New pictures

If I hide under the covers, they won't see me!
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Hey Dad, I can help be the taste-tester!
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Please?!?!
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I think that I have become the tallest Vizsla in the world! Sign me up for the WNBA!
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I like to practice my pose for the red carpet after I become famous...

Finally!

My mom finally finished her last exam (about time already!!!) tonight, so we all snuggled on the couch and watched the new movie "Juno." I didn't really understand why the girl had a big bump on her stomach, or why my parents kept laughing so loudly. All I know is that all the ruckus was ruining my beauty sleep. But, I'm really glad to have my mom back. She promised to stay home with me until she goes back to work on Monday morning. Yay! I really missed my mom! Hopefully she doesn't try to be all healthy and get up early again. We both know she needs her sleep (and I need my human pillow).

My mom promised to put up tons of new pictures tomorrow, so I'll have to help her choose which ones flatter my face the best.

Sorry for Lack of Postings - Exams

I apologize ahead of time for the lack of posting and pictures for the next (and last) few weeks. Jeff and I are studying for our final examinations - Jeff in his Mechanical Engineering Master's Program, and Renee in my law school courses (only 24 more credits after this semester is over, and I'll be done with law school - forever). Wish us luck!

- Laila's mom, Renee

Crazy weekend

So, this was a crazy weekend.

FRIDAY

My mom came home early on Friday, which was super fun because she took me to the park for TWO HOURS! Man, was I wiped out when we got home! I think I slept from 7 pm until 11 am the next morning. It was amazing :)

SATURDAY

UTI Vet Visit
When I woke up, I wasn't feeling that well though. I went outside to use the bathroom, but couldn't pee. This has happened so many times over the past three months that my mom took me back to the vet. Again. We go every time this happens, and they usually send her home with a bunch of "medicine" to give me. I don't really mind taking the medicine because I get a yummy treat after each pill, but it is a pain. This time, my mom took me to a new vet. This one was a little farther away than the old vet, so we couldn't walk there. I was skeptical when we pulled up, but I changed my mind when we went inside. It was amazing! Lots of fun squishy benches to sit on, lots of really nice ladies giving me hugs and kisses, and they took me to the back room really quick! I didn't have to wait at all. The doctor said I was really good. They did a bunch of tests - made me pee in a cup (weird) and took crazy pictures they called "x-rays." I, of course, gave them my best pose.

Mom got a haircut
When they finished, they called my mom and dad to pick me up - and my dad showed up with a very strange lady. She looked like my mom, but what happened to her hair? I wasn't so sure of this lady, but after tasting her entire face I figured out that it was my mom after all. The doctor told my mom that they would call her back later this week to let her know the results and to see if they need to do any more tests. I hope they figure everything out. It would be really nice to pee whenever I want to!

Park
When we got home, we went to Riverside Park so I could play with all of my friends.

Home Alone
Then, my parents left me home alone (out of the crate!!!) while they went grocery shopping. It was a little scary, but after a running around a lot I decided to sit and watch the football draft on TV. My mom said that I was SO GOOD! I got some melon as a treat. YUM!

SUNDAY

Park
My mom took me to the park.

Home Alone
My mom and dad left me home alone out of the crate for 45 minutes while they went down the street to get brunch, but they forgot to leave the TV on. What?!? No TV?!?! I was so upset that I tore the house apart. And I do mean T.O.R.E. i.t. A.P.A.R.T! I tore a hole through the screen in the front window, tore the stuffing out of 2 toys, destroyed 2 pens, pushed most of the paperwork off of the kitchen table, knocked over the papazan chair and dragged the cushion across the room, among other things. My mom told my dad that it was just a temper tantrum because I'm a puppy, have too much energy, and was left alone for a little too long without the TV on. She's a girl, so she understands.

Park with Riley and Todd
While my parents started cleaning up my mess and fixing the screen, Todd stopped by to see if I could go to Robert E. Lee Park with him and Riley. My mom said that I could! Yay!! I had a great time!

Water Heater
When I got home from the park, the house looked different. My human granddad and his friend Michelle had come to visit, but my mom wouldn't let me go upstairs to visit my dad or my granddad. She said they were "working." Working on what? Why doesn't anyone tell me things anymore? First my mom's haircut, and now my dad is 'working'?? She said that the water heater had "blown up." Like fireworks? I don't like fireworks. Good thing I wasn't home when this "explosion" happened. Apparently there was water everywhere! But my dad and my granddad worked really hard and replaced the water heater themselves. So, now we have warm AND hot water!!!! I'm excited for my next bath!!!

