Thanks for checking out my journal. My name is Jazz and I am a Portuguese Water Dog. My human moms' name is Donna; I call her my h-mom (for human mom) in my journal. This website is all about me and my h-mom and our journey together. We want to tell everyone about everything involved in having a dog so people really know what they are getting into.  In this journal I will be telling you all about what happens in my life. My h-mom usually does all the talking so this is going to be fun for me.











WEEK OF FEBRUARY 6, 2012 "Happy Valentines Day"

There must be another holiday coming because my h-mom put scarves on me and Jive and took our picture. This is a pattern in our house; when holidays come the camera comes out. We are used to it and besides we always get treats. This is the Valentine holiday. A special day to show how much you love someone. My h-mom always says the best gift you can give your dogs is your "Time" and we agree. Jive and I always love doing things with our h-mom. Whether it is going for a walk or playing a game or just laying around, we love doing it all with our h-mom. She takes us to classes and to the vet and to the dog stores to go shopping. We even just go for rides in the car when she runs errands like to the bank and the post office. Have a fun Valentine's Day and give your dog an extra hug from Jive and myself. Woofs and Smiles!


WEEK OF JANUARY 30, 2012 "WE'ER BACK!"

Hi everyone! It has been a while since I have written in my journal. My h-mom has been working on our new website during the holidays and now it is done. Jive and I helped a little...well as much as dogs can. I like the new website. If you take some time to check it out why don't you let us know what you think.Things have been pretty exciting here. My h-brother Brandon and his wife Becky are going to have a baby boy in the spring. Everyone is all excited and busy getting ready for the big day. I hope the new baby will like dogs...Jive and I will win him over. My h-mom is always finding ways to let people know how to make better decisions when it comes to getting a dog and living with a dog. I like that a lot. She has attended trainings with a great trainer in the dog world "Ian Dunbar". He is knowledgeable and committed to informing people about what all is involved in having a dog in your life as well. He has a great FREE book about bringing a puppy into your life that you can download on his website. His current initiative is about "saving one puppy at a time". So go to his website and learn about the initiative and download your free book on bringing a puppy into your life. And tell all your friends who might be thinking about getting a dog to go to the website also.       It's good to be back! Woofs & Smiles!  


Thanksgiving Day November 24, 2011 "Doggone Grateful!"

Today was a fun day; lots of family came to our house to eat a lot of food. Many of them came from Wisconsin and are Packer fans and they all came dressed in Packer jerseys to watch the Packer game. So my h-mom got some Viking scarves for me and Jive too wear; everyone thought we were really cute and of course we were ;-) After dinner my h-mom and her sister Sally took Jive and me for a walk. The temperature was so warm there were so many people out walking and everyone stopped to talk to us. Somehow when I was off the trail I found a lot of burrs and they got stuck in my fur. It took me and my h-mom a long time to get them out. Jive had a couple too. It was a very nice day; I am grateful for all the humans that take good care of dogs like me and Jive. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day at your house! Woofs & Smiles!          

Week of November 14, 2011 "Lovin Nosework!"

My h-mom had her birthday; what a big day that was; everyone was in on the celebration. Jive and I got her a card. She really liked it. I am lovin my nosework classes; this week we went outside and are searching in the natural outdoors. I really like this, but I love the game of the search anytime anywhere! Jive is doing well in her class too. She is a little behind me in learning. Sometimes I show her a few things. After all I am her big brother and that is what big brothers do. Woofs & Smiles!



Week of November 7, 2011 "Sweetest Dogs"

My h-mom says November is the month of gratitude and being grateful is something she tries to practice on a daily basis. She tells me and Jive and anyone else who will listen "When you have a dog in your life I think gratitude is always a part of that relationship. Jazz and Jive have been such positive additions to my life experience. This week is my birthday and they both got me a birthday card. How did they know? ;-) Being with them in almost every way makes my day a bit brighter. " Awe...that is nice of my h-mom to say those things about me and Jive. We did remember her birthday because she always remembers ours. We are all celebrating my h-mom this week. Woofs & Smiles!    

Week of October 31, 2011 "HALLOWEEN"

Happy Halloween everyone! Jive and I had a great time giving out candy to the kids who came to the door. After all the kids got their candy my h-mom filled a Kong with chicken jerky for me and one for Jive. Mmmmm that was tasty.The weather is really nice this week. We are going for walks and playing a lot outdoors in the leaves. Since we have been doing our nosework classes, my h-mom says Jive and I spend much more time sniffing where the bunnies and squirrels have been in the yard. Of course we do...that is what dogs do best. Woofs & Smiles!
 

Week of October 17, 2011 "My Human Mom"

My h-mom is very busy this week. Jive and I have hardly seen her. She is going to a lot of stores to get fitted for clothes to wear in this fashion show called "Aging But Dangerous". This is a video about it. It will all be over after tomorrow night. Enjoy the video...it's kinda cool! Click here and go to the Model Portfolio Page and watch the video.  
She told us after the show is over we will have her back in our lives again....we can't wait!


