Christmas Party Girl

Bunny here at the keyboard sharing a few things I haven't had time to so far.

We might have mentioned that December is a pretty busy month for us.  I got to go to not one, but two parties this month and I wanted to share a little bit about that.  Sometimes it pays to be a cute and popular little hound.

One of them was at the nursing home we visit.  It was our last visit for the month and they had requested that we visit the assisted living facility part last since they were having a Christmas concert, so we went over to the Alzheimer's wing first and worked our way back.  I dressed up in my fancy collar, coat and had my toenails painted Fire Hydrant Red.  I have to say that I did look very festive.  Anyroo, I headed over to the assisted living building with my friends and they were having a reception after the concert. 

We were staying in the front room, so as not to bother all the party goers who might not want to see us.  It's hard to imagine that anyone wouldn't want to see us, but I saw the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, so anything is possible.  Well, the director lady came out and invited us to go into the reception.  She said the people would love us, but we still didn't want to start a riot or anything, since we tend to be like rock stars there, and we quietly socialized with the people in the front.  The next thing we knew, the lady was bringing the punch bowl out to the front room and all these people were following.  That punch bowl had the most delicious-looking pink punch I have ever laid eyes on.  I admit it, I was mesmerized by it.  The woman came over and handed Mom a glass of the punch.  Some of the people were noticing that I was interested in that punch, so when Mom got almost done with hers, she let me have some.  That really got the party started.  The next thing I knew, everyone was taking pictures of me drinking out of the glass and fussing over me.  The woman even asked Mom if I wanted a refill.  I said yes, but Mom declined and said we had more visiting to do. 

After we got all done visiting, we got presents from the ladies who organize our visiting group, which is called Paw to Paw.  We got some different treats and a toy each, and Blueberry and I got a notepad with our names on it and Morgan got one with her name on it, and they even have pictures of a Greyhound and German Shepherd on them.  We are really excited and impressed by these.  Now people will really know that the notes came from us.

My second party was at Mom's last day of school.  My number one fan sent me a message on Facebook and asked if I was going to be visiting at school any before Christmas.  When I found out that the last day before break was her last day of school there ever, I begged Mom to let me go.  She said I could come on the last day, which was a fun day.  I told Miss Mikayla that I'd be there and even wore my pink Winter collar for her because pink is what she asked me to wear.  I took her one of my special Christmas cards and gave her my last trading card, too.  She brought me some pink treats that look like little cupcakes, too.  I will really miss seeing her at school, but I hope she does great at her new school!

I also helped the kids in Mom's class deliver Christmas presents to people in the building who help them, like the librarian and the lunch ladies.  We made newspaper snowballs for a snowball fight and I went to music class with them.  That part was great!  They sang with jingle bells and I loved that part.  The songs sounded really festive.

All these parties have been so much fun.  I think I was born to be a socialite.  I've tried to convince Mom and Dad that we need to attend more parties, or have one at our house, but they say they are partied out.  I'll come up with a plan after I take a nap and catch up on my sleep after all the excitement of the holidays!

Backpacking To School

Bunny here, writing about my exciting trip to school with Mom this week.

I have to confess, I've felt a little left out here lately.  Morgan and Blueberry are always playing together and Morgan is always getting in Mom or Dad's face for attention.  I've started feeling like the invisible puppy.  When Mom asked me if I wanted to go with her this morning, my tail would not stop wagging!  It was a trip just for me.

Since we were going to Mom's school, I decided to wear my back pack.  All the kids get to wear theirs to school, so I figured I'd carry my treats and water bowl in mine.  For the record, I did NOT carry poop in my back pack at any time, despite all those taunts from Dad.

Some of the kids in class were there last year, too, so they knew me already.  There were kids who have moved on to Kindergarten, too, who knew I was going to be there and came down to see me before they went to class.  One of them was my biggest fan from last year and I was really glad to see her.

A lot of them wanted to see me and they spent a lot of time petting me and catching up about what we all did over the summer.  I got acquainted with some of the new students, too.  I was surprised that they thought I am a big dog.  Wait until they meet Blueberry and Morgan!

