Too Much of a Good Thing

Tucker did a wonderful job at church this morning, sitting through the service and small group without much fuss.  We went to Ryan's for lunch and that's where the boredom hit him.  He wasn't horrible, but we had to take turns eating and correcting him for a little while.  By the time we were just about finished he had settled down. 

By the time we got home, we had less than an hour before we had to head back to church for my Bible study.  I took him outside to try to run some energy off him and he decided to jump in the pool.  (It wasn't hot and it was about to rain, mind you)  He discovered that blowing bubbles in the water was fun, so not only were his legs and stomach soaked, but so was his face. ;) 

Back at church, he did a really good job for about an hour and a half and then he lost it.  I took him out three times thinking he was acting out because he needed to park, but he didn't; he was just bored.  The last time I brought him in, I made him lie down and then as soon as I turned my head, he was up again.   I ignored him and he barked at me!  I didn't want him to distract the other girls (we were watching a dvd) so I took him out of the room and walked him around trying to wear him out.  It didn't work, and we missed the end of the video. 

Honestly, I can't blame him.  Since 8:30am he'd had less than an hour to really play, and he'd spent about 5 hours at the church.  He'd had a little too much church for one day.  So, as soon as we got home, I fed him and then let him play his little heart out. :)

Cousin Time

Well, I had a wonderful time with my friends last night, but I sure missed my little Tucker!  I think he missed me a little bit, too. ;)  Thankfully, Mom said he did much better this time than the last time I left. 

My dad's side of the family is having a girl's weekend on the other side of town, so this afternoon Mom, Tucker, and I got to join them.  (Babies of any gender were allowed, so Tucker got a pass ;)  )

He did a really good job in my opinion.  I had to keep him on leash even in the house because of all the babies, but he behaved very well.  For most of the afternoon, he either slept or watched the babies play.  Thankfully he didn't constantly whine to play with them like he did the weekend of the fourth. 

After being forced to remain calm for most of the day, Tucker is now a live wire.  I, however, am still worn out from last night's birthday festivities.  Thank goodness for Moms who entertain puppies. ;)

Extreme Boredom

Some of you may have noticed there wasn't a blog yesterday.  Honestly, I forgot to write it last night, but even if I'd remembered it, I probably would have skipped it anyway so I could get to bed early because I worked today. 

Reasoning aside, here's how Wednesday went:

We met Mom's friend Angie at Fatz for lunch and Tucker did a pretty good job.  I had to take him out once to go to the bathroom and walk off some energy, but that wasn't a big deal.  After lunch we went in the Dollar Tree and although he had no accidents, I got a little frustrated with him pulling on the leash.  We're still working on walking on a loose leash. 

Then I dragged him into the bank with me (I say dragged because he desperately wanted another nap at this point) where he immediately knocked out on the tile floor while I took care of my business.  Much to his disappointment, I made him go in Rite Aid with me on the way home, and again, he fell asleep on the floor while Mom was getting her prescription.  Although I felt bad about dragging him out of the car when he clearly wanted to sleep, he's simply got to get used to it.  (That and I knew he'd have all afternoon to nap) 

Once we'd gotten him home and settled in his crate, Mom and I went back out to grab Dad's truck and go to Kmart and buy Tucker a pool. :)  He absolutely loved it, even filled with our frigid well water.  Mom found a wiffle ball and tossed it in the pool with him.  I got the biggest kick out of watching him try to figure out how to grab it without dunking his head underwater.  Eventually, he just went for it, and once he had that ball, there was no going back.  Thrilled with his catch, he ran back and forth through the yard over and over again until he couldn't run anymore.  :) 

Today, he went to work with me, and suffered from a severe case of boredom.  He wasn't quite as good in the kennel as last time, but he's also a few weeks older (not as many naps).  Sometimes he whined or barked, but overall did well.  I even stuffed one of his toys with pieces of dog food in an effort to entertain him.  It didn't work for long. 

He played for a while once we got home, and then he flopped down on his bed and slept for just over two hours.  I dropped a glass in the kitchen (which broke of course) and he didn't even flinch - just opened his eyes for a minute.  Of course, when he woke up at 11pm and thought it was playtime, I regretted letting him nap that long. 

For those of you who read the blog regularly - there will not be a blog tomorrow night and there may not be any over the weekend.  Tomorrow I'm going out of town for a birthday celebration and Mom's keeping Tucker, and then over the weekend I'll be spending a lot of time at my cousins' house. 

Crapus Interuptus

The day started out well with a trip to see my orthodontist, Dr. Farrar, and lunch at Asaka.  Dr. Farrar is very dear to me for fixing my horribly, horribly crooked teeth.  :)  I spent years going in and out of that office, so I just had to take Tucker by to meet everyone.  I'll try to post a picture tomorrow. 

We went from Dr. Farrar's to Asaka, and I'll be honest- I was really afraid they weren't going to let him in and I wasn't going to get my sushi fix. ;) Thankfully, they didn't seem to mind Tucker at all, and he slept like a rock the entire time.  As my friend Savanna put it earlier today, his "TSD" (try something different - it's a GWU honors thing) list is becoming pretty impressive:  "American", Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican - he's a pro!

From there we went to WalMart looking for a little pool for him.  WalMart didn't have what we were looking for, so we decided to head over to the Blue Ridge Mall to look in Kmart and let Mom pick up some makeup.  Kmart had the pools, but we weren't smart enough to realize until we got there that the pool wasn't going to fit in the van... I'll be going back later this week with a larger vehicle to get it.  We walked down the mall to the Merle Norman store and then on to Belks.  My dentist's wife works at one of the cosmetic counters there and loved getting to meet him. 