Week of October 10, 2011 "Love and Dogs"

This week my h-mom seems to be especially loving to me and Jive. She is always very loving but more so this week. Not sure what is going on. She found this picture and says she really likes it. I think it is cool. Jive and I are always making sure if she spends time with one of us the other one is right there to get equal time. We love hanging out with our h-mom. She takes us for walks and to classes and gives us fun treats. We like playing games with her in the house especially ball and we really really like to practice our nosework. Jive and I play a lot together and like going to doggie day care too. Life is good. Woofs & Smiles!


Week of October 3, 2011 "Fall Fun"

My h-mom says this wonderful weather is called Indian Summer. What ever it is called it sure is fun. Jive and I run a lot outside in the backyard. We stay out side a long time and really like playing in the sunshine. It is not too hot and not too cold. It is perfect weather for dogs and we love it. My h-mom takes us on long walks and there is a lot of action on the trails we walk. Those squirrels are very busy and they are all over. Jive and I try to chase them but we are on leashes and squirrels are very fast. I think this is my
favorite time of year. Brandon and Becky came over to visit us this week-end. What fun it is to see them. Jive and I wanted to be with them and have them pet us. They like to see us too. They left the kitties at home which is OK with me. I know we will see them again soon. I hope you are enjoying this wonderful Fall weather. I am loving it!!! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of September 26, 2011"Doggies on the Runway"

Thursday September 22 was the night of Doggies on the Runway fashion show. We had a great time. Jive and I helped my h-mom host the entire evening. There were 24 models with their dogs on the runway. Everyone was excited and looked their very best wearing their finest outfits for the walk down the runway.The crowd was loving it and the dogs were truly the stars if I don't say so myself.Two of the dogs fell in love and got married on the spot. You should have seen the wedding dress and the ring. It was a paw stomping tail wagging good time!!!
In this picture me and Jive are greeting people in the audience as they are arriving for the evening festivities. My h-mom did a good job announcing the models and what they were wearing. Some of the dogs had some really cool outfits. Jive and I wore our Dog Show scarves. Just another day in front of the camera for me.
Woofs & Smiles!


Week of September 19, 2011 "First Boat Ride"

My h-mom just got these pictures ( my Aunt Kathy took them) of me and Jive on our first boat rides. It was a blast! Jive really liked the ride; I thought she might be a little frightened but she loved it. I thought is was really fun. I loved the wind blowing in my face and I really liked moving like that over the water.
Did you know that my breed the Portuguese Water Dog used to go to sea with the Portuguese fishermen; we would work the nets in the sea and herd fish into the nets. We carried messages from boat to boat and to shore. We watched the boat and fishing gear when our fishermen went to sell their catch; they also had a Portuguese Water Dog stay at home as a watch dog for the family. Today there are water trials for us to compete in to help keep our water skills alive and current. We were bred for stamina and are a breed in the "Working Group" in the American Kennel Club. That means we need a job to do and a lot of exercise. Our coats are water proof and we are great divers as well as swimmers.
I think the water is pretty cool. I also think being a Portuguese Water Dog is pretty cool! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of September 12, 2011 "Nosework"

I can't wait to tell you about the new class my h-mom takes me too. It is so much fun!
It is called "Nosework". My h-mom says it is a new class and is getting popular very quickly. I can see why. I am learning how to use my nose...I mean really use my nose the way dogs should; the way dogs have since the first dog ever. I get to sniff to find the treat in the source box. I am getting so into the search I can hardly think about anything else. I am driven to find the source/treat. We do our search one dog at a time even though there are other dogs there. You have to be in your crate until it is your turn.
But when your turn comes it is so much fun. The source box can be hidden in another box; sometimes they make puzzles and I have to figure out where in the puzzle the source is. Then they put it up higher; they call that elevation. There is a lot to learn, but I don't even know I am learning. I am just having so much fun. I like it a lot when my h-mom lets us practice at home; she is teaching Jive how to do nose work too. She loves it as much as I do. So my h-mom signed her up for a class too. We each go to our separate "Nosework" class. Of all the classes I have taken this is my absolute favorite. I use my nose now all the time. I mean I always did but not like this. The nose knows! You can learn more about the classes at:
Active Dog Sports Training! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of August 29, 2011 "Therapy Work"

Today I went to visit some of my favorite people. I love seeing the clients at Merrick, Inc.They are a lot of fun. I make them smile and they make me smile. They especially like it when we play the find it game.
My h-mom hides one of my toys on their chair or wheelchair and I go find it. They clap their hands and smile a lot when I do this. Of course I get a treat to.
Sometimes a client cannot move their arms to pet me or hold the spoon to give me a treat. Then the staff help them. The staff are really nice to the clients and to me. It is a great place to visit. BUT today when we got there my h-mom surprised me. She told the
clients she didn't have time to brush me at home and she thought maybe one of the clients would like to brush me. Of course they did and did a good job I must say. Then we showed them how I get my teeth brushed. They like to see me do some of the same things they do. We always have a good time. Then I came home and played outside in the backyard with Jive. My h-mom is training Jive to do therapy work like I do. She says she wants us to go on visits together. We'll see how that goes.
Woofs & Smiles!


Week of August 22, 2011 "Looking Good"

Well enough is enough! Jive and I are both done with those green beans. She won't eat them sometimes; I still eat them but I am tired of them. But they have done the trick.
I am looking pretty good; I have dropped about six pounds and am running and walking a bit more than I was. I feel pretty good.
Jive is looking good too. She has lost a lot more weight than me but she had a lot more to lose.

