Finally!

Hey everybody.

So it finally happened. No, I didn't get more food, still workin' on that one. But I finally have my own e-mail address. I know, who really cares I'm a dog, but I been wantin' one for a long time now. Mom says I have my Rachel to thank for this. Apparently she worked for a very very long time gettin' it for me. Somethin' about mom's phone randomly didn't have a signal to receive the text message with the varification code. Whatever. Point is, it finally got set up. And for that, my Rachel, thank you from the bottom of this lab's heart. Ok enough with the mush. Here's a more Reba-like response. Good grief it's about time mom and my Rachel! Shoot I only been askin' for my own e-mail for months now! Now at last I can reply to whoever comments to my blog and not have to use mom's e-mail address. My readers will know it's me when I write. For any of you out there who wanna write me, my address is: rebathedog@gmail.com. Simple, straightforward, to the point.

Next item of news. Mom and my April ordered Winston and I some new bowls. They came yesterday and they were so excited. I was like dude it's just a bowl! Put somethin' in it then we'll have reason to celebrate. There's somethin' different about these bowls though. They're shiny metal like our old ones, but they have a raised hump in the center. Looks sort of like a shiny tennis ball stuck in the middle of the bowl. I heard mom call them, slow feed bowls. Shoot I already have a slow down bowl. The thing's all divided up in to sections and is the most annoying thing to eat out of. But mom feeds me in them because I eat too fast and sometimes choke on my food. Well ma, if you'd leave food down all the time for me I wouldn't be so starvin' all the time! I guess these new bowls are better cuz they're metal. Well, dinner time came around, and I was my usual ferocious self. When mom finally gave me the signal, shoot I laied in to that new bowl. I sent food flyin' everywhere! Don't think the humans were all that happy about that. I guess I need time to get used to this bowl. It's better than the one I have with sections. Winston had to one up me by daintily eating his food in a circle around the shiny ball in the center. Goody goody! Well, looks like mom's gettin' ready to go somewhere today, I guess I better go. Until next time everybody, be good, and e-mail if ya think about it.

Reba the dog.

 

O yeh! (indignent labby snort)

One more thing that I can't believe I forgot to mention. I can't believe I forgot cuz this made me so mad! So Matilda and my Rachel went out with the trainer one more time. mom and I didn't go this time. Well mom goes in to the bedroom, brings out my cookies! Hope you heard that, MY COOKIES! And hands some to my Rachel to give to Matilda. So now, not only does that lab get food rewards for crossin' the street, but she gets special cookies for, well I don't even know what! My cookies! Ma! And she didn't even give me one! The injustice. Hope you happy Matilda. Go get your own cookies! Ok I'm off the soap box now. And I'm again happy cuz mom fed me dinner. Now I really have to go out.

Reba the dog.

 

Matilda's loosin' it

Hey everybody.

So today, mom got me all groomed and prettied up. I had no clue why until we had a visitor this afternoon. In walks this man, and Matilda was all excited like she had seen him before. Wel come to find out, he was a trainer from her school. Well of course I started imediatly wonderin' what on earth he was doin' here. I've had a trainer from my school come out when mom and I were havin' some problems. Awe! Matilda! You better start behavin'. I've seen her in harness y'all and she like afraid to walk. What on earth! Winston says I shouldn't laugh. But afraid to go forward? Shoot! So, we harnessed up and went out. Mom brought me because sometimes if Matilda won't go around something, I have to go to show the blessed thing that it's ok to go around a trash can. Cuz you know, those trash cans can be pretty scary. Shoot I almost got eaten by one one time. Yes, I'm bein' the queen of sarkasm here. Well, mom and I stayed back so the trainer could see exactly what Matilda was doin'. If you ask me, she was bein' a total baby! My Rachel, shoot you're doin' fine with her I think. But the trainer must have given some good advice, because she started gettin' better along the walk. She gets a lot of food rewards though. That ain't fair! Mom was givin' me food rewards last summer when I was havin' dog distraction issues, but I got better at it, and now she just gives me praise again. I wasn't trained with food rewards but boy it is not fair when I see Matilda get a treat. And for what? For crossin' a street? Shoot I do that all the time and just get a good girl! What's Matilda got to be afraid of! I mean it! my Rachel caries around a special pouch just loaded with food that she gives that dog! Shoot! Anyway, it was so hot outside and after a super long walk, we came back to crash. The man said a few more things to the humans, I drank almost a whole bowl of water and sulked because Matilda got food and I didn't. Shoot if I act all afraid and stuff will I get food then? Not much else goin' on around here. Mom cleaned off her balcony finally and got the fountain all cleaned out. So now we been sittin' out there a lot. I love layin' on the balcony watchin' everyone go by. Matilda's a dork and wants to bark at people so she has to be put inside. I just laugh. Dog can't even control herself. Shoot just enjoy the scenery! Winston keeps sayin' be nice, but I'm sorry, I just can't resist. Well, I'll be back later all, hope all my readers are behavin'. I'm off to bug mom cuz I gotta go out.