He did a wonderful job in the mall, but there was just one problem:  the afternoon BM had been elusive.  Though I tried several times in several locations, I just couldn't seem to convince Tucker to unload the post-lunch BM before we went into the mall.  We were almost to the exit when he started to become anxious.  Knowing he probably needed to go, but not wanting to carry the now extremely heavy little boy out of the mall, I picked up the pace.  This seemed to work well for a while but then he stopped - and squatted. 

Not wanting him to go on the floor, I put one hand under his rear and the other under his chest and picked him up.  Then, as he was pooping in my hand, I proceeded to walk briskly towards the door laughing my head off.  Mom was following behind me, laughing just as hard.  When we reached the great outdoors, I had one squished dog turd in my hand and one confused and somewhat irritated puppy.  I handed the leash to Mom, dropped the poop in the grass, and headed back inside to wash my hands while Tucker finished his business. 

I had almost made it to the Kmart bathroom when a kind older gentleman stopped and asked me if I was signed up for Kmart reward points.  As I tried to explain to him that I wasn't interested, I hid my poop covered hand behind my back.  Unwilling to take no for an answer, the man tried to hand me a piece of paper and a pen.  Clearly, I was not about to grab anything with my left, soiled hand.  The guy probably thought my hand didn't work or something.  Somehow I managed to sign the paper without transferring the BM and then ran off to the bathroom.  Let me tell you, whatever soap Kmart uses in their bathrooms, it isn't worth much.  It took three rounds to get fresh dog poop of my hand!   

Once that exciting adventure was over and we were home, Tucker and I both took a nap. 

Speaking of naps, I have to share what he did this morning.  He was settling down for his mid morning nap on the floor of my bedroom and I laid down on the floor a few feet away.  After a minute or two, he crawled over beside me, and then a little while after that, he reached over and put his paw on my arm.  Shortly thereafter, he scooted even closer and put his head on my arm.  By the time he had finished his scooting, his head was right up against mine.  It was so precious. 

This afternoon I tried to wedge pieces of dog food in the curves of one of his toys so I could order my books for next semester.  This worked well for a few minutes, but then he dislodged the food.  I had brought home a little bit of I/D dog food from work to see if that size kibble would fit in his toys.  I/D stands for Intestinal Diet - it's very, very bland.  Apparently, Tucker didn't find it tastey.  He licked it, jumped back and stared at it, and then started playing with it like you might see a cat play with a bug on the floor.  He'd reach out and touch it with his paw, flick it, lick it, and eventually, he even picked it up and ran around the room with it, all without actually eating it.  After several minutes of this, he eventually tried to eat it, and though it took a while and he didn't seem to enjoy it, he got it down.  This ritual was repeated with each piece of kibble he got out of the toy.  When Mom returned from the grocery store, I put another piece on his bed to try to show her what happened.  He just ate it.  Go figure! 

Oh, and in case anyone is concerned, Tucker did eventually manage to finish outside what he started in the mall. ;)

Birthday Bash

Tucker was incredibly sweet this morning.  It was almost as if he knew it was my birthday, so his gift was to not bite me for a little while. ;)  We went outside and instead of running around and eating sticks like he usually does, he just sat beside me on the patio. 

I took him to the DMV again this morning and he did a great job.  On our way back home, we stopped by Dr. Farrar's office (my orthodontist) so he could meet Tucker, but he was busy.  For whatever reason, Tucker was worn out at this point, and he was soooo mad that I made him get out of the car again.  So, when we got to the store to get his dog food, I just let him sleep while I ran in and picked it up.  I also had to get him a bigger collar today.  He's growing like a weed! 

Since today is my birthday and my Dad and sister are out of town, Mom and I invited our friend Kathy (Rocky's mom) to go out to eat with us.  I chose Red Lobster in Asheville and they had no problem letting Tucker in even though he was a little wet from the rain.  He did a great job and slept the majority of the time.  Afterwards, we stopped by Bed, Bath and Beyond so Kathy could return something, and I walked Tucker around the store.  Again, he did really well with the exception of trying to taste the pillow I was buying a few times. 

He slept all the way home, and therefore, was a live wire once we were in the house.  Even so, when Mom tried to take him out for a break a little while later, he put himself to bed in his crate. :)

I meant to put this on the blog yesterday:
Last night, Tucker did the cutest thing: he took the toy he'd been playing with back to his toy basket and exchanged it for a new one!  He did that several times with different toys, and it was just so adorable to watch him put them back and then select a new one. :)  I figure he'll probably never do it again, but it sure was precious.

A Wonderful Weekend

Tucker and I spent the weekend in Sevierville, TN with my friends Roy and Suzie: the people who taught me about puppy raising. 