It really is kind of unfair; she seems to gain weight faster than I do and it is harder for her to lose the weight. My h-mom says that is true for humans too and it is "not fair"...her words.
Jive has a big dog show this week. I hope she does well. I hope the judges like her.
My h-mom is working on the "Doggies on the Runway" fashion show that will be in September. She will be the mistress of ceremonies and she is having me and Jive with her on the runway. There will be a lot of other dogs there too.
It will be a lot of fun! I hope you all can come!


Week of August 15, 2011 "Doggie Fun"

Well our diets are going well; we are still eating green beans but I kinda like them now. We are outside walking every day and running in the backyard. The weather is nice and the sun
shines a lot of the time.We are going to doggie day care and get to play with our friends there. It is always nice to see Katie and Rebbecca at our day care. It is really nice to have good weather and not be so hot like it was for a long while. Jive is looking pretty good. She has a big dog show soon. She will show in conformation in the big Portuguese Water Dog Specialty show at Washington County Fairgrounds the week-end of September 26, 20011.
Don't tell her I said this, but I think she is "pretty"; I am betting the judges will like her. My h-mom is taking me and Jive to classes separately with her. We are going so much now that neither of us mind staying home alone. We know our turn to go with our h-mom is next. Of course she takes us a lot of places together. We really like going everywhere we can with our h-mom. She says that makes us more comfortable around people and new situations. The three of us have a lot of fun together. Woofs & Smiles!


Week of August 8, 2011 "Nose Work"

What fun! I am learning something new. My h-mom is taking me to a class called "Nosework". It is really fun. I get to do what dogs love to do "SNIFF"!
They are teaching me to find things in boxes. Right now they are filling the boxes with treats to teach me the basics. I am in heaven!!! All I do is sniff and find treats. That is a great gig for a dog. Yup! It's all about the nose. Jive is going to an obedience class and she tells me she is having fun in her class. She likes all the teachers in her classes because they always have really good treats. She watches them and when she sees an opening she moves in to get a treat from the teacher. She is pretty sly. In this class I don't have to work at all...it is all sniffs and treats! I'll keep you posted.
Woofs & Smiles!


Week of August 1, 2011 "A Doggie Diet"

My h-mom says it is time for Jive and me to lose weight. It has been a cold winter, a wet spring and a very hot and humid summer. This means we haven't been on the walks we usually go on. Our Doggie Day Care doesn't have air conditioning (yet...but will soon) so we couldn't even go there. We layed around the house in air conditioning and Jive and I are really good at getting our h-mom to give us a treat whenever we want one...well almost every time. But my h-mom found a magic food that helps us feel full but not get many calories. That food is green beans. They really taste pretty good. So now our diet is green beans, carrots, apple, sardines, a little bit of dry dog food and chicken. We get variations of those foods and some other foods to. But mostly smaller portions of vegetables and some protein for now. We are both already losing some pounds. I must say I like getting back to my "looking good" weight. People are noticing I am losing a few pounds. Jive and I both look better and feel better too. So if you need to lose a few pounds...check out those green beans. ;-)
 Woofs & Smiles!


Week of July 25, 2011 "Visiting the Vet"

This is the week to go see the vet...the doggie doctor;
Dr. Betsy Thorson at Stillwater Veterinary Clinic has been my vet since I was 9 weeks old. She is Jive's vet too. She has a great smile and always gives us a treat. I went in to get some vaccinations. Jive went along just to be with me. My h-mom said there was a discussion on the news this week about rabies vaccinations. They said some veterinarians and clinics give this vaccine too often. I get my rabies every three years. The current thinking is
that is a good time line. I just
know my h-mom and Dr. Thorson talk a lot about what and when to give vaccinations to me and Jive. My h-mom doesn't want us to get too much vaccine or get vaccine we don't need. Dr. Thorson is very supportive of this concern. Jive and I feel we are in good hands with Dr. Thorson. I hope you all like your vet as much as Jive and I like Dr. Thorson. Woofs & Smiles!


Week of July 18, 2011 "Tropical Heat Wave"

Hi everyone! Boy what a lot of hot weather we had this week. It was a tropical heat wave my h-mom said. It was so hot Jive and I just layed oround in the air conditioned house.
We played some indoor games but just really wanted to lay low and take a lot of naps and drink a lot of cold water. No one else was out walking either. It was too hot to do anything outside. We are very grateful for air conditioning.

