Maggie and Suzi

What a great week! Not only were there lots of people to see ME but I also got to meet Maggie and Suzi. Suzi is white with soft brown eyes and a hairdo that looks like it's styled. I don't mean to brag, but Suzi and I spent a lot of time together! I had days and days to turn on the charm. And, if I do say so myself, it worked. But let me introduce Suzi more. She came with Daddy's parents when they came to stay for a couple of days. Hmmmm, if Daddy's parents are Suzi's Mommy and Daddy... then does that make Daddy and Suzi brother and sister?? Laugh Laugh! I think it does! That is funny that Daddy is related to Suzi! Laugh Laugh!

Anyway, I spent DAYS trying to charm Suzi into loving me. I pawed her, and barked at her, and jumped on her. Isn't that what you do when you are in love? She did not paw me back, but she did several times growl and give me love bites. I am quite sure that Suzi loves me in return! If she didn't love me, then why did she respond to me? She could have just hidden somewhere or jumped on the couch out of my reach. But she didn't. I was sure that Suzi was going to be the new love of my life.

But then Maggie walked in the door. Maggie is a black & white Shi Tzu with soft brown eyes and a styled hairdo. And I know Maggie's hairdo was styled because she just looked like it should be. She was fine and soft.... and I walked over to her and turned on the same charm that worked for Suzi. Maggie, however, was not as smitten as Suzi. She immediately jumped on the couch away from me. Hard to believe, isn't it? I can't believe anyone (human or 4-legged) could not be charmed by my good looks and playful nature! I barked at her to let her know that I loved her! But she ignored me. OH my heart! It's broken! What do I do? And at the end of the night, she walked out with her people without even a good-bye.

Good thing Suzi stuck around with her people for another couple of days! It allowed me to practice to be my charming self. Laugh Laugh! But unfortunately, even Suzi and her people had to leave. It was a sad day, but Suzi and I said good-bye.

I'm not sure when I will see Suzi or Maggie again but they will be in my heart forever.

In the meantime, I guess I will just continue to charm Trekkie and Gimme! Gimme now loves me back and we play and play and play! I think my ardent love for Trekkie was just a fling. Now that I am older and wiser I see that she is more of a mother-figure to me, than a true love. Not that I don't love her. Just maybe not in the way I thought originally. Gimme, on the other hand... HUBBA HUBBA! She is totally charmed by me (and who wouldn't be?). I can tell when she plays with me. She rolls me over all the time so she can see my supremely handsome belly.

And that, my internet friends, is pretty much how I've spent my last week. Playing, playing, playing! Laugh Laugh! Oh, it was ever so much fun! And a lot of people at the house on the 24th. More playing! And petting! And loving! And I'm sure they were all here to see ME! Laugh Laugh! Mommy even made a great big dinner for everyone! It was fabulous (and I should know because I had some the next day).

Happy New Year my internet friends! May 2012 be as much fun as 2011!

One Word - SNOW!

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY!! We got our first real snow storm yesterday. Snow and snow and SNOW!! It was sooooo fun! I think it may have been better than chewing on shoes! It's cold and wet and soft! When Gimme rolls me over in it, it doesn't hurt. Not that it matters. I would get up and start playing with Gimme any day! I am so excited that she loves me now! She plays tug with me, and mouths me, and rolls me over! Weeeee!

But wait; where was I? Or that's right. SNOW! Wonderful, beautiful SNOW! Laugh Laugh! It's cold and wet and soft! What? Oh, I already said that? Well, see. It's just because the snow has totally taken over my brain! Snow, snow, SNOW! Laugh Laugh!

Here's another word for you all: PETSMART! Oh boy was that fun! All the people and other dogs to meet. And of course, they all had something nice to say about the STAR (moi). We drove over there in the fancy new car with the top down. That means Daddy had to hold onto me the whole way. Boy, was that mean! I wanted to sit up and let the wind blow through my hair. But Daddy wanted to be sure I didn't jump out so he held on tight! We bought a big orthopedic bed for Fox and it didn't really fit in the car. Whooops. Guess Mommy and Daddy forgot that the new car, as cool as it is (especially with the top down), is a little smaller in the back than any of their other vehicles. Laugh Laugh! We had a quick stop to make at Home Depot (yes, again!!) and Mommy and Daddy put the top up then. But Daddy still held onto me tight on his lap. I think it's because the dog bed took up the entire back seat....

