July 22

Today was AWESOME!! I spent the day with Uncle M, then he went out in the evening and Aunt B came home.  She sat in the media room and watched a lot of TV.  So while she was watching TV, Eleanor and I discovered an old pillow thing that was full of these awesome white beads! We shredded it and covered the house in white stuff.  It looks like it snowed EVERYWHERE!  Unfortunately for you, Uncle M came home and cleaned it up before we got a good picture, but Aunt B has been picking it out of our fur for hours and it still feels like you are walking on sand when the humans go around the house barefoot.  It was a huge redecorating success!!

Covered in dots

These were all over me and they don't come out easily.  Aunt B finally used an old fabric softener sheet to help pick them out.

You can barely see them, but those white dots were everywhere!

July 20 & 21

I'm combining my posting for these two days because they were so similar.  I got to spend sometime at home with Uncle M, then I went into my crate, then I got out and chased Eleanor around the house till we were too tired to stand up.

July 19

Today sucked.  I was in my crate for like, forever.  Aunt B went to work. Uncle M went to work.  Eleanor went to her crate and I went to mine. Bleh.  Of course, when they got home, the people took all of us dogs for a walk in the neighborhood.  I am starting to learn to heel with Uncle M while Aunt B tries to control both of the others.  When we got to an open field, they let Eleanor and Isis off leash to chase deer and I was SO UPSET I coudn't go too!  Then Eleanor broke through a fence and chased animals on some private ranch land and Aunt B & Uncle M and Isis and I walked the fenceline for a while calling her name.  Eventually, she came back, just as happy as she could be.  It wasn't a long walk, but it was hot, so when we came home, I laid out on the tile and then the hardwood floor to cool off.

Hot dog.

July 18

Today, we had to go in our crates for a little while, but we were back out a few hours later, no worse for wear.  I have my crate set up in the living room right next to Eleanor's and in front of the window so I get plenty of natural light during the day. 

My daily crate set up.  That airline crate looks too small for Eleanor, but she loves it and goes in all the time, even when everyone is home!

It has the pillow that smells like my mom and my bath mat.  I've been really good and haven't chewed up any of that stuff! Sometimes, during the day, I wonder in to Eleanor's downstairs crate and move toys around - she does the same thing to my crate. 

Whatchu' doin' in my crate?

Getting the good toys so we can play tug-o-war!

 At night, I sometimes like to start by sleeping in the upstairs crate (it looks a lot like my crate), but I'm usually either on the Big Bed or on the bed my Momma bought me by the time I go to sleep.

Upstairs crate.  Checkout how my eyes reflect the blue bag and look cute instead of satanic.  Neat trick o' the camera!

July 17

Today the whole pack hung out together - everyone was home!  Uncle M pulled a really cool treat out of the freezer today - a BONE! Like a real one! With tendons on it and full of marrow and everything! They say it's a yak bone and I am in love with it.  Isis took it first for a few hours, then Eleanor got ahold of it.  I don't let Eleanor get away with stuff like that for long though, so she and I shared it for a while.  Before bed, I had a chance to eat it all. by. my. self.  Yummmmm.

July 16

Today was my second trip to Red Bud Isle Dog Park.  I LOVE this place.  I usually like to get close to the water, but I won't get in.  Today, I decided to push my boundaries.  It was a wonderful day, and so we captured it in pictures rather than words.

First, I watched Eleanor playing.

I explored a lot of shoreline on my own.

Then Uncle M decided to "help" me get more comfortable in the water.

Eventually, we walked around to the other side of the island, we found a little cove that had shallow water where there was a good set of rocks to stand on before you hit the big drop-off and the strong current. Uncle M started coaxing me out into the water and it really helped when Eleanor and Isis got in too.

I wanted to get out there and see the water, but there were a lot of false starts before I made it all the way out there.

But finally, finally, I decided I could just do it on my own!! I went out and looked over the edge and when I was just too excited, I came back to shore and ran off some of that energy.  Whew, what a rush!!! It's like parachute jumping, it was so exciting!

Finally, Uncle M even tried to teach me real swimming.  I was NOT up for it! But I still got back in and out of the water and wasn't afraid.

July 15

Best nap spot. Ever.

