Bring It, Leia!

Now that I have had a few growth spurts and weigh over 70 pounds, Leia and I have such a great time playing. Today was a beautiful late summer day, and we spent a good 15 to 20 minutes wrestling each other and running around the yard. Ok, Leia was doing most of the running (she is way too fast!), but I hung around, waiting to pounce at her when she got closer.

After a hard day of playing, it's nice to retire to the family room couch, curl up with a snuggly toy, and reflect on the good times. What a good life I have!

King of the Mountain

This week was back to business as usual. My parents can tell that I've matured quite a bit from my young puppy days. Despite my more calm demeanor, I do still love all my toys. And I mean all my toys, at once. When I'm playing up on the couch, my mom likes to throw all of my soft toys at me, burying me in a pile of plush wonder. It is good to be king. Sometimes Leia even wants in on the action. She doesn't really participate, but likes to lie nearby.

So Many Changes!

It has been some time since my last blog entry, as things around here got all crazy! Mom and dad left to visit my grand puppy parents in California for a week. You could tell they were sad to leave, but I knew I'd have a great time with my local grand puppy parents watching me. And did we ever! We spent tons of time outdoors, and I think some of our meals were a bit larger than normal (thank you). The time flew by, and my parents returned on Saturday.

Apparently I had done some growing over the week they were gone, because they were commenting on how long and lean (not underfed) I was looking. I thought the world was looking a tad bit smaller from up here. I also lost my final puppy tooth at some point and now have a (not really) ferocious smile. Grrrrrr. I feel a bit calmer with age too, though still just as playful. Perhaps roughing it without my mommy around taught me to be a man! My nose wrinkle that I had as a young puppy continues to fade, however my wide-set eyes that lured my parents into selecting me are still as striking as ever. And perhaps the biggest change is that my dad decided to try feeding me a larger piece of meat and bone now, seeing if I would attempt to chew it, and I did! I ate all three pieces slowly, chewing each bite thoroughly. I'm not sure whether they were celebrating my maturity or the fact that they no longer need to chop all of my meals into small pieces... or a little bit of both.

Leia is the same sweet, yet somewhat Eeyore-like, dog she has always been. She too enjoyed all the outdoor time with the grand puppy parents, and is liking me even more as I calm down with age.

Chewy... well Chewy might need to ease up on the Fancy Feast. Those are some serious love handles!

Raspberry Robber

A recently established canine tradition in our home is raspberry robbing. I learned about this treat just this week when the raspberries ripened. My mom was over at the bushes and showed Leia that the fruit was ripe. Leia daintily sniffed around to locate the deep red berries and gently plucked them off, one by one. My mom pulled one off and held it out to me... and it was delicious! Unlike Leia, I went all in... snatching vines and leaves with the berries. When I get a little too excited, my mom calls me off the berries. I listen pretty well, though that is one of the first places I head when we go outside!

Apparently this tradition all started last year when my parents decided to see if their dogs, Napoleon (who passed away later that year) and Leia, would eat a raspberry. Well Napoleon sure did, and quickly picked up on where these sweet fruits were coming from. He would nose around and carefully pluck a ripe raspberry from the vine using his front teeth.

Leia enjoyed the treats but was a bit more cautious about plucking her own, as you can see in the picture below. It really wasn't until this year that she grew the confidence to gather her own snack.

Waiting for the Tooth Fairy

This week I lost puppy teeth! The first tooth (the smaller one) I kind of lost on Leia's face. I was jumping up, play biting her head, and "plink". There was a tooth laying on the hardwood. Mom was excited and quickly scooped it up, petting me in the process. She took a picture of it on her phone and sent it to my dad at work. The next one she noticed on the couch today while she was watching TV. It was a ninja tooth. My gums were a little bit bloody this week from their losses, but nothing a few ice cubes (or "ice coobies" as I like to call them) won't fix.

Now I just sit and wait for the tooth fairy to come and leave a cookie under my bed.... if she can even pick it up with me on it!

