Saturday, December 19, 2009

I am a snow dog...FINALLY!


I have never experienced the magic of snow......until now. We have stopped in Blacksburg, Virginia on our way to Florida, to visit the grands. And very suddenly, this white stuff started falling out of the sky. In an hour it was EVERYWHERE!! I did not know what to do, so I just rushed through it. It is very cold and wet and now it is about 18 inches high....a "significant snow event." I am figuring it out though. I have to dig to find my ball and I have to kind of jump to move through it...but it is fun!!! Makes me frisky!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas photo shoot

Mom got the camera out today and put those darn reindeer antlers on my head. Thank goodness she did not use the flash....she knows that I HATE that! Anyway, enjoy the pics...I did not!


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

My doggie seat belt


Some folks have asked about the vest I am wearing in some of my pictures. It is a seat belt for dogs. The official name is Canine Auto Safety Harness. Mine is a soft vest that has a short leash attached to the top which slips onto the car's lap belt. Mom and Dad found mine on Entirelypets.com, but I have seen others in the pet stores. It comes in different sizes to fit your dog. I can still stand up, and sit and lay down. Mom and Dad do a bunch of traveling with me and this helps keep me safe. In some states, it is the law to have your dog restrained in the car. I think that is a good idea. BUCKLE UP FOR SAFETY!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Lab Rescue...we are getting involved

Mom and Dad are getting involved with a Lab rescue. It is called Lab Rescue of the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac(Lab Rescue of L.R.C.P. Inc.)This group rescues, fosters, and adopts out Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retriever-Labrador Retriever mixes. Their volunteers are active in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, including Northern Virginia and Maryland, and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region including the Baltimore area, the greater Richmond area, Virginia's Tidewater region, Maryland's Eastern Shore, eastern West Virginia, southwest Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania. So, it is a huge organization. Mom and Dad will be volunteering out of the Tidewater region, which includes VA Beach (where I live), Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and the VA Peninsula. They will be checking out potential adopters and new adopters and more than likely, doing some fostering. I am not sure how I feel about another dog in the house, but I will try very hard to be nice. Here is a picture of a dog named Nestle who is looking for a home.....he is wrapped up and ready for Christmas! Please click on the link below for Nestle and find out all about him and all the other Labs who are waiting for a furever home!
Nestle
Check out Nestle!  He's gift wrapped for the holidays already... on Twitpic

Friday, November 20, 2009

I am a beach dog!

Mom wanted to pick up some driftwood after the nor'easter, so we took a little trip to Sandbridge Beach. We went to Little Island Park, which is almost in North Carolina. I love this park because there is usually no one around and I get to run off leash! There was a lot of trash on the beach and a bunch of decaying stuff, so I had tons of new smells to investigate. There were a few live conchs washed up and I really wanted to roll on them, but Dad threw them back in the ocean. I would rather play on the beach than anywhere else, so I guess that makes me a beach dog!

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Nor'Easter

We had a nor'easter blow in last week. This is kind of like a hurricane, but the winds are not as strong. But, it was strong enough to knock out power for two days, bring down our new pergola, flood the golf course, and wash a huge barge up on our local beach. I pretty much napped through the storm and the aftermath. But, the folks let me out on the golf course to run during a lull in the storm. I love that!!! I am shedding my fur and I look pretty ratty, but it was great to be outside!


Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What's up?

Well, Mom must have gotten an energy spurt or something. She took me for a long walk, by myself, without Dad! What's up with that? We walked for 35 minutes in the neighborhood, adjacent to the golf course. It was kind of cool and misty, which made me frisky, naturally. She let me off leash for a short while, and I ran on the golf course!!! I love the open spaces!! There were some huge Canada Geese out there....I swear they think they must own the place! But, I showed them!!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Back home

We are back home in Virginia after an awesome week at the beach in South Carolina! Even though the weather was not all that, I had so much fun with the humans and my old friend Sasha and my new friend, Barney. But, there is no place like home!
Mom has been walking me a bit more as Dad is having some problems with his knees and hips (I certainly know about THAT!). She does a longer walk, which I am really enjoying, now that the weather is cooler. We did go to the beach here this week and I got to swim!! The water was very smooth and Mom threw the old tennis ball in for me to retrieve. I just LOVE THAT!!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Beaching it!