My mom said: "when it rains, it pours (literally)."

Lazy Sunday Watching the World Go By

I like to watch the neighbors from our front window. My parents promised to put in a glass storm door later this summer so that I don't have to balance myself on a chair to see.

Cookout at Dave's House

Jeff's cousin Dave invited us to a cookout at his house today. I played frisbee, football, and catch; played with Guiness, Cash, and Toby; and even "permanently borrowed" a girl's hotdog.

Meet Cash the Great Dane.
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Play-date with Riley

Say hello to Riley! Riley is on the left, and I'm drinking the water on the right. Riley turned one year old on March 17th and lives with Todd across the street from us.

Riley's owner Todd had to go to a wedding tonight, so my mom and dad invited him over to play with me. It was so much fun! We paw-painted the kitchen floor (with mud) while playing chase: we ran from the front door through the living room, through the dining room, through the kitchen, out the back door, through the garden, to the fence, turned around, ran back through the house, and did it all over again a few dozen times. My dad didn't think our paw-print pictures on the kitchen floor were very pretty, so my mom promised to fix it later. I hope she doesn't try to clean it - the floor is a piece of art!

Later in the day, we decided to go to the park, and surprise, surprise: it was Vizsla day! When we showed up to Riverside Park, the other Riley (6 yr old female) was already there. The three of us (Riley, Riley, and I) had a fantastic time running around and eating the freshly-cut grass. I showed Riley (m) how to drink from the water fountain, which I'm sure Todd will love to hear.

When we got home from our park-date, Riley and I had dinner, drinks, and dessert (bully sticks, rawhides, and cow hooves). We spent the rest of the night wrestling and trading treats.

My mom finally ended the fun at 11:00 pm and took Riley home. I was sad, but she promised to let Riley come back on Sunday! I need to get some sleep so that I can rest up for Round 2.

Painting the floor and Snacking in the Living Room . . .

Lupine Harness Incident

Thank God for Lupine's lifetime guarantee against chewing because Laila chewed through her harness last night in under 5 minutes.

Beautiful!

Spring is finally here. . .

. . . and I am LOVING this new camera! - Laila's mom, Renee

At the park

Such a lady-like pose!

Neighbors Todd and Vizsla Riley. They live across the street from us!

Riley and I found something good to sniff. Maybe a squirrel ran through here earlier today?

Making someone else's mom give me a drink of water. I'm such a princess!

I know it's time to go home when the sky looks beautiful like this!

Water fountain

I've been dying to get this on camera for weeks! There is a water fountain at Riverside Park; most dogs drink out of the water bowl underneath, but not Laila! Miss Laila only wants to drink out of the fountain itself!

Morning Cuddles

Jeff and Laila doing what they love best . . . hanging out in bed doing their "morning cuddle" while Renee gets ready for work.

Greeting Dad at the Door

Laila, when did you get so big?!?!

Cat Loose in the Backyard!

A few neighborhood cats were hanging out in our backyard when we let Laila out to use the bathroom. Three of them ran off, but the fat orange cat named simply "Cat" wasn't giving up any ground.



Excuse me, Mom, but . . .
What the hell is that thing? And why is it in my yard???

I'll protect the house! Everyone run inside!

The camera has arrived!

Now I just have to figure out how to use it!

E for Excellent!

So excited! My blogger friend Rocket gave me an award for being so "excellent"! I totally rock! And so does Rocket!

Rocket gave me the rules: you have to link back to the nice reader who gave it to you (done) and you must give it to 10 more nice blogs (if you want to) that you read.

Bristow Jones is a fun-loving Vizsla living in NY City! My half-brother Baxter is visiting with them right now, and I wuf reading about their many adventures in the Big Apple!

This is my dad Owe'n's page. He doesn't have a blog, but I wuf looking at his pictures . . . and the pictures of my brothers and sisters!

This is my mom Kayla's page. She doesn't have a blog either, but she's so great! I wuf her so much!

This is my Aunt Hannah. She's awesome, and so successful! I hope I can be half as great as her when I grow up!

