What Did I Do Before?

Before I had a brother, I know I did things, but what were they? They could not have been as cool as NOW! Yesterday we had a big fight over bones. I know that brother stole my beef bone, and I did not forget it. I waited a while, but then I got angry at him. This time he got angry back at me. I was very, VERY sad. I have been much less angry since then. No one has ever gotten angry back before, except mom. I am not scared of him. Not at all. But I decided that he can come into the bedroom now. And I let him sit on my side of the car. Mom said I "needed to get my clock cleaned for once". I did not know I had a clock.

Bradley even likes being loved, which is kind of strange. He asks for love on purpose. Mom and Dad seem to like this. I am still not going to change my mind on the subject, so they can love him all they want. Gross!

And he plays frisbee with Dad, and brings it back. I do not understand. I make DAD go get the ball after a time or two, but Bradley acts like it's fun to fetch things.

Yesterday Mom gave that brother a new beef bone, and he growled at her, so then she did the same thing she used to do to me - she put it down then took it away, put it down, took it away, over and over and over, while telling him that it was HER bone and he could only have it if she said. After a while he did not even raise his lip at her, and waited for her to say he could touch it. I came over to see what was going on, and his lip came up again. So then Mom made him do the whole thing over - put it down, take it away, put it down, take it away! I am really glad to know that she makes him do the same stuff she makes ME do. And I liked watching him suffer, I will admit. I sat there and watched until Daddy made me go away and stop being a pest. I think his name may be 'Bradley Leave It', just like my name is 'Yoshi Leave It'!

This morning mom took us for a hike in the WOODS! We saw a bunny, a turkey, a squirrel and a LOT of bugs. We smelled a million things. Bradley found a dead thing, but because Mom had the leash on him he did not roll in it. But we both wanted to. Mom said we have enough dead things at home. Lies!

We got very filthy in the mud, and waded in a stream. Bradley LIKES WATER! Mom dragged me in, too and I splashed and squirmed and jumped right out. Who DOES that?? On PURPOSE!? We walked on trails with weird names. Some of them were footpaths and others were so wide you could drive a car on them. There were fallen trees and a lot of water in all of the streams and low spots. It was very buggy in the woods, and after a mile mom said she'd had enough - actually she used a bad word when she said it - and we headed back to the car on more trails with weird names. I want to go there again. We have been here before. Mom says she and Dad used to go there all of the time with Kioshi, but then when Boo came they stopped going as much because he was so scared of all the things. I am not scared of any of the things. Neither is Bradley!

When we got home Mom turned on the shower and went to get a towel. When she came back Bradley was IN the shower! She decided that was a sign that we both needed baths, so she got MORE towels and gave ALL of us a shower. I think the shower is better than the bathtub, but I still do NOT like baths. Bradley acted like it was the best thing ever. After we all had showers, and had turned the bathroom into what Mom called 'a flood zone', Bradley and I raced all over the house. We shook and jumped and played. Then Bradley did this:

And Mom was so busy laughing at him, because before this he was rolling around and burrowing in the cushions and being generally adorable (I even laughed at him myself!) that she could not tell him to get off, and just took a picture instead.

All in all I think the brother thing could work out for me. It is really nice to have someone to do stuff with. This brother is not like Boo. Boo never wanted to go anywhere because he was blind. Bradley wants to go EVERYWHERE, and that makes all the places more fun. Mom and Dad are great, but they are different than me. Bradley has four feet instead of two, and he has fur, and he likes the things I like. I never see Mom and Dad with a raw bone, for example. And Mom never tries to roll in dead things. She acts like she can't even smell them. But Bradley loves them, just as much as I do! And he rides in the back seat with me, so it isn't as lonely back there now. I like him. When he does not take my stuff.

Now I think I will rest a bit. But don't think I am asleep - nope, not me! Bradley can sleep. I am just resting my eyes a little.

Brother or no brother, I am still ready to take on ALL the things ANY time!

I Miss My Brother.

