Tag Archives: Cattledogs

Artie’s First PetSmart Foray

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Art, Nov. 12, 2013

Artie says: Auntie Martha took Mom and me to the dog park on Bath Rd. There was another cattledog/BC cross there, a female, named Cookie.  She doesn’t like people, her dad said, but boy, she wanted me to play with her!  She barked at me and play-bowed at me and chased me and THEN (when she was pooped) I chased HER!!  Mwah!  

 

There were some other doggies there too, we were all about the same size!  I had fun! 

 

The black doggie’s owner was really freaked out because she thought I was hurting her dog, but the black dog jumped on me hard and grabbed my tail!  Ouch!  She was very bossy!  She also had a toy which Mom told me I could NOT have.  I didn’t grumble, I just put my mouth on her neck by her face then she stopped being stupid and we were friends.  I think she might have been more like the puppies we had.  

 

Mom is pretty smart and she listens because she can’t always see stuff. She whistled for me the minute she heard the other dog’s barking and noises become different and I ran to her.  Mom told me I didn’t need to fix it. But the black doggie’s mom must not know doggie language as good as the other dog parents did!  So she took the black doggie away. 

 

Mom kept walking around the park’s edge so I would go and check on her and bump her leg with my nose. That’s how I tell Mom something or let her know that I’m there. It was too cold for the humans to stand still but some of them were.

 

Then Auntie took me and Mom to this store with lots of smells!  OMG!  Mom said it was called PetSmart.  I’ve never been there before!  I got cookies from the people that worked there.  I took them very nicely!! There were other dogs there but Mom kept telling me how good I was (with her Happy Voice) even though she didn’t have ANY treats with her!!!  I didn’t even get silly with that one dog that screamed-barked when it saw me!  Wow, what a noise!!!  

 

Then I got some french fries and when we got home home, Mom gave me and Elke a half a hamburger.  Why ELKE got part of the hamburger for staying home is beyond me.

 

No pictures (Mom forgot her phone) and no food…except the hamburger!

Mom said I was reallllly good!

 

(Mom adds: I have this dog for almost 2 years and just now I’m taking him to PetSmart??  He WAS realllly good. I’m glad I’ve been learning about dog body language.  All of the other owners seemed really nice and savvy, which is very pleasant. There was the black mix, the cattledog cross and 3 tan mixes.  I’m thinking that bumping thing Artie does might come in handy and that I could reward that behavior.  I’m just not sure how that would come in handy.)

“I’m thinking about breeding my 2 cattledogs….”

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Think again, please.

Unless both dogs are registered with either the AKC and or the UKC (preferably both) and have had all their health tests (BAER, CERF, PRA, etc. etc = around $800-1000 per dog) and you have 3 times as many people (with deposits) as you might have puppies (8 puppies = 24 owners with deposits) and are willing to take back any puppy you produce throughout its entire lifetime (and that can be 15+ years) and will guarantee the health of all your puppies and microchip them etc etc. Can you provide and have the money for pre-natal care, vet visits for mommy dog, ultrasounds, a possible Cesarean delivery etc. etc…..If you can’t or even balk at doing this because well, you might think it’s unnecessary…..I would strongly advise you not to breed. 

A good breeder, a responsible one spends hundreds if not thousands of dollars on both the stud and bitch. It wouldn’t be fair to the puppies if mom and dad weren’t in the peak of health and had all their eye, ear, hip, elbow, heart tested. If you can’t or won’t do the health testing or you think it’s unnecessary, I would strongly advise you not to breed.

Are you willing to find the perfect home for your deaf puppy (and that happens more than you’d think)? Are willing to do home checks or have a trusted dog friend do them for you? If you don’t think you need to check references or are unwilling to do so, I would strongly advise you not to breed.

Are you financially prepared for seeing the puppies get all their puppy health exams and shots? Will you have a mandatory spay-neuter contract with a held deposit until they new owners have proof of it? Will you get all the puppies microchipped so if (god forbid) at some point in its life that puppy ends up dumped at a shelter, you can go and get it, anywhere? If not, or you think that’s a waste of time or money, I would strongly advise you not to breed.

Are you going to be there for the new puppy owners 24/7 for the rest of that puppy’s life? Or yours? Phone calls in the middle of the night?  Helping them find a good, kind trainer, urging them to take their puppy to class?  Are you willing to keep track of all your puppies for the rest of their lives?  Are you willing to track down them down? Are you willing to deal with the owner who is embarrassed, ashamed, avoids you? If you’re not willing to be your new puppy owner’s mentor I would strongly advise you not to breed.

