Four-thirty in the morning...

...and this is the second time that I've been outside with Savannah. In the dark. With a flash-light. Under the moon (which looks Halloween-ish at the moment) and under the stars (zillions of them tonight and they're beautiful).

The first time Savannah barked was midnight and after I stood at the top of the stairs and said 'Savannah! Go to sleep!' she still kept barking. Two or three barks at a time, which I don't ignore because she usually does go to sleep when I call out to her after I've gone upstairs. As yet, she has not followed us up the stairs to the second floor, but that time is coming close because tonight she had her front paws on the second step of the back stairs going up from the kitchen.

But at midnight, with her barking which seemed alert and purposeful, I went downstairs and found her staring at the kitchen door. Raccoon on the porch? Stray cat outside? Armadillo digging around in the flowerbeds? Any number of night-time critters could have been out there. My husband and I both came down the stairs to see what was going on, and found nothing outside but moonlight.

And my, have puppy-times changed.... months ago when we first got Savannah and she barked during the night my husband was not happy about after-midnight barking. Tonight, however, after checking outside on the porch, he sat down on the floor with Savannah and told her nothing was outside that was going to hurt her or us, and maybe she wanted a dog biscuit? Or a beef treat? Savannah put her paw on his arm and looked at him with the saddest eyes I've ever seen, as if she were apologizing for waking us up. My husband sat there and hugged Savannah and she just stayed there and kept putting her paw on his arm, his hand, his chest, his leg... wherever she could reach while she was being hugged and soothed.

My husband went upstairs after we gave Savannah a tiny bit of beef treat, and then I thought she may have to pee after all the midnight excitement. On went the coat and the boots... I took the flash-light and out we went. Gorgeous sky filled with stars, and the moon peeking through the clouds was a sight to behold.  Savannah did have to pee, but I don't think that was the reason she had been barking. Back inside we came and up the stairs I went... the sky was beautiful but I could have done without it after another busy day of de-Christmasing the house.

At four o'clock this morning, more barking. One bark turned into three then turned into five. When the barking was at the 'one' stage, I lifted my head off the pillow and told Savannah to go to sleep. Her answer was three barks, then three more. Then five. Okay, okay, okay. Get out of bed... make sure you're awake before walking down the stairs to the first landing, make a left and go down the back stairs into the kitchen. And there was Savannah, staring at the back door. Again?

Nothing out there that I could see, but Savannah was clearly wanting to go out. On went the coat and the boots... the flash-light in one hand, her leash in the other. As soon as we got to the porch stairs, Savannah went into her high-alert mode. Before she would take a step down the stairs, her head went from side to side and I could see her sniffing the air. I scanned the yard with the flash-light and didn't see a thing, but I heard frogs down at the pond and raccoons off in the woods, and I hoped nothing else was out there more menacing than that. By this time, of course, I am wide awake.

I walked up and down the road a little bit, with Savannah still sniffing the air. There were four deer on the property across the road. I know this because I shined the flash-light right at them, poor things. And all four just froze in the light and I could count eight eyes staring back at me. More frog noises after that, and then dogs barking from the other side of the hill, which is probably what got Savannah to start barking in the first place.

After more than ten minutes outside, with Savannah picking up pebbles (which she spits out when I tell her 'Drop it!') I decided that she didn't need to be out there for pebble-hunting if she wasn't going to do anything more productive. Back inside we came, and here I am, really wide awake... and now it's five o'clock in the morning.

My husband just came downstairs and got himself a cup of coffee... he's wide awake also. As he was making the coffee, Savannah walked over to him and put her paw on his leg. He looked down at her and smiled... she looked up at him and did the same.

As I sit here typing in the breakfast room, I can hear Sweet Pea meowing by the door of the TV room. I guess we're all awake now and ready to start the day.

And where is Savannah? She's in her bed, sound asleep.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

Momma says Christmas is over but she's still Busy Busy Busy. All of the Santas and Angels and Stars are going Back into the Same Boxes she took them Out Of. Well what's the Sense of That. And all those little Trees are going Back into the Closet. The Big Tree in the Dining Room is still there and Momma keeps telling me that I'm a Good Girl because I haven't touched it. I guess Momma didn't see me putting my Nose underneath one of the Branches but then Daddy walked into the Dining Room so I looked at him and Smiled and then Daddy told Momma Savannah Must Really Like The Big Tree Because She's Just Standing In Front Of It With A Big Smile On Her Face. That was a Close One.

I never did Get To See That Santa Guy. He was at the Christmas Parade but Momma said he was Coming to Our House and bringing me Special Treats and Biscuits. I always  get Treats and Biscuits so I guess Santa was here and I missed him.  I did bark on Christmas Eve though and Momma called to me from Upstairs and said Unless Santa Is On The Porch Savannah You'd Better Go To Sleep.

Momma was Very Upset with me This Morning after our Walk On The Road. Momma told Daddy that I nearly Pulled Her Down three times when the Neighbors were Leaving For Work. Momma says that If I Don't Stop Trying To Catch Pick-Up Trucks she's going to put Blinders on me so I can't See Anything when we're Walking. I don't know what Blinders are but they Don't Sound So Good. I tried to tell Momma that I'm Protecting Her From Those Trucks but she Doesn't Understand.

This afternoon Daddy took me for a Walk because he said that Momma Needed A Break. Daddy walked me down the Wrong Road first and I didn't get a chance to Pee and then Daddy went Left instead of Right and next thing I knew my Collar had Slipped Off and I Was Free and Daddy was saying Come Here Savannah Come Here and I looked at Daddy and knew that I could Run Faster Than He Could but I figured that I didn't need Both Momma and Daddy upset with me on the Same Day so I stayed there and Daddy got my Collar back on. Being Free didn't last Too Long.

I thought Daddy was going to tell me This Will Be Our Little Secret Savannah but he told Momma about me getting Out Of My Collar as soon as we got Inside The Back Door. I didn't think Daddy was That Brave. Momma wanted to know How Did That Happen and Daddy said Maybe There Was Something Wrong With The Collar and then Momma gave Daddy a Look that I think means she Wants To Say A Lot of Words but then she Just Keeps Her Lips Tight and Says Nothing. I think that Momma saying Nothing is Worse than Momma saying Everything.

When Daddy told Momma that I didn't Pee or Do Anything before or after my Collar slipped off Momma put her Coat on and we went back to the Road and Walked The Right Way and I did Everything I Needed To Do and then we came Back Inside and Momma gave me a Biscuit.

Daddy told Momma that he's going to Take Me to the Walmart Parking Lot and Walk me Around and Around until I get Used To Cars without Pulling At My Leash. Momma's answer to that was Over My Dead Body. I don't know what Dead Body means but it doesn't sound Good.

Savannah's First Christmas

We had a quiet Christmas yesterday until the new neighbors across the road starting shooting off fireworks after it got dark. My husband and I stood out on our porch watching them all, but Savannah stayed in the house and just sat on the sofa in the TV room. I'm sure these were her first fireworks, and she wasn't much thrilled with the noise. When Savannah hears a gun-shot echoing from the hills, she stops and looks in the direction the shot came from and then doesn't move until she's sure there won't be another shot right after the first one. It takes a good long while for her tail to come back up after those shots ring out... Savannah's first sign that she's uncomfortable is that downward tail.

Our friend Corey was here for three days before Christmas, and Savannah wasn't happy about that at all. I'm certain that Corey had planned to roll around on the floor and play with Savannah but this puppy hardly got near Corey for the first two days. When she was finally used to having Corey here, it was time for Corey to start for home.  The worst of Savannah's barking at Corey came on the last morning when Corey walked into the kitchen wearing a baseball cap. Savannah didn't like that either and she let her roaring bark announce her disapproval.

I heard Corey telling Savannah that she was part of our family even before Savannah was born so she'd better get used to seeing her and having her visit us. Savannah wasn't having any part of that theory--- she turned around and walked into the TV room as if Corey didn't even exist. Oh well... it's going to take time for Savannah to get used to people who don't live here and she just has to learn that they are part of our lives. I told Corey not to take it personally and to have patience with this very cautious puppy. Corey noticed that Savannah's worst barking occurred when Corey got too close to me. "She's super-protective of you, Miss Larrie," said Corey.  "She is super-loud," said I.  "But you did want a watch-dog," said Corey. Well. Indeed I did.

We went to the dog park on the day before Christmas Eve and there were more dogs there than we'd ever seen before... lots of people came back into town to spend Christmas with their family and friends, and it seemed like they all had dogs and puppies. Savannah had a blast playing with all of them, but she wouldn't go anywhere near their owners. People in the dog park were bending down to say hello to Savannah, and one young man sat right down on the grass so his height wouldn't frighten her, but she walked away, content with looking at everyone from a distance and spending her time playing with their dogs. I kept telling the dog-owners that Savannah was very shy, but the way she plays with dogs she's never seen before sort of cancels out that shyness theory of mine.

