Zuzu's Journal

August 13

Well, here I am at my new house, with Derek and Nancy - my FOREVER home! I really like my new yard. My forever mom is a fabulous gardener. My forever dad is taking the day off to welcome me and we will all hang around the house this weekend, where it is all about ME!

August 12

Today is my last day with my foster family. My fo-ma says she is happy and sad all at once. Humans - they can be kinda strange, but I love my humans. And I'm lucky, cuz I've got two pair! My fo-ma says there are lots and lots of people who are happy for me, and they all want to know how I am doing when I go to my forever home. I guess that's lucky for me. I have been getting lots of love and cuddles. But I still have to go to my crate when Lola comes home, I sure won't miss that part. I will only go to my crate for a rest and to wait for mom and dad to come home - never again because of Lola. Yea!
A word from Lola

 August 5

Well, it has been a very exciting few weeks.

I found my FOREVER home!!

That is somewhere that Lola is not. I think that will be very good.

I am going to live with Derek and Nancy in Mill Valley. High on a hill with a huge yard all to myself. I am going to go to training and I am going to go to a class just for Bullys at the Marin Humane society. And my Nonni, Pat, lives down the hill, and will come give me breaks when mom and dad are at work! But sometimes I will go with them to work! 

I am going to miss Jake and Ferghal, and my fo-ma and pa. But I will busy going to class and learning with my forever mom and dad. No Lolas! I can hardly imagine...

Thanks to Pali and Tara and all the fabulous folks at Rocket Dog Rescue - that's where my forever folks found me!

July 26

Today I was very anxious to be released from my crate - I was really looking forward to my ball this morning. Ralf and Lola went out on a hike, and then my fo-ma  made me wait till she brushed her teeth AND got dressed.
I played with my ball outside and in the house while mom fed the cats. Then we went for a walk with Fo-pa, Ferghal and Jake. They say I was pretty good on the leash today.
Ferghal and my fo-ma saw a border collie they know, and Ferghal barked at her, so i got a little scared and I barked too - and I snarled a bit too. I mean - she was looking at me!! And Ferghal started it!!
Well, my fo-ma told me right away that was not okay to do - and Ferghal got talked to as well. Then a man was walking across the street toward us - kinda slow and staring at me - he made me nervous, but my fo-ma made me keep walking, and look at her so I forgot about him.
When we got home, I ate in my crate and I was back out before fo-pa left for the office. Ma took the covers off the furniture, that was fun to watch. I liked the zip zip sound. Then we went outside and did practice. I aced it, as usual. We played ball a little then I took a sun nap. After awhile I came in and I slept on a chair. Ma kept making me come to her and sit/stay. That was tiring, but she gets these ideas sometimes...not so bad cuz I get treats and lots of good girl love, which are two of my favorite things. Today was housecleaning day so I had to stay in my crate a lot - but I got some breaks and everytime I went back in I got a yummy dried chicken nuggett - yum!
Then after my nap, me and fo-ma went to a place called oil changers. It was really cool. I thought I should be nervous, but ma told me what things were, and gave me treats and was laughing, so it was okay. They have all these things that make spray noises, and the lady gave me a pretzel, which I didn't really like, but that was so nice of her to share her treats with me. My favorite part was when they squirted the windows and then rubbed them. I almost felt nervous again, but fo-ma tapped on the windows and that made more squirting, and it was fun to follow the squirts around all the windows. It just smelled like window though, not wet like the water bottle or the garden hose.
That was exhausting so when I got home, I went straight to my crate. Fo -ma gave me a frozen kong and closed the gate. After I licked up all the good insides, I fell asleep on my kong.

July 17

Well, things have been busy... I have been out and about and I am turning into one confident little bully girl! Today I went to a garage sale. After that, we rode around town in the truck and visited folks. I love when ma and pa are both in the car, cuz then the window can be down, and lots of folks wave to me. Ferghal always thinks they're looking at him, cuz he's a collie. He is very sweet, but kinda vain and full of himself. He barks if people walk by without telling him how pretty he is. Jake kept barking at kids who were running down the street. I don't want to brag, but I am really the attention getter. (Not to mention the best behaved). Tomorrow we will hang with the Rocket Dogs (www.rocketdog.org) at 18th & Castro. My favorite!

