Week #12 and #13 Back in the Waggin' Again....

Back in the Waggin' Again.... (you know "Back in the saddle again...")....
Get it?  Get it?  I love it when I make jokes.... They make me giggle.  

Growing Up....
The last couple of weeks have been very unusual, busy and a little nutty.  Yes, I said nutty.  You know Mrs. Aldridge's sister, Mrs. Goe moved to Oregon?  If you missed THAT adventure go back to Week #11! 

It so happens that Mrs. Goe needed some love and affection moving so far away from her home AT THE SAME TIME I was being somewhat naughty.  Yes, I admit it.  Naughty with a capital N.

I do have an excuse.  A good one.  I was TEETHING!

Boy did that hurt coming out!  And I had a whole mouth full of teeth that decided to fall out.  I do admit to being quite the handful.  Mrs. Aldridge stopped bringing me to work.  I was very sad but I got a vacation!  Mrs. Goe is such a good dog-sitter!

RAGBRAI!!!

Mrs. Aldridge was getting ready for RAGBRAI so I got to go along to Kyle's Bikes!  I love it there.  Eric thinks I'm extra special, but then so do all the guys and ladies!  I can't wait until I get my own bike!  I'm growing so fast now, I think it will happen soon!



4.5 Months old with Eric



2 Months old with Eric

Don't I look right at home with all of this bike gear?



See me in the front row?  I was really bummed when they didn't let me on the bus to start the ride....










DOG HARNESS GRADUATION...
I am finally out of my kennel in the car!  I hated that thing!  Not only was my view restricted (I love to human watch you know....) but it was HOT in there!  Mrs. Aldridge graduated me to a Big Boy Harness.  I have to admit I'm not totally fond of it either, I'd much prefer to roam the car chewing everything in my path.... but I guess I have to have boundaries.  You humans have some very UN-FUN rules.

 

Me and My Buddy - Homer Simpson

My new Car Harness





VACATION
The rest of the week was very lazy and fun sharing my vacation with Mrs. Goe.  I'm back at work next week.  I've missed all my friends.  I hope I can contain my excitement and be a good Service Dog at work.  I do not want to get any written warnings!

That is about all of the excitement for this little dog...  Stay tuned for week #14, I'm sure I will have even more adventures! 

Oh - I almost forgot!  Would you like to meet some of my brothers and my sister?  They are a lot of fun and I know you would love them as much as you love me. 



This is my sister India Hapgood





This is my brother Charlie Banta and my brother Mike Padget.  For a few more, check out my family link below and you can meet a couple others.  This isn't the whole gang of course!  I'm saving more for later!



Photos from Week #12

Photos from Week #13

Photos of Oscar's Family

This has been a very fun week!  See you soon!

Love,

Oscar 







Week #11 Adventures!

What a week this has been!  I rode on my first plane, I met my family from Oregon and I worked very hard moving Mrs. Goe in her very LARGE Moving truck.  I am happy to be home, but not so happy to be back in my kennel.  Read on for more adventure!

Flying High!

I got to ride in a plane!!  I got to ride in a Plane!!! Woohoo!  Mrs. Aldridge was very nervous but I was excited.  She was worried about my manners AND my potty training.  I showed her!  I was the best behaved youngster on the plane.  Yes.  Even the older human kids.... I was the perfect model of how to fly without being a crazy monkey.  We really didn't have monkeys on the plane but some of those human kids were climbing, screeching and acting like monkeys.  Considering I have never seen a monkey (I don't really know what one is....)

I'll take Mrs. Aldridge's word for it.  I like it when she praises me and is proud.  Besides the nice gestures I get treats!  On the plane I had some Lickin' Stick!  Wowie what a nummy treat.  I will do anything for treats.  Mrs. Aldridge's friend and co-puppy raiser, Becky Coady gave her all the tips for flying with a Service Dog.  I love you Becky Coady!!  The bacon flavor was to die for.

I met very nice people on the plane!  Katie took some pictures of me and I think she might have been a little sweet on me.  Katie's pictures:

This is Mount Hood.  Isn't it lovely?

I was a little tired...

Oregon Family!

Did you know I had an Oregon Family?  Well I did not!  Imagine my surprise when I met sooooooo many relatives and doggie friends.  Wow!  The roaming out there is the best a dog could ask for.  Trees, bushes, critters.... boy did I get into trouble a few times for trying to explore.  Mrs. Aldridge called it "wandering off".... but a boy has to explore!

Isn't this grand?

Off to Iowa by way of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Nebraska!

