I Scream! You Scream!

I'm a dog.  We all scream for ice cream!

I didn't know it, but Alicia had been saving up a special treat for me.  Back in July she stopped over at Dairy Godmother to treat her camp staff to a little Wisconsin-style frozen custard.  While she was there, she picked up one of their Pumpkin Puppy Pops.

So what is a Puppy Pop?  Puppy Pops are frozen, yogurt-based treats for dogs, which are wheat-free and made with all natural ingredients.

Now that it's September and summer is over, Alicia is back to the daily grind, working as a school librarian.  This means she doesn't have as much time to spend with me.  This also means she was feeling guilty and remembered that she had a special treat to give me.  I can't believe Alicia had been holding onto this thing for so long without giving me a taste!

The peace/guilt offering.

Yum! Yum! Yum!

It keeps trying to run away from me.

That's better.  Alicia popped it out of the plastic
cup and into my bowl, where it couldn't go too far.

Mmm...That was good.  Thank you! I'll have another.

I sure hope she feels guilty again sometime soon.  Like maybe later today.

Do You Want to Go "OUT?"

I'm a dog.  Some dogs, like my Aunt Annabelle, get excited when they hear the word "walk" or see their leash come off the hook.  Me?  There's nothing that gets me more excited than the word "out."  My ears perk right up and I start dancing around the room.  I head over to the landing and show off my best sit.

Exhibit A: Before "out."
Note: Slicked back ears. Looking straight ahead.

Exhibit B: After "out."
Note: Ears perked up to ensure I heard correctly;
head tilted to emphasize point.

A Tisket A Tasket, A Molly in a Basket

I'm a dog. I had such a long, tiring day today.  Between a morning walk at 6:45am, doggy playgroup all day and meeting up with Chili and Tonka to play this evening, I was spent.  I couldn't even make it all the way across the room to my crate, so I just curled up in the blanket basket.

Who needs a crate and a fluffy bed when you can snuggle in for a snore in a basket of blankets?

Dip, Doggie, Dip! Dip, Doggie, Dip! Now Slide! Slide! Slide!

I'm a dog.  As of today, I'm a dog who went in a swimming pool!  But I'm already getting ahead of myself.  Let me back up.

Today I went to my first ever dog party that I was invited to attend.  While I attended another dog party once, I wasn't invited to it and just kind of crashed it towards the end and took some treats.  But I digress.  Today was the annual Parkfairfax Doggie Dip.  Or maybe it's the Parkfairfax Doggy Dip.  I'm not sure.  The party was scheduled from 12-2 and was located just down the street from our house at the Lyons Lane pool.  Even though Alicia has been trying to get me psyched up about it all week long, I had no idea what she was talking about and was unsure where she was taking me, as the pool is not on any of our regular walk routes.

I was a bit nervous as we turned the corner and I spied a bunch of dogs and people hanging out at the pool.  I stopped in my tracks and sat down and then crouched, surveying the scene for anything suspect.

As we walked down the sidewalk, my tail got to wagging and I was excited.  Then we got inside and Alicia took off my leash.  I guess she was expecting me to run and jump into the pool, or at least run over to meet some of the dogs.  Instead, I took note of the pool (pool = wet = bad) and made a beeline over to the corner farthest away from the water and went about one of my favorite activities: sniffing.

A few came over to say hello, but I was too nervous and overwhelmed to pay them much mind.  I was looking for an escape route.  There was no way that I was getting anywhere near that pool.  Soon enough I found some large stacks of deck chairs and climbed atop them.  From this position I could keep an eye on the pool water and make sure it didn't make any sudden moves, like the ocean water did back in June.

While it was definitely safer up there on the stacks of chairs, it was still fairly precarious.  My paws kept slipping through the slats and I got stuck almost every time I took a step.  

Alicia wasn't sure this was the best place for me (wrong!), so she scooped me up and carried me over to the pool steps, where a bunch of dogs - (mostly golden retrievers and labs, one enormous great dane and a couple other dogs) were milling around, hopping in and out of the pool with balls and rubber duckies in their mouths.

Norman, a golden retriever puppy who I happened to meet and play with last night while out on a walk, was over at the edge of the pool, so I went over to say hello.  He'd already been in and was making plans to go back in very soon.  In fact, he just up and jumped into the pool without so much as a goodbye.  It seemed like the party was in the pool, but I still wasn't sure.  I walked along the edge of the pool, crouching down every once in a while to test the water - by lapping it up, of course - but wouldn't go in.  I went to the stairs and dipped in a paw.  Sure enough, the water was wet! No thank you.

So I walked around some more.  Dogs were shaking themselves off and making me wet.  There were puddles everywhere.  All the balls were in the pool.  It just made sense to hop in and see what all the fuss was about.

You'll notice I'm wearing a leash in the pool.  That isn't standard practice.  I had my leash off before, but when it looked like I might want to jump in, Alicia got nervous and leashed me up.  And thank goodness she did.  Turns out, I don't know how to swim!  There I was trying to keep my head above water, and there was Alicia reeling me in.

I finally got to the side and she left me to pull myself out on my own while she snapped a picture.  Good thing I'm all muscle!  There was no way I was staying in that pool any longer than necessary, so I gave it my all and hoisted myself out.

After shaking off the excess water I decided that perhaps it would be best if I just watched from the sidelines and left the swimming to the professionals (aka golden retrievers).  While they were doing what they do best, I did what I do best: watching, sniffing and running around with other dogs.

Lifeguard Molly, on the alert.  Just don't drown.  I can't save you.

Checking on the little dogs in the baby pool.

Horsing around on the pool deck.

I was having a great time.  I was running around, jumping on dogs, chewing on dogs, getting into play stance and bouncing around.  The world was good.  Then I got into a great chase with another dog right along the edge of the pool.  My leash was off and I was running fast, cutting corners and having a blast.

NOT jumping in the pool.  Just cutting corners way too close.

And then what do you know, but I wind up falling in the pool.  Yikes!  Last time, I chose to jump in the water.  Which was a mistake.  This time, I fell in and was terrified.  I was frantically trying to paddle with my front paws while my hind legs and butt just sunk.  Alicia quickly grabbed me by the collar and lifted me to safety.  Thank goodness!  This time, it was a bit scarier, so she didn't have a chance to snap any photos.

After that, I kept playing, though a bit further from the pool.  Alicia tried to bring me over to the baby pool, where they were allowing us big dogs who can't swim a chance to take a mini dip in water that only came up to our ankles.  But I didn't trust it.  Water is sneaky and there was no way I was getting in that pool.  Even if it was less than six inches of water in one area and Alicia was already standing in the water, trying to get me in.  No sir.

I took a few more sniffs around the pool and tried to drink a little bit more pool water, and that was that.  Overall, a great time.  If it hadn't have been for all that water, I'd rank it the best pool party ever!  So many dogs to play with and chase.  Lots of people petting me and calling me cute.  What could be better?

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm beat.  Time for a nice long nap in my crate.

Doggie Dates for Fall

I'm a dog.  I'm always looking for activities that get me out and about with other dogs and also humans.  This month, there are two events that I am really excited about.

The first is a local event.  And by local, I mean it's taking place in our development and is for the dogs and owners that live in Parkfairfax.  This coming Saturday, from 12-2pm, there will be a "Doggie Dip" in the Lyons Lane pool.  As you may recall, I do not like water.  The ocean moves back and forth and is scary.  The hose is cold and wet. It's just not a good scene.

Wet and not too happy.

But this will not stop me from attending a party where there will be many dogs.  Wild horses couldn't drag me away from such an event.  Especially when it's just around the corner from my house!  I'm not saying that I will get in the pool.  That is TBD, based on peer pressure from my dogfriends.  What I am saying is that I will be there and I will be ready to play.  At least on land.

