Keller = Rowdy?

These are from the going away party for Beth (not pictured) who decided to move to Fargo. Bob and Trudy and her (all roommates) threw a "Moving Mitzvah!" party for her, and among other things, we spun the dradle and danced (right picture, Keller included!).

Yes, I can still pick up my puppy. I was also informed by Rob that it appears that I am holding a stuffed dog. Anyone that watches Scrubs will immediately agree with me when I say that it looks like I am holding a stuffed Rowdy.

St. Nick makes a visit

Keller gets a gift from St. Nick! Look at that sweet tooth...she tries to dive right in! lol....

Keller also does not like this cold (-20 to -30 wind chills). Who can blame her? I tried to take her to the dog park today, but we got there and found the parking lot not even plowed yet. So I parked across the street, but by the time we walked there, she was limping. So we turned back. She loves bouncing in the snow, just not this cold. Poor pup. At least Santi wore her out, because she's been extremely mellow today, which is good. :)

SNOWMAGEDDON!!!!! Keller style

The biggest snowfall Keller has ever seen in her young life...all 12" of it, plus drifts. She can barely get through it!

O Tannenbaum!

Keller is a little weirded out by the new strange creature in our living room. Ah, fresh balsam fir that's NOT a chew toy, dog!

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

Keller hopes everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!! Here's her family photo to mark her first Thanksgiving. She enjoyed a feast of dog food with turkey, among the various other items she was probably slipped. :)

Treat Stealer

On Tuesday we had to go to Leashes and Leads to drop off some tickets, and I let Keller wander around the treat aisle, sniffing up a good find (I liken it to being a kid in a candy store. Or me in a coffee shop or craft store or bakery). She found one - started munching on it, actually - so we got that and a bone and upon leaving, one of the customers wanted a picture with me to prove to her husband that she saw me there (time out: heehee).

So her and her daughter had a dog or two and I knelt down with Keller, who in one swift movement, lunges at the plastic treat baggy the girl has, and chomps out a big piece and manages to snatch three treats. I stood there with my jaw open. Like she hadn't gotten a treat in a year or something to that nature.

So I handed over the treat we had bought since I felt bad. Keller, in the meantime, is googly goggly eyed and is now eyeing up where else she can steal treats from. I've safe-guarded everything at home.

Poop-y!

Keller has now chewed up two feather pillows and yesterday morning I awoke to this shredding noise...think, soft fabric...and here she's going after the comforter. I thought I was dreaming. No, I wasn't.

After two straight days of hour plus visits to the dog park, however, she's tired out. In honor of my birthday today (or just because it's Friday the 13th - who knows) she rolled in a nice pile of crap at the dog park. I was forced to bathe her when I got home. Oh. My. Goodness. The smell...the smell!!!! I almost passed out on the way home!!!!!

Bed Warmers Part 2

Seriously, Keller is too spoiled. This is where she ends up after our morning walks/runs. And she gives you this sassy look that says, "What?"

So...we gave in to rawhides...and so far she is doing good with them. I think she learned her lesson after she scarfed down a huge bone in a day two weeks ago. Now she knows to take her time on them. :)

Keller got to spend some time with grandma and grandpa Anderson on Thursday and Friday morning - they came to the Twin Cities. She's now staying with nonnie and papa MacPhail since Dave and I drove to Neenah late last night to go buy another car to fuzz up. :)

Keller - takin' care of of overly stuffed pillows and cigars, since 2009.

Confused Puppy

Snow? In October?

We had Santi over yesterday so Seth and Sarah could go to the Twins Game. When they arrived, I looked out to see a white Pontiac Vibe - the exact same one we have - and it literally caught me off guard for a minute - I seriously thought Dave was home (which was weird, because he was in Chicago). LOL!

Anyway, Santi and Keller tore it up, which is good, because she is already incredibly mellow this AM. Or maybe that's because there's snow on the ground. :)

Seasonal Fotos

It's been some wacky weather around here! From a steady light/moderate rain to sunshine to snow (this morning). Keller handles the elements like a pro. The picture on the right is from the Bloomington Dog Park - it was about 48 degrees and raining and we were there for an hour (rain-geared me came ill-prepared with a lack of water resistant shoes. I had to wear Ann's sandals, so my feet and hands were freezing!). We got back into the Vibe and took some pictures of our drenched selves. The other one is from our cold walk on Friday - lots of sun, but definitely feeling like fall!