My husband and I went for drives at night to look at the local Christmas light displays, and we took Savannah with us on two nights. I'm sure Savannah thought we were going to the dog park again, but once we got on the main highway and it was too dark for her to see anything, she quickly laid down on the back seat and just watched my husband driving and listened to us talking. When we got into the town and were riding up and down the lighted streets, Savannah sat up on the seat and watched the lights. There's one particular house in town that has their light display synchronized to music on a local radio station, and both the music and the lights are quite good... Savannah's eyes followed the lights from one side of that house to the other and she was just mesmerized by the entire show.

I have so many Christmas decorations and small trees all over the house that I started to de-Christmas the house this morning... a little bit each day goes back into the storage closets, just the way everything came out during the first week of November.  I cleared away most of the Santa figurines in the kitchen and in the hallway between the kitchen and the breakfast room. Savannah watched me putting the decorations into the high cabinets and she sat there staring as the Santa statues and the kitchen tree was put away, then she continued to sit there and stare at the closed cabinet door after I was finished. Heaven only knows what this puppy was thinking, but she finally moved away from that cabinet after I'd put the step-stool back into the closet.

I bought extra treats and chew-bones and pig ears for Savannah... gifts from Santa for this 'shy' puppy of ours. We also have one last blue monkey toy for Savannah but I didn't give it to her yet. She hasn't had a plush toy in a few weeks now... I stopped giving them to her because her 'adult' teeth were pulling them apart. I'll wait awhile with that blue monkey... she seems to be content with the chew-bones and those horrible pig ears. I keep telling myself those ears are all protein and very good for her, but I still don't like the idea of them.

My husband and I had dinner in the dining room on Christmas Day... Savannah opted to stay in her bed in the breakfast room and not join us. When we were opening gifts, though, the crinkle of paper got her attention and she walked in there and watched us for a little while, then she went into the living room and inspected all the decorations in that room without touching one blessed thing with her paws or even her nose. Savannah is so very good about not touching what isn't hers, which is a very good thing in this house.

I just hope that by the time we're celebrating Savannah's second Christmas, she will have learned how to be friendlier with strangers, more confident with unfamiliar surroundings, and more tolerant of good friends and family when they come into our home.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

Momma came down the stairs this morning and said Thank You For Not Barking Last Night Savannah and I tried to Tell Momma that I didn't Bark because I Didn't Hear Any Noises and does Momma really think that I Just Bark for the Fun Of It. All of that Barking keeps me Up At Night and then I'm Tired when Momma wants to Take me for a Walk and Momma just never Understands that I'm too Tired on Some Mornings and she makes me Get Out There On The Road anyway.

Momma's Friend Corey was here for Three Days but she went Home yesterday and now I Can Relax. Corey followed my Momma Up The Stairs and Down The Stairs and Into The Kitchen and Into The Dining Room and Into The Living Room and all The Way Up To The Library and Outside to the Yard then Inside to the Breakfast Room and I was Barking every time Corey got Too Close to my Momma and no one Understood that I was Just Protecting My Momma from People Who Don't Live Here. I sure Got Tired of hearing Savannah! Stop Barking! for these past Three Days. I'm a Puppy and I'm Supposed to Bark and I Don't Understand why People Don't Like That. If they wanted Something That Didn't Bark then they Should Just Get A Cat because from what I can see a Little Meow never seems to Bother anybody. Except if a Cat is Meowing at Two O'Clock In The Morning and then I Have To Bark at that and then Everybody Gets Bothered with Me but Not with the Cat.

Momma's Friend Corey told me that Momma was Her Family Even Before I Was Born so I'd Better Get Used To Her Right Quick. All I know is That Corey's Boots smelled of Horse and I had to Bark at That because Who Knows Where That Horse has been and even though I kept Smelling a Horse I couldn't See a Horse and that was Confusing. And when I Finally got used to Seeing Corey every morning she came Into The House wearing a Hat and I roared at that Hat because it also Smelled of Horse and I guess I Barked Too Loud and both Momma and Corey got Scared Out Of Their Wits because That's what Momma told Daddy when he came Down the Stairs to see what All The Fuss was about.

I saw Momma trying to Hide a bag of Chew Bones and Pig Ears and Salmon Treats and when Friend Corey asked Momma what they were for Momma said they were All Christmas Presents From Santa for Savannah and then Momma rolled her Eyes towards the Ceiling.  Well I'm still Not So Sure just who Santa is but I Always have Chew Bones and Pig Ears and Salmon Treats so I guess Every Day around here Must Be Christmas. But then Momma said that if I didn't Stop Barking and Start Making Friends With Corey she would Make Sure that Santa took my Presents to the Shelter for the Puppies and Dogs there who didn't have Families. I tried to Tell Momma that she should send Corey to the Shelter and maybe she could Find a Family There that didn't have My Momma in it.

We all went to the Dog Park yesterday because Daddy said it was like a Summer Day and Perfect for the Park. Daddy got my Leash and Momma put my Blanket on the Back Seat of the Car and Off We Went. There were So Many Dogs and Puppies at the Park that I didn't know Who To Play With First. So I just Picked Out the Puppy that Looked The Friendliest and we Played and Played till that Puppy Got Tired and then I found Another Dog to Play with and we Played and Played till I Got Tired. Some of the People at the Park wanted to Pet Me but I Walked Away from them and I heard Momma telling those People that I was Very Shy With People But Very Friendly With Dogs. I tried to tell Momma that I am Not Shy I just Don't Need All Those Strange People Touching Me.

Last night after Dinner Daddy said we should go for a Drive and Look at Christmas Lights. I didn't know what that meant but Momma was putting my Leash on and Daddy was getting the Car Keys and Before I knew it I was in the Back Seat of the Car and on my Blanket again and Off We Went. We drove Up And Down a lot of Roads that I had Never Seen Before and a Lot of the Houses were covered in Red and Green and White and Gold and Blue and Yellow and there were Lots of Big Toys in their Yards that were Taller than my Daddy and Music was Playing and Lights were Flashing and Bells were Jingling and Momma said There's Nothing Better Than A Very Warm Christmas.

We came Back Home when Daddy got Tired of Driving and then Momma took me Up The Road for a Walk and when we got Into The House I got in My Bed and Went to Sleep and the Next Thing I knew Momma was saying Thank You Savannah for Not Barking Last Night.

Three o'clock in the morning...

... and I've been awake for the past two hours. Savannah started barking at one o'clock and her bark was so ferocious that I came downstairs instead of just telling her to Go to sleep! from the top of the stairs. When I got into the kitchen, I heard the cats outside howling and screeching, and I'm sure the rest of the people in the hills here heard them also.

There has been a gray/white stray cat hanging around our yard this past week and I absolutely refuse to feed it or even acknowledge it, which is totally out of character for me. We had an orange/white stray here for over a year and I had been feeding that cat because I felt so sorry for it, but it wasn't a friendly cat at all and my husband and I had bites and scratches to prove it. The orange/white stray disappeared when we were in England this past summer, and I was so thrilled that I promised myself not to feed any more stray cats.

So tonight, that gray/white cat was sitting outside the fenced-in coop trying to make friends with our two outside cats. Both Mickey and Gatsby sleep in the garage at night, but they have access to the attached coop which has cat-sized wicker furniture for them to sleep on and play in. So there was the gray/white stray, sitting outside the coop and howling, and there was Mickey and Gatsby, sitting inside the coop and howling right back at the stray cat. It's been so warm this week that Mickey and Gatsby have probably been sleeping in the fresh-air coop instead of the garage, and any stray cat that comes along is bound to try and make friends, hoping for feline companionship and some cat food.

All of their after-midnight cat-noises stopped when I came downstairs and turned on the porch light, then I went outside on the porch just in time to see the gray/white cat running away from the coop and out towards the pasture. By that time, Savannah was wide awake and ready to start another day, and I was just plain wide awake.

It was not a totally quiet day out here yesterday, with Savannah barking at our friend Corey, who has been visiting for the past couple of days. Savannah has made it her puppy-life's ambition to protect me from any and all 'intruders' who do not live in this house. On one hand, it's nice that she's become so protective, but on the other hand (the other paw?) she is scaring the wits out of our friends and neighbors.

We thought Savannah had finally made friends with Corey yesterday because she was sitting on the sofa with her and letting Corey pet her, and when Corey and I were outside walking Savannah, she was trying to jump around Corey and play like a friendly puppy instead of a guard dog. That behavior lasted a few hours, then Corey went out to the guest cottage for a bit and came back into the house and Savannah roared her disapproval and scared the heck out of both of us. I've lost count as to how many times I've yelled "Savannah! Cut it out!"

