Happy Birfday, America!

Hiya! Welcome back to my blog...so nice to "see" you again ;-)

Guess what?! Today's America's birfday! Happy Birfday, America!!!

I got to have a GREAT training day today! I even got to wear my pretty red, white and blue scarf to celebrate the holiday... I liked dat!

Mom wanted to take me to the mall today, cause hers thought there would be lots of people there; and that would be a great challenge for me. Guess what!? Hers was right...and I had such a good time!

We went to the mall to have lunch at the food court. Boy was there some good smells in there! Mom and the kid got some pizza, (I wasn't allowed to have any, though ;-( But that was okay, cause I've been trained not to eat at the people table; and besides, I got lots of yummy treats afterwards! I liked dat!

While we was at the lunch table, Mommy tested my "leave it" command... hers dropped a piece of food right by my nose, and guess what? I wasn't supposed to touch it... that was okay, though, cause I had learned this at home, and I knew this task! I did real good, and some people that was sittin nearby couldn't believe I was bein so good! I knew that if I didn't touch the food on the food that Mommy would give me the yummy treats she saves for us just for training...and guess what?! I was right! I got my yummy treats for ignoring the people food on the floor ;-)

(Mommy tested my "leave it" command... and I did real good! I know I'm not allowed to eat food that drops on the floor!)

Mommy thought hers could trick me (that silly Mommy!) by having the kid walk over to me while eatin her pizza. Anytime the kid has food, it's always right at my face level; but I know not to take anything from hers...or any other kid; that would be just rude! Mommy had the kid try to tempt me, though; but guess what?! It didn't work! I knew that if I ignored the food in the kid's hands, that I would get the yummy treats again---and I was right! Boy was they good!

Right before we left, Mommy's paper plate fell on the floor. Her hands were full with the try and drink cups, so I picked it up for her, carried it to the trash can, then put it in, just like I was taught. I was so surprized when some passerbys saw what I did and clapped for me! I liked dat! ;-) I wagged my tail and "smiled" at them while we passed by...they smiled back and told me what a pretty and well-behaved doggie I was; thems was so nice!

We left the food court and Mommy had me carry my water bottle through the mall. Lots of people stopped to look... I thought they was makin fun of me, but Mommy told me that they was lookin cause I looked really cute...that made me feel better, and I wasn't scared to do my task in front of people no more.

We stopped in the middle of the mall, and Mommy took me through some more tasks like putting the bottle of water across the aisle of the mall, telling me to wait until the way was clear of people, then "sending" me to go retrieve it. I liked dat!

Then, Mommy "dropped" her keys, and I had to pick them up, carry them back to Mommy's bag on the back of the kid's stroller and drop the keys into Mommy's back to "put them away". Hers backed up farther and farther until hers had to "send" me nearly fifteen feet away to go "put her keys away" all by myself... I liked dat! I had so much fun that I didn't even realize that a whole crowd had gathered to watch me. This time I wasn't shy anymore, and I didn't pay no mind to the people watchin me; I just listened to Mommy real good--- and guess what?! I got a squeeky! Mommy had to take it back pretty quick, though...Did you know that squeekies echo really loud in malls!? They DO! Who knew!?

After the mall, we stopped at Petsmart to see if I could get any other doggies to practice workin around... there was NO other doggies there, though... so Mommy let the kid pick out a couple of new fishies for her tank, and we left. Hers got some pretty fishies! The store clerk let me say hello to them right before she put them into the travel bag ... they was so cute and swam right up to me to say hello...I liked dat!

After dat, it was time to come home. Boy, was I tired! I had such a nice day! Mommy said I did really, really good and didn't get distracted even once! I got lots of yummy treats and was very proud of myself ;-)

I LOVE bein a service dog!

Well, the 4th of July parade is on TV, and I don't want to miss the fireworks! Mommy took the kid to go see them in our hometown last night, but hers said the loud bangs might hurt my sensitive ear drums, so hers left me, Gracie and Dawson home... she said we all could watch 'em on TV tonight, though, cause they aren't loud enough to hurt our ear drums.... I can't wait! I hope you get to see them too!

Mommy, Dawson, Gracie, Kid and I want to wish you all a very happy and safe 4th of July!
I got my formal obedience class tomorrow, so I'll let you know how that goes! If the weather's nice, Mommy said I can go swimmin afterwards; Oh, you know how I love to swim! I'll tell you all about it later!

---Nadja
http://www.canineandabled.com/