I did go to my regular therapy visit; the folks with developmental disabilities are so much fun. They really like it when my mom hides one of my toys on their wheelchair or chair and she tells me to go find it. They all clap their hands for me and they think I am so smart. What they really like is this portable pancake light my h-mom puts on the floor and says "I think we need more light in here Jazz. Will you please turn on the light?" I push the light with my paw and it turns on. Then my h-mom says "Now will you please turn off the light Jazz?" So I put my paw on the light and turn it off. Well everyone goes crazy. I don't know what they like about the light going on and off but they sure do like it. I like the treats I get for doing it! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of July 11, 2011 "Training for Two"

My h-mom is really into training Jive and myself. She says it is her responsibility to teach us how to live with humans and other dogs and be well behaved (most of the time).
Now I think being well behaved all the time would be just plain boring. Finding a shoe to chew on now and then is necessary to keep life interesting. I don't really chew the shoes, I just take a shoe to my rug and wait until my h-mom or h-dad realize I have it; then they give me a treat in exchange for the shoe. Everyone is happy. It's a little game I play. :-)

Happy 4th of July holiday! I hope your holiday was fun and safe. For me and Jive...well let's just say things were a bit unusual. This is an extension of the story that began last week. Jive was still in season and I was still crazed about her and had to be with her. My h-mom was keeping us in separate crates and letting us out separately for exercise and food. If I saw her I wanted to be with her....very much. One time (when my h-mom didn't see us) I connected with Jive and we must have gotten locked and twisted. I ended up with a bruised area in my private parts; I was unable to pee. The bruise became swollen and blocked the urethra (the tube my pee goes through). My h-mom ended up taking me to the Animal Emergency Clinic on the July 4th holiday. It took two vets and two visits for them to figure out the cause because the bruise was not visible until the second visit. Once they put a catheter in to relieve my bladder and gave me the medications to reduce the swelling I felt better and everything is working just fine. Jive is no longer in season and we are back to normal being just friends again. My mom said something about how expensive my "amorous moment" with Jive was. OOOOPS! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of June 27, 2011 "I'll Never Understand Girls!"

Just when I think I have figured out Jive she does something I don't understand. Girls...what makes them act like they do? Twice a year she is "in season" which means she has something called a menstrual cycle.

First she gets a bit tired and mopey;
Then she gets real cuddly and clingy with our h-mom,her toys, me and anyone else she can cuddle with.
Then she waves her butt in my face...do you believe that?! When I act interested she runs away and my h-mom always knows and is there to say "NO JAZZ Leave her" like it is my fault; She wears this panty most of the time; Everyone is always glad when this is over. My h-mom says it is all part of being a girl. Sure glad I am a boy!

The Fourth of July holiday is here; that means we get to eat a hot dog when our humans grill. That is always a good time. But the fireworks are loud and scary; I always think the noise is coming from something or someone in our yard so I bark a lot and then Jive barks too. Then things are really noisey in our house. My h-mom makes sure we play games and have music or the TV on to divert our attention from the fireworks noise.Happy 4th of July holiday to all...make sure your doggies are safe. Woofs & Smiles!

Week of June 20, 2011 "Mind Games"

Did you know dogs need mental stimulation? Well, that is what my h-mom says. So we have some new games in the house. My h-mom plays ball with us in the house and we play hide and seek games too. But now she got some board games for us. My board game has treats hidden under blocks. If I slide the blocks I get the treat. The blocks slides up and down. It is really fun and I get faster each time I do it. I really like it!
Jive has a game called the "Spinney". She has a treat in
several holes; the top spins over the holes and one hole at a time appears under the open cut out hole in the top board as she spins it. Every time she spins it over a hole with a treat in it she gets the treat. She has learned how to do this very well and very fast. So we both like
our new games and I would say if you want to get some games like this for your dogs, I bet they would like playing them as much as we do. This "mental stimulation" stuff is a lot of fun! Woofs & Smiles!

Week of June 13, 2011 "Summer Fun"

All I can say is "I love summer"! There are so many fun things to do! Playing with Jive in the backyard is super fun. The grass is green and fun to run in and the weather is usually nice with some hot days here and there. Jive and I work full time keeping the bunnies and the chipmunks at bay in the yard. Then there is the turtle who comes up from the pond every year to lay her eggs. Not to mention all the bikes and runners we have to chase down the fence line. I take my job of protecting my yard very seriously and I do it well.
But there are days we go to doggie day care too. We always enjoy seeing our doggie friends. Rebecca is the h-mom to all the dogs in the Allbreed Day Care program. She is a lot of fun and let's us play until we get really tired. My h-mom likes that a lot. My favorite thing is when my h-mom comes to pick us up, then Rebecca gives us a treat.
MMMM love those treats! OH! And of course our walks with my h-mom are really fun. We go for walks in the summer either early in the morning or after sunset; my h-mom says it is cooler then. I hope you are having as much fun as I am this summer! Woofs & Smiles!

Week of June 6, 2011 "This Is Hot"

Well this week has been an assortment of extremes in temperature. It has gone from very hot 103 degree hot to 50's & 60's cool. When it was so hot Jive and I did not stay outside very long at all. We spent most of the day in the house in the air conditioning. That felt so good. My h-mom gave a lots of bowls of fresh cold water; we drank a lot more that day.Did you know dogs only sweat glands are between their paw pads? Sometimes when we were filming the TV show, I would get so warm under the lights that my paw pads would leave wet prints on the studio floor. That is when my h-mom would spray my paw pads with cool water. That is the only way dogs sweat and this is why we over heat so quickly in hot weather. So my h-mom takes us for walks early in the morning or after the sun goes down when it is cooler. On really hot days we stay inside and play games or just chill in the air conditioning. When the weather gets cooler we run more outside in our big backyard. We have bunnies and squirrels in our yard and Jive is learning from me how to chase them out of the yard. All part of a days work for a dog. Woofs & Smiles until next time.

