I'm A Busy Dog

Hey, everybody!  I have been so busy that I forgot to write last week.  In case you didn't know it, last weekend was my birthday!  It was the same day as tax day.  I'm not a tax deduction, though, because I'm not a real boy.  The People always treat me like I am a big part of the family, though.

I didn't do anything really special on my birthday this year.  Instead, I am doing a lot of little special things after my birthday.  I have been getting to go for car rides, taking walks, playing with other dogs, playing with the Mommy and the Daddy.  There is a lot going on for me.

The day after my birthday was Easter.  That is the day that we celebrate Jesus and the Easter Bunny. I'm not really sure what the Easter Bunny has to do with Jesus.  I'm confused about that one.  I also am wondering why the Easter Bunny has eggs in his basket.  That is strange to me.  Anyway, I tried to catch the Easter Bunny.  I woke up bright and early.  I thought I even heard him coming into my house.  I ran downstairs as fast as I could.  The Mommy was even laughing at me. When I got to the kitchen where I thought the Easter Bunny was, guess what I found? The Daddy taking things out of bags that the Mommy gets from the store.  I was like, "Where is the Easter Bunny?" The Mommy just laughed at me.

The rest of the week I have been busy, too, because it is Spring Time.  Spring is an important time for me.  I walk around and play outside, and it's time for the animals in the neighborhood to say "hello" to each other.  We don't get to see each other as much in the winter.  Some of the cats and dogs don't come out when it is cold.  We also got a new girl dog in our neighborhood.  She is super cute.  It made me want a little brother or sister even more.  I have been dreaming about having a play mate.

The Mommy and the Daddy have always taken really good care of me and loved me lots.  They make me feel so special and like I am such a great part of the family.  Every morning, I get to see their faces first thing.  At night time, I even take my toys to the People's bed. That way, I can give the toys to the People if they need something to snuggle with.

Today, we had lots of visitors.  I get really excited and bark.  I always think everyone is coming here just to play with me.  The Mommy says, "of course, they are!"

Cats At The Door

I think I have admitted before that I like cats.  I do.  I like them as long as they are not bothering me or interfering with my lifestyle.  They hang around me a lot when I go outside to go potty.  I think it's funny, because there is a chance they might get in the way of me going potty.  I go potty whether the cats are there or not.  Today, one of them walked right up to the door and was looking in at the Mommy.  It was a case of a peeping Tom Cat.

The cats in my neighborhood don't usually look in the back door at the Mommy. They usually hang out on the patio and sit on the Mommy's chairs.  One time, there was cats sitting in all the outside chairs the People usually sit in.  I started jumping on the door to let the Mommy know.  I wanted her to tell those cats that those were the Mommy's chairs.  I tried telling the cats, but they aren't very good listeners sometimes.

Lately, there are these cats that keep hanging out in the front yard by the front door.  That is where I draw the line.  I cannot have cats looking at the People and me in the front door.  By the front door is the place where we sleep and watch TV.  Sleeping and watching TV are two of my favorite hobbies, and I can't have cats interrupting me.  Also, the cats are blocking my view of the squirrels.  I have to keep my eye on the squirrels, too.  Some days, I swear the squirrels are throwing acorns at me on purpose.

When the cats come up to the door in the front, I look down and bark at them and tell them to go away.  Then, I start sniffing at the bottom of the door.  I am trying to make sure they aren't trying to sneak their cat paws under the door. Once those cats get a paw inside the door, they think they can bring their whole bodies inside the door.  I told the cats they cannot hang around the front door. The front door is the People door only.  The Mommy hardly ever lets me go out the front door, either, unless I am on a leash.

One time, I went one foot out the front door and was barking at the mailman, and the Mommy was standing right there.  I was standing right outside the house, right next to the Mommy, and one of the neighbors called the dog catcher on me.  I wasn't even a foot away from my front door! I thought that person was really mean. The neighbor dogs run up and down the street without a leash all the time. Those big German Shepherds come into my yard all the time, still, too.  I even saw the owner walking one of them without a leash down the street.  I don't think I was treated fairly.  At least I got to stay with the Mommy. That's another story for another day.

Anyway, if I can't go out the front door, then no cats can come in the front door. When I go out the back door, I am on my leash.  I am okay with that, though, because the Mommy makes sure I can move with the leash.  It isn't too restricting, but it keeps me in my yard.  When the weather is nice like today, the Mommy goes outside and plays with me while I am on my leash.  Sometimes, she sits on the patio in the chairs.  I jump on her lap, and she pets me.

I Like Things Tidy

I have to admit, I like things a certain way.  The Mommy sometimes calls me an OCD dog.  I have to point out to her whenever anything is out of place.  The Mommy keeps things picked up around here a lot. I help her, too, whenever I can by telling her something is out of place.

When the People take out the trash, they take the plastic bag out and then put it in the big trash can outside.  Sometimes, when the People come back in or before they leave, they don't put another plastic bag in the trash can.  Then, someone throws some trash in there, and it gets stinky really fast. I notice because my doggy nose is sensitive to smells like that.  When I notice there isn't a plastic bag, I tell the Mommy.  I go pat her on the arm, and go sniff at the trash can and then go pat on her arm again.  She understands my hints like that.

Another thing I will do is tell the Mommy if there is a door that is open that shouldn't be open.  As a little dog, sometimes it isn't that safe for me to have doors open to closets or cabinets.  Like if the cabinet where the Mommy keeps my dog food is open, I tell her right away.  I don't want anyone else getting my dog food.  If the cabinets in the kitchen are open, I tell her, too.  I don't want to smell the cleaning supplies and looking at all the dishes just makes me think of food and makes me hungry.  I also tell the Mommy when the closet door where my leash and clothes are kept is open.  I go and sniff the door, and then I go walk up to the Mommy and nod my head.  That is my signal to her to follow me.  She follows me, and I sniff at the door until she closes it.  I'm glad she knows my signals, because when I sniff at the closed door and look over my shoulder at her, that is a hint to her that I want to go outside.

I also tell the Mommy if I made a mess.  Like the other day, I was playing with Tommy Llama and his stuffing came out. I didn't mean to do it.  It was an accident.  Whenever I do something naughty, though, I tell the Mommy right away.  Then, she is usually less mad at me.  I jumped up and tapped her on her leg until she followed me, and then I walked behind her chair.  I showed her that the stuffing was all over the floor.  I gave her Tommy Llama and gave her my look that says, "Fix it, Mommy." After that, she lets me know that she understood, because she says, "Okay, Manny. Mommy will fix it."