You know, I'm starting to wonder whether my dad can actually smell at all!

Strange but true. We're out for a walk and we come to a corner and I can smell all kinds of wonderful things on the wind. Meowing four-leggers, smelly striped four leggers of the darkness, meat, lovely smelling brown logs, rotting bodies, you name it, it's all there on the breeze.

So I stop. And I sit. And I look back at my dad and I think, "can't you smell all that? Don't you want to run as fast as you can in that direction to find it all, get a close up whiff?"

But he just stands there, looking down at me. And then he actually tells me he thinks we should walk in the other direction! Amazing. I don't get it. I sit there, stunned at just how stupid that particular idea is, waiting for him to come around.

He doesn't. He gets to the end of the rope that ties us together, stops and looks back at me, still sitting there, my nose in the air, savouring all the wonderful odours.

And he says, "no, this way."

Honestly.

It's like he has no sense of smell at all.

So I wait patiently until he works it out. It often takes a while, though. And I'm not sure that, when he finally gives in and goes the way I want to go, he's agreeing because he's caught a whiff of what I'm smelling. In fact, I think he's doing it just because I'm forcing him to.

Wow. I can't imagine a life with such a handicap. My poor dad. He'll never know the wonder that is a nice, smelly carcass!

Tags: Golden Doodle, Dog

I know it's been a long time since I've blogged but life has been pretty much same ol', same ol'. My mom and dad have both been home and doing okay, the great ball of fire has been up in the great blue and it's been getting warmer and warmer. More trips out to the strip of land among the water, which is fun, but mostly just my usual.

Until now. My mom and dad decided my fur was too long and shaggy for the warm weather. To be frank, I can't say I disagreed. Even a little bit of running made me hot, hot, hot. So they took me to a new groomer. And left me there for the day. I stood patiently and as quietly as I could while the very sweet two-legger danced and whirled about me with her electric buzz buzz machine and away went my fur. All of it. Sometimes she got too close to my skin and I had to tell her to stop. I didn't like it one bit. I miss my old groomer.

So when my dad finally came to rescue me, I bolted right out the door. I don't want to go back there again.

And now I have no fur. It's fine, after all, because I'm cooler now and can run more and play more without getting too hot and needing to lay down in the shade. But I feel naked. Everyone comments on how cute I look but, really, I mean, is it even me anymore? But Dad says I look like a chicken. Mom doesn't like it either but she keeps assuring me my fur will grow back. And it's coming back already. That's a good thing.

And, better still, Mom has promised I won't ever have to go back to that groomer again. And that's the best promise ever!

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle, Dog

My Mom came home today! Hooorraaaayyyy!

Dad got into the wheeled rolling room, told me he'd be back soon, and then, suddenly, there she was! I'm so happy.

She's already played with me and brushed me and hugged me and brought me treats and everything! And then we went to the place with the fields and we met Riley and his Mom and I had all my favourite people (four-leggers and two-leggers) together again. So fantastic.

I can't tell you how happy I am.

And here I am wasting some of that time writing this blog when I could be helping my Mom unpack!

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

I think my Mom is coming home soon. I don't know why but I can just smell it in the air. Dad is cleaning our house and doing laundry, which seems like a pretty fair indication she's on her way.

I'm very excited. I've had a very nice time with Dad alone and he has tried very hard to play with me and go for walks and stuff. He certainly has made sure we've had good food together. But, as nice as he's been, he's not my Mom. She hugs me more and brushes me more and likes to sit with my head on her lap.

As I said, this is no knock on my Dad. He's pretty great. But Mom's great and different. And life can't be better than when they're both home with me, can it?

So I'm tingling with excitement!

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

Mactaquac is a long way away. It takes many breaths in the wheeled rolling room to get there. Sometimes, it's too far. Sometimes I have to make sweet smelling brown logs so badly that I can't hold it until we get all the way to Mactaquac.

Fortunately, today was NOT one of those days. With the ball of fire smiling down on us and the air warm and dry, Dad and I got into our wheeled rolling room and drove all the way out to Mactaquac. We'd already been to the place with the fields this morning so this was a bonus for me and for Dad.

It was so beautiful. The ball of fire felt so nice on my coat and the ground underfoot was soft but not mucky. Perfect. Dad says pretty soon the grass will be green again but for now it's a nice wheat colour, like me.

I love going to Mactaquac. It's beautiful and fun and quiet and perfect for playing ball with my Dad.

It seems like forever since we've gone out there and played on the tail of land surrounded by water. But today was the day! Finally.

We brought two of my orange balls and the long rope in case Dad tried to run away. And sunshine and cool breezes and blue skies.

Once again, I helped Dad practice throwing the orange balls: he'd throw them as far as he could and I would go running back and forth across the tail of land, bringing them back to him so he could throw them again. And every time I got hot (and this is what makes Mactaquac the BEST place in the world) I just had to jump down a short hill and into the water. It's so great. I cool off, shake myself a bit, then it's back to helping Dad with his throwing practice.

The only difference today was, some of the water was SOLID. It was bright, white and solid. Like snow, really. I tried to stand on it once but it bounced and I had to step off into the water to avoid falling over. Dad says the solid water is called an "ice berg". It's like those two leggers have a different word for everything!

So I swam in and among the ice bergs, drank the water and cooled off each time before having another go at the old orange balls. It's great to be back at Mactaquac, even if I have to share it with the ice bergs.

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle, Mactaquac

The ball of fire is back and swimming in its sea of blue. I'm not cold anymore when I go outside and even some of the slimy muck is starting to go away, replaced by soft green carpets and dry, friendly earth.

Dad seems more relaxed these days and he's not always coming at me with a swath of material, rubbing away the wet. I'm not getting as dirty either when I take him out for a walk or a run. Everything just seems to be slowing down a bit.

I still don't know where my Mom is. We've been through a lot of darknesses since I last saw her and she still hasn't come home. She's nowhere in the house; I can swear to that. I've searched every nook and cranny for her or even a trace of her. I can still smell her around the place but I can't find her.

I hope she comes home soon. It's just too lovely around here lately for her not to enjoy it with us!

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

I'm glad he didn't have the camera with him. That's all I can say.

I'm so glad my Dad didn't have his camera with him yesterday when we went for a run with Riley and his Mom in the place with the fields. If he had, you would now be looking at a photograph of two very dirty doodles. Not just average dirty. Filthy dirty.

