Lake Morning and Update on Long Line

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Long Line took me to Lake this morning. After days of Big Wind and Forest Fire Smoke, today was calm and peaceful. 

Also, there were many good smells, and the occasional tasty treat! This is because the people like to leave food behind on the rocks by the Lake!

Right now I have some harder days and some good days, but mostly Bad Leg is feeling better and better. 

I am happy to say that today was a good day! I felt happy and frisky!

On another note, I have mixed feelings about Long Line. I can go further from my person when I am attached to it, but it stops me from going under the picnic tables or climbing up onto things to find the food that people like to leave behind in the summer. Long Line and I have had a few disagreements over this.

However, I only need to be with Long Line for another four weeks. (How long is four weeks?)

In general, I am happy that it is cooler, and that I get to go outside on my own now, and that I get to Walk for longer.

How are you, friends?

It's my Gotcha Day!

Hi friends! Ojo here! Today is my Gotcha Day!

I came to live with my family eight years ago today! For my Gotcha Day we went on one of my favourite Walks AND my person gave me baby carrots! I love carrots!

Also, I have to say, having been Gotcha'd for eight years and alive for even longer, I am probably around nine years old now and I am getting Very Wise. You can tell this by the grey on my face, and also because I now know so much about life. I am a Very Good Dog, and my people tell me so every day!

I am a teacher!

 Hi friends! Ojo here!

Some of you may already know that for work my person helps people teach their Dogs to be awesome. Just like me! Because the people have to stay away from each other right now my person is teaching on the computer. And I help! 

The Dog on the computer is ME! Here I am teaching how to do the leash walking position. You can't see my person because she's not black like I am, but she is beside me working as my assistant. 

Do you see how closely this young one is watching me? Her name is Bonnie and she is sixteen weeks old. I am sure she is going to grow up to be a Very Good Dog, just like ME!

I am getting ready

Dear friends,

I am getting ready to walk over the rainbow bridge. My body is tired and my tummy feels yucky most of the time. I do not like to eat very much anymore. Not even popcorn.

I am still going on Walks and my people are going very slow when I want to go slow. Sometimes I go faster to sniff something interesting. And I like to sniff the Bad Squirrels that are living under our house. But mostly I just want to sleep.

The people have tried many medicines for me. At first the medicines helped, but now I still feel yucky. Even the new medicines aren't helping, and I don't want to swallow them anymore. My body is very wobbly and my fur has patches where it doesn't grow anymore.

I have had a very good life, but soon it will be time to go. I am twelve years old. I have done agility and nosework and search-and-rescue tracking and treibball and canine freestyle. I get Walks or hikes every day. I have had many adventures in the forest, on mountain tops, at the beach and in the snow. I always come when called, even now. I know how to do many tricks.

And I am tired.

Please do not be sad, friends. I am happy. Right now I am spending time with my people, and soon I will cross the bridge. I am almost ready.

Many years ago my people named me Cobi. I am a Good Dog.

Keys found! (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

I worked today! This is not unusual. I worked yesterday on our Walk too. But for some reason my person was extra-extra-happy with my work today!

In case you did not know, I have a job as a Thing Finder. If you would like to read more about my job and see a video of me working, you can click here! http://dogdoesntfetch.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-am-amazing-thing-finder-by-ojo.html

I find all sorts of things! This is a very fun job, I love it very much.

Today we went for an extra-long Walk in the forest and at the lake. When we got back to Car, for some reason our person did not open Car for us. Instead she started patting all of her pockets, and then she got more and more upset. She said her keys were missing!

She started pacing back and forth all over the parking lot and the road. She looked on the ground. She looked on the path. She looked inside of Car. But her keys were nowhere to be found!

Cobi tried to make her feel better by pushing into her legs, but this did not help. Our person said, "We just walked for over an hour and a half! My keys are somewhere on that walk! It is wet and raining, and I have a meeting soon! This is Very Bad!"

Our person called for a Rescue. But before the Rescue could come help us, I helped instead!!

Here is how I helped! Our person decided to do the first five minutes of our Walk again while we were waiting for Rescue. She walked very slowly and looked everywhere with her eyes. But then she got smart! She asked me to help!

She said the magic first words, which are, "Ojo, want to work?"

I said YES, yes I do! (I said this by jumping in the air and running towards her full speed.)

