Veggie Tales

I just never know what my people are up to and sometimes it is best not to worry about it too much. For instance, earlier this summer I noticed Ryann playing in the dirt quite a bit. While I thought it a bit odd, I myself, enjoy a good dig every now and then so I gaver her the benefit of the doubt.

Good thing I did, because now I see what she was doing. She was planting food for me! Now everytime we go outside and she walks along the fence she finds food for me. It's like the green version of a drive-thru restaurant! So far, I've very much enjoyed some crunchy green snacks as well as these little red balls that are not only fun to play with but they are very juicy when you eat them!

One of my favorite foods in the whole world is popcorn, but I never realized that I could eat it fresh. It is the best chew toy I've ever had! Ryann didn't grow this in our yard, but we brought some home when we visited one of her nice library friends. I can only hope that next year she will grow some in the yard for me...I could help weed, I promise!

Cletus on the Green

Two amazing things happened the other night. First, my people and I had started our patrol when a car screamed to a stop near us. I gave a big sniff and I realized the guy hollering at us was one of the neighborhood guys that always says hello when we go by. He told us once that he used to have a dog, and I think that's why he likes to pet me.

On this day, however, he seemed even more excited than usual. Finally, I figured out what he was shouting about. Microchips! Microchips are little things that white coats give us to help us keep track of our people. They are not tiny potato chips, which was a great disappointment to me when I finally got mine. Anyway, this guy got lost two years ago and thanks to the microchip his dog had finally found him!

But that wasn't the end of my amazing day. Next, we jumped into the car and went to a great big park. Instead of playing, we watched a bunch of other people with shiny instruments just like Stacy and Ryann! We had lots of fun and I met lots of new people and even a few dogs. I even got to play fetch, when a little boy near us missed the ball thrown from his mom. I'm sure they didn't mind me retrieving the the ball for them. We had a great time!

Also, I don't mean to brag, but some people said I was the star of the show. I'm glad somebody has finally figured this out! There is one thing I really need to know - why do people keep calling me Marley????

Fun to Spare

I am so glad this week is over. I've had a lot of fun; although it came at quite a price. I finally made it to my doggie play group, but I was so sore afterwards I couldn't move for two days! My people took good care of me and gave me lots of love.

Things must have seemed pretty bad because Ryann invited her friends over to help cheer me up. I knew right away they were her friends because they all brought the same book that she has been reading. They all sat around and talked - about me, of course.

One of them even brought a friend for Pinny! We've named him Pinny, Jr. and he is just as much fun as Pinny, Sr. The three of us have had a great time playing together while I waited to get my legs back after play group. Now, I'm almost as good as new and ready for the weekend!

Say Hello To My Little Friend

I admit it, I'm lonely. After Grandma's visit last weekend, I had big hopes for fun this week with my new fence. My dreams were dashed early on when my people decided they apparently had better things to do than play with me. Sure, one of them would show up every few hours to go for a quick walk, play a short game of fetch, or throw some food around.

Do we have quality time together? I think not. No leisurely walks around the pond, no hide-and-seek. Nothing. We don't even talk anymore.

To add insult to injury, when Ryann came home late last night she had the nerve to give me a toy. Can you believe it? A toy! What was she thinking? Could the love and companionship I crave from my people really be replaced by a mere plastic toy?

Yes. Yes it can.

I now have the most wonderful friend in the world - Pinny.

At first, he had a lot to say while we played. After a few hours of wrestling, though, he got very quiet. I understood, since we were beyond the point of needing words to communicate.

My people became jealous when they realized that Pinny was now my BFF and they took him away when it was time for bed. It wasn't a big deal, since I snuck Pinny onto my pillow as soon as they were asleep. He hasn't left my side since. He knows that no matter where he is thrown, I'll always come get him.

Now, spending the day without my people won't be so bad. In fact, I'll even look forward to it being so quiet you can hear my Pinny drop.

