Our Mini Australian Shepherd

♥♥♥Farewell, Friends♥♥♥

2010-10-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

After much thought and consideration, I have decided that Bandit’s blog has come to its final end. I didn’t make this decision lightly, and I’m a little sad that I’ll no longer be sharing Bandit’s escapades and adventures with my blogging friends and family. Keeping up a blog takes a lot of work and dedication. I just don’t have the time to keep the blog going as I would like. When I started Bandit’s blog I envisioned that it would have been something I would do for a year as a way to chronicle his puppyhood and up until his first birthday. Once the first birthday came and went, I kept going because I loved the creative outlet for sharing my photos and writings, and having somewhere to keep track of Bandit’s milestones and important events.

Little did I realize that I would actually acquire followers, some of the most kind and caring people I have ever gotten to know. Thank you for finding something special enough in Bandit and his blog that you wanted to continue reading and made the decision to be a follower. I would like to thank you all for the wonderful heartfelt comments, funny comments, bits of advice, bits of wisdom, and the sharing of yourselves and your pets and hobbies. Through your own shared stories and pictures, I have felt a real shared connection with many of you. I have felt great sadness when some of you have shared difficult times such as when a beloved pet has unexpectedly died, or you’ve had to make a difficult decision to put a pet down for declining health. Blogging really is a wonderful way to connect with people all over the world, and I think it’s exciting that Bandit’s blog has attracted followers and friends from Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Wales, and even India!

I do have something exciting to share. I found a cool website (http://everything2print.com/serve/e2p/) that will turn Bandit’s entire blog into a hard-cover book! I’m so excited!! It’s a little bit pricey for the final copy but so worth it. They will include every bit of text, every picture, and all comments. It’s going to be such a nice keepsake. Not only will it be a hard-copy chronicle of Bandit’s growing up years, but we’ll be able to look back and remember our blogging friends and followers who posted comments! Because the book won’t be able to remember all the different blog headers I’ve made, I’m going to post those here so they can all be included in the book.

Bandit’s blog will continue to stay on-line. I want to continue to have the blog available so I can easily check in with those whose blogs I’ve been following. I’d never done blogging before Bandit’s blog, and it certainly turned into a very rewarding experience in so many ways. Thank you, everyone! I’ll miss you!! ♥♥♥ And Bandit gives everyone a big wet kiss!!♥♥♥

If you’d like to be a recipient of our annual holiday Smilebox card, be sure to send Bandit an email and let us know your email address so you can be added!

Blog Headers

2010-10-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

☺Happy Sunday☺

2010-09-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Where are we going?

Yay, the dog park!

And what's that up ahead?

A windmill!

Vintage Friday

2010-09-03T21:35:00.001-07:00

Thank You, Noah!

2010-09-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

Have you met the newest Aussie on the blogging block? His name is Noah, and we'd like to say a big heartfelt thank-you to Noah for giving us a "Doggie Bloggie Award." If you haven't yet had an opportunity to swing by Noah's blog to say hi, be sure to do so HERE (or click on the award in the sidebar) and welcome him to the world of doggie blogging!
Thank you so much for this nice honor, Noah!

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Bandit:
1. I have a tic. If I'm excited or nervous, one of my front paws shakes. I inherited this from my Mama, Gracie.
2. I'm my family's second dog. The first was a black Lab named Brandy who my family got when she was seven months old. She lived to be 15 and died in January of 2007.
3. If I'm scared I'll stop dead in my tracks, won't budge, and become dead weight. Just yesterday, Mama and I were on a walk through the woods and we came across a dad with a baby in a pack on his back. This scared me to death (to me it looked like one giant person) and I didn't want to walk around them. Mama had to pick me up and carry me around this dad and baby.
4. If I'm taken somewhere fun or go for a walk and I'm not ready to go home, I plop down wherever I am and refuse to budge. If I'm taken for a walk and don't want to go home just yet, I refuse to get in the car. Mama has to pick me up and plop me in the back seat.
5. I get my teeth brushed anywhere from once to three times a week, always before bedtime, and I kinda like it.
6. If I hadn't been named Bandit, I would have been named Wolfie - I'm glad I'm not called Wolfie.
7. I have a collection of real beef bones. I like to gather them all up and put them on Mama and Papa's bed.
8. One time something unknown gave me diarrhea so bad I had to have medicine to clear it up. It got better, but then a few days later I snuck a piece of cheese pizza off the kitchen counter while everyone was downstairs and the diarrhea came back. I needed more medicine. I guess I have a bit of a sensitive stomach.
9. My blog starts on the day I was brought home from the breeder's house. Here's the very first blog posting..
10. I still have a problem with jumping on people.

We would like to pass this award on to all our blogging pals!!

A Day of Herding!

2010-08-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

Bandit tried his hand at sheep herding today! His breeder, Jamie, had set up this fun outing several months ago for a group of about eight mini Aussies and one English Shepherd. The sheep farm is in Battle Ground, Washington which was a three and a half hour drive south for us. Brigand's Hideout is a real sheep farm which specifically trains dogs of all breeds to herd sheep. Our instructor/handler for the day was Trudy who gave us an overview of basic herding including terms, calls, and maneuvers. After each dog went through the first time, Trudy handed out a report card to each canine participant regarding the testing of their herding instinct.

Bandit definitely has the instinct and the drive to be a natural at herding! It was great fun to watch him work the sheep and take instruction from Trudy. He was tested and scored on such things as interest (high), approach (runs moderately close), emotional level (very excited), eye (loose), bark (sustained barking), responsiveness to direction (responsive), temperament (readily adjusts), balance/distance to control stock (adjusts position and/or distance), and movement of stock (keeps stock grouped). Overall, he was deemed qualified as herding instinct test certified. We're so proud of him! It most likely won't be something we continue with, but it was definitely fun, and we'll definitely do it again should the opportunity arise. There should be some closer-to-home sheep farms we could try in the future, too.

Bandit at work with the sheep and Trudy

He definitely had the Aussie instinct from the get-go

We love this picture! His look is priceless!

Bandit was a vocal sheep herder

MOVE IT, MOVE IT!!

Keeping an eye on his work

He was very confident in his dealings with the sheep

I want to do this again!!

Thank You, George!

2010-08-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

We were alerted to the fact that one of our friends in the UK, George, has given us an award. ♥♥Thank you, George!♥♥ We hope George doesn't mind if we just acknowledge this nice honor with a heartfelt thank-you. We'd like George to know that we love reading his blog and his adventures of being a Welsh Terrier in the United Kingdom.

If anyone else wants to visit and get to know George, visit him at Welsh Terrier "George". You can also click on the award on the sidebar to visit his blog. His lead-in blog picture is just beautiful, and George is quite the handsome lad!

Thank you for the beautiful award, George!!

Brave Bandit!

2010-08-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

We met up with some friends this morning at the Marymoor off-leash dog park. Bandit got to hang out with Violet, Jack, and Blue. Initially, we just couldn't entice Bandit to take to the water, even though he saw our friends' dogs happily frolicking and having a good time. K and I waded in the water, and as I held our friends' treat bag, Bandit did get in! No swimming, but he did walk around as fortunately the area we were in was relatively shallow. This was a big step for Bandit!

Woo hoo, look at me!

Just one of the guys

Jack, Blue, and Violet (they also happen to be siblings from the same litter)

Romping with his friends in the fields

I'm So Tired ... In A Good Way

2010-08-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

I started my new job on Monday. Bandit's and my routines are completely different from what we'd been used to. I had worked from home since 1998, so getting up at 5am to catch a 6:40am bus to get into Seattle and start my job at 7:15am is something I'm going to have to get used to. Ordinarily, Bandit and I would have a lengthy morning or mid-morning walk at the local park.

Bandit is such a sweetheart in the morning. I try to give him five minutes of playtime in the bed before I actually start getting ready for work. The first two mornings he wouldn't eat his breakfast. He's been used to eating anywhere between 7:30 and 8am. However, yesterday morning and this morning he ate his breakfast like a trooper at 5:30am. K gets home before I do and he has taken Bandit for some afternoon walks in the neighborhood. And K works from home on Fridays, so Bandit's essentially home alone (with Simba, of course) for four days a week.

On Monday I was asked to start at 8:30am so I was able to get up and take Bandit for a 50-20 minute neighborhood walk before work. But now that I get up at 5am, a morning walk just isn't in the cards. I have taken him to the park after work and given us both a good pm workout.

My one new co-worker with a thick Russian accent came to my desk yesterday and asked me, "N, are you a dog person?" What a great icebreaker for two people who don't know each other! "L" told me that she lost her dog exactly two years ago on August 4. She had a poodle who lived to be 17!! She's still not ready to get another dog.

Bandit has been such a good boy. No destruction of any kind or potty accidents. I knew there wouldn't be a problem with potty accidents, but I'm still going to keep an eye out for bad behavior such as chewing or getting into things he shouldn't. K and I are going to meet up with some friends at a dog park this coming Saturday, so Bandit will get to play with our friends' three dogs, and hopefully they'll entice him to try a little swimming. The temperature is supposed to reach the nineties here this weekend!

I'm sorry I haven't been able to check out blogs lately like I'm used to. Once I settle into a routine and I'm not so tired, I'm sure things will get back to normal, or a new semblance of normal.

