Pawfect Ruger

At the end of July, I had to go to the vet for my yearly appointment.  I needed a few vaccines and just a good overall check up.  Dr. Clary declared me PAWFECT!!!!  (Seriously, was there any doubt???)

I wore my personalized seersucker bandana and received LOTS of compliments!  I looked LABRADORABLE!

I was a great weight!  Whew!  That means I don't have to eat green beans anymore.  I had packed on a few extra pounds while away from home.  Most of you might think the trainer would keep me slim and trim, but Mommy thinks he really likes BIG dawgs!  When my parents left me with the trainer for boarding last summer as a puppy, he commented that I was too skinny and told Mommy he fed me more than she directed him to.  Mommy thinks the same thing happened during my four months with him this winter and spring.  I even heard the word FAT tossed around by my parents upon my return!

What do you think?  Here's a slightly blurry picture taken back at the beginning of May . . . yes, I like to lie in weird positions, but that's another story.  Am I fat???

Here's another picture taken around the same time.  

Here I am now!  I guess the proof is in the picture (and unfortunately not the pudding).  

I've lost about TWELVE POUNDS!  Mommy put me on the green bean diet.  I ate half of my serving size in my regular dawg food and the other half in canned green beans.  Three months later, I'm slim and trim and the vet told Mommy I could stop eating the beans.  (She's considering trying this diet out for herself!)

Not all of my weight loss can be chalked up to green beans.  I walked about three miles every morning with Mommy this summer.  She walked a total of 6-7 miles each morning between the three of us.  You'd think she might have slimmed down with that much walking, but apparently her snacks aren't locked up like mine are.

Now I can just sit back and relax and focus on looking pawfect.  My good buddy Homer sent me this monogrammed bandana all the way from Australia!  I love it so much I can't stop grinning over it!

I think you'll agree, I'm as pawfect as the vet said.  My sisters may disagree, but what do they know??

Until next time,
Ruger

Something's Fishy . . .

I've told you I like to swim in the playa lake during my morning walk.  As the summer has progressed, those walks have grown even more interesting.  Some might say there's something fishy about them . . . 

As soon as Mommy lets me off the leash, I run straight to the water (Mommy says this is reminiscent of my big brother Hunter).  I act like I'm going to run into the water, but instead I'm secretly scouting the edge of the water.  

I'm looking for FISH!!!  DEAD FISH to be exact!

Mommy is terribly grossed out by this bad habit of mine.  And she learned from the Unfortunate Incident with Jenna that it's not a good idea to stick her fingers in a dawg's mouth.  These fish are like having a dessert after breakfast!  What other lucky dawg gets dessert in the morning???

The fish are starting to appear more frequently around the edge of the lake.  The drought we've had over the last six months has caused the water levels to really decrease.  As a result, the fish that live in the lake are really competing for a diminishing supply of oxygen.  Mommy says she's noticed LOTS of fish coming to the surface in large groups trying to grab a breath.  It's really sad . . . but it's VERY TASTY!!!!

Here I am looking for my next dessert . . . who needs that tennis ball when you can have FISH???

This is me imitating the look on Mommy's face after I eat a dead fish.  Because I can't seem to control my appetite, I haven't been swimming lately.  [sigh]  As we walk around the lake now, I keep my head turned towards the water at all times so Mommy knows my heart's desire.  She keeps ignoring me for some reason.

Maybe one day soon I'll get to go swimming again . . .
Ruger

Water Gals

Summer is flying by!  We LOVE all the time we get to spend with Mommy during the summer.  She's been walking Ruger first in the mornings and walking us together after.  When we return from our walk, Ruger is rested up and ready to play again!  For that reason, Mommy would prefer to walk Ruger last, but the two times she left him behind she could hear him howling his displeasure at the top of his lungs from down the street!  (He's normally a fairly quiet guy!)

We've been lucky enough to go swimming a few times this summer.  We LOVE to swim.  

The worst part about swimming is that eventually Mommy has to end our time in the water.  That makes us CRAZY!!

