lexie is so lucky----she has her OWN BOY.  His name is Zachary.  He came into my kennel and I was allowed to lick him.  He gave me a biscuit and then he let me lick him some more.  YUMMMMM!  Boys and Meaty Bones are my new favorite combination of things to lick!  I would like to bark at Zachary when he's in his yard and invite him over to give me biscuits and be licked, but that's not allowed....sigh....

5.  Janet has a grown-up boy named Scott and an (almost) daughter-in-law Megan.  They are both very nice to lick and they give excellent scritches!  They have two dogs.  Oliver is old and grumpy (Janet told me not to take it personally that he growled at me a little when he was sitting in her lap, because she IS his favorite grandma).  He's a cocker spaniel and some other dogs mixed up.  He thinks he is very big, but he isn't.  Khepri is a pure-bred pit bull.  Apparently I'm not, because I don't look like her.  Khepri likes her ball better than anything else in the world----except squeaky toys.  After we three dogs took a nice get-aquainted-sniffing-around-the-block walk with our people, Khepri and I played ball together in the yard.  She can't see very well, but she's a great sniffer and she always found her ball, even when I ran away with it!  After pizza dinner (which I wanted to share, but that wasn't allowed.....sigh....), Janet got the Squeaky Kong that my Auntie Ferne gave me out of my toy bag so she could show it to Scott.  Khepri wanted it VERY MUCH.  Janet put it back in the bag, and said it was waaaay too exciting for Khepri.  But Khepri tried to take it out when we weren't looking.  I caught her with her WHOLE HEAD in my bag.  Then I told her it was MY bag and MY squeaky Kong that MY Auntie Ferne had given me, and that she was not to touch!!!  Then Khepri and I (but mostly me) got into trouble for being rude to each other.  Janet told me that rudeness was not allowed.....sigh.....  But Khepri and I kissed and made up, and after that Janet and Bill and I came home because we were all very tired.  From now on, taking squeaky toys to their house is not allowed....sigh.....

4.  Janet has a garden and three cats.  The cats are one reason I didn't come home with her from the shelter sooner.  They don't like it when Oliver and Khepri visit, even though two of them were kittens born in the same house where Oliver and Khepri lived!!  They like it when I sleep in the crate at night or stay in the kennel during the day because they can pretend I don't live here at all.  Janet says until I have better manners that I can only be in the garden on my leash, even inside the fence, because on my first day I broke a sprinkler head and climbed the firewood-pile and found a loose board in the fence and smooshed some plants.  I had a most excellent time, but Janet said all those fun things are not allowed....sigh....   The cat Guinness thinks it's funny to watch me walking in the garden on my leash.  Yesterday she felt brave and got very close to me.  I play-barked and tried to jump on her, and she ran away.  Janet told me barking and jumping at her kitties isn't allowed.....sigh....

3.  Janet wants me to do my potty chores in one part of the garden.  I want to do potty chores wherever I feel like it.  Sometimes I decide I'll show her---I won't do potty chores at all until I can do them wherever I want.  But then I really HAVE to go, so I give up and do them where she wants me to.  When I visited Khepri and Oliver, I got to do potty chores anywhere in their yard.  Scott walked around with a little scooper and cleaned up after me, just like Tim and Thomas did at the shelter!  It was wonderful.  I pooped and peed about a zillion times, wherever I felt like it.  Scott said that when their garden is finished, Khepri and Oliver will have to do THEIR potty chores in a special place, too. HAH!  I would like to poop and pee on the tiny lawn in Janet's back yard, but it's for dogs to roll on, so pottying on the lawn is not allowed.....sigh....

2.  Here there are not so many wonderful friendly people walking by my kennel and saying hello to me like there were at the shelter.  Sometimes I get sad because I haven't seen my shelter friends lately, and no one has come to talk to me, so I whine and yip.  Then Janet comes to see me, but she tells me that whining and yipping are not allowed.....sigh.....

1.  When I came to the shelter and they did my write-up, they said I weighed 45 lbs.  The number one thing I have learned this week from my medical records is that I really weigh 65 lbs!  Janet says this explains why I can push her over so easily when I'm licking her and she's scritching me and we're playing silly.  And that's allowed!!!!

I am Clover

Apparently I'm starting a new life, so I thought I'd start a blog, too.  Then I can stay in touch with my friends, especially all the wonderful people the from the Berkeley Animal Control Services shelter where I've lived since I was found running in traffic on Highway 80 in February.  Please don't ask me to write about how I got there, or what my life was like before---I'm trying to put all that behind me.  Let's just say I was really scared when I got to the shelter.

The people there were very nice to me, and I got a kennel and a bed all to myself.  I liked that part.  I didn't like the dogs barking on either side of me, so I barked back and tried to sound meaner than they did.  This could have been a questionable tactic on my part, as it might have been one of the things that kept people from being interested in adopting me.  Lots of volunteers and staff people walked me and wrote down nice things about me, though----I used to read their notes at night when everyone was gone.  In March, Joel told a new volunteer Janet that she was going to take me to Bad Rap training. "Training?" "What is this 'training?'", I wondered.  It turned out to be a lot of hard work!

I had to try to make eye contact, (which is still hard for me.)  I had to not bark or be grumpy with other dogs, even if they looked right at me!!  I had to sit, and lie down, and stay---"stay" is my VERY least favorite thing.  I did get some treats, which helped, but not a lot.  Sometimes people would watch me at class, and Janet would make me sit still while she told them how wonderful I was and how fast I was learning new things (all true) and how they should take me home with them.  But they never did.  I was always really tired at the end of class, and happy to get back to my kennel.

That was my life until July.  Then last week a WHOLE bunch of new dogs came into the shelter, and it got crowded and even barkier than usual.  All of us were stressing out and the people had very worried looks. Yesterday Janet brought her husband Bill to take me for a walk, and then everyone was smiling and petting me and telling me how lucky I was.  My Auntie Ferne brought me a bag of toys, too.  I love toys....

After the walk, Janet and Bill didn't take me back to the shelter.  They told me to jump into their car, and get in a big box.  I'm pretty sure I've done this before, and I knew just what I was supposed to do.  It was really comfortable lying on a soft blanket that Tim gave me, and I went to sleep.  We went a long way, to a place called Gilroy.

Janet says this is where my new life will begin!