P.S. There really was a light dusting of snow this morning. I just got back from the dog park for an hour and am freezing my hiney off.

Gone Too Long!

I haven't seen Dave or Keller in nearly a week now! Sad. I sincerely hope nothing has been torn or shredded apart in Bloomington (from Keller...not Dave...lol).

On a side note, our carpet is fixed by the front door. We actually have a normal foyer again. I should get ahead of the game and spray it with bitter apple now before Keller comes home....

Keller Loves Food (Like Her Mom)

It goes against our vegetarian beliefs, but I had a coupon, and it was suggested to us by Nonnie to vary Keller's....well, pallette (sp?) (why did I make that french? lol...).

So I bought her some Alpo canned foods. BLECH....but she loves them. Look at that smiling puppy. That chops-lickin' puppy....

I've never been away from Keller this long before - nor have I left her in

Dave's hands for this long! How weird. Normally Dave's the one traveling for work, not me! I will miss them both but will see them Saturday. :) Or Sunday. Don't know.

Mush Keller, Mush!

We took Keller out rollerblading for the first time last Sunday. She's a rollerblading pro! As you can see, it's self-explanatory: Dave doesn't need to do any of the work, Keller pulls him the whole way. It's that husky in her....mush! Mush!

Perhaps Santa Claus is hiring...or looking for subs...

Short-Less Chasing

I let Keller out this morning and usually she lets me outside before she steps out. This morning she stepped out first, and saw the robin in the other yard, and took off after it. Sigh. I called her, and again, and she started coming back, only to find ANOTHER bird party going on - and ran off after them.

So I chased her - barefoot, just-rolled-out-of-bed hair half this way, half that, glasses on, and my t-shirt is long enough where it covers my shorts, so to all my neighbors potentially looking, I was running after a dog with no shorts on.

I was probably quite the sight for the day.

Keller, All-Star Ball Player

Just another night at home...come play with me, Mom!

Bed warmers

Keller is kinda spoiled. I was getting ready for work this morning (wake-up time: 2:20....ok, 2:27 a.m.) and I came back upstairs with a cup of coffee and found her parked in my spot, head on pillow and all! LOL - I couldn't help but laugh. She's a great bed warmer, and obviously, fairly confused over my recent work schedule.

I have to add - yesterday she was in the upstairs bathroom and sitting by the tub, with this indescribable, incredibly goofy look on her face. She was staring madly at either the seagull pictures or the clock on the wall (but I think it was the birds, given that's how she looks when she sees a bird outside) and I swore she was preparing to pounce if one of them moved. It was a bona fide stare-off for at least a minute.

Keller Sammich (With Cheese)

Keller herself enjoyed the Cheese Party (not that she told me - but I could tell). Bob and George (left) give Keller a big squeeze! It's a Keller Sammich - with Cheese!!!

Ted and Cara's Madeleine had come over with a feather boa that Keller could NOT get enough of - she kept trying to eat it after I ended up with it. A few times during the night, if I didn't watch the length of the boa wrapped around my neck, I would suddenly feel a sharp TUG as Keller attacked it.

Anyway, she did great, we worked on manners as people arrived, and she actually passed out for a good hour during the event, to the point of which I had to make sure she was OK. Totally not-Kellerish.

By the way, Keller did great with Duncan for the few days she was over there during our Splash-In trip. I didn't have cell phone service while we were in Whalan, so I got this text message from Randy on Monday that said, "BTW, Keller loves bacon." Apparently he had been frying up some bacon and here's this little snout next to him that's poking up in the air and it's Keller sniffing the bacon-filled air that obviously she's never smelled anywhere else, living with vegetarians, and Randy says he thinks to himself, "I wonder if Keller likes bacon...?"

At The Spa?

We finally managed to remember to take a video of what Keller is like while taking a bath vs. afterwards. It is too, too funny and here's the YouTube link to it (you can also watch it on the side of this page). I think she knew a camera was rolling because she wasn't as crazy as times past!

