Kelda Dreams About the Olympics....

All together now: "TAH TAH de TAH TAH TAH TAH, TAH tah-da-TAH tah tah da-da-da-da DAH TAH TAH!"

(We didn't make up that picture. Somebody sent it to my Grandma.)

Just like so many other people and dogs, Grandma and I spent the past two weeks at our favorite new activity! Know what it was?


Watching the Winter Olympics, of course!

We stayed up late at night and took naps the next day. Then we started in again. It's all over, but even now it's fun to think about.

If I had been a hockey player, I would have grabbed that puck and run off with it. The players would not have been happy with me. It looked like just the right size to chew on, though.

If I had been at the half pipe, I... um, think I would have backed off. That sport is not for me, I think. But there are some dogs (and even an occasional MEE-YOW) who would love it.

I would have cuddled up with the figure skaters after they finished their programs. They needed me at the kiss-and-cry bench!

Why isn't there a winter Olympics for four-footed people?


Good ol' Sam might be great on a snowboard...









And for personal style, Zebrina can match that red-haired half pipe guy any day....

Here's Olivia, the gold medalist in lady dogs' figure skating, getting points from the judges and great applause from the crowds...


Mr. Grey dreams of being a gold-medal curling skip...








At downhill, Zoe would be perfect (it takes attitude)...




...and Buddy really, really wants to try the skeleton sled competition as soon as he figures out which end of it is the front.

Some dogs think winter is the best season. St. Bernards and other search and rescue dogs spend lots of time on the ski slopes and in the mountains doing their own kinds of events.

Remember Loki and Odin? They love winter. Odin thinks he'd be good at the pursuit races, but his people won't let him compete - they say they're the ones who do the pursuing.

Maybe the summer Olympics is better for most of us dogs. Look at all the things we're good at - sprints, distance running, swimming, long jumps, MEE-YOW and squirrel pursuit (oh, those aren't sanctioned by the IOC?). And think of the ball events! Wow! Think of the gymnastics! I've seen dogs who skateboard. I've seen MEE-YOWs who do high jumps (I've also seen them do pole vaults - without the pole - but I'm not saying anything else about that). Many of us are good at accompanying bicycles, even if we can't ride them.

But I have my sport already picked out:

The STICK EVENT.

Here I am with my trainer. Grandma calls him Mark the gardener, but I know better. By the time the summer Olympics comes along in 2012, I'll be in medal-contending position!







Meanwhile, I went with Grandma to a very special place. She had a CCI National Board Reception at the main headquarters in Santa Rosa. She hobnobbed with the big-shot people, and I hobnobbed with the dogs. Tessa (who is seven months old), Rusty (who's just a baby), and I ran around and played in the big yard.


Here I am sitting like a lady at the sign for Gittenger Park, which is on the CCI campus. I've been here before, a long time ago. When I was a baby like Rusty, I said goodbye to Mama and came here before they sent me to grow up in Colorado.

I acted like a lady when I got to go inside the headquarters, too. As a well-behaved COC (that means "change of career") dog, I remembered my good manners and showed no, um, peculiarities. Dr. Ruth (who's the big boss when it comes to dogs' health) said I have a beautiful girlish figure and look a lot like my Mama. We even have the same natural "eyeliner"!

Well, as Denver CCI pup Mars writes, Ciao for now! (Or is that "chow"? I like chow!) I have some important napping to do...


(I have permission!)







...before I go train some more....