The Stanley Cup

One thing my new parents have introduced me to is the game of hockey. Yesterday was game 7 of this year's Stanley Cup final, and there was a lot of hooting and hollering in this house! Although neither of my parents are from Boston, they developed a love for the city after my mom was successfully treated for stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma at Mass. General Hospital. They were thrilled to see their new team fighting for the cup, and finally clenching victory in a shutout game. And for every one of the four goals the Bruins made, they cheered and clapped, which abruptly woke me from my beauty rest. Once I lazily picked my head up and assessed the situation, I was back to sleep within a minute.

I did watch a bit of the first period, curiously watching the fast-paced game as the camera followed players chasing after something. I realize I'd probably be pretty good at hockey.. I like to chase after balls, run around with sticks, and slam into my sister Leia with my whole body. I'm not sure what that white ground is that they play on, but it looks like it could be fun. While I wanted to stay and watch more (and get pets from my parents), I was too tired from a long day of playing outside. I soon retired to the wood floor to dream of my future hockey career.

Somewhere around the third period, I flopped into my signature pose: sprawled out on my back, my manhood fully exposed to the night air. What a great life.

Kiddie Pool Remix

This isn't really new news, but my grand puppy father from California sent me a copy of the video he took on his cell phone of my first adventure in the kiddie pool on May 8th. So while it is a bit past May, the video is too cute NOT to post. There was a bit of controversy over whose idea it was to throw in the blue ball, but the video proves it. It was my grand puppy mother from California! Good call Gammy!

It's Gnomeo!

I've had a great weekend playing outdoors in the warm weather. My parents spent some time gardening and lounging on the patio, so Leia and I had tons of time to frollick and explore the yard. A spectacular place is the wooded garden area in the very back of the yard. It is all shaded and has paths for Leia and I to chase around. Both of my parents thought that the woodland setting brought out the bear characteristics in me. "Grrrrr..... Give me your picinic basket!"

We also got to play with the gnomes living back there. They used to live further up in the tree, but have been evicted multiple times by the squirrels. They now reside at the base of the tree, where they seem to be at one with nature.

Back in the wooded garden, I found tons of amazing sticks. My dad was kind enough to play some 'fetch' with me, which I enjoyed immensely. One time when I was bringing the stick back, a plane flew pretty closely overhead! My parents didn't seem bothered at all... they were more amused by my reaction to it!

Yesterday, dad had the day off of work, so we spent almost the whole day out back in the sunshine. Since the threats of storms had passed, he pulled out my swimming pool. It was so hot I even sat down in the pool, letting the cool water rush over about half of my body. My grand-puppy parents that live locally came by to help with some of the yard work, and to see me of course! It was a great day, though I was completely pooped for the rest of the evening. I could barely move to go outside to 'get it together'.

Stormy Day

Yesterday a beautiful storm rolled in, and we hung out in the backyard watching it while it was safe. The clouds danced around, frequently changing direction and altitude. Thunder was booming and echoing in the distance. I wasn't phased by the storm, and took the time to wander around the yard, investigating the different plants and scents. When the thunder drew close, we made our way inside, and shortly after it began to pour and hail. Leia didn't seem concerned with the loud cracks of thunder, so I didn't worry about it either.

Earlier in the day, I had my last puppy vaccine at the vet's office. I was such a good boy, though I fussed about standing on the scale. There were people all bustling around, and I just wanted to be pet and cuddled by them all! Is that too much to ask?! Finally they got me to sit, and the scale stopped around 40 pounds. I guess I am a bit smaller than some of my siblings (at 50+ pounds), but the vet said I look very healthy and am a good weight. He predicted that I should be getting a growth spurt soon, where I will probably gain significant height, which will be great to be closer to Leia's size for playing!

The Great Dane

This poem is inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven', with my sister Leia as my muse.

The Great Dane

Once upon an early morn, a dew-frost nose I did adorn,

When beckoning my mother called, "Wookie!"

I ran to her, my long coat flowing in the breeze, gently blowing

Focused on my mother glowing - glowing like a mom should be

With a pup as cute as me.

