Day 1: Training to be a Pet Therapy Dog

As some of you know, Mama has enrolled me in a training class to become a Pet Therapy dog through St. Vincent's Hospital.  Our first class was this last Saturday.   

I almost got kicked out the first day! What happened is, we were in a big gymnasium.  There were about twelve other dogs there and we weren't allowed to smell each other or anything.  That made me nervous because I need to sniff things out.  And wouldn't you know it, a big ole German Shepard sat right next to me and kept staring at me with his giant face.  So I did what I normally do: I barked and snarled and tried to act tough. 

A trainer lady went around and inspected all the dogs. She came to me and opened my mouth, checked my ears, lifted my paws, and brushed me.  I was fine.  But then she rubbed my fur all around when she was petting me and I didn't like that, so I nipped at her a little bit.  I know, it wasn't nice, but I was nervous.  They said if I did that again, I would have to leave.  So the next time another trainer came around to do the same thing, I sat there and didn't do anything.  So, they let us stay, even though I wanted to go home.  

The rest of the afternoon was cake. First, they made us walk one by one around the room and show the trainers that we knew how to walk nicely next to our human.  I could tell Mama was a little nervous, so I was extra good. 

Next, we had to show them that we knew how to sit, lay down, and stay--even when our human walked away.  Easy as pie.  

Then Mama had to walk straight up to one of the other ladies with a dog and talk to her while the dogs were supposed to ignore each other.  No problem.

Next, Mama and I had to weave our way around a bunch of people standing in a line with their dogs.  I wasn't allowed to sniff or say hi to any of the dogs, so I didn't.  Another easy one for me.

The toughest test was when they put a plate of turkey meat on the ground, along with a tennis ball toy and some other goodies.  Mama had to walk me by the stuff and show that she knew how to correct me when I tried to sniff the turkey meat.  As she walked me by the meat, it smelled delicious and I wanted to taste it, but Mama did her little "pssst!" sound and I knew she didn't want me to touch it, so I didn't.  (Some of the other dogs weren't so good at this and kept lunging at the meat and the tennis ball.)

So, that was about it for the first day.  The training classes last from 1 to 3 p.m., but it felt like we were there for two years, and not just two hours.  We have three more classes to go, then they test us on the last day to see if we can become certified as therapy dogs.  

I wonder what they will make us do next time...Tune in to find out!

 

Making Myself Comfortable

Mama bought some furniture yesterday and brought it home.  She calls it her "reading chair."  She says that she will sit in it and read her newspapers, books and magazines.  I guess the couch we already have is not good enough because it makes her sleepy when she lays on it to read.  So she bought a special chair with a thing to put your feet up.

I like to lay on it too.  It's soft and comfy.  Of course, I had to break it in...my way!

Big and Little

I'm a Cuddle Bug

I like being next to Mama.  She calls me her little Cuddle Bug.  Other nicknames she has for me are Poopy, Angel Bean, Jaspy, Little Man, and Luv-ahhh (like how those ladies in the old black and white movies say "lover").  She comes up with new ones every day.   

Lately, Mama's been reading a lot, so I like to cuddle up next to her on the couch.  She gives me tummy rubs and I sigh and wiggle around. I'm as content as a baby sucking on a binky.  

[Update:  Mama has come up with a couple of more nicknames since this posting:  Boobly-boo and Love Bucket.]

I Got Microchipped Today

Mama is nothing if not spontaneous.  Today, on our walk home from the dog park on the Hudson River, she decided to stop in at the Greenwich Village Animal Hospital so that she could use their scale to weigh me.  (I weigh 8 pounds now. Wow! I've gained three pounds since coming to live with Mama.)

While we were there, Mama started talking to the doctor that came to say hi to us and she decided to get me microchipped right then and there.  It cost $65.  What they did is, they got a needle and poked it between my shoulder blades and stuck a microchip under my skin.  It didn't hurt that much and felt like someone pinched me for a second. 

