11 Jan 2009

Today was one of those days every so often when dad doesn't get up early.  It was already getting light outside when I woke up.  After a BIG yawn and a stretch, I felt pretty happy.  So I started singing.  Pretty soon my sister Daisy joined in.  After a few minutes we heard noises in the other room, so we knew SOMEBODY was getting up.  We quieted down to wait.  But not for long - you better hurry!

Soon dad kinda stumbled in and mumbled something at us.  Dad let me out first.  He always lets me out first, and gives me a hug and a good morning kiss.  Then he comes back for Daisy.  Usually he just lets Daisy out.  But today was special.  He gave Daisy a hug too, and said she should make her mommy proud today.  What does that mean?  Dunno...  Anyway... So we went out to pee.

Dad usually lets us in right away, then puts Daisy to bed and sneaks off with me.  I usually get a bone filled with cream-cheese or peanut butter to snack on.  Some days I play a game called "Get The Paper - Take it to Mom", and I get cookies for playing the game.  But today was even more different than usual.  After the paper game, I was right back in bed by Daisy.  Was I surprised.  No extra play time, and no cream-cheese and peanut-butter bone or extra cookies either..... and instead of going back to bed, dad got busy doing something.  He was listening to those funny-sounding people talking in that box on the desk in his room again.  Those people have funny names - like N6 something and KC9 something.  I hear them talking, but I can never see them.  Anyway... So dad was listening to them while he was working on something.  And he made mom get up too.  Yes, something special was happening today.

I heard mom getting some things together and she talked about dad starting the DOG SHOW VAN.  This is different!  And when mom gets the DOG SHOW VAN warm, she lets us get in it. And then we take off to far-away lands where we have great adventures.  Yesterday we visited Franklin Mountain State Park.  I wonder what today's adventure will be.

Pretty soon Mom loaded us up in the DOG SHOW VAN.  Dad moved the other cars around a little bit.  And we got on the road.  We were going somewhere far away and mom was going so fast I got dizzy looking out the window.  I think we never went that far before.  But soon we stopped.  Mom and dad got out of the DOG SHOW VAN, but they left us.  HEY - forgetting something???  Awww... Shucks.  We wanna play.  Mom and dad came back and got some things from the van, then left us again.  After a few minutes they came back again.  YES!!!  Now it's our turn!!!!!  I'm a happy dog - a happy happy dog....  We are going INSIDE.  Ohhhhhh.........YES!!!

OH - what a nice place!  There are lots of people inside.  And they all like me and Daisy.  And they smell like dogs and dog treats.  I LIKE THIS PLACE !!!  I could smell which place was ours.  Dad had set up some of those green chairs.  And dad made a real nice bed for me.  The bed smelled a little like Uncle Parker.  Dad always takes care of me.  So after meeting some of the nice people, mom took Daisy over to her chair.  And Daisy sat down on MY bed.  HUMPH - that is MY BED!  When dad came over with me, mom said Daisy should make room.  But Daisy stuck her tongue out at me... Nyaaa nya nya - nya nyaaa nyyaaaaaa...  So dad and I went away to play somewhere else.  We can find fun anywhere. 

There was this white fence blocking the middle of the room.  It was a big place with lots of room to play.  But dad wouldn't let me go in and play.  Why not dad?

Pretty soon lots of other dogs were coming in.  This looks like it is going to be fun.  Another human got inside the fence and started talking loudly.  Then one by one people started taking their dogs inside the fence.  They would run and stop and run and stop and run and stop.... But there were no toys or balls - what kind of fun it that?

Pretty soon mom got up.  I could tell she was getting excited.  Mom took Daisy inside the white fence.  Daisy looked scared.  Mom kept trying to bend her legs in a funny position.  Daisy didn't like that, so when mom would let it go to grab another leg Daisy would move it back.  Mom didn't like that.  It was funny watching them.

Then this strange lady came up to Daisy.  Why does she want to look at Daisy's teeth?  Then she petted Daisy all over.  Then she made mom run and stop and stop and run and stop and run and stop.... And Daisy had to follow mom.  My dad was outside the fence trying to take pictures of mom, but I kept pulling on dad's leash.  It wasn't my fault.  Every time Daisy ran past she would tease me.  Then the nice lady called mom over and gave her a red ribbon that said First Place and an orange ribbon that said Best Of Breed.  Whatever that means, it made mom happy.  And someone else gave mom a big dog cookie.  Hmmmm - this could be a good thing - if Daisy shares.

So Daisy came outside the fence and stole my bed again.  We went over to the bed, and mom gave me a piece of the dog cookie.  YUM!  It was really good.  After a few minutes mom took Daisy back inside the fence again.  This time there was another dog in there.  Dad said it was a boxer.  I don't know - but it wasn't wearing any boxing gloves.  Anyway, the lady did it all again.  She looked at Daisy's  teeth, then petted all over again.  Then she made mom run and stop and stop and run and stop all over again.  But then she made the boxer's mom do it too.  I don't get it.  But pretty soon mom was all excited again.  That lady gave her another one of those red ribbon things.  This one was much bigger, and it said FIRST PLACE GROUP.  Whatever - can we go play now?  Where is the cookie?  No cookie???  Awwwww.....

Mom took Daisy outside in the grass.  Dad came out with me and we got to play in the grass for a few minutes.  Then we went back inside.  Daisy stole my bed again.  But I was out socializing with dad, so I didn't care.  I heard the humans around dad talking about Uncle Parker.  They all looked sad, I guess they met Uncle Parker on some of his Great Adventures.  Then dad said that I was the new pup, and I was training up really well.  The humans smiled and petted me.  That made me feel good.  I am trying really hard dad. 

Then mom had to take Daisy inside that white fence again.  There were lots of different dogs in there this time, but the Boxer wasn't there.  And the nice lady did the same thing to them all.  Daisy tried to give the nice lady a kiss.  She liked that and said Daisy was cute.  Is that good?  Dad was trying to take more pictures, but I was jerking him around trying to sniff another dog, and Daisy kept teasing me every time she ran past.  Puppies can't stand still for long dad.

After all the dogs got their teeth checked and all the humans had to run and stop and stop and run and stop again, the nice lady made mom go to the front of the line.  Uh-oh... Maybe Daisy shouldn't have tried to kiss her.  Then mom jumped up and screamed YES!  And the lady gave mom another of those ribbon things.  This one was REALLY REALLY big and colorful, and it said BEST IN MATCH.  Mom was really excited.  On the way out of the fence, someone gave mom a big flat doggie-dish of some kind.  But it was EMPTY!  NO MORE COOKIES?  Oh-whatever.  While they were going back to steal my bed again, Daisy snatched that ribbon thing out of mom's hands.  Then dad gave Daisy a hug and told her she was a good dog.  Shoot - what about ME?  Mom talked to some of the humans and Daisy got to sniff and some dogs.  But dad and I were getting bored. 
I never really got to play.   

Well - I guess I owed Daisy an apology.  Her ears did look pretty good.  And she did win the dog show.  So I gave her a kiss and told her I was sorry and she done good.  Daisy was very gracious and just thanked me.