Week of May 30, 2011 "Back to Normal"

Well the kitties are gone back home with Brandon and Becky. Jive misses them but I don't really. Now we can have our h-mom all to ourselves again. They actually weren't that bad
to have around. But now they are home and things are back to normal here. You know "normal" when Jive is the only one bugging me.
Recently, we had a really exciting day. Some people came to work on the yard. They left with their equipment, but they forgot to shut the gate on the fence. Jive and I were out in the yard playing. At first I didn't even notice the gate was open...but when I did boy did I run out of the yard. Jive of course followed me. We ran across the busy street and chased a runner I had been chasing down the fence line in the back yard. She didn't like that I was chasing her and she tried to shoo me away. Jive just followed everything I did. Then my h-mom called us. Of course I didn't pay any attention because I was free to run wherever I wanted to. So I chased a funny little car down the street. My h-mom kept calling for us. I saw her run toward our house so I of course ran after her and Jive followed. We ran into the garage and then into the house. My h-mom talked to us in a very calm voice and told us how scared she was that we could have been hit by a car. We hung our heads because we knew we had done something she didn't like. I don't like to upset my h-mom; but you know if I could do it again I would for sure run out the open gate again.;- Needless to say my h-mom is spending even more time working on the recall command with us. I really do hear her when she calls me, sometimes I just want to sniff one more thing; she is making it more interesting for me to come now when she calls me. I get a really great treat,so now I think the treat is better than the next sniff.
Until next time...Woofs & Smiles!

Week of May 23, 2011 "After The Wedding"

Well the big event is over and everyone is very happy. My h-mom and dad are happy; my h-brother Brandon and Becky are happy; I am told everyone had a good time and everything went off without a hitch or problem anywhere. Everyone cried and hugged each other a lot; and they are still doing that. As usual they give me and Jive hugs too. I really like my hugs and so does Jive. While everyone was at the wedding Jive and I went on a lot of walks with a pet sitter. She was really nice; The kitties liked her too. Yeah...about those kitties.
I guess they aren't so bad; they are still checking me and Jive out and we are still watching them a lot. They can be kind of hard to figure out. They are very fast and hard to play with. But we are all settling in together pretty well.
On Sunday after the wedding the bride and groom and the parents came here to open all the wedding gifts. Of course we all helped with the event. Brandon and Becky got some
really nice gifts. They were very happy; Now they are on their honeymoon and we have those kitties here. Oliver and Vinny think when Jive and I get a treat that they get one too. My h-mom gives them their treats and they get very excited. I try to get their treats to see what they taste like but I haven't got one yet. Jive and I will keep trying.
Living with kitties isn't so bad...sometimes they hide and I don't seem them for a while. Other times they hang around me and Jive; I'm not sure what they want to do with us; after a while I just lay down and they lay down by us. When Jive and I go outside they watch us from the windows. I guess they can't go out of the house.
Oh well...until next time...Woofs & Smiles and a Meow from the kitties.

Week of May 16, 2011 "The Wedding"

OH Boy!!! This week is crazy busy...my h-brother Brandon is getting married to his fiancee Becky Heininger. The wedding is this Saturday. Everyone is excited...even me and Jive. We have our wedding clothes and have already posed for our pictures. We won't be going to the wedding but we are the "Best Pets" for the wedding party. We will be well taken care of and kept very busy as I have been told. Lot's of treats, and games and walks. That sounds much better to me than going to a wedding. OH!...one more thing, the Kitties "Oliver" and "Vinny" will be with us for let's see....10 days. I am not sure what to expect but it should be very
interesting. The only downside to this wedding thing is we go to the groomer to get primped for even more pictures.
I don't think kitties go to the groomer; they have it made. But they do have to stay in the house. Jive and I get to go outside and chase the chipmunks and squirrels in the back yard. Sometimes the geese are laying in the sun on the other side of the fence in our backyard. I love to run to the fence and make them honk and fly away. When there are lot of them it is really fun to do. Our backyard is pretty fun. Now the grass is green and it is a lot of fun to be outside. Woofs & Smiles until next time.

Week of May 9, 2011 "Mother's Day"

Happy Mother's Day to all the h-moms in the world. My h-mom is a keen member of our pack. Jive and I love hanging with her everyday even when she is working a lot in the office. We gave her a cool card with a gift certificate to Starbucks for Mother's Day. She really liked it. She said we always know just what to get her. What can I say!

My h-brother Brandon came over and spent the day with us. It is always fun to see him. I miss him and when he is here he always gives me a lot of great pets. I think he misses me too. It was really fun being with our family all day.

Jive got a bow for her hair and everyone thinks she is so cute. She is kinda cute, but most of the time she is just a dog like me. She is a real tomboy as my h-mom calls her. She is always rolling in the grass and dirt and there isn't a bow that will stay in that girls hair.
At least it was in long enough for my h-mom to take a picture. We are very busy getting ready for the big wedding day which is only 10 days away. I guess we will be here with the kitties Oliver and Vinny. That should be very interesting. I will tell you how it goes later.
In the meantime Jive is going to a Obedience class and I am going to an Agility class. My h-mom keeps us pretty busy. We still really like our walks and our treats. Life is good for me and Jive. Woofs & Smiles until next time.



