The best news

One big thing happened yesterday. Call it a milestone if you will. We had a house visitor for dinner. A guy. We tried a new protocol. It went fantastically! Violet met him and got to hang out with us all evening instead of in her crate. Holy guacamole Batman! Yay! Serious triumph here.

Meet Chaco!

Another thing that happened since I've been around is that my mom got a dog. Not just any dog, but the perfect dog for Violet! He's still a puppy and challenging for that, but he's grreat with Vi and even got straight A's his first day of daycare!

My mom had a hard time believeing that Violet could fit in this awesome bed I got her at Costco.
The reality is that she loves it and fits just fine! As it turns out Chaco also fits if necessary. you can see below why it was necessary. This is violet hogging Chaco's bed. She even had TWO beds stacked--I sure wish I could've seen how this happened! bed hog!

Springtime

So it's spring. Actually, it's officially damn hot here today. S'posed to hit ninety for the first time today. Boo! I object.

But fun things are happening in the yard.

There are three (3) figs on the fig tree. It's FINALLY been transplanted into a real pot.

Last weekend I hit HD and got a bunch of gardentastic items, including 3 tomato plants. Two were container tomatoes (by mistake that I got 2 of the same), because we have a serious bunny problem, so they're to be elevated off the ground, and 1 is heat- tolerant. As I understand it, tomatoes in Tucson can have a problem with the fruit setting if it's too hot.

yesterday we hit HD again and we were working outside this morning. I went to water one of my tomatoes and guess what I found?! My first tomato! That was fast :) if you're wondering, one of the ways I am attempting to keep the tomatoes and the bunnies from mingling is by hanging the tomatoes (only one plant). You've head of the topsy-turvy? Well meet the Upsy-Downsy, the topsy-turvy's cheaper cousin. It was a whim, what can I say. I had to try it. Seems to be working so far, especially as that particular plant was subjected to being shoved through the small hole!

PS- sorry about the picture order/ positions. I have admittedly not mastered this!

Time for a revamp!

Was reading a blog today and decided i should "follow" it. logged in to blogger and realized i have been entirely remiss. crap. No posts since we moved. Did i mention we got the keys Oct 31st? Lame-o.

Thinking back, some of this lack of blogging has been due to being busy. There's definitely less boredom. However, there's also been a dramatic improvement in doghavior. Like, we have a yard. Actually, we have 2 yards. There is a smaller yard where Vi goes out regularly, and then a much bigger "back 40" yard for special occasions like running full-throttle (which she also does in the small yard), chasing birds and bunnies, and visiting with the elderly neighbor dogs through the fence. Sometimes, you gotta get your zoomies out!

Toying with the idea of transitioning this into more of an all-purpose blog. We'll see how well that goes. I'm just not a journal-er. Never have been. But thinking it might be fun to share other random bits as well. Examples to follow. Just testing, mind you. Don't go gettin' yer hopes up!

update

Man, I have not written on here for real in forever. Eek, no wonder nobody follows me!
Things have been going pretty well. There's always the occasional meltdown, but that's to be expected. The people at the daycare have been doing a great job of giving Vi more discipline, higher expectations and setting her up to succeed and I think it's paying off. She has apparently been much improved in her behavior lately. She's even been good at home.
Gus has been here since Wednesday. Again. There have been no inter-species incidents both the last time he was here (for 12 days i think!) or this time. New leaves all around.

Saturday we had a less-than stellar experience at Petsmart. We tried to work around the door and it was a big mess. Just too much for the little one to handle. She flipped out. I had a bit of a meltdown. It was a big mess.

Sunday we went for a walk in the neighborhood. it was almost 2 miles. Violet was an example to behold! She had a loose leash the whole time. We didn't see any dogs and only 1 bunny, so it was a very calm and reassuring walk. I was quite proud.

