Meet Me at the Corner (by: Carlo)

This week one of my readers wrote and told me about a really cool web site called MEET ME AT THE CORNER, Virtual Field Trips for Kids. The site has tons of educational kid-friendly videos. And, guess what? This week's video features CCI!

In the video, eight-year old, Katelyn, learns about the importance of service dogs for people with disabilities and interviews a puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence.

Check it out!

http://www.meetmeatthecorner.org/episodes/canine-companions-for-independence

Art Bark Fest (by: Carlo)

Yesterday we went to a super cool event in Tahoe called Art Bark Fest! Art Bark Fest is an annual event at the Village at Squaw Valley. The event benefits the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe & Squaw Rescue Dogs. Lots of artists come to show and sell their artwork... and all of their art features... DOGS!!! There are lots of special dog events too... and dogs are welcome to join in all of the fun. In other words, this is one cool event!

A bunch of my dog friends and their peeps (people) joined us. That's all of us dogs in the photo above! I'm sitting on the monster chair to the left... sporting my brand new sparkly blue bandanna! My pal got it for me at the event! It's blue with sparkly snowflakes on one side and it's purple on the other side. It sure was nice strutting around the event in my new bandanna. People told me I was lookin' very handsome!

There were all kinds of weird chairs at Squaw Valley. In addition to the monster chair, my buddy Hope and I found the chairs in the photo below. They looked sort of scary to me at first! And, I didn't much like sitting on any of them cause I ain't never sat in a chair like those before! But, once my pal explained to me that they were just made out of a bunch of skis... and to stop being such a big baby about it, I didn't mind so much.

We did do lots of other stuff besides just find crazy chairs. My buddies, Cara and Omeeka, competed in a splash dog contest. We also went shopping. My pal bought a doggie necklace that has a dog on one side and it says "Live, Laugh, Bark" on the other side. It's pretty cool... especially cause I helped pick it out! The lady that sold it to my pal gave me treats and loved my smile!

As if this event wasn't enough to make for a super cool day, after we left the event, we went hiking!!! All us dogs got to play off leash. We hiked along a creek... so, all of us dogs would all dive into the creek, and then run on dry land, then dive back into creek. It was the best and we were all covered in mud! You know you've had a good time when you're covered in mud from nose to paw!

Zoom Zoom Woof Woof (by: Carlo)

Since Gerrit, the clown, went off to college, life sure has been busy! I knew something was going on when my pal started putting all our stuff in boxes. Next thing you know... all our stuff is in a different house! We've been busy unpacking and getting used to the new digs. But, it hasn't been all work and no play (which is a good thing cause life without play wouldn't be any fun at all!).

We took a break this weekend from unpacking and my pal took me to an event called Zoom Zoom Woof Woof! The event featured two things... cars and dogs... specifically CCI dogs! The car show helped benefit CCI. It sure was a heck of a lot of fun! CCI dog training classes were being held and I even got to help out by being the "distraction". I got to walk around all the dogs in class while they were in down stays and sniff and mess with them. Talk about fun!!! To be honest, it sure was a lot more fun than when I was a pup in training and I had to do the down stays!

We also looked at a bunch of shiny cars, visited with lots of puppy raisers and dogs, and sat and watched the band for awhile...

It was a really fun outing! I'm sure that Gerrit would have loved doing it too. Speaking of Gerrit, we still haven't received his first progress report. But, we did receive his "Dear Family" letter. He said that his trainer is named Erin. And, he said that he gets to play in the yard every day and that it even has a pool with a slide. He didn't make any mention of doing any clown-like antics in college... but, I betcha a zoom zoom car he is the biggest class clown there!