It's National Dog Day - August 26th!!!!!

It's a happy holiday today known as National Dog Day!  This holiday was started in 2004 to bring attention to shelter dogs - I USED TO BE A SHELTER DOG!  Actually, I lived in a crate at the VCA Animal Hospital - I guess that's close enough to being a shelter.  Luckily, my family came along and decided to take me home.  I went from a crate to this:

Yes, my life took a definite turn for the better when my family adopted me.  I am A VERY LUCKY DOG!  As you can see in this picture, I get to join in Sunday dinner because my Dad LOVES to share his food with me.  If you look closely at his plate, you can tell that I've already licked it clean, and now I'm trying to see if I can mooch any other goodies from him. 

Like I always say, EVERY DAY IS NATIONAL DOG DAY if you have a family who loves you.  Hey, that means that every day is a holiday for me, and guess what?  It's true!  Make sure to celebrate your dog today!
 

Introducing my friend, Dillon the Dog, from my neighborhood

You probably already know about my friend, Dillon the dog, from the dog park.  He's the dog whose Mom has nicknamed him Dill Pickle.

Any way, I have another friend, Dillon, too.  This Dillon is a very handsome yellow lab.  Yesterday he was even wearing a bandana around his neck.

Just for the record, I DO NOT LIKE any type of adornment such as barrettes, raincoats or bandanas.  I LOVE the way I look just the way I am - I don't need or want anything to detract (take away) from my natural beauty.

By the way, I LOVE Dillon's Mom.  Every time Dillon and his Mom walk by my house, they stop by for a visit.  Dillon's Mom tells me that I'm beautiful, and then she says that I'm very laid back.  You know me - I LOVE MY COMPLIMENTS!  Then, and here's the BEST part, she gives me and Dillon a treat!  As soon as she asks, "Who wants a cookie?", I know EXACTLY what to do.  I sit up tall and straight, and I put up my front paw.  SHE LOVES WHEN I DO THIS!  Of course, I am willing to do what it takes to get a treat.

Here's a picture of me and Dillon sitting and waiting for our DELICIOUS treats:

Like I always say, get outside and check out the neighborhood.  When the weather is perfect, there is A LOT OF action going on right outside your front door so DON'T MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN!  I go out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in the morning because I don't want to miss any opportunities, and you shouldn't be missing out either.  Enjoy the great outdoors while the weather is fine, and don't be surprised if you see a lot of dogs out and about.  You never know, some day you might even see me so be on the lookout for a beautiful, big, black dog with white paws who has the name, Gabi.  In the meantime, you know you can always find me right here on my blog.

Fabulous Fun At The Dog Park!

One of the BEST parts of going to the dog park is greeting your friends.  Here's a picture of me saying hello to my friend, Lucy:

Lucy is a regular at the park on Sunday mornings which is when I usually go. 

Here's something important to know about dogs and our tails:

1.  When a dog's tail is up straight - please see picture above of my tail - that means a dog is feeling confident and secure (sure of herself).  For example, I'm VERY SURE that Lucy is happy to see me, too.

2.  When a dog's tail is straight out in the back, that means a dog is feeling OK - neither happy nor sad.

3.  When a dog's tail is between its legs, that means a dog is worried, scared or nervous.  If your dog's tail is between her legs:

A.  She's made a mistake and feels very guilty.  (Remember:  before you think about getting angry at your dog, remember how your dog ALWAYS forgives you!)

OR

B.  She probably needs a little TLC (tender loving care).  Of course, dogs ALWAYS LOVE TLC so please don't wait until our tails are between our legs - WE LOVE ATTENTION!

Back to the dog park....as always, Dillon was very generous and shared his ball with ME AND LUCY!

Again, notice how Lucy's tail is up in the air, and she is totally focused on the ball.  Me, I'm taking a breather.

Since I don't want to leave Dillon out, here he is - he's also taking a breather - just like me!

Like I always say, if you need a rest, TAKE A REST!  Some times you just need to catch your breath and regroup.  Also, make sure to keep an eye on your dog's tail - see if you can tell how she is feeling.  Make sure to greet your friends when you see them, and make sure to take turns doing what each of you wants to do.  It's BORING if the same person gets to control what everyone else is doing - YOU NEED TO TAKE TURNS!  Remember:  every day can be a walk in the park - you just need to make good choices - like us dogs!

Treats are terrific and tasty!

As you might already know, I LOVE TO EAT, AND I ESPECIALLY LOVE TO EAT TREATS!  Now most people expect me to sit before they give me a treat.  There is always an exception to every rule, and the exception is my Dad - HE'S EVEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT GIVING ME TREATS THAN I AM ABOUT EATING THE TREAT!  When my Mom buys treats for me, she tells my Dad, "I bought some treats for you."  That's because he loves and enjoys the treats as much as me.  Now that is really TRUE LOVE.

Back to reality....like I was saying, before someone gives you a treat, they expect you to sit.  Here's an example:

For example, in the above picture, Casey's Mom, Lisa (those are even her feet in the picture - if you were wondering), is offering us a treat.  Look at how OBEDIENT AND WELL-BEHAVED we are!  We want to get our treat ASAP (that's an abbreviation for as soon as possible).

In addition, I also add in an extra special movement:  I lift up one of my front legs.  Why?  People usually say, "Oh, look at how cute!" or "Oh, she's saying please!" or "I love when she does that."  Being as smart as I am, I have figured out that I get MORE TREATS when I lift up my front leg.  Wow, how amazing and lucky is that!

Like I always say, if you want to earn a reward like a treat, be extra polite, respectful and well-behaved.  People notice these things - remember how I lift my front leg - IT REALLY WORKS!  Not only do I get a treat, I get COMPLIMENTS!  Compliments make me feel proud and good about myself.  I REALLY LOVE THAT PROUD FEELING, and I want you to feel it, too.  So remember - say please and see if you can earn some compliments today!
 

Living the Dog's Life

I certainly do have THE BEST LIFE EVER!  I never forget how lucky I am to have a forever family.   You might not know this, but dogs like me - big and black - are the last dogs to be adopted.  It's sad to think that people judge you on your size and color, but that's life.  Of course, I have no idea what color is so I LOVE EVERYONE! 

Here's a picture from June.  Let me introduce you to Lola - she's behind me, and she's a puppy.  Just think - she's not full grown yet; and people think that I'm BIG.  Being a puppy means Lola has TOO MUCH ENERGY FOR ME!  I did play and hang out with her because she was visiting my house, but she wore me out. 

Like I always say, DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!  Take time and get to know someone, and if you're super lucky, you might have a new friend.  You can't be friends with everyone, but you can try your best to be respectful to everyone.  Lola respected my need to have a rest just like I respected her need to run around.  Some times you just need to go with the flow - that's why I'm such a flexible dog.  If I can do it, you can, too!