I guess it's official........

......I am off the knee!
Mom was just sitting on the lanai having a glass of wine and there goes Iris....right up on the love seat to keep her company. And the next thing I see....she is giving Mom a great big wet smooch! Now, it is pretty well known that I am a sniffer and a pretty good one at that. But, Iris is the LICKER! UGH!
From Iris.......I prefer white wine and it was a very nice New Zealand SB.

Sunshine on my shoulder.......

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy! And a little yappy! Iris and I have been enjoying the freedom of our own doggy door at our house in Tampa. She actually remembered how to use it right away and did not run straight through the screen like last time. We are not much for swimming in the pool but Iris thinks laying beside it is the best!! If I had a wish that I could wish for you, I'd make a wish for sunshine all the while!

I might be a star!!

I have been asked to be the dog in a commercial for the Virginia Beach SPCA. I am pretty good at acting like a dog, so I guess that is why I was asked. Plus, I am no stranger to the camera and I have heard that I still have that puppy cuteness. There will be a human child reading a book to me. Actually, the human child will be giving me treats......and we all know that I work for food! I am quite excited; a car ride, some alone time with Dad, and of course, the treats! I just hope they bring enough treats....you know REAL TREATS and not CARROTS!
From Iris: I never get to do anything. "Puppy cuteness?" What have you been smoking?

It's our birthday!!!

And we are nine years old!!!! But, we act like cute labbie puppies! The humans got us some bully sticks. I am kinda picky about what I like to gnaw on, and bullies are my favs! Not much of a fan of rawhide or nylabones.....I'll chew a bully any day of the week! And, they picked up a new toy! His name is Chance and 10% of what they paid for him goes to PetsMart Charities!
From Iris: I will chew ANYTHING! ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!

Life's a beach!

The fam has arrived at Alligator Point! This piece of Paradise in on the Florida Panhandle, slam on the still beautiful and not oily, Gulf of Mexico.
I have been here many times, but it is a first for Iris, my crazy sistah.  While she has not yet mastered the art of swimming, she is one hell of a splasher.  And, she is one hell of a runner! She has been running back and forth on the beach like Road Runner! Remember Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote? If you do you, are old as dirt! (Meep, meep!)

From Iris: Life's a beach!! I love the new smells and the water is so different from Sandbridge, in Virginia......no waves, plus a sand bar appears and I can walk out a long ways!! I may try the dog paddle soon. Ivy makes it look so easy!
Now, I am pooped out...literally. Let sleeping dogs lay.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep....

......and I have miles to go before I sleep.
We had an awesome walk in a new place this morning. The folks drove us to West Neck Creek Natural Area in Virginia Beach. I had been there once before but not off the paved trail and it was the first time there for Iris. It seems there are a few miles of hiking trails back behind the paved area. We passed an old abandoned house (very spooky) and walked about a mile and a half in the woods. They are nice, kind of deep woods, so you don't want to leave the trail or you might get lost! There were all kinds of smells around.....I recognized the smell of horses! Iris was very interested in their dung.....she is such a goofball! Good thing we did not see any horses or other critters cuz Iris goes kinda nuts when we do. She REALLY needs to get a grip!
From Iris: Of course I know horses! I played tag with the wild ones in Corova Beach, NC, a few years back! You call ME a goofball?! I just wanted to smell their dung, YOU wanted to ROLL in it!

"Grow old with me, the best is yet to come"

Ten great reasons to adopt a senior dog

1.  House-trained - Senior dogs are usually house-trained. You won't have to go through teaching a puppy house manners and cleaning up after accidents.
2.  Won't chew inappropriate items - Senior dogs are not teething puppies, and won't chew your shoes and furniture.
3.  Focus to learn - Senior dogs can focus well because they've mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.
4. Know what "no" means - Senior dogs have learned what "no" means. If they hadn't learned it, they wouldn't have gotten to be "senior" dogs.
5.  Settle in with the "pack" - Senior dogs settle in easily, because they've learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.
6.  Good at giving love - Senior dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are ever so grateful for the second chance they've been given.
7.  What You See Is What You Get - Senior dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
8.  Instant companions - Senior dogs are instant companions, ready for walking, car trips, and other things you like to do.
9.  Time for yourself - Senior dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don't make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.
10.  A good night's sleep - Senior dogs let you get a good night's sleep because they're accustomed to human schedules and don't generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.
      ~Adapted from Labrador Retriever Rescue

Summertime Safety

 Summertime, and the living is easy! Here are some ways to keep me safe.

Make sure I have dog tags with my name, address, and phone number. I also have a microchip, so if I do get lost, the animal control officer can scan me and get me reunited with Mom and Dad ASAP!

Never leave me in the car, even if it is “just for a minute.”  Cars heat up very fast, even if it is only 70 degrees outside. Remember that you might be comfortable, but I am wearing a fur coat and my body temperature does not adjust to temperature changes as quickly as yours does.

Signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid pulse, unsteady walk, deep red or purple tongue, vomiting, diarrhea. You must lower the body temperature immediately by:  1) moving the pet to the shade and gradually pour cool (not cold) water over its body to gradually lower the body temperature. 2) Apply icepacks or cold towels to the pet’s head, neck, and chest area only. 3) Let the pet lick ice cubes or ice cream but limit access to cold water. 4) Take the pet immediately to a veterinarian. This could save its life. If you see an animal in a car exhibiting signs of heat stress, call your local animal control or police department immediately!

Walk me in the early morning or in the evening, when it is cooler. If I am a partner in your walking or jogging exercise routine, please bring along some water and a soft bowl (available at pet stores) for me.

If I am outside a lot during the day, please make sure I have a shady place to rest and access to fresh water.  Do not tie me up or chain me. That would be cruel.

If you want to take me boating or to the beach, please consider buying me a life jacket. Believe it or not, some dogs cannot swim at all! Please don’t throw them in. Even though I am a Lab and live for the water, I can get tired or injured and that life jacket might save my life.  And again, bring me my own water and bowl.  You will want to hose me off with fresh water when you leave. Please towel-dry my coat and wipe out and dry my ears.

Summer is often a time when people fertilize their lawns and work in their gardens.  Keep me away from plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides. These can be fatal if I ingest them. Also, over 700 plants are potentially poisonous to me including azaleas, daffodils, lantana, and oleander.

Antifreeze may leak from a car in the summer or anytime during the year. Antifreeze tastes sweet to me, but can be toxic in small amounts. Please be aware of leaking antifreeze and keep containers of it out of reach.

If you are traveling with me, it is a good idea to have the name and address of a Vet where you are visiting, in case I need medical attention.

Fireworks. I don’t like thunder and lightening, so why would you think I would enjoy fireworks? Please leave me at home with a good bone and some country music.

I am visiting my very best friend Sasha in South Carolina. It is so very cool to have a change of scenery. Sasha lives on a lake so there are bunches of new smells around. My nose is constantly on the ground. Sasha's mom is one of my fav humans. She likes to give me treats, and not carrots either. REAL DOG TREATS! I am in heaven here. Hope we get to hang here for a while!!

SNOW!!! Again

We got snow in Virginia Beach! WOOF! Mom let me out on the golf course to check it out. It was just getting a little deep, so I was able to do some running and smelling. I think the deer have been out already. I know the birds have been at our feeders non stop. I hope I can go out again tomorrow when it finally stops snowing and sleeting. It makes me frisky! And, works up my appetite, of course!

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!

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

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!

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!

FINALLY!! Beach Walk!

 

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!

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!!!

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!

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!