I'm a big brother!

That's right, he's here!! Ok he's been here for seven weeks already but Mom claims she's been a little busy for writing blogs. Yeah, sure whatever...Here we are celebrating Dad's first Father's day, just five days after the little rascal appeared.

The good news is that I like the little guy. Sure, he makes a lot of noise, he smells, and he takes most of mom's attention but he's actually kind of cute. I think he likes me too! He even shares his playmat.

Mom says that someday we'll be best friends. She says we'll get to play catch, go on walks and get into all kinds of trouble. For now we do a lot of laying and sleeping.

I think I'll keep him.

Playtime!

I've posted what seems like 216548943416 pictures of me and my best friend Lilah playing at the beach, in my grandparents' backyard, even at my house! But here's a refresher just in case you forgot how cute we can be...

I am posting these because Mom and I have been talking a lot about proper playtime and when things get out of hand. Ok, she talks and I just stare at her but I'm really listening I promise! 

Mom found this cool article on Dogster (we love them!) about choosing a proper playmate and I told her it's a good one. Think about it - you're pretty picky about who you would let play with your human child, right? Well why should us furry kids be any different?

See, the thing is that there are some dogs in my 'hood who just don't play nice. I don't mean that they're not nice dogs, they really are, but their play styles don't mesh well with mine and sometimes I just get a little mad.  Mom has been paying closer attention to my body language and has started to pick up on the doggie play cues I give off. I am pretty demonstrative when I don't like something but there are little things I do as I'm starting to get annoyed too. This "Doggie Language" chart below has helped her a lot:

Thanks to Leap Dog Training for the resource!

The main thing is that Mom looks for my body, head, ears, and tail to stay loose. Look at the "friendly" or "happy" dogs above - nothing sticks out straight and the muscles are relaxed. This article calls this Jell-O bones and it's a good analogy - everything should be wiggly and jiggly. 

Above all else, Mom has learned to say "NO" and walk away from the dogs that I don't get along with. It was hard at first because of course everybody wants to play with me (duh, I'm adorable...) but we've learned it's just easier to avoid some situations. The long, retractable leash? Nope. The unruly and untrained puppy? No thanks. I'm learning that there are good times to play and times when it's just best to go the other way.

So what about you...how do you like to play?

Where have we been?

See here's the thing about writing a dog blog...I have to get Mom's help to write it! I've had all these GREAT ideas but somebody has been too busy to be of any use. She seems to think that things like being in the busiest time of the year at work, studying for the LSAT and getting into a car accident are valid excuses for completely abandoning my writing career. For shame!

Well, a lot has happened since my Mom decided she liked a lot of things better than me so I won't try and shove them all down your throat at once. One thing at a time my friends...

First, if you follow us on Instagram you probably remember this adorable picture of me in my big, giant bed. If you don't follow us on Instagram...well then you should. Look us up @littlerockfish or just check out my pics by searching for #jacksblog.

Ok back to my story. This bed is To. Die. For. It's so perfectly soft without being too squishy, it has these great bolsters on the sides that I can cuddle up against, and it was only $40 at Costco. Everyone wins! 

Considering I'm a 65-pound mutt and I still have thaaat much room to move around, you can tell it's a pretty big bed. Look, it's even big enough to share with your best friend!

What have you been up to since I've been gone? What is your new favorite thing? 

Canine Good Citizen Classes: Weeks 1 & 2

My faithful blog readers know I have been in training pretty much my whole three years of life. First we did two rounds of Petco puppy classes, then Mom taught me all kinds of fun tricks at home, and finally we worked with  my trainer Jessica. Well Mom decided it was time to really kick it into high gear and put my knowledge to the test. 

Literally. There is a test. 

We started preparing, studying, and practicing for our Canine Good Citizen Test and this thing is no joke! Thanks to our wonderful trainers at Leap Dog Training we are coming along nicely so far (I think...)

A lot of what we've done so far is reinforcing what I already know (sit, stay, lay) but some of it has been very new. For example, I have to be able to sit and wait patiently while Mom shakes someone's hand and I can't get up until she tells me it's ok. I CAN'T GET UP AT ALL!! I'm slowly getting a hang of it but man, by the end of our hour-long classes, I'm pooped! I sleep all day Saturday!

Today we're at our third class in the series, of six, so I'm sharing pictures with you all from the first two weeks. Here I am sitting and laying oh so nicely, watching Mom closely for my treats.