She gave me her palm to sniff, and she said the words, "Where's my thing?", and I was off! I used my nose to find all traces of my person's smell!

And guess what?!? I found her keys!!! Aren't I amazing!!

Okay, honestly I do not know why this was so special today. I do this kind of search all the time. Yesterday I found a hard plastic disc hiding stuffed down in some rocks. That was a hard find. Compared to that, the keys weren't hard at all!

But for some reason my person was extra-extra-happy with my work today! She gave me soft goat cheese, right out of the package! AND she gave me pieces of leftover pancake!!

I guess the keys were really really lost!

Lights

These things appeared in our house. They are full of lights. And smells from long, long ago.

These are more signs that Santa will be coming. I am working extra hard to be Good.

Wait, does this mean I can no longer sneak on the people's Bed for a winter nap?

Ojo is also trying very hard to be Good. She is either very, very Good, or very, very Bad. For Ojo there is no in between.

Me, I'm just kind of Good most of the time.

Are lights appearing in your house too?

Whose mat is it? (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

We had an incident! A disagreement! An entanglement!

Our person put this towel down on the floor. We both LOVE going our mats. (We are Good Dogs, you know!) But there was only one towel. So we both raced to see who could get onto it first!

Cobi says the mat is hers, because she is bigger and older and wiser!

But I say it is MINE, because I lay down first!

What do you think, friends? Whose mat is it???

Pee Ess Cobi, will you get off of me?!?! You're heavy!

Why do they call it a catwalk? (By Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Why do the people call it a catwalk? I think it should be a dogwalk!

Look at us in all our beautiful fur!

We are gorgeous, are we not?

Cheese would be Good

You have cheese.

Santa is coming. But he will only bring you presents if you are Good.

Do you know what would be Good? Sharing that cheese.

If you share the cheese, we will tell Santa that not only were you Good, but you were Very, Very, Very Good.

I already have the letter to Santa started. Your choice. Will you share the cheese and be Good? Or are you going to be naughty?

I did it!!!

Friends, I did it! I caught the Rattie! Me, Cobi!

Yes, this is very serious business. We have crazy-birds called Chickens living in our yard. With the Chickens live Ratties. The Ratties like to live with the Chickens because there is much free food. And right now the Ratties are busy making babies, so their numbers are growing!

We have been on Rat Patrol all week.

Our total count this week is Five. Five Ratties! We're awesome.

Okay, so it is mostly Ojo who catches the Ratties, but I am the helper! I stand at one end, and Ojo at the other, and if the Rattie comes out on my end I chase it into Ojo's mouth. So as you can see I am still a very important part of this!

This morning, however, I was amazing! I was stupendous! I was clever and swift and fast!

This morning the Rattie came out on my side, and instead of chasing it into Ojo's mouth, I chomped down with my own mouth instead.

I caught the Rattie! Me! Cobi! (This is my first Rattie ever!)

I had it by the tail and the back leg. It was fighting very hard, and I did not know what to do, but I didn't let go. I hung on!

Then Ojo came over and grabbed it from me and finished the job. (Okay, so I admit that she is useful... sometimes.)

We are a team!

And this wasn't any Rattie, but a big fat Rattie at that! After that Ojo caught another one all on her own, but it was a little one. Mine was bigger. So there.

Aren't I amazing??

UPDATE: Ojo caught another Rattie! We are now up to THREE Ratties today, and six in total this week!

I have to be GOOD??? (by Ojo)

Hi hi hi! Ojo here!

Something terrible! Christmas is coming!

No, wait, that's not the terrible part. Christmas is happy and means things like family and turkey!

The terrible part is that now need to be Good! If I am not Good, Santa will not come leave me a bone or toys or treats! And I want a bone and toys and treats!

But being Good is so very hard!!

(What the heck are these glowing things, by the way??)

My littlest person took these photos. So she is being Good. (Aren't they pawesome? She is a great photographer!)

But I'm having a much harder time being Good!

Help me out, friends. Here is my list from today:

• I sat on top of the mountain in the cold while our person pointed her Big Black Eye at us over and over and over again. I was very patient. Pretty Good, right?
• I wanted to go out the door but Cobi was in the way so I pushed under her body and then she fell into the water. Oops, not so Good. (And Cobi has already told Santa I am sure!)
• I went straight from the car to the back gate without stopping to chase squirrels. This is Good!
• I chased Jack the Cat and jumped on his head. Not Good.
• I waited for my breakfast until the people said "Okay!". Good.
• I drooled all over the floor while waiting. Not Good.