I actually kind of enjoying riding the bus in the morning as it's a perfect time to read. And now that I'm done with school I'm enjoying reading books for fun again! K and I both read Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" during our vacation, and now we're both reading (separate sticky bookmarks) his current book that's a bestseller. I'm almost done with it, and then I want to read that book that's been made into a movie that's coming out - the one starring Julia Roberts. I think it's called Eat, Pray, Love. I hope Costco has it for dirt-cheap. The movie's supposed to be a huge, huge hit.

Goodbye, "M"

2010-08-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, K and Bandit and I drove up to Samish Island, Washington to drop M off at summer camp. This is his ninth summer at the same camp (started as a third grader) and his first year as a "Counselor in Training." He'll be gone a total of three weeks. We had planned to pick him up for a weekend visit home after the second week, but we ended up picking him up this past weekend instead since all the regular counselors were leaving to attend a Mariners game. The Mariners are Seattle's Major League Baseball team, and they're in the midst of one of their worst seasons ever. Bandit was ecstatic to see M walk in the door yesterday! They are good buddies and Bandit often lays with M while he's playing Xbox downstairs. K and M are currently en route back up to camp. We won't see him again until August 21st.

As dogs aren't allowed on the camp grounds, even while checking in one's child, Bandit had to watch from the car. "Goodbye, M!"

We saw several deer up on the island

We stopped for a photo op on the way home. Bandit looks a little bit sad. Maybe he's wondering why M's not with us.

Vintage Friday

2010-08-06T10:17:00.001-07:00

Nine weeks old

My Sister Insisted I Do This

2010-08-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

She directed me to this website to make funny things. Here's Bandit the postal carrier.

Photo fun with Photomica

Photo fun with Photomica

I still like making things at Obamiconme.com

Vintage Friday

2010-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

We have another "Vintage Friday" participant today! Check out Bocci's picture at his blog. Anyone who wants to is encouraged to participate!!

The above picture was taken at "The Grotto" at St. Edward Park. The Grotto was an Eagle Scout project in the late eighties or nineties. This part of the park can be reserved for private parties and weddings. It's part of Bandit's and my regular loop through the park after we hike down to the lake and back up.

Running Free!

2010-07-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

I was dismissed from jury duty so I came home and took Bandit to the off-leash dog park within Marymoor Park. I tried to get him to swim a little or at least get his toes wet but he wasn't interested. A lady at the park told me that if I bring him enough times and he's hot enough, he'll get in.

Bandit's not one to succumb to peer pressure

"This is the life!"

"Hey everybody, look at me!"

"I'm running free!"

Bandit Meets a Troll!

2010-07-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

I had to go to the Human Resources Department of where I'll be working just briefly to drop off some papers I had picked up yesterday and to get an ORCA card (for public transportation), so I took Bandit with me. On the way home we drove through the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. Fremont is a really quirky Seattle neighborhood which is known for its famous Fremont Summer Solstice parade which features nude bicyclists. Lots of artists live here and those who live an alternative lifestyle (of all kinds). One piece of art is quite popular with tourists and locals alike, particularly children who love to climb, and is the Fremont Troll. The troll can be found underneath the north side of the Aurora Bridge. Bandit found it a great place to relieve himself.

Big Changes Ahead for Bandit

2010-07-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

I had a job interview last Wednesday and found out just this past Monday that I got the job. Exciting, yes, but this news also comes with a little bit of apprehension since I've been home with Bandit 24 hours a day since we brought him home. I had a home-based job which allowed me ample time to play anytime and take him for walks anytime, and he could lay beside me while I worked. I quit that job in May to focus on finishing up school, so I have had even more time to devote to Bandit since I wasn't a slave to the computer any longer. Life will change significantly from our normal routine beginning August 9, my first day on the job.

We'll be easing Bandit into this routine a little bit as I got tapped for jury duty a couple of weeks after I finished my school work and graduated, and jury duty starts tomorrow at the downtown courthouse in Seattle. My new job will be in downtown Seattle as well.

If anyone has any hints or great advice regarding these big changes for Bandit and their effect on what he's been used to, please pass them along!

Happy Sunday!

2010-07-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's going to be quite hot here today so I got in a long walk with Bandit this morning at the park. The building behind him in this photo is the old seminary building at St. Edward Park. We hope everyone has a lovely relaxing Sunday and is able to keep cool.

"Go Dog, Go!" Canine Festival

2010-07-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

K and I took Bandit to Crestwoods Park in Kirkland today for the Go Dog, Go! festival. They had lots of booths with all kinds of information geared toward strictly dogs, freebies of all sorts, disc competitions, flyball demonstrations, interpretive dance, agility, a costume contest, and all kinds of people with all sorts of breeds of dogs. Several local organizations had people walking dogs wearing adopt me vests, so hopefully there are some happy rescue pooches going to their new forever homes.

If anyone local missed this fun event, next weekend is the dog festival at Seattle Center (see the link at the left). We'll have to miss it this year because it's on the same day as when we take M up north to summer camp.

Bandit got himself a new freebie Go Dog, Go! bandanna and then we corralled this clown for a photo

"I like my new bandanna!"

There were lots of opportunities for making doggy small talk and getting a drink of water

For a $1 donation the public could take a picture of these teacup poodles dyed bright Easter egg colors. The money was going toward a shelter.

This big friendly fellow was enjoying the festival with his family

Bandit said, "Mama, please don't ever do this to me!"

We sat and watched several of the novice and "pro" disc competitions. We weren't prepared for entering the contest as it required a fee, but next year we're going to enter Bandit in the novice competition. He sat mesmerized watching all the dogs run and catch.

I didn't take my zoom lens with me to get a better shot, but there is a dog here leaping high and catching a disc

Bandit also enjoyed watching dogs demonstrating running through a flyball course. Some of those dogs literally fly!

Check out this cutie's ears!

These two performed an interpretive dance to some Israeli music

This duo danced to Manhattan Transfer's "Operator." This dog is a rescue who was practically at death's door when this lady adopted her.

These two danced to a country song called "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem." Check out those doggy board shorts!

Bandit gave a weak try at fishing for balls since he doesn't care for water. He was handed a ball anyway so all ended on a positive note.

There was always a crowd around the Easter egg colored teacup poodles

We'll definitely come back next year and enter Bandit in the disc competition

The freebies!! There was even one vendor who had a few stacks of kitty food, so we were able to bring back a little something special for Simba.

We're Blog Hop, Hop, Hopping!

2010-07-24T08:58:00.001-07:00

Vintage Friday

2010-07-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

In the Good Ol' Summertime

2010-07-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Just doing typical doggy stuff like messin' with his Jolly Ball

"I gots me a cool stick!"

Watching the tomaters grow...

... the sweet peppers

and some hot peppers

"Sometimes I jez hangs out and watch them veggies grow ..."

...in the shade of our Topsy-Turvy jungle

Updated Blog Link Button

2010-07-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

I just updated the blog link button for Bandit's blog. If you have the old link photo of Bandit at four months of age, feel free to keep it. Otherwise, you can update to the 15-month adult photo (see link at the left in the sidebar).

It's Another Saturday Blog Hop!

2010-07-17T07:58:00.001-07:00

Vintage Friday

2010-07-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

Say Hello to a New Mini Aussie Blogger!!

2010-07-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from a new Aussie blogger with a mini named Kirby. Kirby is the son of Bandit's Grandma, Kelsey, so there are relations there (and so that includes Ryker, too!). He's a darling little blue merle who's only been home with his new family a couple of days. Be sure to stop by Kirby's new blog ("Kirbypuppy"), say hello, and follow along with the early puppyhood fun (and trials and tribulations). Kirby's blog can be found HERE.

Wordless Wednesday Evening

2010-07-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2010-07-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

I did lots of snoozing in the sun
And of course, since I was always in the mood for a good nap, I did lots of yawning

I did some smiling for the camera

I did some visiting with my family

I did lots of snuggling with T and the rest of the family

I hung out with M on the beach

I did awesome jumping and catching (notice where my feet began in the sand and how high I jumped)

I saw someone peeking at me on the Fourth of July from their front door in Gleneden Beach, Oregon (a very small coastal town that really gets into celebrating the holiday)

I really got into anticipating the next throw of my Flippy Flopper

When I got wet (which I didn't much care for) I wriggled around on the sandy beach (my version of drying myself off)

I found myself a buddy to play with on my last full day of vacation (and his name was ... Buddy!)

Buddy is a six-year-old half golden lab and half chow. He was great fun to romp with. We had this private beach (behind the fancier golf course) all to ourselves (just our family and Buddy's family).

We gave Buddy's family one of Bandit's ... ahem ... business cards. Maybe they'll stop by the blog and check out the pictures of Bandit with his buddy (their Buddy).

Mama brought a special freezer bag with a big bone from the Asian grocery store and it was a 4th of July surprise for me. Yum, what a nice surprise!

I did some ferocious doggy digging

I got sand in my face and on my tongue (I didn't mind the occasional crunchiness in my mouth).

I found lots of sticks to drag around and play with

I visited Pacific City (a tiny little coastal town). It was super hot so we didn't stay too long. We had to stop at a grocery store to get me some drinking water.

My favorite thing of all was just being with my family

Wish You Were Here!