Several of the kids asked if they could read to me.  I thought it was a great idea and we went over to the carpet by the books so we could get comfortable.  It was a little hard to pay attention to four stories at one time, but I did my best.  I was a little miffed that this one boy had a book with German Shepherd on it.  I asked Mom to make sure there was a Greyhound book there next time.

All too soon, it was time for me to go.  Dad came and picked me up.  The best part was that we went to Petsmart together before I went home.  After that, I enjoyed a nice nap until Mom got home from work.  It's hard work going to school!

We're participating in the Pet Blog Hop today.  It's a fun way to find other pet blogs and maybe attract a few new followers.  We are so thankful that Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume host this blog hop every Saturday.

If you'd like to join in, add your link in the McLinky tool, copy the code and paste it into the html code of your blog post.  Follow the hosts of the blog hop and join in and have fun!

Off To School

It seems that three of us here are off to school this week.  Today I go back to work after my five week break, and I go back hopeful that this will be a wonderful and exciting year.  The past two years have been very challenging for me, personally, but I am going back positive, excited about the new students who will be in my class and happy to see the seven who are returning students, as well.  There is a lot of turmoil in my school district right now, and I recently heard that our state just passed California as the worst off financially, so the future could very well be a roller coaster, but for now, I'm putting those worries in a box and going in ready to fall in love with a new class and see what fate has brought to us this year.

I'm not the only one returning to school this year, though!  Mr. Taleteller and Morgan have also started class together.  They are attending obedience class.  Saturday was the first day of school ever for Miss Morgan.  I have a feeling that she may turn out to be a star pupil, but she certainly will have to do her homework.  Already she has learned to sit and wait at the door for me to release her.  That took only a few attempts to learn.  Mr. Taleteller has been less successful in teaching her not to jump on him when he gets home from work, though.  Plus, she still has some leash manners to learn. 

I'm also hopeful that taking class together will help cement the bond that Mr. Taleteller really wants to have with Morgan.  She seems drawn to me, and I love her already, but I know that he really wants her to be his dog.  I think there's a chance that she may always be deeply attached to both of us, and that's fine with me.  I've resisted playing with obedience with her because I know how much he wants to do it.  She's such a quick study that she gets things really quickly.  She also has a serious case of the "disease to please" that the Greyhounds consider themselves immune to.  Certainly, the girls like having us be happy with them, but if we ask something of them that they don't want to do, pointy little noses go up in the air and those beautiful eyes look away.  Morgan will do anything to make you happy and she will work for praise, treats or toys.  Going to class will hopefully be an enriching experience for them both!

On this Monday morning, as I drag myself out of bed early, I'm happy to have a job and to be going back to it, but I think I'd rather be going to the other class!  Please be patient with us while we get used to the swing of a new school year and try to keep up visits to our friends' blogs.  We may be late, but we'll get there eventually!

Helping Mom Say Good-Bye

Bunny here, writing again to tell about going to school with Mom for the last time this year on Wednesday morning. 

When Mom asked me Wednesday morning, I wasn't sure I wanted to go, since I was still pretty tired from going to the baseball game.  Then she told me it was the very last time my favorite fan was going to be in her class.  I jumped up and got ready right away because I had a special surprise for her.

We got to school and I looked around the classroom.  It didn't look the same as before.  Most of the toys were put away and all the great artwork that the kids had done had been taken down.  After a bit of socializing, I went and laid down on my travel bed.

Soon the kids started to arrive.  Hardly any of them came since there was only an hour of school.  I got to spend time with all of them getting petted, which was quite nice.  Most of them are going to kindergarten next year, but my friend with the mohawk will be back next year in Mom's class again.  He really likes me and I already promised him I will come back to visit some next year.

Miss Mikayla, my special friend, came in with Max.  You might remember him from my post about the parade.  He seemed a bit more sociable, but Mikayla's mom didn't want him to get too close to me.  I still think I could win him over if I had a little time!

All too soon, it was time for Miss Mikayla to leave.  We gave her our special present.  It's a copy of the Pinkalicious: The Musical CD because it's her favorite.  They went to see the play last year and she asks Mom to play the music in class every day.  Now she can listen to it all she wants.  My tail was wagging when I saw how happy she was to get it!  Miss Mikayla, I will miss you.  I hope you do great work in kindergarten! 