When we got up on the porch, the light inside shined like a torch,

I could see him sitting right inside - oh that little Chewy.

As the door cracked open slightly, I pushed through with strength almighty

Leia watching whispered lightly, warning from her memory

"Little Wookie, let him be."

I didn't listen, it was time for me to make that kitty mine,

Show him what a champion I can be!

The cat took off, I followed suit, and on we chased around a loop,

Around the table in a loop, until that cat was chasing me!

Quoth the Great Dane, "Let him be."

Now I saw the tables turned; why was this a bridge I burned?

As now the target was Wookie!

Lunging toward me, fury lashing, his razor claws extended, flashing

All this furious lashing - lashing out right at me.

Quoth the Great Dane, "Let him be."

In she charged and bellowed loud, rumbling through the whole house,

Stunning both Chewy and me.

Seeing that this chase had wrapped, she walked off slowly for a nap,

Peace she needed for this nap, which was postponed because of me.

Sighed Leia, "Let me be."

The past week has been a whirlwind, with not a minute to spare for me to share my adventures. My grand-puppy-parents flew in from California, and it was so much fun to meet them. Our whole pack went to a local walk/run that raises money for cancer treatment, and I got to meet a whole bunch of new people. My dad's birthday was earlier in the week, and all my grand-puppy-parents came over for a nice dinner. Then, I had my first experience with my parents away, as they needed to head to Boston for my mom's two-year post-cancer check up... and thankfully they came home with great news! Yesterday we had a bunch of family over for a celebration, and it was a beautiful day... which leads me to my next story....

My First Kiddie Pool

The weather was nice, and my mom had just picked up a nice plastic kiddie pool for me to play in over the summer. My parents couldn't wait to fill it up, and to share my first moments of drenched cuteness with my grand-puppy-parents. I was a bit timid at first, curiously prodding at the water with my nose and front paw. It looked inviting, and the splashing was just so much fun.

Simple math finally pushed me into the water. Pool + ball = fun.

I'm never too busy to strike a cute pose, even after falling face first in the water.

My Big Sister, Leia

Leia and I get along so well now. When she saw me splashing around in the water, she came over and carefully stepped in to join me. She isn't really a fan of the water, so she only dipped her toes in for a short while before sunbathing in the grass.

And when she trots around the yard, I love to follow her around. Thankfully she usually keeps a slower pace so I can keep up. When she is at full speed, she leaves me in the dust!

I really look up to her and aspire to be like her when I am older. Here she is displaying one of her very impressive talents: the Art of Drooling. She's a pro. She flaps her head to make war-marks across her face and dangles long delicate strands from her jowls. This one happens to be majestically blowing in the wind.

Grass Attack!

After playing in a kiddie pool, the only natural thing to do is to roll around in the grass! Fine blades of grass were held above my head and gently showered from above. One even gracefully landed upon my nose.

And then it turned violent. Grass attack. Like little soldiers, the blades of grass covered my body. I twisted and turned in horror, but they did not give up. They continued to march...

I had no choice but to retreat. Using any energy I had left, I pulled off an incredible evasive maneuver: the shake-while-running. I'll admit it was a risky move, but it worked. I successfully freed myself from the aggressive grass army, and went back to the pool. The water was much more civilized.

Stupid Kitty

I'll end my story with this final thought: cats are stupid. My mom had set the table for dad's special birthday dinner, but as soon as she walked away, my feline brother Chewy jumped right up on the table and made himself comfortable in the bowl reserved for the bread. That's one furry biscuit!

Pup in the Paper

The past few days have been a whirlwind. On Tuesday, my picture (with my mom on the other end of the leash) was in all of the local papers. Front page news in two of them! Sure the article was about my mom's battle with cancer and the upcoming walk/run for cancer that my parents help organize, but I think I was the breakout star. The photographer wanted me on a specific side, so I went. The photographer wanted me to look up at him, so I did. I sat there posing, trying a few different expressions to get that perfect shot. I guess my mom looked okay in it too.

