Winnie and me

Winnie and me share everything

We share my bed

and we share my waterbowl

and when funny things are on the floor, we share the exciting feelings when we
try to figure out what it is

But we don't share my ab-horr-ence for the vacuum, the deck broom, the pool sweep or anything with a long handle on it.  I have also chewed up two beds.

Did you hear?

I'm home for good ...with Winnie!

Tigger peed on my bed

Before I get to the best stuff, I want to tell you that I am the Perfect Little Man (PLM).  That's what the new lady and Man call me all the time.  I am the PLM because I don't yodel in my crate anymore, and I know where to pee, and I do a down-stay before dinner for a very long time, and I love all of the cats except Kika.  Kika hisses at me all the time, even when I put my bottom in the air and open my little troll mouth at her.  I will make her love me soon I think. Don't worry, I have a plan.  This is me thinking about my plan while I wait for breakfast.

The lady also gave me a bath and it was acceptable because I got treaties afterwards.  And the lady said I smelled de-li-cious.  I think I smelled mostly like sour cream and chives, but this makes the lady happy so I endure it.

I hate the vacuum cleaner and I chase it around because I think it wants to slurp me up and make me twirl around in the tube with all of the other grungies on the floor.  But I am not a grungie.  I am the PLM, so I yodel at it to tell it No!  I'm not going in there, you bad vacuum!

So, here's the best part of part deux of my new life.  Tigger the cat peed in my bed.  Tigger is 17 years old and the lady says he has "de-men-tia," so he does things that other cats think is strange.  When I found out he peed in my bed, I skipped right over there and did the happy dance all over it.  And then I rolled my little body up and down and made sure it was all in the crevices and behind my ears.  This way, I can sneak up and be a part of the secret cat meetings without being noticed.  And I can get extra breakfast when the lady feeds them, and I can make Kika realize I am cat and she should should stop hissing at me and maybe even let me carry her around like a princess.  They won't even know they have a PLM in their midst!  Genius!

Part Deux of my new life

Part deux of my new life started at 6am.  When I stayed at the old lady and the Man's house, I had to sleep until 7am but that was always too late for me because I am "party in a box" and they always start early.

This is why I like New lady and Man's house, and I because I also got to go on a walk with the new lady while the Man was at the gym.  I was a very good boy and said hello to the squirrelies and birds.  When we got home, the lady tied my leash to her belt, and I helped with laundry and cleaning dishes, and I met Patches the kitty.  Patches is very nice.  Then when the Man came home, he took me for a walk too!  My life in the New house is "off the hook" I think!

I had a little trouble holding the Man's attention though at the tennis court because there were two dogs playing off leash.  He REALLY wanted to play with them.  I kept telling him to Sit!  and Look!  But he wouldn't listen.  So we had to wait for 5 whole minutes because I wouldn't give in to the Man.  Then, finally, he paid attention to me and we could keep walking.  The lady and Man think this will be the biggest challenge for us now that I'm in their lives, but I'm not going to give up on them.  Promise.

After that I got breakfast and then we went to Shoreline!  It's bigger than the Barn and at first I was excited and then I was nervous because it's a very loooong place and there are lots of things happening there.  Once I started walking I felt better.  See?

Then lady and Man bought me a new wire crate because I hate the one with plastic sides.  Now I have two.    

My first day at home was Saturday

Me and the new Man

Hi, I am the lady who loves Robin and now loves Bouncer too.  Robin told me he was furiously writing his thoughts down after he got to his new home.  Here they are...

Ya know how I told you that life in Ca-li-fo-nia is full of surprises and that if you just wait they find you?  Well it happened...again to me!  I went to class with Ms. Donna and Mr. Tim and I saw my sister Winnie and also these 2 people who said they wanted to take me home for good.  I had to work really hard in class and even though I wasn't "in the mood," I did my best to show them my fo-cus and sweet Robin moves.

After class we had this meeting and the people had to listen really carefully to instructions about how to take care of me (not because I'm fra-gile but because I am full of many things).  Then the people signed this paper, and they told me to hop in their car.  So I did.  


