• Updated June 30, 2005 •

Monday June 27, 2005 This is more or less just an ear update. Yeah, I'm still fighting the ears. They don't wanna stand on their own. Dad took the tape off my head this morning and he said they stood beautifully... for two or three minutes. The left ear will stand on it's own with the tip kinda drooping while the right ear has a hard time standing by itself. But, the left ear's droppy tip is getting smaller and smaller every time we tape. So, there is improvement but still no light at the end of the tunnel.

Monday, June 20, 2005 Dad forgot to update... Today we went over to Allen's house. They were having a little barbeque/poker party and dad brought me so I could play with Apache & Inca. They are so small now! Was I really that small at some point? I guess so... last time I saw them they were two inches taller than me. Now I'm two inches taller than them! I feel so big and grown up. So, we three played and played and played. Had a great time while dad played poker and they had the barbeque. We'll have to do it again some time.

Saturday, June 18, 2005 Today I met a new friend and had a great time. Actually, I'd met Maverick before but it was a long time ago. I doubt he remembers me 'cause I was a lot smaller then. Maverick is dad's friend Vince's white Boxer. He's a little bit older than me but is as much fun as Baxter is. Dad went over to Vince's to play some volleyball and took me with him so that I could play with Maverick and play in Vince's pool while he was paying volleyball. I love the water but that pool got me a little scared. I saw Maverick jumping in and out of it but I just couldn't get the hang of it. Dad eventually picked me up and put me in the shallow end where the water was only about chest deep on me. It was nice and cool but I jumped out whenever I could. Dad even gave me a push in the deep end so that I would have to swim. I held my own at swimming, and dad even held me a lot too, but I still kept wanting out. And a couple times that I jumped out I didn't quite make it so I banged up my shins a little bit. Maverick and I play pretty much all day. Dad got there at 9:30 and didn't leave until around 6:00 so it was a long, tiring, but fun, day for me. He only had his little camera on him so he didn't get any photos of me playin' in the water but he did take some pictures of Maverick and I playing on the volleyball courts.

Saturday, June 5, 2005 Haven't been doing much lately. My ears still don't wanna stand. I guess it doesn't help that I shake my head so hard that I throw off the ear taping apparatus... the only ones that will stay are the full ear foam tapes but then my ears get a little gooey and I get cuts on the base of my ears from the tape rubbing me 'cause I shake my head so much and so hard. We went to the dog park today. Our regular one was closed so we went to another. Dad only had his little camera with him so no pictures from the park but he did take some of me in the truck on the way to the park.

Tuesday, April 18, 2005 Today, I discovered a wonderful new source of water: the toilet! Dad was getting ready for work and I snuck in the bathroom and found a nice supply of fresh water in a pretty porcelain bowl just waiting to be drank. Dad came in to brush his teeth and saw a little water by the doorway and thought I had just gotten a drink and dribbled some down the hallway. Then he saw the water all over & around the open, and empty, toilet bowl and he knew what I had done. No, I didn't get into trouble. After all, if I'm thirsty and there's water I'm gonna drink it.

Thursday, May 12, 2005 Well, where to begin? Dad's been pretty busy so we haven't updated in a long time but I'll see if I can summarize the last month's activities. The weekend of April 15 dad and Erika went to Rocky Point with a bunch of friends for a big, semi-annual volleyball tournament. So, I got to stay with grandma for the weekend. I had a good time, too. The medication is working pretty well but dad still doesn't know much more about the poly-arthritis. The following weekend of the 22nd the AVP was in town so I stayed with grandma again 'cause dad was busy all day shooting the volleyball tournament then Friday night he had a Rattler game to shoot. He shot the AVP all day Saturday and then went to “Rage in the Cage” that night with Erika and some friends. He shot the AVP all day Sunday as well and then came and got me. So, since he was gonna be real busy he figured I'd be better off playing at grandma's than stuck in my crate at home. I had been off the medication for several days and I felt like I was starting to slow down again. Dad couldn't tell very well and when he dropped me off at grandma's she noticed the difference and we went to the vet's to get me looked at again. We got a different vet who explained the poly-arthritis a lot better. She said it's almost like a virus like the flu. All doggies have it but most don't react to it. I guess I'm just lucky, if that's what you want to call it. So, the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs need to be taken for about a month which is usually enough time to get rid of the problem. Sometimes it'll take a little long but not too much longer. So, we got more medication for me and it pepped me right up. Feeling much better now. Tuesday, April 26, was Dad & Erika's two month anniversary. They went out for a nice dinner in Scottsdale... and didn't invite me. Meanies! It was actually only their second date if you can believe that. They hang out a lot but don't really “date” like a normal couple. Saturday, May 7, dad took me to grandma's for the day. He was taking some Mother's Day photos of Kaylynn for grandma and her mom and after that he was going to watch Erika's club volleyball team play in a tournament. Plus, my best buddy was over for the weekend: Baxter! Oh, yeah! We had a great time as these new photos show! We played from noon until close to 6 p.m. and boy was I tired! As you can tell my ears haven't stayed yet. Dad's getting almost as frustrated with my ears as I am. You think I like having these things attached to my head? I actually outgrew the last set of ear foam dad assembled. That's a long time to have your ears taped! That same night dad and Erika had their third date and went to their first movie together. Wow, over two months and they are just now getting to a movie? Weirdos. They saw Kingdom of Heaven and dad said he was kinda nodding off during it. It wasn't boring but he was pretty tired. It was, however, slightly difficult to figure out what was going on. Neither one of them really understood but they don't have the sophisticated brain of a canine, do they? Sunday, May 8, was Mother's Day and dad and Erika took their moms out for a nice dinner together. It was the first time their moms had met and they seemed to get along really well. Erika's mom, Diane, may have went to high school with dad's dad. Small world, eh? They all had a good time. Grandma was a little worried 'cause she knows how important parents can be in a relationship. But, since they got along really well I think it'll be fine. Monday & Wednesday night dad was assisting the Phoenix Suns' team photographer during the first two games of the playoff series and Tuesday night he was helping with the Arizona Diamondbacks doing some publicity photography. So, I didn't see him hardley at all those three nights. But, he's gotta make sure I've got food in my belly so I'll let him slide once in a while. Tuesday morning, May 10, dad and Erika went mountain biking. Dad thought it was an easy trail 'cause it doesn't have a lot of long uphill sections but it does have a lot of ravines that you go down into and then back up out of. They are fun but require that you know when to shift up and down and to do it quickly without thinking. Erika hasn't ridden that much so it was a challenge to her but she was a trooper and finished the trail without dying. Although she did feel a little light headed partway through, probably because she didn't eat anything before. It's hard to tell. Dad has felt like passing out many times; sometimes because he ate too much and sometimes because he didn't eat at all. If you have to wonder about it just remember what I always say: "If in doubt, eat!" So, here it is Thursday and I think we are caught up. Dad and Erika have a few trips planned: they are going to Disneyland© in early August and the 31st through Sept. 5th they are going up to Sedona & Zion National Park to celebrate their birthdays together. Erika's is August 27th and dad's is September 10th in case you wanted to send them presents. But, you'll learn all about that good stuff soon enough! See ya!

