Santa is Coming to Town!

Now don't say, "Not you too, Hugh!" I am not starting the Christmas season too soon..cuz really, Santa arrived on the train today!!! Mom and Dad are decorating the house today. We are going to have that big ole tree in the house again and I am going to have to tell Jewel all about how they bring the outside inside but that it doesn't mean we are outside!

Ten rules for Poodles at Christmas time:

1. Do NOT hike your leg on the Christmas tree. Marcus taught me this last year. I tried it anyway.

2. Glass balls on the Christmas tree are not for running with through the house!

3. Opening presents that are not yours or have not been specifically given to you is a No, No!

4. Stuffed angels are not chew toys!

5. Do Not, and I repeat, Do Not unplug the Christmas lights with your teeth!

6. It does not get you a better gift to growl at Santa!

7. Mom frowns on Poodles pulling the table runner off the coffee table..even if it has fun tassle things that swing around.

8. Eating Santa's cookies & milk, before he arrives, will not get you a better gift either!

9. Do not be afraid of the BIG Christmas bear they put by the front door. Attacking him does not make Mom happy either.

10. Having your sister chase you around the Christmas tree will NOT have a favorable outcome!

I know for sure that I am getting my picture taken with Santa. I heard Mom and Dad talking about maybe taking the "twins" and Mom muttering, "oh what a joy" that would be. Some how I don't think she really meant Joy!.

We got a ton of snow during the week and through the weekend. Jewel & I got to go out and run ourselves silly. Dad says that I am so much bigger than Jewel that I sucker her in and then I dump her in the snow. Well, it is true that I am a big guy - um, okay, well, I guess I do get her to run after me then I spin and POOF! into the snow bank she goes! Mom likes all the snow because there is no mud. When it begins to melt that is when the fun stuff begins....I like being dirty! I think Jewel likes it even more than me.

First Mommy's dog Kale is getting ready to have a litter of puppies..any day now, Mom said. Mom said she hopes they are on puppy cam like my brothers and sisters and myself were. She said it is great fun to see everyone develop...the only down side and it really isn't a down side, is when they all go to their forever homes. That is hard, she said.

Well, I gotta get to supervising all this decorating stuff - I'll be back again soon!

I am Hugh

Thanksgiving

Today was not a good day for pheasant hunting...we got some snow! Not as much as last year, but this was Jewel's first snow. We had a very good time playing today.

We helped Dad yesterday rake leaves...well, we helped scatter them around again. We got really super dirty. Dad had to wash us off with the hose! By that time Mom was home and we went and curled up with her on the couch to snuggle and get warm.

I have gotten to go hunting a couple more times with Dad. He says that there are just some places I like and some I don't. It is kind of like today...Mom and Dad took us shopping with them. Jewel and Mom were looking at little kittens and a girl came over to say "hi!" to Jewel. Now, Jewel, she likes every one when she meets them in person. If they are up on the bike path - well, forget about it! But if she is introduced to someone she is very friendly. This little girl was cute, but Jewel didn't like something about her. Turns out the family has a full wolf in their pack. Jewel didn't like the smell of her at all. Her tail was down as far as she could get it and she wanted Mom to take her away from the girl. Mom knew it too and she thanked the girl for saying "hi!" and then they came over to where Dad & I were picking out a new "baby doll" for Miss Moose. So it is kind of like that. I smell someplace and sometimes I just don't like it. Dad says that I will need to work through that. I guess.

Today we helped Dad shovel snow. We weren't allowed to go outside together while he shovelled. Dad said it was hard enough keeping track of one of us let alone two of us when we are going crazy! When we were out with Dad yesterday and he was raking Jewel was not paying attention to where he was and she swung around after me and hit her head really hard against Dad's leg. He told Mom that it stunned her for a minute. He made us stop playing and he checked her out. He checked her head and her eye to make sure she didn't hurt herself. Mom checked her out when she got home too. Jewel was fine, but she sure did scare Dad. When he got out the shovel this morning we were raring to go and help, but he was having none of it. Nope. We could come out and play, but one at a time. I have played in snow before, but Jewel, well, she had a rip-roaring time!

Well, I sure do look forward to more snow and more chances to go out and prove myself. Dad told me a secret the other day though...we were sitting on the couch and he whispered to me that no matter what he still loved me and I would still be his buddy. Yep, my Dad, he sure loves me. I sure am Thankful.

I am Hugh

Who are We?

I have had a hard time the last couple of months hunting..so I have been concentrating and not writing on my blog. Mom says, "shame on the Poo." So here I am to give an update as to how things are going.

Jewel and I both are giving hunting a go. Dad is still hoping that my lack of love for water will change. He says that I have fear that he doesn't know where it is coming from. I am working on it. Dad and I went out on Friday and we went some place that we had not been before and nothing freaked me out. Dad said if I can just get over my fear of "someplace different" that I will be the perfect companion hunter. Gunfire doesn't bother me, but if I don't like a situation I am pretty stubborn about it.

Jewel went pheasant hunting with Dad on Thursday. The same place I refused to hunt she did as well. He said she just plopped down and would not budge forward. As he was loading her back into the truck he ran into another hunter. They talked about their dogs and she said (it was Jewel's prior mom's daughter) that she has had dogs refuse like that. Dad took Jewel to a different spot and they got out of the truck. Dad said that Jewel was very excited and she worked the field like she is supposed to. Jewel's problem is she does not like loud noises of any kind. Dad thinks this has something to do with where she lived before she came Home to us. She is ever on alert with loud noises. Mom said they are going to continue with "sound" therapy for Jewel and see if they can get her over that.

Dad thinks we are both very capable of being really good hunters. He said that he thinks it will just take us a litte longer than most.

I am pretty smart and I like to go, go, go. Mom and Dad say they won't give up on me because "it" is all there.

I did have a success this month though...I have decided that it isn't so bad for people to touch me. At about 10 or 11 months I decided that I didn't want anyone but my Mom and Dad touching me and I would duck away if someone tried to touch me. Last month when I was with Kissty Kissty her Mom visited the shop and I didn't like that. This month when her Mom came to visit I wagged at her and let her touch me. I now also greet everyone at the vet's office downstairs from Kissty Kissty's shop. I've told my Mom, in not so many words, that maybe I am just a late bloomer and I like things just so before I feel good about it. Mom doesn't seem to think any less of me for it.

Well, I think I will get it. I am sure I will have more to report next Sunday.

I am Hugh