I have to listen very closely to what Mom tells me to do and but it sure does make it easier that she has a whole pouch full of treats. Mmmmm I love treats! The only thing is that on the test she won't be able to treat me for good behavior, I will have to do it just because I want to. Hmm I'm not so keen on that idea yet but I'll keep it under consideration.

See? I love training!

I'm not alone in this adventure either, I have a few friends along for the journey.

Desmond really prefers to lay down. Sitting is just not his thing.

Koji is focusing very well and his owner Sandra is so proud of all he's learned already!

Max is a BIG boy but he's super calm and relaxed. 

Peach is a little sweetheart.

All of the dogs above were rescued through Pit Bull Rescue San Diego - man they sure know how to pick 'em! I'm looking forward to learning more in the next couple of weeks and making Mom really proud on the test. Keep your paws crossed for me! Oh and if you need any training and are in the San Diego area please check out Leap Dog Training, they have my stamp of approval :)

Friday Fun: Our First Guest Blog Dog!

Today is our very first guest Blog Dog! Check out the cute little Blake below!

Wow this is huge ... 

my first official guest post.

Thanks Jack.

My name is  Blake  and I help my mom out over on her blog ...

Reinventing the Ordinary.

She likes to blog about our family ... 

especially me and my cousins when we get together.  

She also writes about her remodels ... furniture building ... and other types of crafts.

I'm really not very good at that sort of thing.

Yes ... you read it correctly ...  I am on Facebook. 

 I don't have my own page per se ...

 but I manage to get my mug on my mom's page a lot.

My mom and I go everywhere together.  Biking is one of my favorites.

 One time I even went to the movies with her  to see Spiderman. 

*** Of course ... I had to sneak in.***

She calls me her "empty nest child" since my "human" brothers and sisters

have all moved away.

My favorite thing to help her with is her  Etsy Shop  where she sells 

doggy crate covers.  Let me tell ya ... super comfy.

Of course ... she always asks me to model for her ...  as you can see in these pictures.

She tries out all her new designs on me ... I'm lovin' these new

fleece doggy scarves.

They should be in the shop soon.

I hope you can stop by and visit me very soon.  