And then Monday, it snowed a little bit, just enough to cause traffic problems (or so Mommy says). This sure is a weird state we live in. Weather nice enough to drive the car with the top down and the next day it gets cold and wet and snowy. I wonder if it's like this all the time??

Tuesday & Wednesday it was fairly nice again (a little warm for my taste, but I suspect anything over about 50 degrees is going to be too warm for me) and then came Thursday and SNOW!! Every time Mommy or Daddy let me out to go potty, it came in with snow all over me! Like I had been rolling around in it! I think I was! But the coolest thing? Trekkie started playing with me too! Gimme would start playing and Trekkie would bark at both of us. And then Trekkie would chase me around and play with me! I am in LOVE! My girlfriend loves me back! Finally!

And it's been a busy week! Tonight, we have strangers staying with us. They brought Suzi their mixed breed with them. Another girl to try and get to love me! She is a little older so it may be harder but I'm going to give it my charming best! Mommy and Daddy say it will be very busy around the house tomorrow when they host a super big dinner. I understand it has something to do with "Christmas". They wanted me to be sure to with all my internet friends a Very Merry Christmas. Whatever that is. If it means food, I'm in!

Talk to you later, internet friends!!

Gates Are For Knocking Over

Mommy and Daddy are so funny! They lock me in the kitchen thinking that I'll stay there. Laugh Laugh! Don't they know? Gates are for knocking over, not for keeping handsome Alf's away! It is SO much fun to knock down the gates and then just walk right over them! Laugh Laugh! Noise? What noise? There is a noise associated with that? Not that I've noticed!! Now, my big siblings seem kind of annoyed by the gates being knocked over. But not me! No way! I'm a big, obnoxious puppy with personality plus. No little gate is going to stop me! Sometimes, they put that gate up nice and tight. Well, guess I'd better learn how to climb over it, hadn't I??

It sure has been a fun week! We went to that Home Depot place again. And once again yours truly was the star! Daddy walked me around the place while Mommy went to do her own shopping. When we joined back up, I was sooo tired from having people pet me! And so many people wanted to take my picture. Because I really am the STAR you know! There sure are a lot of silly people in this world, though, aren't there? The man last time who told Mommy all about his 200+ Saint Bernard that he rescued but he couldn't control. So he went to some other lady who was disappointed he didn't have "papers" but said she would breed him anyway. WHAT??!! Stars like me should always be well-bred from a respectable breeder! Just because we are big does not mean we are quality! Wow.  Then this last time, Mommy got cornered by a lady who told her about her dog who was also big and then was bred. I am beginning to think Mommy attracts all the whackos! Laugh Laugh!! And who is this Beethoven character anyway....??

We also went to Mommy's favorite training center. Last week people stopped in just to say "HI" to me! That was so fun! But I wanted to say "HI" to all the friendly dogs there! Ruby was cool. Fred and Big both just ran from me. And Puck was fun and played too! Then, after training was over I got to play with some puppies there. Derrick the Cocker Spaniel, of course, and he brought his sister this time too. They were so much fun to play with! Then there were the Doberman siblings. They were kind of bullies. We ran around and around but when I got tired, they started pulling me around by my ears!! Mommy laughed at that :-(  Mean Mommy!  This week, we didn't have as much time to play. But I still chased Fred and Big around. And Akasha too! Akasha and Gimme are good friends. And then there was Ru and Cherokee and Arkeo too! Lost of new friends for me! Angus the Pug was too tired from training to say much....

The only negative of this week was the word "NO". I am starting to hear that a lot. No No! Bad Dog! No No Alf! No No! Don't potty there! No No! Not the gate <snicker>! So tiring. I think I will have to start tuning it out. Who cares about NO? I am all about the yes :-)  Yes, here's some more food. Yes, you can have a treat. Yes, you are a handsome puppy. Ahhhhh, that's more like it!

I am now sleeping mostly through the night. Mommy and Daddy cooled down my room a little bit and made my crate a little bit bigger. That helped. So now I sleep almost a full 8 hours. At least I'm not up one or two times during the night! I guess it's not really my room alone though. I share it with the Danes Gimme and Fox. I hope they are not too cold now that their space heater is off. I just couldn't handle it being on! I'm little, but I've got tons of fur already! Plus, seeing as I am the STAR, I am super spoiled! I guess it helps that the weather has been warm lately too...