Reba the dog.

 

Humans!

Ok y'all, I've mentioned before on here how dumb humans can be. This time, they did somethin' that even now, days later, I haven't a clue why. So a few days ago, a big box arrived for the humans. Well this is always a joyous occasion for me cuz usually, there be somethin' in those boxes for me too, and it's usually edible. So I'm dancin' around, lookin' all excited, when they finally get the box open and display the contents. Y'all, it was a pizza! I ain't lyin'! They got a package, and it was a pizza! I saw them take it out, warm it up and eat it. You gotta be kiddin' me! Somethin' about flyingpizza.com. Shoot! Is there nothin' humans don't do? How can they eat it! Who knows where it came from. I've seen them bring in pizza before, but it's a normal pizza box. It ain't a gigantic box all packaged and stuff like somethin' new at a store. Anyway, they didn't get sick from it so it must have been good. All I know is, I sure didn't get any of it.

Next I'd like to tell you all about Coco. I met her earlier this week at a restaurant. My mom spoke to a bunch of people there as well as had dinner. I think I heard her say it was a lions club. I remember seein' people from a lions club come through our kennels before back at leader. I was instructed to lie down and stay under the table. I had my high buckle collar on too because there was another dog in the room. I found out she was also a leaderdog. Her name was Coco and she was a chocolate lab. Bigger than me. She was a good dog, till she was aloud to come say hi to me. Shoot she was all over me! I'm like, "Girl! You are in harness! And so am I! Act like it!" Shoot I was ashamed of her. She was old enough to know better too. She was nice though even if she was way too friendly and all up in my face. It's always cool to meet a fellow working dog. We swopped work stories while the humans ate and talked. She had some funny ones I must admit.

On to the next item of business. My April gave Winston and me carots the other night stuffed in to one of our toys. Well, she set up a barrior for us to stay in the kitchen. I guess not to make a mess on the carpet. Well, barriors don't stop me, I hopped over that thing two or three times when April called me. Winston on the other hand? No. Captain clueless just stood there, and pased around back and forth, freekin' out cuz my April was callin' him and he couldn't obey. Meanwhile I'm laughin' my butt off at him cuz he's sayin' over and over, "Oish, I can't obey! My mom! Oish! There's something in my way I can't." Yeh right Winston. You just too dumb to get over the dumb foot high barrior. Mom and my April said I'd be a good mom cuz I didn't even hesitate to go over the barrior. Like in a welping box. Shoot I'm just a lab and I'll jump, climb, crawl, or run over anything to get food.