Today, Uncle M stayed home all day.  Which meant another NO CRATE DAY!! Love these.  Today I played in the yard, but I also took a prodigious amount of naps.  There's so many places to sleep in this house, but my favorite is the rug in front of the fireplace.  I like to sleep here during the day and this is where the Aunt & Uncle have to come find me to tell me it's time to go upstairs at night.

July 14

Today was another peaceful day.  Aunt B stayed home all day which meant NO CRATE!! ALL DAY!!! This was awesome, especially since I only had a few hours in the crate yesterday.

I got to spend a lot of the day running in and out of the house since Uncle M & Aunt B left the door to the backyard open all day.  I really like the yard, btw.  (You can say "by the way" when you see that, but I know that Aunt Candy probably says "bee-tee-dubya".)

Where I wasn't.

Mostly, today we all chilled.  Aunt B was in bed, Uncle M went to work and Tae Kwon Do and we dogs played in the yard.

July 13

Today was pretty special for a Wednesday. Uncle M & Aunt B left verrrrry early this morning and put me in my crate, but they were back a few hours later.  Aunt B was walking really slow and laughing a lot and saying something like, "I love anesthesia! I feel a little drunk and it's only 9:30am!"  I helped Uncle M make the bed for her, but I got a little caught up in the sheets.

Yep, that's me under the covers!

She went upstairs and slept and slept and slept.  Uncle M let me and the cousins out and then two new people came over.  Uncle M called them the "cleaning people" - they picked up all the toys I've shredded and then used their noisy machine to pick up all the good smelly stuff and fur around the house.  I barked at them a little, but mostly I was just disappointed that the house smelled so clean....ick.

Uncle M & I were curling up with Aunt B for a bit.

Afterwards, it was my turn to help Aunt B feel better.  See, we dogs know she was a little tuckered, so we each took turns keeping her company. Isis likes to just lay next to her and get snuggled.  Eleanor kisses her face and then lays on her other side when it's her turn.  As for me, I decided the best idea would be to jump on the bed, stand on her belly and bark.  Eventually, I realized this was not the best idea and instead I curled up at her head and kissed her.  She seemed to really like that and fell asleep with me snugged up against her head. The rest of the day was spent chasing Eleanor around the house, eating and just general laziness.

Sometimes I worry that Cousin Eleanor has a learning disability.

July 12

Today I wanted to show you how some of the everyday things are working here at the ATX Brakewood's house.  Eleanor, Isis and I all eat together now.  We started this out the very first day I moved in and there's only been a few small changes to the routine.  For a while, this was really working out well for me - Eleanor and I would eat all our food and Isis just really didn't care about hers.  As soon as Uncle M or Aunt B left the room, I was able to scarf it all down and get TWO servings at breakfast and dinner!

Sorry the pictures are so blurry - Aunt B is having some trouble with her camera.

Eventually those humans figured out what was going on and they started picking up Isis's bowl when they decided that we should all be through eating.  I was sad, but what really surprised us all was that Cousin Isis was sad too!  Now that we're all settled into the routine, she's finally eating all her food when dinner is served.  This seems to make Aunt B and Uncle M pretty happy since Cousin Isis used to go days without eating more than a couple bites before I got here.  I am glad for her and glad for Aunt B and Uncle M, but I really liked those first days when I could grab an extra dinner!

Nom nom nom

July 11

I usually win at tug-o-war.

Today was just another Manic Monday.  I finally recovered all my energy from this weekend, but then I had to spend most of the morning in my crate.  Life is so unfair!  Aunt B came home really early this afternoon though and I tussled with Eleanor for what must have been 2 hours.  When we wrestle, I win about half the time.  Everyone else thinks it's funny to see me hold down a big ol' dog like Eleanor, but don't let my size fool you - I'm a rough-and-tumble badass!  Uh oh, gotta go run and hide...Momma probably wouldn't like me using that language!

But Eleanor likes to hold on tight and make me chase her for the toy!

July 10

Today was a lazy Sunday.  Well, for me at least.  I spent an hour this morning with Aunt B's mom since everyone else was out and about.  I was very well behaved and very lovey.  Uncle M took my cousins on a 7 mile run; at first I was jealous, then I realized how far that is!  I was still a little tuckered from my day at the dog park, so I just enjoyed hanging around the house all day without having to be in my crate at all.  In the evening, I watched tv with Uncle M and we practiced giving paw and getting kisses.