Monday, April 11, 2005 Another uneventful day but Erika came over after work 'cause they were going hiking. I heard her say, "Well, she's definitely feeling better." And then dad said, "Why, is she smelling your butt again?" Come on people ... that's what we puppies do: we smell butts and crotches and feet and anything that smells; which is everything. They went hiking and from what dad says they wound up hiking in the dark. They got started late and were afraid they were gonna get locked in the park 'cause it's official closing time is “sunset”. It worked out OK, though.

Sunday, April 10, 2005 Well, I'm feeling pretty good. I wound up staying Saturday night 'cause dad got hired to shoot a party for the Phoenix Suns so he was gonna be out late again. So, I stayed with grandma and slept on Kaylynn's bed. Grandma said when she came in the room to give me my medicine I had Kaylynn pushed up against the wall and was sprawled out, hogging almost the entire bed. Hey, a girl has to stretch out once in a while, right? Dad did some running around and played some volleyball Sunday and picked me up later in the afternoon. We just went home and took it easy for the rest of the night. Erika was gone all weekend at a big volleyball tournament for the club team she coaches so later in the evening she stopped by 'cause she missed dad. To be fair dad and I missed her, too. Erika could see how much better I was doing so she was as pleased as dad with my progress. We played a little but I was tired so I mostly left them alone and relaxed in my crate.

Friday, April 8, 2005 I'm doing much better now. I'm actually jogging a little bit as I begin to feel better. Dad says to take it easy, though. I don't want to hurt anything worse by trying to push myself too hard. Tonight, dad has a Rattlers' game so he is gonna drop me off at grandma's. Kaylynn will come home around 2:00 or 3:00 and we'll play a little. I'll stay the night since dad will be gone until late and I'll come back home Saturday. I'm sure grandma will spoil me even more since I'm not feeling 100% ... you know how grandma's are and mine is no exception!

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 I'm doing a little better so I guess the Rimadyl is kicking in. Getting up and laying down is still difficult but I'm mobile a little bit now. I was able to follow dad around like normal, even though I'm a tad slower than normal. Dad went to work like normal so I crashed in my crate. While dad was at work he started to do a little bit of research and learned a little, the most important being that "polyarthritis" is a non-degenerative form of arthritis. Dad says that's good news. In the brief research he had time for he thought he saw something that said that polyarthritis can be episodic in form, meaning once I get over this episode it may not return for a while, kind of like the flu. It may come and go but I may not have to be on the Rimadyl forever. He's got to do some more research to confirm this but both of those finds eased dad's pain substantially. I'll keep you posted on my progress ...

Tuesday, April 5, 2005 Still not moving well ... dad had to get into the crate to lift me up so I could go outside and go potty. I couldn't crouch down very well so going potty was difficult and painful. Dad left the door open so I hung out outside for a little while and when I came back in I tried to get on dad's bed but couldn't. As soon as I put all my weight on my hind legs I collapsed ... I just couldn't hold myself up. I could see the tears well up in dad's eyes when he saw how much my little legs hurt. But dad's pretty tough ... he didn't cry. Dad came home a little late from work so when Troy came home he opened my door so that I could go out if I wanted to. I eventually got up and went outside to go potty and then laid down on dad's bed. Yeah, I made it up on the bed somehow. Erika and dad play volleyball on Tuesday's so I got to see Erika for a little bit. I think she picks up my spirits as well as she does dad's. I still had a hard time joining them for some TV but she gave me some nice petting even though I can tell she feels bad for me. I really hate making people sad.

