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The journal of one dog's day to day experiences as he goes through rehabilitative training after a life of abuse and misunderstanding.
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Feb. 10th, 2011 @ 05:48 pm THAT'S a dog????
Mom brought home a little dog yesterday. At first I thought it was a rat to replace Mom's Butterball who went to the rainbow bridge last week, but no it's a dog, at least that's what Mom says even though I am not sure I am convinced. It is small and brown and white and has big ears and eyes. I think it looks startled, Mom says he's just scared like I was when I first got here. Mom says I have to be nice and not bark at the little dog, and make him feel welcome.

It is very cold out there today and us dogs don't want to stay out long because Mom might freeze! When Dad comes home we will stay out longer because apparently Dad is something called a furnace and Mom says he never gets cold. If Dad is cold Mom says there is no hope the rest of us won't freeze to death.

Mom says the Chalkmaster went away to Nova Scotia with Lady yesterday, and they won't be back for a whole month! I hope Lady likes traveling. Mom says Lady will be fine and I shouldn't worry, but Lady is an old dog and she is my friend so I am going to worry anyway!

Okay gotta go I hear Dad's car!

Talk to you soon,
Phoenix.
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Feb. 5th, 2011 @ 10:31 am I have a secret!
My goodness! Where do the days go? I have not written to you guys for ages! Mom says that is because I am too busy becoming a regular dog. So Mom is sad today, because her pet rat Butterball died in his sleep last night. That's too bad we were just starting to get friendly. Mom says she is pretty sure that rats go to the Rainbow Bridge too so he will be waiting for us all when we go to the Rainbow Bridge. Mom says it is not a place we can visit it is only for animals that have lived their full life.

Yesterday we made the special cookies, and Mom told me I had to wait, but when she went to the bathroom I ate a whole pan of cooling cookies! Mom got mad and put me to bed. The cookies were good though. I love special cookies!

Hey do you guys know you are not supposed to bring snowballs in the house? I brought one in from the yard the other day and it turned into a big puddle on the dog den floor, Mom wasn't happy about it and told me to leave the snow outside!

Want to know a secret? I have a stash of stuffies in my crate no one knows about. There are two bunnies, a duck, and a squirrel, I sleep with them, and Mom says I can keep them for myself! What do you think of that? She says if taking toys to bed makes me stop stealing Dad's socks I can have them! Hope she doesn't find out about the stash of socks under my blankets!

Gotta go there is a squirrel on the front porch that needs to be barked at!

Talk to you soon!

Phoenix
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Jan. 22nd, 2011 @ 12:17 pm I Don't Like Visiting Dogs!
Hey YOU GUYS! I am not happy about this visiting dog! Oh hey I guess I better tell you what is going on...

So it went this way, last night these strange people arrived at our door. (I didn't see them because i was in the kennel room with Samson Niki and Mysty, but Harley told me) Anyways, the strange people left a little dog behind when they went away. I tried to tell Mom they forgot her, but Mom ignored me. Then this morning, the little dog took my spot on the bed! I growled at her and got in trouble. Mom says she is just visiting and I am supposed to be nice to the visiting dogs. I'll be nice, but not if the visitors are going to steal my spot on the bed beside Mom!

So I have decided this living in a pack thing isn't so bad. I always have someone to play with, and i don't get blamed for everything that goes wrong, (I blame it on the cats Mom is hiding downstairs) I get lots of exercise, and I have gained five pounds! Mom says my legs get straighter every day, and Dad says I am a really fast runner! Flyball team HERE COMES PHOENIX!

I don't think it is fair that squirrels can climb trees! How is a guy supposed to catch 'em? I bark at the tree and tell the squirrel to come down, but they simply don't listen! (Note to self: learn to speak squirrel) Hey did you know that if you dig in the snow no one yells at you? Just try digging in the yard when there is no snow and see what happens. Niki says we are not allowed to dig holes in the yard so I better get my fill of digging holes before the snow goes away. What I want to know is why is the gopher that lives in the yard allowed to dig holes and we're not? Guess there's one rule for the gophers and another for us, doesn't seem fair!

Oh well! Talk to you soon!

Phoenix
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Jan. 14th, 2011 @ 09:40 am Here there be cats...
Good heavens! Has it really been THAT long since I wrote? Boy have I been a busy dog! We have been leash training, and Mom says I am doing much better as long as no squirrels cross my path! My legs are starting to work better, Mom says that is because I am running and playing with the other dogs, and guess what? No more long leash in the back yard! Yay me!

Oh hey! Do you guys know what i discovered this morning? Mom and Dad having been hiding CATS in the basement! I heard them this morning, but i got too excited and Mom wouldn't let me go meet the cats. I know they are there, I can hear them! Next project, figure out how to get into the basement and meet the cats!