The rush of people finally settled down and the mobs stopped swarming the house for a glimpse of me. Okay, so they might have just been school children walking by on their way to school. In any case, normal life had to resume, and that included another visit to the vet. It was that time for my third round of puppy vaccinations, and I was happy to go back. I even jumped into the car!

Like my other experiences at the vet, this one was great. I get a bit scared in the waiting room if another dog loudly barks, but my mom doesn't seem concerned, so I just hide behind her legs and observe the situation. When my name was called and we went to the scale, the tech knelt down and was excited to see me. It was so awesome and exciting for me too, and I peed all over the place again. I just can't help myself. She was great though and didn't mind. I finally calmed down enough to walk onto the scale... 31 pounds! Even though I've gained six pounds in the past two weeks, the vet said that I looked very healthy.

This week has been very exciting, which should continue through next week. My grand puppy parents are flying in from California today and will be staying for just over a week. I have never met them, but I know they will love me. Who couldn't?!

Hoppy Easter!

Today we celebrated my first ever Easter. The whole weekend has been beautiful, and we spent a lot of time playing outdoors. Leia and I even went on a hunt around the whole yard for the Easter Bunny, or any bunnies for that matter, but found nothing. Well, we did find a bunch of sticks... my favorite!

Leia and I are really getting along great now. We play all the time in the yard, chasing each other, stealing each others sticks, and pouncing on our big red ball together. Her favorite is when I chase her, and sometimes when I get distracted by something, she comes up and noses me into chasing her more.

My favorite outdoor activity by far is chewing sticks, followed closely by parading around with a stick and finding sticks. My parents love when I do these things, because they think it is adorable. They are always nearby in case I break off a piece that I might choke on. Most of the time I am good and just spit out the pieces... most of the time.

Since it was Easter, I thought it would be nice to do something sweet for my mom. While Leia, daddy, and I were playing in the yard, she was sitting over by herself, watching us. She is recovering from surgery and needs to rest a lot. So I decided to bring her the big red Jolly Ball, in case she wanted to play too. Boy was she happy, as she laughed and praised me when I brought it to her. She even traded me a stick!

Save the Sticks!

Last weekend, after a big rain storm, my parents gave me the pleasure of playing in the massive puddle in the yard. I started off nosing the water, and splashing my massive paws around. That changed as soon as my dad threw a stick in the water. I must save the stick!

Each time I brought the stick out of the water, my parents fussed over me, and I loved it. At one point I even pulled a magic trick, as my dad had thrown a small stick into the puddle, but I came back with one twice my size. Leia didn't really want any part of the cold water, but that's okay. More room for me.

The puddle is mostly dried up now... just a bit of squishy grass. My parents say more rain will come, and I will once again be able to romp around the water and embrace being a puppy.

** My mom decided to start uploading videos to You Tube and then linking it in my blog. This will allow us to share longer, more quality videos. And who knows, maybe I will be the next Justin Bieber! **

Growing up is hard to do... and a little painful

Yesterday my parents brought me into the vet to get my Rabies vaccination now that I am 12 weeks old. I was just in this strange place last week, but I was too young for the shot (only 11 weeks), and my parents don't feel comfortable getting that and my normal vaccines at the same time. I was okay with this, as I knew that meant I would get to come back and get treats and more lovin'.

And boy was I right! After we checked in and were waiting for our appointment, the vet tech I saw last week, the one that gave me all the treats, came over and was super excited to see me. I was super excited too, and "excited" all over the floor. Hey, they call me 'Wookie Leaks' for a reason.

Anyways when it was time to go in, we took a stop at the scale. 25 pounds.... awwww yeayah! I had gained five pounds this past week, which made a lot of sense considering all the whining I was doing. My limbs were achy, and I would lick and lightly nibble them, hoping it would feel better. I guess I was having a growth spurt! Mom says that might happen a lot, as I begin to grown into these big, floppy paws of mine!

The rest of the appointment went great, and before I knew it, we were home again. After a long nap, we went out back for another off-leash play session. It was awesome as I started chasing Leia, though I was scared a few times when she turned around to circle back for me. She is huge, 130 pounds, and it is a bit intimidating. I ran back to the safety of my parents legs, and waiting for her to turn again.... then ::pounce::. It was back on!