Keller is going to Randy and Julie's today to spend time with Duncan for several days. I am certain they will have a blast!

Garden Dog

Keller's an excellent garden dog. Except when she walks in it. She hasn't for awhile, and she at least keeps the bees company. Look at how the Brock's/my garden faired this year! SO MUCH GOODNESS!!!!!

More Neenah

Oh yeah, and Keller met my cousins too, and her new best friend Duke (The Wonderdog). Remember Keller, to look up to and respect your elders!

L-R: Keller, Angie, Abbie, Alex (B-day Boy!), Duke, Me. :)

P.S. Thanks to Conni the Photographer and Brian the "Make Sure the Dogs Stay in Place" Photographer Helper.

Keller's Vacation

Keller's visit to Neenah summed up in a couple of words: "I could get used to this.....ahhhhhhhhhhh"

"nee-na-nee-na-nee-ner"...hey, Neenah!

Keller in Neenah at the 'rents. Goofy.

Harness No More

This morning I put the harness on Keller to go for our run, and I turned to put my shoes on, turned back around, and here to find out she had chewed the harness ON HER into two pieces. I could only stare and gape at her.

For some bizarre reason, she ran like the wind without that thing on. I haven't seen her run like that on a leash with me in a loooooooooong time.

So, either time to bust out the sewing machine or buy a new one. Probably a new one, considering she was getting close to out growing it. :)

Play Dates

After Keller spent a few days with Santi when we were up north, Santi came over for Saturday and Sunday while Seth and Sarah when up to a ball game in the Cities.

Needless to say, the two (the dogs that is) picked up riiiiight were they left off and proceeded to wear each other out, eat each other's food, chew apart each other's toys. By far, the Toy Of The Weekend was the stuffed pheasant, which I hear is SO popular with Santi that it's been stitched up and even temporarily replaced (with a duck). Well, there's no stitching left to the thing after the weekend...no stuffing or honky-honk thing either (see above right). I'll put a video up on YouTube, too.

Dave and I took them to Leads and Leashes on Saturday before we went to the McNally wedding (left picture in the Vibe). It was fun, but I won't go back really for much except to buy Keller treats or something. Kind of pricey.

Time to get outside for a run. Keller's feeling a bit lonely today, I think. We are headed to Neenah on Wednesday, and that will be her longest car ride yet!

A Few Days Apart

So I totally felt like a mom dropping her kid off at a baby-sitter's and it was the weirdest feeling ever....hahah!!! Keller stayed with some friends (one of my coworkers and his wife) while we went up to the Northshore. Usually we would take her along, but we didn't know what we'd be doing in Duluth and we would have had to leave her alone when going out and Rob and Charly's place don't allow dogs. Anyway, Keller stayed with Santiago (10 month old lab) for nearly 3 days!!! Apparently on Wednesday night they ran around soooo much that they tired themselves out for the next 2 days. Keller at night slept on the bed with Seth and Sarah and didn't chew anything up, unlike the front hall carpet and padding here the other day, which I am grateful for.

Keller turned 6 months on the 25th - she's certainly got one thing down pat - the whole making herself right at home on our bed (picture to come).

I think we're trying to rig something up with Randy and Julie for doggy daycare. Duncan needs a playmate during the day and it would keep Keller occupied, especially the days when neither Dave or me are home for long periods of time. It's an all-around good thing, just need to fine-tune the details!

The Skunk

I have successfully tired out Keller (I am standing in the kitchen typing this and I can hear her snoring from the living room). This comes only after an hour long walk this morning, afternoon play outside, an afternoon trip to the dog park (south one, with the creek), and an evening walk for an hour.

During the evening walk, Keller managed to find the skunk that I knew very well had been on the trail. It's a tall grassy trail with big wildflowers and big weeds in a big field that no one mows, except for the same path generated by countless traversing feet and bikes. Anyway, she's conveniently missed it before, but her nose zeroed riiiiiiiiiiiiight in on it tonight, and I felt the leash tug behind me, and I just knew it. I knew it. And there she was, the entire thing, all dead squished 10 inches of it, in her mouth. And she did not drop it, she kindly carried it before I freaked out enough where she dropped it. Or maybe she realized just how bad it tasted or smelled.

