Happy Halloween!

Did I scare you?!  Mwaaa…mwaaa…mwaaa!

If the first picture frightened you, this one will melt your heart.

And this one will make you laugh.  This is my imitation of Scooby Doo…Lukie Lukie Loo!!!!

 

A hurricane’s a comin’!

Hi everybody!

Today’s blog will be short because the Mid-Atlantic region and Eastern Seaboard of the United States is bracing for the Frankenstorm (Hurricane Sandy).  We are expecting high winds, downed trees, no electricity and possible flooding in the Washington D.C. area.  I hope it’s bark is worst than it’s bite.  So everyone on the east coast, be safe!

Just to keep things light…

Everyone run to the nearest grocery store and buy milk, bread and toilet paper!  Hurry!!  Go and buy it anyway even if you don’t need it!  When you arrive to said grocery store, fight through a log jam of cars in the parking lot, get pushed around and trampled in the herd of people, look at the shelves and sigh in disappointment.  Shelves have been emptied since Friday!

We’re not going to let a little hurricane dampen the mood.  Today is a very special day.  I’d like to wish my friend Danny a happy 1st birthday!!!!!!  He’s a trouble maker just like me so I’m sure he will spend his birthday getting into hijinks and looking all cute doing it.  Danny is a rescue kitty.  He’s got a long extensive story too.  Maybe he will blog about it one day (hint hint).  I hope you have a wonderful day bud!

As for me, I spent a wonderful autumn weekend at MOG’s house.  There were so many leaves on the ground, I didn’t know which ones to fetch.  Here’s a collage of me chillin’ in the fall foliage.  As usual, I had tons of fun being outside and chewing on sticks.

You’ll have to pardon me for ending this blog on a teaser but  I need to go dig up some dirt in case we need to fill up sand bags.  Until next time! ~ Luke

MOG’s house

Howdy Ho Ranger Joe!

As promised, here is my blog on last weekend’s visit to MOG’s house (aka my other grandparents, aka the farm).  I was soooo excited when we arrived at the farm on Saturday.  I knew exactly where I was!  I ran inside the house anticipating a big celebration.  To my surprise, NO ONE WAS THERE!!!  Egad!

Nada.  Nunca.  Nilch.  Nothing.

Nobody was home!  How could this be?!  Did MOG forget I was coming over?  I checked every nook and cranny in case everyone was hiding for my surprise party and accidentally fell asleep.  I was really sad and I whined.  😦

Mommy and Poppa Josh took me outside to play while we waited for MOG to come home.  Being outdoors always makes me happy so I quickly forgot I was sad.  First, I posed for my “Blue Steel” shot with the pumpkins and got bored.  I was uninspired.  The lighting wasn’t right!  What I wanted to do was pull down the cornstalks.

Will anyone notice if a few stalks are missing from this display?

Fine! I’ll be a good boy.  Oh!  What’s THAT over there?!

I stopped pulling on the cornstalks because I was distracted by the turkey, peacocks and chickens saying hello to me.  So I ran over to say, “Greetings and salutations!”

Do you guys smell something fowl?  Get it? Foul/fowl?  I crack myself up!  Mental note to self…add comedian to resume.

I had to stop my conversation short when I saw a tree that was laying on the ground.  I was fascinated by such a simple concept.  Trees usually stand upright.  Why was this one laying down?  Was it tired?  It turns out grandpa had to cut down some sick trees.

If a tree falls down in MOG’s backyard and no one hears it, does it make a sound?  Here’s a better question.  Does a sick tree cough?

I don’t know the answer.  However, this is where I discovered a new sport…log rolling.  Yep.  You heard me correctly.  I will enter the next log rolling competition.  What do you mean you compete on water?!  Are you sure it’s not on land?  Never mind.  I’ll have to find a new hobby.  One that doesn’t involve water until I’m ready to take my first swim.

October 20, 2012
Excuse me Mr. Tree.  I need to get across to the other side.  If you don’t move, I’ll have to climb over you.

Okay.  I see you’re not moving.  Let’s see.  Should I jump across?  Or should I climb over?

I’ll just climb over.  That was fun!  Let’s do it again and again and again.

I’m getting good at this!  It’s the simple things in life that keep me entertained.

Just when my ADD was about to kick in, I heard a car.  MOG’s home!!!!!  Grandma was so happy to see me!  She left her car with the engine running at the bottom of the long driveway, ran over to me and squeezed me silly.

I spent the night at MOG’s and stayed there until Sunday night.  I had a wonderful time!  Grandma and Josh’s sister both agreed that I grew really big but I still acted like a puppy.  More importantly, they said I’m still Luke.  Fame hasn’t corrupted me yet! 😉

I can’t wait until I see them again…which will be tonight!  I’m spending the weekend at MOG’s.  Yeah!  ~Luke

Play date with Lita

Hello everyone!

I had so much fun yesterday!  I visited my great grandma and my cousin Lita.  My great grandma is 92 years old.  That’s a lot in dog years.  Great grandma thinks I’m cute.  It’s too bad she is unable to bend down and play with me so I was gentle with her.  I didn’t jump on her at all.