I am loving my vacation at Pawleys Island. The weather has been kind of iffy, but I have been to the beach every day. I love the beach. A little rain does not bother me because I get wet anyway. I love sniffing the salt air....so many different and exciting smells there. So awesome. A wet Lab is a happy Lab!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Vacation: Pawleys Island, SC

WOOF!! I am on vacation in Pawleys Island, SC. There are a bunch of people here and my best friend, Sasha is here also! Sasha and I just LOVE THE BEACH!! We have been on the beach everyday, so far! There is another new dog here also named Barney. I wasn't too sure about Barney at first but now that I have gotten to know him, he is a cool little dog. And I mean little...he only weighs 13 pounds!! Can you imagine?! I could have him for lunch!! But, of course, I have manners....everyone says so!!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Busy Doggie


I have been quite busy in my new home lately. We have been walking a bit more, especially on the beach! After Labor Day the restrictions for dogs changes for the better. We have Sandbridge Beach which is about 15 minutes from the new house. When the parents get my travel vest out, I know I am going in the car!! And when I see the beach towel, well WOOF!! I am going for a swim!!!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Things seem to be normalizing

I think things are getting back to normal. I got to go on a longer walk again today. Dad has been tied up with some medical tests, but I guess that is over. We walked in West Neck, our new neighborhood in Virginia Beach. I just love these walks because I get to walk along the golf course where there is a lot happening. Every person who lives in West Neck is over 55, and there are a lot of dogs. I am one of the bigger dogs, but also the best looking and, tails down, the friendliest. I am so very lucky!!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

FINALLY!! Beach Walk!


 
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Mom and Dad finally got off their butts and took me to the beach!! Yippee!!! After Labor Day, dogs are again allowed on the beach in Virginia Beach. I am so very happy!! I got to run and play and swim and roll in the sand at Sandbridge Beach. It was AWESOME!! I got sand all over the car but who cares!! I am, once again, a BEACH DOG!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

It's been a while.....

because Mom and Dad have been very busy making the new house a home. And then, last week they went to Florida to bring back their other car. They left me with my sister, Iris, who lives with their son, Pete. It was a confusing week as Pete has a housefull...his wife, 2 small kids, and Iris. But, Mom and Dad are home again, spoiling me rotten. Below is a picture of me cooling off in the Intracoastal Waterway and another one of me relaxing on the new porch furniture. Enjoy!!!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

My Yard


My new yard is small but it is all mine. As I have mentioned, it backs up to a golf course and there is usually a lot going on out there. One of my favorite things to do this week is to just lay in the grass. Life is great!!!

Saturday, June 13, 2009


I am loving my new house! Mom and Dad have started walking me on my long walks again. We have a golf course behind us that we walk on about sunset. I have seen ducks, geese, and deer!! And some humans playing golf. Mom won't let me chase golf balls because they are really small, but she takes my tennis ball with her and I get to retrieve it a couple of times. The golf course is awesome. I love laying in the sun on my new deck and watching all the activity out there.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

My new home

Well, I woke up and Mom took me to Aunt Mindy's for the day. What's up with that? Then they picked me up and I went to visit with my sister for while. Finally, Mom came and got me and took me to a house I had never been to before! It was dark and late and they went to bed right away. I was stressed from being away from them all day so I had no trouble at all sleeping...they did have my bed there! When I woke up and went out....whoa!!!! I had my own yard!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

It's getting strange around here

There are bunches of boxes in the living room and my long walks are less frequent. We had a good one today, where I got to swim but we missed two days in a row!! These boxes are worrisome though....I wonder what is up? Mom and Dad seem stressed as well.....strange.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Hear me roar!!!

