Grass

Lately I've noticed that many people are obsessed with grass! It seems kind of silly to me. They spend so much time and energy trimming, spraying, weeding, and watering it so it will grow healthy and beautiful, yet they don't even eat it! Why would they treat it like a vegetable and not eat it? Are they worried that I peed on it? Or worse?

To be honest they don't know what they're missing. Sometimes when Jenny and I go for a walk I like to stop and snack on some grass, but she only lets me eat the really long stuff in the park (I think she worries about chemicals). I've even seen cats in my neighbourhood eat grass and they're fussy. Of course they do like catnip....

Not only do people not eat it, but they don't like to smell it or roll in it either (although I have heard that if they drink too much or go camping they will sleep on it). They also don't like it when you get it stuck on your fur and bring it into the house with you. So why do they put so much effort into something they don't eat, smell, or roll in?

I don't know...and I can't hope to understand.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson #8 Spend more time and energy on your dog than your lawn, the rewards are greater

Car rides

I had almost given up on the day until my parents said those magic words "car ride". Anyone worth their weight in dog treats will tell you that I love car rides!! After enduring rain, thunder, and an attempted assault by Chippy the Squirrel, the invitation to take a ride to the park was both unexpected and well timed.

You may wonder why I enjoy car rides so much, afterall they do come with some risks. There is always the possibility that my parents will take me back to the vet, or that I will get so warm that I get a fever and babble incessantly about squirrels, bunnies, or chicken treats. --Psst. Nevermind about this last part, Jenny just told me I'm being far too dramatic.

I think what I love the most is the explosion of new sights, sounds, and smells. I love sitting on Jenny's lap and watching the world go by. I love seeing other cars, trees, houses, buildings, dogs, water, people well everything really, go by so fast. I try to stick my head out the window but Jenny always stops me, although I have no idea why... What does she think will happen? I will admit I've eaten the occasional fly this way, but that was accidental to be sure. Anyhow, I'm in a great mood and I wish you all a smooth ride where the breezes are cool and the sights endlessly fascinating.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson#7 Take a car ride and engage your senses!

Lacey

I had a visitor for 4 days this week. Her name is Lacey and she's a dog like me but much older. Jenny told me that she's 14 years old! I think that's why her eyes are getting a little cloudy looking. She is a mutt like me and is probably a mix of Corgi and Terrier. She is medium sized with red and white fur, and has long legs (unlike me).

Her owners dropped her off at my house (Jenny says it's our house) but I don't know why. We've shared time together before so I didn't mind too much, although I did have to watch her carefully just in case she got any crazy ideas. I didn't want her eating my food, or stealing my bed, or my favourite spot on the couch, but I was most concerned that she didn't get too much attention, afterall, this is my house. I haven't told my parents but they have a weekly cuddle quota to meet and I intend on helping them any way I can.

I will admit that Lacey was a good house guest. She didn't touch any of my things or put up a fight when I reminded her that she was on my turf.

I did find two things strange though. First, I learned that she doesn't care about bunnies! We were out walking and there were several hanging around the area, and she didn't care at all. Shocking! How she can resist the thrill of the chase is beyond me. I wonder if I'll still be chasing bunnies when I'm 14? I sure hope so. Secondly, she likes to eat these yucky things called "carrots". She got so excited when Jenny offered her some she wolfed them down, so of course I got pretty excited when they were offered to me. I was horrified to learn that they were disgusting! How she can get so excited about carrots and not bunnies is unfathomable! What a funny girl!

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson#6 Accept a visitor into your home and you will learn a few things.

Time

Since I take my owners out for walks so often, I've noticed that the weather has been getting warmer. I realize that I've lived at my current home for four full seasons. I've endured rain, thunderstorms (which scare me terribly), heat, cool breezes, snowfalls, cold, snowstorms and more. Through it all I enjoy the good (munching on fresh grass, listening to the birds) with the bad (thunderstorms, freezing my paws off).