As soon as we got out of the car, I wanted to run inside the house.  Lita was in the basement so she didn’t hear me.  She came upstairs when Aunt Kwyn called her name.  I brought over my new bag of Organix Chicken Cookies to share with her.  At first Lita didn’t want my healthy snack so I ate mine and hers.  After a few times spitting them out, she ate one…then two…then three…and all of the sudden ate more treats than me.  I am happy to report that Lita loves them as much as I do!

We did the normal stuff.  She chased me around the house and I hid under the tables and chairs.  I confess to initiating the chase a few times by jumping on her.  It’s all horse play.

Lita is patiently waiting for a Scooby snack while I’m catching my breath.  We just finished our first game of chase the puppy around the house.

How come Lita gets to eat more treats than me? It’s not fair that she’s bigger. This should be an equal opportunity treat receiving household.  Don’t discriminate!

We played chase the puppy until I was pooped out.  Aunt Kwyn gave us a fresh bowl of water and Lita was very nice.  She let me drink first even though she was parched.  Then Aunt Kwyn took us both for a walk at the same time (she’s brave).  We walked around the block and I saw the next door neighbor’s little children.  They asked their mom if Lita had a baby.  Haha!  Lita was not amused. 😉  When we came back inside, I played with Lita’s toy spider while she was gulping down water without me.  How rude!

Aw shucks!  Lita already de-squeaked the spider.  Good thing I found this shoelace wrapped around it. This will keep me occupied for oh…30 seconds.

Lita has plenty of time to drink water without me so she better hurry up!

Great grandma came out of her room to eat so both Lita and I were curious what she was eating.  We were hoping she would drop something on the floor so we could get it.  Darn!  Nothing.  Since I couldn’t get table scraps, it was time to initiate another round of chase the puppy.

I’m acting all crazy and trying to rile up Lita.  So far, she’s not taking the bait.  This is my one-eyed Lukie look with my tongue sticking out.

Boy, it’s not working.  Let me think. How do I get you to play with me?  I know!

I’ll do the submissive thing.  Come here Lita.  Here Lita Lita Lita…

That’s right.  It’s working.  You know you want to play…

I can feel it!  You’re ready to chase me.  Ready and go!

Whew!  She almost got me!  Good thing I ran up the stairs.  Lita can’t tag me if I’m on base.  Haha!

Shortly after the picture of me on the stairs was taken, great grandma called Aunt Kwyn into her room for the millionth time.  It was just enough unsupervised time for me to get into a little hijinks.  I dug into the potted plant and spread dirt all over the living room carpet.  Oh boy, Aunt Kwyn was upset at me!  She called me Lucas.  I knew I was in BIG trouble!

I didn’t mean to cause a mess.  I swear!  I only wanted to dig and maybe eat a little dirt.

I’m so sorry.  I just couldn’t help myself.  Temptation was right there within eye level.  Sigh.

Aunt Kwyn said she would come back another day with the carpet shampoo machine to clean up my mess.  I will tag along and assist her.  I promise to be a good boy next time!

~ Luke

Weight a minute

Um.  Hello!

I’m a little verklempt.  My weight for this week is 33.5 pounds.  This means I only gained 1.5 pounds this past week.  I’ve been consistently gaining 3 pounds a week for the past couple months so this is a big deal!  I know I’m 18 weeks old, which means my accelerated growth is likely slowing down.  But man oh man, I feel like I was placed on a diet or something.  Wait a minute!  I WAS!!!

No wonder my new harness doesn’t fit me yet!  It’s been two weeks since I outgrew my old one.  All this walking around with a leash hooked to my collar is no fun.  It doesn’t look like I made progress in fitting my harness at all.  I’m amending my goal and striving to fit it by the end of the month.  We shall see!

October 23, 2012
I can be a magician like Houdini and slip right out of this.

Yesterday, Uncle Tony stopped by during his lunch break and gave me a Scooby snack.  I can always count on him for some munchies!  He says I look huge since he saw me last.  It’s only been 4 days!  It’s good to know I’m still growing even if I’m not gaining 3 pounds a week.  Mommy made me feel better too.  She says I grew longer and leaner instead of wider.

I look like a giant next to my bed but I can still curl up like a ball and squeeze in there.

I played with Uncle Tony for a bit.  He thought something was wrong with me because I wasn’t my normal rambunctious self.  I told him I was still tired from my eventful weekend.  I promised Uncle Tony that the next time I see him, I will tackle him! 😉

I spent most of yesterday playing with every single one of my toys.  I have way too many to count.  I have some upstairs and I have some downstairs.  If I want to play with a particular toy upstairs, I run up there and play by myself.  It doesn’t matter if no one is there.  I’m not afraid.  I’m a big boy now!

October 10, 2012
This was me a couple of weeks ago. I was dragging my beagle buddy upstairs before the camera interrupted.

I also took advantage of the late afternoon sunshine to soak in the rays.  I went for a long walk, met up with some doggie friends, then chilled in the backyard.  Here are a few pics of me doing one of my favorite things…chewing on a stick.

There’s an order to stick chewing.  First you start on one end.

Then you chew on the other end.

Finally you chomp down on it, right down the middle.

I may visit my cousin Lita today.  I’m not sure yet.  For now, I’m happy and content playing with my squeaky tennis ball and sampling all the new organic snacks mommy bought me yesterday.  Yummy! ~ Luke

Must love water

Hi!