June 29

I spent the last few days at Citizen Canine. Those folks are fun. I get my own room, which is sometimes kinda weird, and I also get played with a whole lot. They are very good at playing, I like that in a human. My fo-ma says my hotel room is nicer than some of hers. She was up North finding a new house. She says not to worry, she will me my fo-ma until I find my forever home, which is somewhere Lola is not. So I guess that Lola will be at the new house. Rats. 

June 12

Whew! What a day - I am one tired dawg. First thing fo-ma took me to Canine Good Citizen class. I am much improved on my heel - and everything else is about perfect. If I do say so myself.  After that we went to Fourth Street in Berkeley where there was a man playing a steel string guitar. This is not a noise I appreciate and I wanted outta there but quick. But my fo-ma made me sit down and listen to it - geez. It was scary, but I got used to it after a couple minutes, and that seemed to be what she wanted so we left after awhile.  Then we went to adoption day with Hopalong Rescue. There was an aggressive dog (NOT a pit bull, I might add), and a guy who thought it was fun to sneak behind puppies and scare us. it was a trying day. But I got to see Barney the pit/cattle dog mix, who is really cool. 

June 7

Well. Now my fo-ma has decided I can't throw myself against the back door anymore. I LOVE to run up the stairs, slam against the door, and run back down. She says she should have never let me do it, now we have to re-negotiate. Whatever that means. So now I try real hard to sit in front of the door and hope she notices me. I forget sometimes, but she says she is impressed by how fast I learn new rules - like that's supposed to make me think it's a good idea. Sheesh. Sometimes it sucks to be me.

6 June

Today we went to the city again and hung out with Rocket Dogs. it was a busy Sunday - lots of people and dogs on the street! I wagged my tail at most of them - I am SO getting the hang of this stuff!

18 May

Sunday  me and ma went to the city and I got to visit with the Rocket Dogs. It was SO fun! I especially like Moonie - and if you know somebody looking for a boy dog they should check him out at www.rocketdogrescue.org. He a pit/boxer mix: he is the best. We were hangin' on 18th and Castro - there were lots of people out doing their Sunday walking and I got lots of pets, and even a couple belly rubs. I came home and crashed. Mom says my couch potato phase  might be over cuz I have had tons of energy this week. Either that or I've got spring fever!

 

9 May 2004

Boy, today was kinda rough, even though it was Sunday, which is raw bone for breakfast day - yum! First, me and Jake had to have baths. I hate getting in and out of the tub, but the warm water is nice and my ma and pa talk really sweet the whole time, and now I'm not itchy and I am so soft! There was a little girl there who petted me, so that was nice. Then, my ma decided I have to sit stay before I go in or out of the house. it's kinda fun when she says "outside", cuz I can go bounce-bounce-bounce across the deck, instead of just flying across it like I used to. I am very good at "sit", "stay", "down", "come", "leave it",  and "out". BUT - I need lots of practice not to pull on the leash. I am sniff obsessed, I guess. The world is so full of smells, my fo-ma just doesn't understand!   

Geez. 

6 May 2004

Today we had friends over for lunch. The lady was kinda scary at first, but after I sniffed her a bit, I knew she was okay. She had a little little person with her. It was called a baby. She was really cute and made these little noises when my mom took her to see the flowers in the garden. Sometimes she made really loud noises that made Jake bark, but I sniffed her nose and she stopped.

2 May 2004

Went and visted with the Rocket Dog Rescue folks in San Francisco. Those people were really nice. We hung out on 24th Street and lots of nice people came to talk to me and pet me. And there were two other brindle bully pups there too! My fo-ma says I am the cutest one, and I guess she has to say that, since she's my mom. But who knows, maybe she's right?

