self-sufficient

kim: when i leave, peanut goes into her cage. i give her a biscit as a reward for going in. one day, i was preparing to leave, but got sidetracked with something else. i set the biscit on the kitchen counter. when i came back, the biscit was gone. i looked around to see where peanut was at so i could yell at her. she was in her cage.

--

peanut: i know what the program is. i just saved you the trouble.

cat-like

kim: one day, peanut was playing outside, and i noticed that she was trying to get at a stick just on the other side of the fence. her antics looked very cat-like to me.

so far, the cat-burglar has gotten $1900.36.

--

peanut: no way - i'm all dog! woof!

pooped guests

kim: peanut is hosting bella and maggie. i was wondering who would do whom in first. looks like peanut is the last dog standing.* but, i'm sure it's more exhausting to be away from home, so we'll see what happens when the tables are turned.

--

peanut: c'mon, one more time!

*also looks like i've got to mop the floors.

broccoli

kim: if you're looking for a really cheap toy for your dog, try cutting off a chunk of broccoli stem. it makes a great plaything, and you will enjoy watching your canine toss it, bat it around and pounce on it. little dogs apparently do not recognize broccoli as food.

--

peanut: people eat this stuff?

busy buddy

kim: when i had two dogs, they (understandably) amused themselves a lot better than peanut does. hence, i find i buy peanut more toys. one nice little gadget is the busy-buddy. it's shaped like a dumbbell, with holes in the ends where you put treats. put in a few appropriately-sized treats, and your canine is busy, waving and dropping the busy-buddy, trying to cajole the treats out of their container. i prefer this style over some other ones, because it's made of rubber, so it works well with hardwood floors.

i've even taught peanut that she must bring it over and hand it to me (not drop it on the floor at my feet) when she is ready for more.

--

peanut: fill 'er up again, please!

zoomies

kim: every once in a while, peanut gets the zoomies.

so far $1847.12 has zoomed out of my bank account.

--

peanut: peel out!

new coconut retriever in town

kim: peanut's friend bella has a new sibling, maggie, who is also a coconut retriever from st. maarten. today, we went to the dog park, where peanut and maggie met for the first time. as usual, a good time was had by all. it was made especially nice by the perfect fall weather.

kudos to les quatre pattes for their awesome work to help find homes for neglected and abandoned animals.

--

peanut and bella and maggie in unison: coconut retrievers love treats!

a little ingenuity

kim: after driving to the dog park one day, i realized i'd completely forgotten to bring peanut's collar and leash along. after taking a quick scan around the car, i found a sufficient replacement - a bungee cord.

--

peanut: good thing you went to engineering school, or i'd have missed out on a lot of fun.

throw it already

kim: peanut and i typically play fetch a couple times a day. last weekend i was in a bonspiel, so she didn't get to play fetch for almost 36 hours. when we finally got to play, she was a little excited.

so far, this little dog has fetched $1671.85 from my bank account.

--

peanut: throw it already!!

dirty dog checkpoint

kim: after peanut spends some time outside, especially if it's been raining, she must pass through the dirty dog checkpoint before coming in. i keep a rag in the porch to wipe off her paws. she's actually pretty good about lifting each paw in order (right front, left front, right back, left back), and usually stands pretty still even if more vigorous cleaning needs to be done.

--

peanut: clean as a whistle.

mine

kim: peanut received a new toy - a low-stuffing squeaky sheep. it's got a velcro tummy and a spare squeaker, so you can make it like new again if it gets chewed up. it instantly became a favorite.

--

peanut: nobody else can have lammikins. all mine.

pebble eater

kim: bonkers was a dirt-eater. to keep her out of the house plants, i put a layer of pebbles (the irridescent kind you put in fish bowls) on top of the dirt. worked like a charm.

of course, peanut is a pebble-eater. i often (but not always, as is evidenced by pebble poops) catch her chomping on one, and i take it away from her and throw it in the garbage. eventually, they'll be all gone.