 



Week of May 2, 2011 "Out & About"

Do you believe it was only 35 degrees on May 1st? That was a cold day for humans but I didn't mind. It was also Jive's birthday. She is two years old. I like that she is getting older and bigger. Now I can play with her and she plays back and holds her own. On her birthday we went to the Active Dog Sports Training Open House. It was a lot of fun; we saw lots of dogs and people. We saw our old friend "Ally" who has a Barkery for dogs; Ally was there with her dog "Angel"; it was fun to see them and especially fun because my h-mom bought Jive's birthday cupcake from Ally and got one for me too. They are so nummy. I can't wait to eat them again on my birthday which is on May 23rd...just a couple weeks away. May is a good month for birthday cakes in our house. We met some new people too.
This is Emma with her mom and her little dog. Emma and her mom read our newsletter and watch our TV show. They were fun to meet. I think we will be seeing them again. That will be great.
My h-mom had some meetings this week so Jive and I went to doggie day care...always a good time. Then I went to my agility class and that was fun. I love running on the obstacles. Jive and I are having fun playing in the backyard and our favorite thing is walks with my h-mom. Until next week...Woofs & Smiles.


Week of April 25, 2011 "Jazz Appreciation Month"

Did you know April is "Jazz Appreciation" month? That is appreciation for Jazz music; I was named for Jazz music. My h-mom loves Jazz...both the music and me. And Jive was also named for Jazz music. We both really like our names.
Brandon and Becky brought the kitties over to get used to me and Jive and the house. Boy are they different. They jump on everything. They move so fast they are hard to keep up with. Jive really likes to follow them around. They are OK but I get bored with them kinda quick. Jive doesn't. She thinks they are fun to sniff and try to play with. Oliver has been here before but Vinny hasn't. Vinny was a bit unsure of everything and gave Jive a hiss. Jive was cool with it and Vinny settled in
pretty quickly. It will be an
interesting week when they are
here. Just the four of us. It should be interesting times.
The rest of the week was good; we went to day care and ran in the back yard; we got really wet and really dirty; it was so much fun. Of course you know who didn't like that we were so wet and dirty at all, but she took it in stride. My h-mom and I went to Merrick Inc. for a therapy session this week. We had a student from the U of M observe us. She was petty cool just like the other student who came to observe me. I don't know what all the fuss is about. I have fun and everyone seems to have a good time. Woofs & Smiles!


Week of April 18, 2011 "Jazz in Agility"

Hi! This has been a pretty fun week. My h-mom said I have been working hard and deserve to have some fun so she is taking me to an agility class for fun. I really do like agility.
I love to run fast over all the obstacles. My h-mom says I am fearless. Sometimes I like to run and play with the other dogs in the class which for some reason is not OK. I am learning that my job is to just be with my h-mom and run the obstacles...not play with the other dogs. I am just too social for my own good I guess. Jive is going to an obedience class. She has to learn more obedience so she can get ready to do therapy work with me and my h-mom. I think she has big plans for the two of us. we'll see how that goes. Jive and I just got baths...yes again...every week we get a bath. Definitely not my favorite thing to do. I like rolling in bad smelling things. That feels like being a "real dog" to me. The plans for the wedding are still happening. The kitties, Oliver and Vinny, are coming over to spend time with us to see how we all get along because they will be with us while Brandon and Becky are on their honeymoon. Stay tuned! Woofs & Smiles!

Week of April 11, 2011 "Doggie Photo Shoot"

Boy oh boy! The weather is great and the grass is getting green. Jive and I are having so much fun running in the back yard. My h-mom is taking us on walks almost every day and she says we have lost the extra pounds we put on during the winter when we couldn't get out to walk. I feel really good. We went to doggie day care this week and played really hard with some new dog friends. I also made my regular therapy visit to Merrick Inc. where I visit the special people with developmental disabilities. They are always so much fun.
My h-brother Brandon is getting married to Becky next month. My h-mom and h-dad are busy doing a lot to get ready for the big day. This week my h-mom put bows on me and Jive that say "Best Pet". They are for the wedding. My h-mom did what she calls a doggie photo shoot. She took a lot of pictures of us in our wedding bows. We sat still for along time. Then we got treats and played when it was all done.
Jive and I are used to having our pictures taken, but it is always more fun to play and have the treats. Woofs & Smiles until next week!

Week of April 4, 2011 "Soggy Backyard"

WOW! The snow is gone! But is the yard ever soggy. It is very wet and that makes it easy to dig in the dirt and that is so much fun! It is so wet in spots that Jive and I don't even want to walk there. My h-mom gets very unhappy when Jive and I come in with wet dirty paws from running and digging in the wet yard.
Jive likes to dig and dig an dig. This means she gets her paws cleaned. We both know that when we come in the house we need to stand still so my h-mom can wipe our paws off. Then we get a little treat and can play with our toys in the house.
We went to doggie day care and played hard with our friends. It is dry there and we don't have to worry about getting wet. This is the week we go to the groomer. Not my favorite thing to do but I will get through it.
My h-brother, Brandon is getting married soon and everyone is busy doing a lot of things to get ready for the big day. On the wedding day Jive and I are going to be with the two kitties Oliver and Vinny. That will be interesting.
The best thing of all is the weather is nice and we are going for long walks every day. That is really great! Woofs & Smiles until next week.