I’m feeling so energized today!!!!!  It’s as if I slept all of yesterday to recharge my batteries.  Wait a sec, I did sleep through Monday!  Since I pretended to be Rip Van Winkle, I’m really feisty and all I want to do is play today.

I’ve been playing with my toys all morning but I really want to go for a long walk around the neighborhood so I can sniff scents and follow trails…the beagle part of me.  Then retrieve all the pine cones that have fallen onto the ground…the lab part of me.

Yesterday, the only times I woke up were to go for a walk and eat.  Most of the time, I was sleeping under the couch.  Every once in a while I would surface and hop onto the couch.

My eyes may look opened but I’m really sleeping.

You bother me!  For the love of Pete! A little privacy please?!  I’m sleeping here!

All because I’m resting my eyes, it doesn’t mean I don’t like eating.  I’m sleeping close to the kitchen in case food falls on the floor.

While I was taking my siesta yesterday, I had a thought.  I decided to change the appearance of my blog page to a beach theme as an encouragement and motivation to LOVE water.  It’s a little embarrassing to admit this but I’m afraid of H2O.  Maybe it’s the beagle side of me coming out but as far as everyone is concerned, I have the traits of a labrador.  I have webbed paws for goodness sake!  They’re designed for swimming.

As far as baths are concerned, NO DOG likes getting a bath (it’s in our Union agreement) so it’s okay for me to want to jump out of the bathtub while slathered up in soap.  Right?  At the mention of bath time, I roll on my back to prevent being carried into the tub.  So far, this strategy hasn’t quite worked out. 😦

Bath time is one thing but rain is another thing.  I don’t like rain!  It’s cold water.  At least my bath water is warm.  I love going for walks but the rain ruins it.  If it’s raining, I’ll run back inside without taking care of business.

I’ve left mommy and Aunt Kwyn standing in the rain sooo many times.  I try not to laugh at them but they look absolutely silly standing out there in a raincoat and galoshes.  It’s fine by me if you guys want to get wet but I’ll be in the house where it’s nice and dry.  Don’t worry peeps!  I’ve never made an oopsie inside the house because I didn’t take care of business while it’s raining out.

I’m absolutely not a fan of torrential downpours where I’m soaked within 10 seconds of being outside.  Every time this has happened, I try to jump on whoever is walking me (to be held and protected), as if they will shield me from the water.

However, there is a silver lining to these dark and wet storm clouds.  When I’m playing outside, I find the biggest puddle of water to run across.  So I guess I don’t mind water when I’m playing.  Maybe before it gets too cold outside, we’ll test out this theory on a warm autumn day by the stream, lake or beach.  I’ll definitely keep you posted.  Until next time!

~Luke

It’s just another Manic Monday

I don’t get the Monday blues. I just look blue in certain lighting. Pretty cool, eh?

Actually it’s not a manic monday.  It’s a stay in bed and sleep all day Monday.  I am plum tuckered out after this weekend’s activities.  I’ve been quiet as a mouse all morning.  The good news is, I don’t need a bath because I had one last week!

October 17, 2012
All that hard work rolling around in the dirt and masking my smell. Now it’s ruined! I can’t believe I smell like Earthbath All Natural Puppy Shampoo.

On Saturday, I went to a lacrosse game with mommy.  It was a little cool out there so I wore my Redskins jersey (they broke my heart by losing Sunday’s game so we shan’t talk about that).

My oh my the attention I attracted at George Mason University!  Every guy came up to me because I was da bomb!  You want to take a picture of me?  Fo’ shizzle my nizzle!   No prob bro.  Just stand in line.  I’ll take care of you.  Next!

October 20, 2012
Must listen to some meditation music and relax before heading out to meet my fans. It’s not easy being a celebrity. People expect you to be “on” all the time. It takes work!

The remainder of my weekend was spent at MOG’s.  The good news is, Josh’s parents remember me!  I’m a little bigger but it’s still meeee!  I’ll save the stories for another day when I’m not so pooped out.  For the meantime, here are a couple pics of me preparing for Halloween.

Time for another siesta.  Zzzzzzzzzzz.  ~Luke

 

October 20, 2012
Zoolander better watch out. This is my version of “Blue Steel” (Youtube it if you have no idea what I’m talking about).

We need to move the cornstalk over here because the lighting isn’t right. Mommy, are you going to stand there and look pretty? Or will you help me?

The farm (aka Josh’s parents house)

Lukie Lukie Loo!  Say it like Scooby Dooby Doo!  That’s what Uncle Tony called me yesterday.  I LOVE it when he comes by for a visit.  We get to play rough.  I was plum tuckered out when he left.

Will you please turn off the lamp so I can take a cat nap?

I also LOVE it when Josh comes by to play too.  Lots of rough housing!  It must be a guy thing.  As much as I love mommy and Aunt Kwyn, they do not play like boys.

Speaking of Josh, I am excited about my weekend visit to MOG (my other grandparents).  I hope they recognize me!  It’s been a few weeks since I’ve stopped by for a visit.  Back then, I was 10 pounds lighter and still had my baby face.

I love sticks.  I love digging.  I love retrieving.  I love rolling in dirt.  I love running around.  I love being outdoors.  This is why I have soooo much fun when I visit Josh’s parents house.  They have so much land, I love exploring every nook and cranny!

