little dog life

happy to be home

2011-12-28T19:37:00.000-08:00

kim: i went to san antonio this year, my first warm-weather christmas ever. i thought it would be really strange, but it was quite nice. and since st. paul had a brown christmas, i didn't even miss snow. peanut didn't get to go along, but spent a few days in the kennel (affectionately referred to as jail).

we had a little scare, as i forgot to bring along her vet records, so they didn't want to let me drop her off. fortunately, i was able to talk them into letting me leave her there in "quarantine" until i could get home to e-mail over images of the documents (how did i survive before i had an iphone?). and to top it off, i forgot her collar and leash, so i used a bungee cord from the car. good thing my head is attached...

--

peanut: jail wasn't too bad. i like being around all the other dogs. i made new friends in the lobby while mom was talking with the people. but i'm very happy to be home on my own couch!

making tracks

2011-12-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

kim: the weather has been pretty warm recently - for december in minnesota, anyway. it was above freezing, which means the ground was soft. soft ground sticks to little dog paws really well.

guess the dirty dog checkpoint was closed when peanut came through. must have been break time for the rag (why did i let them unionize?!).

--

peanut: it's like hansel and gretel. if i get lost, i can follow my tracks home.

fireball!

2011-11-27T17:45:00.001-08:00

kim: peanut and i had guests this weekend, all the way from hollywood, to play in the fireball 500 bonspiel. after we were done playing on sunday (lost in the semifinals), jen and matt went to check out the mall of america, and were very kind to bring back some treats for peanut.

--

peanut: they were really delicious. there was a peanut butter kind, and bacon and pumpkin. mmm nummy. i hope jen and matt come back and visit again!

battle creek dog park

2011-11-20T17:18:00.001-08:00

kim: peanut's favorite dog park is at battle creek. it's a huge, 10-acre, fenced-in area. there are two large, open areas and many wooded trails to walk through.

as you can see in the picture, we got our first snow of the season yesterday. i think we got about 2". it won't last, though; it's supposed to be back in the 40s in a couple days.

--

peanut: there are lots of dogs to play with in the open fields; but i like exploring the trails, too; and i like darting through the woods.

hipstamatic

2011-11-15T10:25:00.001-08:00

kim: i finally bought an iphone. so many cool apps, hipstamatic being one of them. here's a picture of peanut enjoying the sun. [ina's 1969 film, john s lens]

--

peanut: they has sunbeams back in 1969? wow.

new digs

2011-10-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut and i have moved from mahtomedi to st. paul (about 18 miles away). the new place is a fixer-upper, so i've been busy doing fixer-uppering and haven't had much time to post. however, we're getting situated now, so peanut should be able to blog again on a more regular basis.

--

peanut: we visited the city house a lot before we moved in, so the new home was no big deal. but i still didn't like all the commotion of packing and moving. i like our new home, though - it has a fenced in yard, and other dogs walk by all the time, and my furniture and toys are here. and it's closer to the dog park, so i hope we go more often!

i'm hooooome

2011-09-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

kim: my previous dogs were typical dogs - they came running downstairs to greet me when i came home. peanut's modus operandi is to jump down from the bed, stretch, then meander over; sometimes, she's still on the bed when i get upstairs, even.

however, if there is another dog in the house, she does come running to greet me. wonder why that is?

--

peanut: *yawn* are you done with work already? guess it's time to be done napping.

face paint

2011-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut took the initiative and helped paint. she got most of the paint on the intended target: herself. i spotted some on her face and side and tail.

--

peanut: i was pretending to be a warrior. this is my battle paint. i didn't get any paint anywhere that it shouldn't have been. honest.

mears park

2011-08-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

kim: one of peanut's favorite ways to spend a thursday evening in the summer is to attend an outdoor concert at mears park in st. paul. it's a great venue that manages to be kid- and pet- and beer-friendly all at the same time.

--

peanut: everybody come out, and bring your dog, too; the more canine friends, the better. and if you can't finish your hot dog, i can help you out.

ahem!

