I love this kid....

We had a storm this morning with thunder and lightening and all the good storm stuff. I am a light sleeper so was awake and Molly is a big ole sissy so she was wrapped around my head. Dobie on the other hand, is bugged by the noise and does not like having his sleep bothered. Low and behold I hear a noise from the side of the bed. Kati has run into the remote, i just throw it on the floor when going to sleep and worry about it in the morning.

Kati is a loner for the most part so at bed time she moves between two dog beds in the bedroom. Not sure why one is better than the other but she does make a move in the night (probably to pee on my floor) in between the move but........ so the thunder and lightening scared her and I put her up on the bed beside me and rubbed her a bit. Took her a bit to relax but she eventually did. She has only been on the bed a couple of other times and Molly ran her off pretty darn quick but not last night. Maybe Molly being scared understood she was as well and decided she could stay with us. She stayed up there about an hour and a half and the storm had passed.

All at once she fell or jumped poorly but was gone. Not really sure if she woke up and realized where she was and made a quick exit or woke up and fell off. She was pretty close to the edge but it was really nice to be there for her and her knowing it was ok to come hang out with us on the bed.

And for the fun part last week........she discovered ice chips and is hooked. Or maybe it is the vodka the ice chips come out of. Either way, she thinks they are very cool and will wait beside my cup at the pool waiting for her treat. Once she got it figured out after the first couple of tries, she was hooked. She has become quite the little pest when she hears the ice drop from the frig.

Woohoo..........

So as i mentioned, mornings are Kati's good time.......she rolls on the carpet, scratches on the carpet, claws herself around the carpet sometimes from one side of the bedroom to the other. I worked weird and late last night so was not getting up when she was. She actually got up twice before i even acknowledged that it was time for us all. So she was on the floor waiting patiently for her tummy rubs and basically for her time to be the center of the universe. And let me tell you once i acknowledge her, Dobie is all in middle the middle of it letting me know he is actually the center of the universe and don't forget it!!

Today she was even more needy it seemed. She has figured out the paw thing with pawing my leg if i stop or rub on Dobie too much. Today i let her wiggle between my legs and then broke the cardinal rule...........I picked her up!! But today, she did not resist like usual but let me leave her on her back and cradle, yes i said cradle her in my arms and lap on her back. I can assure you, she has never allowed any touching of any kind where she was not in control and able to leave when she was ready. It was too cool!! It only lasted about 30 seconds but for her to "submit" and enjoy laying in my lap and having her belly rubbed was huge for us both..........stay tuned to see if we can manage it all two days in a row!!

Kati came up missing the other day, not so much missing but not around. She does not just sit and relax much but a couple times now, i have found her sitting by the pool fence just looking at things on the other side. Not sure what she is looking at, but it is very nice to see her just sit and enjoy without worrying about what is going on and always being on the move.

Just taking care of herself......

I got home a few weeks ago and played with the kids as usual and realized Kati was missing her collar. Being a puppy mill dog, she is not allowed to be without a collar due to their desire to run away if given the opportunity. So after searching a bit i found the collar by her bed and it has obviously been chewed off. She is constantly trying to chew on the tags but never gets far....until that time. I figured she must have been stuck on something but the collar was free and i could not figure out what.

Well this morning at about 5:30 i hear her usual collar chewing noise and tell her to stop, and she usually does. So after about three or so times of telling her to stop and it not happening i get up. The poor little thing has her dew claw stuck in the tag loop on the collar and she is just chewing away trying to free herself. She does a morning routine of scratching her neck and the collar moves all about, i guess that is how she got caught last time and had to chew her way out. As you can imagine she can't walk in that condition and must free herself. She did not whimper, cry out or anything when she got stuck. I can only think that it had to hurt just a bit but all looks fine. I find it interesting that she was smart enough not to just yank her paw free...that having torn the dew claw for sure. But had the fore site to chew off the collar if that is what actually happened. And silly me, i did not think to save or take a picture of that collar. Not sure how to get around that. She does not like having the toenails touched and those are getting longer all the time.

Where did the time go......

Gosh, I cant believe we have been away almost two months. What is that all about!! Well, in those two months I have been out of town two of those weeks. Went to the beach in Mexico and to the British Open in, well England of course. I have had a great time both places and as you can imagine the kids did just fine without me here at the house. The regular sitter could not stay with them cuz i changed the dates and she was busy. So they got the two visits a day with a sleep over every third night. This sitter costs me much more money, but Kati sure does like her better than the other for some reason. I am hoping that with time Kati will do better with Ashley cuz she spends the night with them and they get more human interaction when she is here.

They did great, only saw maybe one potty spot in the house and not much else was out of place. Water bowls were not as clean as i like but i guess that can all be worked out. I would really like to get a doggie cam sometime and take a picture of the weeks activity........i have a feeling there is much sleeping going on. The neighbors come by and visit a few times and that is really nice. I know the house is being looked at, and the kids are getting used to another human. However, Neil said he only saw Kati on the first visit and never again. He was not sure where she was hiding......but she was not in her usual spot in the closet. I am thinking she might have been in Dobie's crate. He sure is a real trooper about his crate!! Both the girl get in there and he just calmly waits for them to get out most of the time. He does get a little unfriendly when i am leaving and one of them gets too close, that his his spot you know. I need to find another nice looking crate so there are at least two and then see who ends up in the 2nd one.