Boo is gone. He's not here any more. He was ten years and seven months old. Mom is kind of mopey and sad. Daddy seems better than she does on the outside, but I think he just lies better. I... I am tired. I am a lot quieter. I spent a lot of time making sure that mom knew whenever anything might threaten or scare Boo. Mom thought I was just being a bit of a twerp and making a ton of noise, but now she knows the truth.

Boo's Last Weeks

He got to the point where he just slept, or panted, or whined. That was mostly it for the last week. When mom and dad were in Virginia, about halfway through their trip, he got worse. Teach them to run off and play on the beach! Gerbil and Girl didn't tell them until they got home, but they knew it was almost time. He kept getting onto the slippery floor and then couldn't get up. His hips made crunching noises from his arthritis - mom called it "crepitus" which is a fancy way of saying "nasty crunching bone on bone sounds". His front legs were sore, and they shook a lot and he lapped them a lot, and that was really all he had to pull himself around with. He had an awful time on the stairs, and cried when he had to move very far. He was scared or sad or uncomfortable most of the time, but when they talked to him or pet him, he would try so hard to be happy. I felt bad for him sometimes, and other times I would try to MAKE him get up by racing around him in circles and yowling and shoving my head under his. Totally didn't work.

Boo with Daddy and Me Before He Got Worse Than "Not So Good"

When they got home, he didn't get better. They'd moved the circle of safety a couple of months ago, the rug Boo was on all the time, to make it as close to the water and the door as possible. They've been eating on the dining room table in the living room for a while now. It's reassuring to know that when I am old they will make all sorts of accommodation for me, I can tell you that! These people are serious soft touches! When they say forever home, they mean it.The worst was when on Friday morning when mom caught Mel swatting at him meanly, as if he was trying to "chase Boo onto the ice" as she said. I am not sure what that means, but since I am not a huge fan of ice on my feet I can make a guess. If you put me on ice, I'd just curl up and die. Mom said if she caught him again she'd put Mel on the ice. In defence of Mom, the cat was being really mean. Mom called our new vet, but they were booked and could not fit Boo in until Monday. They suggested we call our old vet, who'd known Boo since he was a baby. Mom called them, and they said it was no problem, and mom and dad could bring him down for 5pm on Friday. They did, and when they came back all they had was his collar and leash, which are under the table by where the circle of safety was. It's so I can smell him if I want. Sometimes I do. Today I sniffed it and sighed and then laid down right there, looking at them. I think I am getting kind of lonely.

Mom says Boo was little once. She said that she and dad got him off of an airplane. She said he was from the Bernese Auction Rescue Coalition, which is why he came on an airplane and not in the car like I did when I came from Cape Cod Shibas. That's because Boo was a "rescue", which means they saved him from something. His mom was sick when she was pregnant with him. Mom says Doc suspected this because Boo's teeth were missing lots of enamel, and the easiest reason is that his mom had a lot of antibiotics when she was pregnant or nursing puppies. The drugs are bad for dogs' teeth.

Mom and Boo at Delta Cargo in Windsor Locks, CT

He was missing half of his tail, too. Doc said that sometimes a mother dog that has puppies alone and unsupervised will accidentally chew of a puppy's tail instead of it's umbilical cord. All of the other puppies in his litter had their tails, so that makes sense. He was kind of cute as a baby, I think, although nowhere near as cute as me as a baby. Who could be?

Mom and Kioshi and Boo

She also said that back then he had a sister, named Kioshi. I am going to let it slide that she named me something that sounds so close to that other dog's name. She said Kioshi was an Akita, and a girl. I know what those are because we are related. I am, however, more closely related to the wolf, which makes me much cooler. Mom says having Kioshi first got her ready for me. As if one needs preparation to have someone like me in their life!

Boo was scared and uncomfortable a lot, and it just took them a lot longer to figure it out. I knew. I've known for a long time. Since Boo died I have been very quiet. I don't alert to every sound any more. Mom says I am so easy to manage that it's kind of scary. I don't need to be alert now; there's really no one here needing protection. Mom can handle herself pretty well. Most of the time. Sometimes I have to try and step in, but she keeps reminding me that I don't need to, and frankly it gets old trying to be in charge. It's a lot easier to just let her be the boss.

