Spa Day/Happy Holidays!

 Not much new going on here.  Jamie is working night shift and so very, very tired that she's not been able to update this blog as much as she'd like.

Christmas was uneventful here but I did get a basted center bone and yum, I love those things.  Almost as much as power cords (which I have an unfortunate proclivity to chew).

I got a "spa" day today at the groomer's.  Here's my "before" picture:

"Oliver Twist ain't got nothing on my super-duper pauper look."

And after:

"Ok, you may take my picture, silly human."

"Are you blinded by the cuteness factor yet?  No?  Well you darn well should be. "

Did I tell you I'm nine months old now?  Yes, and right on cue, I seem to be going through the "terrible teens."  But with a face like mine, I'm sure Jamie will forgive me.  Because I'm that cute.  

Thank you, dear readers!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted here. I've been working a wonky 12  hour night shift and getting so very little sleep it's a wonder I'm still alive.

Ziggy is growing up and is 8 months old now.  He has taken to barking a the postal people (we keep him indoors--it's just when he hears them coming to the door) and had his first "sleep over" at the pet sitter's house when we went up to Whistler, BC for the weekend.  I think he enjoyed playing with the dog... but I think he probably terrorized the cats.

Here's a couple pictures to tide you over while I get my act together and take more decent photos.

"I'm outta here."

"Did someone say "treats"?"

"

"What's that noise?"

Knitterly supervisor

Jamie knits.  Ziggy "supervises."

"This knitting doesn't look so difficult..."

"Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, I'm quite comfortable, thank you."

"You want me to get up when I look this  cute?  Surely not!"

Daydreaming.

"Make my day.  I dare you."

Pausing to pose

"Yes?"

"Now what?"

"Won't even this goofy pose make you go away?"

"Speak to the paw!"

"Oh, alright, I give up.  Take your stupid picture, then."

Well, if first one's strategy doesn't work...

... just pick the whole darn thing up and tip it over...

How to play the Trixie interactive game in five easy steps, with revised rules, by Ziggy.

Step One:  Play game in fashion humans apparently intended for such a silly trifle of plastic.

Step two:  Glance up at human to make sure she knows how hard you're working on this.  Anticipate a forthcoming cookie.

                    

Step three :  Get increasingly fed up with human's fascination with plastic gadgetry.  Try ignoring stupid human instructions.

Step four  Just tip the darn thing over.  Worked for me. 

Step Five:  (optional) Go back to repository under couch.  Look as cute/pathetic as possible to score more treats.

Ziggy Update

Jamie here, filling in for Ziggy, who is currently too busy playing with his toys and causing a general ruckus to be bothered with such boring, mundane tasks as updating his own blog.

It's been about a month since I got Ziggy, and just this week he finally started sleeping through the night.  At the first few nights, I was up all night, every few hours, taking him outside.  Knock on wood, I hope he continues this trend of sleeping through the night.  (He wakes up around dawn, meaning I'm up around 0530 or 0600--this doesn't amuse me, but what can I do about it?  Nothing.  Just stifle a yawn, grab his leash, and get sweet puppy kisses in return.)

He also prefers to eat out of puzzle toys, and has totally figured out his Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Toy and Kong Wobbler.  Give him fresh dog food in a bowl, even the good stuff, and he'll eat a bite or two and then walk away.  Give him stale (ok, so I don't really feed him stale food) kibble in his Kong Wobbler, and he's all over it.  Go figure.

We're still working on leash walking.  For the most part, he doesn't pull on the leash.  Oh no.  Not Ziggy.  That would be too blase.  No, he has to balk.  I like to joke that I take him not on a walk, but a balk.  He wants to go where he pleases, and sometimes he'll have the attention span to more or less walk with me, and other times, not so much.

Also figured out he hates downpours.  Swell. A dog, who lives in Seattle, which is like, Rain City Capitol, and he hates rain.

