It's Silly Time Again!

SOOO sorry!  I get so busy out here in California that I neglect my blogging.  Life is pretty doggone busy!

But I need to show you this.  Did you see it up at the top of the page?  It's another SILLY time of year!

You think that looks strange?  Take a look at Grandma!

But the costume is for a good cause.  I wore it at the George Mark Children's House last weekend.  I visited the sick children, the well children, the parents, the hard-working staff... and even a miniature horse named Blackie!  Maybe I can show you a picture of Blackie one day.

 

This is a pretty special place.  Very sick children come here, and the staff people take care not only of them but also of the whole family.  They give the parents a chance to be parents to their children and not just care-givers!  Sounds like a good idea to me.  I wouldn't want my grandma to be too busy or worried to take care of me!  But I'm staying healthy, thank you very much.

Want to know more?  Check out

www.georgemark.org

You'll probably hear from me again when I have another, um, delightful costume to show off!

Too Busy to Blog! (or, Summer Tails)

Sorry to be so tardy getting back to you all!  I've had a great summer!  Some people wonder what happens to CCI dogs when they flunk out - er, don't make it through all the training.  Are we flops?  No way!  We just change careers.  That's not flopping.  Only fish flop (out of water).

I wouldn't have made a good service dog.  They have to be able to handle anything (!) that happens, and I get a little nervous sometimes.  But I'm fine right here.  I love Grandma and I love the way she spoils me.  She keeps me busy, too.


There's a children's hospital (UCSF, it's called) that just got a facility dog named Nilani!  Grandma's previous dog, Trevin, was such a good hospital visitor that they said, "We need a dog here all the time!"  A facility dog is a service dog who, instead of working for a person, works for a place.  Facility dogs are great with children!  

Well, Grandma and I went to a party for one of the hospital bigwigs.  I'll never be a Facility Dog, but I still want to help carry on what Trevin has started.  Everybody said I was lovely and well-behaved.




And I LOVE being in two (count 'em, two) Paws to Read programs!  If you have children or grandchildren, see if your library has Paws to Read.  

The children are so happy to read books to me out loud, and I like to listen.  Happily, Grandma also gives me some treats now and then.  

At the Pleasanton library, I have a whole set of equipment!

I also have a job with the Tony LaRussa Animal Rescue Foundation.  Mr. LaRussa used to manage the Oakland As baseball team, and now he manages the St. Louis Cardinals.  His foundation put on a program called "Dog Days of Summer."

Let's see, that's my green bandana.  I have such a wardrobe!

I've helped at Camp Arroyo, a summer camp for disabled children in Livermore, California.  Grandma is the Camp Coordinator (for the Valley Humane Society visiting therapy teams), so I'm the Co-Coordinator!  How do you like that title?  Here I am with some of the kids.



I even tried on somebody's sunglasses.

And here I am in a fashion show!  (And my PR Dad calls me "Big Ugly."  Ugly, indeed!)  It was a benefit of the Auxiliary to the John Muir Medical Center.  I modeled the scarf that they have for sale.

Grandma and I have done some entertaining this summer.  Here's my friend Aunt Sandy.  She gives the best paw massages.

Aunt Sandy is a police lieutenant, so I really have to behave around her!  (Just kidding!)

Ahhh!  I love sitting in the sun!


And then... there was the Pool Thing.

Grandma has a friend I call Auntie Joyce. 


 She gave a pool party for fifteen CCI Service Dogs.  These graduate dogs had a chance to take time off from their work and just be their doggy selves.  Some people would worry about fifteen dogs being together.  But there were no fights, because these are all CCI trained.  I'm a "change of career" pup, but I was invited as well.  All the other dogs played in the pool as well as around it, but I had, um, never been swimming.

So after most of the dogs had gone home, Auntie Joyce got me on the float.  Yikes!









I wasn't too sure about it at first... 

...especially when Graduate Dog Georgina insisted on swimming across the float, right underneath me.  It didn't help my confidence one bit!  (See her?  She's right under my tummy!  Not fair!)

 

But after a while I felt a little better.  A LITTLE better!


I'll try it again... maybe next year!  

In the meantime, Mocha and I have other challenging things to do!

Kelda the Therapy Dog

Remember my saying that I passed the test for my Canine Good Citizen certificate?  Well, I've done more.  Attention, please:  Kelda the Wonder Dog is officially Kelda the Therapy Dog!

The proof is in the picture above.  (I have certificates, too.)

When you are any kind of service dog, you wear a cape.  That's so people know they can let you into their building.  (All dogs are too cute to keep out of any building, but there are rules.)  I'll wear the red cape for the Paws to Read program at the Orinda Library; I may have an adult day care job, too.  The Purple vest is for the Valley Humane Society Pet Therapy Program; I'll be in Paws to Read (yes, I like books) and hopefully some other activities.  The summer-yellow one is for Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation Pet Hug Pack.  I'll be part of birthday and learning-center parties that promote animal awareness, and other events, too - like Stars to the Rescue, where I may meet some celebrities!  Rrrrrowlf!  Is Rin Tin Tin still around?  Marley?