What can I do? How can I be better? How are you Good so that Santa will come??

Dear Santa (from Ojo)

Dear Santa,

Ojo here! Cobi has been telling me all about this thing called "Christmas". She says that it is amazing, and that I will get yummy food and toys and all sorts of good things... BUT this only happens if I can convince you and your friend Rudolph that I have been a Good Dog this year.

So here it goes.

Santa, I have to tell you that my year started off pretty tough. I had a family but I lost them. I don't think they wanted me any more. They didn't say why, just they were there and then they were not. I lived on the streets and was called "stray". I had to steal my food in order to survive. Does this make me Bad? I hope not.

Then I got picked up by some people and put in the place called "pound". I lived there for what felt like a very long time. I got to go outside only sometimes, and didn't get much exercise. This was very hard for me. I love the outside so very much, Santa! Does me barking and whining in the pound make me Bad? I hope not.

A pawesome group of people called "Dog Bless Rescue" saw me. I tried to look cute and pretty (and like a Good Dog), and it must have worked because I was taken out of the pound. I had something happen that hurt lots called "spaying". I had shots and stuff put on my skin. Then I was stuck in a tiny box and put on a noisy thing called airplane.

When I got off the air smelled different, and everything was all new.

Like I said Santa, my year started off pretty tough.

But things got better from there. My foster home was pretty nice, and then - my people found me!

So here's the deal.

Santa, I did not know I wasn't supposed to eat the Cat Food. I only jump on people sometimes, when I'm really excited. I thought the Recycling was a bin of toys for me to play with. (That's an honest mistake!)

I chew on shoes and water bottles and the stairs only when I get really, really bored. Can you blame me? I mostly only forget to listen to my people when there is a squirrel or rabbit or bird nearby.

I did not know that the magnets on the fridge are not for chewing on. Or the coasters. Or my littlest person's soccer cleats.

I did not know that the couch is not for sleeping on. (It's so comfy, Santa!) I did not know that I was not supposed to bury a bone outside, then dig it up a week later and bring it back into the house. I did not know that the stuffed toy named Puffie belongs to Cobi. (Cobi, I am sorry I took some of the insides out of your favourite toy. I feel very bad about this.)

But I am trying very hard to be a Good Dog. Here is how I am Good:

• I Sit and Lie Down and go to my bed when the people ask me. (Most of the time.) 
• I do not chase the Cats. 
• I play the game called "training". (I can go around trees and weave my person's legs and bow and shake paws and all sorts of pawesome things!)
• After my Walk I curl up into a little ball and go to sleep so my person can work.
• I am very gentle with little people.
• I let Cobi think she is the boss.
• I sat still while the people put a silly hat on my head and pointed their big, black eye named "camera" at me. (See my pawesome picture below!)
• I give my people licks and wags every single day.

So clearly I am a Good Dog.

For Christmas I would like the following things:

• Snow
• A couch that I am allowed to lie on
• Anything squeaky, chewy or smelly
• To keep my new family forever and ever

Licks and wags,

Ojo

Don't take this the wrong way

The people are stingy.

There is only one comfy-soft donut bed in the kitchen. There are two Dogs. Clearly this is a problem, especially on cold, foggy fall mornings when both Dogs should obviously have their own comfy-soft donut beds.

So do not take this the wrong way. This does not mean that I like her. It simply means that I am the sort of benevolent, generous Dog who was kind enough to allow the young Ojo to share my bed. Along with the stuffed chicken. I am a Good Dog. That is all.

And... wait! Hang on! Is that her face on my bum??

Ojo here!

Hi! Hi! Hi!

It's me! Ojo! I am borrowing Cobi's blog!

Well, actually, the word "borrow" suggests that she is lending it to me...
She is not. She is sleeping. I couldn't wake her up now, could I?

But I have never blogged before. Isn't this fun! I love new things!
Except if they sound like loud machines. I don't like loud machines.
And I don't like when the ground moves under my feet, like a dock on the water.

But other new things are great! Things like running in tall grass! And playing with toys! And training with my people! And sniffing moles under the ground! And having a warm bed every night and not having to live in the place called "shelter"! And having people of my own! And... well... everything!

