July Fourth, 2009

Unlike the past few years, I did not enter any of the big dog shows this weekend. Last year Pie was in obedience at the Ventura County Fair Grounds annual "SummerFest" show, the second largest dog show in the country. Makes me wonder where Westminster and the Chicago International Kennel Club fall. I wonder if Westminster is smaller because it is limited to invitees? I bet the IKC in Chicago is the largest. It is one of the last "benched" shows. If you remember your classic collie stories, Lad and also possibly Lassie, you will know what a benched show is. Going back to last year at SummerFest, Pie eared her first obedience title, the Companion Dog (CD) then as her "reward" I accidentally locked her in the car with the windows rolled up! The roadside assist man was able to get there before anything bad happened. I would have been willing to break a window to get her out, but just a few weeks before one of my windows mysteriously cracked and when the glass company replaced it, they informed me all of the glass in my car (not just the windshield) is tempered, and while it will crack, it won't break. So I don't know how I would have gotten her out if the roadside assist people couldn't come. Pretty scary. How will I break out of my car if I get submerged in water?

Now back to the Fourth of July this year. Blossom and I walked in the parade.

Actually, we didn't. We just pretended to. Notice we are getting applause anyway. It was Janell who clapped for us.

Blossom was not terribly impressed by the waiting before the parade started. He had a nap. I had pretzels. Blossom barked at one horse then was good for the rest of the time.

After the parade, we had a cookout/ party at my parent's house. Here are the dogs getting ready for the party. No pictures of the actual party. We were having too much fun to take pictures.

Roscoe is looking extra spastic finding himself in a small enclosed space with many other dogs. Blossom actually did not stay confined for long because he was whiney and I knew he wouldn't bother people. He just fell asleep.

And here are some posed pictures of my dogs being patriotic.

Blossom doing his Elvis impersonation.

Patriotic and hot. Blossom hasn't mastered the "hold it" command yet. But please note that he is doing very well on "stay." !

This was supposed to be a separate post, but I accidentally loaded the pictures here, and don't want to take the time to delete and reload them.

I think it is extra cute when I can watch my dogs sleeping. To get pictures, I have to remember to take the camera with me when I sit down, because they always wake up and get up when I stand up.

Fancy sleeps like this even when she isn't naked. Her tail is very good for doing a husky/ Dog of The Frozen Tundra Who Must Keep Her Nose Warm impersonation.

I rotated this photo. Don't know why it didn't "take." Pie's ears stay pointy even when she is asleep. All the better to keep track of any fun that may happen that she will have to wake up for. Such as me standing up.

Pie is always falling off her bed. This is one of the more tame poses. This morning when I woke up Pie must have been sleeping pretty soundly because she did not wake up when I did. Usually I suppose my "waking up" noises (what ever those may be) cause the rest of the dogs to get up and start milling about. But when Pie did not immediately start pestering me, I peaked over the edge of the bed to find her still fast asleep, on her back, with all four legs up in the air. She is the silliest dog ever.