2010-07-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in the Lincoln City Starbucks which offers free wifi, so I'm able to do a little updating. We had a great visit with Bandit's breeders, Jamie and Dean, on our way down here. Bandit got to have some quality time with his Mama Gracie, though Papa Joey is quite protective of his home and family so wasn't up for meeting his son.

We discovered that Bandit is actually slightly larger than his Mama. She weighs around 30 pounds and Bandit weighs 33.

I'm so disappointed this particular picture is blurry. It's so cute because when Bandit was let into the puppy play area with his siblings they all came over to check out their big brother. I love how they're all so inquisitive and interested in him.

"I'm having such a good time I can't contain my excitement!"

There aren't a ton of people down here this time of year (we usually come in August) so Bandit's been lucky enough to have tons of off-leash romp time. He's been quite good with his recall.

Hanging with T

Showing off his amazing "Flippy Flopper" skills. Bandit really catches some great height when he jumps, and he's great at catching. He loves to bring it back to us for another throw.

Posing for Mama

"That's far enough, Bandit. Wait for us."

Doing a little rock climbing

"I hope you've enjoyed my vacation update. I'll try to add more soon."

Hangin' With Aunt Molly

2010-06-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

My Mom came over this afternoon and brought Molly (aka "Molly Malone") to play in the back yard with Bandit. They hadn't seen each other for quite a while. Now that Bandit's a little more mature they seemed to get along a bit better. They had fun running and chasing. Molly's most happy though when perched on someone's lap.

Molly's nine years old

Sometimes she wasn't quite sure what to make of "the youngster."

They gave each other a good workout at times

"Is she chasing me?"

Vintage Friday

2010-06-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

♥♥♥Happy Father's Day♥♥♥

2010-06-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Bandit wants to wish his dad, Joey, a very happy Father's Day today!! Bandit's excited because he'll get to visit his dad next Sunday when we swing through Vancouver, Washington on the way down to Oregon.

"Happy Father's Day, Dad!!" Love, Bandit

"See ya next weekend, Pops!"

Like father, like son - happy smiles!

Both father and son have a love of the outdoors.

Bandit's dad as a puppy!

Vintage Friday

2010-06-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

Walking at Green Lake

2010-06-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

It's a pretty nice day out today so we took advantage of the situation and went for a walk around Green Lake since the rest of the weekend may be pretty wet.

Today Nine months ago (same bench)

We Are Family!

2010-06-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Bandit's baby half-sister, Pearl, look just like Bandit at the same age?! The only significant difference is that Bandit has nose "frecklies" and some definite copper colorings and Pearl is either all black and white or has very pale copper colorings that don't show up well in pictures. We'll be visiting the entire bunch on June 27 when we head down to the Oregon Coast!!

Pearl Bandit

Grease is the Word

2010-06-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a beautiful day yesterday. It was just perfect for barbecuing. I have one of those beer-can-chicken things that you sit a whole chicken on top of for grilling purposes, so I filled it with some leftover flat pop that M had put in the fridge the night before after coming home from seeing the new A-Team movie. I plopped a chicken on top, rubbed some bagged spices on it, and put it on the grill. It takes about an hour and a half to get the chicken good and cooked. After each 30-minute interval I go out and turn the chicken for even cooking.

After yesterday's chicken had cooked for an hour and I went out for the last turn, Bandit came out with me. When I was done I came back inside but Bandit wanted to continue being outside. After a bit I went to the slider to take a peek at what he was up to. He was underneath the grill licking chicken grease off the wood below. When I told him no and asked him to come here, he came right over. Fortunately, I realized he was a mess before I let him run straight into the house. If he didn't have the white stripe running down the back of his neck I never would have noticed the greasy mess, but since his white streak was now orange, there was no question of what had happened. It was obvious that while he was underneath licking chicken grease, it was also dripping on top of his neck (orange Vietnamese spices and all!).

I yelled for K to bring some warm water and the Palmolive. I had just given Bandit a good bath about two weeks ago and had used up the very last of the pet shampoo. His neck hair was thick and gloppy and saturated in chicken grease. It was a complete mess! Fortunately, that Palmolive cut right through and I was able to spot wash his neck area. Today, his ears still look a little wet because they obviously have a slight coating of grease left in them.

Silly boy. Such typical dog behavior, and we can laugh about it now. At the time we thought uh oh, he's going to get diarrhea from this for sure. But all seems good today, thankfully.

The scene of his doggy fun is shown below. Obviously, hot dripping chicken grease didn't phase him; I guess that double coat comes in really handy at times. And now we can't remember if there's supposed to be something underneath the main cooking area that's supposed to catch all that falling grease. We usually put a foil sheet where the dark spot on the wood is. I'm sure that wouldn't have stopped our determined little grease licker.

Playing Tourist in Our Hometown

2010-06-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things I've discovered this past year is http://www.yelp.com/. It's the best site for discovering new restaurants, places to visit, attractions, parks, etc. You can get reviews on places (both good and bad) from regular folks who've visited and posted their reviews. Anyone can utilize yelp. Best of all, it's free! I just discovered a few months ago, via yelp, that Kerry Park in Seattle is the best place to visit if one wants to get the best view of the Seattle skyline including downtown, the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier. It's apparently a real hot spot for wedding parties and photographers on any given rainless Saturday. We had wanted to take my sister here for some photos when she was in town last week, and we had also wanted to take my husband's aunt and uncle from Stockholm who were in town at the same time. Unfortunately, we've had a long stretch of nasty weather - rainy, wintery, dark and dreary. We knew this weekend was going to be beautiful - and it has been! - so my husband and I took Bandit to Kerry Park this morning, getting there at 8:30 a.m. for the morning sun. The plan? Get some blog-worthy photos of Bandit and allow me to play around with my camera.

8:30 in the morning was the perfect time to get here. We didn't have to contend with a bunch of other people. There was one tourist from North Carolina snapping photos and maybe three other people at the most. This is my favorite Bandit/skyline photo that I snapped.

Papa was holding on to Bandit's leash, so he wasn't at risk for going over the side. I definitely need to work on getting my background and foreground subjects both in focus, but I'm happy with these shots for my first go-round.

Kerry Park sign

I utilized my zoom lens to get this closeup of the Needle.

It was a beautiful day for seeing Mount Rainier. Many days it's obscured by clouds or fog.

Seattle skyline, the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier all in one frame. I want to come back here at night to practice some nighttime photos.

A ferry heading out to its destination

Bandit was such a good boy this morning and cooperated so well for all the pictures.

Last summer he got tons of attention because he was a little puppy and everyone wanted to pet him and ask about him. Now that he's older he still gets attention. The phrase we hear most often is, "What a cool-looking dog." We think he's pretty cool, too. He's rarely mistaken for a girl these days. For the longest time it seemed everyone who inquired about Bandit would initially assume he was a she. Nowadays, he must be looking a little more buff and masculine because the greater majority now refers to him as a he.

Here's Bandit looking boyishly handsome

On our way back to the car I decided to try an artistic approach

We took Bandit for a short walk in the neighborhood surrounding the park. Kerry Park is located in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. The homes are very old, very upscale, very well-manicured, and many have the same very awesome view as seen from Kerry Park (very out-of-the-ballpark price-wise for your average home buyer).

I could so live here! Vintage Seattle homes have so much character.

K loved the balcony on this house (on second look maybe it's balconies)

I love this iron railing. Either a party's going on today or there's going to be an open house; there was a for-sale sign out front.

Vintage Friday

2010-06-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T15:35:00.001-07:00

New Camera

2010-06-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

I finally graduated on Sunday with an associate's degree. After the commencement ceremony my brother and his family hosted a really nice family barbecue at their home in Seattle. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law, C, tripped over some lawn edging in her backyard while hostessing, so my husband took over grilling duties from my brother while he ran his wife to the ER. A short while later we received a call that she had broken her humerus, in two places! She's going to be laid up and wearing a sling for 6-8 weeks. Both she and my brother returned to the party fairly quickly thanks to a slow day in the ER.

Thanks to my husband and sons, my sister, my Mom, my brother and sister-in-law and my niece, my younger brother, and my uncle in Texas, I now have a brand-new camera! I have LOTS to learn, but here are a couple of my very first pictures. I'm so excited to have this new camera!! Thank you so much, awesome family!! Proper thank-yous will be mailed soon.

Auntie Kathy's Big Helper

2010-06-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Bandit helped my sister out with our Scrabble game today.

He should have helped his Mama out as the scorecard was Auntie Kathy 277, Mama 246. We'll play at least a couple more games while she's here, so hopefully Bandit will help me out the next time.

What A Difference Growing Up Makes

2010-06-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

If you've been following this blog long enough you know that Bandit has never been super happy about toenail trimming. I started out using kitty clippers when he was just a small puppy, graduating to regular dog clippers after while and which he absolutely abhorred. To make things easier on him, for a longer while I used the "As Seen on TV" PediPaws filing system. That went semi-okay until Bandit had a growth spurt and his nails became more adult-like and thicker. PediPaws just doesn't do the job any longer, and the last few times I did use it it took forever to accomplish the task; plus, he always cringed and curled up on the floor when I turned it on and he knew what was in store for him.