If you are unwilling or unable to do all of the above: Please Don’t Breed Your Two Dogs.  Please. 

Folks with intact dogs have to be extra vigilant. You can’t depend on your dogs to “be good” when Nature comes calling her siren song.

You have to look at the big picture here. 

 

You breed a litter and you haven’t done all your homework.  Your puppies make puppies. Your puppies end up in shelters.

Too many cattledogs end up in shelters and are tragically euthanized every WEEK. Rescues are overloaded and many good cattledogs die. I volunteer at a very low kill shelter, visit a high kill one. Everyone who is thinking of breeding should visit a “regular” shelter at least once in their life. If it doesn’t affect you at your very core, and make you swear you’ll do damn near ANYTHING to avoid having any of your babies end up there, Please Don’t Breed Your Two Dogs.  Please. 

We need to be the guardians of our dogs and this breed in particular. A lot of people might want a cattledog for a wide variety of reasons but most people don’t “get” cattledogs. The see a smart one, a loving one, a well-trained one, a good worker with a cool “look” to them and they think, “Cool dog! I want one!” The don’t see endless hours of devotion, work, frustration, worry on that dog’s owner’s part.

A Good Cattledog takes some doing.  Nature and Nurture.

There are tons of cool, fun things to do with your dogs that don’t involve breeding!  The options for fun with your dog are endless. Puppies are undeniably cute but the breeder MUST be responsible about bringing these new lives into an often cruel world. They are noisy, messy, need to be raised with love, kindness, socialized properly.  Etc. etc.

This isn’t being mean; it’s being real, fair and honest. You are your dogs’ guardian, now and for always, until the day, old and gray, their bodies leave this world for the Rainbow Bridge. That goes for any offspring you produce.

Of any breed or type.

Please Don’t Breed Your Two Dogs.  Please. 

Sorry about the color of the text. Stupid Word Press won’t let you change it.

Artie’s Day, July 5th, 2013

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Artie: I had a huge day yesterday. I’m still exhausted!
 
My Auntie Gayle took us to the shelter yesterday where I was adopted from. I don’t remember being there. I was there only a day maybe and then I went to live with Momma Jen, the Rotten-weilers and Uncle Shay the collie.  Then I went Mom and Dad’s house. 
 
Anyway!!
 
There is a doggie day care there, so Mom to me there to have play time while she messed about with shelter dogs. She had lots of smells on her when she picked me up. The place is called Hattie Larlham (In Twinsburg, OH) and employs people with mental disabilities. But I don’t care!  
 
The head guy told me and Auntie that I did really well and they said, “He can come back ANY time!” Mom was really happy, because as a Cattledog Mom she hasn’t heard this a lot cuz it doesn’t happen all the time. The Others who came before me could be real bossy with other dogs. Some of us cattledogs are pretty bossy!

Then we went to my cousins’ house Oreo, McKinley and I hung out there for a couple of hours.
Waiting for Uncle Ray to come home…..I don’t need to lay on no stinkin’ towel!

 

Kinners really likes his butt scratched! 

I play with Oreo and then I play with McKinley!  This is how it goes when I am there…..


Then we all went (along with other doggie friend, Dudley) for a very hot, humid, muddy, slippery long walk (6-8 miles) through the woods. Up and down hills, lots of roots and rocks and slippery stuff, through streams and mud.  I don’t care because I’m a dog!  I like the water part. I was a little worried at the pond where the Bad Thing happened but I went in and out with Kinners so eventually it was ok. 
 
I think Dudley got stung by a skeeter; there were a lot of skeeters. All the humans were sweating a lot.  Dudley won’t go into the water like Oreo, Kinners and I do.  He doesn’t like it but that’s ok!  Oreo dips himself, it’s funny!  I know Mom was really tired but it’s GOOD for her.  We went back to O&M’s house and I got a BATH!!!!!!  Eeeeuuuuu! 
 
(Yawn…) Ya know…..I…think…I might….be….a little….bit……Zzzzzzzzzzz…….

Mom: Can you believe it, I think he’s STILL tired!

 

Artie getting some loving from Honorary Mom, Auntie Gayle.

 


I truly hope his sweet, goofy, social nature continues as he matures. I really love his temperament!