After she left, I had a little time to play with the boys who came to school.  Then Dad came to get me and we went to his office for a little bit before he brought me home.  I tell you, snoopervising the parents at work is a tough job.  I'm glad I got to say good-bye to the kids with Mom, though, and even more glad that now she'll be home with me for about six weeks!

School Daze

Hello, Hounds and Humans!  Bunny here, writing about my big trip to school with Mom.  It was a very exciting and tiring day! 
It started as soon as I woke up.  Dad swapped my collars and I wondered what was up, but I figured it had something to do with that Jackson fellow.  Fortunately, it did not!  The morning went on like normal until it was time for Mom to go to work.  Dad put my harness on and then my coat.  Oh, I did a little tap dance of joy in the kitchen!  Mom started getting her stuff and my pink bag and then Dad snuck me out the back door before any of the other hounds caught on to what was happening.  Mom even had a couple of my toys packed in the bag for me since I haven't been able to play with them all week.

We got to school, went inside and got settled.  I walked around the room and did a sniff patrol.  I found the rabbit cage very interesting, but the rest of the room wasn't that exciting. 

Well, it wasn't that exciting until the kids started showing up.  They were all glad to see me!  I wagged my tail a little in greeting and gave a lot of them a good get-to-know-you sniff.  As soon as everyone was there and settled, I got to be off my leash for a little while.  They wanted to know a lot of things about me.  Why are my legs so long?  Why is my chest so deep?  Why do I have sharp teeth?  What did I have for breakfast?  They found out that they could hear and feel my heartbeat and they all spent a lot of time examining that.  One boy laid on the floor under me like a mechanic to examine my tummy.  Some of them drew pictures of me or for me and Mom says I can put them on the refrigerator.  I listened to some of them read some stories about dinosaurs and dogs and I liked the dog stories better!  They saw me do some of my tricks and gave me a few treats.  I put on my coat so they could see what it looks like when I wear it.  They got out my travel bowl and got me a drink of water.  I have to say, those kids sure know how to treat royalty like myself!  Lots of people from the school showed up to see me.

We also took Twinkie's book with us to read to the class.  They really liked the book, although they were trying to understand what she would do without her leg.  They liked that she gets in trouble sometimes, just like they do, and they loved the pictures of Twinkie on her horse.  I have a feeling some of them will be looking at that book a lot next week!

All too soon it was time for music and that meant time for me to go.  I wagged my tail and headed home with Dad.  When we arrived home, that crazy Jackson was jumping around and trying to get me to play!   Hmph!  I think he ought to try going to school for the morning.  I let him know that I needed a nap!

I am excited that I will get to go back next week, too!  I get to be a model so they can draw pictures of me.  I can't wait!  For my fan from class, I apologize that I moved my head when the picture of us was taken.  I will try to hold still so we can pose together when I come back next week!

Bunny Works Her Magic

Bunny thought today was going to be just like every other day when my husband and I get up and get ready to go to work, leaving her here at home, wishing she were out on some grand adventure. However, we had other plans for her today. As I have mentioned before, I teach preK, and on occasion we take the dogs in to visit the kids in class. Today was one of those days. Bunny and I had a little chat about it this morning.

Me: Bunny, do you think you'd like to come to school and visit the kids today?

Bunny: Are you kidding?! They're perfect for petting me! They're just the right size!

Me: Well, Dad's going to bring you over in just a little while. He's going to take you by the vet's office to get your toenails trimmed and then you'll come down to school.

Bunny: I'm going to get petted at the vet's office and at school?! This is the best day EVER! Let me grab my collar!

Me: We have some new kids in class this year. I want you to be on your best behavior today. One of the boys is really afraid of our classroom rabbit. I want you to be particularly nice and calm today so he isn't scared.

Bunny: The RABBIT! Somebody pinch me! I must be dreaming!

Me: Now just you listen here! That rabbit is off limits! The kids really like Sassy. She is not a snack!