You see, the wet in the air is finally letting up but the muck on the ground is only getting worse. And, since I hadn't seen and played with Riley Roo in several days, I was very excited to see him and he was just as excited to be out in the fields with me. So we went a little crazy. Running and rolling and fighting and pawing and panting. Such fun. And of course we had to have most of our fun in the field with the least amount of green and the most amount of oozy, squelchy brown.

We were covered in it. We became two brown four-leggers, rather than sporting our usual wheat-coloured fur. Riley's Mom and my Dad asked us to go and lie down in a huge pool of water to clean off before we got in our wheeled rolling rooms and it helped a bit. But wow were we ever filthy!

And just two days after my friend Nicole had done such a beautiful job of cleaning me up and making me look pretty! Dad says my Mom will be coming back in a couple of days and that she'll be very sad she didn't get to see me all clean.

The way I see it, clean Marlee is not the real Marlee. The real Marlee is the one that was playing in the muck yesterday and my Mom loves the real Marlee most.

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

The air has been full of water all week. Dad and I are troopers though: a little bit of rain isn't go stop us from going on long walks! Sure, we try to stay on the green stuff and away from the mushy brown dirt but we still go for long walks in the place with fields.

When I get wet, my fur goes all curly. I like it that way but, for some reason, neither my Mom nor my Dad seem to like the curly hair as much as I do. They always bring out big soft pieces of stuff and try to make me all dry again.

Of course, with the wet and the mushy brown dirt and the sticks out there, I end up something of a mess all over. I get sticks stuck in my fur, especially around my soft underside and my legs, and my feet change colour, often darker than the dirt itself! Sometimes it's so bad I have to step into a bucket of warm wet and wash it off. I don't like that very much.

My Dad just shakes his head. Here we have the wettest week in memory, with muck and mire and sticks and Mom away so no one is here to brush me out properly, and we've got a visit to the groomer scheduled! Poor groomer! I don't think she expected me to be in quite the mess I was in when I got there!

Our Groomer is very nice. She always talks kindly to me and tries not to let it hurt when she cuts and trims and brushes all my stuff. And I always come away from a visit with her looking and smelling like a flower.

If you look at the second picture of me, you'll see what a difference it makes when I spend an afternoon at the groomer! Don't I look pretty? I even have green bows on my ears. And, as I said, I smell like a flower.

Problem is, I don't LIKE smelling like a flower. So, seconds after Dad took that second photo, I rolled around with another four legger on the ground to wipe some of the scent off (and roll some black patches on!). Oh well. My fur is shorter at least, even if, an hour after we left the groomer, it's not much cleaner than it was before.

Tags: Golden Doodle, Marlee

I think my Dad had a nefarious plan. I think he has been trying to wear me out by constantly going for walks and runs with me. I think he was trying to ensure that, while my Mom's away, he'll still be able to sleep the night through without interruption, simply by exhausting me during the day.

I have to admit. It was working. And I was loving it.

It worked really well for the past two days. Dad was home both days so we could go for four walks or more. And we could play ball in the backyard too. We did a lot of that and we went to both the place with the red dirt and the place with the fields each day as well!

But today, it was back to the regular grind. Dad got up, did his grooming, then we went for a short walk among the two-legger houses. Sadly, then I was on my own for a while. He came back after a while and we went for another short walk, then off he went again in the wheeled rolling room.

This isn't as good. And I'm letting him know it. This morning, I said, "No, I will NOT go for a long walk. Just a short one". And then in the middle of the day, I said, "No, if you can't be bothered to spend time with me then I'm NOT going to take you for a walk at all." I just let him play with me in the backyard for a while.

I want to go back to the fields. I want to run free and help him practice his throwing. I want to spend time with him, Riley, Patty and the orange balls. This short walks and then leave me alone stuff is unacceptable. Hmm... Maybe Dad's not going to get a full night's sleep tonight after all!

Tags: Golden Doodle, Marlee

I'm exhausted. I just took Dad for a long run in the place with the red dirt and the many trees and now I just can't catch my breath. Once again, a beautiful day with the ball of fire in the deep blue and not so much air moving. I think my Dad actually got too hot during our walk.

Yesterday was a good day. After our long walk in the morning, I took Dad on another long walk among the two-legger houses, all the way down to the bottom of the hill and back, just after lunch. On that kind of walk, I have to keep attached to Dad by a long rope so he doesn't stray off into the street and get hit by one of those wheeled rolling rooms I keep mentioning. Sometimes those things go fast!

In the afternoon I slept out in our backyard with the fire ball in the sky keeping me warm. That was so nice.

Then I took Dad out to the fields where the eagles and osprey fly for another walk. That's a ball walk. I help Dad get his throwing arm in shape. Every time he throws an orange ball, I run and get it and bring it back to him so he can throw it again. He never gets tired of throwing the orange balls. We met Algie on that walk. I like Algie but he always wants to take away my orange balls.

Finally, after dinner, I slept some more while Dad watched the black box with crazy colours on it. First I chewed my yummy stick, then I drifted off to sleep. So nice and safe.

I took Dad for one last walk before we both went to bed for good. Then he let me sleep all the way until the darkness had disappeared and the ball of fire was back up in the blue.

All in all, a pretty good day, I'd say. Even if my Mom wasn't here to share it. I hope she's having fun visiting the other puppies in her litter!

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

Last night we went in the wheeled rolling room to that place where metal birds come and go. Mom and Dad went into the building but only Dad came back. He told me that Mom's gone home to visit her mom and dad and also to see her litter mates and their own litters of youngens.

I guess that means it's just me and Dad for a while.

I miss my Mom. I don't know when she is coming home (Dad says we'll have to sleep through 12 darknesses before we see her again) but I keep thinking maybe, just maybe, if I search the house hard enough, I'll find her. So I look and I look and I look. No luck so far.

Meanwhile, this morning I took my Dad for a long walk in the place with the red dirt and the many trees. The shining ball of fire was smiling down at us from the great blue but it was still very cold. I don't mind the cold: when it's cold I feel like I can run forever. And that's what I did. Dad threw my bright orange balls over and over again and I ran so fast to get them.

One time this very big brown four-legger took one of my orange balls and wouldn't give it back. That wasn't so nice. But he was bigger than me so I wasn't going to argue. Finally, my Dad managed to convince him to give it back and all was well.

My Dad marvels at how well I can find the little orange balls. One time he threw one and it bounced off a stick and went deep into the trees. At first I couldn't find it and my Dad even had to push his way through the trees to help. We looked and looked and looked and I sniffed and sniffed and sniffed. I was just beginning to lose hope when, suddenly, there it was whispering on the breeze: the scent of the orange ball. I tracked it back through the branches and followed it into a little hollow and then, there was the ball, nestled among the branches at the bottom of a hole.

