Sunday, December 11, 2011

Trail Runs!

Waiting for Mom!
Mom has been training for her mar-a-thon which means lots of running! She recently discovered that I do great off leash on the trails and that it keeps her from trying to rein me in all the time. I just get so excited! When I'm off leash, I can sniff what I want and then run past her to sniff something else until she catches up. She's so slow. I like running with Mom, but it's best when I can do it at my pace, which is fast!

We met a horse on the trail which I wasn't too sure about. I mean, horses are big. Much bigger than a Koby. I just got out of his way, because I don't want to be a trampled Koby! Mom ran over eight miles, and I must've run twice that.

I try to keep Mom in sight because she likes to get lost but I was so busy sniffing once that I let her get lost. Then I had to look around and bark for her because she might have never found me otherwise. She came back over the hill and found me and we took off again. She might try to tell you that I got lost, but really, it's the other way around.

It wasn't all good news, though. Once we got home I had to have a BATH. Mom said I was getting stinky and too dirty from the trails. Humans don't seem to understand how great it is to be dirty and dusty and have fun. Dad figured out that if he puts a bright colored towel in the tub I'm less afraid of jumping in, but still I'll only do it for a hot dog. And I don't like it once the water comes on. I like all the treats I get, though. And I get extra pets after baths because I'm extra soft. I like pets.

Mom says it's "Christmas" soon. She got a present in the mail, and it was for me! She did a "Secret Santa" and her Santa knew she lived with me so she sent me a toy! It squeaks. Well, it squeaked. I squeaked it for a while but then I started tearing into it and now it's a bunch of pieces. I liked it. It was the best toy ever. I still like playing tug and fetch with what's left of it. I guess Christmas is when you get good things. If that's true, then I want more wet food, more stuffed Kongs, more bully sticks, more hot dogs, more bones, more toys to tear apart, more out time, more time at the dog park, more running, more pets, and for the cat to love me as much as Mom and Dad love me. And for Mom to love me more than she loves the cat, forever and ever. Oh, and for Mom and Dad to play with me all the time.

But mostly I think I have it pretty good. Now if only the cat would play with me...

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Best Friends

He's the chocolate lab. I'm the black one.
I made a best friend at the dog park. Well, he thought he was my best friend. I just kept going around making friends with everyone. He kept following me. We played some, then he just followed me wherever I went. It was like having a little brother, except he was bigger than me. I also played a lot of chase with lots of dogs. Chase is fun. Mom likes me playing chase because it gets me tired, even more than when she runs 8 miles with me.

I also broke my harness. I didn't mean to, but I had chewed on the front a bit and it broke when I was running around in the car. Now we have to practice not pulling when I'm walking on a collar. This isn't very fun because as soon as I try to pull to go faster, Mom stops and takes a step back. This makes me impatient and I whine because I want to go! We're working on it, though. The harness was irritating me so Mom and Dad want to walk me without it. I think we'll learn soon.

Mom caught me relaxing.
Mom and Dad's big bed is the best. Usually I sleep by Mom but when they aren't sleeping I like to stretch out. I also like curling up on their pillows. Sometimes when I sleep I get really relaxed and stretch out on my back. Mom thinks this is really cute and she always tries to get pictures, but I usually wake up when she gets the camera and roll back over.

I wish we could go to the dog park every day forever. That would be the best.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Occupy the Food Bowl

So I had an upset tummy a while ago. It's all better now but Mom and Dad insist on feeding me my "special" food which isn't very special or tasty at all. Mom says that she bought a lot of the food so I need to finish it, but I don't think I should suffer for her decisions. This food isn't very good, and Mom puts this probiotic powder on it that isn't very good either. I stopped eating as much and Mom was getting worried.

Now my food is tasty!
Well, my hunger strike has worked because now Mom is putting tasty wet food into my dry food!  This is the best. Today I ate up all my food as soon as she put it down for me. I could get used to this.

Mom is also training for a mar-a-thon where I guess she runs a lot, because she's been running with me a lot. I like running, but Mom is so slow that sometimes I grab the leash to make her run faster. She doesn't like it when I do that and makes me stop. I guess that's a game I can only play with Dad. Dad runs faster but Mom runs more. She says she has to get up to 18 miles some days which is very far. I know I can keep up, though. I like running!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Makin' Friends


I love the dog park. It's my favorite place ever. I make lots of friends there and I get to run around. Sometimes we play fetch. Mom remembered her camera this time so she has lots of pictures of me playing.

Waiting for Mom to throw the ball!


I don't know how so much water ended up on my head.