I’d like to share with you pictures from the last time I was there, which was early September.  A big thunderstorm knocked down a bunch of tree branches.  I came over and helped Josh remove them.  Proof that I earned my keep.  Have a great weekend! ~ Luke

Let me inspect this rock and make sure it’s stable to walk on. While I’m here, let me mark my territory too. I hope no one saw that.

You want me to drag it by this pile?  Sure.  No problem.

This is a big branch. Too heavy to drag.  I need to chew it off into smaller sizes.

Boy! It looks like the whole tree fell down.  This one is taking forever to chew. I need a power tool!

Of course I know how to use it. All males are born knowing how to use power tools!

All work and no play is a foreign language to me.  I finished my chores.  Now it’s time to have some fun!  Did I ever mention that I have ADD? 😉

Break time!

Look what I found! A squeaky racoon toy. Chase me if you want it back!

Oh look a ball! It’s too big to put in my mouth. Let me wrestle with it instead.

Forget the ball. I see dirt. Must dig now!

Aaahhh! My little nest is complete. Let me contemplate my next move.

Gotta make sure the chickens are okay. Someone needs to help me count.

Must free Nanuk from this horrible leash so he can help me inspect the property.

I’m going to wind down the day by chewing on one more stick. Then it’s dinner time. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll go to sleep.

I’m a prisoner in my own home

I had a rough morning.  I was asleep and went for a stretch.  Next thing I knew, I fell off the bed in a loud plop!  I was startled and stayed on the floor for a bit before jumping back on bed.

To boot, I’m starving over here!  Where is Uncle Tony when I need some Scooby snacks?!  I hope he stops by during his lunch break.

Since my visit to the vet on Monday (and I was called wide not fat), my food has been reduced.  I’m eating 1/2 a cup less of food than I used to.  It doesn’t sound like a big deal until it’s a big deal when my stomach growls!  By the time dinner rolls around, I inhale my food.  Mommy and Aunt Kwyn decided to divide the food out so I still receive lunch.  It’s a tiny portion compared to before…but something is certainly better than nothing!

Let’s see.  Did anything interesting happen in 24 hours since my last blog?  Hmm.  I was Aunt Kwyn’s shadow yesterday.  If I wasn’t outside, I was mostly in her office.  Some repair work was being done around the house and there were too many tools and equipment laying around.  It wasn’t safe for me to run amuck and get into trouble…or maybe escape through the back door again. 😉

I heard banging noises and loud machines being used.  I wanted to know what was out there!  I whined and whined and whined.  So Aunt Kwyn took me for a long walk around the neighborhood.  We came back and I tried to fall asleep but that didn’t last very long.  I was bored so I jumped on Aunt Kwyn.  I wanted to play!  She took me for another long walk and we played fetch by the golf course.  This repeated several times throughout the day.

Round two starts in a bit when the handyman comes back to finish all his projects.  Guess who will be outside taking multiple long walks and playing fetch again?  Meeeee!!!!!

Did I ever mention that I have ADD?  I have a very short attention span.  I’m very much like my mommy.  Oh, what’s that over there?  I think it’s time to play with toys.  What was I doing again?  Oh, yeah.  Did I ever mention that I have ADD? 😛

Until next time! ~ Luke

Somebody please open the door to the office. I want to see what’s going on!  This is my cute boy face…you know you can’t resist.

Is he done yet?! This is taking forever.

The front door just closed. Is he leaving?

Oh! Where’s he going?  Are you coming back?  Wait a sec…I’m free!  I’m free!

Lost and found

Hiya!

I had an interesting afternoon yesterday shortly after I published my blog.  Aunt Lynn (it’s really grandma but she doesn’t like to be called that) had a handyman stop by to give an estimate on all the stuff that needs to be repaired around the house.  Let the record show that these were pre-existing before I lived here.  I DID NOT DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE.

Anyhoo, one of the things that needs to be fixed is the back door.  Aunt Lynn says the handyman must have opened it so he could check it out.  Somehow I slipped through and no one knew I was missing!!!!!  Aunt Kwyn was in her office wondering why I was so quiet.  She thought I was a really good boy, quietly following Aunt Lynn and the handyman around the house.  Boy was she wrong!

Luckily, the blinds in the office happened to be pulled up and the window was opened because I spent the morning looking outside.  Aunt Kwyn heard a little clinky noise and it sounded like a dog tag.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a little black dog prancing across the front yard.  She did a double take and looked again.

It was me!!!!!  I was heading straight to the front door.  She ran to the door and I was already there, waiting for her to open it.  I’m pretty sure I would’ve barked if no one opened the door.  Aunt Kwyn almost had a heart attack.  Don’t worry.  I’m okay.  I’m safe.

She doesn’t know where I went or what hijinks I may have gotten into but Aunt Kwyn estimates that I was outside alone for 10-15 minutes.  I know what I did out there but I’m not telling anyone.  😛  When I came inside the house, the first thing I did was jump on Aunt Kwyn.  I missed her soooo much!  I gave her kisses all over and she squeezed me tight until my eyeballs popped.  Then I went straight to the water bowel and drank it until there was nothing left.  Afterward, I fell asleep.

Aunt Kwyn thinks that I ran around our yard and the surrounding property, retrieving nick nacks, having a grand ole time until I was pooped out and ready to come back in.  Uncle Luu was all upset when he came home and heard what happened.  He picked me up and hugged me.  He told me never to run away ever again.