--

peanut: shiny things look tasty to me.

tip

kim: huh. i just noticed that the tip of peanut's tail is darker than the rest of her.

--

peanut: dogs with dark-tipped tails are smartest.

bed time

kim: peanut and i used to have an agreement: the little dog proper placement treaty. it clearly stated that little dogs can go anywhere in the house except on the bed. unfortunately, my copy of that agreement seems to be missing, and peanut has no recollection of it whatsoever.

on a side note, finally got the camera working again. that's good, because i can't afford a new one, as i have a $1590.46 priceless dog.

--

peanut: this is the best spot in the house! what kind of dog would agree to such a treaty?

time for the coffee shop

kim: these are peanut's favorite words in the morning. why? because the dunn bros in white bear lake gives dogs a biscit at the drive thru window.

i brought peanut through for the first time as a young pup, and being a pup, she got lots of attention - and a biscit to boot. it quickly became part of our morning routine (right after get up at dawn, go potty, eat, and go back to bed for a couple more hours).

--

peanut: dunn bros is my favorite coffee shop!

24 hours of 9 mile

kim: peanut attended her first ever mountain bike race, 24 hours of 9 mile, in wausau, wisconsin. my team did a 4-person 12 hour race, since we're half way between sane and nuts. we had quite varied weather: sun, wind and rain; luckily, no thunder. peanut kept dana, julie and nicole (and james and nate) company while i was out riding.

--

peanut: i also guarded the bikes. and i got to sleep in the tent. everyone was really friendly; i can't wait to go to my next race.

hassenpfeffer?

kim: there is a cute little bunny in the neighborhood (in the photo, he is just to the right of the hosta; click the image to zoom in). i'm standing on the deck taking a picture, and peanut is about to figure out where he is. and he's just sitting there looking at me.

this one better wise up shortly, or he's going to be somebody's dinn'r.

--

peanut: where are you, you wascawy wabbit?

playing paper cups

kim: sometimes peanut and i like to play paper cups. it's a simple but fun game that teaches cup handling dexterity and persistence. maybe one day we'll work up to logic - for some reason, if she finds the treat right away, she keeps looking for more.

--

peanut: i pick this one.

sunday, a day of rest

kim: it takes quite a bit to get peanut tired, but it can be done. a weekend at the cabin can do it, as can four hours with raleigh, jake and lash.

mind you, she was still more than happy to play ball and frisbee this afternoon, but seemed to rather enjoy lounging around this morning. right now, she is back to being her normal self, wanting me to get away from the computer and play a game with her. i think we'll play paper cups.

--

peanut: i'll take pooped out from too much fun any day.

frisbee dog

kim: yay!! peanut learned how to catch a frisbee tonight! we warmed up with a little one-hop ball action, then moved on to the frisbee.

i didn't catch it on video, but she actually did bring the frisbee back to me a couple of random times.

the recurring theme? exit stage right.

--

peanut: frisbees are my new favorite thing!

first fourth

kim: peanut and i spent the holiday up at the family cabin. she got to meet 16 new people, so it was quite the occasion. the activity level was definitely higher than she is used to, which tuckered her out (yay, sleeping in!). on a personality note, she definitely warms up to women faster than men.

the noise of recreational fireworks around the area didn't seem to bother peanut. we watched the big show from a couple blocks away. she watched the first few bursts, then curled up and snoozed, so next year we'll definitely get closer.

we took advantage of the opportunity to sleep under the stars; it was peanut's first time in a tent. thankfully, the weather was great, so it was a perfect first experience.

--

peanut: i can't believe i didn't want to come in here at first. this is an awesome den!

subtle hint?

kim: peanut apparently does not think her super-cool unicorn blanket belongs in her cage anymore.

$1519.70 does not belong in my bank account anymore.

--

peanut: hint, hint. time to do laundry!

reflection on a ninja dog

kim: and sometimes peanut likes playing super ninja kung fu duel to the death with her reflection.

she will take a time out if she hears the camera turning on, though.