2011-07-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

kim: when peanut wants me to fill up her busy buddy, she brings it over and drops it on the floor, as if to say, "ahem. did you hear that? no rattles means it's empty. this calls for action."

today, she came over and dropped it, but i was doing e-mail, so i didn't respond right away. not one to discourage easily, peanut picked up her busy buddy, went into the other room, then came back through the doorway and dropped it on the floor again.

peanut: i said ahem!

boom house

2011-07-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

kim: independence day is not peanut's favorite holiday. way too many explosions for her liking. when the fireworks commence, she usually finds a corner to hide in. at home, it's in the basement behind the water heater. although this may be a grand way to keep cobwebs at bay in a hard-to-reach spot, i felt bad that peanut didn't have a better safe house. so, i set up her soft-sided kennel (the "free range" model - she knows how to operate the zipper) in the basement, complete with her super-cool unicorn blanket.

money gone boom: $3554.42

peanut: this is better. but it would be best if you could ask them to stop making booms.

bicycle touring

2011-06-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut and i hosted two bike tourists, red and rae, for a night. they are first-time bike tourists from california. they flew to minneapolis, and are making their way east.

if you're interested in hosting bike tourists or finding places to stay as a bike tourist, visit warmshowers.org.

--

peanut: they were really nice. now i want to try touring by bicycle, too! all we would need is a bike trailer for the gear and me. just think of the big adventures we could have!

portrait of a 3 year old

2011-05-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

kim: i am a terrible dog mom. i forgot peanut's birthday, which was on the 20th [i remembered a couple days ago]. my little pupper is really growing up - she's three years old already.

i hope this makes my mother feel a little better to know that her birthday isn't the only one i forget. ;)

--

peanut: i hope this gets me a really good guilt-present.

safe haven

2011-05-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

kim: sometimes, peanut like to cubby up under the desk. i suspect she thinks it's her den.

--

peanut: this is a really good spot to hide when the weather is bad. unless it's really bad weather, then i head to the basement.

donut dog

2011-04-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

kim: i think peanut looks like a doughnut when she curls up in a ball to take a nap.

--

peanut: just don't take a bite out of me while i'm sleeping!

chameleon dog

2011-03-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut sometimes like to play hide and seek. she sits behind the tree, just where i can't see her when i poke my head out the door. if i walk out onto the deck, i still sometimes can't see her at first.

--

peanut: nobody here but us bushes.

thawed frozen slobber ball

2011-03-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

kim: when a frozen slobber ball melts, it makes a pretty spat pattern when bounced.

money gone splat: $3333.54

peanut: neat-o!

frozen slobber ball

2011-03-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

kim: in the winter, a slobbery ball takes on a whole new persona. if it's cold enough, it freezes as it spatters.

--

peanut: neat-o!

february fetch

2011-02-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

kim: cabin fever is starting to set in, but we try to have some fun with fetch in the snow. this time of year, it's pretty amusing for me, because the ball gets buried in the snow, but peanut dives right in to get it.

--

peanut: i like playing ball in any kind of weather.

twister

2011-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

kim: peanut can be quite the contortionist. i think she'd be good at playing twister.

right hand green: $3056.78

--

peanut: ok, the seatbacks will be red, yellow and green, from left to right. the pillow will be blue. so far we're at right foot blue, left hand green. what's next?

one for the road

2011-01-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

kim: sometimes, i go to the dunn bros drive thru without peanut (for shame, i know). the baristas are usually disappointed when she isn't with me. but, they still want to brighten peanut's day, and sometimes send along a biscit for me to give to her.

--

peanut: tell them i said thanks, and that i hope to be along next time!

excavation project

2011-01-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

kim: peanut was engaged in quite the excavation project. digging is one of her favorite pastimes. at the time of the photo, peanut hadn't found her buried treasure yet, but later on i noticed she had her ball, which had been buried under 19" of snow a few weeks ago.

--

peanut: i'm busy. it's an important project. can i come in later?

happy holidays

2010-12-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

kim: merry christmas and happy new year. i hope everyone has enjoyed some good times with family and friends. it's a great time of year to reflect on your blessings (like other people in peanut's life, because i didn't get her anything for christmas).

the gift of dog: $2974.04

--

peanut: i thought i heard something. is that you, santa?

critical path

2010-12-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

kim: since we got all that snow, it's hard for peanut to navigate through the deep stuff. but out of necessity, she's created a path to her potty stop at the back of the yard.

--

peanut: hey, i have an idea - you could get out your snowshoes and stomp down the snow everywhere for me. or at least stomp out a bigger potty area for me. i hate it when my wizzer gets in the snow. brrr!

kennel

2010-12-05T17:59:00.000-08:00

kim: peanut spent the weekend with her coconut retriever friends bella and maggie while i was in madison at a bonspiel. she learned what "kennel" meant, and followed her friends into their kennel for a photo shoot. she had her own soft-sided kennel to stay in, which she did - for a while, anyway. she used her "reasonably good problem-solving skills" to figure out how to unzip her kennel door and get out, which she did twice.

