Being the ambassador for The Paw Pack Adventure Club comes with many
responsibilities. In addition to the mundane tasks of paperwork and picking up
poop there are some perks to my job. Recently my parents gave me the enormous
task of organizing our annual pool party for our friends. At first I was
ecstatic; what a great idea! I had visions of doing endless cannon balls into
our pool with my friends, followed by an afternoon of leisurely napping and
sunning ourselves on our deck. I was hit with a nice dose of reality though
when my parents informed me that my friends would not be invited but that I'd
be hosting their parents and potential new Paw Pack members. After a long
debate over the guest list, which involved me pouting a bit, I realized that
it's only fair. My mom hosts daily playgroup parties for my friends so the
least I could do is play with her friends. For those of you who plan to assist
your parents with parties let me give you a few tips about party etiquette:
1. Food is plentiful. There was every type of food imaginable at our party
except kibble. Since there were so many people milling around there's less food
supervision and more of an opportunity to sample the goods.
2. Dog cannonballs into the pool are prohibited; human cannonballs are
welcome. This one is just plain unfair and I'm convinced that my dad just
didn't want me to show him up with my skills so I was indefinitely sidelined
with the babies.
3. Guest greetings. Slightly different than greeting my friends. Most of my parent’s
friends do not want to be sniffed nor do they want to be forced into scratching
my butt. I hardly think I'm asking for much; I am hosting a party for them and
deserve a thank you!
4. Cleanup. Quite the production and it takes more than a handful of poop
bags. My favorite part of cleanup is pre-washing the dishes; they can't say I
wasn't helping!
Overall I think my parents were happy with my party planning. We had a
nice day, good turnout and most importantly they didn't embarrass me in front
of my friends’ parents. I feel confident I've set the bar for future social
events!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Barrell Rolls
I have to admit I am quite a talented dog if I do say so
myself. I have perfected the art of sit, stay, act like a bear, head down and
my parents personal favorite...leave it. However, one of the more advanced
tricks I have yet to perform for them is to roll over on command. It's not that
I can't; I'm perfectly capable of rolling over but it seems silly to me. Unless
I have an itch on my back or I'm sleeping I see no point in performing the
trick. The other day my little sister decided to one-up me and started doing
barrel rolls on the floor. I watched in amazement as my parents yelled with
excitement while she huffed and puffed like an out of shape dog trying
desperately to reach her goal of grabbing her toy. I had to chuckle; here she
was doing all this work and not even getting rewarded with food?! What fun is
that? And why were they getting so excited anyways? They never get that excited
when I do a trick. I even tried to help her out since it was clear she was
struggling and attempted to relocate her toy closer to her hands; my parents
were not impressed. Maybe I'll surprise everyone and bust out a few new tricks
like "fetch the baby” and "guard the baby" and really impress
them...that should guarantee me treats AND a toy...
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Paw Pack Parenting
So it's been awhile since my last post and I'll admit every time I have a free moment from playgroups, eating and babysitting I'm in need of a giant nap! Life has certainly become more hectic for me with a new baby to look after and while I have been used to a life of peace, quiet and leisure the past 2 months have been anything but that! Through hours of observation and babysitting I've come up with a number of realizations, tips and tricks that I hope will be helpful for any of my friends that will be faced with the joys and challenges of parenthood:
1. Babies, like puppies, cry a lot. When my parents have exhausted all options for soothing I have found that a few gentle licks to the face soothes even the crankiest of babies.
2. The boppy pillow is not just for the baby; it is multifunctional and primarily serves as a perfect napping pillow for me and my dad during those sleepless nights.
3. Although tempting the following items are NOT dog toys: pacifier, socks, hand mitts, burp cloths and of course diapers. Stuffed animals are up for debate and while I hardly think she'll miss any of her stuffed animals at this point I've already gotten the standard lecture from my parents to keep away from the toy shelf.
4. The term "feeding time at the zoo" has taken on a whole new meaning. I'm a 2 meal a day dog and polish off my meals in less than 5 minutes yet maintain a 90 lb stature. My sister feeds around the clock for up to an hour at a time yet she is the size of a pug; how does she manage to stay so little??
5. Her bathroom habits are a true mystery to me. She produces a lot of gas and smell but I have yet to see physical evidence of anything. I have noticed a large white can in her room that seems to swallow diapers and cleverly designed to keep me from investigating her messes. Why she can't go to the bathroom outside like me is a whole other battle I'm losing with my parents...