Monday, April 4, 2005: Woke up today and dad had a hard time getting me motivated. I really had a hard time moving. Went out to go potty and just went back in my crate and laid down. When dad came home from work I could barely stand and it took dad and his roommate, Troy, to get me out of my crate. So, after peeing in dad's truck, we went to the vet's office to see what was wrong with me. I really did hurt. Got to the vet's office and after a bunch of squeezing on my joints, the squeezing of my hind leg joints caused me to collapse, and seeing the way I couldn't stand still and kept shifting my weight between all four legs she determined that I've developed a form of arthritis called "polyarthritis". I don't know what it means but I definitely hurt. The vet gave me some medications that should help with the pain & swelling. We'll see how well or how fast it works. Dad says the Rimadyl is really good stuff. Grandma's great dane, Reba, was on it from about 6 years until she passed at 13 and grandma says it really turned her into a new dog. I think dad is devastated and I feel bad for him. For cryin' out loud, a 4-month-old puppy with arthritis? He finally finds a girl that he cares about and here I come to start causing him heartache. He thinks he's jinxed. Needless to say dad is quite sad and stressed.

Sunday, April 3, 2005 Well, it's been a week since I updated and I've had a few things going on. Last Thursday my buddy Baxter had his first birthday party. It was just he and I but we had a good time. We played around alot and had Puppy Pizza and had a dessert of doggie cookies. Dad had plans so he gave Kaylynn his little camera to take pictures but the big dummy didn't charge the battery completely so Kaylynn only got a couple pictures. And, as usual, when I got home I went into my crate and crashed for the whole night. Playin' with Baxter is tiring! I stayed Saturday night at grandma's and wound up staying most of Sunday there, too. Dad came by to check on me and he decided to take the tape off my ears and whadd'ya know? My ears stood! He was really proud and took a couple pictures to share with you. Unfortunately, by the end of the day my right ear seemed to be drooping again. I was pretty tired so hopefully when I'm rested I'll get it standing again ... I don't wanna have to get taped again. That's such a pain in the butt.

Easter Sunday, March 27, 2005: Easter Sunday: I don't know what it means but everyone got together today and we had a great time. The day started out with dad having Easter lunch over at Erika's parents' house. Dad was a little stressed about meeting Erika's parents for the first time but when he got back he said it wasn't bad at all. Dad got Erika's mom some flowers and got Erika an Easter basket with a yellow M&M Easter bunny. He got lucky 'cause it turns out that yellow is one of Erika's favorite colors. Also, stuffed inside was this photograph, which she said she loved. Dad is usually a numbskull when it comes to girls but he seems to be doin' alright with Erika. Strange ... . After dinner at Erika's they picked me up. While in my crate waiting I had shaken off one of my taped ears so dad had to remove the other one as well. Turns out I've got one good ear now and dad was very proud of me and my one standing ear. Of course, the bad news is I have to get taped again until the other ear stands up. :( So, we went to grandma's house. Erika had met grandma, Alyx & Kaylynn briefly but hanging out for two or three hours would be different than, "Hi, nice to meet you, gotta go." We got there and everyone was already eating since they knew we would have already eaten at Erika's. I immediately went for a plate on the table but was quickly intercepted and reprimanded. So, instead I chewed up a plastic cup that was out in the yard while everyone ate and talked. Then, after everyone was done eating, Alyx & Kaylynn went inside and we all hid Easter eggs for them. I tried to help but no one seemed to want my help for some reason; something about chewing things up but I don't get their meaning. Eggs are for eating, right? Erika did a excellent job at hiding eggs and dad, as usual, went for the hard to reach and hard to see spots. He even climbed up in a tree to hide the $5 egg. We got done with that and everyone was pooped, including me. Dad, Erika and I all went back to our place and just relaxed for like an hour. Erika said she likes me when I'm tired. I don't get it ... I'm no fun when I'm tired. I don't play, I don't bark, I don't do anything when I'm tired. How can she like that? Oh well, she'll get used to me eventually. She better 'cause dad said he plans on keepin' her around for quite a while. Almost forgot: you know dad took some photos!

Sunday, March 20, 2005 (Yeah, this one's out of order but dad & Erika didn't have the photos ready in time.) You'll notice I had dad rearrange the dates: the newest entry is now up at the top so you don't have to scroll down to read the blog. I think that's more of a “standard” for blogs. So, over the weekend, dad went on a trip with Erika up on the Mogollon Rim. He was gonna take me but it was kinda rainy out. They were gonna go hiking and could easily travel 10 miles in a day so he thought that might be a little bit too much for me. Turns out it didn't rain but they wound up hiking in the snow with the wind blowing really hard, freezing their butts off. They only stayed up on the rim for a couple hours so on the way back home they stopped by the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Of course, dad took some photos while on the Mogollon Rim and at the Natural Bridge. I think I'm liking Erika more and more ... she has a great sense of humor. She took this photo of dad and asked him, "you know why I took that?" Dad said, "no," and she replied, "because you've got a booger hanging outta your nose!" Luckily for dad you can't see it but he said paybacks would be a bitch. In dad's defense it was cold and BOTH of them were sniffling. Erika also insisted that I have dad post her fabulous photos of this butterfly that they saw on the rim. It turned out better than dads, too.

Monday, March 21, 2005: Well, it's been a while ... . As of this weekend I can fit into my REAL collar. The big, 1" wide collar that will fit me for the rest of my life. It's cool ... I feel a lot bigger with it on. 'Course, I am a lot bigger. I'm pushin' 50 lbs. now if you can believe that. Dad had to run out on a delivery tonight and it just happened to be right by the dog park. So, I got to go and play AGAIN! Had a great time, too. Met two new danes and four greyhounds along with a beagle and a dalmatian, just to name a few. And, of course, dad got some photos while I was there.