December 2012

Anyway, now that he is gone I feel much better about the dopey Christmas pictures with the antlers and candy cane headgear. And also about mom and dad bawling all over us at Christmas while trying to pose for pictures.

 Mommy "Not Crying" with Boo and Me

Daddy "Not Crying" with Boo and Me

I even feel pretty good about Boo's last day, when mom gave him my Christmas bone.

She said I could have it after he was gone, and that he wouldn't do much damage to it since he really didn't feel great. She was right. Six months ago there'd have been nothing but a stub after ten minutes. He had it to himself all day, and I had to stay in mom and dad's room because mom didn't want me bugging him, and he barely touched it.

I don't know what will happen next. I kind of like being an only dog. I get to do more stuff because mom doesn't feel so bad leaving Boo behind. This weekend I went for a hike in the woods, dug in the garden with mom, and laid outside while mom and dad had a fire and drank wine. I like it. But it's lonely. A young brother or sister could be outside too, and dig, and hike, and give me someone to play with. Boo hasn't played in a long while. But at the same time, mom says her heart is all torn up, whatever that means, and she isn't sure she's ready to let some new dog chew more holes in it.

She's wrong, and she'll figure that out soon I am sure. She's already let so many dogs chew holes in it that she should know by now - the more holes we make in her heart, the bigger her heart gets. 

And who couldn't use a bigger heart, right?

I am ONE.

I am almost as bad at blogging as my mom is. But this is IMPORTANT!

I had a BIRTHDAY!! It was my first one. I liked it a lot.

Mom made me a cake. It was made with FISH and had cream cheese on top.

I shared some with Boo. Mom made me. I didn't really think he needed any.

And then there was a pile of presents ALL FOR ME! Mel & Boo did not like this part.

But now I just wonder, most of the time, which one should I play with first?

Socialization is the Key to Success

Mom says this is true. If it is, then I am going to be a highly successful individual!

I had no idea when I got up this morning that today would be such an important day filled with so many new things. It started when mom folded up my portable crate and took it and me to the car. I was concerned and I followed her very closely and stayed near to my bed when she propped it by the door. I have not been a fan of the car so far, and mom was worried that she might need to go into a store, or we could have an accident and I would not be safe loose in the car all by myself, so she felt like bringing the crate was insurance.

She put my crate in the back and laid my mat down in it, and gave me my rawhide chewie and one stuffie. I went into the crate a little reluctantly, but once I got into it and knew it was mine I felt better. Then mom's cell phone rang. She talked to someone for a minute and I heard her say "OK, I can give you a ride, but I am in a hurry.". She can be very  fussy too, just like me.

We drove to Greenfield and stopped at a bus station and I got to meet one of my brothers. His name is Private Adams, and he is in the Army. He just graduated from something called AIT, which I do not understand, but sounds important. I think having a soldier for a brother is very impressive. He opened the top of my crate (the top comes up, like a convertible!) and petted me. I liked him. We drove a bit more and then dropped him off, and then we got back on the road.

And then IT happened. I threw up. I was very unhappy. It was gross and it made me a little embarrassed and I tried to get rid of it, or get away from it, or cover it up or ANYTHING to make it go away! Mom pulled over and cleaned me up, and then she let me sit in the front seat with my leash handle through the seatbelt. She says I need a car harness, and she sounds pretty serious about it. I think I'd be fine loose, but mom says "safety first!". She's big into "what if"'s. What if we have an accident and I get loose? What if she opens the door and I sneak out? She thinks more than I do!

I rode quietly on the seat next to her and there was no more gross throwing up, which made me happy. For a while I rode on mom's lap, standing up, which she said was very unsafe, and that I was a very spoiled dog. After a while I got sick of standing and I curled up in the other seat. It was comfortable. I slept a little.