When you adopt a dog, even one as young as he was (3.5-5 months), It’s a crap-shoot. You have no idea where he came from. How he was raised. A lot of it IS nurture (I think) but nature is definitely in there. I’m thrilled beyond measure at what a nice boy he is and I think we’ve “done right” by him as owners/trainers. He does get the occasional verbal “Hey!” and “What the he– are you doing?” and “Knock it off!” but all the rest of his training has been “all positive.” Praise, clickers, treats, tug/fetch rewards, luring, shaping etc.


He’ll be 2 in September.

It’s Not Just a “Pit Bull” Thing. Cattledogs Get It Too.

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OK, OK, I know. A lot of my friends have or work with or volunteer for Pitbull type dogs.  Two of Artie’s bestest friends are pit-type dogs.

The Spousal Unit with Kinners: two guys hangin’ out.

 

Oreo: he’s down with that!  Artie loves him!

 

The boys check out Co
usin Artie

So yes, we have contact with many “big heads.”  And we love our pit-type friends.  We hear the stories, the misconceptions, the comments about them.

 

I’ve been a lot of places where there are dogs and now because of my exposure to pit-types, I don’t have any pre-conceived notions.  It’s a dog with a (usually) square head, period. I ask if I can pet etc. just as I would with any dog.  And I’ve done events with a pit-type on my arm, so to speak, and have educated and advocated for them for years now.

 

I think I’ve heard darn near every comments a person can make about pit-type dogs and I’m here to tell you, it runs the gamut from “Awesome” to “Satanic.”

 

I’ve heard, “You can’t trust ’em, not one of ’em,” to “Best damn dog my family ever had!”

 

What is fascinating to ME, personally, is for as many bad or  fearful stories that people tell, I’ve heard an almost equal amount of curious, respectful questions to misty-eyed memoirs to powerful stories of love and loyalty.

 

I can honestly say (if the locale is pretty neutral) that the nice comments or questions run about anywhere from 40-75% of what I’ve heard if the dog I’m with is a nice, mellow dog or goofy, happy dog.

 

The negatives just seem louder than the neutrals and positives.

 

Now folks who have pit types wail and gnash (rightly so) about how misunderstood their dogs are.  They are.  I’m not saying they’re NOT!  BSL, extreme prejudice, unnecessary killings and incarcerations. Pit type owners have every right to feel, nay, be paranoid, vigilant and on guard. If you’re on a Pit Group on Facebook or you know folks who have them or work with them, this is nothing new. It’s an exhausting round of educating John Q. Stupid-Public.

 

However, you’re not the only ones.

 

We have (for those of you who don’t know us) a lovely female mix and an Australian Cattledog (ACD). He will be 2 in Sept. 2013 and his name is Artie or “Blooby” as he is most often known.  (Blame the S.U. on that.)

 

Artie is my 7th (including fosters) ACD. This is my 20th year with cattledogs.

 

Brief synopsis for the uninitiated: An ACD (sometimes known as a Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler or Heeler) is a medium sized herding dog breed, originating in (who’d a-thunk?) Australia!  They come in blue or red (plus blue or red speckle).  They were bred to herd and guard feral cattle in the outback.  They are also used on sheep and other stock, including reindeer! They are very smart, pretty biddable (I think) and tough. They have teeth (scissor bite) which they use to herd stock with, often nipping at the heels of recalcitrant cows. Thus the name “heelers.” They are often called “velcro” dogs because they want to know what you’re up to at any given moment.

They are athletic and sturdy with a weather-resistant coat. They should have upright ears and tight “cat feet.”

They are loyal to their humans but often diffident to down-right suspicious of strangers. They often are not tolerant of other dogs.  They need a ton of positive socialization. They have a lot of energy, although I have had a few that were pretty laid back. (That’s not the norm.) They are a “busy” dog but I think there are many dogs that are far busier.  They love brain and/or body work and excel in a wide variety of dog sports.  At 17-20 inches, it’s an easy size to live and travel with.

 

Artie has some of the best qualities of his breed and of a companion dog in general.  We’re very, very blessed.

 

ACDs are also an extremely unusual LOOKING dog. Once you know what a cattledog looks like (or SHOULD look like) you can honestly say, “Yep, that’s a cattledog!”   They are pretty unforgettable!

 

(I have to preface this by telling you I live in the Midwest.)

 

Here are some of the “usual” comments who someone has met Artie (or any of my other cattledogs.)

 

“Wow, what kind of mix is THAT?”

“Man, how old IS your dog?” (This only seems to happen with blues; must be the grey hairs in the coat.)

“Does that dog have WOLF in him?”

“Is that a little German Shepherd?” (I never know where people get that from.)

And startlingly close to the truth) “Is that a (part) Dingo?”