Some days Mommy just leaves us on our leashes and allows us to take a dip in the edge of the water to cool off.  We like to engage in synchronized swimming on those days . . . (note the pawfect tail position)

Every once in a while we find a tennis ball at the lake.  Dixie is a firm believer in Finder's Keepers!  That ball travels all the way home with us!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Dixie & Jenna

Water Dawg

Mommy says without a doubt, I am a WATER DAWG!  I've really been enjoying my time in the playa lake this summer.  We usually walk around the lake every day on our morning walk.  I've started pulling in the direction of the water as we walk around all four sides.  Mommy tells me NO most days, but every so often I wear her down.  

If we're lucky enough to find a tennis ball at the lake, then Mommy says it's meant to be that day!  We've started wondering if someone accidentally leaves their balls behind or if a Good Samaritan is leaving balls placed strategically where dawgs will find them so they can play!

Whichever is the case, being at the lake makes me HAPPY!!!!! (and stinky)

Of course, there are plenty of days when we don't stop at the lake.  On those days I depend on the kindness of our neighbors.  It is so wonderful when they water their lawn and create a swimming pool for me to enjoy!  I look forward to checking out this spot DAILY! 

Mommy even lets me off my leash when we get to this spot so I can truly roll around and enjoy myself!

I've also taken advantage of our lawn watering.  Mommy says it's a good thing we don't have an underground sprinkler system or she'd use it all the time!  Well, maybe.  She's really a cheapo who can't stand to pay for water.  Our town has been in a drought for many months now, and Mommy hasn't been willing to turn the sprinklers on that often.  (You can decide if it's because of the drought or because she's cheap . . . )  The yard looks really bad in places.  In the early mornings or late evenings when she does turn the water on, I am LOVING IT!  I like to walk around in a circle and drink straight from the sprinkler. 

Hopefully you've had a few great water adventures yourself!
Ruger

Morning Walks

We're in the thick (heat) of summer and that means one thing especially for us . . . MORNING WALKS!  Since Mommy isn't in school, she has all day to devote to us.  Well, maybe not all day or every day, but most days!  We've settled into a routine.  Ruger is walked first and Dixie and I go together afterwards.

Ruger LOVES his morning walks.  As soon as his collar goes on, he runs to the back door.  When the door opens for him, he runs to the gate.  He was doing well at not having to stop and mark his territory until Mommy opened her mouth to brag about that.  Now, he likes to stop often for potty breaks!  [Insert eye roll from Mommy here]  

Ruger does a pretty good job of heeling most mornings.   

On Wednesdays, Mommy volunteers with the summer program at church, so she bravely walks all three of us together.  THAT'S when Ruger's heeling skill is gone with the wind!  We love to play Musical Leashes when the three of us walk together.  We also play Follow the Leader with Dixie usually playing the part of Leader.  To be honest, Mommy says we actually walk really well together.  We do tend to get a little discombobulated when one of us has to stop for a break, but we're usually back in sync pretty soon once we resume walking.  

We do have to be a teensy bit careful during those breaks.  Ruger recently sprinkled on Dixie!  He says he was just trying to help her stay cool in the heat.  Dixie's not convinced . . . 

Occasionally we can convince Mommy to let us play in the playa lake.  She is very hesitant to let all three of us off our leashes at the same time.  But we have so much FUN!!!

And we all return when called . . . eventually!

We hope you're having a great summer too!
Jenna

The Other Side of the Fence

All summer long I've enjoyed playing in our backyard, but there's been one thing bothering me . . . what's on The Other Side of the Fence????

I've been super curious.  Mommy has watched me from indoors as I've sat and pondered this question.  My sisters tell me I would've LOVED the previous yard where they lived.  It was HUGE and even better, the fence was see through!

Now that I've reached the four month mark and had all my vaccinations, I can go and discover a while new world!  Here I am about to take my first leash walk outside the fence:

There are soooo many things to see out here!

Did you know there are other dawgs behind other fences?  I didn't know that . . . 

 There's also one or two (or a million) new smells out here!

Mommy says I was pretty well behaved for my first time out on the leash.  She's going to order something called a harness because she says I might choke myself to death if I'm not careful.  I'm not really sure what that means . . .

I got to help water the plants in the front yard when we returned from our walk.

I watered myself too!

I really enjoyed The Other Side of the Fence.  I'm not as sure about the leash.
Ruger