Sunday, March 13, 2005 Dad took me to get his truck washed today and I got a lot of attention there. Everyone there was really nice and playing with me except one guy who scared me a little. He had a big, bushy goatee and that frightened me a bit. Eventually, we warmed up to each other, though, and played some. Then we went to the dog park again and had a great time. Dad got some more good photos of me playing with some of the dogs, even though there weren't too many there today. Later, Erika came over and we played a little bit. They were busy stuffing their faces with pizza (no, they didn't share with me) and watching a movie so we didn't get to play a whole lot. She hid her flip flops and keys from me, too; wouldn't let me chew on them. I'll be good next time so that the following visit they'll relax their guard and then I'll get those flip flops again.

Saturday, March 13, 2005: Dad had a volleyball tournament to play today so I stayed at grandma's with Baxter. Actually, we had to go pick up Baxter so I got to meet Baxter's mom, Sherry. She's nice but me and Baxter spent so much time playing I didn't talk with Sherry much. Sherry has a lake on the back side of her house but I didn't go swimming. There was a duck out on the lake that got me a little scared. I've never seen one before so I didn't know what to make of it. So, I proceeded with caution and just backed away from it. The same way I backed away from the pedal boats on the water; they were strange. And, of course, after playing with Baxter all day I came home and simply passed out. I was so out of it dad didn't even take me to play poker with him. I wouldn't move. I'll write more when I recover ...

Friday, March 12, 2005 I got to play with Erika again today. And dad tells me she is like a monster on the softball field. Dad watched her softball game tonight and she cranked a ball right down the third base line for a home run; the only run her team scored during the game so dad says she's like a rock star. We played and watched TV and played some more ... and I chewed on Erika's flip flops. Dad got pretty mad. Seems I haven't learned what not to chew on. I somehow got Erika's Chapstick off her key chain and started chewing on it, too. Dad says I better start behaving or I'll leave a bad impression on her and she won't come over any more. And since I'm starting to enjoy her company and I'll try harder to behave next time.

Thursday, March 11, 2005: I got a visitor last night. Erika came to see me and I had a good time playing with her. We played some tug-o-war and I licked her feet and tried to chew on her knees but dad wouldn't let me but she tasted so good that I kept trying. I even tried to jump on the couch a couple times while they watched TV but dad wouldn't let me do that either. Dad did let me give her a kiss goodbye, though. She only stayed for about an hour so I'm really gonna need her to return soon. After all I'm still trying to gauge if she's good enough for my dad.

Sunday, March 6, 2005 Nothing new to report but that big dummy dad did take a picture of me sleeping again. Yeah, it doesn't look comfortable but I was so tired after playing with Baxter I could've slept on a bed of nails!

Saturday, March 5, 2005: Dad had another busy weekend shooting the 5A State Basketball Finals Saturday & a Rattlers' game on Sunday so I spent the weekend at grandma's. I think he's spending some extra time with Erika, too, but I'm not gonna accuse him of anything. He seems to be a little bit happier since meeting her and I don't mind sharing dad a little with her ... just a little. So, I'm at grandma's and Baxter the Labradoodle is there for a week or so and we had yet another great weekend playing. Of course, I was so pooped again when I came home I laid down in my crate at about 10:30 p.m. and didn't wake up until dad got up at 8:30 a.m. But, while I was at grandma's dad got some great shots of us playing.

Thursday, March 3, 2005: Well, grandma talked to Baxter's mom and turns out he was as tired as I was after playing all weekend. Fortunately for me, unfortunately for Baxter's mom, her ankle is broken so grandma gets to puppy sit Baxter for the next week or two so I get to go over and play with him whenever dad can get me there. I'm looking forward to it 'cause we have a great time. When I go over and there's actually some light out dad will take some pictures to share with you. Dad even made little video of us horsing around in grandma's back yard. He'll try to get it up soon so you can watch us play. Yesterday we had Puppy Preschool to go to but I had an accident in my crate Tuesday night and I smelled like pee so dad got up early and gave me a bath. Of course, he had to take pictures so there are a few new photos up now. Dad also took the tape off Tuesday night and my ears wouldn't stand so I had to sit through another taping this morning. Don't know how much of this I can take! I hate having those things on my ears! And no matter how hard I try I just can't shake them off.

Monday, February 28, 2005: Wow! Did I have a tiring weekend. Dad had all kinds of stuff going on this weekend, including an actual date ... with a live girl ... more about that later, so Saturday and Sunday I spent over at grandma's house. I didn't know it but she had company, too. Her friend Sherry has a Labradoodle and Baxter was hanging out with grandma for the weekend. Baxter is a little more than a year old and a little bit bigger than me, for now, but we played all day long. Boy, did we play. I was so tired that I slept in my crate all night last night and didn't make a sound all night. Dad even got up at 3:30 to check on me and I still wouldn't move I was so tired. I guess they call that “dog tired.” Hopefully, grandma will have Baxter next weekend and dad will take some pictures of us playing but he didn't have the time this weekend. But, he did manage to post another photo of me sleeping, the big dummie. So, dad had a date. Her name is Erika and she seems really nice ... smelled good, too. We only met briefly but I think she'll be alright for dad. I'm a pretty good judge of character so we'll see if dad agrees with me. He hung out with her after his volleyball tournament Saturday and they went to some Renaissance Festival on Sunday and had a good time. Dad tells me she likes greyhounds and that's good. Don't need no evil cats hanging around. They're no fun ... they don't like to play. I'll keep you posted on their relationship since dad probably won't. He doesn't talk a whole lot to anyone but me.