 

Once in a while (and it’s getting to be more commonplace than it was 20 years ago) you hear:

 

“Is that one of them blue heelers?”  This is often said in the same semi-suspicious tone as many a pit type owner has heard.  “Is that one of them pit bulls?”

 

Now, OK, all right, call me grammatically biased but the minute someone (no matter what city or state I’m in) says “them heelers” or “them there heelers” or even ‘them cattledogs,” (yes Virginia, some people DO get it right), my intellectual-snobbery-hackles start rising up.  Even when someone say “those cattledogs” with the emphasis on “those,” I inwardly cringe.  I’m sure pit type folks do too.

 

“Oh, God, here we go. And it’s not going to good.”

 

Here’s where the pit type folks and the cattledog folks diverge. With a pit type on the other end of your leash, you COULD ostensibly B.S. your way through that query especially if your dog is black, brindle or fawn colored.  I’ve heard lab-boxer mix, hound-boxer mix, poodle-terrier mix (yes, we had one of those of the Humane Society) etc. etc.  John Q. Stupid couldn’t pick out a pure-bred American Pit Bull Terrier out of a line-up!  Many experts can’t either!

 

But if they’ve identified your ACD as a heeler or cattledog, yeah, you’re pretty much sunk.  Here it comes, I think.  The Bad Cattledog Story. And it almost always begins with “My cousin” or “My friend had one of them.”

 

It’s usually a cousin. If it’s a cousin, you know (9 out of 10 times) it’s going to be bad.

 

Let’s say, on a good week, you and your friendly, social dog meet 20 pretty neutral-to-nice people, all men.  In a good week, the pit type folks  might get 40% – 60%  neutral to positive reactions.  The rest, admittedly, are going to suck.

 

In that same week, the cattledog owner, meets 20 people (men) who guess (correctly) what he is. 17-19 of those people will say the following:

 

“Cool looking dog. You know….my cousin (insert other friend or relation) had one of them (there) dogs.  Meanest damn dog you ever saw. Bit everybody.  Loyal as hell but damn, was he ever mean!”  

 

Your heart does a little downward spiral because you know that yet another jerk owns an out-of-control, untrained (or badly trained) cattledog and is doing a huge disservice to the breed. Your brain goes slightly postal and you think with in inward sigh:

 

Educate. Again. It’s a training exercise for my dog, meeting new people. Again.  I bet Lab/Pug/Fluffy Dog people don’t go through this sh*t.

 

So, Pit type dog owners and lovers, you are not the only ones.  If you’re out in public, cattledog people get this all the time.  All. The. Tine.

 

So do Rottweiler people.  And Doberman people. And German Shepherd people.

 

Perhaps it might comfort you folks with pit type dogs to know you’re not alone.

 

 

Choosing A Puppy: What’s My Motivation?

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Before people get all inflammatory and weird and slam me for “not getting a rescue” and “contributing to pet-over-population,” just stop right there. Halt.  Cease,  Desist.

Almost all of my dogs have come from pure-bred rescue, a shelter or were “found-puppies.”  I’ve had 3 re-homes from reputable breeders and therefore I had a lot of information, good or ill, from those breeders. I had a bit of an inside track.

I was talking to a friend who has a handsome, rescue dog who has such extreme issues that he may never, ever live a normal life.  But she’s committed to helping him live the best life he can. But even she, a drinker from the Rescue-Rehab Fountain admits she’s looking into getting a good, sound, correctly raised puppy from a great breeder.  Rescuing a dog or cat is one of the noblest things you can do.  But it seriously is the luck of the draw.  I’ve been pretty lucky with my rescues.  But a lot of them have had Huge Issues too.

My friend would like to start it “right” and do it right without a bunch of unknown crap coming up.  She’s looking at a couple of different breeds too.

We hoisted a mental glass of wine because I know whereof she comes from!

For me, and this is just for me because I’m starting to think about a puppy in the fairly near future……I’m researching breeders.  I’ve got my short list.  But I need to ask myself the hard questions.  I know the breeders will ask me the hard questions.

One of my questions is one of Motive.  We don’t often think of Motive as a reason for getting or adding a dog to our home and life.  But it’s huge!  Do I want unconditional love, companionship? Do I want ribbons? Do I want accolades, recognition?  There is very little that is “wrong” with Motive.  Unless you’re some sicko, of course.

I think anyone who is adding a dog to their life needs to honestly look at their motivation for making this step!

Of course there is the obvious:

Health concerns?

Have both parents been tested?