I’m really a codependent dog.  I don’t like being alone inside or outside so there was no risk of me running away forever.  However, I scared Aunt Kwyn because there’s a road behind our house by the middle school and cars speed down there.

This goes to show you have to watch me ALL THE TIME!  Anyone notice a common theme developing?  Something tells me I’m going to be microchipped. 😮 ~ Luke

Lifting the veil…quarantine is over!

First I’d like to amend yesterday’s blog.  I almost bit off a finger for real!  I was playing fetch outside yesterday and I accidentally grabbed Aunt Kwyn’s finger and chomped down on it instead of the stick.  Sorry.  Are we still friends?  Love you.  Bye bye.

October 15, 2012
Oopsy!  Good thing you bought me aloe. Now you can use it too! Since I received my rabies shot earlier, you won’t be foaming at the mouth and calling yourself Cujo any time soon, right?

Guess what?  I am 17 weeks old and I weigh 32 pounds.  I went to the vet for a follow up yesterday and she recommended that we cut back on my food a tiny bit.  She didn’t call me fat…just wide.  It’s because I’ve got the double whammy of being both a lab and a beagle.  These two breeds are notorious for overeating.  We must be proactive so I can maintain my svelte figure.

Do you hear this Uncle Tony?  You must resist my charm and stay strong because I Scooby Doo you all the time!  Mommy says she loves me just the way I am and it’s okay if I have Shakira/Beyonce hips and a J. Lo booty.  But we will cut down on my food because I want to be healthy.

I received my rabies and bordetella injections yesterday.  Do you know what this means?  Quarantine is over and I can play with dogs that I don’t know!!!  Whooooppeeeee!

I didn’t cry or whimper like last week.  I was a big boy and took it like a man!  I’m also happy to report that I didn’t need Benadryl this time.  No adverse effects.  I’m healthy as a horse.

Something shocking did happen to me at the vet clinic and it had nothing to do with cutting back on my food.  All this time I’ve been loved by sooooo many people, it’s ridiculous.  Well, that changed yesterday.  While I was waiting for Aunt Kwyn to pay the bill, a grumpy old man with a little lap dog yelled at me.  He said I barked too much and I was too loud.  How rude!  I just wanted to play with his dog.  Aunt Kwyn was irritated at him.  She almost set me loose so I could jump on that little dog.  But she was nice.  She pet me and said I was a good boy.  Yes I am!

On to lighter news.  I’m using today’s blog to reminisce on how much I’ve grown since I was a 7 week old and 10 pound baby.  For starters, I tripled my weight.  I may whimper like a baby at times but I don’t bark like one anymore.  I’ve got a strong big boy bark now.  I don’t howl like a beagle all the time but it comes out every once in a while.

I’m very smart and catch on quickly.  I know the difference between the drawer where treats are kept and the drawer where medicine is kept.  If the treat drawer is opened, I sit right there waiting for a Scooby snack.  If the medicine drawer is opened, I immediately run and hide under the chair.

I also learned a lot of new vocabulary.  I know how to sit and stay…but whether or not I obey is a different story. 😉  I know what “no” and “bad boy” means.  My favorites are “who wants yummy,” “go get the ball” and “let’s go for a walk.”  I also understand “who is that?” and “where’s your toy.”  I’m beginning to catch on to “go for a car ride.”  Just imagine how much smarter and well behaved I’ll be when I take obedience classes!

Speaking of car rides, I love sticking my head out the window and having my ears flop!  I need goggles.  It would make a great Christmas present.  Hint.  Hint.  Santa Claus, are you reading this?

August 26, 2012
This is so incredibly cool. I can smell everything!

September 15, 2012
Weee!  Weee!  Weee!  Am I annoying you?

Here’s an interesting story.  Last week I was in the backyard at night.  It was pitch black out there.  I saw something in the dark about 100 feet away so I started growling in case it was Yogi Bear and Boo Boo trying to steal my stash of Scooby Snacks (we live by the Blue Ridge mountains and sometimes bears wander into neighborhoods looking for food).  I acted tough at first and inched towards it.  Then I got scared and panicked.  I sort of hid behind Aunt Kwyn for protection…save the young, sacrifice the old!  Well, she turned on the back light so she could see what I was growling at.  She was prepared to protect us from zombies!  To our surprise, it was a bunny rabbit.  Yep!  A big old frightening looking rascally rabbit.  I believe he called himself Bugs Bunny.  When we walked up closer to him, he hopped away.  I started using my beagle nose and sniffed the area.  I realized rabbits are the ones who manufacture these M&M pellets that I like to eat.  I know.  I know.  Eeeewwww.  Bad boy.  It’s not good for me.  But they’re everywhere!  I’m just trying to help clean up the yard.

I recently discovered that behind these things called blinds, are windows!  Oh my!  What a discovery!  I can see everything and everyone outside now!  What took me so long?  I feel gypped the last couple months.

October 13, 2012
The veil was lifted and I saw enlightenment. My life has changed forever.

I can do this all day! This is so much better than that little window by the front door.

Here’s an idea of how much I’ve grown in the past couple months.  This is me in my medium sized harness back in August.  It was too big on me at first.  I weighed about 13 little baby pup pup pounds.  This was the smallest setting.

August 21, 2012
Doesn’t it look like a patrol belt?