This morning i was not happy! Nakita stole my spot on Mom's lap and i didn't get to watch the morning news.  Now I have no idea what is going on in the world. Mom says I can watch the news at noon, but I hate it when Nakita messes up my morning routine, so I am not talking to her today!

This weekend Mom says it is time for me to start walking on the beach. I don't know why Mom wants to walk on the beach in the winter, but she says it is time i met some local dogs and their owners. I guess walking on the beach is okay, but i like to walk in the woods and chase the squirrels.

Gotta go! Mom says it is time for us big dogs to go outside for play time.

See you guys later!

Phoenix
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Jan. 5th, 2011 @ 10:04 am It's snowing!
So hey you guys! This is the way my morning started:

Me: Oh boy! It's snowing! Fresh snowballs for Dad to throw!!!!!!! Mom, mom, MOM!!!! (bounces up and down by the front window like an excited Chihuahua) let's go.....(runs to front door barks once and sits down) c'mon...c'mon...it's snowing!

Mom: Phoenix calm down! The snow isn't going anywhere. You are going to step on the little dogs, we will go for a walk after I have my coffee and we put in a load of laundry. (sits down in office chair and picks up coffee cup)

Me: But Mom! (sits beside office chair and paws at Mom's leg)

Mom: Phoenix go lie down while i drink my coffee and wake up! (points towards the couch)

Me: (heads of in opposite direction to the one Mom is pointing, out into the hall and toward the laundry basket) I will just help Mom sort the laundry and things will go much faster!

Mom: (has snuck up behind me while I was busy sorting laundry) Phoenix get out of that laundry basket, you are going to put holes in the clothes! Honestly sometimes I wish you would stop trying to be so "helpful"!

Well that didn't go so well, so I went in search of something else to do. I decided that maybe i should keep watch out the front window in case anyone tried to steal Mom's car or the sidewalk or the big tree out front. I barked at a couple of people and Mom told me to "go lie down" and pointed at the couch again. This time I went and laid down on the couch like Mom told me to. We are going for a walk soon, Mom is upstairs getting dressed, and then we are going to have a snow adventure! I hope there are squirrels to chase! Oh wait...Mom doesn't like it when I chase squirrels...maybe i'll just stalk them so i don't knock Mom off her feet again!

Talk to ya later!

Phoenix
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Jan. 3rd, 2011 @ 10:02 am I Get to Join a Team!
So, Mom says i have had enough holiday vacation! I am supposed to apologize to you guys for not writing every day to keep you all up to date on what I am doing. Mom says she thinks I am starting to feel at home because I am playing with the little dogs. Yesterday, Harley tried to steal my sock toy and we played tug of war with it for a while. I had to be very careful because Mom says I am much stronger than little Harley and i could accidentally hurt him if I play too rough. Then we took a nap together on Mom and Dad's bed, and Harley used me as a pillow. Mom said we looked really cute all cuddled up together.

This morning i surprised Mom by jumping on the bed and landing in her lap! I know I was a little too excited, but I hadn't seen Mom ALL night and I just HAD to give her big kisses and a hug! Mom laughed and hugged me and reminded me that I am too big to be a lap dog, then we cuddled up and watched the morning news. Pebbles was mad at me because there was no room on Mom's lap for her!

Hey you guys! Did you know that dogs had their own sports teams? Mom says I can join a flyball team when I get my CGN (Canine Good Neighbor.) She says that when you play flyball you play on a team with other dogs. Mom says I am fast and smart, and she thinks I would make a great flyball team member. I hope I can get my CGN soon so I can play on the flyball team with other dogs! Mom says I will learn all about flyball when the snow goes away in the spring! Hurry up spring, this doggie wants to join a team!

Talk to you guys later! We gotta go do some laundry. I got it all ready by pulling it out of the laundry hamper and depositing it on the floor!...

MOM: Phoenix why is the laundry all over the floor?

Oh, oh! Gotta go...

Phoenix
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Dec. 30th, 2010 @ 01:32 pm Yay! No More Oops!
Hey you guys guess what? Pumpkin puree really does fix the poops! I am ALL better now! Boy does Mom know how to fix a pup up! So I get the run of the house today. Mom is a little mad at me though even if she did laugh and shake her head at me when I opened up the door to the dog den and let Samson out. Mom says that sometimes I am too smart for my own good.

Mom and I went for a long walk today! We went to where Dad goes when he leaves the house in the morning. Mom says that when I saw Dad and tried to run to him I just about yanked her off her feet. She says now we gotta work on proper leash behavior. I am not sure what that means but it doesn't sound good, except there may be treats involved! Oh yeah! I like treats! Every time Mom says "Phoenix, we have to work on that..." I get treats! Bring on the proper leash behavior! I'm ready! (Does doggie happy dance, and momentarily forgets he is writing the blog)

Oh yeah where was i? So yeah we got to work on the leash training thing, and Mom says I really have to stop turning her into a kite every time a squirrel crosses my path. I'm not sure what a kite is, but I do know Mom looks really odd flapping around behind me when I decide to chase a squirrel! I keep trying to tell her it would be much easier to catch the squirrel if she would just let go of the leash but she won't cooperate.

