Sandy Buoy

I love many things as I have shared with you. I love most things in my world, moms, people, other dogs, cookies, ball... but there is one thing that I hate... SANDY BUOY! As you have seen in the past, when I swim, I chase a orange buoy. My moms throw them into the lakes and I love retrieving them. When I come out of the water, I have my post swim routine. I run out to the grassy area, drop my buoy, shake and they proceed to roll on my buoy. My moms always laugh because they don't understand why I do this routine everytime I swim. I would tell you, but I honestly don't know either. It's in my bloods and I have an urge to roll on my buoy so it smells like me. BUT, there is one thing that happens every so often.... I accidently drop my buoy into the sand! OH NO! What do I do?? I can't roll on it because I refuse to get my body all sandy! I can't pick it up because then I would get sands in my mouth! Oh god.... my buoy... I want to swim, but it is so sandy! I get all confused and then... well you need to see for youself...

So you see... the only way to get a sandy buoy out and back in the lakes is to dig, dig, dig, dig. Until next time, Good Day!

Kousin Koa

Over this past weekend I got to meet my cousin Koa. Koa is an 11 week Shiba Inu (pronounced "eenu"). For those of you that do not know about Shiba Inu's, they are Japanese dog breed that is quite aloof and cat like. They do not get very large (only about 20lbs) and they have what is called a "Shiba Scream". I did not hear this dreadful scream this weekend, but I have heard it is terrifying! Anyway, Shibas are not for everyone, but they are very good dogs. They love their people, and that is about it. They certainly do not like being picked up by strangers or family members that they met two days ago. They also do not like it when they have a dingleberry... very traumatic. But like all dogs, they are good dogs. They love to play with toys and will tolerate other dogs. TOLERATE. For more information on Shiba Inu's, you can visit the AKC website.

Anyway, this weekend I got to meet my first Shiba Inu, Koa. Koa is my new cousin and arrived from Arkansas last week. He lives in Boston with his Mom and Dad and over the weekend they came up to see me at the lakes! I was very excited to see Derek and Karen! I know that Derek was not a dog person so I always gravitated to him. I even made him break out in hives on year because I wanted him to like me. Karen is wonderful and always pets me! This time, Derek and Karen had a surprise for me... a puppy! I immediately wanted to pounce on him, but my mom had to restrain me. I was not thrilled. I was put in the house and waited impatiently until Koa was brought inside. How exciting! A PUPPY TO PLAY WITH!!!! Except for the fact that Koa did not want to play with me! How can a puppy not want to play with me? I am super friendly, a great tugger, I will submit to you and show you my belly, you can play with all my toys... what more could you ask for little Koa??

I wanted to know the answer... so I kept following him around the house. "Koa. Koa? Koa? Koa, come here? Koa, I want to ask you something. Koa." He wouldn't talk to me... he just kept running away and protecting his soft underbelly with his tail (strange). I felt dejected...why was Koa not playing with me? Then, something happened. I forced him into a corner because I wanted to know why he wasn't talking to me or answering my questions. I was determined for him to answer me, and he did. He said, "Go Away" and tried to nip my nose. Confused, I walked away. Mom told me that I needed to give him some space. So I did. I let him rest and explore the house while I left him alone. I thought to myself, maybe he will play with me tomorrow, and he did!

He barked at me and put himself in play position! Then I put myself in play position and got very excited because I was so happy! Finally Koa wanted to play with me! I was so happy that I started to run and run and run and run until I knocked him over! Sorry Koa, but you make me so happy! Welcome to the family! I love you! Until I see you again my little friend, Good Day!

Bikejoring

"Bikejorning is a dog mushing activity related to skijoring, canicross, and dog scootering. It is a recreation or sport where a harnessed dog or team of dogs attached to a towline have to pull and run ahead of a cyclist" thank you Wikipedia for this wonderfull definition.

I had no idea that his wonderful sport existed. You think that a sprinter like myself (my mom called me a whippet when I was younger) would know of such a wonderful sport! Alas, I did not, but after yesterday my whole world changed.

My mom got a bike from EMS on Monday and jokingly said, "I am going to have Madi try bikejoring". I did not take this as a joke. I wanted to go! I wanted to run! So yesterday, after Moxie and I went for a walk around our cul-de-sac, Mom got her bike and held my leash. She started to pedal and, at first, I was not sure what to do. Do I run? Do I sniff the ground? Which way do I go? My instincts took over and were shouting RUN, MADI, RUN! (Do you get the Forest Gump reference there?) So I did! Then mom started pedaling faster, so I ran faster. The faster she pedaled, the faster I ran! It was glorious to feel the wind through my furs in a full sprint!!!

Then I could feel the leash tense up, so I started to slow. Mom said "Wait, Madi" so I slowed to a trot until Mom got closer to me and we stopped together. She looked at me with a big smile and said "Good job Mads! Let's turn around and go the other way." So we did and I got big praises afterwords!

Hello Bikejorning!!! Where have you been all these years!  Until next time, Good Day!