For the last two months (maybe longer) I've gone completely back to regular dog nail trimmers. Bandit and I have a routine now. He doesn't quiver and shiver, and he doesn't shy away from the trimmers when I bring them out from the doggy box stored in our tiny kitchen pantry. He readily jumps into the chair in the living room he shares with Simba and lies down in ready position. I get all four paws done in less than 5 minutes! As he only has a few toenails that are clear in color, I check those first to see how far back the nerve receded from the last trim. That way I can get a better idea of how much I can trim away from all those black toenails of his. I've been very careful and haven't cut any nerves, so that of course helps with his comfort level.

Today, he even let me get out a file and file away the rough sharp spots after trimming. He even seemed to enjoy it and was staring into my eyes the entire time.

It's so nice to have gotten him to this point of taking it all in stride and not fearing the process. For far too long it was a huge ordeal, and by the time the job was finished he'd always be panting away and all stressed out. And I never felt too good myself about getting him all worked up.

Auntie Kathy's flight arrives at 11:58 p.m. tonight so Bandit's all spiffed up for meeting her for the first time. Last night I gave him a tub bath, and K helped with towel drying him. K even got out the hair dryer for a bit and Bandit didn't seem to mind too much. He smells so good! He smells like coconut and papaya!

Bandit's Nickname

2010-05-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

My sister lives in Georgia and is coming to town next week for my graduation. She's excited to meet Bandit, and we're excited for her to meet him. She asked us a couple of months after we got Bandit if we had any nicknames for him. At that time we didn't, with the reason being we were still getting him used to his true name. However, he has had a nickname for quite a while now. Don't ask me where it came from or why it became his nickname. There's no rhyme or reason to it. We're not even sure who in the family started it.

We call him Toot. Kathy, you've been warned.

We mostly call him Toot, but other variations are often used: Tootie-Toot, Tootie, and Toot-Toot. We often joke that Bandit doesn't want to be called by his nickname in public.

Does anyone else out there in blogger land have silly, weird, funny, or sickeningly sweet nicknames for their pets? It's time to share. ☺

Walking Off-Leash

2010-05-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, when Bandit and I were walking at the park I let him walk off-leash for a bit. When we were done walking the main trail that we take, we walked some of the trails that wind through the main upper park area. I could see in the distance that there was no one else on the trail so I took Bandit's leash off. He walked beside me, on my left side, for a good half mile! I was so proud of him. Only a few times he went ahead of me, so I would stop and tell him "right here." He would then return to my side and we'd continue on. It really helped that no one else was on the trail and no squirrels darted about. My goal isn't to have him walk off-leash in our neighborhood; I would never feel comfortable doing that. But when we go on vacation to the ocean it'd be great if he would be able to be off-leash at certain times, and it's be great fun for him. I've been very hesitant to have Bandit off-leash except for when he has playtime at the park with his friends.

Here's a picture I took this morning of Bandit doing his head tilt. Since the day we brought him home last summer, he tilts his head when we ask him questions and talk to him in general. He seems very intent on understanding everything we say. He often times tilts his head from side to side if he's really intent on figuring out what we're saying.

Thank you, Yoda!

2010-05-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

We won an award - a blogger first for us! We received the "Versatile" blogger award from Yoda the Dog, a Shepherd/Black Lab mix who lives in Virginia and whose blog can be checked out at: Barking Out Loud. Thank you, Yoda!

Get Involved

2010-05-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

People can be so cruel. Watching this news story comes on the heels of my sister telling me the story about a four-month-old puppy who was kidnapped last week after the next-door-neighbor to the puppy's family couldn't take it anymore. Apparently, children told the neighbor stories of somebody in their household throwing the puppy up against a wall and numerous instances of abuse. She also witnessed firsthand the puppy being tethered outside constantly and rarely being fed. The neighbor banded together with a friend and kidnapped the puppy when the timing was right and allowed them to. Puppy is now living a happy, cruelty-free existence in a totally different town. No one had worked with this four-month-old to housebreak her or give her any kind of obedience training whatsoever. Thank goodness this neighbor/good samaritan stepped in when she did. Whether this was legal or not, it was the right thing to do (at least in my opinion). I would post a picture of the puppy (she's absolutely adorable!), but I don't want anyone to be able to trace anything or put two-and-two together. It's a small world after all.

This news report was from last night:

Another Saturday Pet Blogger Hop!!

2010-05-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hurry and join in - this one's filling up fast!

Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week.
Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like
Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Bloggers Blog Hop

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Following Doctor's Orders

2010-05-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

Beginning very early this past Saturday morning, Bandit started having diarrhea. It didn't affect his eating or drinking, and his energy level was just the same. We kept an eye on it, and when it didn't seem to be letting up we started feeding him rice, chicken broth, and plain chicken pieces. Fortunately, for him, it never got profuse or problematic to a great extent, and fortunately, for us, he never had any accidents in the house. When it was apparent that his altered diet wasn't taking care of the problem I took a fecal sample and carted it off to the vet's office Monday morning. A couple hours later we found out his sample contained no parasites or microscopic bugs, so the vet wanted to see Bandit. He had an appointment very soon after that. Everything looked good physically and he had no elevated temperature, so Dr. Sharma thinks he picked up colitis somewhere. Bandit's taking the prescription drugs Flagyl and asulfidine to get his colon back on track and needs to take it easy for five days (walks are okay but no running).

"Too much information, Mama"

The "Diarrhea Diet" which he tends to wolf down, so that's good

So far everything seems to be working, and last night was the first night he didn't wake up between 1:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. for an outside potty break.

Bandit hadn't been weighed in a long while and he currently weighs 33 pounds, so he gained three from the last check.

I'm wondering if perhaps he picked up the colitis from licking raw chicken residue off a cutting board in the dishwasher ...? Dr. Sharma seems to think he could have picked it up just about anywhere and may have gotten into something we're unaware of, from other animal droppings at the park, etc.

While giving me the evil eye, "Please, Mama, don't take away my dishwasher diving"

Pet Blogger Hop

2010-05-15T11:52:00.001-07:00

We're new to this, but we found out about the blog hop from Critter Alley. Join the fun below!

Puppies and More Puppies!

2010-05-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Night before last (and well into the morning), Bandit's Grandma, Kelsey, gave birth to six puppies. Then, last night, Bandit's Mama (and Kelsey's daughter) had six puppies of her own! Everyone is doing very well. Congratulations to everyone involved!!

Bandit's Mama, Gracie, with her six, born 5/11/2010 (these are Bandit's half siblings). She had four girls and two boys. Papa is Leb Raah's Zig Zaggin "Ziggy."

This is Bandit's Grandma, proud Mama Kelsey, with her six born 5/10 and 5/11/2010 (it was a long night for Kelsey ... and her breeder!). She had four girls and two boys, too. Papa of her litter is Bikini-Line Wiz Kid "Wizzy."

Jamie, Bandit's breeder, is letting the parents of puppies from Bandit's litter name the pups. Isn't that fun! We've had a name picked out for a while now. We got to name this cutie, and we've named him Cooper as in "Mini Cooper" like the sporty little mini car. Cooper has leg colorings similar to Bandit! Thank you, Jamie, for the honor of naming one of Gracie's new puppies! More info about each litter can be found here (Battle Ground, WA, north of Portland, OR) and here (Vancouver, WA).

Famous Aussie Owners

2010-05-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever think about strange quirky things that the average person might not think about? I do it all the time. I'm forever making lists and later Googling answers to some of my most pressing questions. Today, I was thinking about who out there among us deemed the "rich and famous" might have a mini Australian Shepherd. I couldn't find anyone listed as having a mini per se, but I found several lists with standard Aussie owners. One list states Sally Field, Steve Jobs, Demi Moore/Bruce Willis, Jack Perkins (not sure who he is), Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, and Flip Wilson to be Aussie owners. I found another website that lists Mel Gibson as having one, too (the poor dog).

Amanda Seyfried (the girl from Mama Mia!) and her Aussie, Finn

Morning Walk

2010-05-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful morning so Bandit and I set off fairly early to St. Edward State Park which is less than a five-minute drive from our house. We hadn't been here since late January or early February when we had an unusual run of unseasonably warm winter weather. At that time the trails were muddy and difficult to maneuver. This morning, however, the trails were dry and the morning sun shining through the trees made for a lovely walk.

Bandit loved being at this park again.

Taking a breather on the bench that a Girl Scout troop installed years and years ago

When we got down to Lake Washington we ran into his friend, Daphne, from the 4 o'clock playtime at Big Finn.

Daphne loves water and jumps right in, and because she was fearless Bandit went in a little way himself. I could tell he was hesitant though just by looking at his ears - doggy peer pressure.

Bandit loves listening to the birds and quiet morning sounds. Except for Daphne and her Grandma, no one else was down here at this time. The other side of the lake is a North Seattle neighborhood.

Exploring (as much as he can on a leash)

The park provides a dog bowl and water, which is a nice perk at this park.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

2010-05-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I planted a few things: tomatoes, cucumbers, and some herbs. This morning when I let Bandit out I scanned the deck and saw that an animal had gotten into my cilantro and parsley plantings overnight. They made a huge mess! I was disappointed that my plastic-owl deterrent hadn't done any good. Those pesky raccoons aren't afraid of anything.

A little while later, Bandit asked to go outside again. After being outside for a short while I heard a funny noise. I went to the slider and found Bandit with his front paws in the planting container, just furiously digging away at what dirt was left inside! I caught our pesky raccoon in the act! He had dirt on his paws and dirt covering his nose which he wiped on me in his initial attempt to say, I'm sorry, Mama.

