Saturday, March 1, 2014

Toys & Sharing

Ugh, I hate to share. Is anyone with me on this? I mean, come on. If I have a toy, and my sister really wants it, too, then I just can't give it up...right? I just don't understand sharing. Well, ok, let me be clear. I can share, but only if it is the only way to get my sister to play. For example, I will happily share an end of a tug toy with her, with the understanding we are just going to pull as hard as we can!

However, if she tries to take a prized chew toy from me, she better listen. I give her some of the best "back-off" signals, and MOST of the time, she listens. Sometimes, she won't tolerate my sassiness, and then I might be more deliberate with my signals. My "back-off" signals include: getting very tense, watching her out of the corner of my eye ("whale" eye), moving the toy away from her, tongue flicking (my tongue quickly flicks out and back in my mouth), and possibly showing my teeth ("tooth display"). If she persists, she's going to see more teeth and potentially a high-pitched bark and a snap. Isn't language cool? Oftentimes, I will also get pretty tense if Mom or Dad touches me when I have a fun resource. They usually tell me to "drop it," though, and I'm very polite with letting them have it.

Here is a video Mom took of me "guarding" my toy:

Wow, this is a pretty serious entry! Since Mom recently got this on video, figured I might explain myself :). Other than this, I've been having a LOT of fun with the cold weather! I really enjoyed the few days of the HEAT WAVE, but then it got cold and snowy, and I just love that, too!

Oh, and did I mention Cymry and I destroyed a toy over the weekend? Here is a great photo!:
Wow, we are such hunters! I'm surprised Mom believes we couldn't catch any wildlife. I'm certain I could be a ferocious huntress. Right?

Well, that's all for now! I'll write again soon!

**JIS**

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Warmer Weather + Playtimes

Holy moly!!! It's W-A-R-M!!! Mom took us out for a lovely run/walk today, and boy, am I excited for the higher temperatures. It means: (1) more SQUIRRELS, (2) being outside more, and (3) meeting more people! Oh my goodness, I'm so excited.

Ok, I'm going to try to see past this. I wanted to show you a video of my sister and I playing...
Notice how fast and noisy we are? That's pretty typical of us. Mom usually says you need to keep an eye on the faster movements in play, as it can escalate quickly. However, you see I'm often in a "play-bow" (butt high in air, forelegs parallel to floor/ground). This usually signals "play." You can also see our bodies are fairly relaxed, and we are bouncing around pretty dramatically. All good signs that things are flowing well. But still, Mom is watching us, and she does ask us to take breaks frequently. She will simply say, "Ok, that's enough. Go lay down." We break up our play, then go rest for a bit. After a few minutes, we start up our game again! Oh boy, I just LOVE to play!

Ok well, I gotta go! Just wanted to stop in and say HI! :)

**JIS**

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Work with Mom and Learning

HAPPY FEBRUARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom said the groundhog isn't very nice, and I'm trying to decide if I agree. It sounds like there will be 6 more weeks of winter, and that kinda sounds nice! I really like the snow! But, on the other hand, it's a lot of fun to chase squirrels on warmer days. Huh, what a mind-bending decision - do I like summer or winter more?

Anywho! On to easier thoughts. Mom took me to work the other day...ALL BY MYSELF! No big sister to hover over me! Well, I got to see a lot of my best friends, and then, I needed a NAP:
I'm ridiculous. Just about as soon as I laid down for this nap, one of my friends arrived to say HI to me! I immediately leapt up, and really tried to maintain a Sit. Eventually, I just got too excited, and I did act a bit naughty (I jumped on her - yikes!). Mom quickly called me away from my friend, and we tried the greeting (this time, in a polite way) again. Oh, Mom!

Later that night, I got to find out WHY I went to work with Mom. I was going to a fun class! I got to see MORE of my best friends (doggy and human), and I even made NEW ones!!!
I just had the BEST time. I am working on my roll-over skill, and slowly but surely, I'm catching on! I'll probably "get" it by summer - that will be FUN to show off!!

Oh, crap! Gotta run...Mom is about to make dinner, and I have to supervise :)...

**JIS**

Monday, January 27, 2014

Shelters and Husky Woofs

Oh my goodness, what an interesting week! I must say, it was pretty fun. I got to go out for runs and walks with Cymry and Mom, and you know, it wasn't TOO cold. This week, though, isn't looking good for getting lots of outdoor time. Man, I wish Mom had a fur coat like me. She'd be able to withstand colder temps. Bummer. Oh well! I'll just plan to bug my sister more!