We met a fellow puppy raiser, Mary, at Roy and Suzie's optical shop.  She's raising a GSD (German Shepherd Dog) named Ziva for Leader Dog.  Kathy, who works for the Fergusons, also had her daughter's Boxer puppy, Buttercup, in the office.  So, for about an hour, Tucker, Ziva, and Buttercup ran wild in the back of the shop.  For the first time in his life, Tucker discovered what it meant to be overwhelmed!  The picture below is an example of how Tucker attempted to protect himself from the big puppies.  They played a little rough for him.  ;) 

When we got to Roy and Suzie's, we let the dogs play in the backyard.  It didn't take long for Tucker to discover the fountain.  He is a lab through and through. :)  

He had a great time playing with the dogs (and cats for that matter) and learning doggie manners.  When we ate dinner, I put him under the table, and he behaved just as well as he does in restaurants.  The Fergusons have two cats who were found as kittens by one of their Search and Rescue dogs, and therefore named Search and Rescue.  Search doesn't really seem to know he's a cat and loves everyone and everything while Rescue is pretty shy and normally stays in the shadows.  Tucker absolutely LOVED Search.  Everytime we went outside he was looking for Search.  At one point I just sat and watched as Tucker tried to play with him.  He started gently but soon got a little rough with him.  I tried to warn him that it was only a matter of time until a kitty paw landed on his face, but he didn't listen.  Search reached over and grabbed Tucker's face and bit him.  I could tell he wasn't biting him hard, but when he let him loose, Tucker turned around and looked at me as if to say, "Mom, did  you see that?  It bit me!"  It worked though; he was much gentler with Search after that.  Amazingly, Rescue actually made an appearance early Saturday morning when I let Tucker out and let me pet him.  I think he decided that if I was there at 5am, I must be part of the gang.  ;) 

Saturday, we were supposed to go to Search and Rescue training with Roy and Suzie, but my antibiotics made me sick, so Tucker and I opted to stay home.  Honestly, I think it was as good for Tucker as it was for me.  He slept for almost two hours after they left for training, still trying to recharge his batteries from the day before! 

That evening we went into town so Tucker and I could meet Suzie's friend Bonnie who is partnered with a Golden Retriever named Moses.  She loves puppies, so we just had to let her hug Tucker!  I can only hope Tucker is placed with someone as caring as Bonnie.  

 For whatever reason, this computer is refusing to let me turn this picture the right way.  Tucker had entered into his puppy coma of the evening.

 This morning, Tucker and Apache finally figured out the best way to play with each other.  Apache did a great job with him and let him walk all over him for quite a while.  I have several funny videos of the two of them playing.

It was incredibly hot, so Aunt Suzie was kind enough to fill up the tub for Tucker.  He loved splashing around in the water and jumping in and out of the tub.  Suzie tossed one of the rubber balls in the water for him to fetch, but it took him a little while to understand the physics of bobbing for apples. ;)

We got home just before three but had to head out again about thirty minutes later to get to my bible study.  The look on Tucker's face when he realized we were getting back in the car was priceless.  He thought I'd lost my mind.  Regardless, he did pretty well at church.  He got a little restless about halfway through and was a handful for a few minutes, but he eventually got the picture and settled back down. 

Now, he's enjoying being home and being top dog again.  I let him have his big boy bed for the first time tonight.  After he got over wanting to eat it, he settled down and passed out.  Of course, he spent part of the nap upside down. ;) 



The Kennel

I worked today, and although the original plan was for Tucker to stay home with Mom, she wasn't feeling well this morning, so he was stuck with me. 

Before when he came to work with me, I left his carrier up front with the secretary so he could avoid the craziness of the back of the clinic.  Now, he's too big to send much time in that carrier, so he had no choice but to stay in the kennel room. 

Frankly, I was worried about how he would react to being left in the back with other animals.  Not only would he be able to see me while I was working (and taking care of other dogs, no less), but he would be forced to listen to the constant meowing and barking of our more neurotic patients.  

But, like most things go with Tucker, I was worried for no reason.  He did an awesome job.  From 8am to 5pm, he acted like he'd spent every day of his life in the kennel.  While the other dogs were barking incessantly, he just sat and watched. 

Unfortunately, he didn't get a break at lunch because I hardly got a break.  I only had about half an hour to go get food and get back for the afternoon appointments (it was already after 2pm at this point) and trips are never fast with Tucker.  ( By the way, when I walked into Subway, the girl behind the counter said, "Where's the puppy?"  He's so popular. ;)  )

Although I rushed back to the clinic to play with him for about ten minutes before the appointments started, it wasn't enough.  Around 5pm, he'd had it with the boredom.  Just about every time I went into the kennel room for something, he'd bark and whine.  I couldn't blame him though, I was ready to be finished myself. 

When we got home, I was exhausted and Tucker was hyper.  Thankfully, Mom was feeling better and was able to watch him while I ate something.  He played so hard once we got home that he put himself to bed at 9pm.  :)  It's going to be an early morning tomorrow.

Tucker in the "big dog" cage. 

Playtime!

Tucker and I had an interesting morning.  He was wired when he woke up and nothing could calm him down.  It got to a point where I decided the only option was taking him on a walk/jog and just running him down.  Well, that might have been a good idea had I not been doing this on antihistamines, antibiotics, and an empty stomach (per the directions of the antibiotics). 

Not too long into our outing, I wore out.  Thinking he had too, I brought him inside.  As it turns out, he was faking the fatigue.  I, on the other hand, was just about ready to pass out.  After failing to find something to interest Tucker (besides biting my hand) I decided to crate him while I ate something. 

Post nap, Tucker was much more agreeable. :)  We got ready and met my Dad and his friends for lunch at Wendy's.  Tuck was nearly perfect for almost 2 hours.  I think my Dad's friends were pretty amazed that a puppy would just sleep on the floor while people ate lunch.

Afterwards, Tucker and I went to see my friend Valleri.  She had her tonsils removed last week and hasn't really been able to leave the house, so we decided to drop in for a visit.  Valleri also happens to own Tucker's best friend Rocky. :)  The two of them had a blast chasing each other around the living room and Rocky was kind enough to chew up a few of Tucker's bones for me.  You see, Tucker's nylabones become ten times cooler once Rocky has chewed on them. 