When the excitement settled down a bit, and some of our energy had been sapped, Dad brought me an amazing gift. A nice, thick stick. I chewed on it a bit, until he gently took it away and threw it a short distance away. "Get it," he called out. I playfully bounded toward the stick, and paraded my finding around the yard in front of my parents. I like that game a lot, and didn't mind playing it for awhile.

When both Leia and I were tuckered out, lying in the grass as the crisp air made my mom shiver, it was time to head back into the house. I was put back on my leash, and we walked as a pack toward the back porch. Another fun day.

Wookie on the Loose

It was a beautiful Spring day today... the sun was shining bright, little tufts of puffy white clouds littered the blue skies, and a gentle crisp wind was blowing. What a perfect day to play outside!

My pack headed outdoors, and once I had "gotten it together", I got a huge surprise. I was let off my leash! Sure I was still fenced into the backyard, but this was a new found freedom. I wasn't sure what to do at first... I just kinda wandered around sniffing. When I looked up, my pack had walked away from me toward the center of the backyard. I quickly bounded toward them, as I enjoy the safe feeling being near the pack gives me.

We had a great time playing, sniffing, and eating some grass and leaves! When it was time to head in, my dad knelt down and held out some treats while calling "come". I didn't notice at first, but my sister Leia sure did. She quickly trotted over to him, and I followed, figuring she knew what she was doing. We enjoyed our freeze-dried liver snacks as dad snapped my leash back onto my collar.

All that playing was a lot of fun, but we were definitely all tuckered out. Leia and I found our napping spots in the den... her on the recliner, and me nestled on the floor beside her. I cannot wait for this to happen again.

My First "Bath"

My parents want to expose me to a lot of experiences as a young puppy so that I will be a more easy-going adult. Today we went upstairs for some water play. My dad stood in the shower stall with me, the water aimed toward the wall. He encouraged me to investigate the flowing water as it streamed down the wall, pooled across the floor, and swirled down the drain. I was allowed to walk freely in and out of the stall, though I got much more praise for hanging inside the shower. At some point, my dad sprayed the water over my back a bit, but I didn't mind at all. I was too fascinated with the drain!

After a bit of play, it was time to be finished and to get toweled off. Man is that fun! My mom shakes the towel around calling my name, and frantically rubs it all over when I run to her. She is teaching me that getting toweled off is fun, but I do get reprimanded if I accidentally bite through the towel. I am a quick learner. My dad was filming it, which was an exciting experience too.

To the Vet

Yesterday I had a vet appointment to get my second series of puppy vaccines. My parents had learned that Parvovirus was going around the area, so my daddy carried me the whole time. My precious little (well kind of big) paws never touched the ground. I didn't really know what to expect in this place, especially after seeing a few dogs go in and come out of some doors in the back.

"Wookie" someone called, holding a folder in their hands. My parents stood up and walked toward her. The three of us walked toward the doors, making a quick stop at a large floor scale. I now weigh 20 pounds, and proud of it! I was around 16 or 17 pounds when my parents first picked me up, so I have been gaining around a pound per week.

Soon after entering a small room, the vet tech left the room to grab my vaccine. Thankfully the vaccine is a combination, so I would only receive one shot. I sniffed the syringe when she came back, but my attention was quickly diverted to a soft treat she had smeared on the counter in front of me. Om nom nom. I was so busy licking up the delicious treat that I didn't even notice her give me the shot!

Afterwards, my parents also had her trim my nails for the first time, as they bring my big sis here to get hers done as well. They wanted me to experience this at a young age, so that I will be accustom to it and stand patiently like a little angel. Again, the tech bribed me with treats, and man did I love it. Every snip, I got a little bit of treat. I never flinched or pulled my paw away... and the treats kept flowing. I wouldn't mind getting my nails trimmed everyday!

When we got home, Leia sniffed me all over. She was very curious where I had been and what had happened. It was an exciting adventure, one that was worthy of a lengthy nap.