Thanks guys ... Blake!

~~~

Thanks Blake for being our very first guest Blog Dog! Isn't he adorable? I think I could probably carry him around in my mouth like a toy, right? Oh is that not a good idea? Whoopsie!

Mom plans to roll out a more regular Blog Dog feature so send us a quick email if you want to be next! Keep in mind we're looking for all dogs, even those who don't have their very own blog. For example, if your human writes a blog about travel, restaurants, or fashion but you want your moment in the sun, send me a quick email! We'll help you put something together and be sure to link back to your human's blog :)

Don't forget to check out my feature on Blake's mom's blog today too! Happy Friday everyone!

Happy National Pet Day!

Did you know today is National Pet Day? Neither did we! 

What a great day to celebrate your favorite furry friends with extra treats and belly rubs...

maybe a few toys to chew on, rides in the car, or trips to the beach...

a gift, an award or a day at the doggy day spa? 

What? Did I take it too far?

In honor of today's special occasion, I decided to share this cheesy but totally adorable story of two best friends. Mom found it on Facebook so please excuse me (her) if that means you're seeing this twice...

Every day - at the same time - she waits for him.
He comes... and they go for a walk...together.

Be sure to celebrate the great friends you have today! Friends come in all shapes and sizes but what matters most are the ones who stick by you through thick and thin. 

Happy National Pet Day!

Roommates!!!

Who lives in your home with you? Your mom, your dad, maybe a furry sister or brother? 

Well guess what...I'm lucky enough to live with my best friend!!!! That's right, Lilah moved in with us!!! (Ok she brought Aunt Ashley and Uncle Travis with her too...)

Since she's lived with us about a week, we've had plenty of time to play, chase and roll around the house together. Sometimes we even take breaks so that Mom can snap a few cute pictures of us. Dad is not loving the extra dog hair on the floor but really, when we're this cute, how long can he really stay mad?

By the way, did I mention she copies everything I do? It's really cute...for now at least...

My buddy Bubba

Mom and I have started walking in the evenings with my friend Bubba and his mom Kathryn. Funny enough Bubba can be a little bit of a butt which then makes me not so happy either and we can create quite the scene. Whoopsie! 

Mom and Kathryn have figured out that if we just start walking we'll eventually just ignore each other and it makes for a pleasant walk. What a trick! By the end of the walk we're much more pleasant and tolerable of each other though we're not quite best buds yet. All in due time...

 

Sleepovers - Darn puppy

You know I've told you before how much I LOVE having my little friend Lilah over to play. I even love when she stays over. Sleepovers are so much fun!

Mom...where you going? What do you mean we're staying outside??? Darn puppy.

Mom...she's in my bed again!!! Darn puppy.

Mom. She's up. Darn puppy!

Buuuuuut someone needs to teach the little nugget how to sleep in. Six thirty AM? On a Sunday? She is lucky she's so cute or else my Mom might not ever let her back. *sigh* At least when you're up early you get to see beautiful sunrises like this. Have a happy Sunday!

Today was hard

This morning was rough. One of my best friends Johnny has been staying with us the past month and today he had to go home. I sat and waited patiently for him to return with no luck :(

Fortunately a little cuddle time with Dad helped me feel better.

How much longer do you think I can milk this?

Our First Giveaway!

Calling all friends, furry and human!!! We are officially announcing our first giveaway today as part of a way to help my best friend Lilah. 

Just a few days ago Lilah's mom sent this picture to my mom, partly out of desperation:

Yes my friends, that is the boxspring of Lilah's parents bed...chewed all of the way through. I can't say I'm too proud of my little friend but then again she is still learning and growing. She's only about ten months old and is having a hard time working out her anxious energy while Mom and Dad are out of the house.

Her parents have tried ... well, just about everything. They crated her when she was younger in an attempt to teach her boundaries and keep her away from things that could be chewed. That worked until she barked all day and the neighbors complained. She also rubbed her nose against the edge of the crate so much she actually hurt herself in the process! Crating was not working.

They tried leaving music on during the day. They've tried giving her a Kong packed with peanut butter, treats, etc. and having her work out her energy on that. They've tried exercising her more, training her in formal classes and at home, taking her to the nearby dog park to socialize her, and checking on her every four to five hours. They bought her a thundershirt that seemed to work for a while...until this. Help!

Here's how the giveaway works

Please comment below (on this post, not on Facebook) with your suggestions for Lilah and her parents. You can leave one comment below which counts as one entry into the giveaway. 

Want a bonus? Send us an email to sayhellotojack@gmail.com with a picture of the worst thing your pets have destroyed. When I was little I chewed on the heel of Mom's new Kate Spade heels. She was WAY too mad to remember to take a picture but you can imagine she still hasn't forgiven me...

We will announce a winner one week from today, on December 20, who will receive a truly fabulous dog-themed gift. I promise. Good luck!

Howl-o-ween, part 2

I was so excited to welcome some of my friends for a Halloween party and good ol' fashioned Monday Night Football! There were plenty more snazzy costumes, led by little 20-month-old Preston who trick-or-treated before hanging out for the night. Doesn't he make a great Yoda?

 

SO CUTE!!!

Rufus thinks he is a big dog

Dolly the Ladybug!

Rufus the Fisherman (hey, get out of my bed!)

Erik the crazy Charger fan, Steven (my dad) the Pirate, and Travis the Stay-at-home-Dad

Natasha the Pushy Girl Scout, Heather (my mom) as Daphne, and Ashley the Hippie

 

Preston's parents -- Mishell the Lawyer (who is also a lawyer in real life) and Jason the ... Dragon?

I made sure to steal attention even while I was outside

We had a great night with lots of food and plenty of treats. Unfortunately the Chargers didn't have a great night and everyone left with a little less pep in their step after a hard loss in overtime. Bummer! I would say "there's always next week" but Mom says that will make Dad even more mad so I'll just say "thanks for coming over, friends!" Enjoy the rest of your week!

Life with Lilah

I'm so lucky to have my BDF (best doggy friend) staying with us for the next couple of days! Mom says that the best of friends become more like family and I couldn't agree more. Lilah is a ton of fun but she's kind of like my annoying little sister a lot of the time too. At least I'm getting to do some fun stuff while she's here.

First we got to try out each other's beds. I think Lilah is enjoying it a bit more than I am seeing as how she upgraded a bit:

 One great thing about having a puppy at home? Mom has to come home midday to let her out to go to the bathroom! We made sure to greet her at the backdoor to show her how excited we were to see her:

Then Mom let Lilah out to do this:

HAHA Lilah is gonna be sooo mad when she sees that I posted that. Oh well, that's what siblings are for right? ;) I made sure to keep watch over the balcony:

What do you mean you can't see me? Ok try this one:

Best of all we got to play ALL day long so by the time the evening came around we were pooped:

Thanks for being my BDF Lilah!