The microchip is tiny, like a grain of rice, and has a number coded on it that corresponds to Mama's name and phone number, so if I'm ever lost, whoever finds me can take me to the doctor or an animal shelter and they can scan me like a bag of potatoes at the grocery store and Mama's info will pop up in the computer.  At least that's the idea.  I plan on never getting lost from Mama, so the microchip is just a backup emergency plan. 

Exciting, huh? You can go to www.homeagain.com if you want to read more about microchipping.

Huggins the Hairy One

Mama got a new camera so she has been using it a lot.  Her favorite thing right now is to take videos of me.  The new camera even has sound, so you can hear me snarling--but I'm only play fighting.

Yesterday, I played with a dog named Huggins.  We're the same age (1 year).  Huggins is a mix of Bichon Frise and Pekingese, which they call Bichonese.  I liked to pretend like I was biting him, but he was so puffy that all I got was a mouthful of fur every time.

  

Wrestling at the Dog Run

Whew! I'm all pooped out from playing around at the dog run this afternoon.  It was such a nice day that Mama and I stayed there for two hours.  I wrestled and played with a white dog named Cesar and a black dog named Ember.  I liked jumping on Cesar.

The Lobster Shirt

Oh no.  Mama bought me a blue polo shirt with red lobsters all over it.  She says it will be cute for summertime.

Help! What do I do?  I'll be the laughingstock of the dog park if I'm seen in public wearing this.  Maybe I can chew it up before Mama makes me put it on again.  

I am not happy about this.

Law & Order SVU Sighting!

Breaking news!!  Tonight on our bedtime walk (when Mama makes me go pee and poo one last time) we saw them filming an episode of Law & Order SVU.  First, we noticed a lot of bright lights that were set up one block from our apartment. Boy, it takes a lot of people and equipment to make a TV show. There were lots of guys standing around and big heavy lights and trucks and trailers that filled the street.

Mama saw Detective Olivia Benson (aka Mariska Hargitay) and got all excited.  But we didn't take any pictures or anything. That would've been an amateur move. Plus, Mama didn't have her camera with her.

 

The Windy City

It was so cold and windy in the city today that there were no dogs at the playground.  I was all by myself!  At first, I liked it. Mama threw the ball for me to fetch.  But after a while, it was boring. I wanted some other dogs to play with. Luckily, Harry the cockapoo showed up, and also a Jack Russell named Tanner.  We chased eachother around and wrestled until Mama said it was time to go home.

It was so windy, we almost flew away!

Julian Schnabel Is Our Daddy

I met two dogs at the playground the other day who have a famous daddy. Tina is a bull terrier who is mellow and playful. She scared me for a second, so I barked at her, but she just stood there very calmly. 

Her brother, Frankie, is a spaz. He's half chocolate labrador and half pit bull and he's still a puppy, so he kept trying to play with me, but he had too much energy and he freaked me out.

Tina sat on Mama's lap and gave her lots of hugs. Usually, I'm the only one that sits with Mama, but I didn't mind. She was gentle with Mama. 

Tina and Frankie's daddy is Julian Schnabel. If you don't know who he is, you can go here and look at pictures that Mama's friend, Michael Weschler, took for a newspaper article about him.

 
I hope I see Tina again. She was nice.

Here's a picture of Frankie, doing le freak le chic on another dog.

A $3,000 Dog?

Last Saturday, I met a dog that cost $3,000!  I heard Mama talking to a lady at our playgroup and she was holding a pretty little dog that looked like a Yorkshire Terrier.  It had a Yorkie face and long silky hair, but it was black, white and silver with tan spots.  

The lady said it was a new kind of dog that only started coming to America from Germany in the last few years.  It is called the Biewer Terrier and the lady pronounced it "bee-vair".  She said they used to cost around $6,000, but the price has gotten cheaper and she paid $3,000.  

Wow. Mama got a bargain by finding me through Petfinder and only paying a $250 adoption fee.   

 That's the bee-vair dog, Maya, sitting on her mommy's lap and staring at me.  (She likes The Jasper.)

My Studly Charms

Here I am modeling a new necklace that Mama got me....

