16 Things at 16 Months

*written by Rocco*

Hey Guys! Did you miss me? Well, I sure missed the blog, but I've been having so much fun and I've been learning a lot. I know Momma has told you, but I'm going to announce it anyway. I'm going to Dog College! Yippie! I'm excited about going, but all my Moms seem sad. They're getting all emotional and sappy about it. I keep telling them that I'll see them again and that they shouldn't' cry, but you know what Moms are like.

Anyway, today I am 16 months old! And for this months post I am going to tell you 16 things that excite me the most about going off to College.

1. All the Other Dogs. My moms are telling me that up at school there are a lot of other dogs and you know how much I like to play. This is going to be so much fun!

2. My brother Rocky. Rocky and I are heading up to college at the same time! (Erin: Something we all joked would never happen because Rocco was less mature that Rocky. He matured up within the past month apparently). I'm hoping that he and I get to be roommates.

3. A Roommate. If it's not Rocky, I hope that I have a fun roommate.

4. New Stuff to Learn. My moms are also telling me that I'm going to have so much stuff to learn. They keep saying that it's gonna be a lot of hard work, but it sounds like so much fun. Momma says that I get to be clicker trained and that I'll get to work in a Harness just like my Big Sister Freya.

5. Graduation. I'm really excited about graduating. I know I can do it and I can't wait! I had so much fun at Freya's graduation and I really want to do it too. It'll be so much fun to have all 3 Moms there telling me what a good boy I am (which I am).

6. Kendrick, Pauli, and Amici! Amici is one of my best friends. I know he went back a little sooner than I did, but I'm sure we'll still get to see each other. I hope I get to see Kendrick too, but I hear he's almost finished with college so I don't know if I'll get to see him. I just hope the four of us get a chance to play together at least once.

7. The TOYS! I love toys and I've hear that they use toys in the play yard that we aren't aloud to have at home.

8. The Play yard. Can you imagine it? It's going to be like a dog park. I've never been to a dog park and I so excited to see what it's like to get to choose who to play with from that many dogs at once.

9. The Harness training. I'm so ready to stop with the whole "jacket" thing. I mean, I love my jacket don't get me wrong, but I get to work in a harness.

10. The food. I hear the GDB has excellent food service and serves food that received "5 paws".

11. My blind person. I'm really excited to find out who I will eventually get paired with. I'm hoping my person does something cool like...like...flies airplane! Ok, maybe not fly airplanes, but I'm sure I'll have the coolest person ever.

12. The blindfolded tests. Momma told me that when I got good enough I would have to pass a test where my trainer would be wearing a blindfold. I'm really nervous about that, but it sounds exciting too.

13. The trainers. Everyone tells me that the trainers are really, really nice.

14. Fun Day. I was there last Fun Day and I got to go into the kennels and see all the older dogs who were at college there. I knew then that I wanted to make it to that point. :D I hope some little pup walks through and sees me and says that's what I wanna do. I'm also hoping to show off a little so I can be a dog at "Follow a Trainer". That would be so much fun.

15. The Drive up to Campus. Mommy Lynn is driving me and Rocky and his mom up to campus to see us settled into our new dorm. I love long car rides. Momma always said that I was one of the best car companions ever.

And finally...

16. Going Home. I can't wait to go home with all the new stuff I learned up at school. No matter where that home might be.

Now, Momma made me put in some pictures. I chose a whole bunch of me playing because all the others that she wanted to put up where a little embarrassing.

I got to go to card game days with Momma all the time.
Since I don't have opposable thumbs though, I couldn't play cards.

That backyard was a lot of fun.

I love the Jolly Ball.
See? Apparently even when I'm just chewing a bone it's a photo opportunity.

Momma and I were playing "Tug" and she decided to break for a photo.
This is when I got back to Momma's for Christmas. I ran round and round the couch with Rosie following me until she gave up.

Auntie Arwen. She really was a great mentor for me.
This was at a puppy meeting in January when I got to see Rockford again.

Finally, there's this picture. You guys want to know what I'm staring at? See that spot on my paw? It's actually a fly. Momma said I must have been the only dog in the world who was fly distracted. Well, I'm not sly distracted anymore.