Other than that, things have been pretty normal round here. I been watchin' the other two dogs play, joinin' in occasionally, but mostly content to just watch them. Looks like we got ourselves a pretty good routine goin' on here. Today though, o my word! My mom and my Rachel had to go to the store, and they called their friend Jamie to take them. Well, I get out there, and there's this car with no top on it. "Weird!" I thought. Then, "Are you kiddin' me!" as we climbed in this car. Humans are so weird. They drove around in this car with no top. It was hot too. Hold on a second, I gotta put my brother Winston in his place. Ok I'm back. Anyway, the car with no top. I rode on the floor to the store, and on the seat on the way back. Both were equally hot. I don't get the humans excitement with that kind of car. Well all, I better get out of here. O! And by the way, if I hear one more human ask if me and Matilda are related, I'm gunna have a fit. Shoot I am not related to that lab I mean it. What cuz we black we automatically twin sisters and best friends? Uh, no. I mean it. I heard it again just today. Sorry Matilda, I tollerate you, you ok sometimes, I'll even play with you sometimes, but when people say I'm related to you? No. I can't handle that. Signin' out for now y'all. Hope to have more excitement soon. Y'all be good.

Reba the dog.

 

Guess Summer's here

Hey everyone. So I was supposed to post this two days ago, but on the day it all happened, Saturday, I was too tired to post anythin'. Then yesterday I spent almost the entire day gettin' stuff done to me. Got groomed, got my nails done, got my teeth brushed, got my ears cleaned out, shoot you'd think I opted to go to a doggy spa which I certainly didn't. Anyway, I couldn't get away yesterday to post this. So here it be now.

Summer time must finally be here and if it's anythin' like last summer, I'm gunna be one worn out lab. My mom thinks it's cool to go to festivals. Don't ask why, I think it's a glorified feedin' fest for humans. For us dogs, it's nothin' but noise, and crouds, and hot weather. But it can be excitin' sometimes too. Like when I get to tell off little dogs who bark at me while we walk. On Saturday we went to a festival called I think a strawberry festival. Mom! Give me one of them strawberries! As soon as we got there I knew. Shoot. Here we go again! Mom went in to this tent with lots of jewlery and stuff on tables. I layed down. Winston and Matilda may have been curious, but me? No. I been through all this before. There ain't no food involved. So we walked around, fought crouds, and yes, the humans got food and lots of it. I'd say the hardest thing for me was keepin' my mom from fallin' on her butt. She kept slippin' in the mud. Clutzy human. We actually weren't there very long, but long enough for the humans to get tired, and me too. Shoot then I was mad though cuz mom and I got home first, and when Winston and Matilda came in, I found out they got to go to petco! Are you kiddin' me! Shoot I wanted to go I mean it! How'd I get stuck in the borin' car! Mom enjoyed herself, and I did too till I realized the other two went to petco! That ain't fair! That was bout the only thing that happened lately. Mom and my Rachel went to wallgreens the other day, and that ment Matilda and I went too. Dude it was so hot out there, shoot I thought mom wasn't gunna make it. I was really hot and miserable myself durin' the walk. Hope it was worth it. Well, I better go now. I'm sure I'll be back later with more. Y'all behave.

Reba the dog.

 

Back to my normal self

Ok y'all. I got stuff to tell everyone that is so unbelievable it bares repeatin'.

First off, I'm apparently sharing my domain with two extra dogs and humans for I don't know how long. Well, My April and Winston of course are one of them. They stayed with us a bit last summer. But this time, I got Matilda too and my Rachel. So I'm completely worn out already keepin' up with the tornado called Matilda. I keep passin' her off to Winston. Here Winston, you on babysitting duty. He young he can take it. Shoot I know I ain't old but I can't keep up with her and I don't really even wanna try! I'm mad at my mom because yesterday, she had Matilda up in her lap in our chair! And she let Matilda up on her bed for a while too! Now, understand, mom's not given me any less attention, I ain't upset or feelin' neglected or anythin', It's just the principle of the thing. I don't want her up there! Shoot!