When I say "bug," I literally mean I'm going to woof at her until she stops being lazy. She's so BORING, and I want to PLAY! For example, check out this footage (Mom caught me in the act of being a pest):


Mom and Dad think I'm very special when I woof like this. Not to sound like a big shot or anything, but I'm pretty darn cute. ;-)

OH, and the BEST thing! I got to go to work with Mom last week, and we went to a doggy class to LEARN. Mom's training company, Teacher's Pet Training, offers group classes to the shelter's dogs and volunteers. How cool is THAT?! Since I'm a shelter alumni, I had to be on my best behavior and really wow those volunteers. And boy, did I impress! Here's a fun photo from the class (I'm on the left!):

You should check out Teacher's Pet Training's Facebook page for more cool photos. Mom posts them all the time! It's so fun to see all the great things we get to do in class!

Well, I gotta run - Mom is about to get us out some puzzle toys...I'm excited to try and get my kibble out of that tough toy. Cymry always gets it in a few minutes...I don't understand why it takes me an hour!!

**JIS**

Monday, January 20, 2014

Mondays, Runs, & Naps

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, what a week! I've had a lot of fun. Last week, we started back on our regular running routine...now that it's warmer outside :). It was so GREAT to see my friends for our run...FUN!

Today, Mom took us out for a run. What a lovely day to be outside! Snow, snow, SNOW!! Gosh, I just love that white, fluffy stuff. Sometimes, I get so excited that I start running too fast. Since it's been kinda icy out, Mom usually says, "Jisa, slow down." She says it very calmly, and I just know I need to be careful, not just for my sake, but hers! See, humans can be sorta clumsy. She's really scared me a few times by falling down! It took me awhile to get what "slow down" means.

What Mom did to help me is to first teach me to match her speed. If she started to slow down, I looked back at her, as in "What are you DOING, Mom?" She immediately said YES (oh boy!!!!) and fed me a treat. Oh boy!!! Then, she'd start speeding up again, and as I kept up (on a loose leash, of course), she'd offer me my marker word and, sometimes, a tasty treat! Eventually, she'd start saying "Slow down" right before she started to change her speed. So easy!

Whew, that's a lot of running and learning! Two of my favorite things :). You know what else I love? Snuggling on the couch with Mom for a nap! Proof:
Well, I'm off to finish up my day. Hope you have a fabulous week!!! Mine is sure to be exciting...

**JIS**

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

FREEDOM and Friends

UGH!!!!!!!!!!! I never thought I'd be complaining about the cold. BUT, since it was...what did Mom say..."below zero," we couldn't go out for our regular runs and walks for a few days. It was terrible! I thought I was going to explode with ENERGY!!!

Mom did a great job keeping my energy in check, though...here are some ideas for helping an energetic doggy out:
1. KONGS!!! Feed breakfast and dinner in puzzle toys. YUMMY and challenging!! Mom really makes me think for my food.
2. TRAINING!!! I just love when Mom uses my kibble for easy training. She's so smart! And, it makes me smarter, too!
3. JUMPING!!! Set up a couple chairs, and then use a broom to create a jump. Oh man, it's so much fun! Mom made a video of this a while back: http://youtu.be/YR7v5hUcVMs
4. PLAY!!! Throw a tennis ball, wrestle with a tug toy, inside playdates with friends, and more! There are so many ACTIVITIES we can do inside!!

Speaking of playdates with friends...one of my best friends stayed over the last week or so. His name is Buddy, and BOY, is he FUN! We play so much when he visits, and he even goes out on runs with us! I love hanging out with him. Here's a cute photo of us (we are in the middle of playing):


Well, better go! Mom is calling us for our walk, and I don't want to miss that!!!! I'm so glad it got warmer - I feel so FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I missed the outdoors!!

**JIS**

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Wow, another year! I'm so excited for this upcoming year...I mean, 2013 was pretty awesome (re: read yesterday's post), but I am sure this year will be even better!