When I woke up we were in a new place. Mom took me out of the car along with a green bag full of eggs, and we went into a strange new building. It smelled really good once we got inside. I could smell sheep, I think! Mom said that was the yarn. This was Webs, mom said, and now I could meet Auntie Kathy. Mom says that it's Auntie Kathy's idea that I am even here, and she's really glad and, she says, "forever grateful" that Auntie Kathy said "Shiba!" and sent that link with all those puppy pictures, and reminded mom about Shiba Inu. Mom says my sister-who's-gone, Kioshi, was an Akita Inu and she learned about Shiba when she was learning about Akita. I think she is trying to tell me that Akita is something like Shiba, which of course it is not. Shiba is SHIBA, not anything else, not even Akita!

Anyway, I did meet Auntie Kathy and I liked her an awful lot! She smells very nice and I want to kiss her face, but mom says I need to not do that quite so much to everyone I meet. She says read an article about it. I think articles are dumb if it means I can't lap everyone's face. Anyway, I liked Uncle Steve, too, but I like Auntie Kathy better. I think in general I like woman more. Men are OK and cool to hang out with, but the ladies are what really count!

Then I met Katy and GL and a small thing called Laz. She had an owl on her head and shoes that looked like me. She is my size and will be one of my best friends, I know it. Then Auntie Mary and Tina and Viviana and Kendra and...well, I met a LOT of people, let's leave it at that! A really really lot of people! I met most of the staff in all different parts of the store, I saw the warehouse - it is big and noisy, but I liked it! - I met tons of customers who thought I was just too cute for words.

I saw shopping carts and I heard noises I have never heard before, and I took almost all of it in stride. Even when I didn't like stuff, I adjusted quickly enough. Mom even left me alone with Auntie Mary for a couple of minutes and I did very well. Mom says this is a very good sign and further proof of my "stable temperament", whatever that is. As long as mom's happy, I am happy! We walked all over the store and there were lots of doors and corners and places and offices and people, people, people everywhere! I loved all of the people! They pet me and cuddle me and it makes me so happy. I had very good manners almost all of the time, and I even practiced my sit, down and stand while we were there. I did well and Auntie Kathy, Auntie Mary, Katy, GL and I think Tina even cheered for me! And I practiced my name a LOT. People call me and when I go to them they rub me all over and tell me what a good boy I am. I could get used to that!

After the yarn store we made a quick stop to deliver some eggs at a place mom called Elgar, which she says is where we will normally see Katy and will almost always deliver eggs. I laid down in my crate quietly the whole time mom was taking the eggs in. I did the same thing when mom stopped to get her lunch at a place called Spoleto Express. Mom said it did not feel very "express" today at all, but I didn't really notice or care. I was starting to feel pretty worn out, but mom said the day was not done yet.

We drove for a little while and ended up at a place mom called "The Vet". She said that I would like it there, and I did. I met Polly who has some of those Akitas, and Doc who was very, very nice to me. He held me on his lap and looked at my teeth and my eyes and my ears and listened very carefully to my heart, which he said was very good. I got weighed on the scale, which was not scary at all. The scale comes up from the floor and becomes a thing called "the table", but even when it moved I was not scared at all.

I got to be on the table with a girl who's name I don't know - but she was very nice, too. Then I got my microchip - I don't really understand what it is, but they all seemed to think it was important. It didn't hurt much and I didn't even make a sound. Next I need a rabies shot. That I did NOT like, and I let out one good loud scream so everyone would know I was not happy. Mom gave me a kibble, and I forgot all about it and was happy again. I waited in the car (really I slept) while mom did "paperwork" which I sense was very boring. I thought then that maybe we would go home.

But we DIDN'T go home! Mom said we had another stop to make - we needed to go and meet my Nana. I didn't even know I HAD a Nana, but apparently I do. She lives at a place called The Arbors with a lot of other Nana-like people. I saw Nana, and I also saw automatic doors, wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. I heard loud sounds, and people yelling and having a party called "happy hour" (at 3:15pm! Mom says Nana-like people start early on happy hour because they've earned it). I met people in green aprons called Resident Care Assistants, and I met the ladies who answer the phone (and make sure mom signs in and out when she forgets), and I met a man called Joe, and one called Nathan, and a bunch of ladies who all loved me a LOT. I was very well-mannered again which was a lot of work, because there were a lot more new and strange things here than I expected, but it was fun to learn about them anyway.