--

peanut: i wish i had a more worthy adversary. that dog in the fireplace just copies whatever i do!

ninja dog

kim: peanut and i like to play super ninja kung fu duel to the death sometimes.

--

peanut: geronimo! ...oooh - run!

more bouncy and more slimy

kim: we have discovered that racquetballs are a fabulous complement to tennis balls. they are smaller, so they fit in peanut's mouth better, and bouncy enough that she enjoys tossing them and chasing them as they careen off of furniture. sometimes she'll just drop one and wait until it is done bouncing, then pick it up and do it again; i think she likes the sound it makes.

on the down side, they are much more slimy than tennis balls. yuk.

--

peanut: it's hard to howl and chew my ball at the same time.

picture show

kim: peanut seems quite fascinated with the new front loader i purchased. the old washing machine just made noise, but this one provides a show to go along with it.

--

peanut: i can't wait to see what it does next!

fetching on the one-hop

kim: peanut is now an accomplished fetcher. she's good at one-hopping it.

feel free to play where's-the-landscaping-log.

--

peanut: got it!

training with peanut: lesson 1

kim: ta-da! free dog training videos, right here on peanut's blog. behold lesson 1.

--

peanut: you talkin' to me?

enjoying a heine

kim: one of my curling teammates, conni, gave peanut a cute little gift. she must have paid good attention to how people open bottles, because she ate the top of the (plastic) bottle off right away. But then she put her own twist on things, eating off the bottom next.

--

peanut: nothing like a refreshing heine after a long day of work.

one year old

kim: peanut hit the milestone of successfully completing one full year on the planet. the only caveat is that since she's a rescue pup, today may not actually be her birthday, but rather the best guess of the vet who first examined her. however, we will celebrate it as such.

no more puppy food; on to big dog nourishment.

--

peanut: happy birthday to me!

shenanigans with finnegan

kim: the neighbor pup finnegan came over to play chase and keep away with peanut.

--

peanut: i got the best stick ever. want it?

in the dog house

kim: peanut finally chewed up enough stuff that i decided to kennel her when i'm not home. at first, she didn't want to go in; nothing a little biscit didn't solve, though. she now readily goes in and doesn't try to get out. i shut the door, but don't latch it, so if she pushes on the door, she could get out. but she's in her cage every time.

--

peanut: i like having my very own den. it's cozy in here, and i have a super-cool unicorn blanket.

soaked

kim: i got paybacks for leaving peanut out in the rain. she rubbed up against my leg, and left my pants soaking wet.

so far, this pup has soaked me for $1446.62

--

peanut: i was a soggy doggy!

rainy day

kim: one cloudy day, i fell asleep on the couch. i was woken up by a thumping/scratching noise. it was peanut, wanting to get back in. she was wet and muddy.

--

peanut: the cloudy day turned into a rainy day!

good day at the dog park

kim: it was a big day coconut retrievers at the dog park. peanut and bella (and lots of other dogs) had a great time playing together on a beautiful spring day. both dogs were eventually tuckered out, so they did what they could - stood and panted - until they got their second (and third) winds.

peanut won the longest tongue contest.

--

peanut: time out!

strong and industrious little dog

kim: earlier this spring, i was pretty impressed that peanut managed to tote a piece of firewood around (she's just a 30 pound dog). however, she established herself as a true landscape artist and power hound when she relocated a landscape timber. she even stacked it on top of the firewood.*

--

peanut: can i take agility class? look, i even made a jump to practice with!


*i'm not making this up. this is all her work. although i'm sure its placement was purely accidental.

hot diggity dog

kim: or at least diggity dog.

one of the games she plays with an existing hole is to toss her ball into it, then dig it back out. it's nice that she is creative enough to amuse herself.

cost of this excavator: $1348.30

--

peanut: i'm chasing the voles out of their homes. they're never coming back!

buried treasure

kim: i must hand it to peanut - she sure does find a lot of interesting things in the yard.

