Dog Days of Summer: Part Three -- and Weekend Fun!

More Dog Days of Summer

Day 10 - Wet Fur

More Wet Fur

Day 11 - In Motion

Day 12 - Hot Dog
lying on the AC vent

I spent my Saturday relaxing on the couch:

And playing with a tennis ball:

On Saturday evening, we went to Wine & Whiskers, a benefit for a local non-profit group called Fetch-a-Cure.  (My brother Jake died of cancer, so we support Fetch-a-Cure every chance we get.) 

We saw some of my favorite humans, my friend Daisy (therapy dog and trick dog extraordinaire), my buddies Jewels and Bunny, and my across-the street neighbor Lennox.

After Wine & Whiskers, we went to Panera Bread!  I don't get to eat out with my parents very often because we don't have many dog-friendly restaurants here, and it's usually too hot to eat outside, but a cold front came through on Saturday and the temperature Saturday night was wonderful! 

I love Panera Bread!!!

Dog Days of Summer: Part Two (plus Bonus Scenes!)

Here is my second installment of my Dog Days of Summer posts:

Day 6 - Treat Time

Day 7 - Tongue
My awesome cousin Sadie

Day 8 - With Friends
Juneau, Megan and me

Day 9 - Outside
Lake Drummond, Great Dismal Swamp
January 2012
(see DISMAL SWAMP Adventure)

Because I have SO many outside photos, it was very difficult to choose, so I posted a second outside photo as well:

Day 9 - Outside
Caledon Natural Area
April 2012
(see Easter Hike)

And, just to be wild and crazy, on day 9 I posted another photo for day 2 (sleeping).  (Remember there are no rules.)

Day 2 - Sleeping

Bonus Scenes!

(the Treat Time photo shoot)

Missing my friend Hero

Thinking of Willow

I can do the treat-on-my-paw thing too

Mom gets artistic

But I'm not impressed

And now for my favorite part:

Notice that I'm very methodical about this

Thank you for making this the Best Birthday EVER!!!

From my girlfriend Willow

Yesterday was the Best Birthday EVER!  I got a gazillion birthday greetings from my friends -- photos, videos, e-cards, a virtual birthday cake, and many other very kind birthday wishes.  My friend Tim took me to PetSmart and let me pick out my very own treat, and I went on a hike with Tim and Nicky.  Then I got to eat the treats!

From my dear friend Hero, who moved
across the ocean and I miss terribly (see My Hero)

From my great buddy Juneau,
who believes that birthdays are serious business

From my friend Rita the Naked Pit Bull

It was threatening rain and there was thunder in the distance, but we were still able to get in a GREAT hike.  Tim takes me and my friend Nicky hiking every Wednesday while mom & dad are at work, and we always have fun, but today was EXTRA fun!  (Photos by Tim Kondas)

I love to hike!!

This is SO much FUN

Leapin' Labradoink

Me and Nicky

When I got home, I was very tired.

But I perked up when mom gave me the bone that Tim bought for me at PetSmart.  (He even let me pick it out myself.)

Nom nom nom

Tim also got me a Pup-Pie,
which mom said we had to save for tomorrow

. . . but I convinced her that I should have a little piece

I am such a lucky pup to have so many kind and thoughtful friends.  

Thank you ALL (especially Tim) for making this the Best Birthday EVER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my birthday!  I'm five years old!  

I'm sure there will be great celebration and revelry, but that will likely have to wait until the weekend when my parents can orchestrate it.  Meanwhile, here's one of my puppy photos so you can enjoy my unbearable cuteness.

This is me at 3 weeks old
(Photo by my Grandma Shar)

Dutch Kitties ROCK!!! (+ Mom's new hardware!)

I admit it - I used to not like kitties.  I used to think kitties were evil, because they always make that super-scary hissing sound whenever I try to say hi.  But I was wrong.  I have recently made some kittie friends, and it turns out that some kitties are really nice.

Yesterday Mom got an awesome card from Arie, Bram, Cees, and Dirk, my kittie friends who live in the Netherlands, and their mom. (You may remember them from my FIRST EVER Silly Photo Contest.)  

Arie

Bram

Cees and Dirk

Mom had just gotten home from her first full day back at work after breaking her wrist and having surgery, and she was tired and grumpy, and her wrist hurt.  She noticed a bright yellow envelope when she got the mail out of the box, and she quickly opened it.  (She's always excited to get non-junk mail.)  She looked at the card and then she smiled a BIG smile.  She was in a better mood the rest of the evening, thinking about the kindness of four kitties and a woman who live an ocean away.

I like it when my mommy smiles, and I think making people smile is a wonderful thing.  Sending mom a card was such a nice and thoughtful thing to do. 

And so I have reached the conclusion that maybe kitties aren't so bad after all, and Dutch kitties totally ROCK!

By the way, mom is doing great.  She got her stitches out today and got a smaller splint/brace thingy, and she doesn't have to wear a cast at all!  She will have to do physical therapy for a while, but she can do more and more with her hand each day.  In a few weeks, she won't even have to wear the splint/brace thingy.

Her x-rays are quite impressive.  She ended up with EIGHT screws because the bones were broken into so many little pieces.  But she had an excellent surgeon, and she's gonna' be all better really soon.  

She says to tell everyone she really appreciates all the get well wishes!

Dog Days of Summer: Part One

This month, I'm playing along with my new friend Norwood's Dog Days of Summer. 

I have been posting my photos on Instagram and Facebook, but I want to make sure my friends who don't do Instagram or Facebook can also enjoy my Dog Days of Summer posts.  So I will be periodically posting them on my blog as well.  Here are the first five:

Day 1: Best Smile

Day 2: Sleeping

Day 3: Favorite Toy

Day 4: FurDoo

Day 5: In Water

You can play along too!  It's fun and super easy, and there are NO RULES.  See Norwood's Dog Days of Summer post for info.

A Friend in Need

You may remember my friend Rita, one of the sweet, lovable, cuddly pitties featured in my Blogville Pitty Post Day post, Meet My Pittie Friends.

Rita

Rita was rescued by Odessa Rescue & Rehabilitation in 2010 and has an awesome family and a very happy life in Florida.  Not content to just spend her days lounging on the beach (although she does a bit of that too), Rita has made it her mission to help other pups in need.  So Rita is helping out a 3 year old Cane Corso named Jasmine, who was found in Richmond after being hit by a car.  Jasmine has needed a number of surgeries, and Odessa Rescue & Rehabilitation is raising money to pay for the surgeries through the Chip In below.  


If you donate $10 or more, Rita will send you a pawtographed photo of herself (and she IS a beauty).  Check out Rita's Fundraising for Jasmine! page for more info.


Odessa Rescue & Rehabilitation is a 501(c)(3) charity, so your donation is tax deductible.  Donations can be made by using the Chip In below, by PayPal to odessarescue@hotmail.com, or by mailing a check to Odessa Rescue & Rehabilitation, PO Box 191, Mechanicsville VA 23111.