I'm going to love these jobs!  I can hardly wait to get to work!


Speaking of being official, three of my sisters have graduated from CCI puppy college and become Canine Companions:  Keilus, Kerris, and Kiwi.  Way to go, Special Ks!

Here's what else has been happening.  I have a friend at the fire department now.  We met at the Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival in April.  I don't know if that will make any difference if my MEE-YOWs should set Grandma's house on fire.  (But why should they do that?  It would burn up their dinners as well as mine.)



In May I went with Grandma to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, to meet my Aunt Lori.  We had dinner at the Cypress Inn, which Grandma says is owned by an animal-lover named Doris Day.  I'd never heard of her, but maybe you have. 

Carmel is a town that loves dogs.  Here I am on the famous Carmel Beach Walk (yes, that's really the ocean back there)... 

...and on the dog-friendly beach!









There was another special day in May.  It was my birthday!  I am now two years old.  My age count is half my paw count.  Once you read down to the bottom of the page, you'll see my official birthday portrait - complete with pearls.

I had a party with Grandma and my buddy Alexis, whose PR is named Deb.  We had permission to do Ups on her!  I received a "cool" collar (Grandma can soak it in water and it will keep me cool)...






... and the inevitable, um, hat.



Then I had a big surprise.

My PR Dad walked in the front door and said, "Hello, Big Ugly!"  I hadn't seen him since last August when I started puppy college.  (Don't worry about the "Big Ugly" business - he says that to any dog who is a Lab instead of a Golden Retriever.  We must forgive him for not being too bright.)

I got to sniff my car again, and even get in it (actually, it's my mom's car).  It had fragrances not just from Colorado but also from other dogs.  My dad had brought five CCI dogs out to California so they could start their advanced training.  Too bad I didn't meet them.

Then we had another party, and there was a cake just for me which Grandma had bought from Dog Bone Alley!  It was made with things that are yummy and safe for dogs to eat.  It was as hard as a hockey puck, but Dad pretended he was going to share it with me.

Then he helped give me more birthday presents that Grandma had picked out.  I love how she spoils me.

This is the best one.  It plays, "Happy Woofday to You."  Oh, wait... that's "Happy Birthday."  Sorry.

After my party, we went to my class.  Dad got to take me through my paces.  I don't think he expected to do that, but he remembered everything.  I taught him how to go around the cones.  That was new for him.  He did well, don't you think?


The summer should be fun - stay tuned!

California Living

Everybody says living in California is easy and laid back.  They talk about lots of sunshine (when it isn't raining); healthy outdoor living (when there's not a fire); and friends to - say - look out the window with to see if it's snowing (oh, wait... snow in April happens in Colorado, not California).

I'm sure enjoying it.  I have quite a big social calendar and I've made some new friends.  Here's my friend Marvin with his person, Auntie Ada Beth.  We're showing her what good listeners we are.  When she's done talking, maybe she'll give us treats.

Here is my Auntie Denise.  We're at the park to show you Grandpa Weldin's tree.  Where?  Oh, well, I had to crop the picture so the tree's, um, out of sight.  You'll have to tear your eyes away from (ahem) us and look at the little plaque to the left of us (your left).

Here I am with my friend Sophia.  The decoration is really a toy.  Aren't we gorgeous?


This is Betsy, who came to visit us.  She lives in Ohio, and she raised my Mama, Jenni!  She also raised my sister Kiwi.  She's very nice.  This (on your left) is called "cradle."  This (on your right) is called "play with your guest's hair."  

Since she raised Mama, and since I already have a grandma, is she my great-grandma??

I went with Grandma to a wine-tasting party.  I prefer white myself, but....  (This is a joke, folks!  Grandma knows, just as you do, that even a little alcohol is toxic for dogs!)

My friend Alexa is a CCI pup.  She has so much to learn to be a service dog that I knew she would need a little recreation.  So I very kindly gave her some.

Then there are times I just like to be goofy.




It's not all play, though.  I just passed obedience school!  


This is another step toward becoming a therapy dog.


And thinking about that, I'm wondering if all the crazy costumes Grandma puts on me might not be a good thing.  After all, I'll be visiting people who need some good cheer.  My Creator forgot to provide humans with tails to wag when they're happy, so they have to smile instead.  Maybe my costumes will help people smile.

That being said... 

...we, um, celebrated Easter.

I took the ears off for dinner.  C'mon, Papa Jack, hurry up with the food!






The Easter bunny never looked this good.

After the festivities, of course, came another California tradition:  chilling out in style!  Zzzzz....