By September, my harness fit just right.  I was a handsome young bloke.  It looked really good on me.  I prefered walking around the neighborhood with my harness because I didn’t choke.

I even know the routine!  Left foot in one loop.  Right foot in other loop.  Don’t bite it!  Click.  Let’s go for a walk.

September 27, 2012
It fits me perfectly! My grandparents say I look like a parachuter when I wear it.

Then October rolled around and someone must have zapped it with a shrinking gun.  The extensions were maxed out and it was getting tighter by the day!

October 8, 2012
This was me in the vet’s office last week. It was the last time I wore my harness. Farewell my friend. You served me well.

Mommy bought me a large sized harness last week.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit me yet.  Way too loose.  It makes no sense because it’s the same brand, just one size bigger.  Why wouldn’t they start the setting where the medium size left off?  I’m writing a letter to customer service after I publish this blog.  They need to hear my 2 cents.  It’s been quite unpleasant being leashed up by my collar this week…and it’s ONLY Tuesday!

October 15, 2012
I’m still swimming in my new harness. It’s so big, it falls off when I start running around.

I will remain optimistic and strive for fitting into my harness by the end of the week.  I’ve got things to do this weekend.  Places to go.  Doggies to play with.  Wish me luck! ~ Luke

Did I do that?

Does this cherubic face look like that of a trouble maker?  Don’t answer!!!

August 19, 2012
The cat did it! Uh oh. Wait a minute. We don’t have a cat…

I’ve been a really good puppy.  All of my toys definitely keep me occupied and out of too much trouble…but sometimes I can’t help myself.  I like to steal shoes and put them in my bed.  I love sneakers!  There’s something about shoelaces that tempt me with their siren song (Homer’s The Odyssey…for those who don’t know what I’m talking about).  I hear them whisper, “Luuuukkkiiieeee.  Come hither.  Chew on us.  We’re yummy.”  How is a pup supposed to resist?!

To date, the worst thing I did was destroy a brand new pair of leather dress shoes.  That’s all.  Oh, and fuzzy pink house slippers but those don’t count because they were old.  Um yeah…maybe some flip flops too.  No one’s keeping score, right?

Mommy had to buy a carpet shampoo machine because of my oopsies.  I need to go for a walk every 30 minutes when I have a tummy full of water.  Sometimes I just can’t hold it.  I have a small bladder, okay?!  I learned to bark when I need to take care of business.  All mommy has to do is figure out what I’m saying.

So far, I’ve spared the furniture…I don’t like the taste of that icky bitter spray.   Speaking of furniture, back when I was 8 weeks old, there was an incident with the kitchen table.  I was biting the curled metal leg from the table and it bit me back.  I needed help getting freed because my mouth was stuck.  I yelped like a baby!  I definitely learned my lesson and never did it again.

By far, the scariest thing I did was chew on mommy’s plastic hanger that fell onto the ground.  This was a few weeks ago so it’s still traumatic.  Excuse me while I shudder a bit and curl into the fetal position.  Alright Luke, be a man!  Whimpering is okay but don’t cry too much.  Take a deep breath and tell everyone what happened.

I WAS HOOKED LIKE A FISH!!!!!!

The hook from the hanger got caught deep in my mouth.  I cried because it was really scary and I didn’t know how to get it out.  It scared my mommy too!  I was yelping and my mommy was yelping!  She was talking on the phone with Josh and dropped it.  He had no idea what was going on!  All he heard was us screaming and yelping and screaming and yelping.  Then mommy’s dad (I call him Uncle Luu) was outside banging on the bedroom door asking us if we were okay.  It was quite a commotion!  Mommy safely removed the hanger from my mouth but it literally scared the poop out of me.  I made a little accident on my blankie. 😦

We told Aunt Kwyn what happened and she checked my mouth and throat.  All my teeth were still there.  No scratches inside my mouth.  I could still swallow…I could still bark…I could still eat like a horse.  All was good.  But I’m NEVER coming close to a clothes hanger again.

In case you haven’t figured it out, I’ve been mouthing a lot because I’m teething.  I’m much better at letting go of arms, fingers, legs, toes, etc.  So far, I only bit off one finger.  Kidding!  I’m just checking to see if you’re paying attention. 🙂  I let go of whatever I’m chomping on when a toy is shoved in my mouth instead.  But I’ve put holes in shirts, pants, shorts, pajamas and socks.  Oopsy!

Check out these pictures of my teeth.

My baby piranha teeth. They may look small but they shred through metal.

September 28, 2012
I lost my two front teeth and my two bottom teeth.

September 30, 2012
Two days later, my permanent teeth grew in.  No more baby piranha teeth! 🙂

October 11, 2012
I lost my bottom left tooth the other night. See the gap? Look how big my permanent teeth are!  Mommy calls them rabbit/beaver teeth.

October 12, 2012
I was playing with my squeaky bear and my bottom right tooth decided to jump out of my mouth.  Aunt Kwyn found it on the carpet.  Eeewww!

But I digress.  Let’s get back to the topic at hand.  Statistically speaking, I’m a good boy 99% of the time.  This means I only get into hijinks 1% of the time.  So you see, on the grand scale of how much trouble a puppy can get into, I’m really at the very bottom.

