8 May 2009

This morning was another big surprise.  Dad didn't get up on time.  It was already turning light outside.  I started making noises - "Dad - you're going to be late for work".  Dad got up and let me out.  When I was let back in dad was dressed, but not in his work clothes.  Dad put me back in my bed, when woke mom up.  Mom got up and started our doggie breakfast while dad was busy doing other things.  Soon I recognized the pattern.  Mom and dad were packing.  Someone was going somewhere.  I had lots of questions now.  Who is going?  Where are they going?  Can we come along???

Then - I SAW IT!  My favorite green training bag!  YES!!!!  I am going somewhere.  I'm a lucky dog - a lucky lucky dog... But WHERE am I going?  Oh - it doesn't really matter - I am going somewhere with my dad.  After a bit Heidi came with Bobby the "skin" puppy.  I got to give the Bobby puppy some puppy kisses.  I like Bobby.  Pretty soon mom and dad had everything packed in the dog show van.  Then Daisy and I got loaded up.  Dad started doing his "pre-flight" checks, getting the radio, GPS and other systems checked out and running.  Mom got the motor started and the air blowing to keep us dogs comfortable.  And we were on the way.

This time we went a different way.  We started out going like we go to dog training.  I thought maybe we were just going to dog training early.  But when we got to that Las Cruces place mom went a different way.  We went a long long time on the road without stopping.  After a while I got sleepy so I took a nap. Then I woke up when mom stopped the dog show van.  We were off the highway and in some city called Albuquerque.  Mom stopped at another one of those buildings where you sleep.  Mom went inside, then came out and said it was the wrong place.  Something was wrong - the place she wanted to sleep at was gone.  So mom used that phone thing while dad pushed buttons on the GPS and soon we were moving again.  After a few minutes we came to another place.  Mom went inside, and then came out again.  Just like last time, dad parked the dog show van and started taking stuff out and into the room.  And just like last time, they locked the door and we were on the road again.  Yup - just like last time - a DOG SHOW!!!  I'm a happy dog - a happy happy dog.. We are going to another dog show.

When we got inside the dog show grounds I went with dad and mom took Daisy. First we went looking for that nice Mary-Lynn lady.  Mom likes Mary-Lynn.  But she wasn't there.  Then we went looking for some kind of testing.  It was called
CGC - for Canine Good Citizen Testing.  We got to the right table, and mom told the lady we were from El Paso and we were there to test River.  RIVER?  That's me!  Gulp.. Uh-oh - I was a little scared.  Uncle Parker didn't warn me about a Canine Good Citizen Test.  So I looked at my dad.  Dad was smiling, and he rested his hand on me and said not to worry, this was easy.  Well - OK dad.  But I am worried.

A nice lady talked to dad, and dad had to write on some papers.  Then he opened his training bag and showed the nice lady some papers.  The papers were about me, when I was born and when Dr. Julie gave me some shots.  Mom held me while
dad was busy.  When dad was done, he took my leash from mom.  Then the nice lady asked dad if we were ready.  Dad gave me a quick hug and said "Yes - we are ready".  I wasn't so sure - but I would follow dad and do my best.

Dad took me inside the ring.  This wasn't too scary so far, I have been in a ring before.  The nice lady asked dad some things, and then she petted me and gave me a treat.  That was nice.  Then she got my doggie brush and brushed me a
little and talked to me nice.  I like getting brushed.  After a little while she stopped brushing me.  Then she had dad walk around the ring.  Dad asked me to heel and sit like we do at dog training.  I spotted a treat on the floor and I was watching it and forgot to sit.  The nice lady picked up the treat and gave it to me.  YUMMY!  So we finished our walk around the ring and I got all the sits right too.  Then we did a down - stay, then a sit - recall.  It was all easy, so far.  Dad knelt down beside me, gave me a hug and said I was doing fine.  I wasn't even scared any more.  Dad seemed confident that it was all going well, I could sense that dad was even a little excited.  So I was getting excited too.

Next - the nice lady called to all her friends to come meet me.  They all crowded around, and dad walked me around and through them while they were talking.  It was just like dodging the slower dogs in training.  One of the friends had one of those walker things.  But that didn't bother me none - I have seen them before too.  Then she said I passed and they could all go back.  There was only one more test.  The nice lady took my leash.  Dad told me to sit and stay.  Then dad left me.  I was a little worried, but I know my dad loves me and I just sat and watched the spot where he went.  After a long 3 minutes the nice lady called dad, and dad came back for me.  Even though I was happy to see dad coming back, I remembered that my training says I have to sit still and wait till dad says I can get up.  Dad came back in the ring.  Then nice lady gave dad my leash, and dad said "OK".  Dad was very happy, and I hopped up and gave dad a lick on the nose.  I could tell dad was very happy with me.  Then the nice lady said "River passed".  She filled out the papers dad gave her, and gave them back
to dad.  Then she told dad I was the best-behaved dog she had seen all day.  Dad gave me a hug, and I could tell he was thinking of Uncle Parker while he was hugging me. 
I was thinking of Uncle Parker too.  Thank you Uncle Parker for picking me to be dad's new dog.  I worked hard with dad, and we passed our first test, the CGC.  So my name is now RIVER, CGC.  I'm a happy dog - a happy happy dog..  Dad was so happy he almost floated out of the ring.  Mom was there taking photos.  Daisy had to sit and watch me too.

Dad packed up my training bag, and we loaded up in the dog show van for a ride back to that room-place.  It is called a motel I think.  Anyway - we got back to the room and unloaded the rest of the stuff.  Dad had a nice bed already made
for me.  Dad takes good care of us dogs on the road.  But we didn't have time to rest.  In a few minutes mom and dad took Daisy and I for a walk.  And do you know what was across the street from the motel place?  A DOG PARK!  YES - I'm a
lucky dog - a lucky lucky dog...  A dog park - where the dogs bark..  And soon Daisy and I were romping and stomping and having a good time with all the dogs. We made some new friends there.  We played and played until the sun went down.
Then we went back to the room where mom made us a dinner.  With full bellies Daisy and I went into our beds.  Mom cooked their dinner on a camp stove outside the door.  I could smell burgers grilling.  I drifted off to sleep thinking of Uncle Parker, my dad, and my CGC test.  It was another great doggie-day.  I didn't know it, but there were still more great adventures to come.