At one point while Rocky was chewing on his bone, Tucker decided to jump onto his back.  Startled, Rocky jumped up and sent poor little Tucker flying.  It was hilarious.  He also got a sharp reprimand from Valleri's older lab, Maggie, who wasn't as thrilled with Tucker's antics.  Valleri's dad was unhappy with her, but I thought it was great.  She didn't hurt him (and had no intention to) and he learned a good lesson in respect.  Tucker was very careful from then on to be gentle with her. :) 

Tucker and Rocky

This weekend Tucker will be reunited with the Ferguson's shepherds and I have a feeling Schatzie won't waste any time reminding Tucker who's on the bottom of the totem pole. ;)

Becoming a Nerd

First of all, I had a dream this morning that Tucker slept until 8am and I was soooo proud of him!  Then I woke up, heard him scratching at the cage door, and saw that the clock said 6:45.  Maybe one day that dream will come true. :)

Tucker did a great job in Boiling Springs today.  We had lunch with my friend Tara at the Italian Garden (they had no problem letting him in) and with the exception of a few toe tastings (sorry Tara!) I think he did a great job.  In fact, he did a much better job of staying under the table (as opposed to beside it) than he normally does.  As we were eating, Tara saw one of our professors, Dr. Hobbs, come in.  Being one of my favorite professors, I couldn't manage to leave without introducing her to Tucker.  

After lunch, Tucker took a nap on the cool hardwood floor of Tara's living room while she and I got our Discovery Channel fix.  Though he was unhappy about leaving the air conditioned house, Tucker and I ventured back onto campus a little after 1pm.  Today was the last summer orientation session for new students, and since Dr. Jones (honors professor) is on vacation, I volunteered to fill in for him at the honors meeting.  It was Tucker's first "nerd meeting"!

I was worried that Tucker might be a handful or be too distracting for the students and/or parents, but he just fell asleep under my chair.  There were only a few students in the meeting, but I think it went well.  Hopefully they were able to look past the yellow hairs on my black GWU polo.  ;) 

Although I had thought about hanging around school until some friends got off work, Tucker and I were both worn out after the meeting so we just drove home.  I'm finding that when it comes to walking around during the day, Tucker is a lightweight.  After we'd finished the honors meeting, he refused to walk from Hamrick to Withrow (which is not a long distance - it's GWU we're talking about here) on his own and I had to carry him.  I know he was tired and hot, but he's getting a little big to be carried!  I suppose the two of us should start walking the mountain to condition him for the school year. 

He's been pretty good since we've been home and even put himself to bed early.  Since I don't enjoy taking him out to "park" at 4 am, I woke him up about 10:30pm to go to the bathroom.  You know the saying, "Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned"?  I think the ending may need to be changed to "like a puppy woken up".  He was soooo put out with me.  When I brought him back inside, I took off his leash and asked him where he wanted to go (meaning to bed or upstairs with us).  He started edging back towards the bedroom, but was constantly looking over his shoulder as if to say, "Well are you actually going to let me sleep if I go in here?"  He's been sound asleep ever since. :) 

Another Sleepy Day

Yes, you guessed it.  Today was again controlled by doses of antihistamines, which meant Tucker took several long naps.  You know the saying, "the more sleep you get the more you want"?  I think it now applies to poor Tuck.  He napped longer than I did this morning! 

Mom kept him while I went to yet another doctor's appointment, and even though I was only gone two hours, you'd have thought it was a lifetime the way Tucker acted when I got home.  We're definitely going to have to work hard on the separation anxiety. 

Tired of being stuck in the house for the past few days, Mom and I decided to go to Applebee's.  I told the hostess that Tucker had already been approved by one of the managers and she took us to our table.   He was so good that our waiter and the manager didn't even notice he was there until they brought us the check.  When we left Applebee's we went in Tractor Supply and bought him a new toy. :) 

Tomorrow he gets to go back to GWU with me to fill in for Dr. Jones at the honors orientation meeting.  Let's hope he behaves in front of the new honors kids!

Patching the Pants

Unfortunately, today wasn't much different than yesterday for Tucker.  I'm still taking as many antihistamines as I'm allowed and things aren't getting much better.  The itching even woke me up in the middle of the night, which of course, woke Tucker up as well.  I think he was confused about why we were up at 4am. 

Mom stayed home from church to help me with him in case the Benadryl knocked me out, but he was pretty good this morning.  This afternoon, he started getting a little crazy so I decided it was time for an inspirational movie: Balto. ;)  Sadly, Tucker slept through most of it and didn't learn anything.  When he woke up, he went into crazy mode again, and I just couldn't handle him.  After a few minutes in time out, Dad offered to take him outside to run him around. 

A few minutes later, I went outside to check on them and found Dad had a nice new rip in his jeans.  Tucker apparently did a "run by" on his jeans and caught them in those sharp little teeth just right. 

This is his guilty face. ;)

Oh, and the guilty little puppy is now over 16 lbs - double the size he was less than a month ago :)

Too Much Sleep

Today was very uneventful for Tucker.

I'm apparently having an allergic reaction of some kind which is causing a rash, though to what I have no idea.  I broke down and took Benadryl mid morning, which meant I ended up taking a three and a half hour nap.  Poor, sweet little Tucker had to stay in his crate and ended up getting lunch an hour and a half late.  I felt so bad for him.  I couldn't believe he hadn't tried to wake me up before then. 

Although I took yet another strong dose of Benadryl, the rash continued to spread down my arms.  Eventually, I left Tucker with Mom and went to urgent care.  Apparently, he was a little bit of a challenge after I left, but I'm sure that was because he had so much energy built up from the naps earlier. 