I’m supervised ALL THE TIME so it’s hard for me to destroy much.  If no one is home, I sleep in my cage where I can’t do much damage.  I get tons of exercise and I love to play fetch.  On the weekends, mommy takes me to her lacrosse games that she coaches.  I also visit Josh’s parents house too.  They have lots and lots of land and I run all over the place.  But this will be another blog at another time.

Here are some pictures of me doing something incriminating.  My nickname is Trouble for a reason.  Until next time! ~ Luke

August 14, 2012
Laundry pile!!!!  Where’s Lukie?

August 23, 2012
Birthday cake! Yuck. This cake tastes like cardboard. Oh, wait a minute. Paper is fun to shred.

August 28, 2012
My mommy calls this pre-tape.  I call it something fun to tear.

September 6, 2012
They didn’t like this rug anyway.  I’ll just help them get rid of it quicker.

September 8, 2012
Dirt = Dig.  It’s not my fault someone put a little tree inside the house.

September 14, 2012
I know why this monkey squeaks. It swallowed this plastic thingy. Good thing I know how to perform surgery!

September 14, 2012
Why are you looking at me like that?  I didn’t do anything.  BTW, I need a new toy because mine exploded and all these white cotton thingies came out.

September 24, 2012
Birthday streamers!!!

October 4, 2012
More streamers!! I love the way these things rip.

October 13, 2012
I swear I was only sniffing the slipper. No harm, no foul!

You gotta have friends

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share some of my friends with you.  I’ve been quarantined from dogs I don’t know because I haven’t received all my shots yet.  So I’ve been hanging out with friends and family.

I’m going to have a lot more friends after I get my rabies shot next week.  Since I’m a social butterfly, my schedule will be booked with lots and lots of play dates very soon!

These are my friends from Josh’s parents house.  They have a menagerie of animals there.  I know how to say their names but I don’t know how to spell their names.  What can I say, I’m only 4 months old.

August 26, 2012
I am mesmerized by the peacock.

August 26, 2012
Ailly (sp?) isn’t sure why I’m staring intently outside.

September 9, 2012
This is one of the kitties who will actually come up to me. All the other ones hiss at me. They scare me so I run away from them.

September 9, 2012
Nanuk (sp?) and I chillin’ in the shade. He’s leashed. I’m not. Haha!

September 9, 2012
The three of us having a pow wow.

September 9, 2012
Here chicky chicky chicky…

This is my cousin Lita.  We went to Pearmund Cellars when I was just a wee lad.  It’s the first vineyard I’ve ever visited.  People ate me up!  And I ate all the stuff they dropped onto the ground.  Everyone thought Lita was my mommy.

August 19, 2012
Lita and I are having a picnic at Pearmund Cellars. It’s so pretty!

This is our view of the vineyard.

October 8, 2012
Are we friends?  I’m still a little small to play with Lita.  I hide under the table when she plays too rough.

October 8, 2012
I’m nervous because Lita spent the last 15 minutes chasing me.  I’m good at hiding!

We’re tired from all that running around!

My friend Danny came by to spend the night.  He was 10 months old when we met.  So he’s a kitten.  I was his first exposure to a dog so he was a little nervous.  We didn’t get a chance to take a picture together.  By the next morning, Danny was more at ease as he explored the upstairs loft while Aunt Kwyn put me on a leash in case I got too rough.

August 18, 2012
Danny didn’t sleep the entire night.

Mommy took me to a baby shower she threw for her friend Isabel.  There were so many people there and they all loved me.  The best thing was there were two babies there!  I was very gentle with them.  Let’s be frank, I was a sweetheart.

September 8, 2012
What is this strange smell?!  Somebody needs her diaper changed!

September 8, 2012
Dude! I love your mohawk! Those are Lita’s legs in the background. She was a sweetie pie too.

Last but not least.  I’d like to introduce you to my frenemy, Angry Bird.  We shall meet, high noon.  Bring your weapon.

September 3, 2012
Stare down! Who will flinch first?!

Until we meet again for the first time! ~ Luke

Costume advice needed

Howdy!

All Hallow’s Eve is right around the corner and I don’t know what costume I should wear.  Please help me figure it out ASAP before all the good stuff is gone!

Should I be one of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys?

What is this thing on my head? Is it a bear? A wolf?

Should I be a tough guy in skulls and crossbones?

This is not a dress! It’s just big…for now.

Or should I be a burlesque dancer?

You like my purple boa?

Since I’m still small and cuddly, being a bumble bee was suggested.  However, there’s been a lot of talk about dressing me up as a skunk.  I’ve already mastered the smell so that part is taken care of.  FYI…not EVERY stinky smell comes from me.

Wouldn’t it be cool to paint a white stripe down my back?  Is there such a thing as non-toxic paint for dogs?

Let me know if you have a great costume idea or if you know of some really cool Halloween events in the DC area that allow dogs.

So here’s my number.  Call me, maybe?

~ Luke

Sports talk

Hey ya’ll!  The Washington Nationals play their first post season game at home this afternoon.  They’re playing against the St. Louis Cardinals who are the defending World Series Champs.  So far the series is tied 1-1.  Go Nats!  Unfortunately, I do not have their jersey nor will I purchase one.  I’m a casual fan and I’ll cheer for them.  However I will not ride the Natitude bandwagon.