As I sit and type this, Savannah is sound asleep. I had taken her outside a little while ago because I thought she may have to pee after all the barking she did when she heard the cats howling. I've also lost count as to how many times I've walked up and down our driveway in the middle of the night in my pajamas. The neighbors aren't close enough to see what I'm wearing at any time of the day or night, unless they're sitting on their porches with binoculars aimed towards our property.

Christmas is just two days away... all I want for Christmas this year is a really good night's sleep.

Two o'clock in the morning...

... and here I sit typing because Savannah has been barking on and off since midnight. One bark here, one bark there, and about a dozen barks just a little while ago. Puppy pay-back. Didn't we just tell our young friend Corey that Savannah has been sleeping through the nights now and not waking us up for every train whistle and coyote howl that she hears after midnight?

And speaking of our friend Corey, Savannah didn't exactly welcome her with open paws and a wagging tail this morning. I've known Corey since she was a little girl in a second-grade classroom and I was her reading tutor. Now Corey is 24 and she has a horse and a car and a boyfriend and a job (not exactly in that order of importance). Corey was ready to get down on the floor and play with Savannah as soon as she walked into the door, but this puppy was having none of that today. Savannah stayed in her bed in the corner of the breakfast room and except for a bark or two in Corey's direction, this Puppy Princess kept her distance.

After lunch today, and then again after dinner, Corey and I walked up and down our road with Savannah. I thought that maybe Savannah would feel more comfortable with Corey after walking with her for a while. Savannah just ignored Corey for the first walk, but then during the second walk Savannah started wagging her tail and smelling Corey's jeans and boots and she looked like she wanted to play but she just wouldn't let herself go. Then we got back into the house and Savannah gave Corey some good growls and barks as if she'd never seen her before in her entire puppy life.

After dinner tonight, the three of us were sitting in the living room and we decided to exchange our Christmas gifts. Savannah had spent most of the day in the breakfast room (her choice, not mine) so my husband put her leash on her and brought her into the living room with us. Savannah seemed comfortable enough, as long as she stayed near my husband, and she watched us open gifts and she stopped growling and barking and she sat there like a happy puppy. Before Corey went to the guest cottage for the night, Savannah gave her another bark or two, just to remind Corey who was the Number One Puppy around here. Sometimes I wonder if Savannah's reluctance to make peace with our friends and neighbors is her way of keeping everyone else at a distance and keeping my husband and I all to herself.

When I came downstairs a little while ago, I put Savannah's leash on her and took her outside because I thought her excessive barking since we went upstairs meant that she wanted a little visit out to the grass. Wrong decision on my part. Savannah started picking up leaves and twigs and then she began walking in slow motion with her head down... her signal that she didn't want to be out there in the first place and how dare I bring her outside in the middle of this foggy night.

Back inside we came, and I took that leash off Savannah and told her to Go to sleep and don't make another blasted sound till the sun comes up!

By then I was wide awake. Nothing to do but start typing because had I gone upstairs and gotten back in that bed right away all these words would have been circling around in my head and I would have been tossing and turning.

Right this minute, Savannah is sound asleep and looking like an innocent well-behaved puppy. (Which she is, most of the time.) I'm hoping that when I close this lap-top and go back upstairs I won't hear one bark out of her when I put my head down on that pillow.

Cloudy day at the dog park...

It's been cloudy and damp all morning long, but after lunch my husband wanted to take Savannah to the dog park. "It's not a very pretty day," I told my husband. His response was that Savannah didn't care if the sun was shining or not... he said she would enjoy the dog park anyway. (Translation: my husband's football team was losing and he needed a break from the game.)

So off we went... Savannah jumping into the car the minute the door was open. No hesitation whatsoever.  I haven't taken Savannah in my small two-seater car in the longest time, and I guess I'd better start doing that so she gets used to the bucket seat in my car, and I'm hoping she jumps into my car as easily as she gets into my husband's larger four-door sedan.

As we got near the dog park, I noticed a few sprinkles of rain on the windshield, and I was hoping beyond all hope that it wouldn't rain while we were in the park. Savannah goes two ways with rain--- she either loves it and takes her time and doesn't want to come out of it, or she can't get into the house soon enough. It's always a toss-up as to how she will react to wet weather from one day to the next.

Thankfully, it didn't rain while we were in the park, but no other dogs were in the park when we got there, and no one else came for the entire hour we were there. Savannah ran around by herself, exploring the grass under the large trees, running to the fence around the perimeter of the park, and chasing after a tennis ball that I found in the grass and tossed out to her. She even went into the shallow end of the pool a few times, splashing and drinking at the same time.

Every ten minutes or so, Savannah would stop and look towards the entrance of the park... I know that she was checking to see if any other dogs were on their way to play with her. She continued to run around a bit, then she walked into the gazebo where my husband and I were sitting, and she leaned up against my husband's leg and stood there for a while as he petted her back and told her she was the prettiest dog in the park.

When we got up to leave, Savannah followed us towards the exit gate, and she just hesitated a minute or so before following us out of the first gate and into the holding area. Then we put her leash on her and went out the second gate and into the parking lot. If Savannah was disappointed that she didn't get to play with other dogs today, it wasn't evident to us. She walked into the park a happy dog, and that's exactly how she walked out of it.

I told my husband that surely Savannah is ready for a good long ride now. She seems to be perfectly comfortable in the car, and when she's tired of sitting up and looking out of the window, she just lays down on her blanket and goes to sleep. Putting all crazy-puppy moments aside, we couldn't have asked for a better dog.

Come here, Savannah...

You would think that the command "Come here!" wouldn't be so hard for a puppy to learn. However, I see in Savannah the same stubborn streak that was in our dog Gracie.  When we first brought Gracie to a dog-trainer to learn some manners, the trainer told me that Gracie was "the most pig-headed puppy" he had ever met.  I think that trainer would be saying the same thing about Savannah.  Maybe it's that Border Collie part of her that makes her want to do just what she wants when she wants. (My husband would say that's just a female trait, no matter the species.)

As Savannah has grown to trust us, we've learned that she likes to be held. Specifically, to have a hand placed on her chest firmly and protectively, as my husband did for her when we brought her downtown to see the Christmas parade a couple of weeks ago, She became very nervous in the crowd that evening and she sat down on the sidewalk and wouldn't move. My husband bent down to her and put one hand on her chest and the other under her chin and he stayed that way till she calmed down and was ready to walk towards Main Street.

Trying to get Savannah to 'Come here!' wasn't that easy until I learned what her "currency" was (as my husband calls it).  And her currency is that soothing feeling when she feels protected and safe. I had been holding up a treat for Savannah and telling her to 'Come here!' and that method only worked if she was hungry.

But then I had what Oprah would call an Ah ha moment.  When I wanted Savannah to come to me, I bent down towards the floor and put my arms out towards her, calling 'Savannah girl... where's my Savannah girl?'  And there she came, walking towards me and then sitting down by my knee. Then I put one hand on her chest and one arm under her chin... and Savannah would just sort of melt into my legs and lean up against me. Wonder of wonders... what a peaceful feeling for both of us. Not only did Savannah come to me when I called to her that way, but I could feel her calmness and she didn't leave that spot until I got up. All she needs to know is that she will get that protective hug that she now seems to crave... and she will gladly come when called.

When my husband and I sit on the sofa to watch "O'Reilly" at night, Savannah climbs up between us and snuggles and wiggles and puts her paws on one of us and her head on the other and there the three of us sit, sort of a puppy sandwich with Savannah calling the shots as to who gets her head and who gets her tail. She tries to play with us as if we're puppies also, giving us little nips and big licks here and there, and by the look on her face we can see she is perfectly content.

Gone are the days when Savannah was afraid of my husband and we couldn't figure out why. Gone also are the comparisons to our dog Gracie. Savannah has proven herself to be a very good dog, even though she does have her crazy-puppy moments from time to time. But, as I keep reminding myself, she is still a puppy.

Our cat Sweet Pea has learned to trust Savannah now and I've walked into the kitchen and found the two of them side-by-side in the middle of the room. Sometimes Savannah will rest her chin on the edge of Sweet Pea's bed while that cat is curled up and sound asleep in that plush kitty-circle of  his pillow.

Six days before Christmas, and our eight-month-old Savannah has sort of come into her own, knowing that she's safe with us and trusting us to take good care of her.

How many more days until Christmas?

The days are speeding by here... we've been busy with company, busy with errands, and busy with Savannah.  We just got back from the dog park a little while ago. Our weather has been sunny and warm in the afternoons and we've been taking advantage of these pretty days because they could turn frigid in a heart-beat. (Frigid for central Texas, not exactly what would be called 'frigid' up north.)