We got to stop at this place full of tasty smells and the Man picked up Kongs, Nylabones, bully sticks, kibble, tennis balls and kitty litter - most of this was for Me - I felt very expensive at this time and it was so nice!  Lots of people in this store wanted to give me treats, but the Man said that we are "in training," so I guess this is my first rule - "No Treats from Strangers until I Pay Attention to the Man."

This is me with all of my things in the car

Then we went to a house, and I went right to the pee place and the lady and Man said I was such a good boy for peeing right there (and not on my feet like I did before at graduation, or on the table when I was so fus-strated at the Ancient One).


When it was time to go in the crate, I skipped right in because the Man put about a ba-zillion toys in there, and when he got back he said "oh, did it snow?"  You know me, I am the Squeak Master, and yes, I found every single one of them.


It was time for a walk, and the lady made me "stay" and "wait" at all of the doors BEFORE we even got to go outside and then at every corner outside too.  So many of these rules again and my little head was very tired from all this working.  Sigh.  But when we got home I knew it must be time for breakfast.  The lady made me wait until all of the cats were fed, and I got anxious about this because I am Number One, and that fish juice smell should be for me, but then the lady let me eat my own food and it was so good.


I'm still in my crate relaxing, and it's not so bad because I can see the lady and the Man and they keep looking over here and smiling, and with all of the surprises I had today, they are my favorite surprise of them all.


Stay tuned for Part Deux of "My First Day Home."

All is well

I'm doing good.  So good actually that I told Bouncer he should start writing too.  It's a great out-let for many things, especially for pocket pits but it could also be good for big-heads like Bouncer to get his thoughts and ideas in order.  I put him on my page over there.  You could go visit him if you want.  

Surprises

One thing I've realized about Cal-i-for-nia, is that life here is full of Surprises.  And lots of sun.  The second I got here people loved me.  And I got treaties for doing good things.  That was a Surprise.  I got to play with Elliot and Josephine in the beginning...

...and then Chlo-wee and Sweet Pee and Penny all wanted to be my bffs.

I found my sometimes best friend the Rock completely unexpectedly, and I got to make bumper stickers for myself so no one would forget that I have per-sonality.

I found my Greenies in the backyard without even looking for them and learned the ways of the "Ancient One" without falling under her spells.  I got pushed in the pool, met sweet Miss Emily (aka Little Robin who would like to live in a pouch on my belly), and I was still just "graduating" at the lady and the Man's house!

I didn't realize that just one little pocket pit could have so many Surprises, but then another one happened.  I went to visit the Barn, and Bouncer told me 2 things:

1.  He heard a family was looking for me and they might want to come meet me soon.  Oh boy!
and 2. Since little Ayse just got here, she needed me to show her the ropes.

He said I could stay at the Barn and borrow his kennel for awhile and that it was big and there are many scrumptious things inside (not like my measly crate with only a few chicken softies tucked in the crevices).

He said that since I was going to be busy for awhile, would it be okay if he went to play at Miss Emily's? Bouncer's head is bigger than Miss Emily's whole body and it's shaped like a chewy toy.  I know she will think it's pretty excellent, so I said okay.

Since I know Ca-li-for-nia so well now, I will tell Ayse that life here is full of Surprises.  And sometimes you just think you're doing regular things and having regular days just like everyone else. But then you realize there's a moment that just feels extra special and maybe a little bit scary because you weren't expecting it. But don't worry, it's just the Surprise that's been there, patiently waiting to amaze you.

I love Miss Emily

Miss Emily's foster mom is still busy so she is spending the night again.  After the lady told me that I was a good boy for giving my spot to Miss Emily last night, I dreamt about all of the things we could do together once she is my best friend.  But first, I have to get her to notice me.  And that requires patience and a good plan.

Phase #1 - show off all of my sweet Robin moves.

This is my new friend Miss Emily

She is staying with me for the weekend while her foster lady is busy.  Miss Emily is 10 years old, and I want to play with her so bad.  She seems much more amen-able to circus games than "The Ancient One" these days, and if she were my dog I would change her name to "Little Robin," and carry her around like I was an opossum and put her in a pouch made of leaves and sticks from the backyard.

I think she wants to play with me, because she lets me smell her bottom and her ears and doesn't get snooty at me like ahem, certain dogs I know.  We sat on the couch tonight all nice and quiet, but Miss Emily had different ideas.