I couldn't get my nose far enough through the branches to dig it out but Dad came along and stuck his sticky paw down and got it! Hoorray. We're quite a team. Me with my nose and him with his fingers.

Now we're back home and I'm dictating this blog. Dad says, if we write about our day every morning, my Mom will be able to read it each day and know what we've been up to. It's not as good as having her here but at least she'll know I'm thinking about her.

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

Dad's got a new strategy and it's really fun! Now, in the early morning, instead of us going for a walk together, we go for a RUN! Fun fun fun.

Well, it's not really a run. I mean, I could run all day at that speed but my old Dad, well, he needs a break once in a while. So we bolt out of the gate, down the drive and up the street and then, just when I'm starting to feel it, I hear "Okay, Marlee, let's slow it down for a bit." And then we walk for a while.

It's pretty good, anyway. As you know, I love to run. I'd run all day if I could, other than the times I like to lie down and close my eyes for a while. And Dad seems to be getting better at it. Each day, we seem to run a little bit more. Still not enough to wear me out but better every day.

And there are more and more four-leggers appearing in our neighbourhood. Good ol' Java is still at the corner but now he's got a little friend: Oreo. I'm not sure about Oreo because he yells a lot and tries to stop me from getting close to Java, but he'll settle down. And the other day we met a really sweet young'en who has a family scent that reminds me of my own pack. She's reddy-brown and has a coat like mine. Mom called her a Labradoodle, whatever that is, but the four-legger herself told me her name is "Roo".

Roo seems to be scared of me a bit (I am much bigger than she is) but she's alright and she smells like family. It's like finding a long-lost cousin!

Tags: Golden Doodle, Marlee

I don't think I'm adjusting very well. Now my Mom sometimes goes away during the day, leaving me by myself and lonely.

It's hard. I know they're trying to find ways to make it okay for me but I still miss her alot. So much that, during the long darkness when they both lie still with their eyes closed, I have to go to visit her from time to time, just to make sure she's still there and still loves me.

My Dad and I now go for a run/walk in the morning, sometimes before the great ball of fire rises in the big blue. I don't know if I like being away from my home when the darkness is still in place but Dad seems to think it's important. It's not a bad way to start a day: make some brown logs, leave some yellow water in the fluffy white stuff and see the neighbourhood. But it does take time away that I could be spending with my Mom.

My friend Riley comes to visit a lot during the day. That's nice. And my Mom does come home to play with me every day and sometimes even my Dad makes a special visit. And it sure is nice when they both come home and we all go for a nice long walk or run! And then hangout and eat. And watch the colourful noisy box. And eat yummy chewy things! And then go for a walk again!

It's not a bad life, really. But it's not always easy to adjust to the changes.

Tags: Marlee, Golden Doodle

We're back at it again. Mom and Dad have decided I'm not following the rules so we're back to the training. "Stop, Marlee", "Sit, Marlee", "Stay, Marlee", "Heel, Marlee". Enough to drive a dog crazy.

It's not that it really bothers me. I guess I can play the game with them since they do so many awfully nice things for me (like provide the food, the water, the wonderful orange balls that bounce and float and roll, roll, roll and taste so good). It's especially nice because almost every command brings with it something tasty.

But, look, let's get real here. I'm perfectly happy and content to "Stop" and "Sit" and "Stay" and "Heel" most of the time but, when I'm in the middle of tracing a yummy scent, then all rules go out the window. It's me and the scent. Nothing else. Don't tell me to "Stop"; don't ask me to "Sit". That smell takes precedence.

I think they're figuring it out. They're learning not to try anything when I've got my nose to the ground. If only I could get them to understand that, when a girl's got an itch, a girl's gotta scratch!

Tags: Golden Doodle, Marlee

Life never seems to stay the same. For one thing, all the tall, slender wood things have lost their soft bits, which now litter the ground and make running really nice. For another, my Mom and Dad aren't around as much during the day. It used to be just my Dad who left every day before the ball of fire was very high in the sky. Now my Mom leaves too and it's up to me to find things to do all by myself.

That's not nice. I don't like it one bit. I get sad and lonely by myself, even if other four leggers like Riley and the squirrels come to visit me in my backyard.

It's great when Mom and Dad come back again. They take me for a run in the big open place and I get to chase the orange balls as much as I want. Well, at least as much as the ball of fire in the sky will allow. Even it isn't around as much as it used to be. Now, the darknesses come sooner and leave later. And I'm not as warm as I used to be either, which isn't really a bad thing since, with my fur, I can get really hot.

The biggest change though is in me. I used to be a lot more wild and crazy but now I just don't have the energy for those kinds of shenanigans. Just let me run for a little while every day, maybe come for a walk through the neighbourhood with me too, and I'm happy as a clam in high tide.

My Mom says it's because I'm nearly three now and not a puppy any more. What is it with puppies anyway? We see a lot of them at the big open place where I run and chase my orange balls and they drive me nuts. Leave me alone, will you? Sniff me if you have to but don't try to get me to wrestle.

I'm too old for that stuff, I guess. I just want things calm and comfortable.

Cripes, I'm beginning to sound like my Dad.

Tags: Golden Doodle, Dog

Sometimes my Mom and Dad get it right. Many darknesses ago I found a lovely orange ball among the trees. It is fantastic. It bounces well, it rolls like a dream and it is also wonderful to chew. I am so pleased with it.

So what did they do? They went out and found two of my new ball's brothers and brought them home. They were much younger and newer and cleaner and brighter but they were truly related to my great ol' ball. So that meant, when I took my two-leggers for a walk, we could bring two or three orange balls with us. My Mom and Dad like the balls too. They like to throw them. In fact, they like to throw them a lot. Some walks, all they want to do is throw my lovely orange friends.

So, because I'm a sweetie, I run after the ball, catch it and bring it back so these poor little two-leggers can throw it all over again. I don't know what they find so great about throwing these balls but, after I've spent about half an hour running them down and bringing them back, I have to lay down the law. Literally. I lie down on the ball and say, "No more. You've played enough. It's time to go home."

About ten darknesses ago, though, my Mom was throwing the balls and having lots and lots of fun. My friend Riley was there and we were both going to get the balls so that she could have fun throwing them again. Then my Mom threw one and neither Riley nor I saw where it went. We both ran and sniffed and pawed in the field for a long time but we couldn't find it. My Mom was so sad.

The next day, we went back to the same field to look for the ball again. Somehow, however, instead of finding the lost ball, we managed to lose the other new one. So my original lovely orange ball was all alone again.