July 9

This was a GREAT day!!! Aunt B's mom was in town and I've decided she is like my great-aunt or honorary grandma or something.  I was very well behaved around her and gave her kisses just like I do for everyone else. Aunt B got up early again and let me into the yard.  I didn't bark much, but I was tired and just wanted a potty break, then to go back upstairs for a nap. Early in the morning (around 8am!), Uncle M took me and my cousins to the dog park downtown and it was AWEEEEESOOOOMMMEEE! Just like my momma expected, I'm sort of a pain at such a wild dog park - there's so much to do and to sniff that I don't listen at all to Uncle M when he calls my name (see all those pics of me running the other way? yeah, i don't like to come when called).

I looked at the water, but I'm not really a swimmer.  I bet Mom would be proud of how close I got though!

This is me the stairs near the front of the park:

Keeping a wary eye on this water thing.

Eleanor made fun of me for being a fraidy-cat, so I decided to look a little closer.

Hey, this isn't so bad...I can do this! 

Yeah, but this is probably far enough.  I'm proud of myself though!

Then we went to the end of the island to look at the boaters...

We went home and hung out at the house all day, playing a little and going in an out of the back door a lot, but after the good time at the dog park, I mostly just chilled out.  I slept welllllll that night!

July 8

Today was another "work" day for Uncle M.  I got up early with Aunt B and started barking at the neighbor dogs at 4:50am - what a great way to start the morning! - then I hung out and chewed a bunch of toys till it was time for my crate.  When Uncle M says "treat" I run right in there, just like I do for mom at home!  I was able to get out of the crate for a while, but then Uncle M went to the gym and I went in again.  When Aunt B came home at 7pm, I'd only been in there for an hour or so, but you wouldn't know that from how enthusiastic I was about greeting her when she got home!

July7

I love running in my yard!

Today was a "normal" day for me and the cousins.  Aunt B & Uncle M got up early and let me out in the yard - which I love!!  Everytime they go downstairs, I tear down as quick as my legs will take me and I run right to the back door!  Uncle M went into work in the middle of the morning, so I went to my crate and hung out next to Eleanor all day.   When Uncle M got back, he let us out and Eleanor and I played tug of war with a stupid sheep toy until we tore it in two! When Aunt B got home, the entire living room was covered in white fluff - what a success! I'm sure she appreciated that present from us.

I'm still learning not to jump when people come in the door, but today I managed to get my butt on the ground when Aunt B said to "Sit!"  I mean, I jumped right back up and tried to claw her leg, but I think I'm figuring out that she might want me to stay with all 4 legs on the ground when she gets in.

Now it's bed time though.  I'm very very tired from playing tug-of-war with Eleanor, so I think I'll go stretch out on the rug in the study and catch a nap before we go upstairs to sleep for real.

Exploring all of this greenery is another great way to get some energy out!

July 6

Whew, I found space on this crowded, crowded bed!

Today was another good day, getting used to this new house and this new pack.  Last night, I slept in the Big Bed with my cousin Isis and my Aunt B and Uncle M. This morning, I woke Uncle M up at 4:40am in the traditional Bronx style - by patting him on the face and licking him!  Uncle M, being a morning person, thought this was awesome and kept laughing and playing with me.  Aunt B tried to bury her head in a pillow and said something that sounded like "Shut up, I have 10 more minutes!" but that can't be right.  Who in their right mind would be upset about waking up to pats and licks and a loud, laughing husband?!?  Today, Uncle M didn't go into work until after lunch, so I just hung around with my cousins and barked at Uncle M's conference calls for a while.  This afternoon, I went into my crate for a few hours, but was back out to play and eat and run around when Uncle M got back from the gym.  When Aunt B came home after rowing, I kissed all of the sunscreen and sweat off of her face and then settled down with a nice bone before bed.

July 5

Waves hello-goodbye to his Momma as she heads out to KL.

Today, Uncle M was home with me and my cousins until around 9:30am.  I was in my crate for quite a few hours, then Aunt B came home at around 4:00pm.  I was so so so excited to see her when she got here! My cousins and I spent the evening going in and out of the house and playing together.  Isis seems to want to just hang out in her mom's lap all evening, but Eleanor loves playing with me.  I steal her bone, and then we chase each other around the yard. I occasionally go up to Aunt B and paw her and lick her and I think she finally realized that means that it's time for dinner! I miss my Momma, but Eleanor is helping keep me distracted.  Now, I've gotta go and eat my dinner!