This friendship is not sponsored by JW Pet Company - but easily could be in exchange for a lifetime supply of dog toy companionship.

Another Mystery Solved

For months now, I've wondered what was in the "Closed Door Room." It's the only room in our house that I don't get to go into. So, when Stacy and Ryann started moving stuff in and out of this room I took a peak. It turns out this room has a great big bed! For a little while this got my hackles up. Why I am forced to share a bedroom AND sleep on the floor when there is a perfectly good, comfy bed going to waste behind the closed door?

It turns out, that rooms does belong to someone...my Grandma!

If you don't already have a grandma you should get one. My Grandma has very good manners. She always brings me a present and I, having good manners myself, always make sure to play with it right away. This time she brought me a toy with three rings on it. I'm good with toys; I already removed two of the rings! My Grandma also stands up for me. When we went to the Farmer's Market and I got in trouble for being a little rowdy, she told Ryann that the other dogs started it. Thanks, Grandma!

Grandmas love to play games with their pups. My Grandma never gets tired of playing fetch with me inside the house or out in the yard. Grandma told me that sometimes she needs to play games with Stacy and Ryann, too, so they don't guess that she likes me the best. She really likes it if I sit very close to her while she is playing cards with them. She says I'm her good luck charm.

She's probably right.

Clete Unleashed

Once upon a time, the world's most adorable yellow Labrador was born and I was named Cletus. I had a good life in rural South Dakota. I never wore a leash. I got to play with my brothers and sisters. I always got to lick the dirty dishes. Life was good.

I was learning how to be a crime fighter until one day when I my knees started to hurt. Don't get me wrong - I still loved to run and play; but my legs didn't feel quite like they should. So my owner took me to see a few different white coats and then I was traded to Stacy and Ryann.

My life was changed forever.

Goodbye amber waves of grain - hello suburban concrete prairies! I met my first, second, third, fourth and fifth leashes. I took walks. I ate only dog food (even though I keep my options open). I had my first bath that wasn't in a pond. Just as I was starting to get Stacy and Ryann trained -I visited some new white coats that fixed my legs. It took a long, long time but now I am healed! The head white coat finally said I could play fetch just as much as I wanted to, which, of course, is all the time!

However, it turns out that Stacy and Ryann aren't very good at fetch. They mostly stay in the yard; but every once in a while they meander over to the neighbor's house. They don't come back when I whine. I just can't trust them.

So I used my subliminal messaging skills to tell them that we needed a fence. Finally, they picked up on the message and today we got a fence! I checked it all over myself and now I know they won't wander off into another yard or, even worse, into the busy street in front of our house. Plus, I won't have to get dressed up in leashes or harnesses when I go into the backyard anymore! I'll be wearing nothing but my collar and a smile!

Ah, now life is REALLY good.

Clete Dog Detective

Nobody tells me anything around here. I seem to be at the mercy of everyone else's schedule. Do they ask me when I would like to go for a walk? No! Does anyone ever inquire what I want to do during the weekend? Never!

So, I have been trying to figure out what we're doing on my own. One clue I discovered is that whenever we are going to go do something fun, Ryann covers her skin with "funscreen." I'm not exactly sure why she wants to be protected from fun, but I don't ask any questions.

Anyway, so usually when Ryann puts on the funscreen, I know I'm going to have some fun, too. However, this weekend that was not the case! Many times they put on the funscreen and left without me! One day I jumped in the car before they left and tried to talk them into taking me, but it didn't work. I'm not sure where they went, but one day they came home smelling like barbecue sauce (so rude) and the other day they came home smelling like those shiny instruments they play.

Thankfully, they finally decided to spend some time with me. One night, as we were patrolling the yard, we found our neighbor sitting in front of her house and watching the sky. We joined her and all of the sudden the sky was full of blinking lights. It was fascinating! I loved it; but I have no idea why no one needed me to fetch anything after the loud booms.

We also made another trip to the barkery and Stacy picked out a treat just for me. As you can tell, it was very good.