Now it all makes sense. None of the plants had been eaten, just a huge mess made. And last night, M let Bandit in after his last potty break for the evening. M (he's 16) finds it a huge chore that he is occasionally asked to let Bandit in and wipe his paws, and last night as he was grumbling about the wipedown he remarked about how muddy Bandit's paws were. I didn't think anything of it until now. We didn't have rain yesterday that would have contributed to muddy paws. I think Bandit definitely got into the plantings last night during his last potty break. I'm actually relieved it was Bandit rather than a raccoon. I should be able to salvage the plants and replant them today.

"It was just there, ripe for digging. It was sooo much fun!"

It's hard to believe my sweet boy did this, and who can stay mad long at a face like this

Update to Post Below Re: Hydrocephalus Surgery

2010-05-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Barbie did very well! I wasn't able to find any news yesterday, but I found this link today:
Update on Barbie the French Bulldog

Sweet Potato Dog Treats

2010-04-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

The recipe for these dog treats is all over the Internet and seemed simple enough: Slice up a sweet potato/yam and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; bake at 250-degrees for 3 hours, turning once halfway through baking; cool completely on a wire rack.

~*~These didn't turn out chewy like I expected and had hoped they would. Maybe I should have cooked them longer than three hours. Tomorrow I'm going to make some more and slice them long like spears. I also plan on cooking them a little longer than three hours.~*~

Chewy or not, Bandit absolutely ♥LOVES♥ them and devoured five in a row once they cooled! If anyone has made these before and knows the trick to making them truly chewy, I'd love to know what the secret is. I did recheck the recipe and it says that they continue to dry while cooling, so maybe tomorrow morning they'll be more of a chewy texture.

We originally asked Papa to pick up a sweet potato on his way home from work. He brought home this pale sweet potato. We forgot to tell him it needed to be an orange sweet potato/yam.

After a quick trip to the grocery store for an orange sweet potato, making dog snacks was underway.

"I think we're on the right track now."

"Are they ready yet? I've been outside twice, pooped once, chased Simba through the house, had my toenails trimmed, and took a good long nap. Three hours is too long!"

All done! We can store them in the fridge for up to three weeks, and in the freezer for up to four months.

A Very Accommodating Bandit

2010-04-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

Beginning this past Thursday, K started tearing out the fence which separates our yard from our neighbors to the west. As this left a gaping opening which led to the street, Bandit wasn't able to be let out into the backyard unless leashed or attached to a long lead. The fence was completely rebuilt (by K, his good friend Pat, neighbor Dan, and minimal help by T and M) over the course of four days, and the project ended yesterday afternoon. Bandit had a wonderful time playing with Dan's fourth-grade son who came with his dad yesterday.

Pat and Dan hard at work

"Hurry up, guys. You're cramping my style."

Blue and Violet and Jack and Friends

2010-04-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

These three good-looking labs belong to our friends, Pat and Lisa. Violet, Jack, and Blue are three years old now and they all came from the same litter. The bulldogs belong to friends of Pat and Lisa. In this picture, Jack reminds us of our late dog, Brandy. Violet, Jack, and Blue visit the dog park daily and have a dog walker who comes to their house twice a week to take them on long excursions.

Mayo Clinic Surgeon to Operate on Puppy With Hydrocephalus

2010-04-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, everything goes very well on May 3 for Barbie.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

This was not knocked off the kitchen counter and sampled by any humans in the house, or our orange kitty!

Chicken Soup for the Soul

2010-04-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs to visit is Critter Alley. I’ve been visiting Critter Alley since well before the 2009 holidays. Around the time I discovered it, the blog’s owner, Pat, had briefly mentioned something about writing a story that had been accepted for publication in an upcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul book. This particular Chicken Soup book would be called What I Learned from the Dog, 101 Stories about Life, Love, and Lessons. I made a mental note of this fact but never heard anything more about it. My mental memory was jogged a couple of weeks ago when I visited Amazon.com and where, to my surprise, I discovered the book had been released in late 2009 and was most definitely available! I ordered a used but "like new" copy right away that arrived this past Monday.

I thumbed through the beginning contents and found a section called Learning to Overcome Adversity. Halfway through that section a name caught my eye: Pat Wahler, as in Pat Wahler of Critter Alley fame. Her story is called "Canine Angel," and I have to say it's a truly wonderful, sweet story that really makes you feel good after reading. I'm a bit busy with schoolwork at the moment, but if the rest of the stories are even half as good as Pat's, this book's going to be a really fantastic read! This is my first-ever Chicken Soup book. It's a five-star recommendation with Amazon reviewers and contains 101 individual stories!

And if you're not familiar with Critter Alley, be sure to head over to Pat's blog (link above in my first sentence) and check it out. She writes wonderful posts about her dog and cat, Indy and Bogey respectively, which are always a delight to read. She also writes heartfelt posts about issues affecting animals and on topics of interest to pet owners and those who care about animals.

Safer Car Rides for Bandit

2010-04-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm driving and Bandit's in the backseat I feel nervous that he's not as safe as he could be since he's not restrained in any way - one hard brake and he could go flying. I found a relatively inexpensive seatbelt system for dogs at Amazon.com, and I ordered one for my car and one for K's car. When K got home from work today he installed both. It was very easy to do!

It took several adjustments before K got the harness fit just right. Bandit was very cooperative!

Once the harness was fitted correctly to Bandit and K attached the other main piece to the human belt system, the two-piece-system installation was complete

No More Rawhide Chews for Bandit

2010-04-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

The rawhide chews from Costco that we have around the house for Bandit have all been picked up and thrown away. K and I were discussing several things last night right before American Idol started. One was the fact that our neighbor, Bev, encouraged us to not let Bandit have rawhide chews. She has been told by her vet about intestinal blockages and obstructions that he's operated on all due to the ingestion of rawhides. He's also seen and repaired gastrointestinal tract lacerations caused from sharp edges. Shortly after talking to Bev I got on the Internet and Googled several eye-opening stories relayed by dog owners about traumatic chokings, intestinal problems, and numerous deaths all related to the innocent chewing and ingestion of rawhide chews. Yikes!!

Bandit sat with us during American Idol (we're all rooting for Crystal Bowersox!!) and we let him chew on rawhide for the last time. When the show was over I went upstairs and disposed of any chewies lying around, and K disposed of the downstairs ones. It just seems too risky.

Whoop-dee-doo

2010-04-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

I received a coupon in the mail from Petco today. $5 off any purchase ... of $50 or more. How wonderful. I'm practically giddy with excitement.

Family News!

2010-04-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Bandit has some news about his Mama, Gracie. She is pregnant with at least two puppies and is set to deliver in around four weeks! Not only that, Bandit's Grandma, Kelsey (Gracie's Mama), is pregnant, too, and due on the same day! Gracie's upcoming litter will be half-siblings to Bandit as his Papa, Joey, was recently neutered. But a little Mini Aussie named Ziggy who lives in Indiana made a special flight to Washington state so he could have some quality time with Gracie. Grandma Kelsey was bred with someone else. I initially thought Kelsey had been bred with Ziggy as well, but since Kelsey and Ziggy are both merles a pairing between them could result in puppies born with deafness and/or blindness.

Jamie has said that when Gracie was pregnant with Bandit's litter, the veterinarian could feel 2-3 puppies, and we all know she ended up with 9! When Kelsey was pregnant with Gracie's litter, she had 9 puppies as well.

Best wishes to Gracie and Kelsey as they maneuver through this next month of doggy pregnancy. ♥

What Do You Make of This?

2010-04-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

When Bandit visited Petco on his birthday he was accompanied by myself, my husband K, and our youngest son M. Bandit was wearing his "Birthday Dog" bandana. It was a Wednesday afternoon and the Kirkand store was pretty devoid of customers except for us. As we walked through the store and visited several areas (including the fish area, small animals, and definitely the doggy area), I snapped several pictures of Bandit. We walked around for a good 15 minutes before heading up to the front of the store where the cashiers are. I decided to take one more picture of Bandit at the snack bar area(where the open bins with pet treats are). As I snapped my last picture a young female employee in her early twenties asked me to stop taking pictures in the store. We thought she was joking. But she insisted that we stop taking pictures, so she definitely wasn't joking. I also detected a slightly snippy, holier-than-thou demeanor. I asked her why we couldn't take pictures. Her reply: "How do I know that you're not from PETA?" We were really taken aback by this. She even went so far as to tell us to delete all the pictures we had taken from our camera (though fortunately she didn't insist on watching us do so, and which we didn't comply with). We made our purchase and left the store. There's another close-by Petco in North Seattle and numerous PetSmarts in the area, so fortunately we're not limited to Kirkland's Petco for Bandit's and Simba's needs.

The next day I went to Petco's main website and sent off an email to their Customer Service detailing our experience. I received a reply well within 24 hours which read:

Dear Ms. __________,
Thank you for contacting PETCO regarding your concern with our store at 12040 NE 85th St. We are sorry to hear about your recent experience.
Please accept our apologies for any problems or inconvenience you have experienced. We strive to provide exceptional customer service, and sincerely appreciate hearing from you. Your feedback is vital for us to continue to improve our products and services.

I have notified the store's General Manager your concern for this to be addressed accordingly and belated Happy Birthday to your dog. Again, we apologize and hope that you will shop with PETCO again soon.