As you may recall, I was adopted from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) back in June.  Back then, I was just a little pup (see what I mean?).  Now that I'm a big pup and am so happy at home with Matt and Alicia, there's no better way to show my appreciation for all that AWLA did than to participate in a the 5th Annual Olde Towne Dogge Walke, a 1.5 mile walk to celebrate all of us dogs who met their families through the shelter and help raise funds to ensure that other dogs, cats, bunnies, gerbils and other pets also find their forever homes. The walk will take place on Sunday, September 25th from 9-11am.  Unfortunately, we already had plans for that weekend before I found out about the walk, so it's not going to happen this year.  I already talked to Alicia though, and she's already saving the date for next year.

I'll keep you posted on how the pool party goes and also let you know about any fun upcoming events that I'll be attending.  I am nothing if not a party animal!

My Buddy and Me

I'm a dog.  I wasn't alive in the 1980s, but if I was, I would've asked Matt and Alicia to give me My Buddy for my birthday.  I love to play all the time and what could be better than having a friend to play with all the time?  Alas, I was not around in the 80s and even if they still made My Buddy, Matt and Alicia probably wouldn't buy it for me because they'd be worried I'd chew on and tear apart his head, much like I did to that tennis ball toy I got a few weeks ago (which I'm happy to note was completely demolished shortly after the last photo Alicia posted).

Even better than a My Buddy doll would be an actual dog that I could play with and snuggle and chew on all the time!  No, Matt and Alicia have not given into my pleas for a new puppy (they say one puppy is enough, thankyouverymuch!).  But we did go up to New Jersey to visit her family, and it was there I had the opportunity to get a taste of what it would be like to have a sibling.

We would snuggle up for naps...

...and she wouldn't mind how I move around in my sleep.

We would go on long walks together...

...And she would be patient with me when I
abruptly decided to lay down on the ground...

...only to walk a bit further before deciding I
wanted to stop and sniff and rest again...

...and then literally take a handful of steps before deciding
I needed to stop and eat some grass.

It would be fantastic! We could drink out of the same water bowl, and steal cat food together.  We could bark at strange noises and animals that trespass in the yard (wild turkeys, I'm looking at you!). What a life.

And I wouldn't have to give a grumpy face
when it was time to leave, because we'd
ALWAYS be together!

I would also take a human puppy, but Matt and Alicia have also said no to that.  I tried to show them what a good sibling I'd be by sharing my favorite orange ball with my cousin Shaun (who STOLE my ball and then kept flaunting it in my face and NOT throwing it to me, while I waited patiently for him to share. They were unconvinced.

Look at what a good sister I would be! Happily sharing!

So at least for the meantime, it looks like I'm just going to have to entertain myself and encourage Matt and Alicia to make as many playdates with bestdogfriend Chili as they can.  And, since Alicia's family is up in NJ/PA and we're down in DC, I guess we'll just have to keep taking car rides (my most favorite thing) to ensure that I get to spend as much time with my dog and human family as possible.

I snuck into the front seat while Alicia was
driving down the Turnpike.  It scared her.

At the rest stop, she put me back in the back.
Party pooper!  I stick my tongue out at you!

  

Cat, it's a Kitty Cat...and it Meow, Meow, Meow

I'm a dog.  Today, Alicia and I traveled to New Jersey to spend the weekend with some friends and family.  I was excited to come because it meant a car ride (Yay!) and also that I'd have another opportunity to meet some cats.  Some kitty cats.



As I think I previously mentioned, Alicia's parents have 4 cats. FOUR CATS!  I keep trying to meet them, but they always seem to have something else to do that they're running off to.  Alas.

But today, I got to meet one up close!  It was Willow(brook).  Here's a quick photo Alicia was able to capture as I approached her.

I put my face in her face. She hissed in my face.  I started sniffing her face and getting in closer.  She hissed again. I kept sniffing. Then she hissed and swatted at me.  But before her swat could connect, I bopped her on the head.  It kind of looked like this:

[via]