--

peanut: one day i'm going to strike it rich!

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving him only two of them. -Phil Pastoret

kim: i have some biscits* in my pocket, little dog.

--

peanut: one, two, three!


*if you're new here, that's how dogs spell biscuits

backyard fun with lulu

kim: lulu, the chocolate lab across the street, came over to play this afternoon. they had a great time chasing each other around and fighting over the ball.

--

peanut: if i bite her ear hard enough, i know she'll drop it!

good ol' game of tug

kim: one of the best games you can play with your dog is tug. it's even better if you weigh a lot more than your dog and you have hardwood floors.

--

peanut: i'm not giving up!

ah, spring

kim: the snow has melted away, and what remains is a sloppy, wet yard. perfect for making muddy paws.

--

peanut: it's my autograph!

sometimes...

kim: ...you feel like a lady.

--

peanut: ...and sometimes you don't.

a week away from home

kim: peanut did her first ever stint at the kennel, while i was in utica, ny at the club nationals (curling).

--

peanut: they were really nice, but i'm so glad to be home!

customized slippers

kim: why did you start chewing on slippers now? you were such a good non-slipper-chewer for so long.

previous total + shot + food/toys/treats + new slippers + new fat pants + new slippers = $994.46

no, it's not a mistake that slippers are in there twice.

--

peanut: well...i accidentally kicked it down the stairs...and then...it seemed like it wanted to play...

chasm in the crotch

kim: you are a super-naughty dog!

peanut now weight in at 30.4 pounds.

--

peanut: uh-oh. i thought things left on the bed were chew toys.

chasing snowballs

kim: we discovered a new game - fetch the snowball.

--

peanut: hey, it disappeared! throw another one - i'll get this one for sure!

warm winter sun

kim: nothing says "content" like a dog lying in the sun.

--

peanut: aaahh.

who was playing pillow fight?

kim: you are a naughty dog.

--

peanut: but i won!

double breach of integrity

kim: when peanut was little, she had flop over ears, much like a terrier. then, as she got older, her ears started to stand up, and she had wingaling ears like a whippet. i liked the wingaling ears. but then, one suffered a structural breach of integrity and flopped back over. that gave peanut even more character, since she now had mismatched ears. well, now the other one has flopped over, too, so she's back to floppy ears. and at 8 months, they'll probably stay flopped over.

$918.34

--

peanut: my ears were too heavy to hold up with the extra weight of my winter fur.

none-opus

kim: after four months, peanut finally chewed a leg off of her octopus. within minutes, all 8 were gone. but up until that point, it had held up remarkably well.

--

peanut: now i have nine toys instead of just one!

problem solving skills

peanut needs to develop her problem solving skills. instead of finding a solution to her problem, such as figuring out how to get the ball out from under the radiator, she whines, and then i have to get it for her.

this bag of peanuts weight 29.0 lb.

hmmm...now that i think of it, maybe her problem solving skills are just fine.

--

peanut: uh-ohhh...looks like i'll have to do my sad little puppy dog eyes again.

self serve counter

kim: peanut took it upon herself to get a bag of treats (full bag minus about 3 bits) down from the table in the basement and eat the whole thing. piggly wiggly.

tally: $895.94 (but i need to go to the store again, so that'll go up shortly)

--

peanut: they were lip-smackin' good!

passed!

kim: peanut passed level one obedience class tonight. *whew*

--

peanut: good job me!

fetch

kim: peanut is teaching herself (or maybe me) the game of fetch. kinda sorta. she mostly brings things over to play tug with, but if i throw the squeaky octopus or a tennis ball, she'll go get it and - sometimes - bring it back so i can throw it again.

--

peanut: i like the pink breast cancer balls the best.

mitten carcass

kim: peanut tore up my warmest mitties. this is not a complete tragedy, as they were several years old and well worn (note the palms). still, it's sad to come home and find your toastiest mitts with their guts pulled out.

--

peanut: but they were stuffed. just like a chew toy.