Let's get a close up of it shall we?  

In case you can't read it, the charm says "stud". Ahem. 

   

Simply Fido (Product Review)

Last Christmas, I got a yellow bone chew toy (also from Auntie Jes) made by Simply Fido.  It's an all natural, organic dog toy company.  This one's my favorite because I can chew and chew on it and it doesn't tear open.  It's really soft and when I bite hard, it makes a squeaky sound.  Mama likes it too.  

I also got a bigger Simply Fido stuffed animal toy, but I left it at my grandma and grandpa's house in California over the holidays.  They said they would mail it to me, but I still haven't gotten it yet.  I guess I'll have to wait a little longer.  Meanwhile, I will chew on my bone and make it squeal. 

Sniffany & Co. Blue Box (Product Review)

Auntie Jeseka gave me this Sniffany & Co. Blue Box toy.  Wasn't that nice of her?  I saw them for sale at Trixie & Peanut and it costs $15!  I like chewing on it because it's soft and squeaks when I bite it.  

But my sharp little teeth tore into it and made a big hole and all this white puffy stuff started coming out.  It tasted weird and felt fuzzy on my tongue.  

Mama doesn't let me play with it anymore. She caught me trying to eat some of the white stuff and she's afraid I'll get sick or choke on it.  

Oh well.  Good thing I have other toys to play with.  

The Orange Octopus (Product Review)

Mama is always buying me new toys and clothes and stuff.  Since I'm a Scorpio and kind of opinionated, I thought I would start writing reviews of the stuff I like and other things.

This is an orange octopus made of rope that Mama bought for me at DoggyStyle, NYC on Thompson Street in Soho.  It cost $14.  (Not cheap, I know.) 

The lady at the store said that the rope toys are good because they keep their shape, even when they get chewed up.  

I like chewing on the orange octopus, but pieces of string come off in my mouth.  Mama noticed me chewing on a bunch of orange string and got scared because she thought I was going to swallow it and get sick.  

Now, she follows me around and keeps a close eye on me when I play with the orange octopus. 

I'm King of the World!!!

Mama likes to drag me with her when she goes shopping.  Most of the time it's boring.  But sometimes, it can be fun.  Like when we were at Juicy and there was a funny, pink dog for me to sniff (I don't think it was real) and a giant jar of treats.  There was even a golden throne that was the perfect size for me.  

Playing With Butter (video)

This morning, before it started raining again, I went to the Leroy Street dog run.  I met a girl who is a 3 year old Lhasa-poo (a mix between a Lhasa Apso and Poodle).  Her name is Butter because, well, she's the color of butter.  She was very playful. I could tell she liked me, like maybe wants to become my girlfriend.  

Butter kept barking at me, trying to get my attention and flirting.  I tried to be a gentleman about it, but finally, I had to run away.  (She chased me!)

Here we are playing.... I hope I see her again.  She was loud, but fun.

Me and Mama

Me and Mama at Washington Square Park, sitting on a bench and getting some sun....

Mirror Mirror...

...on the wall, who is the handsomest of them all?

Answer: Jasper! (duh)

The Master At Work

Here I am, the master at work, pondering the next few words that I will type into the computer.  Hmmmm....thinking deeply....organizing my thoughts...picking my words carefully...

I've started working on a novel.  I can't give too much away, but it's about a dog who is a normal guy, but finds himself battling aliens from outer space bent on destroying Earth.   Only he can save the world from total destruction!  My agent says I have to throw in a romantic interest in the book, you know, like some girl he likes or something.  "Bo-ring!" I told him.  This is an action/adventure story, not a Harlequin romance novel!

The Green Bow Incident

Also on our walk home today, Mama stopped into Trixie & Peanut, a fancy schmancy doggy store on 20th and Park Avenue South.  I heard her tell the shop girl, "There's so many cute things for girls here!" Mama thought it would be funny to put a little, green bow in my hair and embarrass me.  I was mad, but Mama said sorry and gave me treats to eat, so I got over it. 

I will not be mocked! 