So sad. My Mom was upset. We went home to get my Dad and then all three of us tried to look for the lost balls. No luck.

So what did my lovely Mom and Dad do? They went and found two MORE orange balls and adopted them into our family. They must be distant cousins or something but they're still family. I don't think I need to tell you, however: we take really good care of these new little ones!

Tags: Golden Doodle

Two darknesses ago, my Mom and Dad hosted a gathering of many of their two-legger friends here in the new place. They've had such gatherings before but this one was different in three important ways: first, there were a LOT more two-leggers at this one than at any of the ones they have had before; second, this gathering was outside and they cooked yummy-smelling edibles on the big black hot thing; and third, and most importantly, they invited FOUR LEGGERS too!

What fun!

At the height of the gathering, I had seven of my best four-legger friends with me in our back yard. We ran and played and fought and barked and rolled and laughed and barked and rolled and played for hours. Of course, Riley was there. And Barak. And Robbie. And Max. And Boomer and Bebe. And, oh, who am I forgetting? I'll think of it.

We four-leggers got the whole fenced yard to ourselves. Mom and Dad kept their two-legger friends in our neighbour's back yard. Too bad they kept the food there too! And a very nice two-legger young'un, Christine, spent most of her afternoon playing with us. That was nice too. She's a great pal to us four-leggers and, if you ask me, I think she's trying to convince her Mom and Dad to adopt a four-legger into her family. Wouldn't that be nice?

Of course, somehow Boomer managed to squeeze his way through a tiny, tiny space under the wall of the car-port. So he had to go home. And Robbie, well, Robbie jumped right over the gate on the stairs into our house, ran through the house itself and out the front door to find his Mom. Crazy crazy dog!

I wish we had photos to show you but my Dad made a mess of them. He told me all the photos came out looking like you had your eyes squeezed shut and were trying to look out through your fur! Oh well. It was really fun anyway!

Tags: Golden Doodle

The great ball of fire in the sky has come out to play. I love how warm it feels on my fur and how bright and beautiful it makes the world. It's hot, sure, but it's a nice change from all the wet we've been having.

My Mom is gone again, I don't know where. She left two sleeps ago and I miss her a lot. I go to check to see if she's come back every time my dad and I come home and every morning when I wake up. Dad's okay — he plays with me and goes for walks with me and all that — but nothing beats my Mom for every day life.

Dad took me out to the long water today. We walked along the trail and sniffed the plants and all that but it was too hot. So we went back to the long water, under the bridge, and I went for a swim. Is that ever a nice feeling to go for a swim in the nice, cool, flowing wet after a long walk in the warmth of the ball in the sky. I just don't ever want to get back out again.

We're back home now. Mom wasn't here when we got back (I checked!) but it's still okay. I'm cool and tired and just want to go to sleep.

Maybe Mom will be back when I wake up again.

Tags: Golden Doodle

The sky has been full of wet stuff. The grass has been full of wet stuff. My fur has been full of wet stuff.

It's been a tough warm season.

And not so warm.

But, since I am allowed to be outside, I'm being outside. So much more fun than staying inside all day. When I'm not inside, though, I'm not spending time at the computer. So no blog entries in a while!

Today was a better day (finally). The ball of fire is back in the sky and the air feels dry and warm. I like that a lot. Sure, it makes me thirsty when I run and play but it's still better than being wet all the time.

Something has changed around our house. My Mom is now going away every day for short whiles at a time, leaving me by my lonesome. I can't say I like it. But she's seems happier. So that's good.

And when she comes home, I get all the attention I can handle. And they let me take them for even more walks than before. Not so bad. I guess it's a trade off I'll have to accept.

My Dad tells me there are now moving pictures of me available on the computer too. At a place called Youtube, whereever that is. Under my first name, Marlee.

I'd sure like to see one of those some day. Go and check them out.

Tags: Golden Doodle

A strange thing happened today. It was a beautiful day, warm with the nice yellow ball in the sky. The air moved gently across me. Altogether very nice.

Then my Mom and Dad decided we should get into the wheeled rolling room and go somewhere. I never know where we're going and they never bother to tell me. But off we went. I even had my harness on, which means the wheeled rolling room was going to move very quickly, even more quickly than I can run, which is pretty fast!

When we finally stopped, we were at a nice place with trees and sparkling water but also way too many two-leggers. We met up with a bunch of two-leggers who seemed to be friends of my Mom and Dad: Rice and his two off-spring, one male who is about my age in the number of darknesses he's seen and the other a female who has just recently opened her eyes.

Strange thing about two-leggers, of course. They can't walk even after they have opened their eyes. We four-leggers can walk even before our eyes open but not the two-leggers.

Another strange thing is how two-leggers age. This little male two-legger has seen about the same number of darknesses as I have but I'm way more grown up than he is. He's still a little baby puppy while I'm almost fully grown up. Weird, I say.

All of that aside, what was even stranger was the reason we went to this nice open grassy space in the first place. It was a show, you see, but it was a show where all kinds of four-leggers showed off their two-leggers. The four-leggers got all gussied up and then led their two-leggers around in front of another two-legger who was called a "judge". The two-legger that impressed the judge most won a prize.

Weird! And all the four-leggers were on their best behaviour too. They wanted to make sure they showed the judge that they could control their two-leggers and make them do whatever they wanted to do.

I thought, maybe I should enter my Mom in the show. But then I decided against it. I had no doubt that I could impress the judge but I wasn't so sure about my Mom. Try as I might, I still can't get her to do everything and anything I want her to do when I want her to do it. She still has some bad habits.

Notice I didn't even consider entering my Dad. He's a hopeless case.

All in all, though, it was a fun day. Lots of well-turned-out four-leggers with their two-leggers in strange outfits. The ball of fire was warm on our bodies and the air moved nicely too.

A pretty good day, even if we didn't win a prize.

Tags: Golden Doodle

I've been bad lately. At least, Mom and Dad think so. First, I yelled at this strange male two-legger who lunged at me while my Dad and I waited under a tree for my Mom to come back. Then, I saw these two female two-leggers across the street and I thought they were going to hurt my Mom so I ran after them. One of the two-leggers started running around the other two-legger screaming and then it seemed like a game so I chased her.

I guess it wasn't a game.

So now I'm facing training. I must have crossed a line this time because they seem really serious about it. Dad won't give me a treat unless I sit, wait, then lie down for a second. Then he holds the treat in front of me but won't let me take it. "Wait" he says and I have to sit there and smell it and not eat it.