Friday, February 25, 2005: Nothing really new to talk about. Dad came home with a new toy for me today so he posted some photos of me playing with it. Like the tape job dad did on the ears? They aren't quite right so he' gonna redo it but not bad for his first time, huh? Well, here are the photos.

Tuesday, February 22, 2005: It's been a week since I updated again. Dad's been busy and hasn't taken any photos so he's put off any updates. I'm growing so fast he needs to get another Watch Me Grow photo up. I'm huge and growing so fast. I can get on the bed by myself and I can hold my pee all night long. Dad is extremely delighted by that since I had to wake him up at least once a night to go potty. Now he can actually sleep through an entire night. I'm always kind enough to wake him up by pouncing on the bed. Well, I try to sneak up there and share his pillow but it doesn't always work out so sneaky. I'm doing well in my Puppy Preschool class at PetsMart. It's fun and we got a new student last Wed.; a English Mastiff about my age. He's pretty big and really pretty. So far we're gettin' along just fine. I stayed with grandma last Saturday while dad went to his Rattlers' game. We had a good time but no one knew until Sunday that I ate some toys I wasn't supposed to. I woke up Sunday morning and barfed out a little fuzzy green toy, probably for one of them dumb cats grandma has. Then again this morning I barfed up a second one, this time it was red. Dad wasn't too pleased 'cause that could cost him lots of money if they got stuck in my belly. But, I'm still pooping normally so he thinks I'm gonna be fine. My ears are still droopy, though. When the people at Arrow Animal Hospital posted them the first time they wrapped 'em a little too tight and the top of my head around the base of my ears got really irritated. They took the tape off early to let it heal. They are gone now and dad took the remaining temporary tape off last night. He's gonna do his own taping of my ears now. At least he's gonna try. He didn't have to worry about it with Christy, his last dane, 'cause she was done after the first week. Looks like mine will take a little longer. He's already built the stays so it's just a matter of getting me to hold still long enough to tape them up. Well, talk to you soon ...

Monday, February 14, 2005: We had a pretty uneventful weekend. Dad played poker Friday night for the first time at a casino and came home with an extra $140 in his pocket. He said I couldn't have any, though, that meanie. I haven't been out in a while 'cause of my ears. Dad doesn't want them to get messed up by a puppy accidentally biting them but today we went to the vet to get my ears posted for the first time. This is supposed to make them stand up really well. I look kinda dumb, though. Dad keeps tellin' me how pretty I'm gonna look with tall ears so I trust him ... don't know why but I do. I even let him clean my ears without much trouble. When I was at grandma's a couple weekends ago it took three people to hold me down for an ear cleaning. So, here are the photos of me with my big ears posted. Please don't laugh ... :) I forgot to mention it last update but dad added another picture of me in that cardboard box under Watch Me Grow. Dumb box keeps gettin' smaller.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005: Dad came home for lunch again today and we played around a little in the back yard and took some photos as well. This cone thing on my head is wearing thin but I'm kinda getting used to dad cleaning my ears. More than anything I just hate sitting still! Dad is going on his annual February camping trip up north so this weekend I'm staying with grandma & Kaylynn. We'll have a good time 'cause they both are taking Friday off and we'll have plenty of time to play. But, their first job is to take me to the vet's. The antibiotics they gave me after my ear cropping is making me throw up so we'll have to figure something else out. I threw up this morning and tonight on the way to grandma's house, right after eating and taking my medicine. They'll probably look at my ears to make sure they are getting cleaned good enough as well. Well since dad is gonna be gone for a couple days it probably won't be until Monday that I get another update posted but I'm sure dad will have some good stories for me from his camping trip!

Tuesday, February 1, 2005: Well, as you know, I got my ears cropped yesterday. I was hurtin' a little bit when I got home and made sure dad knew it, too. I moaned when I got home and when dad gave me some treats & cookies I moaned while I ate them. I only stopped moaning long enough to get some sleep. When I woke up in the morning I was ready to play but Duncan still doesn't want to play with me. I guess he's just too old. I'm doing pretty good considering the surgery I just had. I'm still trying to scratch so dad has “The Lampshade” on me while I'm home alone. Dad got me another crate last week and I've been in it a few times now. It's much bigger and dad says it'll be big enough for me when I'm full grown, which is gonna be pretty big. Dad came home at lunch and we played for a while before he had to leave. Dana was home so he didn't take me to work with him this time. I just hung out at home and awaited his return. While he was home, though, he got some photos of me playing in the back yard ... plus a couple other photos. Dad had to go play volleyball tonight so I took the opportunity to start chewing on stuff. When I'm home with Troy & Dana they don't watch me like I need to be watched so I can chew on good stuff like Troy's slippers and tonight's tasty treat was a feather duster. Yummy! Methinks I'll be confined in my crate or outside when dad's not home from now on.

Monday, January 31, 2005: By the time you read this I'll be anesthetized and getting my ears cropped. I'm getting it done by a laser instead of a scalpel which will make it much less painful & it will heal quicker, too. Dad got to talking with the doctor and he said he was gonna take some pictures during the operation and give them to dad. That sounds kinda neat but I don't know if I want to see myself getting sliced up like that. So, in a couple of weeks I'll have big, tall, pretty ears just like Christy and Reba before me! I'm sure dad will take some pictures of me with my ears taped up like a doofus so keep an eye peeled for them. Updated the “Watch Me Grow” section today. Holy Poop am I growing fast.