What's the deal with the pond full of ducks? I am not allowed to chase them either! Stupid birds...don't they know they are supposed to fly south for the winter? Here we are walking through this park where the pond is, and these stupid ducks are everywhere! I restrained myself after Mom told me to behave myself a couple of times but sheesh! Give a guy a break! I have to chase SOMETHING! Mom says wait till Dad gets home, then I can go chase a ball in the big backyard. It's not as much fun as chasing a squirrel or a duck, but I guess it will do. Boy learning to behave properly is difficult.

Talk to you guys tomorrow!

Phoenix
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Dec. 29th, 2010 @ 07:58 pm Oops... Sorry Mom....I'm So Embarrassed!
There was a little bit of excitement around here this morning. Me and Nakita had some growls at the fence when me and Samson tried to play, and it scared me a bit. Much to Mom's disappointment this gave me the poops, and she has been cleaning up after me all day. Mom says if Nakita doesn't behave herself she will have to go live somewhere else because lately she hasn't been getting along with us doggies. Mom says this is not my fault and I should not feel responsible, she says Nakita is a smart doggy like me but she doesn't want to let Mom and Dad be in charge. Mom says that sometimes Nakita needs refresher training, she says that Nakita is behaving worse than me and I am supposed to be the difficult one. I hope Nakita stops being so grouchy soon. Mom says that Nakita is not going anywhere she will calm down and get used to me.

So I have the poops which means I must stay in my crate even though Mom already had to put me in the kitchen and clean out the crate and wash my blankets. Then I pooped in the kitchen and Mom had to tell Dad to take me for a long walk. When we got back from the long walk the kitchen was clean, but I had to go to my crate (Mom put in clean blankets and fresh water, but she took away my food) I have my chew bone, and I have to stay here. I heard Mom tell Dad to get some pureed pumpkin when he goes to the grocery store, the kind with no sugar. She says it helps when dogs get the poops if they eat pureed pumpkin. I am not sure what that is but I like food so I will give it a try. I hope it works I want to cuddle up on the bed with Dad!

Mom says that I get the poops when something makes me nervous. I hope I get over it soon, Mom doesn't seem to like it when I stink up the house. She says it isn't my fault, and that she is not mad at me, but it is stinky, and I think it is embarrassing!

Well gotta go, Mom says that I can't spend all night on the computer! Talk to you guys tomorrow!

Phoenix
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Dec. 27th, 2010 @ 11:55 am Christmas Pictures! Yay!
Well you guys the Christmas excitement is over and Mom's girl is going back to the city today. I will miss her she is nice, but Mom says she will come back to visit again so it is okay. I was so tired from Christmas excitement I fell asleep last night without writing.  Mom says it is okay you will understand because you are all tired from Christmas celebrating too. Who knew having fun could make you so tired?!?!

Hey did you guys know that if you tell your person you need to go for a walk they will put their shoes on and take you? It's true I tried it last night, and it works! I went to the door and barked once and looked at Dad, he said "Phoenix do you need to go for a walk?" So I ran to the door! Dad said "okay let's go" and off we went! Mom says it was very smart of me to figure that out when no one taught me, she says I amaze her all the time, and she doesn't understand how anyone could make the mistake and say I was a dog that should be killed! Mom says I am destined for great things, and that I will become a doggie that helps humans. I don't know about that, but I do know I am a very lucky dog!

Anyways, I promised Christmas pictures, and here they are!

This is me with my Christmas tree! I didn't pee on it once!









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Dec. 25th, 2010 @ 10:24 pm I had a very merry Christmas!
Oh My Dogness! What a day I have had, I wish it could be Christmas every day! We had presents, (our neighbors left a Christmas present for us on the front porch, and Mom gave us all sorts of special treats) and special Christmas dinner, and everybody petted us and made a fuss, and Mom took more pictures of us with the camera thingy. She says she will magically take them out tomorrow and I can post them right here in my blog!

Pebbles dressed for the occasion, she wore her pretty little denim dress with the pink and white trim. Hercules as usual was acting crazy, that is until Mom's girl's friend took care of that by picking him up and making him sit and stay Nakita got in trouble for jumping the gate and going into the livingroom so soon after her surgery, and Mom put her in her crate. I spent most of the day running around the house with the little dogs, and getting pats and cuddles. Samson and me growled at each other and had to wear our muzzles for a while. At dinner time we all had to eat in our crates because Mom did not want us to fight over the special Christmas food. Mom kept telling me I was a good dog so I guess i did pretty well today.

It has been a long day, and it is time to go to bed. I hope you all had a good Christmas too!

Nighty Night!

Phoenix
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