I don't know why I do these bad things. I just get so scared when I see strange two-leggers getting too close to my Mom or Dad. It's my job to protect them from harm so, before I can even think, I run at the threatening two leggers and yell at them really loudly. I'd never hurt one of them, of course. I'd never bite them (they'd probably taste bad anyway) or jump at them and touch them. But I do believe it's my job to keep them away from my two-leggers.

I guess maybe I'm wrong about that. Maybe it's not my job. Mom and Dad seem to think it's their job to protect me, not the other way around. Who do they think they are, the leaders of our pack?

Tags: Golden Doodle

Okay. So what is it with two-leggers and being unable to spend more than a few darknesses together before one of them has to disappear again?

This time is was my Dad. We went in the rolling wheeled room out to that strange building again and I knew what was going to happen. One of my two-leggers was going to walk into the building, get into a much larger wheeled room with wings, and disappear. Sure enough. Off he went. Four whole darknesses worth.

Sure, Mom and I had a good time together. We always do. But I just don't understand this need for two-leggers to disappear for a while. I never disappear. I'm always here. Why do they have to go away so often?

My hope now is that we'll settle down for the rest of the warm time. Go for walks. Play in the yard. All that good stuff. My Mom even bought be a new Wubba: that should keep Dad happy for a while!

Tags: Golden Doodle

Mom came home today. I don't know where she's been over the last several darknesses but she came back this morning in the sky-falling water. It's very exciting but, since I'm now a grown-up, I don't jump up and down and pee whenever Mom or Dad comes back from a long time away! I greet them with a calm, mature lick on the nose and then it's back to business as usual.

Lots of sky-falling water today. Ever since the darkness ended, in fact. It may even have been falling while I slept but I was pretty tired so I didn't notice it. Now that we're all back together as a family things will get back to normal, I guess.

I kind of enjoyed having just Dad to take care of. He spent an awful lot of time with me and we went for four (count'em, four!) walks every day. First thing after I woke up, we went through the neighbourhood. Then in the middle of the day, we went out to the big area of trees for a run. Chased long-eared, cotton-tailed four-leggers through the trees then! They're fast little four-leggers! Then as the darkness started to come back, we'd go out to the other big treed area (the one with fields too) and we'd play ball for an hour. And finally, just when I'm getting ready to go back to sleep, out we'd go into the heart of the darkness for another long walk along the streets!

So great. I think I'm slimmer now than I was a week ago. Certainly I can run faster! Not fast enough to catch the long-ears but still pretty quick.

Anyway, so Mom's home and it's nice to see her. She looks great, even if she claims she's not feeling well. I think all she needs is a long dose of her puppy and then she'll be fine!

Tags: Golden Doodle

For the past couple of darknesses, my Mom has been away. I don't know where she went (nobody ever tells me anything) but I hope she comes back soon!

That leaves just Dad and me. Now, sometimes he goes away too, leaving me all by my lonesome, but not for too long. He always comes back before I need to do my business. I sleep mostly but it's no fun being alone.

On the other hand, with my Mom away, Dad has been spending a lot more time with me. That's been a lot of fun. We go for a walk every morning, we go out to one big place with trees in the middle of the day, we go to another big field as the darkness is starting to come along and then, just for good measure, we go for another walk long after the darkness has settled in.

I'm exhausted! But it has been great.

Of course, my Dad doesn't brush me the way my Mom does so I'm starting to look a little bit raggedy but that's okay too.

I'm looking forward to when my Mom comes home! Still, staying with Dad alone isn't so bad.

Tags: Golden Doodle

If any of you happened to be watching the CBC News out of Fredericton last night, you weren't dreaming. Yes, that was me smiling out at you during the story about battered women and their pets.

My Mom and I were visiting my doctor and this nice two legger asked if she could take pictures of me and my friend Riley. We were delighted to oblige and snuggled up to our respective moms for the shots.

I thought I looked pretty good. Mom said it was a good thing the show wasn't scratch and sniff after my meeting the other day with the white-striped four-legger but I think that's just a jealous shot. They didn't show her pretty face on the box with crazy lights!

Tags: Golden Doodle

I met a new species of four-legger today. And what an interesting species it turned out to be.

It's small and furry, with a sleek black coat and a nice, wide stripe down its back. Very pretty, really. A bit of a small head and kind of beady eyes but not bad looking at all.

It was wandering through the back of my yard so I thought I would greet it in my usual way: a loud hello, a running start, my tail up and waving, all nice ways to say hello. It stopped in its tracks and glared at me. Then it lifted its tail. Great, I thought, that's the way my species says hello — lift your tail for a sniff.

Only I didn't need to get anywhere near it to enjoy a strong dose of its scent. This little animal can send its scent right at you! Wow. My entire face was soaked with the stuff!

Wow, does it ever smell good! I like it.

For some reason, though, my Mom doesn't like it at all. Not one bit. She's washed me with water, with shampoo and even with this special smelly stuff our friend Patty brought over. The scent of my new friend is still there but it's muted somewhat now.

And I'm stuck in the yard all day. Mom won't allow me in the house.

I hope my new friend comes back, though. I can't get enough of that wonderful smell!

Tags: Golden Doodle

My Dad is not himself. He seems tired all the time and he doesn't seem very happy.

I don't know what is going on with him. I don't know what I can do to make him feel better. He doesn't come along for walks any more and he doesn't often want to play with me in the backyard either.

Yesterday, I decided to take matters into my own paws. When he got home from work, I ran up to him and starting circling, round and round, through his legs over and over again, pushing my head at his hands. That got a reaction for a while but then he faded again. So I lay down between his feet and stayed there: you're not going anywhere, bucko, until you play with your puppy.

Even so, it was just Mom, Riley and me on the evening's walk. Dad stayed home by himself some more. And then, once we got home, he went to bed early again.

This morning I decided to try a different approach. When three-on-a-bed time came, I jumped right up and stood over him, staring at him. When he finally opened his eyes, I licked his nose not once but twice. There's that smile I've been missing. So I sat down on his chest and licked him again. Then I slid off to lie beside him and started licking his hand. Salty, yum.

I'm not sure what's up with the old man but I want him to know I'm there for him. I think I licked that message into him!

Tags: Golden Doodle

That trip back to the first place took a lot out of me. I'm sleeping a lot more now than I have ever done in the past. It's weird.

I took my Mom and Dad for a long walk in the big wooded place here now that the fluffy white stuff is all gone and the beautiful warm ball in the sky is hanging high. What a great time. I think I wore my ol' Dad out, making him throw the ball for me again and again. We walked a whole loop and I played ball with my dad the whole way. He had a hard time keeping up with me, I'll tell you.