He was a little crazy when I got home, but he eventually settled down. 

Well, that was probably the most boring post yet, but I know some people worry when there isn't a blog entry everyday. ;) 

Do you speak Whale?

I worked yesterday and Mom puppy-sat Tucker, which is part of why there wasn't a blog yesterday - I wasn't around for most of Tuck's day.

Apparently, he was not happy about being left at home.  Mom said he wouldn't settle down, and where he usually takes several naps a day, only managed to fall asleep once for a very short period.  When I got home, he literally melted into my lap. :)  I know he missed me because he didn't try to bite me for quite some time!

Today, we took him to see Mom's coworkers in Asheville, to a used bookstore, to Hamrick's, and to McDonald's for lunch.  With the exception of a few hyper minutes in the bookstore, he did an excellent job everywhere we went.  He actually did pretty well when we got home and I started cleaning, too.  Although the vacuum hose was very tempting to begin with, he eventually just watched me from a distance.

Okay, now for an explanation of the title.  If you've ever seen Finding Nemo, then you know what I'm referring to.  As it turns out, if Tucker is suffering from selective hearing and you really need to get his attention, speaking "Whale" is the best option.  He can't resist. ;)  Also, if you pick him up, face him away from you, and say his name, this is what happens.  v

A Day of Celebrations

Tuesday was long and exciting for Tucker (and me) which is why I'm just now writing the blog. :)

I finally had his name tag made and he spent a few minutes getting used to the added jingle around his neck.  Then we went into town to have lunch at Subway with dad.  The ladies at Subway absolutely love him and couldn't believe how much he'd grown.  We hit the road for Boiling Springs after lunch because Tuesday was Courtney's 21st birthday.  I specifically timed our arrival to coincide with the end of Dr. Eastman's Western Civ class so that some of my friends (and Dr. Eastman) could meet him.  (GWU readers - I got a hug from Dr. Eastman, and it completely made my day :)  )  As usual, everyone, including the seasoned history professor, loved him. 

I spent the next two hours wandering around campus introducing Tucker to new people and dropping in on some of those he met last month.  He met several professors/staff members and even had his picture taken with Dr. Morgan.  Again, he did a lot of walking and was worn out by the time I took him over to Court's house. 

From there we drove to PF Chang's in Charlotte for a massive celebration dinner.  Courtney F was 21, Courtney J had just turned 21, I am about to be 21, Molly got a nursing job, Katie just got married, Kristen and Natalie just became RNs, and Maggie got a job in Ohio.  For a party of 11, that's a lot of celebrations!  We had a great time and Tucker did a wonderful job in the restaurant. 



After we'd placed our orders, Tucker started to get anxious, so I took him out to "park".  Although I knew he really needed to go, he seemed determined to sniff every blade of grass on the curb before doing his business.  Right as a limo pulls up to the curb, Tucker decides it's time to release #2.  His timing is impeccable.  Not only that, but our group was sitting by a window, which means they got to see the whole thing. :) 

Towards the end of the dinner, Tucker was faced with some serious food temptation.  Our waiter didn't really seem to understand Tucker or his purpose, and decided to box up our food about two feet away from him, all the while dropping uncooked rice noodles everywhere.  Although he tried several times to get to said rice noodles, it didn't take him long to realize it wasn't going to happen, and he settled back down.  Just as Tuck was drifting off to sleep again, the waiter dropped more noodles and one landed about four inches from his nose.  He didn't notice.  :) 

By the time we got back to Court's house, it was midnight.  Having slept through most of dinner and the entire ride home, Tucker was ready to play.  I indulged his energy for a few minutes and then made him go to bed.  Surprisingly, he didn't object.  I actually thought he did really well in her house, too.  Even though it was a strange place to him, his only issue was with the balloons tied to the refrigerator door.  :)

This morning, Tara and I took him to the Snack Shop for breakfast.  This place, like Papa's Pizza, is a Boiling Springs fixture and definitely "Mom and Pop".  I was worried they wouldn't let him in, and it did take some convincing, but they eventually agreed to let us sit in what I suppose is their overflow room.  Tucker did well and when we walked up to the register to pay, the girl said, "I didn't hear him bark the whole time!" 

When we got back home today, Tuck had to get his second Distemper-Parvo vaccine and we started him on his Lepto vaccines so he'll have time to get a booster before Big Sweep.  He didn't even seem to notice the first shot, but he wasn't terribly happy with the other.  I also had to give him a flea pill because while we were there, a hospital case who was crawling with fleas came through.  Of course, one of the fleas decided to jump ship on his way through the office and hop onto poor Tucker.  I saw it but I couldn't catch it, and although his Advantage should still be good, we gave him a Capstar pill just to be safe. :)  I don't want fleas in my house. 

Home Again, Home Again

First of all, the bone was found!  It was wrapped in a blanket that we had all picked up and shook five times... go figure. 

As usual, Tucker slept most of the way home.  While this is most welcome while we're on the road, the older he gets, the more of a problem it becomes when we stop for food.  Don't get me wrong, he was still very good when he stopped at Applebee's, but he definitely had a hard time sitting still (which is understandable).  

We were about forty-five minutes from home when we hit a traffic jam and pulled off at a gas station.  It took a few minutes to get directions around the accident, and by the time we hit the road, Tucker was convinced he was melting in the South Carolina sun.  In fact, he was being so pittiful we moved his crate to where we could blast the AC straight through the door.  After a few minutes of that, he settled down to sleep again. 