First she started moving around.  I think to get into a better spot to play.

And then she turned around and sort of just stood there while I watched.

I didn't know what to do so I stood real quiet because maybe she was going to do some nuzzling or a little wrestling with me.

Oh Miss Emily, my name is Antici-pation!

So I got up to do my Robin-move, and she layed down right in my spot.

Miss Emily didn't move.

This turned out to be a very dumb game.  

Gratuitous self promotion

I was imagining that if I could make bumper stickers for me, that I wouldn't be able to just pick one sentence to describe all of my Robin-ness.

They would have to make as many as I have toes, or there would need to be one for every dream I have about my forever family finding me one day.  There will be one for you too, Winnie!  After training today, I dreamt about all of the bumper stickers for me.  They would be...

Robin has a Butter Face
Robin Loves a Flirt Pole
Robin Baby
Robin is the Squeaky Master
Robin Gives Better Hugs than your Honor Student
You Can't Get a Good Robin Down
Robin is So Good
Robin Makes the Ladies Smile
Want to be my Body Pillow?

If you can't remember all of them, that's okay.   I just picked my favorites for you.

Sunning Sunday

The lady said getting me outside to pee last week was a "painful process."  See, it was raining so hard, and she wouldn't let me pee right outside the sliding door where it's dry.  She made me go walk on the slimy, slinky grass and all I could think of was that my feeties felt like when Sweet Pee pushed me in the pool.  And I couldn't do it.  And then it got worse because I had to go sit in the crate if I didn't pee.  She was right, it was a very "painful process" for me because I thought maybe the pee would just go away after I told it "No!  You can't come out, you bad pee.  It's too slimy outside, and I won't fall in the pool for you."  But it didn't listen. And she made me do it.

My little heart is grateful it was a sunning-Sunday today.  Even if the lady stuck the video in my nose again.  It was perfectly toasty, and I didn't have any pee problems at all.

First bounce, then graze.

This is Barney.

Barney is still a puppy even though he's my same size and I am already one year old.  Barney came to stay with me a few weeks ago because he was shy and he just had his baby makers cut out and the lady wanted to get him to "settle" before he could get adopted by a family.  She also said he needed to have his Confidence built around other dogs and especially loud things, and I am perfect for this job.  Want to play Barney?  I can show you all of the best rocks to bark at and play with at the lady and Man's house.  Want to pee or graze on something Barney?  I know the best plants.  Want me to chew on your ear Barney?   I can schedule that in, no problem, you'll have your Confidence built in no time.

When Barney first came to live here, we went on a lot of walks together, and I always got to be first everywhere.  First in the door, first to smell whatever I wanted to smell, and first to come back to gulp the water.  Then, I got to play and get tummy rubs while baby Barney had to go to his crate.  I don't know how that builds his confidence, but it was okay by me.  I like to be first.  Barney had to stay in his crate a lot, and I could watch him through the baby gate, and then he could be out of his crate but not out of the gate.  For the whole first two weeks it was "Yes this, but Not that."  Sigh it felt like the first day of graduation all over again when all I wanted to do was play.  

Even though I tried to persuade her, the lady said my way doesn't work.  My general rule of thumb about Confidence Building** is forget the baby gate and skip the stupid crate.  Ping pong and bounce, and then graze, I say!  Then repeat until the baby gets it.  And do that in the backyard.

**Note - I am the lady, and even though Robin says he has a better way of introducing two dogs, don't listen to him, okay?  He is, in fact, just a dog.  Here are much better rules of thumb from BADRAP.

Spongy Tender Robin

The lady told me that I have been showing everyone the spunky parts of my per-so-nality and how good I am at training, and why I would be so good to adopt, but she said no one has seen the "Spongy Tender Robin" yet.  Not just my belly or the insides of my ears, she said, but how I am a gentle cuddler at the end of the day and how I fit so perfectly almost anywhere because I am so small.  So I made a video of my quiet time with the Man.

Saturday squeaky

My Greenies

Do you see them?

When I am a yard helper, they turn from just pretty to spec-tac-ular.  My Greenies feel prickly but in a good way, and I look like an easter egg, and I wish my Greenies could go over all of the white parts of my little body.  Then, I could walk around and no one would notice me because they were waiting for Robin, not My Greenies, so it would be like I was invisible.

I found them when I was mashing the yard clippings into designs because they feel so wonderful squooshy.

And I love to pose with them and pull my ears out sideways.  I don't know anyone else who has them.

There they are, my wonderful Greenies.  I hope they stay this way forever.

Her favorite thing

The foster lady gets bored easily. Especially when it's cold and we can't go outside, the lady entertains herself with many games.  Most of them include me, and if I'm sleeping, I can keep her busy for hours.


Plus she bribed me with some chicken softies to show you this video.  Go here, okay?

It's training day

Training the lady at "pit ed" is a lot of work.  I have to sit patiently and wait for her to get ready.  And then she has to look at me 100 hundred times.  But sometimes there's another lady with orange socks, and my lady gets distracted.  "Ah-ah, lady, no nose-to-nose greetings yet," I tell her.  Then, she has to get ready all over again, and we sit some more to wait for her to stop her happy dance and "get serious."

And then we walk around orange cones, and I make sure she has sweet eye contact with me around the corners so she knows when it's time to give me a treat.

The lady is telling me it's time to "stay," but I think it's time to "sing," so I ignore her.  This teaches the lady that just because she wants attention, doesn't mean that she gets it whenever she wants.  She has to "work for it." 

Sometimes the lady forgets that I have per-so-nality, and the clowny bits just have to come out because I am so full.  And I am a working breed, which means I have a smart head on these little shoulders and it needs to be "worked."

But then, like a lee-tle present to me, the lady got it.  And she made a scrunchy face and talked to me in a baby voice, and we looked at each other long and hard, just like I was waiting for this whole time. No lady, I don't need a treat right now, I want to be in your eyes since connecting is sort of my thing.  Dont worry, if you work for it, you'll get it right.

Me and my rock

With the lady having the "flew" and the Man taking care of the lady, I have been left to my own dev-ices.  I found my sometimes best friend in the backyard.  And after today, I bet the lady won't ever get sick again because she says me and my best friend are too noisy.

The lady and the Man like that I am a very quiet boy.  When there is a knock on the door I know it is for me, so I wiggle at the door until it opens, but I don't use my voice.

When it's breakfast in the morning and breakfast at night, I wiggle until the lady puts the purple plastic box down on the floor for me and only sometimes jump up if she takes too long.  But I never, ever give her lip and keep my voice box for when I play with my sometimes best friend, even when he gets crabby.  My rock.

Gettin' My Sleep On

The foster lady has the "flew" this week, so we haven't been flirt poling or playing with my friends and no one is bringing me new toys to play with.  So, I've been practicing the art of sleeping.  Sleeping inside or outside, and on beds and on couches, and near toys.

The lady watched it and she said that it was easier to read all of my sleeping titles if you go to the youtube page and watch it there.  Here is the link to my best sleeping video ever.  Or you could try and watch it all small-like here.

I am avail-able, Holla'!

The lady told me that today is special.  Ever since before Santa's day, I was learning my Manners and teaching my foster people all of the special, sparkly things about me, but now that I am a full package, I get to find my home that will give me sweet goodies and put a tag on me with my name and their name on it.  That's called "adoption" when it happens.

I didn't know exactly what graduation was when I left the Barn except that I had to follow many rules and stay away from "The Ancient One," and eat smuggled-in chicken softies from my friends when the foster lady made me eat cottage cheese slush for dinner.  When Sweet Pee didn't come home that day, but went to her real home, I was sad.  But I don't think I will be sad for myself because I like adventures.

Chlo-wee came to congratulate me today too.  She said we could play.  She also said that if I was a good boy when I got adopted she would borrow her dad's key's and visit me if I got lonely.  That is nice.

If you know the family that has the flirt pole and stuffy toys and cuddle time, let me know, okay?

mr. potato head Robins

I found out today that I am "fas-cinating."  The lady saw she could "Macro Zoom" on me today, so we played the laying down real quiet game for such a long time that I took a little nap.  If you look real close, I am not only fas-cinating, but very sparkly.

This is my macro-zoomed ear

And my little nosey-nose that has many different colors

She even thinks my sparkly rolls are worthy of the zoom

I just can't stop looking at these zooms!  I would like all parts of me in them and then I could have a puzzle so when I need things to do I can make funny-looking Mr. Potato Head Robins all day.  Creative busy!  I told you so.