I felt like I could run forever.

Then we got home and I was out like a light for the whole darkness, not waking up until well after the beautiful warm ball was high in the sky again. That's what life seems to be like for me now: bursts of energy, then long sleeps. Not a bad way to live, I guess!

I miss Emily and Clare, though. They and their Mom and Dad sent us a lovely bush today. I can't wait for it to take its place in our garden. It smells so nice. All it needs is to be christened with puppy water and it will be part of the family too!

Tags: Golden Doodle

Daddy's having problems and he's really frustrated. While my Blog is working perfectly, his blog (called "A Writer's Blog"), isn't. He doesn't know why but somehow it's been converted to a "php" file. So it doesn't work.

Don't ask me either. I don't know computers. He's asked me to write a quick blog post so that he can see what happens when it is published to the internet, to see what's different. So here goes. Wish him luck.

Tags: Golden Doodle

We've still got lots of fluffy white stuff (though now it's often brittle hard stuff) on the ground but it's warmer and sunnier by the day.

That's great for most things. I take my mom and dad for longer walks now and we play ball on the trails too. It's nicer to lie out on the back stoop and watch the world go by and there's always water around when I need a drink.

But let me tell you. Sometimes it's a little too hot! I still have my winter coat on and all it takes is a couple of minutes running and I am hot hot hot.

I'm going to have go to see my fur dresser soon before the temperature gets so high I can't go outside at all. I'm pretty fluffy at the moment. Great for the winter and the cold. But not so good now.

I guess I'll be sporting a new look soon.

Tags: Golden Doodle

Huge piles of fluffy white stuff that are no longer fluffy and not particularly white any more. The air no longer cold and me a little too warm in the my winter coat even when I'm outside the house.

Spring is coming. The fluffy white stuff is turning to liquid, then hardening at night, then turning to liquid again. The piles are slowly sinking but at least now they can support my weight. I climb on top and can see all the way down the street.

There are squirrels about too! Little tiny four leggers that run like the dickens and dart this way and that before disappearing up a tree. I love chasing them. My dad wonders what I would do if I ever caught one and it's my goal to show him one of these days. And the other night there was a really neat, strong smell up the street. So lovely. My mom kept using a word that sounded like "skonk" and she seemed really worried. She kept pulling me back when I tried to follow that yummy scent.

And then, as the fluffy white stuff disappears, all kinds of little smelly piles emerge where my fellow four leggers have left their sweet smelling logs. My mom and dad hate that. They have little brown bags that they use to pick up my sweet smelling logs whenever I leave them behind. Then the bag goes in a little can in the backyard which my dad empties out once a week into a bigger bag which he leaves at the side of the street for the two leggers in the big loud rolling thing to come to pick up.

My friend Riley eats the sweet smelling logs when he finds them. And he's really good at finding them. He'll dig and dig and dig through the white stuff, no matter how hard it is, to get to a sweet smelling log his nose has picked out.

Me, I don't like them so much. I tried one once, out behind the shed so my mom and dad couldn't see. Riley kept telling me I should try one, that all the cool four leggers eat them, that they won't hurt you no matter what the two leggers say. But my mom and dad have taught me to ignore peer pressure and make decisions for myself. So I say "No" to sweet smelling logs, no matter how cool you look with one in your mouth, no matter how good they may taste. There's dangerous stuff in there and I don't want it in my body!

Sorry, went off on a tangent there. Did I mention it's feeling a little like spring?

Tags: Golden Doodle

I have two wubbas: one for inside and one for outside.

A wubba is a neat toy with a round ball of a head and then a bunch of chewy arms that hang down from it. Wubba's fly well but they also have lots of things to grab onto with your teeth for a good game of tugging.

My dad and I play with the wubba a lot. Almost every day. Sometimes I'll just get it and drop it on his leg if he's just sitting there, doing nothing better than staring at the strange box with coloured lights for too long. He's usually pretty good about joining the game but not always. If my dad isn't around, I will let my mom play with my wubba too but she's not as rough as my dad and I like it when we bash each other around a bit.

I like to keep my dad confused when we play wubba. The standard play is for me to run to get it, then for him to try to take it away from me. We pull and tug and wrestle and battle for it. Finally, I let him take it because it's good exercise for him to throw it down the hall way. But when he does that, he thinks the game is over and I have to go to get the wubba and bring it back so that the game can start again.

Once I've picked it up, well then he decides that maybe, after all, he wants it back and so he chases me around the house. Sometimes it gets really silly because I just keep running around the coffee table in the living room and he keeps chasing me. Round and round and round in a very small circle. And he's not always very bright. I don't know how many times, just when he thinks he's about to catch me, I dart between his legs and escape. You'd think he'd have learned by now to keep his knees together but...

I try to get him to play for about 20 minutes or more every evening. He needs the exercise, to be honest, from the running and pulling and wrestling. Playing wubba with him is my way of helping him lose weight.

Once all the fluffy white stuff is gone and the big ball of light in the sky is warmer, I'll get him to play wubba with me out in the backyard again. Running around the house is fun but, when we're out in the big backyard, then I can get up a real head of steam and dad gets a lot more exercise!

Tags: Golden Doodle

Strange night last night. My mom and dad had a friend over for dinner and that friend brought a friend for me, a four-legger named Riley. Except, unlike my best friend Riley, who's male and big like me, this Riley is a little tiny lady and much older than I am.

I've met Riley once before — I recognised her scent as soon as she came through the gate into my backyard — almost a year ago just after we moved here from the old place. My mom said she's part of the Jack Russell race, a terrier with almost no fur. She's got a mostly white body with a black and brown head and almost no tail at all. You couldn't ask for two less similar four-leggers than me and her.

Mostly we just ignored each other. She sniffed her way around our back yard first, then came into the house. My mom, dad and their friend agreed that maybe Riley should not be invited to see the basement of the house, which I thought was a pretty smart precaution, but she tore around the main floor like we'd hidden beef nuggets all over the place. For such small legs, she can really motor.

Riley was, in fact, very nice but, because there's such a big difference in our ages, we didn't have much to talk about. I had had a busy day anyway so I was pretty pooped. I spent most of the time with my mom and dad and she spent most of the time sniffing around the house or climbing up on all the two-leggers.

Usually, I get jealous when another four-legger gets too close to my two-leggers but she was alright. I didn't mind so much.