Kati is doing great and having a wonder first summer in Arizona. She has been swimming a couple of times and seems to like it. I have not pushed that too much, as i don't want her to be scared. She does come sit by the pool's edge when I am in there and just kind of watches and lets me give her some lovin'. She sits up when she is ready to get in and lets me get her wet to about her belly and then decides she is done. But i will say, she has figured out the water feels nice. She allows me to pick her up almost anytime i approach her now. She stops, curls into a almost a turtle like pose with her head pulled in tight and waits for me to pick her up and give her the hug...... Took her just about seven months to not run from me when i approached and to accept the hug. She finally figured if the other two thought it was ok, maybe she could too!! Pictures and more later........

Hot summer in the city......

So summer has arrived and it is hot, well only 96 now and it is supposed to be 102 today so not so bad really. So with the heat comes me spending a few hours on the pool each weekend. Kati is very interested in the edge and what all goes on in there. So today we got her feet wet and was not happy at the time but seemed to come back for more. My other dogs, when taken into the pool instinctively start to dog paddle before they ever hit the water, she did not do that so will have to be careful as we get more of her wet. I do have a doggie life jacket so might see how she likes that. I have not tried to dress her up in anything, so will be an interesting venture for us. I held her and just got her back feet wet. She wanted out immediately so I set her out and she was very interested in her feet and all that wetness. She is so funny to watch as she discovers something new.

The garage door to the house really seems to be a big deal for her. She has decided is kind of fun i guess to go on the house from the garage entrance and then run and meet me back outside when i come from another direction. I was reluctant to play that game as there are cars and many spot is could not get to if she decided to get "lost" in the garage, but so far she is fine with the circle.

This week has been a big week for us. In the past if i wanted to pick her up for any reason, i pretty much had to corner her in a room or corner. Well this week, she has decided to stop once i start to approach her rather than run away. She does cower in her tracks, stops and waits for me to pick her up. She still will not make eye contact when i ma holding her but it is so cool she is not running away from me anymore..........what is next, maybe sleeping on the bed!! That is something we will have to clear with Molly. And i do have to say, Miss Molly has been way cute the last few weeks. She has been very happy, very social and darn right lovable. Hot weather is her time of the year i think......and maybe she is deciding Kati might just be ok.

Dobie got his first gecko of the summer this past week. He got a big one and was very proud of his kill.......let him outside this time and did not bring him in to show me. I really do appreciate that.

Company for the weekend....

Well had a guy visit last weekend and Kati was not too keen on that. They never did kiss and make up, when i look back on things i probably should have let him hold her for a bit to see he was not all bad. But did find out something new.........she does not like people with ball caps on!! I put one on a couple of weeks ago on my way to the pool and she was a little bit barky when i look back on things. It came off as soon as i got in so did not think much of it again.........until Glen put his cap on and she pretty much went off. So no ball caps for Miss Kati for a while it seems.

She and Glen never did hit it off but after he was gone, she kept looking for him down his hallway. We did have some friends over one night and she was pretty interested and was out and about with us. She really does well with new women friends that visit her.........men are hit and miss that is for sure.

She is playing more and really likes going to the swimming pool already. Dobie plays with her and Molly is thinking about it. I catch her following Molly every once in a while but she is just not ready to play with Kati. She shares all her stuff and beds with her, but not her time it would seem. I am sure Molly will surprise us all one day. Not like she does much playing at all but i am sure she will come around.

What the hell........

Hell would be the optimum word today. So unless you have lived in AZ....you wont be able to relate. Yesterday was our first 100 degree day of the year, 103 or something. Today rolls around and we have our first 110, and this is something new for AZ......break 100 and then hit 110 the next day!! Kati is still trying to figure out why she now lives in and oven!!

Molly hated her first summer here, i had to pick her up and physically carry her outside. This evening, she was out there sitting on the sidewalk while i was in the pool with a beer..........Dobie was chasing God knows what along the walls.........and poor Kati, could not figure out what the hell had happened to her new, cool living place. She kept trying to stay outside with us, but was doggie smart enough to know that it was cooler inside. We don't usually get hot, like instantly, but today we did and it was a bit uncomfortable.........even for us locals!!

We are all back in the house now, it is only 104 at 6:51 PM.........and there will be more days like this. It is only the beginning!! I know my little girl will make it, just might take a summer or two. I also know, she will learn how to stick just her head out the doggie door to look around, with her behind nice and cool hanging out in the inside with the AC!! Dobie will teach her that trick in no time at all!! And it is just as funny to watch as it sounds reading about it!! (i gotta remember the camera better!)

This is Kati, all cute and cool..........inside!!