See, I told you it's been a super week! So much to see and learn and do and explore and taste! And I understand next week will be even busier with house guests. YEAH! More people to spoil ME, the STAR! Laugh Laugh! I can't wait to see what the next week brings!

Nighty Nite Internet Friends!!

Learning

What a busy couple of weeks it has been for me! Trying to make friends with the "big" dogs (that would be my girlfriend Trekkie the St. Bernard, her best buddy Gimme who is a Great Dane, and the ruler of the house Fox who is also a Great Dane). I think I finally got Trekkie and Gimme to come around to the Alf-side, but only time will truly tell! Trekkie's tail is just oh-so-Yummy! I know she hates it when I pull on it, but I can't help myself! I think, if I truly want to have Trekkie's love, I had better learn not to pull on her tail...

Gimme, on the other hand, ignored me for days! I'd run up to her to try to make friends and she would leave the room! Can you imagine? How could she not love me? Well, today she pawed me and sniffed me and played with me a little! I'm much smaller than she is right now so I think she worries that she's going to break me. HAH! I'm Alf! I don't break that easily! I will learn how to play with Gimme and she will learn to play with me.

As for Fox, I don't think he will ever like me. Maybe I shouldn't have chewed on his toes the other day. He didn't seem to like that. I heard Mom call him her "7-year-old" so I suspect he doesn't have a lot of patience for us younger kids. He's actually alright if I leave him alone. It's when I follow him or walk under his legs, or chew his feet that he realizes I'm there and gets annoyed. When I'm not in his face he mostly leaves me alone. I guess I had better learn to leave him alone....

Aside from the big dogs, I've been trying to learn to be potty-trained. Boy, is that HARD! When I'm running around playing I don't realize I have to go.... until I squat and pee. And boy oh boy, is that starting to upset the new Mommy & Daddy! They could understand in the beginning. But I've been home 11 days now and I still pee all over the place. Although, if I may brag (and it's my blog so I will), I'm getting better. I don't pee all the time. And the new Mommy & Daddy are getting better at seeing when I'm about to go and getting me outside quick. Of course, they always tell me "Good Boy" and "Good Alf" when I go outside. I'll have to try harder to earn their praise!! I love their praise!

AND THEN!! There are the stairs. Laugh Laugh!! I learned how to go up those stairs so quick it made the new Mommy & Daddy's heads spin. Laugh Laugh! There are only 7 of them so quite frankly it was really easy. But don't tell them that. And they still need to carry me down the stairs. Something about making sure my elbows stay good. I don't get it. Maybe there's a story there somewhere.... But back to ME! And the stairs. Yup, everyone was up the stairs and they left ME down below. Can you imagine? So, I did what every warm-blooded puppy would do. I learned to get where they were. Pshaw. So, it's a couple of stairs. Now they can't hide from me! Laugh Laugh!

And we've been on walks around the block to tire me out - or so the Daddy says. I think what it really does is tire him out! And I've met new people from across the street; and kids too! It's been soooooo exciting. I explore everywhere every day. And then I fall asleep. And then I wake up and drink water. Then fall asleep. Then wake up, drink water, and pee. And explore or play. Then sleep. Oh my what a wonderful life so far!

It does keep me busy and tired though. So, until next time, sleep well my internet friends!

Alf

Hello World! I'm Alf the Saint Bernard!!

Hello Everyone! My name is Alf and I am a smooth Saint Bernard male. My birthday is September 26th so that makes me 9 weeks old today! Mom Kathryn tells me that my full registered name (pending AKC approval) is Whitewater's Ballroom Blitz Voyager. I have no idea how Alf came from that. Hmmmm, maybe I won't answer to Alf just for that reason. I'll have to think on that one....

I used to live in Indiana with my 3 brothers and 4 sisters. We were taken care of by real-Mom Windy and Grandma Rhonda. We grew up happy and playful! Then Saturday Grandma took me and my brother CJ to Auntie Wanda's house. Auntie Wanda said she liked CJ and so he stayed and I went back home. I am sure it was a hard choice for Auntie Wanda because I am so handsome!!

Then the next day I was on the road again! We traveled for hours and hours and over the big water to near St. Louis where my new family showed up. Boy was it fun waiting in the parking lot! Every one wanted to pet me. ME ME!! Then came this big black thing and out the of the back came my new St. Bernard friend Trekkie. That is what she said her name was. She was not sure about me though. I'll tell ya, pulling the fur on the back of her legs sure is fun. And they feed me these really tasty treats. I like these people. Good thing they are my new family!

