Camping: Part 1

So camping was a blast! Rocco did just wonderfully. A lot better than Arwen I'll say that. Arwen was a little nervous the first night in the tent, but last night she got a little more comfortable. Well, she actually slept last night. Rocco though did great! The first night he went to lay down on his blanket and was out like a light until morning. He even slept through Arwen being so neurotic and Golden Retriever like. He relieved well and that's something we've been working on. He doesn't like to relieve anywhere but the backyard which has its good sides and its bad. But Rocco went every time I asked him to and his poop schedule stayed the same. I was so proud of him!

Both Arwen and Rocco got to play in the river and run around. Rocco just loved the freedom! I even got to walk on a flexi leash this weekend.

See, I made this sort of a mini vacation for him. We didn't do much Guide Work Training (well, what we puppy raisers are allowed to do) and we didn't do a whole lot of obedience either. He was on a flexi leash for walks and he was allowed to get excited when people walked up to him and gave him love. One particular park ranger came over many times to give love to both Rocco and Arwen. She even recognized Rocco for the bad puppy that he is. Haha, I'm only joking, but she really did love the dogs. Anyway, he got to relax this weekend which is what I wanted. Why? Because he's going to be neutered tomorrow and I feel bad for him so I let him have fun.

Right now both Rocco and Arwen are drying from their baths. They passed the line from dirty to filthy yesterday afternoon so I was glad to get them home and bathed. Heck, I was glad to be bathed as well. :)

I'm organizing the pictures right now so when they're all ready and what not I'll post them.

7 Things at 7 Months

Hey all of my blogging friends! Can you believe that I am 7 months old today? Momma can't either. She says that I'm just too big and that I need to go back to being a little puppy. She even says that at Puppy Meetings in front of all of my friends. She's so embarrassing sometimes. She's grabs my jowls and calls me Buddy Boy in front of everyone! Doesn't she know that I'm 7 months old!? I mean, I'm 60 lbs now. And I'm getting fixed on Monday. I'm not too sure what that is, but Momma says it's my first step into adulthood. So why does she still treat me like a little pup? Parents right?

Anyway, Momma said that I had to get this up before we leave in an hour or so for camping. Grandma and Momma are taking me camping to celebrate my 7 month day and my first step into adulthood. Pretty Cool huh? So, as always here is my list of those things I've been doing the past month.

My 7 Best Traits and Commands:
1. Momma says that I'm getting so good at puppy "push-ups". I think I'm really getting the hang of them too. They're kind of fun when get right down to it.
2. I am generally off leash in the house now. Momma says that I'm so good at not picking up stuff off the floor. Only when she wants to keep an extra close eye on me does Momma put me on my long drag line in the house.
3. I no longer bark or whine in my crate or on walks. I'm pretty proud of myself. Momma taught me to talk to her and to other people using facial expressions and body language instead of my voice. Now I only bark when Auntie Arwen and I are playing hard. Momma says that's fine because Auntie Arwen's very vocal too.
4. I still really like to cuddle. Hey! I might be all grown up, but sometimes a guy just needs his Momma to hold him.
5. My "That's Enough" is improving (Momma didn't think that was possible because she's always said that I was so good at it). Now when she says it I stop playing with Arwen and wait a full minute before playing with Auntie Arwen again.
6. My "Kennel" Command is pretty cool too! I'll go into a wire crate at any angle if both doors are open. AND Momma can tell me "Kennel" at the door to our room and I'll go into the kennel instead on trying to trick her by going towards the kennel and then laying down on my bed. It helps that she finally got me a bigger kennel.
7. Momma says I'm really FUN! She says I'm such a goober and a goofball and I can always make her laugh. I don't really know what a goober is, but since it makes Momma happy I'm glad I'm one of them.

My 7 Things that I Need to Work on:
1. I still get really excited when people pet me and love on me. I try really hard not too and Momma says I haven't been jumping on people as much and I don't really jump up on furniture to get to people anymore, but I still get too excited.
2. Momma says I've gotten really stubborn about somethings. Like if she wants to to come to her I won't come unless she uses the command. Momma says that I should be so stubborn because she doesn't like the teenage stage, but what I can do. I am what I is.
3. Momma says that I've picked up this new habit of hackling with I see other dogs who want to play with me when we're walking. She said it was fine when it was just in the backyard, but now she says I'm not allowed to do it out on walks or in the house and she's decided that when I do it with Arwen she's going to make me stop playing. Is it my fault I get so excited?
4. I still lick everything! I can't help it, I'm just curious.
5. Sometimes I can play too rough and not realize it. Auntie Arwen is helping me with this by scolding me when I'm too rough with her. Momma also says this will cool down with my fixing. Gosh I wish I knew what it is!
6. I pull too hard on the leash. Momma says she would like nothing more than to get a training collar for me. Again, I'm just curious about the world around me.
7. Those little dogs still get me. They're just so interesting.