Never fear - the car was at a complete stop due to said traffic jam. :)

When we got to the house, I took Tucker to the backyard where he ran, and ran, and ran some more.  He was sooooo happy to be back in his yard where he was free to run around like a lunatic and chew on sticks and leaves. :)  It wasn't long before he'd worn himself out and flopped down to take another nap. 

After dinner tonight, he and Dad had a very intense game of chase in the living room.  Sadly, shortly thereafter he decided he couldn't keep his teeth of us.  When he bit me on my sunburned leg, it was game over and he ended up in time out - not that he minded an excuse to take another nap.  :)

Tomorrow he'll be going with me to a birthday celebration at PF Chang's.  I've already called and cleared Tucker with the manager.  Would someone explain to me why all of these restaurant chains have been so friendly to him, but that one privately owned pizza place doesn't get it?  It's a mystery to me! 

Doggy Paddling

This morning, I noticed the ocean was particularly calm, so I decided to take Tucker out again.  This trip was much more successful, since I wasn't having to pick him up every three seconds to avoid a wave.  He seems to be a strong little swimmer and could paddle his way towards the shore pretty quickly. :)  I think he found the ocean to be a little chilly for his taste, but he was by no means traumatized.  When we finished frolicking in the ocean, we took a walk and he discovered the joys of digging holes in the remnants of tidal pools. 

Most of his afternoon was spent napping in his crate while I was out by the pool.  I came up to check on him every thirty minutes, but for the first two hours or so, I always found him fast asleep upside down.  For dinner we went to Jersey Mike's (a sub shop - the only thing they did right was let him in) and he did a great job. When we'd finished, we went next door to Coldstone for ice cream and he charmed all the girls working behind the counter.  He found the floor there to be much more tempting than the sub shop ( I wonder why... ) but he still behaved very well. 

Since we've been home, a large amount of time has been spent looking for his favorite bone which has gone M.I.A.  We're pretty sure he was playing with it yesterday, but we can't seem to find it though we've turned this place upside down looking for it about five times.  Here's to hoping we find it before we leave tomorrow!

I think the following may be my favorite kid quote of the week:  Last night when I was walking Tucker and it was thundering outside, a little girl on the 4th floor looked down at us, turned to her dad and said, "That puppy's gonna get struck!"  Everytime she heard thunder, she would very adamently repeat her concern for the puppy. :) 

Also, a small personal victory - I just nailed a cockroach (excuse me, "Palmetto Bug") from my seat with a drink coaster while writing this blog.  Success! 

Meeting Roommate #2

Most of the morning was fairly uneventful again today.  When Tucker first got up, he did a great job playing like a good puppy - ie, no biting and more chewing on appropriate things.  The rest of the day was not quite as successful. 

Due to a thunderstorm, we all spent a good portion of the afternoon and night inside.  Tucker decided to become a little wild man again and ended up in time out before dinner.  He was equally frustrating after dinner, and proceeded to continue his wild child routine even when my roommate from last year, Chelsea Hearne, came by for a visit.  Unfortunately for him, "Chearne" is no push-over. ;) 

My parents agreed to watch him while Chels and I went out to dinner, but as soon as we walked back in the door, I was informed that Tucker was now "all mine".  Apparently, Tucker the Terrible made another appearance in my absence and drove them crazy.  Again, Tucker tried to challenge Chelsea, but found her to be even more stubborn than he is. :) 

I can't wait until we get home and I can let Tuck wear himself out in the backyard!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

When we got up this morning, it was raining.  Of course, Tucker couldn't have cared less even though it was just after 6am.  After the adventure of the night before, I still felt like I'd been hit by a truck, so after I fed him breakfast, we went back to bed. 

It was pretty gloomy all morning, so after lunch, Mom and I went to the pet store to return the Bitter Apple spray she'd bought the day before.  Tucker actually liked the taste.  Liked it!  I can't hardly stand to smell it and that little stinker wanted to lick it.  Ridiculous.  In the end, we got him a new ball.  :) 

The rest of the day was mostly spent playing and going on short walks.  For all his craziness the day before, he was very good while Mom fixed dinner - he just sat on the floor and watched everything.  The most exciting part of the day was when Tucker went down stairs for the first time!  Mom had taken him out for a break, and when he got to the top of the stairs, he looked down and saw a dead moth a few stairs down.  He had to have it, which meant he had to go down the stairs!  Even after Mom took it out of his mouth, he continued down the rest of the flight. :)  Sadly, he wouldn't repeat the feat for me later.  Maybe tomorrow! 

The Midmorning Reign of Tucker the Terrible

At approximately 11am Thursday morning, an alien from another world landed in Pawley's Island, South Carolina and chose to corrupt the mind of a small 9 week old labrador puppy.  The puppy, though normally fairly well behaved, spiraled out of control, racing around the residence and seeking to maul every electrical cord in sight.  The puppy's grandmother had no choice but to pursue the puppy to each location, yelling commands that fell on deaf floppy ears.  The alien, however, was smart enough to evade capture and eventually slipped away unnoticed after the puppy was offered lunch at 12pm.  The puppy, exhausted from his encounter with the unfriendly alien, was then placed in his crate where he slept for the next two hours. 


However, after Tucker's rampage ended, he was a very good little puppy.  We took him to the Coastal Grande mall tonight and he slept under a chair in the food court while we ate.  While I was sifting through sale racks, Tucker hung out with Mattie by the cash register, and was very good except for trying to bite his leash out of boredom.  Oddly enough, no one even questioned Tucker being in the mall until we were getting ready to leave.  A security guard approached us and asked if he was a service dog.  She took my word for it, but I showed her my ID card regardless. 

From there, we went to Broadway at the Beach to expose Tucker to the craziness.  (Surprisingly, no one questioned him there at all.)  He did a wonderful job and walked most of the way himself.  When we stopped at Johnny Rocket's, he fell asleep under the table again, amazing those around us.  From that point on, we carried him most of the way, eventually stopping in a pet store to let him enjoy the AC.  After he'd settled down on the floor, that was it.  From there to the car, he had to be carried like a baby.  He hung his head upside down off my arm and went totally limp.  I'm sure the people we passed thought he'd literally passed out.  He should sleep well tonight! 

My favorite episode from today, however, had to be when I took him out for a break this afternoon and a woman came off the beach (a woman I'd never met) and said, "Oh, you must be Tucker!  I've heard so much about you."  I'm telling you - he's celebrity material  ;) 

Soapbox of the day - Children should learn more about service animals in school.  Here's my thought - maybe if more kids learned about service animals in school (and how you should ask before you pet them) they would go home and share their new found knowledge with their parents.  I was so tired of people just bending down to pet him (without asking) tonight even though he was wearing his bandana, which should make people realize he's not your average puppy.  I don't mind explaining it to people at all, but it makes life difficult when they squat to the floor to pet him before you have a chance to say anything.  Hopefully, Tucker and I will get to visit several schools once the school year starts and we can set some people straight. :)

Just Keep Swimming

Tucker spent the majority of the morning and afternoon sleeping in his crate, which is his preferred napping location. 

The pool is only a few feet from the condo, so it was easy to check on him about every half hour.  Most of the time, I looked into my room to find him still sound asleep. :) 

Around 4:00, I decided it was cool enough to take Tucker down to the beach and to see if he could swim!  Mattie carried him past the ever-tempting soft sand and then I carried him into the waves.  We were only about knee deep, but it was deep enough to prove he could keep his head above water.  And yes, I lifted him out of the water when the waves crashed. ;)  He wasn't thrilled with the idea, but I think the waves were the problem.  If it had been calmer or a lake, I think he'd have thoroughly enjoyed himself. 

After his ocean adventure we walked down the beach.  Tucker found a hole kids had dug earlier and discovered that if you push at the mounds of sand with your paws, it falls into the hole!  This was definitely his favorite discovery - that is, until he realized he could dig!  Tucker's digging style may have looked like a spastic center hiking a football, but he sure had a good time.  :) 

Once he'd worn himself out, I brought him back to the condo and gave him a quick bath to get rid of the salt and sand.  This time, I made a discovery - Tucker has figured out how to jump out of the tub!  Until today, I hadn't thought he was big enough to do that.  However, in the long run, he seemed less concerned about the bath than he did on Monday. 

For the rest of the night (with the exception of a short period around 9:00pm when he went completely insane running around the condo) he seemed exhausted.  He might play with me for a few minutes, and then all of a sudden, he'd turn and trot into the bedroom and settle down in his crate for a nap. :) 

Best part of the day?  People on the beach were calling Tucker by name.  He's quite famous. ;)

Dinner = Epic Fail

Tucker did well this morning walking around with me and then napping on the deck while I read. 

Dinner, however, was not as successful. 

Lessons Learned:
1. Don't even try to look nice when going out to dinner with a 9 week old puppy at the beach.
2. Even if the puppy seems tired after his 10 minute walk - keep going until he can't go another step.
3. Always go with your first puppy raising instinct.

I asked if we could go to one of my favorite seafood restaurants as an early birthday dinner since this will be my only trip to the beach this summer.  Before we left, I took Tucker on a short walk to go to the bathroom.  I should have walked him longer, but he kept sitting down like he was tired and I was trying to keep my hair from blowing into a hot mess and from getting sweaty again. (Mistakes #1 & #2)  When we got to the restaurant, they said we could sit on the covered porch.  We sat down and I sat Tucker under the table as usual.  Unlike our normal restaurant outings, he refused to settle down.  I gave him one of his toys in an effort to keep him lying on the floor, but even that didn't work.  Mom ate her dinner quickly, so she took over the leash so I could attempt to finish mine.  We were constantly telling him to sit back down, to settle, to lie down.  About 10 minutes before we left, he finally started to fall asleep on the floor.  When we finished, I picked him up and started to walk towards the exit.  It was suggested that I put him down and let him walk since he seemed to have so much energy earlier.  Although my instinct said I should carry him out just in case he needed to go to the bathroom, my frustration took over and I put him down. (Mistake #3) Twenty feet later, he was peeing on the floor. 

Needless to say, tonight has been the most frustrating outing thus far.  Tucker has been so good and is so smart that sometimes I forget he's still only 9 weeks old. 

Lessons learned?  I think so.      

I found sand!

Tucker has seen the Atlantic ocean!  Since we've been here, he's walked around the grounds several times, which was a lot for him.  He met another yellow lab and a myriad of little children.  :)  When we went out on the beach, he immediately started to eat the sand.  I thought he might taste it, but I never dreamed he would try several times to ingest large quantities.  When we finally made it to the water, he splashed around a little bit before deciding running around on the sand like a crazy puppy was much more fun. 

Even though I hosed him off on the boardwalk, he was still covered in sand, so I gave him his first bath.  Honestly, he didn't like it as much as I thought he would.  He didn't hate it, but he didn't love it either.  Afterwards, I wrapped him up in a towel and he slept for quite some time - despite the fireworks exploding almost constantly. 