So, here I am just minding my own business, and the doorbell rings. Well, I really cannot help it but when that happens, I just go bananas. I have a very, VERY big bark...or so I have been told. How was I to know it was the POLICE!! Turns out Mom called them about some suspicious activity across the water at the park. She does not use the phone much so the first time she dialed 911 she thought she had misdialed, so she dialed again. Well, the coppers have to respond to a 911 hangup, so up to the condo they come! Woof, WOOF!! WOOF! One of them is so intimidated by little yellow me, that mom had to corral me into the back bedroom. She thought that man of the law was gonna TAZE me. HEAR ME ROAR!!!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Doe a deer.....

On our walk today, we saw something very, very cool. A deer! We were hiking in Bells Mill Park, which used to be a landfill many eons ago. Then it closed and the city of Chesapeake planted acres and acres of grass there, so now it is a super huge meadow, with the Elizabeth River and woods bordering it. They have mowed walking/jogging trails and now it is a park. What we like about Bells Mill is that no one seems to know about it, so I get to go off leash a lot! Anyway, we saw a single deer in the meadow and it just stood so very still, just staring at us, like a statue! Then it flashed its white tail and it was gone in a flash! I wanted to chase it, of course, but dad hollered at me and I came back, because I am just so well behaved.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Beach Dog!

I thought we were just going for a normal "long walk." That's what my folks call it when they put on my auto restraint vest, we go for a ride, get to an interesting destination, and walk a couple of miles: "the long walk." But, the car ride was a bit longer than usual and when we arrived, well, I could just smell the salt air!! We went to the beach!! The beach is my absolute favorite place!! I love swimming, and running in the sand and smelling all the different smells! So, off comes the leash and away I go, flying into the water, and yes...I am swimming!!! I think that this is Heaven! We walked about a mile and a half. It was cool on the beach, about 65 degrees, which made me very frisky. Then we stopped at McDonalds for a cheeseburger because being outside makes you hungry. I slept all the way home. I am a happy, happy doggie!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The Furminator

I was hoping that no one would notice, but I have been shedding for about a week now. I do this a couple of times a year but the "springtime shed" is the pits. Even when someone so much as touches me, my fur comes out by the handful. This is my super warm "winter coat" that I am losing. My mom has been working on me with something called The Furminator. It kind of looks like a comb, but it has a razor in it and my hair just peels off! I'll bet she has furminated about 10 pounds of my pelage!! That is a fancy word for fur! She needs to be very careful or I will get razor burn.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I am moving

I guess it is going to happen. The folks have sold the condo and bought a little house. I have not seen it yet, but they said it is on a golf course. I am not sure what that means but I am thinking that my yard will be freakin' huge! No more elevators!! Yippee!!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Chesapeake, Virginia

The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, in Chesapeake, Virgina, is one of my very favorite hikes. This is a 8.5 mile stretch of old Virginia Route 17 that runs along the Dismal Swamp Canal which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. There lots of folks who bike here, but we just walk. We walked two miles today. My folks like it because it is paved. I like it because of all the wonderful smells. It is in the woods, so there are lots of wild things around like deer, groundhogs, wild turkey, and even bears! My nose is always on the ground there!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Walking my tail off

Ok.....so we have been back in Virginia a week and the parents have started a new walking routine. I suppose that since it is cooler here, they think I can walk longer because the distance has certainly increased! But....I can!! My bionic TPLO repaired legs are holding up great! We are doing two miles a day! They take me to different places so I have plenty of new smells to investigate each time. I know that annoys the dad, but, after all, I am a dog!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Hooray, I am back in Virginia!!


After two days in the Honda Pilot and an overnight at a Quality Inn, we arrived back at our condo in Virginia! And, it was raining! I saw no rain in Florida for two months and it was fun!! I got wet and muddy. Mom was not too happy, but most of the mud on my paws got left on the elevator. It is a lot cooler here in Virginia, so I am a lot friskier. I am doing so well recovering from my TPLO that we took the stairs up to our 3rd floor condo and I had no trouble at all. I think Mom and Dad will walk me at one of my favorite places tomorrow...can't wait!

Monday, March 23, 2009

I see suitcases...

