What a weekend!

Hi, it’s me … Otto - Happy belated mother’s day to all the foster and forever moms out there. Sorry I am a day late, I had a party to attend yesterday.

Saturday, May 9, 2009
First, I spent a couple of quiet nights with my foster aunt Lori. When she came home from her trip I was not afraid to meet her at all. I plopped right down, rolled on my back and demanded some love. (She said she wishes human men would do that too!)

My foster mom and dad took Thelma and Otis to the beach (I am going there next weekend!!) so it was just me and Lori. I stayed up later, but got to sleep in too! We went for a walk around 8 am instead of 5 am. I don’t mind either time, so I can be an early or a night bird, so long as I have some routine. Everybody tells me I am a good walker. She started to say step every time I went up a curb, but I don’t totally understand what it means yet.

I went into the house for the first time, since there were no dogs home to catch the end of my cough. That was pretty cool! I bumped into a couple things, but after a while I knew to walk past the chair, turn right and find my bed. I also remembered where the water was, but I tend to kick the bowl or step in it first and when I hear the noise I find my drink.

I just LOVE to sleep! So long as I find a familiar bed or chair, and I know someone is in the room, I settle down. Once I am comfy and after a few pets, I snore pretty hard. I pretty much stay in one place, so I don’t always have to be with a person, but I know that aunt Lori listened for me and checked in while she was upstairs cooking. I am pretty smart, but I always need a human to keep me safe.

I chewed my crate again last night, so aunt Lori didn’t put me in it. I slept in a cushy blow up chair in my room and didn’t move all night. She slept in the next room just to make sure I didn’t get into anything and I behaved.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

On Sunday morning, she let me out in the yard with her while she did some clean-up. The yard is nice and big and totally fenced. The shrubs and trees are all on the perimeter, so I hunt them down to pee, but wander in the middle otherwise. I especially like to smell the area under the bird feeders - what did you expect, I might be blind, but I am still a bird dog!

One of my favorite things is to roll in the grass- I do it so hard and roll so much, I make myself dizzy! I guess I looked a little drunk when I stood up. Aunt Lori said I was silly. I can pretty much smell or hear my humans and follow them around the yard. Thankfully they never leave me out on my own. If they call me by name or clap or snap, I can pretty easily zone in on where they are and make my way to them.

Since the party was on the deck, I needed to familiarize myself with this space - I hadn’t been up on the big deck yet. Aunt Lori put a leash on me and held on tight as we went up. She kept saying step again, and I think it’s becoming clearer. I am good at going up - although I don’t necessarily go up straight, so if there is no railing, I would fall right off without help.

Once up there, all the openings were blocked off so I wouldn’t take a mistaken step. I learned where all the furniture was pretty quickly and found the cushy lounge chair and hopped right up! When I got hot, I hopped right down and found a shaded area.

A few bumps here and there, but I am used to it, that is why I walk slow when I am trying to figure out where to go. If I don’t settle down or wine once or twice that probably means I have to go “out.” Going down the steps is kind of scary since I can’t tell where I might land. Aunt Lori put me on a leash again and as I put my paw out to feel where something solid might be she said step again.

My foster mom & dad came home and Thelma and Otis too - I really missed them all and am happy being around other dogs. There were all sorts of yummy smells coming from the house, and I pretty much napped on the deck and waited for company.

Did I tell you about my tail? I don’t really want to think about my old life, but somebody cut my tail way to short so I don’t have much to wag. But when all the people started to arrive, I was so happy, my whole butt “wags.” I make do with what I have pretty well. Aunt Cheryl was first, I met her before and know she likes Thelma best. Then grandma Pat C and grandma Pat P and grandpa Dick and my “cousin” Sam. I never met a foster kid before - he is thirteen and really nice. He liked me a lot. Everybody liked me a lot. In fact my two grandmas missed all the appetizers because they were talking and sitting with me. Pat C gave me a hedgehog toy and I wouldn’t let it go! She says I remind her of Sport - so good natured and sweet. I never met Sport but I heard he was a rescue also and if he was anything like me, he must have been great!

Once the food came out, I was ready to eat! Chicken and ribs! Wow - where’s my dish, I thought? I sniffed a lot at the table and snuck in between seats to try and get a nibble. Turns out it was people food. It’s hard for me to tell the difference, so I went to my room while everyone ate. They brought me back to the deck and I tried for some berry pie, but I guess that is not for dogs either so I laid back on the lounger.

It was so much fun to meet so many people, but I was dog tired after that! Sandy brought me home a different crate from Aunt Sue because everybody thinks it is much safer for me to be confined at night. I didn’t chew it and didn’t make a peep. I do like the feeling of leaning on something when I sleep, so maybe the crate isn’t so bad after all. I hope my forever home is just as good.

Well naptime again, I will write more from the beach next week.