She also managed to find an eighth of a bird, but after the whole skunk thing, I could really care less about the stinkin' bird. Gross.

Anyway, if Keller could type, she would say, "Yes, I pick up skunks, and then I go lay right on your bed, right in your spot, and breathe skunk breath, just the way you like it."

Carpet Monster

Keller chewed up a corner section of the carpet on the stairs...and padding...upstairs today. All these toys, and you go chew up the stairs, Keller? That's what happens when she doesn't get morning exercise and is then inside all day...she could have gone out with me this morning...but nooooo....Dave slept in = Keller slept in. Then we both left for work. Le. Sigh.

Puppy Gets A Haircut

So as I mentioned, we gave Keller a haircut before we left on our camping trip. It turned out pretty good (see the before...left, and the after....ok, not as good of a shot, but come on, could that picture BE any cuter???). She did a good job during the trim and after getting used to the clippers started to yawn. Like it was boring her or something. Teehee. She didn't like when it went by her ears, though, at least on the back of her neck.

I'll tell you one thing though...it certainly helps us see the ticks more! Coincidentally, she didn't get ANY over our camping trip...Dave's the one that got one (no bite though).

Keller Goes Rustic

Keller survived - and did extremely well - during her first MacPhail camping trip. She was SUCH a good puppy - she listened off leash (90% of the time), learned to swim, slept with Dave in the hammock, and had such a blast running around the woods - that she passed out on the way home with her head against her water dish (see left). So cute and funny.

Perhaps the funniest occurance was when we were hiking on the Nordic Trail and she saw a squirrel - the squirrel bolted up the tree - the branch at the top broke - squirrels crashes allllll the way to the ground - Keller says "victory!" - squirrel bolts to next tree and up it - Keller tries to go follow - then she figured it out and started looking up every tree she saw. Just hilarious.

We didn't find any ticks on her the whole time; gave her a haircut before we left. She has an eye infection and has been on some meds but her eyes have been so much better now. I'm so proud of her. More later.

Pink Eye?

99.9% sure Keller pup has Pink Eye. Poor thing. The goop, the redness, the fact she can't fully open it when she looks at me...we're going to try to go to the Vet in the AM. I wish I had her attitude when I wasn't feeling well! She's still as rambunctious as ever, only taking a second here or there to try to scratch her eye.

We tossed the Kong frisbee in the backyard tonight during my dinner hour for a good while. It was so nice out, 75 degrees, sunny, low humidity, light breeze. You could see her smile just as wide at the thought of it. :)

Keller Meets Grandma Anderson

Mom came to visit Keller, Dave, and I this week (see this post for the details!) Keller was soooooo happy to have a visitor! We spoiled Keller a touch by giving her some ice cream (1st picture: vanilla - mom helped her out. She didn't get what it was at first!); taking her to the cities (2nd picture: just zonked out!); and taking her to the South Dog Park (3rd picture: it's so hot!).

I pick her up to take pictures, and she's getting soooo heavy! I realize too soon enough that I won't be able to do that anymore! :(

Guests!

Keller is excited because she knows we have a visitor on the way tonight! My mama is headed to Rochester. We cleaned yesterday and we went to the dog park. Because it's hot outside. I also bought Keller some cheese balls, because we were out of treats, and I was going to bake some, but I was in noooooooo mood to turn on the oven.

What Is This Hot Crap?

Simply put - Keller doesn't like the heat and humidity. But what dog does? I walked her three different times today, two shorter in the hottest parts and a longer one this evening. I was going to take her to the dog park, but I got bogged down with stuff today. But I apparently tuckered her out enough. Our walk this evening though was very nice - summer-y outside on the trails!

I realize that we are lucky to have such a well-behaved dog. Well, generally. :) She's a whiner, but 9 times out of 10, she won't bark at other dogs, people, etc., and she'll really only bark when she's stranded on the other side of a creek she is too chicken to cross (see YouTube videos). I've never heard her growl, she's not protective, and by far she is a happy, happy puppy.