The last thing I wanna tell y'all happened this mornin'. We went to this coffee shop. We went there last week and the humans sat outside. This time, y'all they had me climb a ladder to the second floor to drink their coffee. I ain't kiddin'! They paid for their stuff, and mom has me take her to the stairs. I look at her like, ma! It's a ladder I ain't climbin' that! She made me do this one other time up in Michigan. We climbed up inside a lighthouse. Shoot I ain't no monkey! If you wanted that, go get a service monkey! They train those you know! So I finally start climbin' this thing. As if I have a choice. Mom wants to go up, and so, up we go. Well half way up, this thing kind of circles around. So half way up, I realize I'm lookin' down at the man servin' coffee. Well now I'm curious. Comeer Mr. Boreesta man! Here, let me drop a few black lab hairs in your coffee. O shoot. It's too far away. I can't even lick his face. As I looked around, I realized I had an audience. There was another lady buyin' her drink in the shop. So I put on my most pitiful look. Y'all see what she's makin' me do! The injustice of it all I mean it! Finally we get to the top and I flopped down next to the chair mom picked which insidentally looked like a human hand. Whatever! Humans are so weird! I went to sleep tryin' not to think about how I was gunna get back down those ladder stair things. Turns out it was easier for me to get down than I thought. But still! The things I have to put up with sometimes. I saw mom buy apples and carots today though. Cool! It's all worth it if mom gives me an apple. I'm gunna go now. I'm tired from my eventful mornin' and few days.

Reba the dog.

P.S. Score! Matilda just got yelled at by my mom for jumpin' up on her bed. Haha Matilda. You should know you gotta be invited up on my mom's bed. And she only does that on rare occasions.

happy sixth anniversary

Six years ago on this day, my life changed. Course up till then, my life had undergone a lot of changes. I'd been taken from my mom, and put in a lovin' home, then after a year I went to a place called leaderdogs for the blind. There I found out from other dogs in trainin' that we were supposed to be learnin' to help people. Cool I thought. I'll help people as long as they feed me. So the one I was supposed to help was my Becky. She worked with me every day. She played with me, groomed me, even fed me sometimes. Me and her were a team. So it was no surprise to me one afternoon after I had gotten a bath that I was loaded on a truck and taken out of the kennel and to a new building. There was my Becky! She came on the truck with a leash in her hand. Pick me! I cried jumpin' up and down tryin' to get her attention. She greeted me in the usual manner and I had lots of happy kisses and wags for her too. I hadn't seen her in a few days. Thought she forgot about me. She hooked the leash to me. I smelled someone else on the leash, but didn't think anythin' of it. We walked in to the building and almost immediately stopped at a door. My Becky nocked, and then opened the door. I looked in and saw a girl sittin' on a bed. She looked excited and nervous. My Becky let go of my leash and the girl called me. She knew my name! Cool! I ran to her and as I greeted her, I realized my Becky was gone. She had shut the door. O well. She'll be back. I can stay with this girl till my Becky returns. But my Becky never did return. At least, not like I thought she would. For the next few weeks, I tried and tried to get my Becky's attention. What had I done! Why wasn't she takin' me back! My Becky! I apparently had a new mom to take care of. I sized her up and decided to challenge her to see what she was made of. Ma, I'm happy to say you passed the test. You stuck by me all these years, and in return, I hope I been a great leaderdog for you. You've certainly kept me longer than any other in my life. But maybe they were all preparin' me for you. We had some rough times at first. Me not wantin' to trust you and wantin' my Becky back, you not knowin' what you were doing since I was your first dog. Yes, I knew that. I tested you so much back then. I still do on occasion, but I think we've formed a good solid team here. Shoot I wish you'd feed me more though my word! That'd probably be my only complaint though. I've been happy with you ma. I've felt secure, like I can trust you. You've taken care of me well and I've had a lot of health issues to deal with too. I do my best for ya ma. And after six years, I'd have to say I'd do it all again. Yes, I still miss my Becky sometimes, but mom's been with me the longest, and I hope we have many more years together. Happy anniversary ma.

Reba the dog.

P.S. If I hear that any of my readers spread that I'm goin' soft, I'll deny every word of it and it'll be my word against yours I mean it.