Please know that we care about our customers and what they think of us. By letting us know when we fall short of your expectations, we have the opportunity to address your concerns and to be better prepared to meet your expectations in the future. If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to reply to this communication or call PETCO Customer Relations directly at 1-888-824-PALS (7257). Thank you again for contacting PETCO.

Sincerely,
Vincent M.
Customer Relations Coordinator

I'm disappointed that "Vincent" didn't mention anything specific about whether taking pictures inside the store was okay or not, but it sounds as though the store will be contacted regarding our experience. I'm thinking from the apology that the store associate was in the wrong. Does anyone know if Petco has a no-photos/-camera policy, particularly because of the fact that PETA might be lurking about? Do you think this employee was justified in asking us to put our camera away and to delete all photos from our visit? Why would she be concerned about PETA coming through the store? Does she think her store's in-house animals are being treated poorly? It pisses me that she could full well tell that we were just a typical family shopping at her store, with family pet in tow.

Oh, and I guess I should add that I was hoping for some free coupons or something instead of just a reply from Vincent. I still am. In sending my concerns to Customer Service they asked for my Petco PALS number, so they obviously have all my information (for sending coupons).

Blog Troubles??

2010-04-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

I heard that someone was having difficulty accessing the blog. I noticed that the Smilebox may have caused the entire posting of yesterday to be encased in a white box. I deleted the Smilebox and got rid of the box. I hope things are better now.

~♥HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BANDIT!♥~

2010-04-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday! I'm the Birthday Dog!

When do we go to McDonald's for my hamburger?

(7:30 a.m.) I got to open a present this morning

A new bone!

Slurp!!

(Around 1 p.m.) - Where are we going?

Oh, boy!!

Can I get one of these for my birthday?

We let him browse for a while

Papa, I need some refills for my Treat Ball!!

Is this an open bar smorgasbord? They must have known it's my birthday!

Our necessary purchase

When we got home we let him open another present

I've got plans for this ...!

(5:30 p.m.) The Birthday Burger from McDonalds

~~*~*Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Banderooni, Happy Birthday to You*~*~~

We then broke it up into quarters and he calmly ate each quarter, and then looked up as if to say, "Is there more?" Maybe next year, Bandit.

(7:30 p.m.) Bandit got called inside to open up a card and present from Grandma and Molly Malone. While reading the card he had other things on his mind (like his birthday knuckle bone I had set on the coffee table so he could "read" his birthday card). He has spent literally hours outside today chewing on that bone.

Oh, boy! This'll be fun!! A flying squirrel Chuckit! Thank you, Grandma and Molly Malone!!

A Sweet Sister Saved for Last (Final of Nine Pups!)

2010-04-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

The last of Bandit's eight siblings to share is sweet Chelsie. She's a blue merle who lives in Allyn, Washington. She and her family live right on the water, which is a good thing since she loves water! Chelsie lives with her mom and dad and is lucky enough to have her own little boy to pal around with and have adventures with. She also comes to the nickname "Cha-Cha." She's a much loved and cherished member of her family. ♥

Beautiful Chelsie's sweet demeanor melts hearts, and just look at her one blue eye and one brown eye!

Looking oh so cozy in a sharp-looking bed

A cute picture which was taken last fall when the puppies got together for a picnic on the shores of Lake Washington in brother Brady's neighborhood

Two Days Until the BIG DAY!

2010-04-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this counter is now down to just two days. Bandit's first birthday is Wednesday! Be sure to stop by on Wednesday to see all the birthday fun!

MySpace Countdown Clocks

Chester Cheeto!

2010-04-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

I just realized over the weekend that Bandit has two more siblings I've forgotten to introduce on the blog. Chester Cheeto was originally called Kadence by the breeders, but breeder Dean gave him the cute nickname of Chester Cheeto. When his new owners came to pick him up they already had a name tag made for him that read Chester so the nickname obviously stuck!

Chester lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and loves to hike with his family which includes his mom and dad, and he also lives with two Bengal cats. Chester has recently taken up rattlesnake training so as to keep himself safe from those nasty predators in the desert just looking for a cute dog to play with.

Chester is a handsome blue merle

Though they differ in coloring, Chester and Bandit share some similar facial characteristics which definitely make them obvious brothers

Chester and one of the family Bengals

Desert hiking in some beautiful country

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Bandit awoke to find that the Easter Bunny left him a bottle of bubbles. He had a good time this morning chasing and snapping at bubbles blown for him in the back yard. I gave up before he did because it's darn cold outside right now. Combined with the cold and bubble liquid dripping all over my right hand, my fingers started freezing. I need to get him one of those battery-driven machines that cranks out a ton of bubbles.

Snapping at bubbles

Bubbles are fun but I was hoping for chocolates ...

Favorite Commercial

2010-03-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm usually annoyed at 99% of commercials which air during television programs, but everyone in the family laughs every time this one comes on:

Inky Dinky Doo

2010-03-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend K and I found bits of a chewed up ink pen on our bedroom floor. Bandit's going through another phase. This is about the fourth pen he's gotten a hold of in the last week. Needless to say, we're now keeping pens out of his reach. Yesterday evening, as I was brushing Bandit's teeth, I noticed some ink on his one leg and a little on his face and collar hair. I was able to clean the leg ink up no problem. The other spots seemed quite stubborn. I figured what the heck because he had a grooming appointment scheduled for today. After all, he needs to get spiffed up for his birthday which is upcoming. It was his first grooming ever and he went to Pimba's Parlor which is right in the neighborhood. Bev has a shed in her backyard which has been converted into a dog grooming parlor. Bev has 20+ years of experience in dog grooming, and she knows Aussies since she has one herself, Pimba.

After I dropped Bandit off at Bev's for his grooming I went straight back home as I needed to get to work. The phone rang shortly thereafter. It was Bev asking if I knew that Bandit had ink on his face. ☺ She wasn't sure she'd be able to get it out.

When I went to pick up Bandit he was wearing a pretty new blue bandana and smelled fresh and clean. And he's still got that blue ink on his face and collar. He obviously has self-decorated for his birthday! We wonder how long that ink is going to stick around.

Saturday Night at the Movies

2010-03-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Bandit wasn't too into watching "Precious."

Met Another Aussie Today - Home Alone

2010-03-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

I took Bandit to the park for some playtime today and lo and behold another standard Aussie was there. Zeus is his name and he's three and a half years old. It was incredibly funny because Zeus is a major herder and really did a number on Bandit. Bandit's definitely not used to being the one herded. He did a great job of keeping up with Zeus although Zeus definitely had the upper hand.

These are two women whose dogs, Raven and Lady, are regulars at the 4 o'clock playtime. And the standard Aussie is Zeus, of course.

We've been working on leaving Bandit "home alone" when everyone is out of the house. So far, so good! He's been left alone, though under Simba's watchful eye, for a little more than three hours at a time. I do prepare in advance and scatter chewies upstairs and down and fill up his Busy Buddy with Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Fish treats. Did you know that the Natural Balance company is owned by Dick Van Patten, the guy who played the dad on the television show “Eight is Enough?” Hopefully, Bandit will continue doing well when home alone, because it makes us feel so much better rather than having to crate him.

New Blogger Friend With a "Button"

2010-03-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

A new friend stopped by the blog yesterday. Ace-Chan or "Ace" is a mini Australian Shepherd who was born January 20, 2010. He's a blue merle boy, born in Ontario, and living up north in Toronto, Canada. His mom has just got his blog up and running, so be sure to stop by and say hi!

Click on Ace-Chan's button at the left in the sidebar, or here: Mini Aussie Ace

Explanation of Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday Picture

2010-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Bandit's friend in the picture is Millie, who just happens to live two houses up from us. Our neighbor, E, rescued Millie right around the same time as we brought Bandit home last summer. Millie's a sweet girl who has a bunch of flags surrounding the perimeter of her front yard as she's getting used to an invisible fence.

Anyway, Bandit has Millie's ball in his mouth. Millie is extremely protective of her toys. She's kind of like a toddler and needs to have toy with her for security. If Millie has the ball in her mouth and another dog comes over to take a sniff, she growls and growls until the sniffer backs off. Somehow during playtime yesterday Millie was distracted by some of her friends and her ball was laying on the grass, all alone and fair game. Bandit loves toys, too, so went over and picked up Millie's ball. He knew he had something special so he went off with it away from the rest of the "gang." However, Millie's a smart girl and she knew something was up. I happened to have my camera out and was snapping pictures when this all ensued. She kind of sneaked over toward Bandit as if to say, "Can I please have my ball back?" Bandit didn't growl at Millie, he was more playful, like, "Look what I've got, Millie." With a little encouragement from me, Millie got her ball back.

I'm going to start taking a toy or two for Bandit when we meet up for the playtime. He's almost a year now so I can start doing some good frisbee tossing for him. I heard somewhere it's good to wait until they're a year old before really getting into that kind of activity, because before a year there's more risk for injury. I'm not sure where I heard that or read that but I've kind of stuck to it to play it safe.

