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

***
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.

Raw Food Diet, Day 412- A Sunny City Stroll

***
Big Pupi reports on his city:

Heya cool canine dudes and lady-dudes. Stanislaw and I had a pretty awesome weekend and now that I've finally caught up on my beauty sleep I'm ready to tell you all about it.

On Saturday, Stan went to his Good Boy class and did some very Naughty Boy in the middle of it. Turns out that a touch of car sickness and some major excitement don't mix, and he set some poobles free during a Heel exercise. Oops! Good thing that raw fed poobles don't stink too terribly and once the mess was cleaned there weren't any lingering, odorous reminders of his little indiscretion. Otherwise, he performed fairly decently. It wasn't his best class ever but he's learning. The teacher was super nice and said that Stan can make up the last class which he'll have to miss next Saturday because I'll be at the Chicagoland Pet Expo. So... that lucky boy gets to have one more class in April.

The mile-long walk to the car, plus a car ride, plus obedience class, plus another car ride and walk home left Stanislaw exhausted. So that meant that I got to go on an afternoon tour of my territory with just my mom and dad! Woohoo! Just like old times. The city is FINALLY warming up and I couldn't wait to see what tasty feastables the St. Paddy's Parade humans had left on the sidewalks for me to find and eat. So fun! I pinned on a flashy "Happy St. Patrick's Day" badge and we were off!
On our way to my lake, Lake Michigan, we passed Buckingham Fountain which has been under construction for the past few months. There were still gates all around it, but as soon as they're gone I'll be making a B-line right in there to re-mark it as my territory. Every dog needs to own a fountain like this!
When we made it to the lake I was shocked to find the ice had left and the nice belly-cooling water had returned. YES! There were these huge chunks of snow and ice bobbing about and I tried very hard to leap off the walkway into the water so I could bite one. Every time I lunged mom gave me a jerk and yelled "No!" but I was rather persistent. They looked so tasty!
Boats were starting to trickle into the marina once again. We hadn't seen them all winter. That's a sure sign that spring is coming!
Here is my lovely Navy Pier. It looks rather sleepy now but within the next few weeks it will glow with its sparkling lights and bustle with tourists.
The goal of our trip was Adler Planetarium with its beautiful lawn and view of the water. I was so pumped! I hadn't roached in that grass since last year and that grass deserved some good roaching.
Mom made me pose with the city skyline in the background. I guess we were on a bit of a slant because those buildings look like they're about to spill off the side of the photo. Can you see how magnificently dirty and beastly I am?
There were puparazzi everywhere on the Planetarium lawn, and we even got to see a couple taking wedding photos. As the weather gets nicer there will be crowds of wedding folks showing up for photo-ops and fighting for the best spot.
Do you remember what's on the other side of the Planetarium? Yes! It's my beach - Weeble Beach! There are no grumpy humans guarding it this time of year so we got to get a close look at my little strip of heaven.
There was a big strip of ice and snow holding back the water like a pie crust. My folks wouldn't let me go for dip, but I didn't mind. I was too interested in the seagulls zooming about...
...and the crazy tasty ducks splashing in the icy water.
Feeling sand between my toes was marvelous!
We took one last look at south Chicago -
- and started on our way home. Dad and I stopped half way to do some serious squirrel hunting. I got so excited over those tree lobsters that I shook as if I had caught a chill. I LOVE squirrel hunting!
Once at home I sucked down some water and crashed on the sofa.
Stan had saved me my favorite snoozel spot on the sofa arm.
And he did nappies on the sofa back.
Eventually, he rolled from his high sleeping place and joined me for some snoozel snugglies.
And that's pretty much where we spent the rest of the evening... waking only to beg dad for some of his cheezy snacks.

I think Stan and I are in for a fast hunt to Museum Campus today, followed by a bath and a nice sleek springtime grooming. Mom says we're so filthy that her hands get greasy when she pets us. Awesome! There's nothing quite like the life of a beast.

Happy squirrel hunting,
Big Pupi

P.S. The sweater is still up for grabs to anyone who wants it! It'll fit a dog that is 8ish pounds with a chest measurement of 14 inches and back measurement of 12 inches. Email Stanislaw at rawfeasting@gmail.com if you'd like to have it!