Sunday, January 30, 2005: Wow, today we had a long, long day. We got up and went to the dog park for the first time. I was a little unsure at first but I had a great time after I warmed up to the place. It was a mess, too. With all the rain the grass was mostly gone leaving behind puddles of mud everywhere. I was on the losing end of a full grown Rottweiler's paw and he smacked me down in the mudd with one fell swoop. Wait 'til I'm bigger, buster! Of course, dad got plenty of pictures from my adventures at the dog park. Then we went to the Monastery Too and I watched dad play volleyball. It wasn't too bad but for a while I let dad know I was displeased with being left alone. But, for the most part, I actually slept on a chair. It got a little chilly out so dad gave me his sweatshirt to lay on and that helped a lot. I slept on Emmy's lap, too.

Saturday, January 29, 2005: Dad came back today and picked me up. He was out horsing around with the Arizona Diamondbacks taking pictures of some kind and left me with my Grandma & niece for a couple days. I had a good time, though. Grandma really misses her dane, Reba, so I get extra special attention from her. Kaylynn is fun, too. I slept in her room and peed on her bed a couple times, too. Hey, I had to break in the home-away-from-home, didn't I? So, dad got me and we went over to Allen's house and I played with Inca & Apache while dad played poker. I also gave dad a new nickname ... well, actually his friends did it but it was because of me. I needed to poop so I started to go in the poker room. Dad saw me and scooped me up but was a little late and I pooped on his hand. So, dad's friends call him “Stinky Finger” now. Dad got some pictures of me playing with Inca & Apache.

Thursday, January 27, 2005: Went to work today with dad. Of course, he took some photos while we were there. Dad also posted a couple photos from Tuesday night. The big dummy was taking pictures of me sleeping again. I guess he thinks it's cute ... I dunno. Dad will be gone tomorrow until Saturday night. I'm gonna miss him but I'll be hanging with my grandma & niece and I'll have a good time at Gram's house. 'Course, grandma does have those two yappy dogs. I guess I can endure that for the night ...

Wednesday, January 26, 2005: Went to the vet today to get my second shot so I can start going to doggie parks and places like that. Guess what? On the 9th when dad first took me in I was 13.5 pounds ... today I weighed in at 24 pounds! Holy poop am I growing! Dad said we'll probably take another "Watch Me Grow" photo tonight since I'm growing quicker than he expected. Dad also added some buttons to most of the galleries so it's easier to navigate through all the photos.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005: Dad was horsing around last night with his camera again. The big dummy takes pictures of me while I'm sleeping. He also fixed some links from my earlier posts so if you tried to see some of my younger photos at VonBonehenge and had problems you can now see them. Last night dad tried to move my crate from it's original position in his room. I wasn't having any of that and let him know loudly I needed to be back in the right spot. He caved in ... it's a good thing he has a roommate that he doesn't want me to wake up or I may have been in for a long night.

Monday, January 24, 2005: Found two more photos from my youth at VonBonehenge ...

Sunday, January 23, 2005: Me and dad went up to Prescott to visit a friend and take some pictures of Danielle for her Senior Portraits. It was a long drive but I slept most of the way. When we got there I met some new puppy friends and we had a great time rough-housing in the back yard. We went to a couple different places to shoot and at one I was a little afraid to cross the tiny creek. I saw dad cross it but I got a little scared when my feet got wet. We had a little fun there at the lake and then went to a tennis court to shoot some more. Dad got a good photo of me behind the tennis net. My skull & crossbones necklace looks cool and I feel so tough wearing it. Then we drove home and we were off again. This time we went to see some more friends that I haven't met yet. Debbie and Deanna just loved me but Spike was a little scared at first. He didn't seem to wanna play but eventually we starting horsing around. I got home and slept for 7 straight hours! That's the longest I've slept without waking dad up yet. And speaking of sleeping ... I'm sleeping in my crate now. The last 4 nights I've been sleeping in there. Dad russles me in when the lights go out and I go to sleep until I have to go potty. Lately, that's been at about 4 a.m. and then again sometime between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. when we usually get up. He keeps the crate in his room for now but pretty soon we'll work our way out into the living room where my crate's usually at.

Saturday, January 22, 2005: Dad took me with him to play poker at his friend Barry's house. Barry has a puppy named Deuce and we had a blast playing with each other all night, literally. I chased him around the back yard, he chased me ... great fun! I was pooped, though. When I got home I slept like a baby.

Thursday, January 20, 2005: Yesterday I actually clawed at the back door to let dad I need to go potty. I was pretty proud of myself but then I had an accident in the living room so the day was pretty much a wash. Today, though, we had a big problem. As you know dad is trying to crate train me and while he's at work I spend a lot of time in the crate. Well, I couldn't hold it yesterday and when he came home me, my blanket, and the wire bars of the crate were covered in poop. I even managed to throw some outside the cage. It was a mess but I got a bath out of it. Dad took some pictures of my favorite sleeping positions Wednesday. You can see them here.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005: Well, I finally did it last night. I let dad have a “normal” night of sleep. I was out by 11 p.m. but dad was working on the Sidewinders' Website until about 1 a.m. I slept under the bed (I won't be able to fit under there for long) most of the night and only woke dad up at 4 a.m. to go potty. We went right back to bed and didn't get up until 7:30 a.m. like normal. And I didn't go potty in the room, either. Dad says I'm a good girl ... :) I should also note that I've found the joy of digging in the back yard. Dad doesn't like me to dig, though, so I have to sneak when he's not looking.