~WORDLESS WEDNESDAY~

2010-03-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

Four O'Clock Off-Leash Play

2010-03-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

Since it was clear skies and no liquid sunshine this afternoon, I took Bandit to the 4 o'clock off-leash playtime at Big Finn which we recently learned about. We left the house on foot at 3:45, and when we got to the designated area no one was there. We waited around for a few minutes, and within a very short span of time a few playmates showed up. Our neighbor two houses over showed up with her spaniel, Millie. Bandit ran hard and played hard and got along with everyone. About seven dogs total were there while we were there. As Bandit hasn't had much off-leash time I worked on "come" quite a bit when he strayed too far with his friends. He was very good about listening and would make a bee-line straight for me at warp speed. Twice he went out of sight on a trail which made me quite nervous, but here too he was good about turning around when he heard his name being called. It was a nice group of people with a nice group of pooches.

Bandit's the second dog from the left

Lokie (the chocolate lab), Raven (the standard poodle), Batty (a seven-month old pitbull), and Bandit with his tush to the camera

Bandit disappeared down that trail at the back one time, causing me to panic momentarily

Bandit at the left chasing someone - I almost missed him he was running so quickly!

Bandit Has a New Leash ...

2010-03-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

and it's 50' long (yes, 50 feet!). I figured it would be good for training, especially teaching him "come," and since it's bright orange there's no danger of anyone not seeing it and tripping over it. It just came in the mail today so K and I walked Bandit over to Big Finn park and tried it out. It's long enough that playing retrieval is definitely doable. We also let him off leash for a bit when absolutely no one was around.

Bandit met another dog at the park today ... some sort of Springer Spaniel ... a girl ... and her name is ... Bandit! She's just 13 months old, and they were very sweet together.

On our way home from the park we ran into a woman with a smaller standard Aussie named Shadow (I forgot to take a picture, dangit) and she told us that there's a regular group that lets their dogs off-leash at the park every day at 4 o'clock. Every day there's a group of between 3-8 dogs. This was the first we heard about this so we're excited to get Bandit involved on occasion for some social time. We haven't take him to Bow Wow Fun Towne lately since I don't want to send him there when the weather is bad. Once we start having some regular nice spring days we'll get him back over there for some play time on occasion.

I'm going to use this photo as one that gets sent in with his NAMASCUSA registration. I still need to get a left side and right side photo.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T08:07:00.001-07:00

St. Patrick's Day Glitter Graphics

St. Patrick's Day Glitter Graphics

St. Patrick's Day Glitter Graphics

Copy Cat (or would that be Copy Dog)

2010-03-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Last month I saw a picture of Bandit's one brother, Ryker, wearing this cool "Best Friend" nametag. Ryker's mom, Sandy, was kind enough to share with me the name of the Etsy artist (Poochy Couture) who makes these awesome personalized tags by hand. I raced to the website to order one for Bandit, only to find none with the "best friend" charm. I contacted the seller and she said she was out of those charms but would get some more and make Bandit his own nametag. It arrived today, and we love it!! We wanted to put it on his collar immediately, but in checking out his collar we noticed that some of the nylon has been ripping, so after I finished work today I raced over to PetSmart to pick up a new collar.

Thank you, Sandy, for sharing where Ryker got his tag!

Poochy Couture has a really nice selection of all kinds of personalized pet tags (dogs and cats). Check her out if your pet needs a new tag. These would also make neat gifts.

It was difficult getting a picture of Bandit wearing the new tag with his hairy neck, so I had him lie down to get this one. And he's definitely the best friend of everyone in our house!

Poochy Couture

Isn't it super cool. The "Best Friend" charm is soldered on good and tight.

Bandit's Back!

2010-03-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

After a brief hiatus from blogging, it's good to have time to start updating again. My classes are done!!

Although it's not terribly warm we've had some sunny days so it's been good to toss some toys for Bandit in the back yard. I also take him out there for a good daily brushing. He's definitely losing his winter coat (as evidenced by the dust bunnies in the house which require more frequent vacuuming)!

In less than one month Bandit will be a year old! The time has certainly flown by!

The following are some photos I just took this past weekend and this morning:

Definitely a favorite toy!

He loves to have it thrown again and again and again ...

Bandit just loves a dirty dishwasher and fresh additions!

Bandit likes a good scratch

Caught mid yawn - where did his ears go?

Will Update the Blog Soon

2010-03-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me an e-mail asking me to update the blog. I will soon, promise.

Also, if I'm a regular reader of your blog and haven't stopped by lately, I apologize. I just finished up some big assignments that cut into my regular routine and my blog time suffered greatly.

Bandit's doing well, is cone-free (!!), and turned 11 months old on Monday!

Talk to you all soon!

Bat Boy!

2010-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

No words are really necessary ...

This and That

2010-02-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week so I haven't done much updating.

Bandit continued to lick the cut on his arm so it was in a perpetual state of rawness. K took him to the vet on Wednesday to be fitted for a cone. We no longer have the one he got when he was neutered, plus even if we did have it, it would have been too small. He seems okay with having the cone on, but we take it off periodically to give him a good head and neck scratching. And walks are nice because he doesn't have to wear it on those.

I took him for a walk today at St. Edward's Park but it was a muddy mucky walk, with Bandit wanting to go a little faster than I could manage since I was trying to keep my footing and not fall in the mud. We met a German Shepherd who had cut his dewclaw and had stitches, and his mom had fashioned a waterproof "boot" for him to wear (so as to never have to wear the dreaded cone). Bandit's cut is too far up on his leg to do anything fancy like that, plus he seems pretty insistent about not wearing anything on his leg.

Here's Bandit watching the Olympics with M (pre-cone). The USA vs. Finland hockey game yesterday didn't turn out as K had hoped (it was quite the blowout), but they are in contention for a bronze medal this evening. At least now we can root for USA and Finland in separate games! The gold-medal game of USA vs. Canada tomorrow ought to be an exciting one!

Oh, and M got his driver's permit today! He starts driver's ed classes next weekend! Bandit hopes M is the driver when we go to McDonalds on his first birthday for a plain burger (something Grandpa used to do for Molly on special occasions).

K in his official 2010 Finnish Olympic hockey jersey (sometimes they wear this one, sometimes a white one)

That's all for now. I have to write two big papers ... ugh.

Don't Go!

2010-02-23T17:32:00.000-08:00

I'm still in the midst of having to visit some medical facilities as part of my schooling. Bandit's getting wise to when everyone in the household has something to do and he ends up in the crate. This morning, he had been outside once already and had breakfast, so right before I left (around 8 a.m.) I let him out again. He saw that this time I had different clothes on. When I went to let him back into the house this is the posture he took, with both ears pinned back tight against his head. He knows he's going in the crate, poor guy. I ended up having to pick him up and usher him into the house.

Just Throwing This Out There

2010-02-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

Johnny Weir hasn't been invited to the Olympic gala exhibition since he placed 6th in the men's competition, so we won't get to watch him perform Lady GaGa's "Pokerface" on Olympic ice. He's as flamboyant as they come but he's fun to watch since he's a real performer. I'm disappointed he's not been invited. Here's what we're going to miss:

Springtime in February

2010-02-21T13:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a strange winter here in Western Washington. It's been unseasonably warm and sunny and definitely spring-like. Bandit loves the warmer weather! But we obviously need to get him a few new Flippy Floppers. Look what he did to this one!

Thank you for all the concern regarding Bandit's leg. It's healing up well but he tends to lick it a lot. He kept the bandages on that first day, but he quickly chewed them off the next morning. I did re-bandage it but it all came off even quicker the second time.

Bandit's going through another barking phase when we're out on our walks, so I've decided to take a whistle with us the next time to see if a loud blast or two will do the trick.

Walk Cut Short Today

2010-02-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

Bandit and I were more than halfway through our walk when we passed by a house that has two golden retrievers. If they're home and in the backyard, they bark at Bandit. In turn, he barks back. Today as we passed by, the retrievers were out and a bark-fest ensued. I kept walking as I was telling Bandit to "leave it." Next thing I knew Bandit was yelping bloody murder. I turned and saw that he was stuck in a grate in the road. I bent down and helped him remove his arm. He yelped a few more times so I was afraid he was somehow badly injured. I sat down with him on the sidewalk so I could check him out, and I noticed this cut on his arm. It wasn't deep enough to draw blood but was deep enough that it separated his whole top layer of skin.

I called K on my cellphone and he came to pick us up. We took Bandit home and checked him out really good. Fortunately, he didn't break or sprain anything, and while I was on the phone with the vet's office he started tearing through the house like he usually does when he comes home from a walk - a very good sign! The vet said I should try to clean it a bit but that it didn't sound like anything that necessitated a visit. We got out the first aid kit, cleaned the wound with some antiseptic, and then wrapped it with gauze and tape.

The little patient is doing just fine!

Happy Valentine's Day, Bandit

2010-02-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

Darn him! I put out some cards and goodies for the boys on the kitchen counter. I thought I had put them back far enough, but when M woke up and saw the candies on the counter he wondered who the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup was for. There were supposed to be two! Sure enough, after searching around a bit, K found remnants of the wrapper in our bedroom. We realize chocolate is toxic to dogs so we're going to keep an eye on the candy napper. So far, all appears well, thank goodness.

At least he didn't get into the boxes of heart-shaped Junior Mints and Andes Creme de Menthes.