I got to use my new Wells Fargo check card today for the first time since I had created my own - I put the picture of Keller at Chesterwoods Park when we went canoeing and she was caked with sand. The woman at the check out asked if that was my dog. I smiled and said, you bet!

The More Outside I Am, The Better!

Sorry it's been awhile! Keller is up to roughly 35 pounds-ish. We were outside today (warm and sticky) playing with her Kong frisbee! She loves it. We were also playing with a big yellow volleyball...I'll put that up on YouTube. Dave's in Dallas for a few days, so we'll try to update each day so he doesn't miss her as much. :)

I found another one of her teeth today. It's a molar...I think they're almost all out!

Stinky Butt!

OMG - my puppy REEKS right now. Keller - WHAT did you sit in?!?!?!?!?!

(What,  I smell?)

Good Dog

Keller did good with all the guests here last night for the Hummus-A-Thon. She didn't bark, she didn't jump (too much) and she didn't beg except for one occassion. What a good dog. Everyone loves her.

We took her out on a walk this morning and decided to keep her on her leash, but not hold on to it. It was a trial run, and when she didn't go scampering off after ten steps, Dave and I looked at each other, purely astounded. She stopped when we called for her and almost waited naturally when we were behind. It was incredible. We did that for about 20 minutes. Short training sessions. Well, she ran into a yard then and thought it was a game, so back in our hands she went.

She also went over to Curt's with Dave this evening for an impromptu grill-out. How nice to play with her and let her run in a fenced-in backyard. We left her alone today not kenneled up when Dave ran out to Fleet Farm and I went to work. She was apparently curled up by the front door when Dave got home, alone for about 1 1/2 hours. No messes. Woohoo!

She continues to sleep on the bed with us, or at least start on the floor and then want to come up. No messes there, so we're doing good on that front, too!

Trip to the Dog Park

This dog does not tire out...ever. I ran her for an hour this morning, played with her this afternoon, walked her TO and FROM the dog park (total time = 2 hours) and she STILL played outside with the neighbors this evening and is STILL awake at 11 PM. What gives!! I'M more tired than she is! Anyway, here are some pics of her at the dog park. One goes along with a video I just uploaded. She was crazy there (but well behaved).

We pulled three ticks off her tonight. Luckily we caught them right as we got back. Icky little buggers. Still gross me out. Have company coming tomorrow so she'll probably get a bath so she smells nice and fresh. :)

Growing Up..But Not Done Chewing

We had to buy a new dog gate today because Keller chewed through the other one. We found a really nice, sturdy one at Saver's, and it was 50% off. Sweeeeet.

Keller's had a crazy weekend - she had extra company with Lynn and Glen here and did great and was just loved to pieces! We left her alone in her kennel in Bloomington for 5 hours to go to a Twins/Brewers game...no accidents...and we've started letting her sleep on our bed at night. She does great. Last night we left the kennel door open and she slept in there, then sometime early this morning, jumped up on the bed. Good. Dog.

This morning she also had her first trip to the Dog Park (North one). She met her near twin, who was also 4 months old, and looked identical to her, only darker and slightly bigger. Funny!

Legal Puppy!

Just like every morning, we're up early - 6:15 a.m. (that's early for me but I've grown used to it. Trust me, in the winter, I won't like it as much). We took a later run this morning (8-ish) because we planted some flowers bright and early! Then the rain came. It's been in the 90s Tuesday and Wednesday, and so windy that we had dust storms here on Wednesday (no joke). So, Keller likes this cold front that came through. It's comfortable outside.

Keller had her 4 month check up today - see left - that's her "I don't know if I wanna be here or not" look - she's up to 26 pounds! (I think a little more...I couldn't get her to sit on the scale very well). She also got her last round of core vaccines, was dewormed for the last time, had a fun and fine stool sample check, got her first lyme vaccine, and, of greatest importance, is now a LEGAL Rochester dog-citizen! She got her rabies and her tags. Woohoo!!

Afterwards, Keller helped me with some shopping. We bought some flowers, and some groceries because Lynn and Glen are coming tomorrow, and Dave is coming home too!, and then we went to PetCo. I had some coupons and I thought she deserved a treat after going through all that today!