Monday, January 17, 2005: Peed all over the bed last night. Don't ask me how I can hold that much pee for six hours when I didn't drink anything after 10 p.m. and went outside to go potty at least twice after 11 p.m. and again at about 1:30 a.m. but I managed to finally empty my bladder at 4 a.m. all over the bed. I still had even more when we finally got up at 7:30 a.m. I heard dad mention something about “diapers,” whatever they are. Dad took the day off to shoot a basketball game and to do the Sidewinders' website photos (they'll be up later tonight or tomorrow) so we spent the morning playing. I spent a lot of time out back chewing on twigs & stuff. Dad took some photos of me in the process.

Sunday, January 16, 2005: Me and dad did a whole lot of nothing today. Lazy days are fun but we don't get enough of them. We took some nice pictures with dad's bright lights & umbrellas. We even took some shots outside just 'cause I was playing out there.

Friday, January 14, 2005: Not a whole not new but I thought I'd let you all know that the "general rule" that dogs don't like to go to the bathroom where they eat or sleep is completely untrue. I love peeing in our bed. I am getting used to the crate, though. I don't cry much when dad leaves and puts me in it so I think I'll be OK.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005: Dad got my crate last night so I slept in it most of the night. I didn't much care for it at first but I'm kinda getting used to it. When dad left for work today I raised hell but it's getting easier for me to calm down when he finally gets back. I think I'm starting to realize that dad isn't leaving me forever ... just a little while. Now if I can only remember that I'm not supposed to go potty in the house! Dad and I took a walk today to the mailbox. It was my first “real” walk on a leash and I did pretty good. That's what dad says, anyway. He kept telling me how good I was. All the dogs barking from behind fences scared me a little, though, so dad carried me part of the way back home. Good thing I'm not too heavy yet.

Monday, January 10, 2005: Dad left me today. I thought I was going to die and I let everyone within earshot know it. I cried and I peed and I cried some more. Then peed some more. No mom, no brothers, no sisters and I'm all alone ... But, dad finally came home and we played a little. Then we jumped back in the truck and went to “work.” It smelled bad but I had a good time running around and chasing dad in back, trying to pull up the carpet. But, as is normal, I eventually got tired. I wanted to sleep on dad's lap but there wasn't enough room and he needed to type. So I laid down on the floor behind his chair but dad thought I might get hurt so he found a cardboard box and filled it with rags so I could sleep. And the cardboard box was fun to chew on. Finally! Something dad will let me chew on. He sneaked some photos while I was sleeping. We left work and went to see Norm, a human, and Sophie, a strong & hyper boxer puppy. Sophie's almost a year old and very excitable so Norm had to hold her while I sniffed around the place. Then we left and again to go see dad's friend Dani. I think she liked me. We played for a while until her cats started to growl. One of them was real nice and didn't bother me but the other two were just nasty kitties. No wonder people like dogs more than cats. We left Dani's and then came home and relaxed. Dad took some more photos of my playing and sleeping.

Sunday, January 9, 2005: We woke up late and when I got up I sure missed my mom, brothers, & sisters. I cried for them for a little but then dad and I went back over to Grandma's. I met her two puppies Gidget & Bambi. They're alright but dang Gidget is loud. Why does that dumb dog have to bark all the time? Someone needs to relax. We did some playing there and then dad & I took off again. We went to a place called The Monastery Too. I think my dad plays volleyball there but he didn't play today. He was just showing me off and letting me sleep on his lap. We then went home and had some dinner then off we went again! Dad sure is keeping me busy ... . We went to his friend Allen's house where I met Inca & Apache, two Golden Retriever/German Shepard mix puppies. They were bigger than me but I let 'em know when to back off. Especially when they tried to nibble at my tail. All three of us ran around the house and played while my dad played poker. It was fun but I eventually got tired so dad let me sleep on his lap again. When we got home dad took some pictures of me playing with a new toy.

Saturday, January 8, 2005: My new dad came and got me today! We played around in the back yard and dad took some pictures of me and some brothers & sisters. We had a good time for more than an hour and then we piled into his truck and drove forever to get to my new home. I slept most of the way in the back seat with my new family member Kaylynn. We dropped off my new Grandma & Kaylynn and I promptly took a dump in the back seat. I did a little sniffing around in my new home and met Troy, one of dad's roommates, and then proceeded to take another dump ... but I missed the carpet. It was late and me and dad were both tired so we went to bed really early. I feel bad for waking dad up every hour and a half but I can't hold too much pee for very long. I'm learning where to go potty, though. I just haven't learned where not to go potty.

Wednesday, January 5, 2005: Went to the vet today and got my first "shot." Something tells me I have a few more of those in store for me. My siblings Fiona, Bronx, and Emmy got their ears "cropped" today. They look funny with their ears all taped up. Only a couple more days before my dad comes to get me. I think we're gonna have some fun.