Meeting new friends.


A friend who looks just like me!


I'm the black one.

Dad says I'm going to get hooked on going to the dog park, but Mom said that she's already hooked on me not running around at night. I'm even getting better about coming when she calls me, even when I can't see her. But sometimes everything is so interesting I just have to check it out before I go back to Mom. Her treats are good, but not THAT good!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Getting Comfortable

Bone!
I used to guard really high value things like rawhides and raw bones. I would growl if Mom or Dad got too close if I had one and once I snapped at Dad because he was making me uncomfortable when I had a rawhide. Mom knew about this when I came here, so she knew she had to work on it. She got me lots of tasty things like pork chews so we could practice "drop it." I was excited cause the clicker means more treats! Thing is, I get so excited over hot dogs that I have to make sure Mom is going to give them to me. That means I didn't really chew on the pork chew, so Mom got out a secret weapon-- a raw bone. Before, I was really scared Mom or Dad was going to take this bone away from me, so Mom traded me for a hot dog and then put the bone in the freezer for practice later. Mom gave me the bone but I was much more interested in what she wanted me to do for the clicker. I tried all the tricks I knew but she wouldn't click! Finally she had me "drop it" when I was chewing on it, and when I did, I got a piece of hot dog! Hot dogs are the best. She could even take the bone away from me. It was okay, I knew she was going to give it back. Later I chewed on the bone next to her on the couch. Mom was amazed because I was so trusting now, but it's because I know she isn't going to take anything away from me forever (except maybe things I find on walks that smell tasty.)

I guess I still need to work on completely dropping whatever I'm told to drop, instead of only dropping it if someone is holding it. But "working on it" means the clicker, and more treats! I like treats. I hope we train again soon.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Naptime Thoughts

Sometimes Mom worries that I don't actually love her but then sometimes this happens, and Dad takes a picture. When will she understand that I'm here to stay and love her forever?

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Dog Park!

I'm feeling better now so today I got to go to the dog park. I love the dog park. It's the best place ever. There's dogs there and I like to play with them. Mom forgot her camera, though, so we don't have any pictures of me playing and running. My favorite game to play with other dogs is chase. I had a lot of good games of chase today. I don't know why some dogs don't like to play with me. They just ignore me when I try to play chase with them. I was being very nice, but they ignored me. That was okay, though, cause there were lots of dogs that did want to play chase. We had lots of fun.

Once we got home I was very hungry and tired. I even ate my special food which I don't like very much. Then I rested. I go from place to place, because sometimes I'm in the mood for the couch and other times the floor. Dad leaves his laundry out by the bed which I like because it's nice to lay on. Sometimes I like the laundry better than my bed.


Mom says she likes me better when I'm sleepy. That's silly, I don't play as much when I'm sleepy. But Mom likes me that way so she takes me to the dog park so I can run off my zoomies. I don't have very many zoomies left now. I guess I should recharge.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Sick

I haven't been feeling too great lately. Sometimes I don't even want my special food of chicken and rice. So Mom made me go to the V-E-T today. The human ladies there were very nice, but I got told off by a little dog who didn't want to play with me. I don't know why she didn't want to play with me, I was being very nice. Mom joked that with today's visit, if I were a car, the fuel and repairs were costing far more than my cash value. That's silly, though, cause I'm not a car. I'm a dog! Cars don't snuggle up with you or fetch things. Cars just make loud noises and take you places. I take Mom places on walks all the time, so a Koby is much better than a car. I even make loud noises sometimes, when there are intruders outside the door.

The couch is very comfy.
I get even special-er food now. It's supposed to help my tummy. I also get cheese again! Yay, cheese! Mom calls it my "special cheese" but I don't know why. I get cheese twice a day! Cheese is the best. Today I slept a lot so I can get better and play more when Mom gets worried at the computer. She needs to play more so she can be happy all the time. Maybe she's sad because it's raining and she can't go outside. I know I'd be sad if I couldn't go outside, cause I like going outside. I still go outside when it's raining, but I get wet. That's okay, though. The ground gets squishy and fun when it's raining. I hope we go outside again soon.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Hidden Treasures

Working those brain cells.
Mom put a cookie with a string tied around it under the couch, and then pulled it out to show me how she could get it by pulling on the string. She showed me a few times but I didn't get what she was doing. All I knew was that she kept putting the cookie under the couch and I wanted it! I put my nose under the couch but I couldn't get the cookie. I could smell the cookie and see the cookie, but I couldn't eat the cookie. I was very sad.

