It's a FACT!

Puppies like snow.

Kona's first snowfall. (Pity it was so meager)

Pics so it did happen (Fetch)

As promised, here is some video of Kona actually fetching a toy. You can't tell because of the lack of audio, but the only thing I said was "Fetch." The rest of the sequence he has learned to do as part of the whole process. Mind you, I have to keep the treat in the bag until he runs after the toy, otherwise it's too distracting, and fetching sans a treat is iffy. Still, he's doing well, I think.

Ready for winter

11 months old now. Kona is doing well. He's a champ at fetch (if you have a treat as a reward). I'l try to get some video of him in action. We're trying to get him used to the Dremel so we can trim his toenails (he's scratched up one spot on his ribcage). I'm giving him a bit of vegetable oil on his food to alleviate his dry skin. Hopefully that will reduce the itchiness.

Kona has a very lean build (very little fat) and a thin coat, so we got him a micro-fleece jacket for when winter gets started in earnest. He wasn't really sure about it at first, but once it was on, he was fine -and looking SHARP!

Of course, it was 60ºF today.

I'm really not sure why a doggie jacket has functional pockets, though. 

Peekaboo

Kona doesn't like it when I go down to the basement and leave him behind. I don't know what would happen if the cat found the dog's kiester in his way when he wanted to come downstairs.

A corking good time.

Today's post answers the age-old question "What do you do when your dog eats a plastic wine cork?"

I know, right?

Why did Kona eat a cork? Well, apparently it had peanut butter on it, which is reason enough in Dog-Land.

My wife called the vet, who told her to A) not to panic, and B) do the following:

1. Feed him a LOT of food.
2. Somehow get a CUP of Hydrogen Peroxide down his throat. (Yeek!)
3. Check for the cork as he throws up all over the place.

There are times I'm happy that I'm at the office all day.

Needless to say Kona resisted step 2, but my oldest daughter and my wife managed to get some of it in him. Kona proceeded to be very unhappy in the back yard for a while, as my wife checked the results by poking it with a stick. All this while sleet was coming down. 

Fortunately, the cork was red, so it was easy to spot once it appeared. Kona's stomach settled back down eventually and all was well again. When I got home this evening, from his behavior, I'd never would have known he'd had such a rough morning.

I'd LIKE to think he would have learned a lesson about eating things like corks, but I'm afraid the repercussions were too far removed from the act to click inside his fuzzy skull. 

Ah well, the fun of dog ownership.

The Just Do It RunRun

Kona & I went jogging this morning. He did well. He lunged at a rabbit but otherwise he kept right with me. I wasn't up for much running, but we jogged/walked/jogged for 10-15 minutes as a start-test. I think not stopping and sniffing EVERYTHING was the most confusing part for him.

All quiet

No real news to report. Kona is still doing his thing. He's ten months old now, and still very much a puppy. He's gained some weight. I need to put him on the scale, but I estimate he's about 50 lbs. now, so that's probably about right for his size. Next time I buy him food, I'll switch him off the puppy "growing" food to active adult.

I'm thinking I need to push his socialization a bit more, he's still a little "growly" when surprised by people or animals.

Here he is wondering what I'm doing with the phone: