Traveling dog – again

8/7/11

We left that wonderful place and Pete this morning. I had to ride in the van and got out to smell new places. I forgot to not pull on the leash in the new places and mom was not happy with that. She let me go down a slope away from the highway so I could splash in a river way up high in the mountains. It was very shallow but fun to investigate all the new smells.

Dirona in Alpine river - CO 14 near Cameron Pass

Dirona & Van at Camp in little clearing - Medicine Bow NF, WY

We stopped a couple hours before dark in a forest. There's nobody up here at all except us. Mom let me go off leash and we took a walk. I found some black cows but mom told me to leave it and come back. I didn't want to, but I came back to her. She was happy with that. Towards the end of our walk, mom lost sight of me and kept calling me. I got scent of something and followed it for awhile. I came back to the van but mom had gone back and called me. I went down the road to find her. Then we played fetch for a little bit. I like this place. But I miss Pete.

30 mph

We went to the land again last night and I made it to 30 mph!  It wasn't for a very long distance, but I did it!  We also played in the ditch with balls this time!  So much fun. They finally figured out what Pete has been rolling in so intently.  It's spearmint.  I thought he had something good like a dead mouse or something.  I didn't roll in it but he seems to love it.

We found some gopher holes out there and dug some but didn't find anything.  I could smell them but I didn't really know how to catch them.

Mom has been cleaning up the van a lot lately.  She says we are headed out again.  I'm going to miss Pete.  He's so much fun.

More fun at the land

Racing the truck is so much fun.  Especially after swimming for a stick.  Pete got all the way into the ditch today.

Swimming - A dog learning

I am swimming in the ditch!  Gosh it is so much fun.  It makes me so excited and gives me tons of energy!  This place is just fun, fun, fun!

Yesterday, I got up the nerve to jump all the way into the ditch and swim.  It was hard and then I suddenly rolled over.  I'm not sure what happened but mom said the current in the ditch must have done it.  I got back to the other side ok but that was a little scary.

Running is so much fun! And I'm being very good

We got a later start this morning but Pete and I got to to the land again.  I've been a really good dog these last couple days.  Last night, Pete jumped over the fence again but all I did was put my front paws on it to look at him.  I got yelled at until they realized Pete had gone over again then they were happy I was telling them he had gone.  This time, my mom scolded him and put him into the pen and I got to stay out and play.  They tested us again with bones but I decided the best thing for me to do was to ignore both bones and get a toy to play with instead.  They took the toys away but I was determined to be a good dog.  I didn't have to wear the muzzle.  Pete collected both bones and they walked me all around him, but I refused to be bad and didn't try to get a bone or worse, snarl.

Jump Lessons

This morning, mom and her sister took each of us, Pete and I to the fence where we jumped over and told us not to do it.  Then they kicked balls and accidently kicked one over.  I jumped over the fence to get it, cause I really like chasing balls.  Oooohhh mom was mad and called me back so I jumped right back into the yard.  Mom scolded me again and put me into the pen for 10 minutes.  Then they came back out and let me out and played kick ball with me.  A ball went over the fence again and I jumped it again.  Mom got me back and scolded me for it and back into the pen.  This time, Pete also went over the fence and he got scolded too and put into the pen with me for another 10 minutes.  Then out again and they kicked balls for us and one went over the fence.  This time, I knew mom wanted me to stay in the yard, so I just went to the fence and looked.  But Pete jumped the fence to get the ball.  Pete got scolded and put into the pen but I got to stay and play.  Mom said I was a very good dog.  Another ball went over the fence but I stayed inside.  Then my rope toy got tossed over and there were no more toys.  I still stayed inside cause I knew that's what mom wanted me to do.

After another 10 minutes, Pete got let out and they retrieved the balls and we did it again.  This time both Pete and I stayed inside the fence when the balls went over.  They were really happy that we had learned our lessons.  We got treats too.

New Trick

I learned a new trick this evening.  I jumped the fence in the back yard just like Pete did and got to play with some golfers.  I picked up their ball and brought it to them and dropped it at their feet.  I don't understand why they wouldn't throw it for me.  I heard mom call me but I really wanted those golfers to play ball.  They didn't seem to understand their part of the game but just laughed at me.

Mom's BIL called and opened the gate so I came over to him and back into the yard.  I had to spend the rest of the evening in the pen with Pete.  Mom doesn't seem very happy that I learned a new trick all by myself.  Well, I learned it from Pete.

Racing like the Wind!

Dirona running behind the truck

This morning was so much fun!  It started out with mom putting us into the truck so we can go to the land.  She didn't even put a leash on me and I sat at the gate and stayed right with her like I'm supposed to.  She had to keep calling Pete back so he didn't run off.  Pete figures if no one tells him to stay or heel first then he is free to run off and play.  He's good about coming back but it scares the humans because he darts into the road.

Really big stick is fun!

Dirona & Pete with stick

When we got to the land, I got a really big stick with roots on one end and raced around with it.  I love the big sticks because I'm big and strong.  I kept trying to get mom to throw it for me but she told me to keep away with it.  Then mom helped her BIL with the pumpkin watering and fertilizing and Pete and I wandered off.  I decided to to see the barn we were at yesterday but Pete went back to the humans.  I heard mom call several times so I raced back and she told me I was good for coming when called.  It took a little while to get back because it is a good 1/4 mile from the pumpkins.