(I found a nice little present for my friend, Sadie Mae, a rescued pit bull living with her mommy and daddy in Alameda, California.  I'm going to mail it to her and surprise her.  Shhhhh)

 

J is for Jasper

On the way home from our morning walk, Mama stopped into a store called Fishs Eddy on Broadway and 19th Street.  She bought a really cool mug with the letter "J" on it.  J for Jasper!  She let me taste a little bit of the coffee.  It was bitter and I didn't like the taste of it.

Play Play Play (Video)

Here I am at play group on Monday night at Biscuits & Bath in Greenwich Village.  (I know you'll recognize my scruffy good looks.)

My Friend Lawrence (and a Video)

Lawrence is my friend who lives on my street.  He has lived in the same apartment for 30 years!  He talks funny because he's from South Africa. I like to play with him. 

 

Spring Is Here

It feels like spring is here; I can smell it in the air.  There are green things starting to pop out of the ground.  Soon, there will be lots of flowers everywhere. 

Stop and smell them.

Me and My Shadow (A Poem)

On a sunny day

My shadow comes out to play

It dances and jumps beside me

Like a frantic bumblebee 

I can run, and run, and run

And never run out of fun

Sometimes my shadow's big

And other times it's small

It's like a friend that's always there

My furry little bear

I whisper secrets in its ear

And we giggle quite naturally

I will always love my shadow

Because it's a part of me!

My Morning Poo

Every morning I have at least two poo's. Sometimes even three, depending on how much I've eaten the day before.  I feel refreshed after my morning poo.  And every night before bed, I go again. Have you ever tried to sleep when you have to go to the bathroom? Not very comfortable.

Since I've started on my raw meat diet, I noticed I have been having smaller and smaller poo's and they don't stink as much. Well, I'm glad for that because Mama's the one who has to pick it up.  

It's not embarrassing to talk about it.  Everybody goes to the bathroom.  We dogs have to go outdoors, where there is very little privacy.  Mama always disappears after her morning coffee and I think she's going poo.  Is it bad to say that? 

 

 

I'm Going To Be A Pet Therapy Dog!

Yesterday, Mama asked me if I wanted to be a pet therapy dog.  I said, "uh, okaaay..." 

So, we went to the Pet Therapy Department at St. Vincent's Hospital to learn more about it.  I had never been inside a hospital before. I wanted to run around and smell everything, but I could tell Mama was in one of her strict moods, so I tried to behave. 

Mama and I met Edna Wolf, the lady who runs the program.  She was a tiny lady sitting in the tiniest room I had ever seen.  

You know what was funny?  I noticed Edna had a lamp shaped like a poodle on her desk, and she had cases and cases of ginger ale.  I guess it's her favorite drink. 

 

I was nervous; I didn't know what she was going to make me do. But, she just explained that being a therapy dog means that I come to the hospital whenever I can and let sick people hold me or play with me.  She said, "it's a known fact that petting a dog lowers your blood pressure." That made me feel good when she said that. 

Dogs are special people.  We gotta share the love!

First, I have to go through the training program that costs $40 and meets for four Saturdays in a row from 1 to 3 p.m.  Then Mama pays $20 to get me tested and if I pass, I get a certificate as a Canine Good Citizen and International Therapy Dog. I have no idea what they will make me do, or if I will even pass the tests.  But Mrs. Wolf eyeballed me and told Mama that I will be fine.  

I'm kind of excited to see what it's all about.  If you want to find out more, you can do what Mama did and call Mrs. Wolf at (212) 604-1099.  I'll write more stuff about it later...

Funny Sign for Isabella

Hahahaaaa.  Look at this funny sign I saw the other day.  I took a picture of it for my cousin, Isabella in California.  Someone has her name in New York City!

(Did you notice me in the corner of the picture?)

Happiness Is...

... knawing on a lamp chop curled up in my playpen surrounded by my toys.  

Now go away and stop staring at me.  I vant to be alone.  

Just kidding.  What is happiness to you?  Mama says "happiness is...a strong, sweet cup of coffee in the morning." 