Mom and Dad are setting goals for this year, and I thought I'd do it, too! Here is a (short) list of my current 2014 goals:
1. Chase more squirrels, rabbits, etc.
2. Go for more runs with my friends.
3. Snuggle with my Mom & Dad more.
4. Visit Grandma, Grandpa, & Giant...A LOT!!!
5. Schedule frequent playtimes with my BFFs (Brianne, Payton, Fin, Pepper, Kaepo, etc).
6. Learn "Roll-over" and "High 5."
7. Meet new doggy and human friends!
8. Go hiking...A LOT!!!
9. Be more polite when I greet humans (this one is TOUGH!).
10. SHOW PEOPLE HOW MUCH I LOVE LIFE!!!

Of course, I also want to add more exercise each day. This is what I want to look like more often:
(I just finished playing with toys, duh.)

I'll keep you posted on my goal progress! Hope you are all enjoying this SPLENDID day off...maybe in the snow?

**JIS**

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Friends and Accomplishments

Happy End of 2013!

As today draws to a close, I thought I'd reflect on my accomplishments in 2013. Here is my list:

1. Chased a BAZILLION squirrels and rabbits.
2. Hung out with my BFFs more.
3. Saw Grandma, Grandpa, and Giant frequently.
4. Went to Brianne's house for FUN!
5. Learned "shake" and "leave it." I'm so smart!
6. Went to Camp Pawprint & met lots of KIDS!!! They gave me TREATS!!! I LOVE THEM!!!
7. I pestered Cymry enough that she gave me her toy. YES!
8. I met new friends through "running group."
9. Went snowshoeing with Mom & Dad!
10. Completed an official 16K.
11. Got to go to Dogtoberfest with Mom!

Ok, I probably should stop there - I feel like I missed a bunch of things, though. Mom would probably add that I "started to mature." Ha! What does SHE know? :)

Per my previous posts, you know I've had quite the exciting month. Well, it continues! I got to stay with some of my best friends again this week. My Mom & Dad take care of two fun dogs, Kaepo & Maya, multiple times a year, and us dogs have really bonded. Well, all of us but Cymry (OF COURSE!). Again, Cymry doesn't like anyone (BORING!). Anywho, we had a great time playing in the fenced yard, chasing wildlife and jumping in snow!

Here is a photo of Kaepo and me:

Aren't we the cutest? We are sitting pretty nicely, too. Mom didn't even have to use a treat. We happily sat for this photo! Then, we got to go play!

I hope you get to do lots of fun things tonight to celebrate the end of 2013! I'm about to snuggle up with Mom & Dad...couldn't convince them to take me out for hours in the below-zero temps tonight (boooooooooooo!), though. Bye!

**JIS**

Monday, December 30, 2013

Celebrations!!!

Hi again!

Oh man, it got SOOOO cold outside today. Mom is such a trooper - we went for a run and everything! Of course, my old sis, Cymry, didn't go - her paws got too cold. Whatever! (Could she get any older?!)

So...we celebrate Christmas in our family, and this year, it was pretty awesome. For starters, we got to go spend a few days at Grandma & Grandpa's, which is ALWAYS SUPER FUN!!! I mean, we get to run around outside (OFF-leash!), people feed us random yummy treats, and we get lots of snuggles. I even claimed one of the couches as my very own!

What made this year even more special, though? Meeting our new doggy family member!!! His name is Gage, and he is about 5 years old. And, guess what? He's a HUSKY, too!!! He lives with my Aunt Kara and Uncle Zach, but I get to see him when we visit. Here's a video of us playing:


Aren't we just the best of friends? OF COURSE, Cymry doesn't like him, but she doesn't like ANYONE. Boring ol' lady. Ugh, she can really ruin a fun playtime. But, I still love her - I love everyone!

Well, I just wanted to share this with you. I'm so excited for tomorrow - it's the end of 2013!! I am just super thrilled to see what 2014 brings me! Hopefully, it'll be more of my favorites, like snow, squirrels, Mom & Dad, Grandpa & Grandma, Giant, Brianne, Gage....(...drifted off into space...).

**JIS**

Sunday, December 29, 2013

So...much...SNOW!

Why hello there!

Sorry I haven't written in awhile - I've been VERY busy with doggy guests, learning at doggy class, and SNOW!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that's right, SNOW. Have I told you how much I love living in Wisconsin? Well, I do. I love it so much, especially this time of year. I just can't get enough of playing in snow - Mom taught me that word last winter. I didn't know there was a special WORD for it! Just super fun. My favorite thing to do is jump into the snow, and then start sliding around. It's best if you can bury your head into the snow first. Really makes it a different experience. I could play in the snow for HOURS...ok, who am I kidding? DAYS!!!