My First Ice Cube

What an exciting day! Earlier in the day while we were all outside, some kind of heavy snow started falling from the sky. My mom referred to it as 'hail', though she was not too concerned about it as it was very snow-like. The white balls fell and clung to my rich chocolate coat, and after a few seconds I looked like a baby fawn. We made our way onto the back porch (me bounding with excitement) and watched for a few minutes, listening to the tiny 'pings' as it hit the tin roof above us.

Well this gave my parents the idea to give me my first ice cube. With pop standing close by in case I decided to literally bite off more than I could chew, I played and licked at the cold and mysterious object. It seemed intuitive to grab it and bring it onto the carpet, and later tested to see how it acted on the hard, kitchen flooring. Just as I had suspected... it slid all over the place. So back to the carpet we went, until the whole thing was gone. Weird how the object just kind of disappeared. I did bite at it a little, but I don't recall ever really chewing it. I just licked at it a lot, and flipped it all over the floor.

Puppy Haiku

seasons changing,

the last snow grips for life.

warmth is coming

struggling blades.

new grass emerges

while last year's blow

the earthy taste

and firm but giving feel.

this is my stick

leaves are blowing

must pounce into action.

I got you leaf

towering above

my big sister approaches.

sniff

Puppies have a 'Reset' Button?

No, I am not imprisoned on criminal counts of cuteness. This is my crate, my bed, my den. My first night I was kind of scared to be left in here alone... the only one downstairs. But just as my mommy said, I am starting to enjoy my crate as a place of rest and safety. In fact, I no longer whine or complain when I am in there, and am willing to enter on my own so long as a treat is present. I have just enough room to cozy up and sleep... with a few toys to chew on in case I have teething pains. I usually rearrange the towels my mom meticulously sets up, nesting into the perfect bed (as you can see above). The whole crate is actually huge, and has a movable divider that can be adjusted as I grow.

This leads me to my 'reset button'. Yesterday I kept my parents busy with a marathon of indoor pottying. They would let me out, and I would go, but then five minutes later I'd go in the house. Hey, don't knock peeing on the carpet 'till you try it. Of course they couldn't get mad at me (I mean look at my face)... all they could do is let out a sigh and clean up after me. I was unpredictable all day long, which led them to declare a 'reset'.

Basically this involved me taking naps in my crate throughout the day, as I have never messed in my den. I go outside to "get it together" right before going in and right after coming out of my crate. Then I can play in an enclosed area with my parents, Leia, and sometimes Chewy... with my parents having peace of mind that my bladder has been freshly emptied. Not only does this help my parents maintain their sanity and their home, but it will also help to teach me to hold my bladder a bit, which I am admittedly having a bit of trouble with. It's hard for me to realize that I shouldn't just go where ever I am as soon as I feel the slightest urge to relieve myself.

Right now my naps are pretty short, about an hour to an hour and a half, as I am still very young and can only hold myself so long. At night I am able to go four and a half hours, allowing my mom to get up once a night to come let me out and cuddle with me for a few minutes. Sure she is tired in the morning, but I know she loves it! In the coming weeks, she'll start to push her visit back little by little, until eventually I will be able to sleep the whole night through.

My New Home

One week ago, I made the trip from my birth home to the home of my new family. It was a long drive, maybe 5 hours to upstate New York, but I was cuddled the whole way. We stopped quite a few times so I could go to the bathroom, and one time, close to the new home, an Amish horse and cart rode by. I was intrigued by the new sight, but admittedly a bit scared. I argue my leap to safety behind my dad's leg was manly... we'll leave it at that.

I now have a new sister, Leia the black Great Dane, who I literally look up to, as well as a feline brother named Chewy. I think they were unsure of me at first, but they are already more comfortable with me, and I can feel that they have welcomed me into their pack. Apparently my mom and dad really like this series of movies called Star Wars, or something like that. I was named after a mystical creature called a Wookiee (they dropped the extra 'e' for aesthetic purposes).... but I'm not sure I see the resemblance.