6. Selective hearing is a daily requirement. While typically reserved for my parents I have quickly learned to drown out all of the baby cries and any other commotion she causes. Burying my head under the boppy pillow works wonders..
7. Sharing is key: Being a first born I was certainly used to having my parents undivided attention so it's no surprise that it has been very hard to deal with not being the top dog. I'll admit I have done my fair share of seeking negative attention by running away to friends houses, destroying household items and upping the ante on my whining but the bottom line is she's here to stay and I have to share my parents!
While parenthood has proven to be a great challenge I love my little sister and am happy to report that she's been accepted with open paws among the other pack members and we are looking forward to the next 2 months and what excitement and challenges she has in store for us!
1. Babies, like puppies, cry a lot. When my parents have exhausted all options for soothing I have found that a few gentle licks to the face soothes even the crankiest of babies.
2. The boppy pillow is not just for the baby; it is multifunctional and primarily serves as a perfect napping pillow for me and my dad during those sleepless nights.
3. Although tempting the following items are NOT dog toys: pacifier, socks, hand mitts, burp cloths and of course diapers. Stuffed animals are up for debate and while I hardly think she'll miss any of her stuffed animals at this point I've already gotten the standard lecture from my parents to keep away from the toy shelf.
4. The term "feeding time at the zoo" has taken on a whole new meaning. I'm a 2 meal a day dog and polish off my meals in less than 5 minutes yet maintain a 90 lb stature. My sister feeds around the clock for up to an hour at a time yet she is the size of a pug; how does she manage to stay so little??
5. Her bathroom habits are a true mystery to me. She produces a lot of gas and smell but I have yet to see physical evidence of anything. I have noticed a large white can in her room that seems to swallow diapers and cleverly designed to keep me from investigating her messes. Why she can't go to the bathroom outside like me is a whole other battle I'm losing with my parents...
6. Selective hearing is a daily requirement. While typically reserved for my parents I have quickly learned to drown out all of the baby cries and any other commotion she causes. Burying my head under the boppy pillow works wonders..
7. Sharing is key: Being a first born I was certainly used to having my parents undivided attention so it's no surprise that it has been very hard to deal with not being the top dog. I'll admit I have done my fair share of seeking negative attention by running away to friends houses, destroying household items and upping the ante on my whining but the bottom line is she's here to stay and I have to share my parents!
While parenthood has proven to be a great challenge I love my little sister and am happy to report that she's been accepted with open paws among the other pack members and we are looking forward to the next 2 months and what excitement and challenges she has in store for us!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Change is Good...Right?
So it's the beginning of a new year and per usual I've been
hard at work outlining my goals and objectives to in order to expand my pack.
One of the biggest obstacles that I'm still trying to come to terms with is the
impending arrival of my new sister. As most of you know I'm allergic to all
forms of change in my daily routine. My parents have been hard at work over the
past 9 months introducing me to new sights, smells and above all rules intended
to make my life easier when she comes home. I don’t know if any of you have had
the pleasure of welcoming a baby into your house but I have to say I'm very
anxious about this change; I mean where do I begin?? Do I immediately enroll
her in The Paw Pack Puppy Program, throw her into playgroups and hope she can
learn by example? It worked for all my puppy friends and took a lot less
pressure off of my job. Do I have to share my toys and treats? I'll admit she
seems to have quite the stockpile of treats in her room; I might have to swap
out some of my used ones for hers before she arrives...I'm sure no one will
notice. Will I have to be her dog nanny 24/7? For my friends who can't be off
leash my mom simply hooks their leash to my collar and we walk together...I
suppose that could work except I'm not sure if she'll arrive with her walking
skills intact. What if she doesn't want to eat and sleep on my schedule? I get
super cranky when my feeding schedule is off and I shut down all playtime after
7 pm; if she needs evening entertaining my parents are just going to have to step
up and help; I mean really...I can't do everything! Most importantly will she
be held to the same standards of rules, boundaries and limitations that I have
to follow? If she gets her own rulebook then my parents and I are going to have
a serious chat about fairness. Well I suppose there's nothing I can do but try
and embrace this new change, pray she doesn't take away all the attention from
me and hope she realizes that I will always be the boss of her…
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