Raw Food Diet, Day 458- Will Do Tricks for Treats

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Big Pupi takes us on an outing:
Hey guys! The big beastly brother is reporting. Everything here has been pretty awesome. We've been feasting and playing and fast-hunting and I've been therapy-ing. Sweetness! We have some footage from my last trip to the hospital. No... we're not allowed to take pictures while inside, but I thought I'd share something that's 1/2 of the fun of therapy days: The trip there!

It's a wonderful walk to where the AwesomeMobile lives. I totally dig taking a stroll and getting coo-ed over by tourists and folks about town. It is just about the BEST way to start the day. Here's a little video of me on my merry way. (Yes I walk at the end of my leash but no, I don't pull. I'm just SO PUMPED I can't stand to hang back! There was a time when I pulled and trudged ahead like a savage... not too unlike my stinky brother. But I'm all about Good Boyness now!)

Music: "Free and Easy" by Dierks Bentley

On this particular morning I was feeling an extra bit of snarzle in my bum so I thrashed the heck out of mom's (not-so) dog-proof car seat cover and then sat tall to enjoy the ride. ...That is until she began to stick that flashy box in my face at every red light. I let her know that it was NOT appreciated by making Jowly Stink Face every time she took a photo.I have a great time sniffing sniffs and barking at this dude that's always selling newspapers at this one intersection. He never knocks on our window because I'm such a wild beast!

Therapy was great on this day, especially since this one little girl I had gotten to know over the past few months got to go home. I missed her and her crazy great belly rubs, but I was so happy that she no longer needed to be attached to tubes and a tall beeping machine. There was a fresh set of kids this time and although they were really tired and feeling a little icky, they were still able to gather up all their energy and play with me for a bit. Kids can't resist the mohawk!

On the ride home, I looked a bit more like this:
Actually, that was one of the only photos mom could get with my eyes open. I usually snore like a tractor the whole way home. Then it's another long walk home from the AwesomeMobile. I LOVE IT!

I've got a little bit of news for you folks...
I've been asked to be one of 2 therapy dogs giving a BIG presentation on the work that we do! Tomorrow I get to go to a school and show off my tricks, during 2 sessions, to almost 200 people! I am crazy excited. Mom and I have been working on my Good Boy behavior (heel on a loose leash, and STAY! while she tosses treats all around me - that one's hard!). We've also been tightening up my new tricks, and I've been learning lots!

It's been hard work, but so far I can read Sit, Down and Spin off flash cards, and we're adding Stay and Come. The last 2 are a bit iffy for me still since this is one SERIOUSLY difficult trick for me to pick up, but I'm getting really good at the first group. This trick drives people at therapy wild, especially the kids' parents. We need to entertain them too!

Another trick that's in the works is jumping rope. We haven't worked the rope in just yet, but I've learned to leap into the air whenever I see mom jump. I'm really good at it and stay tucked in pretty close to her. This one's not quite ready yet for the show, but we'll try to get a video of it once I have it down!

Finally, I've mastered my Take and Give (a stuffed toy) and I will Down Stay while balancing my stuffy pencil on my schnozzle. This isn't my favorite trick to do, but what they heck... I'll do just about anything for treats and praise!

Wish me luck tomorrow! I'll try to take photos and let you know how it all goes.

Practice makes perfect,
Big Pupi.