Ditto with bath time, nail clipping, and brushing.  Lots of fun we're having these days.

But he is a fun little chap, and with any luck, one day, we'll get to that wonderful place called adulthood sanity.

Signing off,

Jamie

The Eleventh Hour.

... or rather, week!  I'm eleven weeks old today!  And what a ride it's been!

Here's some photos of me:

Why yes, this purple thing is delicious . Why do you ask?

Yes?

I can't look any cuter than this.

Oh wait, perhaps I can.

Ziggy Zonked Out.

It's a hard life; gotta get my zzzzz's while I can.

Weebles Wobble

... but Kong Wobblers fall down.

Behold the mighty Ziggy taking down the Kong Wobbler:

Puppy school

I had my first puppy lesson today and boy was it fun!  Afterwards, I got to play with some other dogs.  This is me at play time, near tuckered out:

And a couple more of me:

I'm going to go take a long nap now, folks!  Bark at you later!

Having a ball!

Here's me playing!  I love to play!

Conked out.

Me at my most angelic!  Sleeping!

He who dies with the most toys, wins.

Here's me playing with my Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Toy.  It was on sale at Amazon, so Jamie bought me the toy.    I am ten weeks old as of this past Thursday, and boy, am I a spitfire!  Always on the go!

And here I am, looking like a happy puppy should!

In which I play with my tuggr leash

What are you looking at?

Sitting pretty, no?

Attack puppy!

I tried to get cuter than this, but it's just not possible.

 

Oh wait, it totally is.

 And so forth.         

This is me grinning.  I've made my day. 

Chilly Bone

Just for kicked back Sunday giggles, here's a picture of me with my Chilly Bone (Jamie doesn't give it to me Chilly--it just kind of ends up cold and soggy):

I always make sure to look super petulant right before Jamie clicks the shutter!

Can't beat the real thing.

In which I conquer a plastic Coke bottle:

(N.B. Try not to become nauseated by Jamie's shaky-cam videography). 

Ziggy Nation

I've been here with Jamie for almost a week.  And what a week it's been! 

In a nutshell, I'm cute.  Totally and unabashedly cute.  Everybody wants to pet me.  And I love everybody.  Maybe a little too much with my sharky teeth, LOL. 

I still whine when I'm in my X pen.  Jamie seems to dislike this immensely, but I don't know why.  I'm just registering my Intense Disapproval, after all. 

But did I mention the cuteness?

Thought so ;-). 

Crossing paws

I have to admit.  I was giving Jamie a run for her money there, for a few days.  And I still might.

But I seem better this afternoon.

I whined.  And whined.  And whined. And whined. And whined.

Ad infinitum.

Not just at night when she put me in the crate (every hour, on the hour, wanting to go outside.  And Jamie willingly obliged.  SUCKER.)

When I was in my X pen in the kitchen, it didn't matter if Jamie was in the next room over in plain sight, I had to tell her how upset I was.  Frequently.  Loudly.  And more or less continuously.

And then somehow this afternoon, I seem to have pulled it together.  Toned it down a little.  Given her a break.  Maybe I'm starting to realize this place isn't for the birds, and I might like it here.  Maybe I realized she's not going to send me to live with birds (whatever that means.)  But I calmed down a mite.  Had fewer all out drama king fits.  Eased up a little, if you will.

But that's not saying I will tomorrow. (Plots in puppy fashion).

Kong is King

Jamie insists that I post yet another video In Which I Play With a Toy.  Seriously, does she think I have nothing else to do with my day?  Or you, dear viewer, with yours?

I guess the answer would be:  apparently not. 

So here's another video:

Watch it!  I dare ya!

Play Ball!

This video is probably about as much fun as watching paint dry, as videos go (I can't believe Jamie made me write that.  I am Ziggy.  I am fun and interesting by my very nature.  Phewey on Jamie, says I. )  

Ah ha!  Success!  I believe I will press "publish" now.