♥Valentine's Day Dash 5K♥

2010-02-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

It’s called the Valentines’s Day Dash but it was held today, the 13th, at Green Lake. It was very mild temperature-wise, but it drizzled pretty much the entire time. As there was a huge turnout of people we had a heck of a time trying to find parking. We ended up parking about a quarter mile from the starting line, or what we thought was going to be the starting line. We’ve done a couple of 5Ks at Green Lake before and the starting point is always in the same spot. Not today. Today, we found out that the starting point was at the boat docking area, a good mile away from where we were. So off we started for a hike just to get to the proper starting point. We completed the entire 5K, and since the finish line was at the same area as the starting point, we had to walk another mile and a quarter back to get to the car! Needless to say, we walked a minimum of five miles (far more than 5K!) so we're all pooped! K and I each got a cool long-sleeved black T-shirt for participating.

Halfway through the walk with Papa

Bandit probably could have gone another couple of miles, no problem.

Meeting another Aussie (standard in size) out for some exercise

K's and my numbers. We both clocked in at 53:58 (we're walkers, not runners)

We know Bandit's happy to be home when he rolls around on the floor and is quite vocal. He was big-time happy to be home after our long morning trek.

A little refreshment before taking a much-deserved nap

Helping Farfar Celebrate His 81st Birthday!

2010-02-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

We had K's side of the family over yesterday to celebrate Farfar's 81st birthday. Here's a picture of Bandit with Farfar and three of his grandkids (M, the boys' cousin V, and T). Cousin N was at home getting ready for her high school Tolo dance. Cousin V is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Comparative Studies and minoring in Education. She's also the President of her sorority and works part-time at a car dealership in the University District so she's a busy, busy coed.

Ten Months Old Today

2010-02-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Bandit's exactly ten months old today. He had some birthday fun as we met a new Aussie and owner on our walk. We ran into a woman named Bev with a red merle standard Aussie named Pimba. Pimba is 11 years old so isn't too much into playing with rambunctious puppies. Bev and Pimba joined us on the rest of our walk, and when we got closer to our home we ran into Haole (now a seven-month-old mini Aussie around the corner from us) and her mom, Pris. We invited everyone to come into our backyard so the dogs could have some playtime. Pimba watched while Haole and Bandit played. Haole hasn't had a lot of exposure to other dogs so she was a little bit timid,and it's been a while since she and Bandit have gotten together. Both Bandit and Haole got pretty muddy as the back yard is just a mess of wet grass, mud, leaves, and landmines (poop) everywhere. We're waiting for a nice dry day so we can get the poop cleaned up. Bandit really enjoyed this playtime after a nice long walk and is now napping contentedly at my feet as I type.

New friend, Pimba

Tussling with Haole

Pimba's mom, Bev, is a dog groomer who lives close by

Resting on the stairs after a busy morning. It's good to be 10 months!

Looking so grown up!

Supplementing His Nutrition

2010-02-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

K and the boys dislike taking regular vitamins and it had always been a struggle to get them to take them on a regular basis. However, once I discovered the gummy vitamins for adults they sell at Costco, they now love taking their vitamins. Part of my nighttime routine is laying out lunch money for M and six gummy vitamins for K, T, and M (two gummies each) on the kitchen counter. I take the Trader Joe brand for women which are easy on the stomach. Last evening, T ate his vitamins right away. I was down the hall in the bedroom putting some things away when I heard the distinct sound of doggy toe shuffling and rustling going about on the kitchen counter. I hustled down the hallway and peeked into the kitchen where I saw Bandit with a guilty look on his face and only three gummy vites on the counter. Caught and guilty! Simba obviously watched the whole thing transpire because he was sitting on top the kitchen stool waiting for kitty treats ("Bandit got a special treat, now it's my turn"). The dispensing of treats is always a two-fold process in this household: Bandit and then Simba or Simba and then Bandit. Whoever is second in the receiving line always has a sad face and pleading eyes. Simba's are dispensed on top of the stool so as to keep Bandit from gobbling them down.

I'd be more concerned if Bandit ate the lunch money.

Note to self: Push gummy vites back further on the counter and out of reach of doggie paws and doggie head stretch.

Super Busy, an Understatement

2010-01-29T15:53:00.000-08:00

I have been incredibly busy with work and school, and for my one class I've been commuting into downtown Seattle as part of a "clinical practicum", doing nine days of work at Virginia Mason Medical Center. Every Thursday and Friday I will go there (starting last Thursday) until February 18. Then, I will do three days at a medical insurance outfit fairly close by, and another three days at a LTC (long-term care facility) fairly close by. I have to do 15 days total to get complete credit. When I'm completely done in June I will have a two-year associate degree and can sit for exams to become an RHIT (registered health information technician). My goal right now is to become a cancer/tumor registrar, but I'm open to other things I may not be aware of. I will also be earning a certificate in coding and can also sit for different exams to become a credentialed medical coder.

I apologize for not updating the blog, or swinging by the blogs of those that I read regularly. Please bear with me until things settle down. I also have major homework in my other two classes. I will try to update as I can and keep in touch with reading other blogs.

BTW: Bandit goes ballistic when I get home after being gone. My clinic visits are from 8 a.m. to 2:30, so with travel to and fro I'm pretty much gone from 7:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. I hate the commute. Driving 60 mph is out of my comfort zone.

~~WORDLESS WEDNESDAY~~

2010-01-27T11:24:00.001-08:00

"BRADY BUNCH"

2010-01-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

This is handsome Brady, another of Bandit's brothers. Brady is the brother who Bandit attended some obedience classes with this past summer. Brady has a very active family who loves to be outdoors, with regular sailing excursions and ski trips on their calendar. Brady's own calendar is just as full as he participates fully in all the family fun! He's a real go-getter who loves the water, loves the snow, and apparently has been known to bring a mole into the family home (just a little somethin' to snack on).

Brady's Dad has nicknamed him "Brady Bunch!"

Brady's always ready for some family fun!

"So, what are we gonna do this weekend?"

Looking quite dapper and debonnaire!

We Have Ourselves a Watch Dog!

2010-01-19T18:55:00.001-08:00

I was downstairs working today. Since I have to wear headphones I often don't hear certain things going on around me. Bandit started to growl and act upset. He was looking toward the stairs which lead up to our front door. He seemed insistent that I pay attention to him. When I'm home alone I don't tend to just open the front door before doing a window check. He stood at the front door and growled some more so I went upstairs and took a look out the front window. I saw no one so went back to the front door where Bandit persisted in being on alert with ears perked upright and continuing to growl. I held on to his collar as I opened the front door. Sure enough, someone had been by. There was a box sitting on the porch, left by the UPS man. Bandit saw the box and seemed greatly relieved. Me, too.

When Bandit growls it's more of an afraid growl than an angry growl.

I heaped praise on Bandit and told him how happy I was with him, that he did such a great job of alerting me to something I'd not been aware of. This was the first time he had ever done anything like this. He's growing up!

Our tough guy!

Honoring MLK Jr.

2010-01-18T08:55:00.001-08:00

Our Mini Australian Shepherd

♥♥♥Farewell, Friends♥♥♥

Blog Headers

☺Happy Sunday☺

Vintage Friday

Thank You, Noah!

A Day of Herding!

Thank You, George!

Brave Bandit!

I'm So Tired ... In A Good Way

Goodbye, "M"

Vintage Friday

My Sister Insisted I Do This

Vintage Friday

Running Free!

Bandit Meets a Troll!

Big Changes Ahead for Bandit

Happy Sunday!

"Go Dog, Go!" Canine Festival

We're Blog Hop, Hop, Hopping!

Vintage Friday

In the Good Ol' Summertime

Updated Blog Link Button

It's Another Saturday Blog Hop!

Vintage Friday

Say Hello to a New Mini Aussie Blogger!!

Wordless Wednesday Evening

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Wish You Were Here!

Hangin' With Aunt Molly

Vintage Friday

♥♥♥Happy Father's Day♥♥♥

Vintage Friday

Walking at Green Lake

We Are Family!

Grease is the Word

Playing Tourist in Our Hometown

Vintage Friday

~~**~~Wordless Wednesday~~**~~

New Camera

Auntie Kathy's Big Helper

What A Difference Growing Up Makes

Bandit's Nickname

Walking Off-Leash

Thank you, Yoda!

Get Involved

Another Saturday Pet Blogger Hop!!

~~*~~Wordless Wednesday~~*~~

Following Doctor's Orders

Pet Blogger Hop

Puppies and More Puppies!

Famous Aussie Owners

Morning Walk

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

Update to Post Below Re: Hydrocephalus Surgery

Sweet Potato Dog Treats

A Very Accommodating Bandit

Blue and Violet and Jack and Friends

Mayo Clinic Surgeon to Operate on Puppy With Hydrocephalus

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Safer Car Rides for Bandit

No More Rawhide Chews for Bandit

Whoop-dee-doo

Family News!

What Do You Make of This?

Blog Troubles??

~♥~**~HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BANDIT!~**~♥~

A Sweet Sister Saved for Last (Final of Nine Pups!)

Two Days Until the BIG DAY!

Chester Cheeto!

Happy Easter!

Favorite Commercial

Inky Dinky Doo

Saturday Night at the Movies

Met Another Aussie Today - Home Alone

New Blogger Friend With a "Button"

Explanation of Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday Picture

~~**~WORDLESS WEDNESDAY~**~~

Four O'Clock Off-Leash Play

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

~♥HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BANDIT!♥~

~WORDLESS WEDNESDAY~

~~WORDLESS WEDNESDAY~~