When he woke up and needed to go out, I was a little worried about how he would respond to the fireworks.  I took him out behind the building, hoping the sound would be muffled, and set him down on the grass.  The next time a firework exploded, he sat, cocked his head, and listened.  A few seconds later, he decided that although it was a new noise, it was nothing to be concerned about, and he did his business.  In fact, he did so well that I walked him back around to the front of the building.  Again, he just sat down, seemingly pondering the explosions and lights. 

Now he's fully awake and running wild again.  :)

It's a small world after all...

This morning, Tucker went to church with us to hear Lt. Col. Oliver North speak.  The house was packed - probably at least 1000 people - and yet, he sat calmly under my chair for the entire service.  He was asleep before the service started, and when the trumpets sounded to begin the July 4th tribute, he jerked awake and looked around like he wasn't quite sure where the sound came from.  As usual, he settled down almost immediately, and I don't think the majority of the people around us even noticed him. 

He took a few well deserved naps this afternoon, and then we went out to church again for my bible study.  As it turns out, I missed the memo about it being cancelled today.  However, I am so glad I went.  When we came through the lobby doors, I saw a man sitting on the couch, but didn't really think anything of it until he said, "Are you from Michigan?"  Most people don't know what a Leader Dog is, much less where it is, so I was very surprised.  Sensing my surprise, he smiled and pulled a Leader Dog coffee mug out of his bag.  As it turns out, he had just finished his orientation in May and was scheduled to go back in the fall to get his first Leader Dog!  

After the shock of meeting a future Leader Dog handler, I wondered, If he's blind, how did he see Tucker's Leader Dog bandana?  Again, he seemed to read my mind, and explained that he has 3% vision left but that the doctors have said it will be gone in a year or two.  He said he could see an area about the size of my face, which is how he saw Tucker's bandana.  Since my bible study was non-existent, I talked with him a little while longer before heading out.

The outdoor activities at church weren't scheduled to begin until 6, but I didn't want to drive 30 minutes home just to come back out, so Tucker and I decided to hang out at MacDonald's. ;)   Here's the funny part - the kids who came by asked politely if they could pet him, but the MacDonald's employees just walked up and started petting him without another thought.  Tucker was asleep, so I just let it go. 

When we went back to church, several people stopped me to tell me pets weren't allowed at this outside event.  (Thankfully, the college/singles pastor had already said Tucker was allowed)  When I explained that he was a service dog in training and that he sat through Oliver North's sermon that morning, almost all of them said, "He was there?  I didn't hear a thing!"  I walked him around the grounds once and then we left for home.  Between the heat and the myriad of small children who had swarmed him, he was tired.  I thought he did a great job - with the exception of the busy parking lot, he walked all of it himself! 

He slept for quite some time when we got home, but woke up just in time to play with Dad's friend Scott when he dropped by. :) 

Friends!

Tucker had another busy day today.  First he met my Dad's cats: Riley and Lily.  Riley actually let him sniff his face before walking away in a huff, but Lily wanted no part of it and hissed in his face.  Thankfully, Tucker didn't seem offended in the least. 

After that, Hannah Riener, Derek Breakfield, Tucker and I had lunch at the Flat Rock Village Bakery and then Derek gave us a quick golf cart tour of Bonclarken.  It was pretty hot, and Tucker thoroughly enjoyed the breeze. :)  He seemed to enjoy Derek and Hannah's company, which is good since they'll probably end up puppy sitting at some point!

We came home and let Tucker take a nice long nap before my Dad's side of the family arrived for a cookout.  Tucker did a great job with my little cousins, although he was really upset that I wouldn't let him play with the twin babies.  He started to get anxious when I made him sit by the table during dinner, but he eventually settled down.  Somehow, he managed to sit calmly beside me while my younger cousins threw his toys at me. :)

Tomorrow, we'll see how he does in church!

Goin' Down to Wally World

Tucker had another busy day today.  For lunch, we met my dad and some of his friends at Piggy's - a burger and ice cream joint that's been in Hendersonville forever (and by that I mean as long as I remember ;) ).  As usual, Tucker fell asleep underneath the table and didn't make a sound. 

After lunch, Mom and I went to Wal-Mart.  Normally, Tucker tires pretty quickly and I have to carry him, but not today!  He walked with me the whole time, charming everyone we passed.  I couldn't believe he walked that long and well in a place as crazy as "Wally World."  Needless to say, he got a new toy out of it.  :) 

With all the excitement, he slept the majority of the afternoon.  Since Tucker seemed to like his green bone better after Rocky chewed the ends up, I decided to try to "rough up" the ends of his slick nylabone by beating it on the concrete outside.  (Yes, brilliant I know)  Shoeless, I headed outside and left the basement door open.  As I was hitting the concrete with it, Tucker slowly walked up beside me.  When I turned to look at him, he had my yard shoe in his mouth!  I put out my hand and he gave it to me without a fuss.  Honest to goodness, I think he was confused when I didn't put my shoes on to go outside!  I guess he was trying to be helpful. :)  haha

Tonight we went over to Katie Sander's house.  I worked with her at the vet clinic and she hadn't gotten to see him yet, so we spent about two hours outside in her neighborhood catching up and showing him off to her friends.  Almost everyone I talked to had a story beginning with either, "Well, my lab ate a whole..." or "I knew a lab that ate a..."  Such encouragment. ;)  As soon as I put him in the car, he fell into a deep sleep.  He continued his nap at home, but about an hour ago, he woke up and decided it was time to run around like a lunatic.  Mom's trying to run out the energy now.  :)