Can I meet both parents? (Sometimes Dad is just frozen semen).

Do I want a male or a female?

Intact?  Or Altered?  Am I willing to take a lifetime of responsibility for an intact dog?

I’m up in the air on the sex but that’s just for me. I know, if I (we) put my mind, ability (and money) into it, I (we) could finish a female!  I have no worries about that but I’m also a “if I’m going do this damn show thing again, I’M doing it my damn self again!” kind of person.  Any professional handler can finish a decent dog. I’d rather do it my damn self!  As much as I enjoyed that part of our lives, I might not want to do it again.  Not in Conformation. And I really don’t think I want to raise a litter either!

When it comes to Motive, I guess you have to ask yourself: what is my goal for this purebred dog?  Do I want a happy, balanced, in-my-house dog or can I go higher maintenance?  Do I want him to win Westminster?  Am I willing to do a life-time of crate shuffling to have that dog in my house because s/he’s that exceptional but doesn’t get along with everyone?  Or do I want everyone lounging on the sofas and hanging out in the car, on a trail?

What is my goal for what I WANT TO GET from this dog? (Performance, Westminster, perfect hiking companion, herding, therapy?).  I think many people never face this, ever.

If you know it, you can say it out loud.

Face it, dogs love us.  They need love, food, proper care, a safe home, training so they’re not complete jerk-offs, etc. The titles, ribbons, accolades…they are cool. I won’t deny it.  But in the end, for me personally, they need to be our dog, our buddy. I really love the idea of a dog that does something cool and/or useful, and it can be performance, work, service, therapy.

My dream dog could help kids and adults learn about proper dog care and safety and bite prevention  He and I could educate together!!  I confess, I love the interaction and applause!

How much am I willing to put in? (time, money, training etc)  Is he going to be “my” show (performance) dog or is someone else going to do it?  In my case, Hell-NO.

What kind of personality can I live with and what can’t I live with?

As I get older, and less “able,” do I need an easier-going yet less “showy/driven” dog?

Can this puppy get along with Artie AND Elke??  Could he be OK with the cat?

Do I need to research other breeds?

What’s my lifestyle like?  It’s pretty busy, crazy with huge moments of “chill-out-sofa-time”.  My neighbors shoot off firecrackers in the summer.  Kids come in our house. We ride bikes and take hikes in the woods.  Kids play softball in the street.  I live in suburbia!

What will my lifestyle be like in 2, 5, 10 years.  Etc. etc.

To me, if the puppies are all pretty nice-looking, I really have to trust the Mommy Dog owner because she’s with those puppies day in, day out. But kennel-blindness can come into play.

I surely would get another opinion from someone, (even if they “do” another breed) on the litter because correct structure is structure!  I”m lucky that I could call in some cards and get someone from another breed to look at the litter. Most people that I’ve seen make a successful match do seek another opinion from outside that particular breed.

I need to see them interact with their siblings, other dogs, people. other animals if possible.  I’d drag along a dog person (like a trainer or behaviorist)  I trust to look at the litter because maybe the one that appeals to me most might not be the right dog for me, for us, for all of us!

I will definitively take the breeder’s advice; she should know that litter inside and out.

But I’ll also send it up to the Gods, and ask that the right puppy come into my life and be a blessing for its whole lifetime.

©2013 Mia Hess

Elke & Artie: A Short Conversation

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(Overheard speaking about March 13, 2013)

Elke: SHE (Mom) took HIM (Artie) out somewhere on his harness and SHE left ME home yesterday!!!!!!  SHE says I pull too much for her right now with her knee.  I do NOT pull.  I am ENCOURAGING her to go FASTER and in the correct direction I want to go to SMELL THINGS.  She keeps almost falling over me. Really?  Parents are so stupid. 

 

Artie: Yes, but Mom said I was good. I did not pull on my harness very much at all. I even got a cookie at the bank-place. I saw another dog and I got excited but Mom said let’s go and watch me and stuff like that so she wasn’t too scared to fall.

Elke: You suck and you are way slower than I am at emptying the Morning Kong Wobbler of food.  I finish mine MUCH faster than you do. YOU are supposed to be this great cattledog thing and you take so long to get the food out.  Face it, I am smarter than you.

Artie: No, you just have a bigger nose, bahahahah!

Was It Just A Year Ago?

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Sad Elke in October 2011

It was a day much like today, weather wise. Mid-40s, maybe a bit warmer, gloomy and damp but not raining.