Here is a video of me enjoying our first big snowfall:


Doesn't it look FUN?!?!?!?!?! I just don't understand when other doggies don't enjoy the snow. Sometimes, my big sis, Cymry, starts picking up her paws, as if it's cold or something. So strange! Mom takes real good care of her paws, though, and she recommends other humans help out their doggies, too! In the wintertime, she says it's important to put coats & booties on shorter-haired dogs (and some long-haired!), and also to wash and dry off paws upon getting back inside. Something called "salt" is on the sidewalks a lot this time of year, and it can really hurt our sensitive paws! Well, everyone's but mine. I'm pretty hardcore.

Oh boy, Mom is sending me outside to play! Gotta run!!! I'll write more later...so much happens this time of year!

**JIS**

Friday, December 13, 2013

Work With Mom

Oh boy! Today has been so much FUN! I know, I know, I say that a lot. But, today really was fun! Breakfast was yummy, and then Mom had us get in the CAR!

This is what the car usually means:
1. Being outside seeing lots of wildlife
2. Seeing Brianne (my favorite person in the whole wide world...after Mom & Dad, of course)
3. Being with Mom at "work"
4. Playing with other doggy friends

Seeing that list, you can imagine why I might be a tad excited, right? I mean, just #1 and #2 are enough.

Well, guess what? I did ALL OF THEM. Holy moly, best day ever. We got to "work," and I got to see another of my favorite people, Nicole, who usually has one of my doggy friends, Dublin. Then, I bugged Mom for some pets:


She complied, of course. When you request attention, you should be this polite. I lightly rested my head on her leg, and she looked so pleased as she talked to me. Love making my human happy! You could also Sit for attention. Sometimes, Mom is standing or sitting near me, and I just get the urge for some lovin'. I put my front two paws up on her, and she ignores me! At first, I didn't get it. Eventually, though, I stepped down, and after a few moments of confusion, I tried a Sit (I had been learning a lot about Sits in doggy class!). Mom immediately starting talking excitedly to me and offering pets. WOW!!! Jackpot!!!

Anywho, shortly after I took a nap, BRIANNE showed up!!!! After chatting with Mom, they put my leash on and loaded me up in Brianne's car. Oh boy! I've really gotten lucky today!

Oh, gotta run! About to go play with my best friends...later!

**JIS**

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

I got to spend a week with some friends this Thanksgiving, and BOY, did we have a great time! On Thanksgiving, Mom and Dad made a BIG meal...it smelled SO GOOD!!!!

Here is a photo of me sneaking some yummy turkey:

Ok, I shouldn't say "sneaking." Clearly, Dad is offering me this treat. You know what he asked me to do before that? Sit! Mom and Dad always ask me to offer something before I get what I want. Smart humans!

Cymry decided to make a list of what she is thankful for this year, so I figured I'd do the same. Here is my list:
1. SQUIRRELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Mom, Dad, & Cymry
3. The cats (they can be mean!)
4. TURKEY!!!
5. RUNNING!!!
6. SNOW!!!

I feel like I'm getting off-track. Oh gosh, I had such a fun time running around in the snow with my buddies this week!

Whoops, gotta go! Mom is calling me for doggy class!

**JIS**

Monday, November 25, 2013

Whoa, IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW, what a fabulous day. Seriously. I woke up this morning not thinking I'd get to do anything fun. Mom let us outside, and THERE. WAS. MY. FAVORITE. THING. SNOW!!!! What is not to like about snow? It's fluffy...and cold...and soft! I just love to run and roll around in it! SO FUN! Cymry does not find it as magnificent, but I do not care. She's just a boring ol' woman. Ha!

Here is a video of me enjoying the snow:

Snow means something called "winter" has started. This usually means I get to see lots of snow! I really hope my friends like the snow, too.

Now that it's snowing more, Mom says it's important for me to walk nicely on leash. She's so smart! Sometimes, I get really distracted by SQUIRRELS, but when Mom stops walking, I know I need to look back at her. It's called "captured attention." Cool, huh? All my friends should get their humans to practice this with them. As my reward, I get to keep walking!