Week of March 28, 2011 "Jazz Goes to School"

This has been a great week. My h-mom and I went to an elementary school and we talked with over 200 little kids from k-2 grades. I have never been in a school before. It smells different than the hospital and stores I go into.
Everyone was really nice and the kids were a lot of fun. My h-mom told the kids how to pet a dog and then they practiced with me. Then she told them how to give a dog a teat...my favorite part...because, you guessed it....they practiced on me and I got lots of treats. Then when we were saying good-bye a little boy began crying because he did not get a chance to pet me. My h-mom felt sad for the little boy and she said all the kids could walk out single file and pet me and get my card. My card is like a baseball card only it has my picture and tells all about me and my breed, the Portuguese Water Dog. This meant 200+ little kids were going to pet me. My h-mom kept me in treats and I didn't mind a bit. The kids were really very orderly and quiet. Some of them gave me a hug and some of them gave me kiss. A lot of them thanked me for coming and they all liked my card. My h-mom says we are going to do a lot more of these kinds of presentations. Sounds good to me! Woofs & Smiles!


Week of March 21, 2011 "Spring Blizzard"

The snow was almost all melted in our backyard. Jive and I had to find a spot with snow to go bathroom; with the snow melting fast that was harder and harder to do. Then more snow; in fact a blizzard! Now the yard is white with snow again. We can run the whole length of the yard because the snow is only about three inches...not like when it was so high we couldn't even walk in it. We are happy because we can run and play and my h-mom is happy because it is all snow and not the wet and soupy meltdown.

This week we went on walks and went to doggie day care. It was a good week. Woofs & Smiles!






Week of March 14, 2011 "Happy Spring"

Spring is really here! The snow is melting and we are walking a lot again. The trails are very wet and my h-mom doesn't like it when Jive and I get so wet on our walks. I think our back yard is going to be very wet and soupy this year because of all the snow we had in the winter time. That makes my h-mom crazy.We get wiped off a lot with towels when we come in from outside and get more baths. Ugh!!!
Jive got an ear infection in both of her ears. We took her to see our vet. She cleaned out her ears and put some medication in both ears. Jive was very brave but I think she was glad I was there for moral support. After all, I am her big brother.
This is the first time Jive has ever had an ear infection. I never had one either until she came to live with us. Jive likes to lick inside my ears because she loves me. I think it's cool but I don't like the ear infections it gives me. My h-mom watches us and when she sees one of us licking the others ear she tells us to stop. My h-mom sees almost everything we do. I don't know how she does that.
I went to Merrick this week for a pet therapy visit with the clients there. They are always a lot of fun. This time a lady from a program at the U of M came to see me interact with the clients. My h-mom said she was there to shadow us. It didn't bother me. I still had fun playing games with everyone. Woofs & Smiles!



Week of March 8, 2011 "Winter Weight"
 
I can hardly believe this! My h-mom says I have to lose some weight. That I have a few extra pounds to get off. She says it is because we haven't been able to take as many walks this winter because of the ice on the trails. Jive has to lose a couple pounds too. WOW! This is not fun and really hard to do. I like having my treats and not worrying about putting on extra pounds. I know my h-mom is putting less food in the dinner bowl. She says she is cutting back just a little and I don't like it! I can tell the difference.
She is serious about this. I can tell because when I give her my sweet irresistible look it doesn't melt her and make her give me a treat like it usually does. So now that the snow has melted Jive and I are running a lot outside in the back yard. My h-mom is taking us for walks again. When we are busy doing things I don't think about wanting my treats as much. One thing we know we will always get a treat for is bringing our toys back in the house when we take them out to play. That makes my h-mom very happy and we get that nummy treat. Woof & Smiles!


Week of February 28, 2011 "The Wedding"

This week has been busy for my h-mom and h-dad. Brandon, my h-brother and his girlfriend, Becky are getting married.

Oliver decided to go into Jive's crate and he didn't want to leave.

Kitties are kind of fun but I get bored after a while and play with my other toys. Jive likes to chase the kitties more than I do.There is always something fun to do at our house. Woofs & Smiles!


Week of February 21, 2011 "Snow Much Snow"
 
All I can say is "Boring!" With all this snow we can't walk the trails because they are not plowed. My h-mom and h-dad spent all day Sunday and Monday shoveling snow; I brought my ball to my h-mam and asked her to play ball with me because we could not run very much outside with the deep snow. We played some games in the house but I really miss our walks. We did go to doggie day care and that was fun. It's times like this that having a sister to play with is a good thing. We went outside and looked up in the tree for squirrels and saw a big robin. It was awesome! Spring will be here soon!

My h-mom says February is Pet Dental month.
In our house everyday is brush your teeth day for me and Jive. I have a green toothbrush and Jive has a pink toothbrush.

Brushing our teeth is part of our daily routine. We have never had our teeth cleaned any other way. Our veterinarian says they look great. My h-mom says she likes that we have good breath and healthy gums and teeth. It doesn't hurt and it only takes a minute to have our teeth brushed. It's really not a big deal.

Good News! The plow just cleared the trails! Now we can go on our walks again. I'm excited! And so is Jive! See you on the trails!
 Woofs & Smiles!