We got to the park today and there were half a dozen dogs running around the big-dog park. Savannah immediately started running towards the dogs with her tail wagging and she was happily welcomed by all. There was a one-year-old Husky/Shepard mix that seemed to be a bit on the aggressive side and I was worried at first, but Savannah knew exactly what to do... she just sat right down and let that dog sniff her and after a minute or so everything was fine.

All of those dogs were gone within fifteen minutes, and then two more dogs arrived... a dog named Lucy that we'd seen there before, and another huge Chocolate Lab mix that only wanted to jump into the pool and retrieve his toy. Savannah was chasing a tennis ball with Lucy for a good long while, and then she put the ball down at the edge of the pool and used her nose to push it into the deep center of the water. There is a net on a long pole there for people to use to retrieve toys, and that's what we did... I didn't want Savannah jumping into that water. I'm sure it wasn't as warm as it looked, and because of all the winds and rain we had last week, I doubt the water was as clean as it usually is.

This was our first trip to the dog park that we didn't have to chase down Savannah to get her out of the park and into the car. She just followed us to the gate and then through the first gate, and my husband slipped her leash on before getting to the second gate which leads to the parking lot. Finally, finally, I can honestly believe that Savannah knows we're her 'people' and where we go, she has to go.

Yesterday, three of my husband's best students came to the house for lunch.  I didn't think Savannah would make a fuss and start barking at them, and she didn't--- mainly because I went out to the driveway to meet them and we all walked into the house together. Savannah wouldn't go near the students, so they said hello from a distance, staying in the kitchen while Savannah sat in her bed in the breakfast room (still her safe place). We all had lunch in the dining room and Savannah just slept in her bed and was very quiet for the afternoon.

We've let Savannah into the dining room so she could see the big Christmas tree, and her eyes inspected that tree from top to bottom and from side to side, but she didn't touch a branch or disturb an ornament. I think she was more interested in the dining room as a whole rather than just the tree. Whatever was in her puppy mind, I was just glad that she didn't start pulling at the tree or the other decorations. It seems to me that she saves her rough play for the dog park, and that's perfect as far as I'm concerned.

Next week, our young friend Corey will be here for a few days and nights. Corey unquestionably loves all animals, and she has seen Savannah's pictures but they haven't met yet. Corey was in our lives for all the years we had Gracie, so she clearly knows that our pets are our kids, and that's how Corey treats her own pets as well. For over a year now, Corey has been taking care of and training her horse, Tallahatchie, and that bond between girl and horse was made in heaven. I'm hoping beyond all hope that Savannah will give Corey a chance to get close next week, instead of giving her the cold puppy-shoulder as she usually does with strangers.

Busy, busy, busy... with not enough hours in every day here this month. And the closer we get to Christmas Eve and Day, the faster the time is speeding by. This will be Savannah's first Christmas.... and so far, she's been a very good puppy. Except for those moments when she is, indeed, still a puppy and very unpredictable when the wind is blowing leaves outside and one of our cats runs across the lawn or a loud truck goes up the road here. Thankfully, Savannah's crazy-puppy moments are few and far between her old-soul perfect-puppy moments.

Still a puppy... still a puppy...

Still a puppy. There are days when I keep reminding myself that Savannah is just eight months old. And there are other days when I question my sanity and decision-making capabilities.

I sort of knew that on a morning such as this one, with crisp air and a stiff breeze and leaves blowing around the road, that the puppy would come out of my old-soul Savannah as soon as her paws hit the pavement. So I was ready for the antics of  Her Royal Puppyness as we started out on our morning walk and within sixty seconds, I was shaking my head in disbelief at the downright stubborn behavior of a certain Border Collie/Great Pyrenees.

We hadn't even gone halfway up the road when one of the neighbors pulled out of her driveway on her way to work. Savannah sees this particular car just about every morning... and I usually hold tightly onto her leash because she sometimes will try and chase any car or truck that drives along our road. This morning, however, Savannah was walking in the grass and sniffing and smelling and looking for the perfect spot for her morning 'deposit.'  Thinking that she was so involved with her task, I had just a light hold on Savannah's leash. The neighbor waved, I waved back... and a split second later, Savannah decided she wanted to get that car.... and she lunged towards it, front paws in the air as if she intended to jump into the passenger side window.

Thank goodness for quick reflexes. I pulled that pink velvet leash tight and yanked her down towards the road and away from the back wheels of the neighbor's car. What in the blessed world are you doing, Savannah?!  That's about what I shouted out at this crazy puppy. And she looked at me with questioning eyes and then watched the car going down the hill while I caught my breath and told myself that tiny little dogs do have their advantages. (Mainly, you can just pick them up when they attempt to do something totally stupid.)

On we continued with our walk... both of us having calmed down a bit. Then there was an egret down by our pond that caught Savannah's eye.  The bird had just landed on the bank of the pond near the shallow end and Savannah got to see his giant wing-span and long legs helping him balance at the edge of the water. Well, Savannah thought the bird and his water-ballet was just too good to ignore... so she lunged towards the pond.  For the second time in less than 5 minutes, I think my right arm was stretched to its limit, and I wouldn't at all be surprised if that particular arm is a bit longer than my left one.

Savannah's eyes were on that egret and that's all she was interested in. So there I was walking this puppy for the next fifty feet or so, with her paws moving forward and her head turned back towards the pond, and I was practically pulling her the whole way. Give me a blessed puppy break.

Now we were at the end of our walk and coming up to our driveway, and there's our outside cat Gatsby waiting by the garage for us. Gatsby usually walks calmly towards the mailbox to nuzzle up against Savannah's legs, and then all three of us walk to the back porch.  Such a simple little plan, but that was not going to happen this morning. Maybe Gatsby felt the crispness in the air just like Savannah did, because that cat decided to tease Savannah by running a few feet away from her, then prancing back towards her, then running away again. How could any puppy possibly resist that?

While this little cat and puppy dance was going on, I had to keep such a firm hold on Savannah's leash that I had wrapped it around my wrist three or four times. Big mistake. By the time I got to the back porch, my wrist felt like it had been through a 14th century torture device and of course my right arm must have stretched another inch or two.

Then Gatsby decided to run up the porch steps at full cat-speed... which of course got Savannah's attention and she followed suit.... you can add another inch to my right arm for that little trick. Needless to say, I was furious by the time I walked into the back door, once again questioning my sanity for deciding to get a dog that will eventually top the scales at the same weight as a miniature pony when she's full-grown.

My husband was in the kitchen when I got into the house. One look at my face must have told him that Savannah's morning walk was not a pleasant one, at least not for me.

"Do you need a hug?" my husband asked me. (That centuries-old question from husband to wife when the husband doesn't know what else to do to stifle a possible explosion. Men need to learn that women hate, absolutely hate with a passion, that ridiculously stupid question.)

In a split second, I decided to let him slide on that one. After all, Christmas is coming, and he had recently bought us two front and center tickets to Barry Manilow's last concert in Houston for early next year. So I just smiled.

"No. I don't need a hug. I need a teeny tiny little dog that I can fit into my purse," said I.

At that moment, Savannah slowly rose up on her hind legs and ever-so-gently put her front paws on my chest and rested her face near my shoulder.  Give me a blessed break.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

Monday. Finally. I am Exhausted. I lost count of How Many People walked into This House on Saturday Night. Momma kept telling me All Day Long on Saturday that Tonight Is The Christmas Party Savannah And You Have To Be Especially Good. Well. I had Just Learned how to be Very Good and then I had to Figure Out quick how to be Especially Good. Momma has a way of Making My Life Very Confusing at times.

People started Walking in the Back Door when it was Raining on Saturday Night and some of them were saying they Would Have Been Better Off Coming In A Boat Because Of All That Blasted Rain and then someone else said They Would Have Walked If They Had To Because They Wouldn't Have Missed This Christmas Party For The World.

Momma put That Gate up by the Breakfast Room and of course I was Behind The Gate with my Bed and my Food and Water Bowls and Momma gave me Extra Treats even before I Figured Out how to be Especially Good. When the People started coming in the House I just Went Into My Bed and Stayed There. Momma said I must be Getting Used To Having Company because I wasn't Hiding My Face in the Corner of My Bed and I wasn't Shaking Like A Leaf.

Some of the People walked up to That Gate and said Hello Savannah You're Such A Pretty Puppy Merry Christmas To You Too Is Santa Going To Bring You Some Toys For Christmas. I sat up in my Bed and Looked Right At Those People and tried to Tell them They'd Better Not Touch That Christmas Tree when they went into the Dining Room because Momma just might Put Them behind The Gate with me and I Didn't Need any Extra Company in my Bed.