I was going to meet a cattledog pup today.  An older pup actually. IF Elke would be OK with him, maybe we’d adopt him.  I owe a debt of gratitude to Tisha A. for helping Elke as well.

She’d lost her anchor, Jesse Ann and she had actually gone into a bit of a depression.  She slept a lot and moped. As much as I loved so many of the dogs I’d worked with, my heart (and even the SU’s heart too) were a little void. Jesse and Winger had gone to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge. 2011 was a tough year.

A friend of mine, Becky L. had posted on FB!

“Check this out, Mia!” and there was a picture of an older cattledog puppy.  My heart fluttered a bit, and I contacted the foster mom whom I knew from the Humane Society: Jen Mauger, the owner and trainer of L’Chaim Canine.

Megan with her soon-to-be doggie nephew

I was worried because Elke isn’t the most dog friendly dog and I haven’t helped to improve that, really. But Jen assured me that we’d test her out with Jen’s uber-friendly collie, Shay. (This wonderful, silly dog is, by the way, my Hero….Love that dog!)  Elke did too.

But first, Jen wanted me to meet The Dog Called Bandit.  I might not click with him.  I agreed. By the way….why folks name dogs with no facial mask “Bandit” is beyond me but that was his intake name. He was saved by Humane Officer Shannon at the Humane Society of Greater Akron.  She is another one of my Heroines!

Jen brought the bundle of cowpup into our yard, he seemed very friendly and curious.  I picked him up and he still had puppy breath, just the last vestiges of it, and soft puppy fur.  I held him to me heart, nuzzled my nose into his neck and I started tearing up. I love Elke (our Schmooby-Do) with all my heart but I’m a sucker for a blue cattledog. After Elke’s successful meet and play with Shay, we introduced the pup into the mix!  They got along just fine.  Thank you, Shay!  We brought the little guy inside the house and all was still well!

The Spousal Unit meetsthe pup for the first time.

Of course, I’m a sucker and my Spousal Unit knew it.  He met him the next Sunday at one of L’Chaim’s classes!

Yep, we’re sold on a little blue dog.

Marty immediately christened him “Artie.”

“Why Artie?”

“He looks like an Artie!” And WAREHOUSE 13 is the SU’s favorite show!

He became officially ours, adoption paperwork and all, on Dec. 22nd, 2011.

He was a HUGE trial in many ways.  House-training, chewing, mouthing, biting, etc. etc.  Etc. I cursed my friend Becky many-a-day! I spent hours often wondering what the hell I was thinking…..

He started growing……and Elke started to prick up, get some energy and life back,  play, growl, get after her new little brother and lose weight!

His first Christmas and New Year’s came and went.  Puppy classes! Still working on the house training thing…..

And growing…..despite his often less than enthused big sister…..

And his color was still very light….but he was growing….This is Art on Jan. 1, 2012

And he was growing…..and getting tons of nicknames!

Art, Artie, Artie Blue, and most often BLOOBY!

March 11, 2012 (below)

…and growing…and his color was beginning to darken……and he learned to LOVE to play Fetch!  After first he had NO idea he was supposed to bring it (the ball, Frisbee, toy) BACK!

…and growing…..late May (below)!  Finally he’s “gotten” the House Training thing and can really hold it!

July 2012 (below)

Dog Classes and fun!  He learned what “water” was all about, thanks to his new doggie friends, Oreo and McKinley! (July 2012)

July 2012 saw some BIG milestones…..he is now taller than his big sister…..

AND…..

Blooby get his Canine Good Citizen!

Fall time comes and we need to decide on a birthday for him…..

The SU picks Sept. 21, 2011 as his birth date.

“Why?”

“He told me that’s when he was born.”

“OK then….” (First birthday picture)

Fall 2012, he’s beginning to mature….little by little.  We still need to work on NOT reacting to seeing kitties and meowing, being gentle around little, little kids…although he’s good with older kids….but he loves to meet other dogs and play!

He has his first overnight with Auntie Gayle, Uncle Ray and Oreo and McKinley…..

He has fun swimming and socializing at the dog park, going for off-leash walks and learning new things!

Picture with Santa at the Humane Society, where he gets to see people who saved him!

And now it’s a year.  A whole year has gone by…..

We love you, you crazy, nutty, smart-as-a-whip Blooby Boy! And we thank all the people (and dogs) who brought you into our lives…..Tisha A., Becky L. Jen M. Kristen B. and Officer Shannon….

(However, when he’s bad, we still blame Becky — it’s all her fault.)

Artie Blue 

Truhart’s Find The Artifact, CGC