Snow Day! There's Lots of Those Here.

Edited to add a very important note. I cannot recommend the Boots and Barkley Pop-Open Dog Kennel featured in this post. In fact, I consider it to be an unsafe product that should not be on the market. This morning after breakfast and playtime, Yoshi went into the pop-up crate for his nap. I have left it open since Sunday so he could get used to it. He stretched and turned to lay down and the whole crate collapsed on top of him, leaving him trapped between two spring loaded layers of nylon. Because he has free-range access to the crates, the front was not zipped and I was present and able to extricate him without any injury. However, had this crate been in my car at the time, and had be been alone as I visited a restroom or grabbed a quick bite in a dog-unfriendly establishment he would have very likely been injured. Please do NOT try to cheap out and purchase this item for your dog. A better choice for portability, is the Firstrax Port-a-Crate E2.

It turns out that Sunday is a day of rest after all, or at least this week it is. It snowed all morning. I played catch with snowballs that mom threw for me. I had my nails clipped and got brushed and practiced standing on the table. Mom checked my teeth and made me stand very square. It gets easier the more I do it. Dad helps to hold me when she does my nails still. I really don't like that part, but I get better at that too. Boo had his toes done after me and got he brushed too. Mom says that in spring we will have baths. Not every week, though, because too much washing is apparently bad for dogs.

Mom cut up a small apple into pieces. She gave dad about 3/4 of it in slices, and then cut the rest into little pieces. She made me sit and wait, and then walked away from me. I was mostly patient. Then she tossed the apples to me... and I CAUGHT them!! Well, some of them. I am not perfect at this yet, but I think it is something I will be very good at in the future. I like catching snow, and I try to catch the ball. Mom says it will probably be easier for me to learn with small bits of apple or treats instead of the ball which may be too big for me.

My Lupine has been ordered. Mom ordered it from Midwest Shiba Rescue. She said that if we were going to order it anyway it may as well come from someplace that we can help by buying. That makes sense to me!

I love my new small car crate. In fact I may like it better than my regular crate. I took naps in it today a lot. Mom thought it was too small for me when she first opened it, but I went right in. it is very cozy. I may outgrow it when I get big, but for now it is perfect.

Dad vacuumed the basement today and I barked a lot. I think I may have barked too long because when he was done he brought it up and put it next to my crate. It's off, and the cord is all wrapped up, but he doesn't seem to be interested in moving it. I tried to stare it down. But it doesn't move. I wish it would.

We worked today on sweeping, too. This time mom swept and dad helped to keep me from attacking the broom and the dust mop. It's a good thing they let me be a dog other times or I would be so over this whole "no" thing. No, you can't eat the dust mop. No, you can't bark at the vacuum or the plow or dad shoveling the back deck. No, you can't get into the cat box. Boring!!

It's going to be bad weather tomorrow. I hope dad stays home and plays fetch with me ALL morning!