Proof I Can Read

Aha!  I came across these pictures as I was looking through photos from me and Mama's trip to California over the winter holidays.  I was bored one day when Mama was getting her hair done in Beverly Hills, so I took this book out of her suitcase and snuggled on the bed in the guest room at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Mama's friend, Auntie Jeseka, gave her the book. Wasn't that nice? 

I liked it when the book talked about the food in Italy.  I can't wait to go there one day and try real pizza and pasta for myself. (Plus, I have cousins in Bergamo that I'd like to meet.)  The India part of the book was interesting, but I kept getting sleepy whenever she talked about getting up before dawn everyday.  

I guess it was a pretty good book, even though it didn't have any big chase scenes in it, or, you know--actional stuff.  It could have used some pictures too, but I think a lot of ladies will like this book. 

p.s. I told you I can read!  

 

Pictures from Cali

Auntie Suzanne sent me some pictures from Christmas when we visited her and Uncle Brian at their house in California.  I met my cousins, Annie and Dudley, who are Shih-tzus. They were nice and shared their toys with me. We all ran around the big backyard and chased each other.  I couldn't believe how sunny and warm it was, and it was December!   

It was nice to see where Mama grew up.  It's so different from where we live now.  In California, we had to drive everywhere.  I like walking better. Or taking the subway, because then, Mama gives me treats to be quiet and I get to look at all the different kinds of people.

 

Another Jasper!

I met another dude named Jasper today.  That makes three of us named Jasper in the city.  The dog today was at Leroy Street dog run.  He is a four year old Welsh terrier.  He kept running around chasing a ball, so I didn't get to sniff him out. But he seemed alright.  

Here is a recap of all the Jaspers I know in the City:

Jasper the Welsh Terrier.

Jasper the Viszla.

 Jasper the Original.  (That would be moi.)

The Tummy Ache

Ohhh, I had a bad stomach ache last night.  I was sleeping when I felt my tummy start to rumble and moan and feel all funny.  It was 3 a.m.  I looked over at Mama, but she was sound asleep.  I didn't want to wake her, so I jumped off the bed and that's when everything erupted. I threw up. Twice. But I felt much better after that.  That's what I get for sneaking some chocolate almonds off the table in the living room.  

The next morning, Mama found the half of an almond I threw up and she looked at me and went, "tsk, tsk!" I guess there's a reason why dogs shouldn't eat chocolate.  It makes us sick!  

Let that be a cautionary tale to puppies of the world who think they have to try everything for themselves. Sometimes, it's better to take someone else's word for it.  

Rain, Rain, Go Away

After two days of bright sunshine, the rains came. I want them to go away. I don't like the rain because it makes my hair wet and I look like a drowned rat. Plus, Mama makes me wear a bright, yellow raincoat when we go outside and everyone always stares and says, "awww, how cute!"  

We walked around the West Village today and when we got home, I was soaked, so Mama made me take a bath.  Now, I'm lying on the couch licking my hair to get it dry. 

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner

There is a dog named Baby who lives upstairs from me.  She is almost 13 years old!  Her daddy, Billy, rescued her when she was only six months old.  Baby is probably an American Staffordshire terrier, but she may be mixed with something else too. 

We ran into them on the street today, so I took a picture of Miss Baby and her daddy. 

There are two other dogs that live in my building.  There is a pug named Tosh that lives on the first floor, and a gray poodle that lives on the second floor, but I don't know his name.  I'll try to find out next time I see him. 

 

Sunny Sunday

It's been warm and sunny here.  On Sunday, we went to the Leroy Street dog run, where there were lots of dogs out to play. Here are some of the ones I met.

Vader--as in, Darth. A black German shepherd. A really cool dude.

 

Harry, a cockapoo (mix between a cocker spaniel and a poodle).  I don't know him very well, but he seemed nice.

Look at this guy. I think he's trying to be a model or something.  Look at that flowing hair! Geez, he looks like a canine version of Fabio.  He's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  I call him Gorgeous George.