I also root for the Baltimore Orioles.  No Orioles jersey for me either.  The Trans used to live in Maryland so the O’s were their team since the beginning of time.  The O’s haven’t been in the postseason since 1997 so this is exciting.  They play the dreaded New York Yankees this evening.  This series is also tied 1-1.

This household cheers for the Washington Redskins.  I know.  I know.  I’ll suffer from years and years of heartache and disappointment but I love them Hogs.  If RGIII can protect his noggin a little better and fully heal from his concussion, maybe we’ll be respectable this season.

Hail to the Reskins. Hail victory. Braves on the war path. Fight for old DC.

September 7, 2012
I’m Number 00.  My jersey was too big on me during preseason.

October 5, 2012
I’ve got some muscles now so it fits perfectly!

Speaking of heartache and disappointment, there’s no NHL hockey this season!  The owners have locked out the players until they agree on a new labor contract.  Blah blah blah.  Get on with it all ready!

I ROCK THE RED!  I Love the Washington Capitals.  They need to hurry up and start playing soon because I will outgrow my jersey…and this is the biggest size they have.

September 13, 2012
I was hopeful the players and owners would come to a labor agreement before the season started.

I’m still waiting…

…and waiting

Don’t ask me about the Washington Wizards.  Blah!  At least they got rid of that ugly blue and gold wizard logo and changed their colors back to red, white and blue.

The Nationals game is about to begin.  I must rummage the fridge for some doggie beer and pupcorn, then turn on the telly.

Let’s not kid around here.  I don’t eat this stuff.  I’ll be noshing on some Stella and Chewy’s dehydrated beef patties.  Until next time.

~ Luke

3…2…1…Lift off!

Hi!  My name is Luke and I’m a rescue dog.  I’m a black lab/beagle mix.  I have a sunny disposition and I’m a happy-go-lucky pup.

My mommy’s name is Jenny.  You can find all my pictures on her Facebook page.  As for me, I’m not a sheep, therefore I do not have Facebook. 😉

My birthday is on June 15, 2012.  I may be one of the youngest puppy bloggers out there at almost 17 weeks old (with Aunt Kwyn’s help).  Precocious, I know.

My story starts out sad…cue violin music.  My siblings and I were born in Alabama.  Someone heard us crying in a field at night while it was raining.  We ended up being taken to an animal shelter in North Carolina.  Unfortunately, it was a high kill shelter.  Yoiks!

An animal rescue group in Maryland heard about us and agreed to take us in.  Someone from the shelter drove us from North Carolina to Maryland and left us in a box by the front door.  The rescue group was closed on the weekend so we remained in the box until Monday morning.  It was summertime and hot.  We were infested with fleas, mange and worms.  Double yoiks!

I’m happy to report that all of my siblings and I were adopted.  While we were being fostered, I was the most active and playful of the litter.  I was the first puppy to wake up every morning and all I wanted to do was play, play, play and play some more.  This is why Josh, who is mommy’s boyfriend, picked me.  So does this make him puppy daddy?!

My home is in Gainesville.  Virginia…not Florida.  I picked the Trans to be my indentured slaves.  Let’s be for realz here.  I own them.  They keep me warm and safe.  They feed, walk and play with me.  Most important of all, they love me to pieces.  I made a great choice!

Due to all of my medical malaise, I was put on too many antibiotics.  I was full of poison!  This made me a sick puppy.  Triple yoiks!

Thank goodness Aunt Kwyn has a friend who is a holistic veterinarian.  Dr. Kim came over and checked on me.   I’m currently being detoxed!  I’ve been taking probiotics, milk thistle, organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ and aloe…not all at once, of course.

I’m feeling stronger and stronger every day.  I’m on a high protein, grain-free, mostly organic diet.  What can I say?  I eat healthier than most humans.   But don’t let my healthy diet fool you.  I will Scobby Doo you for junk food treats (just ask Uncle Tony).  My belly is never full!

I’ve been gaining about 3 pounds a week.  I’m currently 29.5 pounds but I’m still growing into my paws.  The “experts” guesstimate that I will be around 50 pounds.  We shall see.

This is a picture of me this morning, surrounded by a bunch of my toys.

I play with every single one of my toys daily…and they’re all mine!

I hope you enjoyed my first foray into the blogosphere.  Below are some pics from the first week I was adopted.  We’ve got a couple months of my adventures to catch up on so you’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more of me soon.  Until next time!  ~Luke

August 10, 2012
Adoption day.

I was 7 weeks old and weighed 10 pounds.

This is my big and round baby Buddha belly.

This is my buddy. He’s a stuffed animal toy beagle that I love to play with.

My first trip to Pet Smart.

We bought stuff that inhibited my freedom like a collar, leash and harness. Then we got good stuff like my bed and lots and lots of toys!!!

I’m cute and I know it!

I got really sick after my second vaccination. I threw up, which isn’t good.  Thank goodness I got better and snapped out of it.  No emergency visit to the vet please!

That horrible Kryptonite laced vaccine made me sick.  But I’m Super Dog and I’m strong like bull!

If I’m not sleeping or eating, then I’m playing.  You have to watch me ALL THE TIME or else I’ll get into trouble.

My first bath. Look at my face. Need I say more?

Great! I smell like flowers. Where’s the nearest puddle of mud?!

Retrieving this leaf and this leaf and that leaf.

Forget the leaf. What’s that over there?

What is this thing you keep sticking in front of my face? What’s that sound?