There's a cookie under there...
I tried to get Mom to get me the cookie but she wouldn't. I tried staring at her until she got it for me but she didn't. She just said I had to figure it out for myself. But I had figured it out, my nose wouldn't fit under the couch so she had to get it for me! So embarrassing. I finally tried using my paws to get it and it worked! I'm still not sure what that string has to do with anything.

I guess we get to practice this "game" some more until I do what I'm supposed to do. Why don't they just give me the cookie? I like cookies.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

My Very Favorite Blanket

I have a favorite blanket. It's soft and fuzzy and fun to play with. I like to chew on it. Sometimes I just sleep with it. It's my favorite blanket in the whole world, except maybe the big blue blanket Mom sometimes sleeps with on the couch. I like to chew that blanket but Mom says I can't and puts it away when she's done with it. She always puts away my very special toys like her shoes, cause once I chewed up her shoe when I was bored and she wasn't very happy with me.

My blanket AND my rope!
Today I went for a long walk with Mom and met lots of other dogs. I made friends with lots of them and played, but some of the dogs were mean to me. When dogs are mean to me I tell them to stop, which makes me look like a naughty dog. I guess I have to go to school to learn to ignore dogs when they're mean to me. Mom has a lot to learn, too. I'm her first real dog and though she learned a lot from the dogs at the shelter I still have a lot to teach her. I like teaching Mom. When I do a good job she clicks her clicker and gives me treats. She says I get to go to the dog park more, too, to learn to be nicer to all dogs and to burn off some energy. I like the dog park. There's the close dog park which sometimes we walk to but there aren't many dogs there and it isn't very big. My very favorite dog park is the one we drive to sometimes, where there are lots of dogs and there's lots of room for me to run around and lots of trees for me to sniff. Mom takes me there to run off my zoomies. I get zoomies a lot. Then I lay down on the floor when I'm tired.

I like the floor.
Mom's making faces at the computer again, which means I need to bring her a toy and play with her so she stops being sad. I'm still working on teaching her to have good days all the time, like me.
Play with me?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Warm Days

Being a hot dog.

Dad says it's supposed to be fall but it was really warm today. I don't like it when it's hot. Sometimes I go out on the balcony and enjoy the breeze but today it was just hot. I didn't want to do anything but lay around until it got cooler.

 
Moth check!
Once it got dark and cooler I went back inside to be with Mom and Dad. I like it when bugs are inside cause then I get to chase them. I check the lamp all the time to see if bugs will come out of it. Mom says moths come from outside and not the lamp but I check anyways. Sometimes when I'm bored I tell Mom that I want something to chase but she tells me that she can't make moths appear. I think she's lying. But Mom or Dad usually throws a ball or my rope for me so then I'm happy. I like chasing my toys, but I don't always want to give them back when I get them cause they're mine. If I don't give them back I have to practice "drop it." I don't like dropping it unless there's treats involved. Mom says we'll practice more without treats. That's boring, treats are the best. Hot dogs are my favorite treat in the whole world.

Anime Koby
You might be wondering why Mom and Dad wanted a dog to name Koby. It turns out they like a character from a Japanese manga series called One Piece. It's about pirates. Sometimes I'm a pirate cause I take things I'm not supposed to. The character Koby isn't a pirate, though. He's a Marine, which means he does what he's told all the time. I don't. Sometimes I pretend I don't hear Mom or Dad so I don't have to do what they say. Usually though I'm good because I like it when Mom and Dad are happy with me. Mom says she wants two other animals to name Chii and Kain, but I guess they aren't allowed to have too many animals in their place. Something about a "lease." I don't know, it's very confusing.

Mom says I have to go back to the V-E-T tomorrow. She says the pills she got didn't work but I don't remember taking any pills. I did get some tasty cheese though. Maybe cheese is medicine? If cheese makes me better I'd eat cheese every day. I'd eat cheese all the time if Mom would let me. I don't know why she doesn't give me tasty cheese all the time. She goes to the cold box with food in it but she doesn't give me cheese out of it. I watch her though, because she might. I also try to remind her to give me cheese so I don't wither up and die but she doesn't listen to me very well. She just says I'm a stomach on legs and doesn't give me any of her food. Moms are mean.

I wonder if it's dinner time yet? Maybe I'll get cheese. I like cheese.

Practice!

Hi!
Hi, it's me, Koby, again! Mom keeps holding up a weird box at me but I don't know what it does. I sniffed it but it didn't smell like anything interesting. Mom's so weird.