Mrs. Aldridge's sister, Mrs. Goe moved to Iowa from Oregon! Wow!  That is a very long way to move AND she has lived her whole life in Oregon!!  She said "it has been a long ride", but a man's not allowed to tell a lady's age.....

It was a very long drive (14 hour days!) but of course I was famous all the way across the United States!  I was loved by all of the citizens in each state.  I feel like a celebrity!  My manners were excellent and I DID NOT have any accidents along the way.  I did get bored....

 And... I got TIRED.....  (but then if you know me, that isn't anything new!)

What a week it has been!  I flew over 1800 miles to Oregon, met great family and then learned how to drive a truck.  Actually I just helped Mrs. Goe with staying awake and making her laugh.  She loves me as much as everyone!  I'm home now and almost ready to go back to work!

I am very happy to be home.....

To see my adventures, check out all of my photos!

Oscar Rides An Airplane

Oregon Exploring!

Oscar the Working Dog

Just Cute Pictures of me!

Week #10 It's a Beautiful Thing Being A Service Dog

This has been my best week ever!  Mrs. Aldridge keeps telling everyone that I have been PERFECT! (well.... maybe perfect wasn't the exact word.....)  I like to think of myself as perfect!

This week has been incredibly HOT for my little paws so we trained indoors and with water at the pool.  I needed to take a break or two and lay in the garage where it was a little cooler.  I was a little afraid of the lawn tractor so Mrs. Aldridge put me in my kennel in the house.  The truth is I WANTED to be in the air conditioning so I pretended a little fear..... (don't tell!)


   

Training
This week we went to Jordan Creek to work on escalators, elevators and railings.  Can I confess I HATED the escalators?  They made me shiver and shake.  Let me tell you about the railings.  Two words.  NO WAY.  Not even peanut butter would get me next to the upper level railing.  Mrs. Aldridge had to carry me.  HA!  And I weigh almost 30 pounds now.  Of course the elevator was not big deal since I play on them all day at The IMT Group!

I still need to work on my jumping.  Mrs. Aldridge has me trained not to jump on her, but strangers are fair game.  They don't know about my training so I'm excited to share everything with them.  Their ears are so far away from my level that I need to jump up to share.  Problem is it gets my leash stepped on and my collar gets tight.  Not very pleasant, but I'm a persistent dog.  I have so much to share I keep trying.

One thing would help me out, if I could ask a favor.  If you see me in the hallways just ignore me.  Yes it helps me contain my excitement.  Then, when I look like I have some control, if you would calmly talk to me at my level.  Please remind me not to jump and I'll share all my secrets.  I'll even give you a kiss or two.  (I might get scolded, but I have a fast tongue!).

Pools and Poop Patrol
Mrs. Aldridge has a granddaughter - Rain.  She is a task master when it comes to puppies.  She is only two years old!  I thought she'd be the ideal target.... squeeling, jumping and screaming.  Nope, she fooled me by ordering me around and being calm!  I got her back.  She cleaned the yard up with the pooper scooper.  There was a lot to clean!
   
I didn't much care for the pool.  It was hot so I climbed in and took a big long drink.  After that I decided I wasn't much of a swimmer yet.  I do hope I warm up to being a water dog.

Visitors and sleepovers!
My pal Ridgeline came over for a visit and a sleepover!  It was so much fun.  We wrestled non-stop until Mrs. Aldridge put us in our kennels.  I was so sad I barked, whined and carried on for quite a while.  Ridgeline was such a lady, she was cute and quiet.  I heard Mr. Aldridge ask Mr. Coady if he would let Ridgline stay at our house.  I thought that was so excellent until I figured out Mr. Aldridge meant for me to go live with the Coady's!  I decided I should work harder on being quiet in my kennel. 

Ridgeline is older than I am by a good six months but she is almost my same size!  She is wiser and more mature though.... she didn't want to run off into the mud hole like Romey and I did.

Excellent Adventures and IMT
It is so hot out these days!  Dogs left in the heat can be severly injured.  IMT used me in a photo shoot about heat and four-legged friends.  I'm going to be famous!  Dan Mulcahy and Erin Wonsmos took me outside to take pictures and of course give me a break.  I was coming back in when I spotted
Mr. Richard Keith!  He is my favorite person. 

He gives me treats!  I stand politely for him and I am rewarded.  I did make one mistake.... when Mrs. Aldridge wasn't looking I left her office and went into Mr. Keith's office looking for him and the treats!  Darn it.  I wasn't successful.

I had an awesome week!  To see all of my pictures from this week, follow this link:

Oscar's Picures from week #10

Love and Licks,
Oscar