My 7 Favourite Things:
1. Jollyball
2. Food
3. Snuggling
4. Playing with Momma
5. Hide and Seek with Momma and Auntie Arwen and Lilly
6. Puppy Meetings
7. Having my belly rubbed

That's all for this month. And with that I have some very sad news. This will probably be my last Month Day Post. Momma told me that she's going away for a while and that I'm going to go live with someone else. I'm very sad, but she says that I'm going to have soooo much fun. I'm being transferred to the Visalia group and guess who else was just transferred there! My brother Rocky! It'll be fun to see him again, but I really wish Momma didn't have to leave. She says she'll hopefully see me at Christmas. I'm leaving to go with my new person on the September 12 or 13 or 14. We haven't quite decided yet. I'm gonna miss Momma, but I know I'll see her again. And don't worry, I'll keep you guys updated on how I'm doing.

That's all for now!
~Rocco

In the Woods

Hey guys! Rocco and I will be away from the computer until Sunday evening. We're going camping with my mom. Now, say whatever you will, but I believe that the forests in California are some of the prettiest natural sceneries on the face of this earth. They're gorgeous and I'm totally excited to be going, because I haven't been up there in just too long. I never really got the chance to go camping with Freya. We went when she was 6 months old up to the snow for a weekend which turned out to be 5 nights because we got snowed in and I ended up having to feed her a different kind of puppy food that the owners of the cabin had brought with them for their puppy. But I never went camping. Last summer when I still had Freya I was more focused on working on her problem areas. Since Rocco doesn't have nearly as many issues as Freya (sorry darling girl, but you were crazy) I think he'll do swimmingly. He doesn't really pull on a flat leash so that'll be fun and there's a little river flowing through where we are going to be so he'll get to run and play in that. Arwen gets to come too. I'm sure both of them are going to enjoy being up in the mountains for a few nights. There will be pictures when I get back!

First Meeting...

Without Winston (aka Mr. Wiggles or Sir Wigglesalot). I didn't show it, but I was sad. When Mary asked who was missing my first thought was, "Where's Winston!?" Then of course I remembered where he was and why he wasn't going to be at this meeting or the next. And then I was sad. I got a little sad when Crenshaw and Zack and Harvard left, but nothing like this. I am legit upset people! Why? Because I think I always thought that when Winston left it would mean the end of an "era" if you will. When Winston left, I would have to leave and now Katlynn's leaving and probably won't be there when I get back for Winter Holiday. This is why I am sad. It's not because he's gone per say, I'm excited for him and happy for Katlynn, but both of us are kind of done with GDB (at least for now). That's why I am sad. Because I realize now that I am done...

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Momma changed up the room while I was gone...She Moved my bed to the end of hers...
And took out the bookcases...

I like the new set up though...
Because I get to be closer to her when she's working on the computer.

He's Back!

My baby boy is back from the puppy sitters! I picked him up last night. He was so excited to see me and I was equally excited to see him! He's so funny and I'm totally happy to have him back...even though I only have him for less than a month now. :(

I'm going to make his "loss of manhood" appointment today. I should have done it a while ago, but I've been in denial. He's a yellow male, sweet, gorgeous, and is so confident. What more could they want in a breeder!? He's also related to two strong, male breeders. Come on now! Haha! But, I've come to terms with the fact that Rocco must lose his boys. Sad day.

Besides that we don't have much planned for the next few days. We are going camping with my mom on Friday and staying through the weekend. That should be fun. I was never able to go camping with Freya when I had her last summer. I was too busy working on her many distractions and what not that I never thought about it. And no one asked me to come, so I didn't go. Anyway, I'm looking forward to having him up in the Forests of Cedar Grove for a few days. I think he's going to really enjoy it. Arwen gets to come too!

Rockford Update...

I'm sure you have all been wondering about how Rockford is doing...well, my leader sent out an email to us all today and

ROCKFORD IS ALRIGHT!!!!

Apparently his hives were a reaction to the frontline flea prevention so they've switched his flea treatment to an oral pill. So he's coming home and he's doing just fine!