After we said goodbye to Grandma Rhonda, my new family put me in their big black car and we drove towards my new home. And drove. And stopped and pottied. And drove and drove. And stopped and pottied. It was really boring and I made sure they knew I was bored! At least when I wasn't sleeping! The motion of the car kind of, ahem, put me to sleep like a baby.

After all the driving and stopping to potty, we finally made it to my new home. Inside were these two huge fawn Great Danes. I thought they would be really happy to see me so I ran over to them to say HI... but they both ran from me! I don't get it. How could they not love all this cuteness??!! So I chased the smaller of the two giants around and around but she kept avoiding me. How sad. Maybe as they get to know me they will love me more. In the meantime, I have my love Trekkie :-)

After I woke up this morning, I got to explore my house. I'm afraid I made quite a mess by peeing all over. I just can't help it! I'm only 9 weeks old for goodness sakes! It was really not too eventful of a day until my new Mom and Dad put me in their vehicle again (this time, a big white van) and we went to this place called Home Depot. We walked in the door and all kinds of people swarmed over to me. I was a star and I loved every minute of it! Until I got really tired. Thankfully, by that time, we were about done shopping anyway. Mom picked me up to say goodbye to the ladies at the checkout stands and we drove home. Boy, did I crash then! Busy busy day finally caught up with me! Wow.

Not that my day was over quite yet. Nope. Mom took me to a place where she said I was going to learn obedience (ha ha! That's funny!) and how to be a show dog. I'm also going to get to come here for daycare. Oh boy! That will be fun. I hope some of my new friends come to daycare too! Especially Derrik the Cocker Spaniel!! He was really cool (and smaller than me hee hee hee).

And now I'm really tired and I need my beauty sleep. Good night all my dear new friends! Tomorrow is another day. I hope it's a great day for all of us!

Introducing - ALF (The Saint Bernard)

On September 26 2011, 8 adorable St. Bernard puppies were born in Indiana. Dad is a smooth Saint Bernard named Jeffrey (Peva's Gift of Peace v Judith Point (AKC ptd)) and Mom is a rough Saint Bernard named Windy (BISS GrCH Copper Mtn's Windstorm). We contacted breeders Rhonda & Keith Hensley in the hopes that there might be an available smooth male puppy. There is no way any dog (Saint Bernard or otherwise) could ever replace our Doozer (see DoozerStories here at Blogger.com). But, we find it a little unfair to have 2 Great Danes and just 1 St. Bernard. So, we want to round out the numbers. And along the way have a beautiful St. Bernard to love on, teach, and show in conformation/obedience/rally.  Thankfully, Rhonda was most happy to work with us and plans were laid. For a while there, we thought all the puppies in the litter were going to be rough (or long) coats. HA HA! Turns out the entire litter of 8 are smooth (short) coats! We are getting 2nd pick of the male puppies and he will be coming home to Colorado on Sunday November 27th. Just at this time, we don't know exactly which puppy we are getting. We have our hopes up for one... but the stud dog owner is getting 2nd pick overall of puppies and she's also taking a male. If she takes what we consider to be pick male puppy, the 2nd pick male puppy is also quite nice and we look forward to whichever comes home to us :-)  Check the puppies out at :
http://www.whitewatersts.com/puppies.html  Alf is either CJ or Diamond.

Now, I'm sure you all are wondering ... WHY ALF??!! OK, that's the hubby's idea. You can blame him. Just like Doozer was named after the little construction dudes from Fraggle Rock, Alf is being named after the '80's TV show character Alf. I do hope he doesn't turn into an alien however <sigh>. Unfortunately, we could not tie in his registered name with the call name we had picked out far in advance. The litter theme was songs starting with 'B'. Now, how does Alf fit into that? Yeah, we couldn't do it and gave it up. First time in over 15 years that a dog owned by us had a registered name completely unrelated to the call name. Oh well. I guess things like that happen occasionally!!

So, we'll be using this time and space to chronicle Alf's puppyhood, and growing up, and training problems, and everything Alf! Unlike Doozer's blog, which chronicled just his end-of-life we are hoping to chronicle all of Alf's life and hopefully we all get some enjoyment from it. There will be laughter, and tears I'm sure too. But mostly... laughter and love!! Alf will be introducing himself in the next week or so. Stay Tuned!!