Week of February 14, 2011 "Valentines Day"

This week started off with a human holiday called Valentines Day. My h-mom and h-dad bought each other cards with hearts on them; my h-mom took us to a dog store where Jive and I picked out a toy. My h-mom does this on our birthday and other human holidays too. Both Jive and I really like getting toys. We have lot of toys in our house.
I always play with the toy and when I get a favorite one I suck on it like a blanket. It really is a soothing time for me. I especially like to find my favorite toy after dinner and lay on the floor with it and just lick it. I also like to do that at bedtime. It really relaxes me. I can do it for a really long time too. My sister Jive likes to have a toy in her mouth whenever she goes somewhere. Like when we go from upstairs to downstairs she always takes a toy. When we go outside she takes the toy I have in my mouth always...every time we go outside she takes my toy. I just let her. Then it isn't long and she rips the eyes off the toy or rips it apart to get the squeaker inside.


My h-mom says I like soft toys and Jive likes chew toys. Thank goodness we have a lot of chews and toys in our house so we are both happy.



This week we went to doggie day care again. It was really nice to get to run around with our friends.
Jive and I play a lot together at home and in our backyard, but it is really fun to play with a lot of other dogs too.

It is my week for a therapy visit with the adults with developmental disabilities. They are so much fun. They really like it when my h-mom hides my toy and I find it on their wheel chair or the chair they are sitting in. This time my h-mom told me to sit and stay. She had everyone count to ten and I stayed sitting. Then some of the people called me to come to them but I didn't move. They tried and tried to get me to come to them but I stayed sitting where I was. Then my h-mom called me and I ran to her. For some reason they thought that was cool. I got a treat and that was cool to me.
Until next week "Woofs & Smiles"


Week of February 7, 2011 "It's Doggone Cold "

Brrrrr! It is so cold this week! When my h-mom lets Jive and me outside to play in the backyard, she watches us and when we start raising our paws because it is so cold, she calls us in the house. I want to stay outside but it is sooooo cold even I go in the house without a fuss.
Because we can't be outside for very long, it gets a bit boring for Jive and me.
So my h-mom has this game she plays with us. She puts us both in our crates and then she hides Charlee Bear treats around the house. I know the places she puts them and Jive is learning where to look too. When my h-mom opens our crates we go really fast to find the treats. She calls this game "find it". Sometimes my h-mom hides a toy and we find that really fast too. But sometimes she hides herself and that is really exciting to find her. It is just like when she comes home from being gone somewhere. Both Jive and I get really excited "Find it" is a fun game. We also went to doggie day care this week so we could play inside with all our doggie friends. That is always a fun part of the week.

My h-mom says it is important for dogs to have their toe nails trimmed. That means Jive and I go to the groomer every two-three weeks to get this done. I am glad the groomer does it because my h-mom cuts the quick on my nails and they bleed. It hurts and I don't like it so I make it hard for her to cut my nails. That is when she decided to have a groomer do it. I still don't like it but I let the groomer do it because she doesn't cut the quick and she does it really fast. Then I get a treat. We also get a ride in the car and that is always fun for Jive and me.

This week I went on a therapy visit to work with a little girl at Woodwinds Hospital. I have been seeing this little girl for a few months. She works really hard to learn how to do things so she can have me come to a session; then she shows me all the things she has learned to do for herself like get her brace on and off and her hat and shirt. This is really hard for her because she has one side of her body weaker than the other. She is doing really really well and I am very proud of her. Her therapist says she can pick what fun things she wants to do with me in our session. Her favorite thing is to have me turn this light on and off with my paw. She likes to hide my toy and have me find it too. She pets me with her weaker hand and she says I make her laugh.Then she really likes to spray me with that doggie cologne my h-mom sprays on me. I really really really hate that stuff. I rub it off as soon as it goes on. Well this little girl gave me a big long spray. I think it will last forever. Woofs & Smiles until next week!




Week of January 31, 2011 "A Good But Scratching"

This week has been pretty fun. My human brother Brandon came over to visit us. Jive and I love playing with him.
He is so fun and we get so excited to see him. He remembers I like to have my butt scratched. It just feels so good to be scratched there. Mostly because I can't reach back there to scratch myself. Sometimes I will back into a human and they automatically reach down and scratch my butt...ahhhhhh that always feel so good.

On the first of every month my h-mom gives me and Jive our heart-worm pills and the Advantix on our skin to protect us from flees and ticks and stuff like that. I heard my veterinarian tell my h-mom it is important to give us heart-worm pills year round. Jive and I don't mind because we get a treat after we get the medication.

Then we went on some walks...finally....it is warm enough and not snowing so we can walk the trails.

My h-mom says Jive and I just look for the yellow snow. But that's how we check out if those are our friends. It's fun to sniff and see who was there. Sometimes I have to mark their spot to let them know I was there too. There is so much for a dog to take in on a walk. So much to sniff.

This week I made my regular therapy visit to a facility for adults with developmental disabilities.The best part is my human dad works there. These people really like to see me and I love to see them. We play a lot of games. My h-mom hides one of my toys on their wheel chair or their chair and then she tells me to "go find it"! You really have to know what you are doing because sometimes they will move the toy; but I can figure it out and always find my toy. Then of course I get a treat! Another reason I like this game. Woofs & Smiles until next week!