Suitcases make me confused. They mean that something is going to happen, that will impact my life. Either Mom and Dad are leaving by themselves or leaving with me. If they leave by themselves, I will be so lonely and sad. But, if they leave with me....YIPPEE! I get to ride in the car, which I love. I have my own seat belt harness which helps keep me safe. I also have my own Ivy bag, which I have not seen for a while, but if that comes out, it probably means that we are going back to the condo in Virginia. We have been gone for about 2 months, so that's what I am thinking.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

My Florida Keys Vacation,2009

I am a bit late in putting these up, but I love the Keys!! And I had a great vacation there last month. I am a traveling dog!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A bit more about me


I was born in Madison, Georgia on December 11, 2001. Dad's brother owns my mom, Lily. My mom is a small, short legged yellow Lab and pretty laid back. I take after my mom! In February, 2002, Pam and Joe came to Madison and took me and my sister, Iris to our new home in Geneva, Florida, outside of Orlando. We were not happy Labs. They put us in cages in the back of their SUV and we drove forever. We cried for hours. We were not leash trained and we were really scared when we could not run and play like we had done in Madison. But, when we arrived in Geneva we had a really big yard with lots of grass and lots of woods. We had woods in Madison and we love them! Pam and Joe had built us a really big pen with a wonderful dog loo. So, it was not so bad. But, we soon grew weary of the pen and I learned how to dig out of it. I would dig and Iris would squirm out first, as she was the skinny one back in those early days. Then I would dig some more and make my escape. Then, off to the woods we would go!
Shortly after we arrived, some people started building a house next door. Iris and I would charge through the woods and visit the workers. We left our pawprints on the concrete foundation and the workers did not seem very happy. The workers would leave lots of trash around so we had interesting things to eat, from time to time. And, we would bring presents home to Mom. Iris brought her a screwdriver one day. I liked to bring her water bottles or Wendy's bags. Fun times!
Eventually we became potty trained and allowed to live full time in the house. We loved lying in the sun by the pool or lying on the cool tile floors in the kitchen. But, mostly we loved to play in the yard chasing balls or frisbees or sometimes even deer! Life was good.
Then, one day in June, Iris was gone. Mom and Dad drove her to Virginia to a new home. She now belonged to their son Pete and his wife, Madonna. That had been the plan all along. Mom was going to potty train and teach her some manners, then in the summer, when Madonna was not teaching school, she would go to live with them and be their dog. This was such a sad time for me. I missed Iris so much! Life was crap.
But, Mom and Dad always kept me busy. I learned to actually catch the frisbee in midair and to charge down the driveway with Dad in the mornings and get the paper. I ran EVERYWHERE! I became a Florida Dog! And a traveling dog!
Now that we live in Virginia part of the year, I still get to see my beloved Iris a lot. We don't have the adventures that we once had but we still love a good nap together! I love Iris!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Introduction


My name is Ivy and this is my blog. I have another blog penned by my mom documenting my TPLO surgery, but now it is time that I write my own.
I am a 7 year old, female yellow Labrador Retriever. I live with my humans, Pam and Joe. We have 2 homes; a condo in Chesapeake, Virginia and a house in Tampa, Florida. My folks are referred to as "snowbirds," but they are not birds at all. Occasionally they fly in an airplane, but that is all the flying they do.
Anyway, we have been in Florida for almost 2 months now. I am glad because it was really cold in Virginia when we left in January. We spent a month on vacation in the Florida Keys and now we are at the house in Tampa. They Keys were really cool in that dogs can go a bunch of places with their humans. I got to go to several bars in Key West and had my picture taken at the southernmost point in the United States!
In Tampa I enjoy having my own yard and my own doggie door for my comings and goings. There is a pool but I do not care for it. I love water, but the pool........nope cannot do it. I need a beach! Pam and Joe take me for a long walk, about a mile and a half everyday. This is great exercise for all of us and there are lots of things for me to stop and sniff and pee on. On the walk today we saw a bunch of turtles and even a big alligator! Fortunately, he dove into the water, but he was watching us......kind of creepy. I don't much care for gators.