After a while mom said that we should get moving, which was probably good because I was very sleepy. Once we were in the car I fell right to sleep on the seat beside her. I tried to wake up once at a stoplight, but I just couldn't get my head to stay up and I ended up inhaling car seat for about five minutes before my head finally laid down flat. Mom took pictures. It's a good thing I am not a human baby or someday I would be pretty mad about some of the crazy pictures she takes.

We got home and I headed straight for MY house and MY buffalo and MY bowl and MY toys. I am loving this place more and more every day. There's so much to do and learn and see! I can't wait to see what's next. But right now, I think I need another good nap!

The Scary Good Day

My name is Yoshi. I was born on October 18th, 2010. I have two brothers and one sister. We grew up together with our dog-mom and our first human-mom on Cape Cod. My name wasn't always Yoshi. This is my story.

A few weeks ago a Strange Lady and a Strange Man came to my house on the Cape to visit. They played with my  mom and dad, my aunts and my siblings, and with me. I liked them, and they said they liked me best of all my litter. I played fetch with the Strange Man, and he was nice.
I fell asleep on the Strange Lady's leg, and she said she was in love. I heard her say it, just as my eyes closed. Then they went away, and I wondered if they would come back to play again sometime.

One day one of my brothers went away. I missed him, but I still had my mom and my sister and brother to play with. This morning my human-mom brought me upstairs into the kitchen all by myself; my mom and my brother and sister stayed outside. I thought it was funny, but I had a good time being the center of attention. Finally people are learning that this is where I belong!

The Strange Man and the Strange Lady came back! I liked them as much as I did the first time I met them, and they really seemed to like me. I got a collar and a leash from my human-mom. She says that the Strange Lady is now called Mom and the Strange Man is called Dad. She gave the Strange Lady a bag with some toys in it, and they did something called "paperwork", and then I went outside with my new mom - I forget to call her that sometimes, but she says it's ok. I saw a car, and they even let me get in it! I was very excited. Then the Strange... I mean, then Dad and Mom took me for my first ride! It was a lot of fun. We started the car, and backed out of the driveway and then we drove for a little and then...

And then, today, I left home. At first I really wasn't sure if I was having fun or not. We went to the feed store and Dad bought a bag of my food, so I think they are going to feed me. A very nice Strange Lady at the feed store gave me a piece of chicken. It was very good. I am not sure if I can trust the new people or not, but Mom keeps giving me little bits of food now and then, and she holds me on her lap, and I think I will be ok.

I did not like the car ride. There were turns and I didn't like them. I wanted to throw up, but I was very brave and did not. I drooled a lot and made a big mess, but Mom said she had enough towels and it was fine. I thought it was gross. I felt better when we were on the straight roads.

We stopped at a rest area and I met a very old strange dog named Lucky. I liked Lucky and his mom. My mom says that it is more proof that I am going to be a very lucky boy - my new name, Yoshi, means good fortune, AND I met a dog named Lucky for my very first strange dog! She says I have a longer name, too. It's Cape Cod's Fortunate Son. I prefer Yoshi, because it makes more sense.

We had more time in the car, and then we came to what mom says is my Forever Home. We got out of the car and went for a walk and I met another strange dog - this one mom says is my brother, and his name is Boo-Boo. He does not look like a brother. He looks like a buffalo. And I think he smells like one too. He sniffed me a lot and I was scared, so I growled at him. He left me alone a little after that, and I felt very proud, but very scared.

I met my new sister, her name is Girl and she's a human even thought she's my sister. I think that's strange, but I like her a lot.

I came into my new house and found a whole basket of toys ALL for me, and a bed I can sleep in that is perfect for me. I like it a lot.

I met a strange orange thing that makes a weird sound when you touch it. It is called Mel, and they say it is a cat, but I think it is like me. It's orange and my size, so it must be. I will try to talk to it more another time.

At bedtime I went into my bed and cried myself to sleep. I like it here, I think, but I am not quite sure yet.