Inspired by Miss Tina Turner

Have you ever heard of the song Simply the Best by Miss Tina Turner?  The foster lady played her music video for me today, and I started daydreaming about Miss Tina and what she thought was so good in her song, and then I started thinking about what my song would be about if I sang one with the same name.

And then I knew.  I made my own music video but I didn't use her song because I wanted my own special music for my favorite thing in the entire world.

I did it while I was in my crate today.  I didn't have to go in there because I was naughty, but because I needed some quiet time to think about my favorite, "simply the best" thing.

Purple Plastic Box

They got me this purple plastic box because they said I am busy.  And busy boys need "things to do."  And when they don't have those "things" they turn to naughty things because their minds are working over-time and their short legs need to move.

The lady puts my food it in.  And then she puts in on the floor, and I have to get it out.  She does this when she has to move around the house a lot and I am not allowed to follow her.

Sometimes, if I stare at it for a long time, the little fish sweets just pop out.

But most of the time, I have to swirl it around and make it make noise so the sweets roll into my mouth like this.

And this...

I personally think it's sort of a silly box because I wonder why she doesn't just put it in a baby bowl like she does with "The Ancient One," or feed one sweet, gentle morsel at a time like she did with Sweet Pee.  For me, she makes me work for even the tiniest crumble.  Every morning.  And every night.  I think I'm much more "creative busy" than she thinks.  Just today, I made a playground in the kitchen, and I asked the lady to take a picture in black and white because I made art.  She didn't, but if you look real close you could even see a little peace of heaven.

My little peace of heaven

Sweet Pee is home

In her real home.  She found one, all sudden-like, the day after she pushed me in the pool.  I kissed her goodbye like I always do in the morning, but the lady came home by herself, and I didn't understand.

And then the lady and the Man reminded me about "grad-u-ation" and "adoption," and I was sad and then I was happy, and then I made a video for my first time. The lady said another puppy is coming tomorrow.  I wonder how many legs that one will have.

I fell in the pool

I fell in the pool tonight.  The foster people say that every foster has done it in the first week, and that I set a all time record for waiting 6 weeks to do it.  Sweet Pee and me were playing in the dark.  Sweet Pee pushed me in.

She says she did it 'by accident,' but I don't think she's as sweet as everyone says anymore.  The lady had to bring me out because my legs are so short, and she says the pool was "scary cold," but all I know is that it got everywhere and it felt like when I go outside in the morning but all over instead of just my feet.  These are my pool puddles.

Robin, would you like me to get a wonderful and funny picture of you dripping so you can post it on your blog?  Wouldn't that just be precious?  Oh, dear foster lady, you read my mind!  That would be superb.  I'll just wait patiently here for you to get the camera ready and pretend that I am enjoying the fact that I can't feel my toes anymore.

Then, after the photo shoot, I got to play with my food toy.  That was good.  But I'm steering clear of Sweet Pee for tonight.  And I'm not going outside at all.  Sorry foster lady.

So Good

I'm "so good" because I play nicely with Sweet Pee and Penny and Chlo-wee and before this place, with Elliot and Josephine and my fave friend Winnie.  And also because I don't potty in the house anymore and only sometimes look real close at the kitchen counter for sweets, and I keep myself very busy if there are toys around.

And I'm a much better cuddler than "The Ancient One."

I don't have a big head, but you should also know how I sit nicely, and lay down all fancy-like.  I can do a 'roll over for treats' and a 'touch,' and sometimes I can 'wait' if the sweet goodie isn't calling my name too bad.  I also can con-centrate and look very wise and show my foster lady that I am a grown-up and deserve grown-up things like not being in my crate when they are gone and not told to "shush" when I sing my songs.

When I told my foster people how good I am, they both looked at each other, but they didn't say anything.  I looked around too, and I saw some of my very special toys (like shoes and socks and re-mote controls high up because they are only for my private time when the foster police aren't around.  I can get to them, you know).  They told me to show you this video because sometimes if I don't get a goodie when it's my turn to have one, I say "gimmee" with my nose.  To be very honest with you...I think I was set up.  You'll see.