My mom and dad seemed to very much enjoy their friend's visit. They sure did laugh a lot and talk and laugh some more. They stayed up deep into the long dark time, almost until the great ball of light came back into the sky this morning.

I was sure tired by the end of it. Even though it was fun to have another Riley come to visit, I was pretty happy when she took her two-legger home again early this morning. My mom, dad and I all slept until long after the ball of light came back into the sky and none of us had much energy for anything all day today.

Guests are fun but they sure can tire you out!

Tags: Golden Doodle

My mom had to go to work this evening and, because she hasn't been feeling so well of late, she had taken a nap this afternoon rather than taking me for a long walk. That's okay by me: she needed to sleep and I'm happy to sleep right beside her.

So when my dad got home, I still hadn't had a long walk. Again, no problem. Dad and I drove my mom to her work, then went to one of the big areas of trees for some exercise. A nice thought. Lots of other four leggers to play with. Some nice two leggers too. The air was warm, the fluffy white stuff starting to turn to liquid. All seemed okay.

But then, as we walked through the field, I noticed that the huge ball of light had disappeared from the sky and the long darkness was setting in. And my dad was heading for a path that led into the depths of all the trees. Well, I didn't like that. Not one bit.

I have to take care of my dad when we're out for a walk and it's hard enough to do that when it's bright and light. When the long darkness is settling in and there's lots of trees around, that's too much for even me to handle. There could be nasty four leggers out there, with long teeth and sharp claws. There might be evil two leggers lurking. Or slithering things. Or mean flying things. I'm good but I'm only one girl. I can't be in front and behind and beside all at once.

When the long darkness sets it, it's even harder to keep track of things.

So I tried to talk my dad into not going in. I spoke to him but he wouldn't listen. I hung back, stood my ground, but he kept going. There wasn't much I could do (short of tackling him and dragging him back myself, which I did seriously consider) but go with him. We went all the way to the first bend in the path before I finally convinced him to turn back.

I surprise myself sometimes. I always thought I was fearless. But when I have my second favourite two-legger to protect, I'm not into taking chances. I'm not scared for me but I am scared for him.

Tags: Golden Doodle

My mom let me out this morning for my morning business. I didn't want to go out. There was a wall of fluffy white stuff higher than my head at the bottom of the steps. A wall. Solid. No holes. No footholds. Taller than me. By a lot.

I've included a photo because I wanted to show you just how much there was. The photo was taken by my mom this afternoon while my dad and I played out in the yard. Dad had shovelled a flat spot at the bottom of the steps just so that we could at least get a running start. Then off we went, with my friend Riley, blazing trails through the fluffy white stuff.

I realise now that the picture doesn't do the situation justice. It looks like there's only a foot or so in the photo. Believe me, there's between four and six feet of snow all over the yard. Our fence, which is five-feet tall, is totally submerged in places. In the photo, I'm standing on about three feet of snow that has been so firmly packed down it holds my weight. My dad sank past his waist in one place and up to his arm pits in another. The photo shows him trying to make a snow angel but every time he moved his arms, he sank deeper. I had to help pull him out.

I love the fluffy white stuff. I really do. But enough is enough. Let's get on with spring already. Uh oh, I just looked out the window. More fluffy white stuff in the air. Will it never stop?

Tags: Golden Doodle

I found him! Walking in through the side door of our house! My Dad. He's home. Hooray!

I was so happy to see him I immediately took him to one of the large areas of trees for a walk, just to make sure he is okay. He seems okay. A little tired. A little sad, maybe, but as happy to see me and Mom as we are to see him.

With all the fluffy white stuff coming down outside, we're spending most of the day inside to stay warm and dry. I'd love to go play in it but Dad seems too tired and Mom has already gone with me once into the craziness that's going on outside our house. Tonight, of course, I'll take them for another walk so that will be nice.

It's great to have the whole family home and safe again.

Tags: Golden Doodle

Ok, Daddy, you can come out now. Come out now. COME ON. Obviously you found a very good hiding place and obviously we've discovered my olfactory limits. Fine. You win. Just come out so I can lick your face and paw you and wag my tail fast and furious. Then we can play ANOTHER game. Wubba, this time, I think. No surprise there, I know. It's genetic, or adoptivetic, or something. Blame yourself. You're the one who made me want to do the same thing over and over and over and over. So c'mon out already, would ya? Wubba's waiting....

Tags: Golden Doodle

It's a funny world. As I grow a little bit older and a little bit more mature, I've come to a realisation: If I've got nothing else to do, I might as well sleep.

It's working out well for me.

It has simplified things too. Now, life is made up of three major areas of focus: sleeping, eating, playing. And, perhaps not surprisingly, both eating and playing lead inevitably back to sleeping.

I sleep through the long darkness, then jump up on the bed with my Mom, while Dad gets ready to go away for the day, and sleep some more. Then a walk, maybe even a run and play with other four-leggers, and home to eat. My Mom goes off somewhere too and I sleep. Nothing better to do so why not? Then Mom comes home, or Dad comes home, or they both come home, and we play some more. Sometimes with the wubba inside our home. Sometimes with the other wubba in the backyard. And sometimes again in one of the big areas of trees where we meet other two- and four-leggers.

Home again to eat. Then more sleeping, often with or beside my Mom or Dad, then another walk after the light goes away. After that one, it's home again for a good sleep through the long darkness and we start again.

As I said, it's not a bad life at all. I just wish the food was a little more spectacular.

Tags: Golden Doodle

Recently, my Mom has gotten back into the idea of training big time. She's always telling me to "sit", "stay" or lie "down" and then giving me treats when I do it. I think she's trying to establish that she's in charge.

It used to be my Dad who thought he was in charge, especially after the time when my Mom went away for a while and it was just him and me. He'd be all "Marlee sit" and "Marlee stay" and "Marlee come" and he felt all proud inside because I would do it. Then my Mom came home and things kind of changed.

It makes me laugh, actually. I love them both dearly and so, when it comes right down to it, if it's really important I will do what they ask me to do. But are they in charge? Do they really believe they're training me? Laughable, really.

Sure, I'll sit when she tells me to. If a treat follows closely upon the sitting. Too many sits with no treats and I'm giving it up. And "come", well, that's all fine and dandy when there's a bon bon waiting for me when I come trotting back but skip the prize too often and you're not getting me to come back unless it's my decision.

Come to think about it, it really is a form of training. I train them to say certain words and give me treats by doing what I think they want me to do. It's pretty simple. If I want a treat, I just do something I know they don't want me to do. Before you know it, they're calling out a command and I've got my treat, thank you very much.