--

peanut: three dogs in one kennel seems like fun!

happy thanksgiving

2010-11-25T16:07:00.000-08:00

kim: happy thanksgiving, everyone! may you enjoy the company of family and friends and a good meal.

peanut: i love birds with stuffing!

election day

2010-11-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

kim: it's a beautiful day (in minnesota, anyway) to take your dog for a walk - right down to your polling place.

peanut: vote for pro-canine candidates!

happy halloween

2010-10-31T15:44:00.001-07:00

kim: happy halloween everyone! it's a very exciting night for peanut, because she has lots of occasion to bark when someone knocks at the door.

peanut: trick-or-treat! hey, where are the biscits?

outtake

2010-10-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut loves to play ball and frisbee. in either game, she can really get some good air.

peanut: this was one of the outtakes; most of the time i get the ball on the one-hop!

r.i.p. slippers

2010-10-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut had it in for these slippers from the get go.

first, she chewed the snap off. later, the back side of the snap, which left a hole behind the heel; i used an iron-on patch to fix it. a few more days later, she chewed off the patch. my response was to patch up the back with duct tape. of course, that only lasted a few days before she pulled it off, and ripped out the stuffing.

battles, kim. war, peanut.

cost of canine combat: $2753.42

peanut: yes, sir! i disabled the infiltrators, sir!

papasan

2010-09-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

kim: since the remodeling began, the papasan found its home in the basement. it's a perfect place for a little dog to stay in cooler climes in the summer, or to be right there when mom gets home (the house has a tuckunder garage).

papasans are also known as mamasans or bowl chairs. or dog hair collectors.

peanut: i can play peek-a-boo in here.

mmm...bowl...when's dinn'r?

bananas

2010-09-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

kim: some dogs really like carrots. however, peanut does not identify with a rabbit as much as a monkey.

peanut: little dogs love bananas!

me and my shadow

2010-08-14T15:47:00.001-07:00

kim: peanut had a photographic moment one night.

peanut: what shadow? all i see is light.

dental hygiene

2010-08-08T18:53:00.001-07:00

kim: every once in a while i try to brush peanut's teeth. i'm not sure how effective it is, as she tries to chew the toothbrush, and it's hard to really get any brushing done. she may need to get her teeth professionally cleaned one of these days.

so far, my bank account has been cleaned of $2543.40.

peanut: mmm...beef flavored toothpaste. my favorite!

lost and found

2010-07-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

kim: i was installing the light fixture in the stairwell (way high up), when i dropped one of the decorative threaded balls that goes on the end of the screws. rats. i heard it bounce down the bottom steps, then roll and roll and roll. i knew i'd be searching forever for it. and i did look for quite some time, before i happed to see something on top of peanut's ottoman. it was the ball!

peanut: i thought you would be looking for this, so i gathered it up for you.

pontoon ride

2010-07-07T18:18:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut is not particularly a water dog. the one time she jumped in a river, she came out faster than she went in. and if we walk near a pond or lake, she's happy to be on the shore. that's fine with me - less wet dog smell.

however, she managed to walk on the dock and jump into the pontoon we rented over the holiday weekend. she was a little nervous at first, but soon she seemed to enjoy it, and even got back into the pontoon the next day.

peanut: that was fun. i'm ready to go again.

sticks

2010-07-05T10:24:00.001-07:00

kim: peanut played "sticks" for the first time over the holiday weekend (sticks being fetch with a stick as opposed to a ball - we call that game "ball"). there weren't any appropriate balls around the cabin, so she found a stick and brought it over. i threw it, she retrieved it, and voila! the game of sticks was born.

danny and uncle chuck played sticks with her, too.

peanut: do i have to give you the stick first in order to play?

look ma, no arms

2010-07-01T11:06:00.001-07:00

kim: peanut is a very long dog when stretched out end to end, even without her front legs.

peanut: i'm pretending to be two-legged, like a people.

artistic canine

2010-06-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

kim: sometimes peanut likes to make faces for the camera.

peanut: this is my interpretation of "the scream."

some favorite things

2010-06-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

kim: having a ball to play with is always a good time, but having four to play with is about the best thing ever - especially if they belong to your friend.

