Ok, where was I? Chaos is now out of the crate, given reinforcements in what is acceptable behavior with more "down" and "off" commands and is now successfully outside. Hopefully, he'll want to stay there for a moment or two.

As a pet owner, I can easily get a bit frustrated with him. Now mind you, he isn't a bad dog, just a pup with too much energy trapped in a gigantic body, LOL! You know it when 85 lbs. of solid muscle jumps on you. My biggest concern is that one day one of us or someone else is going to get hurt by his actions . He is so easily excited that he simply choses to conveinently forget all training he's had but I know it is time to buckle down on him. For his own safety as well as that of others, so my last several days have been spent working more with him. I am certainly hoping it does some good and as he matures more we get through this! {*wish us luck! we're going to need it. LOL!}

Change of plans...

Well, skip giving Chaos a bath! For some strange reason he is being stubborn!!! today and refuses to get in the tub. Maybe, it is because the last several times he has required one, we've taken him to the car wash where they have a Pet Spa. Now, I, personally love the idea... Warm water, a huge raised tub area which means no bending over and killing your back, and all I need is towels!!! The best part, someone else cleans up the wet mess!!! Well worth the $5 it costs to bath him....... Heck! I'd pay someone $5 to clean up the bathroom afterwards just so I didn't have to, LOL! So, I guess later today or tomorrow morning, we'll be heading to the Pet Spa.

I haven't gotten a darn thing done today...... well, that isn't entirely true! I checked my email, did some email trashin', posted on a couple message boards........ browsed some blogs, visited a few favorite websites to see if there was anything new to view, read, ect.

Came up with an idea for my Postage ATC's.... but have yet started creating them. Guess I need to get off the computer, huh?

Good Saturday Morning!

I am up early as usual... actually I've been awake since 5:30 a.m. enjoying my morning cup of fresh brewed coffee, the stillness of the day, the quiet.... Okay, so it lasted only a few hours, prior to Chaos waking up. He has this thing where he believes if he is awake, the entire household needs to be too. Don and I take turns, if I'm not out of bed before he is, getting up and closing the bedroom door so the other one can sleep in for bit longer. He definately has an internal alarm clock, 7:30 a.m., no matter what you do to keep him awake or how much you try to wear him down.

I need to capture a few pictures of him. He is getting HUGE! He isn't a tall dog, but he's long.... I also have to say that he is approximately 80-85 lbs. now, so handling him sometimes is a whole 'nother challenge. I spend some time on an online message board for Laborador's and most are recommending a no-pull harness for puppies. Can you believe he is still classified as a puppy? Just one month over a year old... it is hard to believe due to his size, but his behavior and attitude says "puppy" all the way. Have I mentioned just how rambunctious labs are? They definately require a certain type of person to handle them; they are very active, and there is a saying that "a good lab is a tired lab" and trust me that is so true! Wear them out!!!! One thing that I do try to stick to is a 5 minute rule: 5 minutes of excercise times every month of age. That means at least an hour of exercise a day ---- which doesn't take too long when your throwing a ball! Don't even go there unless you have at least a half an hour to spend doing so.
Anyways, enough about our nut case dog who lives up to his name!

Today's agenda:

• Give Chaos a bath! --- Okay, typing that was the easy part! Doing it = something else altogether.
• Clean up the bathroom after the fiasco!
• Rest! {A hour and a half should do it.}
• Clean up the house; take something out for tonight's dinner, and fix a light brunch so Don can eat before going into work.
• Get some stamping and ATC's created for the Postage ATC Swap.

and deal with whatever transpires in the middle of it all! I hope your morning is as glorious as mine! {smiles}

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear...."

Chaos! Happy Birthday to you!" *BO-I-ng!

LOL! Today is Chaos's first birthday! and he loves it when either Don or I sing to him. Of course, he probably prefers Don's singing to my off beat and out of key songs, but he enjoys them none the less. All I have to do is start signing and/or get up and dance while singing and the party is on! Chaos begins running circles around me as I continue to dance, he barks. {Only one time has he ever started to howl; for I stop signing! LOL! So, that is a major no-no!}

I'm so happy for my puppy! I realize when someone else looks at him, it is hard to imagine him and the word "puppy" all in the same sentence but he's my puppy at heart. And Trust me here, he's still a puppy with a lot to learn yet.

Last night while waiting for Don to lock up and retire for the night, Chaos and I laid in bed {hmm, me under the covers and him on top --- I cannot stand dog hair on my sheets!} and I told him the story of how I picked him out of the litter of his siblings, brought him home, what we've provided for him, and just how thankful he should be, LOL! He did give me a kiss on the cheek, so I guess he said, "Thank you!"

He is so comical when I talk to him, cocking his ears in a certain way, gently wagging his tail, and listening so intently that you'd swear he understands every single word I said. Like last night when I was telling him just how ornery and mischeiveous he can be and how I when I reached throught the fence when I first picked him out, I should have know what I was getting in for and said, "NEXT!" LOL! Chaos got all excited then and kissed me some more.

He has definately been a challenge and heart-warmer to us. I know that I love my "fur-ball" companion! So, Happy Birthday, Chaos! May you live to experience many, many more......... my ornery ole' dog!

Chaos's favorite toy...

After putzing around cleaning our house for a while yesterday morning, eating a light lunch consisting of grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches and a small cheese platter, Chaos decided to go plain bonkers on Don and I.

I feel so sorry for him as he is ALL puppy; with so much pent-up energy trapped into his small body. {Ok, I really shouldn't say "small" as when we can get him to stand up, he is able to put his enormous paws on my shoulders and I'm 5'1" "tall"} It is simply too damn hot to allow him to go out and run, play, and romp; so we try to get him outside in the early morning and late in the evenings. His shiny, black coat simply absorbs so much of the heat it isn't long before he panting and drooling, so we played ball with him IN the house.

A few days ago, we almost captured one of his antics on the camcorder, I swear he can be so hilarous, you just roll laughing at him. His newest endeavor is to pick up his old brush and with it in his mouth he bats his ball around the house. I am not certain if it is a form of golf where underneath my computer amoire or the recliner is the goal in his game or if it some form of baseball without the bases but whatever the case truly may be, he is so comical to watch. It is "cheap entertainment" at its finest, I assure you.