Sunday, January 2, 2005: We've been playing regularly and learning “potty” so we make it easier on our soon to be parents. It rained a lot over the weekend and none of us much cared for that. We tried to hide under mom's van but wound up getting dirty in the process so we got our first bath. Didn't much care for that, either! We got to meet our Grandma Charger and Uncle Justin. They look kinda like mom and we thought we'd get treat from grandma Charger but it turns out she didn't have any milk for us. I hear my dad will be coming to get me this Saturday. I'm excited to meet him and I hope he'll be a good dad. I'll miss mom and my brothers & sisters but I think my new dad really needs a nice little girl like me and I'll love him with all my little heart. I'm sure he'll love me just as much! We had some more photos taken out back, some with Charger & Justin.

Sunday, December 26, 2004: Mom is almost back to normal after her surgery. She's been enjoying our wonderful company outside as we play with Parker. He's gotten used to us now, I think, and he even lets us chew on him once in a while. I myself got a good chomp on his leg as lay there unsuspecting! He complains but we're just doing our job, right? Got our nails trimmed again, this time with a little tool called a Dremel. Didn't mind it although I'd rather be playing. More photos today, too!

Saturday, December 18, 2004: Mom got her belly fixed yesterday but she was bleeding this morning so she had to go back to the vet to fix her again. She came back good as new and she's watching over us again. While she was getting fixed our cousin Parker was watching us so we don't get into much trouble. Duh! We're puppies, we're supposed to get into trouble! We got some more photos taken out back playing in a “pool” and messin' around with Parker.

Friday, December 17, 2004: Mom was a little upset at us moving into the office and she wound up having to go to the vet's this morning. She “bloated” and her tummy was really big so they had to fix her. The vet thinks it might have happened because she was upset about us moving, she had just eaten and she was outside with Parker, probably playing. The fact that she had just had us and she ate one of our toys a couple days earlier probably didn't help, either.

Thursday, December 16, 2004: We moved from the “Guest House” to the “Office” today. Doesn't mean much but me and my brothers & sisters don't much care for the crate. We're young ... we should be exploring. But, since we are in the new place we will learn to go potty outside quicker. That should make it easier on dad when he finally gets to take me home. Got a few more photos to share today.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004: We went outside again today. This time we had a plan on what we were gonna do so we had a good time. Mom's also got some toys with tunnels and slides and doors outside for us to play in. That makes for good work on the brain so I'll be a smart little puppy. Here are some photos from our adventure. Mom is starting to have us go potty outside now. With any luck I won't have to make my new dad work too hard at potty training me. Today we met our big cousin Parker. He was HUGE but I think he was more scared of us than we are of him. I didn't try to make friends but my brother Gus did. I was too busy playing with my new toy.

Sunday, December 12, 2004: I'm four weeks old now. I'm pushing 8 lbs. and eating this solid food really well even though Mom still let's me snack on the good stuff between meals. It was nice out yesterday and today so mom opened the door to the guest house to let some fresh air in ... and to let us out. My big brother Bronx beat me out the door but none of us stayed too long. We just wanted to check it out so we could come back and discuss what we'll do the next time we go out. We've also been using a slide mom setup to help us into and out of our bed. It's a little strange but I think we'll have a fun time going up and down the slide. We also had some more pictures taken today. Boy, do I look good in my pretty collar? Yeah, it doesn't fit yet but I'll get there soon. I'm already 8 lbs!

Thursday, December 9, 2004: Me and my brothers & sisters have been doing a lot of running around, exploring the guest house. I do so much running around I didn't get much chance to pose for today's photos. We have a good time but I heard we might get to go outside tomorrow. I don't know what to expect but I'll bet there's plenty of stuff to smell out there. Today, I got a special package from my dad. He sent me a collar with my name on it and everything! It's black and purple and gray and will match my coat really well. It's a little too big right now so mom won't let me wear it all the time but I think I will look very pretty in it. She did get me to stand still long enough for a photo with my new collar, though.

Monday, December 6, 2004: Hey, I'm almost 3 weeks old today! Cool! I've been doing a lot of walking around lately ... not real good at it yet so I fall over a lot but everyone else is just as bad so it must just take practice. Today I got my first taste of actual food ... that I have to chew. This is kinda fun, although I like rolling around in it just as much as eating it. Hey, I'm just a puppy and I need to have some fun, right? I'm also going to the bathroom on my own now. Mom doesn't have to help me at all. Now if I could just control when I have to go potty ... Had some more photos taken, too.

Tuesday, November 30, 2004: Man, mom was making a racket this afternoon banging dishes around. Me and my brothers & sisters were pretty scared but I was the only one brave enough to investigate. I should probably get some more sleep ...

Monday, November 29, 2004: Wow, two weeks old today. I tried to make some noise today but I couldn't really make a true bark. Guess that'll take some practice. Jeeze, more photos?

Monday, November 22, 2004: I'm a week old today but I sure don't feel it. Shouldn't I be doing something besides sleeping and eating? Mom clipped my little toenails today ... didn't bother me too much. It was also picture day again ...

Thursday, November 18, 2004: Still tired ... at least Mom's feeding me some good milk. Had some more photos taken today. Some lady dropped by today, mom called her a vet, and she clipped my dew claws off. OUCH! I guess I didn't need them, right? Gotta get back to sleep now ...

Tuesday, November 16, 2004: Man, am I still tired ... Mom, took some photos of me and my brothers & sisters today. I hope she got my good side.

Monday, November 15, 2004: I was born today ... forgive me if I don't write much but I gotta get some sleep ...

Back to Top

For information about Katie's mom at VonBonehenge Great Danes CLICK HERE. For more information about Katie's dad CLICK HERE. To email Katie's dad CLICK HERE.