I stayed in My Bed during Momma's Party but I heard Everything that was Going On All Night Long. Miss Judy got Everybody to sing Happy Birthday to my Daddy and then they all sang Happy Birthday again to one of Momma's Tea Ladies and then somebody else Said A Prayer Thanking somebody named Lord for all the Good Food they were About To Eat and then I heard Everybody saying Don't Forget To Taste That Chicken and Who Made The Salad With The Spinach And Peas and Did You Taste Those Cheese Rolls and Don't Eat Too Much Salad Because You Won't Have Any Room Left For That Chocolate Cake Over Yonder HaHaHa. I kept Waiting for Somebody to Walk up to My Gate with a Piece Of Chicken or maybe a Cheese Roll but once Everybody started Eating they forgot about the Pretty Puppy in the Breakfast Room.

After everybody finished their Dinner they went back into the Kitchen to get their Dessert and then they were saying that The Chocolate Cake was The Best In The World because Miss Sandy baked it and the Banana Pudding was Good and Creamy and Just Right and then they Got Started on the Chocolate Covered Apples from Momma's Cousin Francine and that's when I Hid My Face in the Corner of My Bed because I Figured Out that if no one gave me a Cheese Roll or a Piece of Chicken then I didn't even have a Chance with the Chocolate Cake or the Banana Pudding or the Chocolate Covered Apples. Momma's friends say that I've got A Good Life Here but I can tell them that sometimes It's Hard to be an Especially Good Puppy in this House when there are So Many People and So Much Good Food and Everybody is having So Much Fun and I'm behind That Gate in my Bed.

Momma gave out Prizes for the Best Christmas Sweaters and I heard everybody Clapping and Cheering and then I started to Wonder why Momma didn't put My Own Pink Sweater on me Before the Party got started but then I Figured Out that I would have Won The Prize for the Best Sweater and Momma would have had to Let Me Out of the Breakfast Room and I would have had to go into the Dining Room with All Those People and I wouldn't have liked That very much so I  just Kept On Being Especially Good and I Figured Out that's It's Easy to be Good when you Stay in your Bed with a Dog Biscuit or a Chew Bone.

Then Momma brought out the Big Basket of Grab Bag Gifts and Everybody had to Pick a Gift or Steal someone else's Gift and I couldn't Figure Out why Momma was letting Everybody do that because when I take one of Sweet Pea's Toys or Pillows Momma tells me that It's Not Nice To Steal What Belongs To Someone Else.  I just stayed in My Bed and listened to Everybody either Tearing up Wrapping Paper or Everybody yelling Steal It! Steal It! and then I guess I went to Sleep because when I Woke Up people were Walking Out Of The Door and Saying Goodnight Savannah You Sure Are A Good Puppy I'm Going To Bring My Dog Out Here To Meet You So He Can Learn Some Good Manners.

I tried to Tell That Person that It's Easy To Learn Good Manners when your Momma puts you Behind That Gate and Tells you to be Especially Good. And my Momma knows I Don't Like Strangers and the Best Place For Me To Be is Behind That Gate when Momma fills up this House with Everybody Under The Sun Who Lives On This Road and even People I've Never Seen Before in my Whole Puppy Life.

When Everybody was gone Momma opened up That Gate and gave me a Big Giant Hug and told me what a Truly Special and Spectacular Puppy I was All Night Long and then Daddy took me For a Walk and then Momma gave me some Chicken and a Cheese Roll and some Bacon Treats but I never did get to taste Miss Sandy's Best Chocolate Cake or the Just Right Banana Pudding or Cousin Francine's Chocolate Covered Apples.

After I ate my Bacon Treats that night Momma said That Was Just The Christmas Party Savannah and Christmas Still Isn't Here Yet and I was thinking Momma Has Got To Be Kidding Me. My Momma is just going to Wear Me Out if I have to be Especially Good all Over Again when Christmas gets here.

Savannah's Social Life

With each trip to the dog park, our wallflower puppy is turning into a social butterfly. Savannah is no longer hesitant about meeting new dogs at the park. She used to sort of amble in their direction when we first started taking her to that park, but now she runs like the wind as soon as she sees a new dog coming through the gate. And she's not running away from them... she's running towards them, ready to meet and greet and play, play, play.

There was a new dog at the park yesterday, a Hungarian hunting dog called a Vizsla. We'd never heard of the breed, but her owner told us it's been around for centuries. He said the breed has always been popular in Europe, and has caught on in the U.S. over recent years. It's amazing to me how every now and then a certain breed becomes a sought-after "designer" puppy and everyone wants one.

The Vizsla's name was Addie, and Savannah took to her very easily and they were running and chasing a tennis ball and then running some more. Addie's owner started tossing the ball into the pool and Addie didn't hesitate to jump right in after it... right over the edge into the deeper part of the pool. Savannah, however, isn't quite that brave yet. Instead of jumping into the pool at the center, she runs around to either side where the shallow part is and she can run into the water and then stop just before the floor of the pool dips down into deeper water. And Savannah clearly knows where the deep part begins and she stops herself right at the edge. Sooner or later, I know she's going to test that water. I know that dogs will swim by instinct and off she'll go across that pool like the other dogs, and I hope I remember to bring her big towel on that day.

We usually stay at the dog park for about an hour. By then, Savannah is usually tired from running and playing, but she's like an over-tired child at that point... very tired but doesn't want to admit it. At that point, Gary and I start walking towards the gate, with Savannah following close behind us. When we get too near the gate and Savannah realizes it's time to go home, she will walk slowly away from us and head back towards the center of the park. That's when I take the leash and hide it behind my back and walk slowly towards her, talking to her all the time and asking if she wants a treat or wants to go out or wants to get into the car. Savannah knows the words 'treat,' 'out,' and 'car' and just hearing those phrases gives her a few moments to think about them and thereby gives me a moment to slip the leash on her and steer her back towards the parking lot.

Savannah will come to me when I call her inside the house, but when she's outside on our property or playing with other dogs in that dog park, all bets are off and she's focused on everything else but the commands she has learned.  Proof positive that she's now in the 'Terrible Twos' stage of her puppy life?

When we got home yesterday, I walked Savannah up the road with Judy and Bella. I knew that Savannah had to "do something" because she didn't do anything but play in the park, and Judy happened to be walking Bella right when we pulled into our driveway. Savannah was so tired from the park that after she said hello to Judy and Bella she didn't even attempt to play with Bella during that walk. She did take care of her business, though, and when I brought her back into the house, she went into her bed and slept for three hours.

Later that night when Gary and I sat down to watch the news, Savannah brought her chew-bone over to where my husband was sitting and she laid down by his feet and put one paw on his ankle and just stayed there with the bone in her mouth, content as could be. I think Savannah may know that her adventures in the dog park are my husband's treat for her, because she doesn't find herself at the dog park when she goes out in the car with me. I like to think that Savannah's paw on my husband's ankle was her way of thanking him for such a great afternoon.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

Momma is Busy Busy Busy. Momma says that Christmas Is Coming But Our Christmas Party Will Be Here First And I Have To Be Very Very Good during The Party. I wanted to Remind Momma that I was Very Very Good during the Halloween Party but I think Momma is Even Too Busy to be Reminded of that.

We still go for our Walks every day and Momma has started taking me Way Down Our Hill and Up The Next Road because I am a Big Girl now and Momma said the Longer Walks will Do Me Good so I don't become a Plus Size Puppy.

When we were on our Long Walk yesterday we saw Miss Lauren and Momma said I had to Be A Friendly Girl because Miss Lauren Raises and Trains Puppies and turns them into Very Good Dogs Who Love Her To Pieces. I looked Carefully at Miss Lauren but I couldn't see any Missing Pieces. I didn't want Miss Lauren to Pet Me because we had Just Met but then Miss Lauren sat down on the Grass and Momma said Watch Out For Fire Ants but Miss Lauren didn't seem to even Mind Sitting On The Grass so I went over to her and Sniffed Her Hand but then I went Back To Momma.    

While Miss Lauren and Momma were talking I walked over and Licked Miss Lauren's Hand but then I ran back to Momma before Miss Lauren could Pet me. Miss Lauren told Momma that I was probably Shy because I didn't get enough People Contact when I was a Young Puppy. I don't know what People Contact means because All I Had in my Old Kennel was Puppy #1 and we only saw our People at night when they fed us. Miss Lauren told Momma that my Colors were Beautiful and my Personality was Gentle and my Shyness with Strangers would Go Away after a while.