That's the short, short version. I'll try to be better. No promises!

report card

Violet was a bit of a trouble maker this morning because she figured out how to open the gates and let everyone into the other play area! Luckily some padlocks took care of that issue and she had a blast playing with Jackson, Braeden and Rex in the big open spaces we have at this new facility.

note: today was the first day at the new location! it looks great but is pretty dusty. when i arrived to pick up violet, she was freshly washed! the dogs had gotten sooo dirty that they washed ALL of them! wow, that's a lot of work! vi is all soft and cuddly now. made my day! then i looked in her ears and got a pretty good idea of just how dirty she was! let's just say we're gonna have to buy some ear-wash...

report card

These two gems, taken by the fabulous folks at newly renamed Paws Up Doggie Daycare, show Vi and her best friend Rex playing. The first, shows proof that Vi has been in the pool, though perhaps not of her own accord! She hates water :)

The second, entitled "Rex using his head," shows Vi pinned to the door. Note that of her visible feet, zero are touching the ground! I also think she looks like a little pig butt in this pic.

A+ Honor Student!

I vomited seeds and weeds this afternoon! :/ After that I felt much better. Rex and I had a blast today. We romped the yard, then I spent some time with him poolside. I also got my tummy rubbed :)

report card

A
Violet had a blast tugging with the other dogs this morning! She was really good all day and played a lot with Joey, Rex and Braeden. Later in the afternoon, she joined her friends in a game of soccer with the new green ball :)

report card

Violet played a lot with Rex and Buford today. I saw her go in the pool, which is not like her! She was crazy this morning but tired out pretty quickly.

note: see pool pics in next report card!

report card

Violet played a lot with Rex and Buford today. I saw her go in the pool, which is not like her! She was crazy this morning but tired quickly.

report card

Violet played with Rafiki and Buford today. I watched as she sailed over the tunnel and ran around with almost unlimited stamina. She would make an amazing agility dog!

PS: the pics are: vi stalking Rex, and then them playing . look at her butt! wooh! serious definition!

report card

A+ A recent addition to the honor roll!

I had so much fun with Rex this morning! We were playing our version of the game tag. Rex kept running to his safe spot in the pool and I would get so irritated, I yelled at him to get out and then get splashed! I was so flustered! But it was a lot of fun. I was a very good girl today!

report card

A

Today I got my own personal play group in the big room! I ran around with Dexter and Rafiki- we chased tennis balls and played tug-o-war. It was lots of fun. I was a very good girl today! :)

Photo: Rafiki and Viplay tug of war with a rope

report card

I had "beef" with Harmony today. I didn't like her following me around- so I tried to dominate her. We were separated and then everything was fine. I had a fun morning playing with Joey. I spent some time plotting the demise of a lizard I kept seeing. The rest of my day I spent lounging in the shade, keeping cool. :)

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A+!

My GPA is climbing! I'm doing very well. I respond a little bit more to my name each day. I had a blast with Dexter and Joey this morning. I found a lizard outside of the gate and I was doing bunny hops along the fence trying to get it. It was a comical sight! :)

Violet finally met her match today! Tallee kept Violet in line and actually put her down several times, which I've never seen any other dog do to Violet before. Violet was absolutely submissive to Tallee and it was a wonder to behold. Cris

report card

A+!

I was as perfect and serene today as a violet in a field! No exaggeration- I played well with my friends, especially Beauford. I responded to my name and enjoyed my ear rubs. This is really going to boost my GPA- I'm very happy! :)

report card

V is coming a lot more when I call her name & then sitting just about every time. It's sometimes hard to get her attention but a soda can with pennies in it works pretty good. Even making a Fart sond with your hand will do in a pinch- HEY, it works!

the changing of the guard

Well it's FINALLY beginning to cool off here in the old pueblo. I do mean beginning. It was only 66 degrees out this morning and that made me happy! I even opened some windows to pull in some of the cool air. Violet thought she'd take advantage of the opportunity to take a gander at what was going on in the neighborhood...

the terrorist

we are cat sitting again. Gus is here, and hopefully things will go well this time, especially since we've got like 12 days! Violet is desperately afraid of Gus, and rightly so! this morning she jumped on the couch to snuggle with the boy. she was too scared to stay on the floor unprotected and didn't care that she's not allowed on the couch. it was sooo adorable.

report card

no report card today. Cris said Violet was pretty good today. Apparently another dog that they have been having problems with unprovokedly attacked her this morning. He had to spend the rest of the time crated. Later in the day they put Vi in a crate to let him out for a bit. They cover the crates to help calm the dogs sometimes. Apparently Violet shredded the sheet she was covered with. Oops!

These pics are from the other day when Vi came home from school. This is what happens after she plays all day. Sleepy dog!