peanut: the orange one is my favorite. except for the green one; i like that best. well, except for the blue one. and the red one.

portrait of a two year old

2010-05-20T20:53:00.001-07:00

kim: peanut is two years old today. happy birthday, peanut!

peanut: how old is two in people years?

the farm

2010-05-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

kim: last weekend, peanut and i went to visit "the farm." peanut got to run free the entire time, and got introduced to camden and cats and bunnies (too bad they were locked up - peanut wanted to play with them so badly!) and peacocks and chickens and llamas and pygmy goats. sooo much fun for a dog!

peanut and camden immediately hit it off; they were inseparable. it was really cute - they kissed a lot and chased each other around for hours.

that night, peanut whined and looked out the window. i think she wished she were still at the farm.

peanut: oh, i miss camden! i want to visit him again!

watch dog

2010-05-06T17:31:00.001-07:00

kim: peanut likes to keep tabs on the goings on in the neighborhood. she's a good watch dog that way.

she's also a good watch dog in earnest because she does bark if someone comes to the door or pulls in the driveway, but doesn't bark at people walking by.

so far, i have invested $2442.21 in this watch dog.

peanut: looks like bob and kathy got some dog biscits at the grocery store.

bed time

2010-04-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

kim: at home (aka the lake house), peanut likes to sleep on the couch. at the river house, she likes to sleep in ani's bed. and ani sleeps under the people bed.

cost of running my own doggie b&b: $2395.63

peanut: host beds are better than guest beds!

thunderstorm ears

2010-04-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

kim: some dogs hate thunderstorms, some dogs are indifferent. peanut is somewhere in between. when bad weather strikes, she puts on her thunderstorm ears.

peanut: i do not like thunder.

hop in

2010-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

kim: there are lots of ways to tell your dog to get into the car. the words i use are "hop in."* once i give the command, peanut dutifully puts her front legs on the seat and waits there, allowing me to take off her leash. and then continues to wait until i help her in the car.

peanut: i'm ready for my leg up.

*something got lost in the translation

sliding catch

2010-03-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

kim: peanut made a sliding catch while playing ball. her leg needs to go in the wash.

peanut: but i got it! good job me!

remember fetch?

2010-03-17T11:47:00.001-07:00

kim: it's been a long time since we played fetch. wonder if peanut remembers how?

peanut: i know just what to do!

quick as a flash

2010-03-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

kim: no weekend with ani would be complete without me trying to get a picture of her. you have to be pretty quick, because once she sees the camera is out, she's gone!

peanut: hey, where did ani go? i though we were going to pose together...

temptation

2010-03-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

kim: ani is staying with us for a few days. she got traumatized when i got out the camera, and left without finishing her lunch. peanut immediately went over to the bowl to finish up, but i told her that it was ani's food. so peanut just stood at a distance and stared at the bowl.

peanut did a pretty good job, actually. she must have lasted 5-10 minutes before gobbling up the leftover kibbles.

$2352.51 is no longer left over in my savings.

peanut: food shouldn't go to waste!

mistaken identity

2010-02-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

kim: sometimes little dogs mistake pillows for chew toys. especially if they're soft and fuzzy and on the floor.

peanut: oops. i thought caterpillow was for me.

dog tired

2010-01-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

kim: being a little dog isn't always easy. in fact, it can be downright exhausting.

peanut: zzzzzz

weekend guest

2010-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

kim: peanut loves playing host, and was quite excited to have ani stay with us this weekend. ani seemed to be having a good time until i took her picture. it must have been the last straw, because then she went and hid under the bed.

$1947.74 is not longer under my mattress.

peanut: i like having friends over!

weekend vacation

2010-01-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

kim: while i was at the minnesota curling club playdowns (we came back as state champs, and get to go to nationals, yay), peanut got to spend time with friends. first, she spent a night with ani, then the rest of the weekend with bella and maggie.

she must have had a great time, because she slept a lot when she got home.

peanut: oh, you're back already?

self-sufficient

2009-12-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-06T16:10:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-25T13:39:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-23T19:50:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-16T15:51:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-05T09:11:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-28T08:23:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-07T17:34:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

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

--

peanut: you talkin' to me?

enjoying a heine

2009-05-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-20T07:54:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

kim: ...you feel like a lady.

--

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

a week away from home

2009-03-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-02T09:41:00.001-08:00

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

2009-03-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

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.