I just love life!!

Even my name is new! Did you know I used to be called Willhemena? Ojo is much better, don't you think? Much more bouncy. Like me!

I have to tell you something though. Cobi is a little grumpy sometimes.
There, I said it.
Sometimes she chases me and tells me off. Sometimes she gets in my way. Sometimes she is a little bit mean. Sometimes I think she is trying to have fun, but she doesn't know how. Isn't that too bad?

I think maybe it is because she is middle-aged. That is practically Old. But don't tell her I said so.

But I will not say anything more bad about Cobi, because Cobi is my new dog sister. And she shares her people with me. Her people are wonderful! They have good food! They give lots of pets! They take me on amazing Walks! They play with me! They have ice cream!

I love my new people! (That I share with Cobi.)

I try very hard to be a Good Dog for them. I do not want to go back to Shelter. But you know what? It's been a very long time now. It must be six weeks since I came to live with these people, and I do not think they are sending me back. Hurray! I'm finally starting to feel safe.

Isn't that amazing? I must be a Very Good Dog!!

Or maybe I'm just cute!! Did I mention that life is wonderful?!?

Graduation

Ojo graduated from dog class!

This means that she does Sit and Down and Stay and Come. Or at least she knows a little bit about doing these things. She now knows how to go to her bed and lie down, how to wait for her dinner, and that she's not supposed to barge through doors until the people tell us we can go through. Also she's learning not to jump up or bark or pull on the leash!

So she's done a lot of work!

I have to tell you though that I have far more tricks. And I must say that my Sit, Down and Stay are fabulous, and I am very polite on the leash. (We are both good at the thing called Recall, but that's because we had to learn it or else we wouldn't be allowed to run and play at Forest or Beach!)

So my young friend still has a long way to come to compete with me in my trained greatness, but we are still all very proud of her!

I have a good feeling...

I think Santa is watching. I think maybe I have made his Good list.

Is he coming for you?

The trouble with training...

The trouble with training is that my person doesn't only do it with ME!

Here are some of the other Dogs my person does the game called training with. This is Baggins. My person thinks he looks like Elvis with his bare, hairy chest. Who's Elvis?

Hannah.

 

And Cletus.

They are being Good Dogs for Christmas, and are being very patient while the people stick funny things on their heads.

And what was I doing while my person was playing with other Dogs?

I was being Good Dog too. I was waiting with Momma C. I really, really wanted my person to come over and pet me, or train with me, or anything...  PLEASE....??

Momma C and I waited and waited and waited...
I'm glad she was there waiting with me. Also she had treats. And also my littlest person was there too. Also with treats. But still - shouldn't we all be together?

And then finally it was my turn to play and train with my person. No silly pictures for me this time though. Whew.

I think all this waiting politely means I was a Good Dog for Santa, don't you?

Dear Santa and Rudolph

Dear Santa and Rudolph,

I have been a very Good Dog this year.

I only pee in the garden when it is raining. At all other times I pee on the grass, I promise.

I only eat the cat poop if the people leave me alone without a snack, which really isn't fair.

I help the people with "clean up" by licking the floor and digging through their bags for any leftover food. This is very important because often they forget food in their bags, especially my littlest person.

I only pull on the leash if there is a squirrel or a Cat. Or sometimes another Dog.

Oh, and I suppose I should also tell you that I try hard to listen to my people, including my littlest person. Especially if she has pop corn. I do the silly thing called "training" with my big person whenever she asks, and I am very patient when she tells me over and over to put my paw on something, or push something else with my nose.

I always wait patiently for my dinner, and I sit on my mat while my people are eating their dinner, even though it smells better than mine. I always go into my crate at bed time, and I don't wake the people up in the middle of the night. I always wait when my person tells me to instead of running through a door, even if there's a Cat on the other side! (This is hard Santa, but I do it!)

I do not complain (much) when don't get a Walk because Nature is making too much rain.

And whenever my people leave, I wait for them to come back. Always. Because this is a Dog's job.

For Christmas I would like peace between Dogs. And people too. I would like something nice for my friends the Cats, like treats or catnip.

Oh, and for me? How nice of you to ask. I would like a bone, and I would like some snow to play in. And I want to spend time with my people. That's the best thing of all.

Your Good Dog,
Cobi