Brother From Another Mother

Saturday, June 29, 2013 2:35 p.m. -
Dear Diary,
This is Bradley. Mom says he is my brother. He is in MY HOUSE. Mom says it is not MY house. She says it is HER house. I will show her.

Mom is stupid. I do not like brothers. I hate him. I will kill him before sunrise, and all will be well. Then all the MINE will be ALL MINE again!

Love, Yoshi

Sunday, June 30, 2013 6:52 a.m. -
Dear Diary,
This is MY BEST FRIEND BRADLEY!

I LOVE HIM! We have always been best friends. I hope Mom lets him stay in her house forever! Mom is a GENIUS! I LOVE this dog. She does not understand me. When I said I would kill him, I just meant...play with him!

We played ball this morning. We ate raw dead animals for supper and breakfast. We helped Mom let out the chickens. Bradley wanted to eat them too. I told him that someday, when Mom is not watching, we will eat them ALL! Bradley is very good, and never does bad things. He even comes when mom calls him in the house. She says that she thinks someday he will be able to be like Boo; off of the leash for potty walks in the backyard. I never will be, because I am not afraid of ANYTHING. I think he's a little tame, but since he came when mom called I figured I'd better show up, too just to make sure he didn't step on mom's foot or get something better than I get.

This morning Mom gave us cookies when we practiced down and sit for her together, side by side. Then she cut our toenails. Bradley only needed a teeny snip off of his. Plus, he does not make any noise or anything when his are cut. I think he may be slow or something. He doesn't know that you're supposed to fight and try to kill people when they do that to you. In fact, he looked at me like I was a little strange when I did my usual act, with the screaming and the writhing and the trying to nip Dad while Mom cuts my nails. I found it very distracting, and could not put nearly as much effort into my performance as I usually do. But he is still MY BEST FRIEND! I am so glad I have a best friend!

Just... he better not touch MINE things. Or I will kill him before sunrise.

Love, Yoshi

(to be continued...)

(Mom says: Bradley is a 5 year old Golden Retriever. He was taken in and fostered by a local family for nearly two years. Although they loved Bradley very, very much, they knew that he needed more attention than he was getting in a three dog household with a busy lifestyle. He loves to swim and walk/hike and play ball. He's beautifully behaved and placid in nature, tolerant of change and - most importantly - of obstreperous snotty Shibas. He balances our family perfectly. He's got lots of youthful enthusiasm, but it's moderated by some maturity. Although we'd planned to get a puppy, it became apparent that our lifestyle right now does not admit the high demands of managing a puppy and a spoiled Yoshi. Bradley is the right dog at the right time, and we adore him!)

Summertime by Me, Yoshi.

During the day here it is kind of boring. I have to entertain myself a lot. For example, I have to get my own ball from under the tv and book thing. Mom actually IGNORES me when I ask her to get it for me!

 Mom says this is just "the way it is" and I have to "deal with it". She says that she has to work again for a while. I do not like her work.

 She also has been gone a lot either to the hospital in someplace called Springfield where dogs cannot go, or to Grandpa's house. At first I was not allowed to go to Grandpa's house. She said he had surgery and was not ready to handle me.

 As if I need handling? I do not need to be handled. I need to be rubbed and paid attention to, yes. But handled - I may be diva but let's not get too carried away!

 I tried to get Mr. Moose into the whole ball chasing thing, but he really didn't seem to care. (Honest, this was a Moose. Boo ate off it's ears and antlers and all that's left is a stump that looks like a Monkey, but it isn't; it's Mr. Moose)

 It takes longer when I have to get the ball out by myself.

 But somehow it seems more satisfying. I did it ALL by MYSELF!

 Sometimes Mom is right even when I think she's wrong. Sometimes in the evenings we go for a walk at my favorite walking place. There's this bridge...

 and there's trains at the end of the walk. Sometimes there are lots of them, and sometimes just a few.

 Today Dad rode his bike and met us at the car. Then Mom drove me to my newest favorite place on earth. Can you guess why I love this place?

 First I have to be very patient and "Wait" which is mommy's second favorite thing, right after "Leave It!" But then if I am good she says "Go ahead"....

 so I do! Maybe this summer isn't so bad after all!