Maybe if I stare really hard at her she'll let me have my treat.
Every day I practice being a good boy. Sometimes it's really hard. When we go on walks (my favorite!) I have to wait at the door until Mom or Dad goes through and then tells me I can go. I wait very patiently for my food, but it's hard because food is delicious. Mom and Dad give me their yogurt or other tasty things if I do what they say, though, so I like that. I can do lots of things! I can sit, I can stay, I can down, I can roll over, I can touch their hand with my nose, I can jump up, and I can wait. Waiting is hard. Mom sometimes puts a treat on the floor so we can practice waiting. I try to tell her that I can do this already and we don't have to practice and can I please just eat that treat already! She doesn't listen, though.

Yay, I get to eat my treat!
I don't get too many snacks right now because Mom says I have an upset tummy. I keep trying to tell her I'm okay but she isn't very good at listening to me. She says I have to go back to the V-E-T. I don't like it there. The people are nice but it's scary and I get poked a lot. Last time we went to the V-E-T I got to go to the big dog park, though. That was fun. Maybe this time we can go again! I like running and playing with the dogs there. Having an "upset tummy" means I get special food. I like special food. Mom makes me chicken which is delicious and rice which is boring. I eat the chicken and maybe the rice if I'm really hungry. Mom puts chicken broth on the rice which is tasty but sometimes when I try to drink the broth I end up eating the rice too. Rice is BORING. I keep telling her but Mom's so bad at listening to me, maybe she needs to practice.

Mom says she's going to make me something called a "flirt pole" so I can practice being good more but she told me it's going to be fun. She tried to teach me "leave it" and "take" cause I guess that's important, but I already knew how! I got her good. I just got treats for doing what I know! I like that. When she has her treats I'm very good cause I know I'll get treats for being good. I have to keep watching her and the treats though because she might forget to give them to me. I like treats.

I'm tired now so I need to go lay on Mom and Dad's big bed until Mom and Dad tell me to get off and go to my bed. Sometimes I pretend not to hear them so I can keep being comfortable. I need my rest too, it's so much work being a good boy. Parents just don't understand.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Hi, I'm Koby! Let's play!

Hi, I'm Koby! Let's play! I like to play. I like to play all the time.

A long long time ago I found myself in a scary place full of lots of dogs. I couldn't play with them because they were all in separate kennels from me. I was sad and scared. Then I got to leave that scary place and go to a home! The man there took me on hikes and did something called "clicker training" where I get treats for doing things. I liked that. He said he wanted to keep me but his mom was scared of me. So I went to live with a lady with other dogs. That was fun, but she said she was trying to find me a forever home of my own. I didn't know what that meant. There were other dogs there so I had to guard my food and things so they wouldn't take it from me. She said black dogs like me sometimes have a hard time finding homes. She looked sad sometimes.

What I found out later was that there was a lady and a man (my mom and dad!) looking on a place called the "in-ter-net" for a dog. Mom gets sad sometimes and Dad told her she should live with a dog to make her happy. I think that's the best idea in the world! She also likes to go running outside with dogs and she would go to a place called a shelter to run with the dogs there, but I guess she wanted her own dog aaaaaallll to herself. So back to that "in-ter-net," somehow my mom found a picture of me! It even had my name with it! My mom wanted a big black dog named Koby, and I happened to be a black dog named Kobe! (She spells it wrong now. It's okay, I don't mind. I also don't think I'm that big, but Mom says I'm too big for her lap so I guess that makes me a big dog. I still sit on her lap, though.)

Well, one day I got to go in the car all by myself with no other dogs in there. And I got to meet Mom! She said I was very cute and very nice and even gave me treats! She handed the lady who was taking care of me some paper and got a bag with other papers and then she took me to her car. I was so excited about going somewhere that I wanted to sit up front, but Dad was in that seat and Mom didn't want me in her lap while she was driving. So I put my head on her shoulder and made sure we were going to the right place.

Mom and Dad took me to their home, which is something called an a-part-ment. To get to theirs, you go in this weird room and then the doors open again and you're someplace else! It must be magic. I think it's magic. Anyway, when I got inside I found a whole basket full of toys! There weren't any dogs to steal them from me, either, but I was still worried that someone would take my things away so I would growl if anyone got close. I'm very scary when I growl. I pulled all my toys out to play with them. Mom and Dad said I do something called "resource guarding" but really I'm just scared that someone's gonna take away my food and toys. But I had my own bed and even a couch to lay on, and tasty food and everything a boy like me could want. Mom and Dad said I was home now and that they would take care of me for a long time. I told them I would like that, and they must've listened cause I'm still here!