My New Cousin, Coby

Debby and Stan, Barbara's sister and brother-in-law, have been wanting a dog for a long time. But it had to be just the right dog of course. They went to look at a nice little dog at a shelter near their home and thought that they had found a dog that would fit into their family just perfectly. They called Barbara to talk about him and on Sunday they went to the shelter to meet him again and adopt him.

His name is Coby and he is two years old. When I first saw his picture I thought tha Debby and Stan had made a mistake and adopted a sheep but he is a poodle mix. I can't believe that someone would leave such a cute little dog in a shelter but people do strange things. Fortunately he didn't have to stay there too long before Debby and Stan adopted him. Coby will have a great life now that he has them as his special people. They will love, train and care for him. They have already gotten him a new collar and leash, a crate, food bowls and some toys.

On Sunday Barbara and I were at Phydeaux's pet supply shop before Drill Team practice. I picked out a Kong and a Twist and Treat (my two favorite toys) and some lamb fillet treats (very delicious) to send to Coby as a welcome to the family gift. I hope he likes them and I can't wait to meet him.

Baking

I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to blog for 2 weeks! You may wonder how a dog can blog. I sit on Barbara's feet or lean against her leg while she is at the computer and dictate to her. She does the hard work of typing for me. I have been to the dog park several times, for walks at Fearrington, practiced with the drill team, worked as a demo dog at the puppy class, went to the APS Dog Walk and also have worked on my tracking. My calendar is full. The photo shows me and Barbara at drill team practice. Barbara was wearing the T-shirt that has my picture on it so Lucy's person, Allen, took a photo of us together and sent it to us for my blog. Don't I look cute?

This afternoon we baked a pumpkin pie. Well Barbara is made it and I sat by her leg and watched very carefully to make sure she followed the recipe and to be right there in case she knocked the pie off the counter. The smells are sublime. Pumpkin, spices, sugar, pie crust-wonderful. It is in the oven now and I cannot wait for it to be cooked so I can have a taste. Barbara does not usually give me food from the table but it would be cruelty to animals to not let me have some pumpkin pie.

I am incensed! Barbara is not going to let me have any of the pie. She is taking it to Trotter's house! Just because he is my boyfriend does not mean that he can eat my pie. If I hear that he got any of it I will bite him the next time I see him!

Baths-Ugh!!

We wasted a perfectly good fall afternoon. Instead of doing something fun like tracking or training, I had a bath. Barbara took me to Max's Dog Wash. Now I have been there many times before and they are always nice to me. Carrie gives me cookies and everyone makes a fuss over me. But I do not like having a bath. Barbara said that I had to because we are performing with the Drill Team tomorrow and she wanted to make sure that I looked nice for the performance. Well I look just fine even without a bath.

First I had to get on the grooming table while Barbara trimmed the hair on my feet and then used clippers on my neck. Barbara said trimming the hair there would show my elegant long neck. I am sure that people can see how nice my neck is with long hair and who cares anyway? Then I had to get in the tub and get shampooed. Barbara picked a shampoo that smelled like oatmeal. I would like to eat oatmeal but who wants to smell like it? I would much rather smell like dead frogs or deer poop (I can never figure out why she gets hysterical when I want to roll in poop). After all the shampoo was rinsed off I got conditioner which is supposed to make me all soft and shiny. I am already very shiny and my name even means "sheen" so I cannot see the sense of putting stuff on me and then rinsing it off.

I don't mind being dried with towels but I really don't like that blow dryer thing. It must have been invented by someone who hates dogs. It is noisy and scary. Barbara gives me lots of liver bits while she is drying me but I still don't like it. Then I had my nails clipped and I am embarrassed to say that I behaved bery badly. Carrie clipped my nails and of course she didn't hurt me but I flipped around on the table and I even growled at her. I just could not help myself. When I was a puppy someone scared me by trying to dremel my nails and I have never forgotten it. Even though Barbara has spent lots of time desensitizining me to having my feet handled I still worry about it. Fortunately it was over fast and I got a lot more liver. I could not wait to get off the table.

I will look very beautiful tomorrow at the APS Dog Walk but the whole grooming thing is vastly overrated. Selkie always liked to be groomed and brushed (she was very vain about her appearance) but it is a waste of time as far as I am concerned. I am going to take a nap now so the day won't be a total loss.