Momma was Outside yesterday and today hanging up Christmas Lights all over the Porch and the Gazebo and Momma said it would be a Surprise for Daddy when he Gets Home. I don't know about Daddy but it was a Surprise for Me when we went Outside After Dark. It looks almost like Daylight out there with all of those Lights and maybe Momma should have the Christmas Party Outside instead of Inside because then she wouldn't have to Worry about me Being Very Very Good. If I'm Outside I just have to be a Good Girl or a Friendly Girl and that's a Lot Easier than Being a Very Very Good Girl inside the House.

Somebody needs to tell Sweet Pea that he has to be a Very Very Good Cat because this morning he ran into the Living Room and then into the Dining Room and while Momma was calling his Name and trying to Catch him Sweet Pea ran up the Stairs and into the Bedroom and I heard Momma calling that cat's Name at least a Dozen times before Momma came back Down The Stairs with Sweet Pea in her arms. Momma was saying Thank You to Sweet Pea for Not Climbing up the Christmas Tree in the Dining Room.                                                                                                                      

I wanted to Remind Momma that no one ever said Thank You to me for Not Touching the Christmas Tree and Not Touching Anything in the Living Room and the Dining Room. But Sweet Pea is a Cat and I think Momma has to be Easier with him because Momma says Cats are Sensitive and you Never Know what Cats will do if you Yell at them for doing Something Stupid. I guess Puppies aren't as Sensitive as Cats because Momma sure did Yell at Me when I used to Chase Sweet Pea around the House. I don't Chase him anymore because I've Learned to Speak Cat now and I've also Learned that when you Chase Sweet Pea you're going to Get Your Nose Bopped With His Claws and That's Not Fun and Momma never told Sweet Pea to Leave Savannah's Nose alone but she sure did keep telling me Not To Chase That Poor Cat.

Momma has stopped Being Busy now and she wants to Take Me for a Walk to see the Christmas Lights Outside. I've already seen the Lights Outside but I think Momma wants to see them Again and then she'll tell me Again that the Christmas Party is This Weekend and I have to Be a Very Very Good Girl. I want to Remind Momma that she Already Told Me That but Momma is like a Cat and she's Very Sensitive about Things Like That so I'll just Go For a Walk and Look at the Lights again. I've also Learned how to Speak Momma so when Momma tells me things Over and Over I just Look Up At Her and Make Believe that I'm Listening and then Momma says Good Girl Savannah Good Girl.

To the park... almost.

It's been another week of beautiful days, and Gary and I got Savannah into the car yesterday with plans to let her run around the dog park. As always now, once Savannah sees the open back door of my husband's car, she jumps right in there and positions herself so she can see out the side window. I have cleaned off all the puppy-spit that was all over that window... Savannah no longer slobbers all over the glass and she seems to be quite comfortable as a back-seat puppy.

Off we went... down our country road, onto the main highway... and as we turned into the lane towards the dog park, the fence was closed. What? Ah... yesterday was Monday. The dog park is closed every Monday for landscaping. We totally forgot it was Monday. (Which isn't that hard to do because every day is the same in this little country bubble of ours.)

I turned around in my seat and there was Savannah, her front paws moving from side to side... she definitely knew where we were and she was ready to get out of that car... she saw the pond and the fenced-in areas... that puppy knew we were at one of her favorite places... and we couldn't get in. As my husband turned the car around, Savannah's head and half of her body turned back towards the park. If Savannah had a voice, she would have been saying "Hey! Where are you going? The park is here! Here!!"

Well, we were halfway into town, Savannah was clearly ready for a walk... so we drove on further to the 'downtown' area of our small town and went to the municipal park near the ball fields. Dogs must be kept on leashes in that park, but there's a lot to look at... a vintage carousel, skateboard ramps, a Veterans' Memorial, a playground with picnic tables, a large gazebo.... interesting things for us to look at, but not much for Savannah, unless you count the grass. As luck would have it, there were no other dogs and their owners in the park, and Savannah stayed away from the little kids on the playground. Strangely enough, none of them ran over to us asking if they could pet the puppy.

After the short walk around the park, we got into the car again and drove to the supermarket... I waited in the car with Savannah and my husband went into the store for ice cream. (Warm enough in December for ice cream... got to love these Texas winters.)  As we waited for Gary to come out of the store, Savannah watched all the people going in and out of their cars and walking in the parking lot towards the store. She didn't bark at anyone, but seemed very content to just keep watching them. I imagined Savannah lifting her paw up to her eyes, then pointing her paw at the people and saying "I'm watching you....."   (If only this dog had a voice.)

When we got back home, I took Savannah on a walk up and down our road... she seemed content with that, although I know a good long run in the dog park would have been more fun for her. We won't make that mistake again.... the dog park is closed every Monday and that's that.

Tonight when I took Savannah for a walk, there was a skunk coming out of our barn... just walking under the carport there as if he owned the place. Given the possibility of being sprayed with god-awful skunk stuff, there's no doubt that any other animal would be foolish to argue with a skunk over squatter's rights to the barn.

I saw the skunk before Savannah did, and I grabbed that leash with both hands... which was a good thing because when she did see the skunk Savannah started growling and lunging towards it. Not a good thing... but thankfully, we were far enough away from the skunk and it just kept on walking towards the property across the road. Beautiful animal, that skunk... long bushy tail and that cute little pointed nose... it made me think of the little skunk named Flower in the Disney movie "Bambi."  I've no doubt that a Disney skunk isn't anything like a real skunk... so I walked Savannah in the other direction... no sense in testing one's luck with a full-grown skunk who has never read the script for the "Bambi" movie.

Savannah and Jack

My friend Cindy came here yesterday afternoon with her puppy Jack, who is part Black Lab and part Great Pyrenees. My husband actually found that puppy on the Internet after Cindy saw Savannah and told us that she and her husband were probably ready for another dog. (Their dog Kate had passed away over a year ago, after being part of their family for 16 years.) We thought Cindy could adopt Savannah's brother and I tried calling and eMailing the people who sold Savannah to us but they weren't answering my messages.

Gary got on the Internet and found a litter of good puppies fairly close by, and we eMailed the puppies' pictures to Cindy and the next thing we knew, Cindy and her husband were in their car and headed two towns over to have a look-see at those Lab/Pyrenees puppies. The puppies that were left were mostly all black, but the puppy that Cindy picked out has a teeny bit of white on his chest and the tips of his front paws. He was just one big roly-poly ball of black fur when Cindy and her husband brought him home and named him Jack.

Cindy's puppy was barely 10 weeks old when they got him, so needless to say, Jack was quite a handful and there were days when Cindy was ready to call my husband and tell him to come and get his crazy puppy.  Jack is about four months old now, and still a bit crazy, as are all puppies at that age, but he's as cute as a button, so he can get away with a lot even on his worst days.

I had suggested to Cindy that she bring Jack over to play with Savannah in our backyard over the weekend. Jack and Savannah had seen one another before, just about a week after Cindy brought Jack home. With Jack growing in leaps and puppy-bounds, we thought Savannah would be able to play with him more now than she did when he was still so small this past summer.

Jack is a very friendly puppy, and unlike Savannah, who is so cautious with strangers, Jack runs up to everyone he sees and quickly becomes their best friend. Not so with Savannah... she has to see someone at least 10 or 12 times before she will even go near them. But in Jack's case... Savannah ran up to him and quickly established that this was her yard, her grass, and her property. The two puppies played and jumped and ran, but it was Savannah who was in the role of Alpha-puppy, which surprised both me and my husband. And Jack, who is usually a take-charge puppy, let Savannah be the boss-of-the-backyard yesterday. That just surprised the heck out of both me and Cindy.

We've had some gloriously warm and sunny days lately, and yesterday was one of them. The puppies were running after tennis balls, running after each other, and just enjoying being puppies. Other than that first time meeting Savannah a few months ago, Jack hadn't seen or played with other dogs, which may be the reason why he was so submissive with Savannah. After about an hour, Savannah was clearly getting tired, simply because she was the one doing most of the running, and she was also jumping right over Jack if he didn't move fast enough.

As I type this, Savannah is sleeping in her bed and I can hear her snoring. This weekend has been a busy one for Savannah... her first Christmas Parade in our own town, a drive to the dog park, another drive to the town of Burton when we went to a cafe there to pick up homemade soup, and then a visit from Cindy and her dog Jack. Savannah looks to be just worn out a little bit after an exciting weekend, but if right this minute I said out loud "Want to go to the park, Savannah?!" she would be jumping up quickly and walking towards the back door so I could put her leash on her.

I still remember that first day when we put a leash on Savannah... she reared back, her tail went between her legs, and she bucked like a mule. This puppy has come a long way since then.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

All I heard yesterday was We're Going To The Christmas Parade Tonight Savannah And You Have To Be Very Good. I didn't know what a Christmas Parade was so I just looked at Momma every time she said those Words and she said them Over And Over all Afternoon.

