WEEK 9 - I GROW AND LEARN

Now that I've had my first battery of shots I get to go a lot more places. I'm learning how to not climb into Kevin's lap while he's driving; how much fun it is to stick my head out of the window of a moving car; and I'm continuing to meet all sorts of new and interesting people. I've found I really like little humans, boys or girls, it doesn't matter. They are very nice to me and they are littler, like me, and we can play lots more than I can with adults.

My human, Kevin, has started walking me over to a nearby amusement park where we sit on the grass outside the entrance and wait for people to come over to us to fuss over me and give me attention. Kevin says he especially wants me socialized around children so that I can learn to be friendly and gentle to them, and so far it's not a problem. I love to lick their faces and cuddle up to them.


Meanwhile everyone keeps commenting on how fast I'm growing. Kevin says you can almost see it on a daily basis. I'm already more than twice as big as I was when I first came to live with him. But it only makes sense. We St.Bernards grow from puppies to nearly 100 lbs. in our first year of life - that's a lot of growing in such a short time. I still have a long way to go and an ever shortening time to get there...LOL!

WEEK 8 - I MEET MY VETERINARIAN

This week brought two big changes to my routine. First, I met my Veterinarian, Dr. B. He and his nurses were all very nice to me. When my human, Kevin, first brought me home three weeks ago I was 8 1/2 lbs, but now I'm almost 15 lbs! I got my nails clipped, and Dr B. felt my muscles and bones, he listened to my heart, and he stuck me with a needle, but I was too busy chewing on a treat to notice. I did feel it when he stuck a RFID chip under my skin. This chip helps Kevin find me if I ever get lost. I recommend that every pet get one of these, or they may not find their way back home, especially if they are a particularly sweet and valuable dog like me! >Big grin!< To find out more, go to this website: HomeAgain.

The second big thing to happen to me is I got to join Kevin and his mother on their daily morning walks. Kevin keeps his mother company as they walk around a nearby lake and OMG there were so many new smells and new sensations! The lake itself smells like fish and bird poop, an intoxicating combination. Then there are plants, and sand, and gravel, and grass, and the smells of other animals all around. I was nearly beside myself with all the new things to sniff and explore and find out all about. One of my favorite things is to romp and tumble and roll around in the dewey grass or tall weeds.

We often meet other people and dogs on the path. Most of the people are friendly, and some of the dogs are. I like new people and am fearless to walk up to anyone and beg for loves and body rubs, and usually they oblige. I especially like ladies - they smell good and have softer hands and voices. In fact, if Kevin didn't keep me on a leash I would have followed any number of them to where they were going instead of back home with Kevin. Don't get me wrong, I love Kevin lots, but anything new is a curiosity to me and I simply must find out all about it!

Well, walking tuckers me out, so I'm going to take a nap now! Catch you later!

WEEK 7 - I MAKE MYSELF AT HOME

I live in Denver, Colorado with my human, Kevin, and his cousin, Sue. There are two other dogs here. Cassidy is a Black Labrador mix, and though she isn't old, she is a big ol' grouch and doesn't want anything to do with me. Her loss! Kody, on the other hand, is a very friendly little red dog (probably some sort of Pomeranian mix.) He's more hospitable than Cass is and plays with me sometimes, but mostly he is nervous around me and doesn't know exactly what to expect from me. Then there is a black and white cat here named Quigly who won't be sociable but does watch me from on top of every high piece of furniture in the house...CHICKEN! LOL!

I often go to my grandma's (Kevin's Mom's) house, and there are two dogs there. Mia, a Poodle, is just as grouchy as Cass, but CeeCee is a puppy just a little bit older than me. The problem is, she is a Chihuahua and very very fast, and I often stumble over my own feet trying to keep up with her. There is a cat here, too, a big white one named Elvis, who I understand is named after some famous human male who can put human females into heat with just the sound of his howling...what they call singing. Anyway, this cat is cool and will play with CeeCee and me sometimes.

I'm getting the idea that Kevin doesn't want me to do my business inside any house, though I don't see why. Still, when I forget it seems to make him mad _ I get yelled at. But when I do it outside, it makes him happy and I get scratched behind my ears, which I find strangely pleasurable. So I try to remember to ask to go out, but sometimes I still forget, or I wait till it's too late and I pee on the way out. But I know I'll get the hang of it sooner than later.

All in all I could get used to this. I'm liking the free food, the ear-scratches and body-rubs for no apparent rerason, etc. There are treats and lots of things to chew on (note to self: chew on toys, not on shoes, and don't bite human hands even in affection or play!) I can sleep when I want, play when I want, eat when I want...who wouldn't like this life?!

WEEK 6 - I GET A NAME

Kevin, my human, is really struggling with finding just the right name for me. He thinks and thinks and thinks real hard but can't think of a good one. He searches baby names on the internet, puppy names, and even names of female Catholic saints, since I am a SAINT bernard (by the way, there are litterally hundreds of female saints alone in the Catholic pantheon! I mean, who knew?)

The names Kevin's cousin, Sue, suggest are too cute for him, and the one's his mom suggest just don't seem to fit me. I wait patiently while Kevin tries names like Marie-Rose, Crystal, Willow, Camile, and even Jasmine. But none of the seem just right.

Then he comes accross the Japanese name, Koko, and he likes it. In fact, the more he thinks about it the more he likes it. But I am Austrian, not Japanese. The Germanic peoples are known for their chocolate, so he calls me Cocoa-Belle - Cocoa for my color and sweet disposition, and Belle as tribute to the first St. Bernard he owned who died unexpectedly young.

I like my name, and am already starting to respond to it, looking up at who ever calls my name, though I haven't learned to come when called yet.

WEEK 5 - I PICK A HUMAN

I am 5 weeks old. I have 6 brothers and 5 sisters - that's right, 12 of us in all! Mom's not able to feed us all, so our breeders, John and Candace Arundale, start feeding us cereal to keep us growing strong. My sire is Sir. Titan of Giants, but even he isn't as big as my brother from a prior litter, so I expect to get big, even for a St. Bernard. My Damme is Cleopatra Jewel of the Nile. No, not THE Cleopatra, but she is even more pretty than the original if you ask me, with a long curly coat. I hope I grow up to be even half as pretty as she is.

John and Candace have started to bring humans out to the ranch where we live for me and my brothers and sisters to pick from. Although I am literally the youngest, born last entire minutes after my litter mates, I am the first to pick a human to go home with.

This is a picture of Kevin, my human. I picked him because he seems big and strong and when he got down on all fours to play with me, like he was a dog himself, he made me laugh. I mean humans don't walk on all four legs like us dogs, that's just silly! >Giggle!<

I think Kevin and I are going to have lots of fun together. I'm looking forward to all sorts of adventures, and I'll keep you all up to date on what kind of trouble I manage to stir up in the weeks, months and years to come!

Auf wiedersehen for now! (Hey, my ancestors are Austrian, so I get to say that!)