Nick is Home! (by: Carlo)

Remember Nick?... Gerrit's "bestest buddy"? Well, for those of you who may not have been reading this blog back when Gerrit and Nick were pups in training... Nick and Gerrit both went off to CCI doggie college (aka Advanced Training) back in August. They've both been working hard to become assistance dogs. However, Nick was just released from the program a couple of days ago. He decided he wanted to come back home. And, he is now living in his forever home... with his puppy raiser!

My pal and I went over to visit Nick yesterday. It was quite the doggie party. Not only did I get to see Hope and Nick, but there was also this little beagle dog named Spencer. He was soooo much fun. He would run super duper fast enticing all of us big dogs to chase him. Spencer was not easy to catch... not just because he was like Underdog fast, but also because he bounced off furniture and flew through the air. Come to think of it, he sort of flew just like Underdog!

It was a ton of fun playing and seeing Nick again. After we played, we got to go on the "dog couch". That's right... the "dog couch"! Nick's puppy raiser has a couch that she lets dogs sleep on! It was awesome! My pal had us pose for this photo, and I was so happy about being on a couch, that I didn't want to get off. I even stayed there after all of my buds hopped off. Geesh, I sure wish WE had a dog couch... hint, hint, hint.

And, as for Gerrit? Well, believe it or not, the little clown is still in college!!! I'm sure he's missing his bestest buddy, Nick. But, he's still hanging in there. In fact, if he studies really hard this next month, he may actually graduate next month! Wouldn't that be somethin'?! Go little clown boy, go!

Super Nanny (by: Carlo)

I know, I know... I've been one big flakey dog when it comes to writing in my blog lately. But, what's a dog gonna do when he's got a super big important job like me? My pal has officially given me the title of Super Nanny!

As Super Nanny, every day I help my pal as she takes care of baby boy. I follow her around and make sure I am always by her side in case she needs me. For example, my super sonic nose is always the first to detect that baby boy has done a stinky in his diaper. Personally, I think it smells kinda nice... but my pal said that I like other stinky smells too (errrrrrr, yeah, that's true). Anyways, as soon as my nose starts sniffing baby boy's diaper, my pal knows she will soon also smell the stinky and that it's time to change that diaper.

Another thing I help with is carrying a toy as I follow my pal and baby boy around the house. My pal has explained to me that it will be some time before baby boy plays with toys, but I like to carry one with me... just so I'm ready when that magic day happens!

I also help take baby boy on walks. My pal pushes the stroller as I walk proudly next to it. And, I glance into the stroller every once in awhile to make sure that baby boy is doing ok. He's usually sound asleep and looking ever so cute.

There are still times when just my pal and are able to go out for a break. Just the two of us. Like the other night when Baby Daddy got home from work, my pal took me to the river. It was loads of fun, but we didn't stay too long cause we were both missing baby boy. As soon as we got home, I ran and brought him a toy. Taking care of baby boy is a full time job... but, being Super Nanny sure is the best job I've ever had!

Best Christmas Gift Ever! (by: Carlo)

Sorry it has been FOREVER since I've posted a blog. But, you won't believe what happened on Dec 11! Santa delivered my very own baby boy!!!

Well, actually, my pal delivered him... but, she said that the delivery would have been easier if Santa had brought him down the chimney. I didn't get to see him right away cause my pal and baby boy were in the hospital, but she sent home his receiving blanket so that Lucky and I would know exactly what he smelled like before they came home. And, boy oh boy did he smell good!

Since baby boy has been home, we haven't gotten much sleep. Well, I've been getting my sleep cause I can sleep through anything... but, the humans haven't been getting much sleep. Baby boy likes to stay up at night... all night. My pal calls him her little night owl. It's kind of like having a new 2 month old CCI puppy... except noisier. Actually, now that I think of it, baby boy sort of reminds me of Gerrit. He sure did have some lungs when he first came home too. Gerrit said that it was because he had aspirations of being on American Idol. Hmmmmmm... I wonder if baby boy wants to be on American Idol too! Maybe he and Gerrit could do a duet!

Baby boy sure is sweet. I love him so, so much! My favorite thing these days is to lay right next to my pal while she feeds him. I feel so proud and happy to be there!

I leave you with this cute holiday video. The dog is waiting for his Christmas gift. I got my Christmas gift early this year... and it's the best Christmas gift EVER!

Christmas Wishes Video

Holiday Dreams (by: Carlo)

I've been getting lots o' razzing since my last post. For some reason, people seem to think that I prefer sleeping over holiday decorating. Well, I'm here to tell all of you people... YOU ARE SO RIGHT! But, it's not as if I'm lazy or anything... it's just that when I sleep, I dream... and when I dream, I dream about REALLY fun stuff.

So, what do I dream about that is so fun? Well, when it's the holiday season and it's cold and wet outside... and my pal is busy decorating, I dream about things like summer!!! In fact, this video is a pretty dang good representation of my winter dreams...

In case you hadn't noticed while watching this, these are the same dogs as the ones from the holiday decorating crew video. Oh, and one dog in the video has the BEST name ever... which just happens to be the same as mine... ;-)

Well, I gotta go... so, I can fall asleep and have some more summer dreams... before my pal asks me to help put the Christmas lights on the house!

Decorating... and Napping... for the Holidays (by: Carlo)

This weekend all the humans in the house decided to decorate the house for the holidays. They went to a Christmas tree farm up in the mountains, found "the perfect" tree, lugged it home, and proudly displayed it in the front window. Then, in anticipation of decorating the tree, my pal showed Lucky and me this video. She said that it would get us in the holiday spirit and show us how helpful we could be...

But, to be honest, the video didn't do all that much to motivate us. Lucky and I got tired just watching these dogs do all of that work! So, we decided that our time would best be spent supervising the humans as they decorated! Of course, supervising made us sort of sleepy... and then we remembered how all of the dogs in the video fell sound asleep at the end of the video. Hmmmm... that looked like fun! So we only supervised for a little bit... and then settled in early for a long winter's nap. We LOVE napping... errr, I mean decorating... for the holidays!

A Special Purpose (by: Carlo)

My pal was watching this video tonight as I cuddled up next to her. My first thought was, "Geesh, that little dog sure is an overachiever. When I was that age, I was scared of things like walking down the stairs! And here that little puppy is doin' things like the pull command! Whatever!"

But, I kept watching the video anyways (just because my pal kept watching it), and when the dog didn't make it as service dog, it got MUCH more interesting because I could TOTALLY relate. My pal had tears in her eyes by the end of the video. I gotta admit, I was feeling a little emotional too. I'm sooooo happy that my pal lets me just "be" and that she thinks that I'm perfect just the way I am!

Treats and Dogolanterns (by: Carlo)

For Halloween this year, we made a dogolantern! It's like a jackolantern only better cause its name isn't Jack and it looks like a dog. We actually haven't named it yet, but, I'm thinking Carlo sounds pretty good... as in Carlolantern!

We also went to a harvest festival where my pal said that I was a total kid magnet. Every kid there wanted to come over and pet me. It was great! All of the kids smelled like yummy treats... and they had gooey good smellin' stuff all over their hands... so, being the helpful dog that I am, I helped them clean their hands!

The trick-or-treaters are now about to arrive, so I've gotta get going. Hope you all have a Happy Halloween with lots & lots of treats and dogolanterns!