Momma said I had to Eat Early and Walk Early so we could Get Downtown and Find A Good Place To Sit. I wasn't Hungry that Early but I ate a Little Bit because Momma was letting me Eat Out Of Her Hand and then Momma took me For A Walk and Momma said this is what a Parade is like when People Walk In The Middle Of The Street. I didn't know what was So Exciting about That because I do That every day with Momma.

Momma and Daddy had an Early Dinner just like Me and then We Got Into The Car and I thought maybe the Christmas Parade was at the Dog Park so I jumped right into Daddy's Car as soon as he Opened That Door. Daddy told Momma that he thought I would be Just Fine At The Parade.

Daddy drove down the Same Road that he takes to go to The Park but he Drove Past The Park and I saw the Park there and Kept Looking Back at it but Daddy didn't take The Hint. Momma said We're Going Downtown For The Christmas Parade Savannah And You Have To Be Very Good Because Santa Will Be There. I still don't know who Santa is but I think he's the Only One Who's Allowed To Touch Our Big Christmas Tree when he leaves me Toys and Treats.

We left Daddy's car in a Parking Lot and then we had to Run Across Main Street and Momma kept saying This Is Your First Christmas Parade Savannah and I still didn't know what Momma was all Excited About because we Could Have Stayed Home and Just Walked Up and Down in the Middle of Our Own Road and had Our Own Parade without Having to Drive Past the Dog Park and Not Stop.

Daddy was Holding My Leash Tight because there were So Many People in what Momma calls Downtown. Big People and Small People and Really Little People who wanted to Pet The Puppy and they kept Running Away from their own Mommas and I was Surprised that their Mommas didn't put Leashes on them to Keep Them Close and there were even Teeny Tiny People who were in Little Buckets With Wheels and they were so Teeny Tiny that they Weren't Walking and had to be Pushed in Those Buckets.

All those Legs of the Big People and the Hands of the Little People and the Wheels on those Buckets and it was Just Too Much for Me so I Sat Down and Didn't Move and I just Looked at Everyone as they told Momma That Poor Puppy Doesn't Know What To Do Is This Her First Parade and before Momma could say anything I saw Other Dogs on Leashes and they were all Walking and Looking at All The Big People and the Little People and the Teeny Tiny People and then Daddy bent down and Put His Hand on my Chest and said There's Nothing To Be Afraid Of Savannah We're Going To Sit Down And Watch The Parade And You'll Be Just Fine. So then I watched the Other Dogs walking and it was Just Like The Dog Park except there were Way More People and Way More Dogs and I figured that if Those Other Dogs could Watch The Parade then I Could Too.

So I got Up and Walked With Daddy and Momma and we found a Good Spot on what Momma called the Courthouse Steps. I didn't know what The Courthouse was but their Steps were Wide and Comfy and I had Plenty of Room to See Everything without all those Legs and Hands and Buckets being All Around Me and I was sitting between Momma and Daddy just like we do in the TV Room at Home so I knew I was Safe.

Then Momma said Here Comes The Parade Savannah and I saw Lights and People Wearing Red and Green and Momma said those were Christmas Costumes and then there were Fancy Cars and Big Trucks and More Lights and Lots of Music with Drums and People Were Singing and Tossing Candy Canes and Momma said Someone Should Be Tossing Dog Biscuits Into The Crowd For All The Dogs Here and Momma said Candy Canes were Not Good For Puppies.

It was so Comfy on the Courthouse Steps that I put My Head on Daddy's Lap and Kept Watching Everyone in the Parade and there were More Lights and More People and then there was a Big Group of Dogs that Momma said were Great Pyrenees Just Like You Savannah and we Watched those Big Dogs walk in The Parade and some of them were wearing Red Sweaters and some had White Sweaters with Red Lights and Daddy said there were more Great Pyrenees in this year's Parade than there were Last Year and Daddy told me that's why he wanted me Because I was part Pyrenees and part Border Collie and I was Such A Good Mix. I didn't know what a Good Mix was but Daddy was smiling at Momma and saying Savannah Is Being Very Good And I Think She Really Likes The Parade.

Momma watched those Big Dogs in the Parade and said that maybe I Could March In Next Year's Christmas Parade and Wouldn't That Be Fun Savannah. I watched the Dogs and they Just Walked and Walked and they Looked Pretty with their Red Ribbons and Big Red Bows and Fancy Sweaters and They All Were Wearing Leashes just like Me and the Other Dogs at the Parade were Watching those Big Dogs too and then I put My Head Back On Daddy's Lap to watch the Rest Of The Parade and then Daddy told Momma  I'm Going To Find Out About Walking Savannah In This Parade Next Year.

And Momma said the Three Of Us could Walk in the next Christmas Parade and instead of tossing out Candy Canes to the Kids Momma would toss Dog Biscuits to All The Dogs Watching The Parade. I tried to tell Momma that if I was Marching in the Parade then I wouldn't be able to Catch the Dog Biscuits but then I figured that I had all the Dog Biscuits I Could Eat at Home and maybe it would be Nice To Share them with all those Other Dogs watching the Parade.

The last part of the Parade had a Big Guy standing up in a Big Red Truck with Red Lights and he was Smiling and Waving and Tossing Candy Canes to the Really Little People and Momma said Savannah Look There's Santa and Santa looked Really Happy and he was Really Really Big in all that Red and White and his Hat looked like one of my Stuffed Toys and his Gloves looked like All of my Blue Monkeys could fit into them and everyone was yelling Hello Santa Merry Christmas Santa.

Momma said this was my First Christmas Parade In Our Little Downtown Country Bubble and Daddy said it Wouldn't Be My Last because Next Year We're Marching In That Parade Savannah So Get Ready To March Because We're Gonna Do It.

I Slept a Lot last night and I didn't even want to Get Up for my Walk this morning and Who Knew that this Country Bubble could have such a Nice Christmas Parade and Momma never told me that Christmas is Enough to Wear A Puppy Out.

Back to the Dog Park...

Well, I said I wouldn't go back to that dog park with my husband and Savannah, but I did.  It was such a beautiful afternoon yesterday that the three of us did just that. As soon as we open up the back door of my husband's car now, Savannah literally flies into that car and sits there as if she's about to be presented with the keys to the kingdom. (Or the keys to the dog park, which would make more sense.)

Off we went, with Savannah sitting there and watching all the other cars on the road, and the livestock on the other properties. I noticed yesterday that there's so much dried puppy-spit on the side back window of my husband's car that it looks as if the glass has been frosted. When we first started taking Savannah in the car, she wasn't all that happy to be there, and her nervousness made her pant, which produced a boat-load of saliva, most of which ended up on that window.

Not so much anymore.... she's perfectly content and confident in the car now, and the excessive panting has stopped, and any puppy-spit on that window needs to be cleaned because it's been there a while. I haven't taken Savannah in my car for over a month, so I don't know how comfortable she will be in that vehicle. My car is a two-seater sports car, much smaller (and cuter!) than my husband's large four-door sedan. I don't know if Savannah will be able to sit upright on the seat of my car because the roof is lower and the buckets seats are smaller, and Savannah has grown a lot in the past couple of months.

When we got to the dog park yesterday, we were the only ones there. Not another dog or person in sight. Savannah quickly looked around the entire park when we arrived, and she must have known she was the only dog there so she took her time just smelling around the trees and the grass to see who had been there before. My husband and I sat in the gazebo after walking around the park a bit, and Savannah continued to explore on her own, occasionally looking towards us to make sure we were still there.

We'd been in the park for nearly an hour when another car pulled into the parking lot, and an older lady with a black hound dog came into the park. Savannah saw the other dog immediately and took off running towards her... a friendly dog named Lucy, and 'hound dog' is the only way to describe that mixed-breed... just a country-looking dog that probably loves to chase down squirrels and rabbits. Lucy clearly did not want to play, and there was Savannah jumping up and down in front of that 3-yr-old dog as if she were part of a circus act. Lucy just looked at Savannah and howled like a cartoon-dog. Lucy's owner said she had been a very lively and playful dog until close to her third birthday and then all of a sudden Lucy turned into an old lady and doesn't much like to play anymore.

We asked the lady what kind of dog Lucy was and she went into this story: "Well, we call her a 'coon dog' because she was raised to hunt raccoons. My husband got her from a black man out yonder and they all hunt raccoons out thataway." When we asked the lady what they did with the raccoons once they caught them, she told us "Well they eat them of course! Y'all know those black people just love that raccoon meat out yonder."  My husband and I just looked at one another, and then changed the subject, asking the woman if she had always lived in this town. Her answer was "I was born here, went to school here, married here, and except for living in Rosenberg for eleven years and then coming back here, I'll probably die right here."  Well. That explained a lot. There was only one thing to talk about after that... the weather.