So we got some new Nylabones and a free pound of treats from the Treat Bar!! YUM! Some of them I wanted to eat! Keller got spoiled by one of the dog trainers there. Everyone says she is so well-behaved (but they don't see her 24/7...heehee)

Oh, she has seriously chewed a gaping hole in one of the dog gates. We're going to go hit up some garage sales tomorrow to see if we can find some stronger ones. She's not destructive in the house when she breaks out of the bathroom...at least not yet. 

What 'ticks' us off

For Dave. Hi!

I found a tick last night. It wasn't on Keller and it wasn't on me, but it was crawling on the floor, and that was enough to warrant the eebie jeebies. GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I flushed it down the toilet, and of all things, the toilet overflowed. No, really. Keller was very confused.

Yesterday it made it into the mid 90s here - will again today. Still uncharted territory for the pup. It was nice and cool in the house for her. She also managed to chew through the plastic dog gate just enough to get through it. No joke.

Hi, my name is Trouble

Anything plastic = anything goes. Recently discovered hot chewing items: the plastic covering surrounding the metal frame where the mattress rests in the corners; plastic chew toys previously fine now ripped apart; dog gate plastic tines starting to slowly shred (she can now stick her face through the gaping hole).

Uh....

Keller does have a new toy, however - to the rescue, it's the Kong!!! Thank you, Fleet Farm, for amazingly cheap and amazingly wonderful dog toys. This thing occupies the hell out of Keller. I put the rest of her breakfast in there with some treats, and the same with lunch, and it amused her until I had to leave to go back from my lunch break. A physically and mentally exercised puppy is a tired and happy puppy. Hooray!

I put some new videos up - one is of Keller licking our screen door, racing down the stairs she previously was terrified of, and the third one is Keller just being Keller. And yawning. And winking. Of course, all of the videos on my YouTube website.

Look What I Can Eat!

First I should explain the pictures. I took Keller out to Fleet Farm for a new chew toy since she has a good chunk of her adult teeth in. I found what I thought would be a great fit for her - something that's edible, but can take a looooong time to get through. 

WRONG! I gave it to her when I got to the car (happy puppy), and we hopped back on the highway to get home. No more than probably 5 miles, I looked in the backseat and she has nearly DEVOURED the bone. What the - ?!?!?!?

Good to know. So the picture on the left is a smiling Keller after a niiiiice treat. On the right, the package (with the remaining bone) and what she had managed to not eat in 8 minutes or so (but was well on her way). 

Anyway, beforehand, we had been over hanging out with Randy, Owen, and Duncan. Keller and Duncan had fun, but Keller jumped up on Owen a few too many times (sorry, bud).  

Dog? Where? Where?

This morning Keller and I were watching FOX 9's morning news and M.A. Rosko had the culminating piece of her adopted dog's training over 9 or so weeks. 

Keller - for the life of her - could not figure out where the doggie noises were coming from. She stared down the TV for a good minute or so, her nose grazing the screen as she'd walk by it. Finally she sat her butt down in front of the screen and proceeded to watch the rest of the package. Absolutely hilarious. She didn't bark, but obviously was SO confused.

We're going to go play with Duncan and go tire Keller out for the day. Hooray!

Keller vs. Bee

Keller found a bee in the house last night. I thought she was playing with a toy but I heard a little too much sniffing going on. I don't know if she killed...er...wounded the bee or if it had managed to kill itself somehow, but it was pretty out of it.

Anyway, she was a VERY VERY VERY good girl while I pulled her away, told her to stay, and she waited and stayed the whole time that I went and got the flyswatter, swatted the thing to death, and plucked it outside.

She's learning! Woohoo!!!!

More pics

A collection of images from last week. Keller with Uncle Bob and Dexter the yellow lab, Trudy, and Beth in Minnetonka during our get-together last Thursday; Keller on the rocks (sounds like a drink...weird) in Hastings during our Hotel Hunt; Keller intensely waiting for the bubbles grandma Ann was blowing; and our little prairie dog in the Vibe, trying to figure out why Dave is lugging so much trash back to the car (Bloomington City-Wide Clean-Up = Gold Mine for Dave).

Sorry the picture aren't neatly organized, I can't figure out how to move them and still have them link the bigger picture. It's something in the coding I can't get!