The changing seasons have helped me to measure "time". That is a word I hear a lot at home. "Lottie it's time to go out, Lottie it's time for supper, Lottie it's time to brush your teeth, Lottie it's time for bed"...It's always time to do something, to go somehere, or simply to watch the seasons change. I think time can be very exciting! At the very least it tells me what I'm supposed to be doing.

Time can go by too fast (belly-rubs that never last long enough) or too slow (when I'm getting my teeth brushed).

I think my owners like to measure time too. I hear them say things like "it's time to cut the grass, it's time to take the garbage out, or it's time to put up the Christmas tree."

Although time can be: seasonal, lengthy, minute, fun, awful, ritualistic, structured, and interesting, it is best spent with those you love.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson #5 Time spent with those you love, is time well spent.

Simplicity

I'm happy to bark that things have definitely improved since last week. I feel like my regular happy self again.

My eye doesn't hurt anymore, my energy has returned, my walks are longer, the weather has improved and brought the bunnies out of their hiding places. Hee hee! Oh the chases! I gave them a good workout this week! Now if I could only figure out a way to lengthen my leash...so close.....

A pair of ducks have moved into my neighbourhood. I've seen them before and initially thought they were just visiting, but now I'm convinced they are here to stay. I'm a little conflicted though, I want them to feel welcome here, but at the same time I have the urge to run at them just so I can watch them fly away! I wonder if Jenny would stop me?

My parents took me for a real car ride (no tricks this time) and I got to see people and places I've never seen before. I think I've gotten extra cuddles lately too!

While thinking about how much better this week has been over last, I realize that sometimes it's the little, deceptively insignificant parts of the day that can be the most gratifying.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie




PS. Lesson#4 To be happy is to recognize and savour simple pleasures.

Disappointments

It seems lately that I've had many disappointments. It started a few days ago when Jenny took me to the vet. I thought we were going for a car ride which is one of my favourite things, but in reality I was tricked! I now know that the whole point of the car ride was to take me to the doctors. Yikes! Both my parents stayed with me but they did nothing to stop the man from shining a bright light into my eyes and ears. Things got progressively worse after that. After getting poked with a needle, I had to get my temperature taken in the craziest place. I'll spare you the details but it was not pleasant. I was so glad to leave!

Unfortunately that wasn't the end of it. It's been raining so much lately that I've had my walks shortened and I haven't seen a bunny for days.

Yesterday I brought home a tick. I assure you this was not intentional. Yuck! Those free loading vampires should be ashamed of themselves. I earn my keep as a full time security guard and stress reliever but all they do is take, take, take.

Tonight I got something in my eye and accidentally scratched too hard! It is sore and judging by the sympathetic way Jenny keeps looking at me, it must look as awful as it feels. I think I'll play it up as long as I can, afterall, there's nothing like a little sympathy to take the sting out of disappointment.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson#3 We all suffer disappointments from time to time

Friends

I'm happy to say that I have two friends in the neighbourhood, Chief and Toby. Chief is a boy and Toby is a girl like me. We are all mutts and are proud of it. While I don't have anything against purebreds, I find their name exclusive and classist (and if that's not a real word it should be). What is so special about their lineage? Can't mutts be pure? Jenny tells me I'm a very good girl all the time! Anyway, friends accept each other just the way they are, cracked paws and all.
I will admit that it hasn't always been easy.

I met Chief last spring when I moved into town, and I found him rather forward. He's older, blond, and while I was out enjoying my morning walk he came right over and proceeded to smell my rear end! Of course I had to tell him off, but the next day I got even and did the same thing to him. It was all rather shocking but after awhile we got used to each other and now we greet each other warmly every time we meet.

Toby was much more difficult. She is older, white, and much larger than me. I would see her almost every weekend and I found her a little scary. So I barked at her every time for almost a year! She doggedly refused to bark back... she would just stare at me in amazement. She must have thought I was crazy. Recently, I decided that I need her as a friend so now when I see her I greet her and try to convince her to play. Truthfully, I'm very happy to see her. She still just stares at me. Hmmm...Perhaps she still thinks I'm crazy... anyhow I'm optimistic that soon we will play together.

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



PS. Lesson#2 It's important to make friends, even when it's hard.