23 April 2004

Sat on the big green chair with Max and Alice today. I wasn't sure if those kitties were going to let me join them. First I got half up on the chair, checked in with fo-pa, then I jumped up and stood real still. Alice glared at me, but didn't do anything else, so I moved a little to get more comfortable. No reaction. Then I really settled in, and we all snoozed for an hour while pa worked.

17 April 2004

Pops was sick today, so it was just Mom and me going to hang out with all the dogs and meet lots of new people. They make me kinda nervous, but I liked Lindo the border collie. He reminds me a lot of Jake.

3 April 2004

Today we skipped class and headed off to the Zu, I mean Zoo, where there were lots of pups, people, kitties and even some bunnies. There were these really little people near the bunnies, and when they saw me, they came running over and petted me. Their hands were very small and they weren't much taller than me. Mom said they were little kids. I liked them, they made nice noises and their hands are just the right size. Lots of regular sized people knew my name - they said they saw me here and on craigslist. Mom said I am a celebrity - but I thought I was a pit bull. Hmm.

1 April 2004

It's been a busy week in the garden: I helped mom plant a tree, and cleaned up sticks by chewing on them. A big box came, and I got a new mat for my crate, which had this really tasty plastic zipper on it. So now I've got my old bed back. But I also got a new bunny toy which I carried around all morning, and took a nap with last night.

26 March 2004

Well, my cough hasn't gotten any worse, and none of the other dogs have a cough, so the vet says it is from pollen. Mom says the pollen is all over the yard, but I don't see it.

23 March 2004

Went to the vet today and maybe I have kennel cough. I only cough in the morning, but it could be something I picked up at class.

6 March 2004

Class again today. Cody the German Shepherd is really big and bouncy. I don't like him, so my mom kept me away from him. I visited with pucci the Pomeranian a lot; she's very shy and I figured I'd help her out. 

28 February 2004

I went to my class today and I had a blast! I already know all that sit and stay stuff, but sniffing around the other dogs was cool. My favorite is Ginger the Golden Retriever.

11 February 2004

Today I went to see the folks at Hopalong Rescue. They are gonna help my foster mom find me a forever home. Mom says that my forever home will not have any Lolas - ever. That sounds nice. The ladies at Hopalong were nice. One of them kept pulling my ears and looking at my teeth and all kinds of stuff. Then she would give me food and put her hands all in it. She was kind of rude, but I didn't say anything. I just ate the food when she finished playing with it. There were lots of people walking around the office, some of them were kind of scary. I am going to start going to a class where I can meet lots of people and dogs.

7 February 2004

Big brother Jake and I had baths today. I don't mind so much because I get lots of sweet talk and extra treats. I met a rottweiler puppy girl there. She was really big.

31 January 2004

Dad took all the other dogs up to Pt. Isabel today, which meant I got to roam around the house for 3 hours while Mom puttered. I felt so calm and at ease. Checked in with Mom upstairs, wandered downstairs, took a nap on the couch. That's the life for me; this being tethered and crated whenever Lola's around is getting old.

27 January 2004

This has been a weird few days. My fo-pa dropped me off at Citizen Canine on Friday and left me there! The people were so much fun, and I had my own room. But it was a bit scary sometimes, which made me poo my room. I got A++ on my report card except for that poo part. I only got a C in housekeeping. Well, nobody's perfect! My Mom picked me up today and that was exciting; but when I got home, Lola was there ... rats!

19 January 2004

Mom left for someplace called New York City today. I think she took Lola with her. I miss my mom, but if I never see that Lola again, that would be fine by me!

17 January 2004

Sigh. Another day of having to scrabble onto the couch on a short tether while Lola lounged at the other end. When will I get the couch to myself?

15 January 2004

Another rough day at the office. Dad was typing all day while I was forced to sleep on that big green chair. Max the cat was there too. Found out we could both sleep on the chair at the same time. Cool.

9 January 2004

Visited Citizen Canine today and got rave reviews. Messed around in the agility room, and was surprised when Mom came back...didn't even know she was gone.

8 January 2004

Spent most of the day hanging out in Dad's office. Pretty comfy. Big green chair. Nice place to sleep, which is what I did.