I don't know very many blogger friends yet, but I'm very excited to meet everyone!

Licks and wiggles,

Laila

Picking Paint Colors

That looks like fun! Can I help?
This one looks (and tastes) nice! Pick this one!

I changed my mind... picking paint colors is boring! Are we done yet? I want to go to the park.

Exhausted after the match

Congratulations Laila!

Laila Rocked Her Second Ever Conformation Puppy Match!

Vizsla Puppy Best Bitch
Vizsla Puppy Best of Breed
Third Place - Puppy Sporting Group

I miss my Laila

I'm really looking forward to Saturday so that I can see Laila again! I really miss her. Ironically, Laila probably hasn't even thought about Jeff or I since she left on Wednesday night. She's having too much fun!!!!

Laila at the Park with Jason, Melissa, Kayla, Hannah, and Seamus

A Sleep-over at the Green's

Melissa and Jason picked up Laila a few minutes ago. We have a puppy match on Saturday in Harrisburg, so this was a perfect time to schedule a visit with Melissa, Jason, Mommy Kayla, Aunt Hannah, and brother Seamus. The house felt so quiet and empty as soon as we put Laila in the car and said our goodbyes, but I know she'll have a FANTASTIC time at the Green's. Take care of our Laila!

New Camera

WE ORDERED A NEW CAMERA TODAY!!!!!

Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)

Lots of people recommended this camera, so I'm really excited for it to arrive!

It should arrive in 5-9 business days.

Happy Birthday to Laila...

... and Rocky, Georgie, Seamus, Hudson, and Vinnie! 5 months old today!

I see a cat in the tree!

Beautiful, but exhausted

Many, many thanks to Debbie L. Stern for taking such amazing photographs of Laila!!!

Like father, like daughter

I look like my dad . . .

Thanks Debbie L. Stern! Great photograph!

Like mother, like daughter

I look like my mom...

Many thanks to Debbie L. Stern for taking such fabulous pictures!

Cold and wet after McKee Besher

My dad knows just how to keep me warm!

Another fabulous photograph by Debbie L. Stern.

Pictures from McKee Besher

Walk at McKee Besher

Jeff, Renee, and Laila went on a walk today at McKee Besher. Daddy Owe'n, Grandma Siren, Jaeger, and a number of Laila's half-brothers and sisters from the Owe'n/Ginger July litter (Cooper, Wrigley, Kona, Ariel, is there anyone I am forgetting?) came. Laila loved meeting all of the other Vizslas and people. She especially liked the two boys from Ariel's family who came on the walk. Whenever one of them got stuck in the mud or didn't keep up with the pack, Laila ran back to make sure he was still coming.

We walked through tons of fields and found all sorts of fun things, such as sticks, hay stalks, bird feathers, and even a couple of deer bones (gross, I know, but the dogs loved them). Although the other Vizslas were a bit bigger than Laila, she held her own and enjoyed running through the fields and streams with the other dogs. Even the rickety bridge didn't phase her.

Laila had SUCH a great time!

Bubba and Max

As always, we went to Riverside Park this afternoon for nearly two hours. Laila played with Emmitt (a smaller version of Kelsey), Bubba (an English bulldog), Max (a brindle boxer), Eleanore (a mutt), Blue (a German Sheppard Dog), Hans (long-haired Dachshund), and a number of other friends. Max is only eight months old, so he has a lot of energy and doesn't always know how strong he is. He played a little rough, but Bubba put him in his place by doing his signature move - sitting on him. After that, Max played really nice with all of the dogs, even getting down on the ground to play with Emmitt and Hans and rolling on his back to let Laila and Emmitt smell his belly. Laila is finally starting to feel comfortable running with the big dogs without fear of being rolled, which is a huge step for her. We are really proud of her!

Oppie (some sort of pug mutt) came to the park later in the day. Even though he's tiny and couldn't be more than 25 lbs, he's really aggressive. We've met him a few times before, and he's never been pleasant. None of the dogs like playing with him. Watch out Oppie - just wait until Bubba catches up to you!

New Friend Named Pepper

Today we met "Pepper" at the park. She was adopted a few weeks ago from a shelter. Pepper doesn't feel very comfortable around people yet, but she and Laila got along great! They played until nearly 8:30 p.m. We'll have to set up some play dates soon.