Savannah continued to run a little bit away from Lucy, then run back towards her... no reaction (except the howling) from Lucy. At one point, Lucy walked around the park looking for sticks (her favorite toy) and Savannah followed. When they got close to the swimming pool, Savannah walked into the shallow end, splashed a bit and got her legs and belly wet, then went over to Lucy and shook for all she was worth, sprinkling Lucy with the pool water. Lucy stood there and howled... and Savannah just watched her and smiled. When Lucy howled the second time, Savannah went back into the pool, a little deeper this time, getting herself more wet with the water... then she ran towards Lucy and shook herself again.  Poor Lucy got a good splashing with the water and then she walked away from Savannah and sat down on the bench beside her owner.

Thankfully, Lucy's owner didn't think Savannah did all of that on purpose, but it sure looked like that to me.  We sat there talking to Lucy's owner for a little while, and then got ready to leave. When Savannah saw us gathering up her leash, she started walking away from us... she clearly knew we were ready to go home. I tried to get Savannah to come back to me, but she just looked at me and kept walking away. Fine. My husband and I walked towards the gate and when Savannah realized we were getting far away from her, she turned herself around and started walking towards us. When we got close to the gate we were able to put her leash on her.

I will have to work with her some more and teach her to come when called. Which she does in the house, but it seems that when she walks into that dog park, all the training and the known commands go right out the puppy-window.

Walking on the road...

We had a warm and  glorious afternoon, after a very cool morning... perfect walking weather. When I came back from errands in town, I thought it would be a great idea to take Savannah on a long walk along the road, going towards the main highway. The first time I did this with Savannah, she was curious along the way, watching the livestock in the neighbors' pastures, trying to play with Diablo (a neighbor's horse), and she seemed to like taking a walk that was out of our ordinary routine.

We started off just fine... down our hill, a right at the corner, and off we went along the winding road. At one of the first houses we passed, the neighbor and her son were putting up Christmas lights along their fence line. Savannah has seen this neighbor lady before, but has never met the son. (He lives in Alaska and comes to visit his mother once or twice a year.) Savannah took one look at the son (while the lady was saying "Why hello Savannah, don't you look sweet today!") and all Savannah wanted to do was go back down that road towards home. Still, after three months with us, this puppy has a very hard time with men. She doesn't like them, plain and simple. Savannah paid no attention to the woman, and just wanted to get away from the son.

So there I was in the middle of the road, Savannah is trying to pull me towards home, the neighbor is telling me "Don't worry... we'll see you on your way back." and I'm apologizing to her son for Savannah's bad manners. I just about had Savannah's leash wrapped around my waist, trying to keep her from pulling me towards home. This is one strong puppy wrapped up in all of that pretty fur, and her fluffy tri-colored tail seems to weigh as much as one of her legs.

On we went.... past Diablo's pasture, and this time Savannah didn't want any part of that horse. Diablo came right up to the gate and gave Savannah a hoof-in-the-dirt greeting, but Savannah just kept on walking. Fine. At least she was walking in the direction I wanted to go.

We got to the next neighbor's property and their two dogs started to bark... that particular house is way up a long driveway and the dogs are in a fenced enclosure by the side of the house. Savannah heard that barking and she again turned herself around and wanted to go home. No way. I pulled her leash tighter and kept on walking, with my leash-holding hand behind me and Savannah trying to make me turn around and head back home. When she realized I wasn't about to do that, she started walking more easily with me.

Two properties up... and there were two little dogs there in the yard, barking at Savannah. Again, she turned right around and wanted to go home. I kept walking, with my left hand behind me holding tight onto that leash of hers, telling her we were not stopping till we got to the little creek. Of course she had no idea what I was talking about but at least she stopped trying to pull me home. We got to that creek and I made her sit down on the road and I told her "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?!"  (I was exhausted from pulling her leash while she pulled the other way, but Savannah seemed just fine.) This puppy sat there and looked at me, and then got up and turned towards home. And so did I... we had gotten to the creek, which is nearly up to the main highway, so she walked further today than she did the first time I took her for an extra-long walk.

On the way towards home, Savannah seemed more relaxed, and she was more curious than cautious. She was walking in the grass and smelling every blessed little thing... and heaven only knows what sort of wildlife is out there along that road at night so she had plenty to smell along the way. When we got to those properties with the dogs in the yards, Savannah didn't pull me along... she must have realized that we were headed towards home and she didn't even miss a step when the dogs started barking at us.

The neighbors were still putting up their Christmas lights on their fence when we got by that house, and Savannah once again tried to pull me towards home, but I held fast to that leash and made her wait until I talked to them for a couple of minutes. (A couple of minutes? No.... it was more like a couple of sentences.)

Savannah is too cautious at times for her own good... and at other times, she's too protective (if there is such a thing). Cindy was here this morning and Savannah seemed to be fine when Cindy first walked in the back door, but after a while Cindy walked into the kitchen and I was in the breakfast room with Savannah and you would have thought there was a serial killer in the house... Savannah started her roaring-bark and moved towards Cindy as if she'd never seen her in all of her puppy life. Cindy is here every week.... Savannah clearly knows who she is.... yet if I'm sitting in my chair in the breakfast room and Savannah is near me, she feels as if everyone and everything is a threat to me. (She has done the same roaring-bark to my husband when he walks into the kitchen and I'm in the breakfast room.)

I have no idea what's in this puppy's mind. At times she is the sweetest old soul and you just want to hug her to pieces... and other times she acts like a lone wolf whose mission is to protect the settlers from war-ravaging Indians. I just don't get it. Hopefully, she will out-grow this behavior. And hopefully, my leash-holding left hand and arm won't be stretched out and become much longer than my right arm.

Savannah's Puppy Diary

I am still Confused. It's not easy being a Puppy sometimes. Everyone in this House has been Busy Busy Busy with that Big Tree in the Dining Room. Everyone but Me because I Am Not Allowed To Touch So Much As One Teeny Tiny Pine Needle On That Tree Do You Hear Me Savannah.

Daddy was Busy the First Day putting Lights on the Big Tree. Momma said they were Old Lights that Bubble up and Daddy said he had those Lights on his Tree when he was a Little Boy. I don't know what a Little Boy is but I'm guessing it's like being a Puppy. I wonder if Daddy was allowed to Touch Those Lights when he was a Puppy.

After the Lights That Bubble were on the Tree then Momma got Boxes and Boxes from the Big Closet and then she started to Hang Things on that Tree. And every time Momma put something Pretty and Shiny on that Tree she said Now Just Remember Savannah You Can Look All You Want But You Cannot Touch And Don't Even Think About Touching This Tree.

Well. What fun is That. All those Pretty Things that are Shining and Spinning and Bubbling and I am Not Allowed To Touch. Well I don't Touch A Thing when Momma is in the Dining Room and I am Waiting and Waiting for Momma to let me go into the Dining Room By Myself so I can have a Good Look Around but I don't think that's Going To Happen Anytime Soon.

Today was Tea Party Day and the Ladies came this afternoon with Cakes and Cookies and Dips and little Wrapped Packages. Momma said it was an Ornament Exchange Party and everyone had to put their Ornament in the Middle of the Table and then the Ladies took turns Picking one of the packages and all I heard after that was Ooooh and Aaaah and Isn't That Pretty and I didn't even Bother getting Out Of My Bed and walking in the Dining Room for a Look because Momma would have said Remember Savannah You Are Not Allowed To Touch. Well what's the Sense of Looking if you can't Touch. I did get two Treats when Momma wasn't Looking because Miss Cindy gave me two Crackers but she forgot to put some Dip on them and I know there was Dip on that Table because the Ladies were saying Ooooh and Aaaah when they tasted that Dip and that was Before they were Ooohing and Aaaahing over those Ornaments.

All the Ladies were Talking about Christmas all Afternoon so I guess they all know what Christmas is and they all have Big Trees with Lots of Things hanging on them that I wouldn't be Allowed To Touch so I don't think I will be invited to see any other Big Trees because if I can't Touch those Trees either then What's The Point of Looking. All the Ladies probably have Crackers and Dip and Cookies and Cake too but I probably wouldn't get those either unless Miss Cindy was there to give me some when no one else was Looking.

Momma keeps saying that Santa will bring me Toys and Treats and he will Leave them Underneath The Big Tree for me. Well if that's Really what Happens on Christmas then Momma better leave a Big Sign under that Tree that says Santa Is Allowed To Touch This Tree otherwise he won't be Leaving Anything for me or anyone else in this House and then No One will be saying Ooooh and Aaaah when Christmas gets here.