Sometimes, in fact, it's even easier than that. My dad makes his lunch every morning before going away for the day. I have him so well trained that I just have to trot into the kitchen and sit down, looking at him, and pretty soon chunks of cheese and bits of meat are coming at me fast and furious. Just for sitting there, with my tongue out!

Easy peasy. Let them think they're the boss and they'll give you anything you want.

Tags: Golden Doodle

I think I told you that my dad has been sick lately. Well, my mom has too. And now, you guessed it, I'm feeling pretty knackered myself. It's all I can do to go for a walk around the neighbourhood these days. Then I have to come home and have a sleep. My dad, who seems to be feeling somewhat better, gets out the indoor wubba to play with me and, after just a few tugs, I find myself drifting off again.

It's a strange feeling. I thought maybe it was because I am getting old — I'm over two now, you know — but then it hit me that my loving two-leggers probably passed their nasty little germs to me. Oh well. I'm getting a lot of good sleep.

And today my mom piled me in to the wheeled rolling room and we went to get dad at that place he goes every day of the week. Then we rolled on further and ended up at a place that was filled with nice smells and interesting treats. But it also had the hissing, claws-out four-leggers running around. For some reason, my mom felt it important that I meet a particular one of these little four-leggers, a little black and brown male youngen that could have fit in one of my ears. I gave him a bit of a sniff but then the little rotter hissed at me.

I don't like that, I tell you. I backed away and left the critter alone. I hope I never see him again!

Tags: Golden Doodle

We've got lots of fluffy white stuff now. It's deep deep deep in our yard. My dad and I just tried to play sticks in the back and, after only five or six throw-and-chases, we were both plenty tired.

It's good to see him back out and about but now I think my mom might be sick too. She's tired and droopy and she won't let me take her for long walks anymore. I hope I don't catch whatever they've got!

I like the fluffy white stuff, especially now that it's not quite so cold anymore. Everywhere you look there are big huge piles of the fluffy white, along the streets, between the road and the walking strip, on everyone's lawns. It makes it kind of fun and challenging for me to make the sweet smelling logs and the warm yellow liquid. Okay, maybe it's not so tough to make it but figuring out how to leave it behind without getting it all over me is a real challenge.

How do you do it when the fluffy white stuff comes up to your belly? One way I've found is to aim for a hole that's already there in the fluffy white stuff. That seems to help. My mom doesn't like it much, though, when I do that; she has a hard time getting at the sweet smelling logs with her little brown bag when they're deep in a hole!

I don't know how much longer the fluffy white stuff will be around but I hope it lasts forever!

Tags: Golden Doodle

My dad's been sick lately. I know it. I can smell it on him. We four-leggers have exceptional senses of smell so we can smell when someone isn't feeling well, often before they really register it themselves.

So he's been sick. He's coughing and hacking and sniffling and sneezing and not sleeping well. It's not a pretty sight. Not that he's ever really a pretty sight — I'll never understand what these two-leggers see in each other — but worse than usual of late.

So I've been giving him a break. I let him get away with not coming along on walks and not playing Wubba with me. I think we have to help our people when they're sick, not get on their cases. So when he's lying on the couch, I jump up beside him and give him a very long inspection, just to make sure there haven't been any new negative developments. He's usually got his eyes closed so I just look.

Then, if he seems cold lying there — again, what is it with two-leggers and being cold; I'm always warm! — I snuggle down beside or on top of him to share some of my heat. I figure it's the least I can do, right?

I hope he feels better soon, though. The wubba's getting lonely!

Tags: Golden Doodle

It's official. I'm a fluff ball. My mom's been at me for seven full darknesses now since she came homeand now I look like a big fuzzy ball.

She's got this bag of brushes and combs that she keeps around the house and, every time I get even the slightest bit drowsy, out they come. Brush brush brush. Comb comb comb. Sometimes it feels nice and sometimes not so much!

She talks to me the whole time she's going at me and tries to make it sound like my giving in is a good thing. We even fight sometimes. I grrr and bark and she tells me to shush and comes at me again. When I try to leave, she grabs my front paws and pulls me back to her. How can I resist her? She's still bigger than me!

I have to admit, now that she's brushed and combed me into submission, I am finding I don't have as many nasty skin pulls any more when I move. I think my fur gets tangled up in itself when I don't get the brushing often enough and that leads to pulls and tugs. They can really hurt. More even than the brush and the comb.

So maybe it's a good thing. But, my goodness, you should see me! I'm puffed up like a blow fish. My fur sticks out in every direction. I take up twice as much room.

I won't even let my dad take a picture of me, I feel so silly. Oh well. You'll have to take my word for it. Brushing and combing may be a good thing (and I admit that only grudgingly) but I really don't want to look like Farrah in her 1970s heyday!

Tags: Golden Doodle

Dad and I went out for a walk at the big place with trees. It has nice long, wide paths, covered with the fluffy white stuff and surrounded by trees so it's a great place to go. And, surprise surprise, my best friend Riley met us there with his dad James. Riley and I both had our boots on so we could feel silly (and warm) together.

As soon as Riley and I started running around the place where we leave the rolling rooms, though, a strange thing happened. Riley's dad put long pieces of wood on his feet. And he took long sticks in his hands. Two days in a row I have to deal with this strange, two-legger phenomena! Needless to say, I told James I didn't like it in no uncertain terms. He just smiled, talked to me in two-legger language, and kept putting the wood on his feet.

When we finally set out on the trail, James took off like the fastest two-legger I've ever seen. He was amazing. Even though my dad can walk pretty quick when he wants to, James left us behind in the fluffy white stuff. Riley ran after him and so did I, even if I was still a little concerned about the sticks and the wood on his feet. He was fast for a two-legger but, of course, neither of us four-leggers had any problems keeping up with him!

Still, he left my dad far behind. So, after a couple of minutes, I gave up chasing him and went back to my dad. After all, it's him I'm taking care of, not James. Then Riley told James to turn around and come back to us and so they did. Then off they went again, into the distance, then back once more. My dad was walking for all he was worth (he even ran a couple of times) but those sticks made James too fast for him.

Dad didn't seem to mind, though. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The fluffy white stuff sparkled in the sun and there were even winged feathery darts flying through the air and singing in the trees. James and Riley were having a really nice time too. Riley would run off, then run back to me and we'd wrestle for a minute, run around together a bit, then off he and James would go again.

By the time we got back to the wheeled rolling rooms, we were all pretty pooped. Happy but pooped. So maybe these two-leggers on sticks aren't such a bad thing after all.

Tags: Golden Doodle