Bunny: (sigh) Oh alright! As long as you promise there will be petting!

Me: I promise, lots of petting!


And so, a short while later, after a nail trim, Bunny arrived at the school with my husband. She has been there before and she was quite happy to be there again. She came into the room very quietly and it took a few minutes for the kids to realize she'd arrived. Many of them have seen her before and she has a bit of a fan club in my class. They often ask me how she is, what she's been doing and when she'll be visiting again. A few of them were told yesterday that she'd be arriving today, but for most, it was a surprise when she showed up. Bunny is particularly good with young children and despite the fact that she is a very young greyhound, she knows when to turn on the charm and when to be on her best behavior. Even as the kids mobbed around her, she patiently and happily accepted all their attention.

I am often surprised by what effect her presence has on the kids in our room. One little boy who often has trouble getting along with his friends and often hurts others was extremely gentle with her. He couldn't seem to get enough of just being near her. He told me that he wanted to take her home or get a dog just like her. His whole body relaxed while he sat beside her. She turned and touched his nose with hers and he was in rapture.


Not even Sassy could distract her from the kids for very long. She gave everyone a bit of her attention. The little boy who is terribly afraid of our rabbit was very curious about her. I asked him if he wanted to pet her, and to my surprise, he replied with a quiet "yes." We walked over together and I told him I'd stay with him. We moved the other kids away for a minute and I knelt down to pet her, keeping her head on the other side of me. He reached out and touched her and his face lit up. He'd overcome his fear and tried something he desperately wanted to do. The look of accomplishment on his face was really amazing. He bravely stood by her and petted her several more times. Bunny's patience and sweetness totally won him over. I think she has a new friend for life.


I'm sure that Bunny has no idea what a big milestone meeting her was for several of the kids today. She was just happy to get out of the house and have a small adventure that involved lots of petting. However, I do think that she senses who needs just a little bit of TLC from her, and she has a gift for delivering that at the right time.

But of course, the most important part was the petting!

One Wonderful Year

Two and a half years ago, a litter of puppies was born on November 10 that was very special. You may notice the lighter colored puppy next to her darker brother there in the puppy pen. She would grow up to be one remarkable little hound. By now you may be wondering how I know that. Well, that little puppy grew up and came to live with me one year ago. I have to say, I think she grew up quite spectacularly. She didn't get very big, Bunny could nearly fit in your pocket, but she did grow up to have one giant personality. One year ago today, we brought her home to help heal our hearts after Treat died. I hoped to keep doing therapy work, and to do that, I needed just the right hound. We went to the kennel with Blueberry to have a look, and met quite a few dogs. None of them seemed to be quite right, though. I wanted a greyhound who was really interested in me and wanted to be with us. After meeting a considerable number of dogs, I was feeling very discouraged. Finally, the volunteer there said they had one new little girl in, but they didn't know much about her. I asked to meet her, just out of curiosity. She walked in, leaned her body against mine with her head against my lap, and I was completely smitten. I worried a lot over the two weeks we had to wait to bring her home so she could be spayed and be ready to come home. Still, the day we went back to pick her up, the clouds of doubt parted and I knew I'd made the right call.
Bunny came in our house and promptly made herself at home. I was amazed by how well she behaved for being an eighteen month old puppy. I thought she might be a little wild, but after an inspection of the castle, the little princess decided that she was going to rule over us with her sweetness and charm. She visits the nursing home like a pro. Today she went to work with me and spent the last day of school for the kids with me and them, enjoying every minute of the attention she got. Our morning started with me getting ready for work like usual.

Me: Bunny, how would you like to go with me today?

Bunny: Is this a trick question?

Me: No, it's a special day! Today is one year since you came to live with us and I thought you'd like to do something special. It's the last day for the kids at school to come to class and they've been asking about you.

Bunny: Oh! Will they pet me? Just let me go fetch my collar!

One of the things I love about her is that even though we spoil the daylights out of her, she is still just as sweet as the day we brought her home, and just as happy to be with us as we are with her. She doesn't hide it behind the usual greyhound aloofness, either. Bunny lets everyone know that she is happy about everything. So, Bunny, here's looking forward to many more years together!