Oh, gotta run! Mom is letting me out to play in the snow again!!!

**JIS**

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Weekends With Grandma & Grandpa

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I'm back!!!!! Did I tell you one of my favorite things to do? Visit my Grandma, Grandpa, and GIANT! Every once in a while, Mom and Dad load up the car, and we travel a couple hours up north.

Why do I love to visit them? Well, here's my list:
1. OUTSIDE - as you can see in the video, I get to run around in a HUGE yard. Lots of smells, wildlife, space, etc.
2. Giant - the really tall human; Mom calls him her brother
3. Grandpa & Grandma - so loving!
4. OUTSIDE - did I say that already? Whoops!
5. Food - people sneak me treats ALL the time! (Shhh, don't tell Mom!)

Grandpa likes to let me outside off-leash, and that makes him pretty much the coolest human ever. Thankfully, Mom has taught me to listen for my name and the word "Come!," so when he calls me, it might take me a few more seconds than my sister, but I still head back.

How did I learn to respond to my name? EASY! Mom called my name in this SUPER exciting voice. As soon as I heard how excited she was, I looked over at her - VERY curious to see what she was up to! The instant I looked at her, she gave me this incredibly yummy treat. How awesome is THAT?!?! That continues whenever I respond to my name - Mom makes it such a cool party.

Here's a fun video of us running around in the yard:

Well, that's all I have for now! Gotta go watch out the window for SQUIRRELS!!!!

**JIS**

Friday, November 1, 2013

HOWL-o-Ween!

Have I said how much I LOVE when I meet new people? Which means that yesterday was pretty much the BEST DAY EVER. My Dad said it's called Halloween. To me, Halloween means that kids are walking around the neighborhood having a good time! As you can see, I was pretty happy to watch the happenings:

My sister, Cymry, doesn't like Halloween. She kept yelling loudly at the kid approaching. I tried to tell her they were fine, but she was still nervous. Mom says it's fairly normal for dogs to be scared on Halloween. See, even though they were kids, they looked STRANGE! Some were wearing masks, some paint, some flowing capes. It was wild!

Mom and Dad were talking about how to make it less scary for Cymry (what a BABY!). Dad said he'd feed Cymry yummy treats when she looked calmly and quietly at the "kids." Eventually, she should start to show some happier signals when seeing them. Happy like when I see a kid! My tail starts to wag in a really loose way, my body is wiggly & goofy, and my ears are flopping & relaxed. Usually, I can't help but jump up a little, but that's a whole other story :).

Oh, Mom's calling me for dinner! Gotta go!

**JIS**

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

First Official 16K


WHEW! It's been awhile since I've had time to write. WHAT WAS THAT???? Oops, sorry, distracted. My sister had a toy. Anywho!

Mom and I have been training hard for the Black Hawk Ridge 16K Trail Run. Did you KNOW that 16K is 9.9 MILES!?!? It was sooooooooooooo fun! We successfully completed it in Mom's time goal. Not only that, but we got to spend all morning out in the sunshine! What a great experience! The race volunteers quickly became my best friends forever - they gave me water. I love them!

Oh...and, while on the run, I got my first taste of a rare delicacy. It was pretty incredible. But, OF COURSE, Mom told me to "drop it!" Because I like to hear my special word, I dropped it immediately. Supposedly, it is something called "horse poop"? Wish I could've had the whole thing.

Eek - I gotta go! Cymry is tossing a toy into my face - and I want to play!!!

**JIS**

Monday, October 21, 2013

Lazy Monday

You know what the BEST part of today is? It's a new day! And, I got to do all my favorite things: eat, run, be outside, sleep, play with my toy. Oh, and Mom said I get to go to "training" class tonight! YES! In preparation for class, I took a lot of naps:


At class, I'm sure I'll get to hear lots of my special word, followed by yummy food or playtime. Oh, and I get to learn new things! For example, last week, I learned that humans like me to Sit when they approach. Before class, I would just leap at their face! Humans are so exciting, and I truly thought it was impolite NOT to be close to their faces. Thankfully, Mom helps me remember that humans really don't appreciate it. She's usually ready with a "Sit" and a treat when I'm approaching a person. What a good Mommy! Now, I can't say I'm always polite. Sometimes, I see a human that I just get so happy to see that I kinda lose my mind. Example: My Grandpa & Grandma, my Giant, my running buddies, Brianne. Basically, all my friends and family - I like to show them how much I love them.