Dirona & Pete

Pete racing off

Then we raced with the pickup around the land in about a half mile loop.  I learned that a honking horn means I should get out of the way of the truck.  Pete and I ran along side or out 20-30 feet from it.  On the second loop for about a 1/4 mile, I ran with the truck and mom said I was running at 25mph!  She didn't know I was such a good runner.  Pete can run that fast but only for short distances.  We were slower on the 3rd loop.  I've never had so much room to run before without being on a leash or rope.

Last night they put the muzzle on me again.  I hate that thing.  They brought out 2 bones again.  After a while, Pete chewed one and I chewed another.  Then Pete left his bone lying there so I got up and took it and brought it back to where I had my bone.  I know, I'm greedy.  But ya know, I'm a dog!

In a little while Pete came over and looked like he was interested in the other bone and the people were clear across the yard.  Pete didn't try to take the other bone but I could see he wanted to.  So I curled my lip at him.  Mom saw me do it and she scolded me and grabbed my muzzle and held it while telling me no no.  I didn't do it again and Pete was given the other bone.  The people think I am understanding the rules and just need more practice to exercise the self-control I'm supposed to.

Pete did the spin!  And he's doing the roll-over right with a lot of encouragement.  Soon, he will be as good as I am.  Pete is a more agile dog than I am, but I can run and run and I can catch things.

Tomorrow, I am 16 months old!

Running with the Rotties

Dirona & puppy Aldo

Today, we started out by going to the land where my mom's sister and her husband garden and do stuff with Pete.  What fun.  I got to run a bunch and get a big stick to play with.  After awhile, Pete got irritated at me and barked and acted a little aggressive with me.  I lost my temper and went after him.  Mom yelled at me to stop and I listened and stopped.  She was so happy with me.  My stick got tossed into the irrigation ditch and I tried to get it but I don't know about getting in water over my head so I had to let it float away.  Pete wouldn't go in and get it either.

I'm a better dog

Today, I did really well on the leash.  I didn't pull at all!  I'm a little slow on sitting when we stop still.  My mom's sister asked her to try me with just my regular collar and I did really well on that too!  Pete has started to follow my mom's commands by inserting himself right next to her so I can't be in the right position.  When she took me to the front yard, I did the heel right then because Pete stayed in the back yard and couldn't interfere.

I've been a very bad dog

Mom is not happy with me.  At her mother's house, I attacked the little dog when mom had my food and scared her good.  Now, I attacked my buddy Pete at her sister's house over a rawhide bone.  I nipped him right near the eye and he was bleeding a little.  I was trying to be good since mom's sister told her to grab my mouth and hold it shut while telling me no when I curled my lip at him.  I wanted the bone so badly!  I just lost control and went for him in a serious barking attack.  He backed off, but I didn't get the bone at all and got put in the kennel all by myself most of the day while they cleaned up Pete and let him inside.

We Stopped for Awhile

So much has happened in a week.  We stopped for a week in Denver at this house with an old lady that smelled something like my mom and there was a little tiny black dog there who really likes my mom.  At first, my mom left me in the van and went inside for awhile.  Then she came back and took me to the gate to the yard.  The tiny little dog was there and we sniffed a bit.  Then I got to go inside the yard and meet and sniff the little dog.  She was wary but ok to me.  That made me a bit nervous so I didn't try to get the little to play with me.  After awhile, we went inside the house.  The little dog liked my mom's lap a lot and started to warn me away.  My mom put the dog off her lap and scolded her for being mean to me.  I was a perfect lady.  I don't mind mom petting other dogs.  She does it all the time and other people pet me.  After a few times, the little dog stopped being mean and we got along fine.

Traveling Dog

Hunnewell, MO Park

Now, I know why mom has been so busy these last couple of months working on her van.  All of a sudden, I'm living in the van!  At first I was scared of the van.  But when mom was spending so much time in it and it was open all the time, I started following the cats in it and stopped being afraid of it.

I Caught A Mouse!

My very own mouse!  Caught it myself.

 I caught a mouse! All by myself.  In the house.  Not too sure what to do with it.  I pawed at it a lot.

Dog Food

I'm being so good, I sat without being told.  
But I know that stuff is for me!

My mom is convinced that since I'm a carnivore (have you seen my big teeth?), that I ought to be eating meat mostly and not cereal and soy.  She also got convinced that I ought to be eating raw meat because that's what my ancestors ate all the time.  We're dogs!  We don't have opposable thumbs and we can't start a fire.  Besides, I think raw meat is delicious!  She says cooking meat denatures the proteins and destroys a lot of vitamins.  My body temperature is warmer than humans so I am protected from more pathogens than humans. I have a really short digestive system so I can't really digest grains and a lot of vegetable matter very well.  Heck, the humans can't digest the grains without a lot of processing to make them edible, so why should they be good for we canines?

Playing with my Cat Buddy

I love playing with my kitty

My mom has been really busy lately so she hasn't been playing with me as much as usual.  It started getting hot here and mom doesn't like that much either.  I think I like cool weather too.  Hey, I'm a collie!  

Introduction

Hello world.  I am Miss Dirona, a young dog.  I think I am an old farm collie of the smooth coat variety.  I came from a breeder according to my original vet records but I don't know who so my origins are a bit of a mystery.  I do know my birthday was 3/25/2010.  I am not an AKC collie as it is obvious that I have none of that Borzoi they bred into the regular collies but I am so much a collie.