Oh, look at the time! Mom is getting ready to go, so better run...I can't WAIT to see what tomorrow brings!

***JIS***

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Best Day EVER

I...hit...the...MOTHERLODE! I thought yesterday was the best day ever. No. I woke up hopeful that today would be awesome. Imagine my surprise when it turned into the BEST DAY EVER.

Upon waking up, I realized both Mom and Dad would be home all day. Eek, that freaked me out just a bit. I wasn't sure what to expect. Then, Mom got out some yummy treats and left the house, and Dad took me OUTSIDE. Holy  moly!!! SQUIRRELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got outside and stopped in the middle of the driveway. I seriously thought Dad had lost his mind. We stood there for an ETERNITY before I saw this super fun-looking dog with Mom. I can't lie, I got really excited. I just wanted to show this potential friend how much I love to play!

After another ETERNITY, Mom approached with the dog. Dad kept feeding me treats, which is super cool of him. Eventually, I got to sniff the other dog, and then he (the dog) was very rude to me. I looked at Dad for help, and he called me away and fed me more yummy treats. Oh wow, Dad's so awesome! Eventually, I got to play a little with this new friend. I just LOVE meeting new friends!

I didn't think much more fun could happen in one day. SURPRISE! Mom dressed in her clothes that smell icky (it ALWAYS means we get to RUN!), grabbed our leashes, and had us get in the car. OH...MY...GOSH. Could we be going to "trail"?!?!?!?!?!?! Whenever Mom says "trail," it means being outside with TONS of neat smells, like SQUIRRELS, birds, poop, and trees. Mom, Cymry, and I went for a looooooooooooooooooong run. It...was...amazing. At one point, I smelled this interesting pile of poop, and Mom said, "Leave It." Since I know it means to leave something alone, I quickly looked up at Mom. It was pretty satisfying to hear her say I was a good girl. YAY!

Here is a photo of Cymry and I after our run:
Look at Cymry - what an old lady! Sometimes, it would be better not to be slowed down by her and Mom. They are soooooooo SLOW. I mean, they like to WALK up hills. What's WRONG with them? Ugh. Oh well, I'd rather run with them than anyone else...or worse, not running at all!

Ok - Mom just called for dinner! Gotta go! What a GREAT day!!!!!!

***JIS***

Saturday, October 19, 2013

SQUIRRELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, hello! SQUIRREL!!!!!! Oh, sorry, got distracted for a moment. I'm gonna be real, that's probably going to happen a lot. You see, I'm a Siberian Husky mix, and I get pretty excited about the little things in life. SQUIRREL?! I'm back. I've been chatty lately, so my Mom suggested I start a blog. Apparently, she doesn't like to hear "big girl" barking that often. Whatever that means. (eye roll)

Here is a proper introduction to me. My Mom and Dad adopted me from Dane County Humane Society in November 2009. I was a mere 6 months old. Previously, I had been running around as a stray - I remember getting distracted (chasing some squirrels), and then couldn't find my way home. No worries! I found my forever family, and couldn't imagine anywhere more FUN! BIRD!!!?

Since finding my Mom and Dad, I've learned so much about them, the world, my furry siblings, and being a good dog. For example, my New Year's resolution for 2013 was to learn "shake." At first, I didn't understand why my Mom held out a fist in front of me. Even worse, she had tucked a really smelly treat inside that I couldn't get by using my mouth gently. SQUIRREL! Whoops. Anyway, I eventually tried smacking it with my paw, and she GAVE ME THE TREAT! I am still shocked that it worked. I love to hear my Mom and Dad tell me I'm a good dog. Even more, I love to hear my special word, "Yes!" It always means I get something SUPER amazing.

Oh, I didn't tell you my name! My name is Jisa ("Gee-za"). I have lots of energy, and I like to have FUN! I like candles, chocolate-covered strawberries, classical music, and romance...BLAH! NOT! That's my sister, Cymry - she's so odd. I like longs runs, trails, wildlife, jumping, playing with other doggies, chasing the cats, chewing on toys, and snuggling with Mom or Dad (not both at the same time - ewww!)!

My life is pretty awesome. I'm excited to share more with you! Gotta run, though - I thought I saw a pack of squirrels outside the window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****JIS****