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Category Archives: Micron

Wake up, little guy. It’s time for your nap.

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Donna Black-Sword
Aw, come on! What’s a guy gotta do to get a nap around here?
What’s more adorable than a little yellow puppy?  A little yellow puppy taking a nap, that’s what. As if I actually have to say it.
Yaxley has been handling office time so well these past couple of weeks that we’ve promoted him to full-time work. His mornings at home start with doing his important business duties outside, grabbing some kibble for breakfast and then a few minutes for a quick chew on the family dog’s leg.
After I pack up everyone’s lunches for the day, I toss the little guy in the car for the ride to the office.  
Well, that sounds harsh. I don’t actually toss him, of course. It’s more like he gets lifted onto the backseat so he can walk into his crate. Oh, this is magical – I open the crate door and Yaxley walks in and lays down.  He does it his own self. (Thank you, thank you to Susie Nash, this litter’s breeder/caretaker, for crate training these pups for us!)
Once in the office door, it’s a few minutes of manic glee. Holy Cow, we haven’t seen this place since yesterday! To be capped off by some serious nap time.

Yaxley’s primary focus these last few days has been to grow. And being a growing pup is a job that takes intense concentration. You can’t afford to lose focus or you might turn into a chihuahua or something. If he’s going to grow up to be as majestic as his buddy, Micron, then well, he needs his beauty sleep.

Wearing Micron’s hand-me-down training cape.



So sleep, he does. What a cutie, too.  



Dreaming of wearing the big dog cape



Doggie spooning



A mirror image.
I found them both sleeping under my desk like this.




Your feet smell like Fritos.



And speaking of needing some beauty sleep

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What’s a big brother for, anyway?

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Donna Black-Sword
There are differing opinions among CCI puppy raisers on overlapping the pups in training. Some say that it’s too much work, and can be distracting, to have two puppies in the house at a time. Others will tell you that it can be easier to work with a young pup when an older dog is there to show them the ways of proper behavior.
I have a long, sad history of not taking advice from others. I prefer to screw up all by myself and learn from my mistakes the hard way. It’s a serious character flaw and just one of the things that makes me charming, I suppose. 

We’ve yet to see how this is going to work out in the long run, having two CCI pups in my house. But I gotta say, these past two weeks since we welcomed the little lord Yaxley, I’m feeling pretty good about it.

Oh, as a quick aside about Yaxley’s name.  There is a character in the P.G. Wodehouse Jeeves novels named Lord Yaxley. In yet another vain, yet valiant, attempt to be clever I have tagged this new little fuzzy as little Lord Yaxley. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say little Lord Yaxley out loud.  Go on – try it.  If you find yourself successful in your first attempt, I challenge you to try three times in a row. What a train wreck of a nickname.

So, Micron is now a big brother and mentor for Yaxley. How’s that working out for you, you ask? Well, check this out.

This is Micron as a young pup, being coached on the subtleties of shoe fetching by his mentor Jager.

And here is Yaxley, mastering the technique after being taught by his big brother. So far, so good.

At dinnertime, nobody eats until the OK command by the Food Lady. Some very good dogs here; two are house guests for the evening. 
Micron is the all-time master at napping; this dog know how to relax.  Here he is showing the little one the Yoga position of “sleeping dog.”

But to keep me humble, there’s a downside to having a fresh new perspective of life. There are the things that have Micron saying, “Well hey!  I never thought of doing that!”

What is this one?  Oh. that’s my camera strap. Firmly attached my beloved Canon.  I don’t know which one started this, but I can tell you who ended it.

Looks like I’m gonna have to keep on my toes with this clever little guy. And poor Micron does too. I know this is not what he meant by telling the pup he’s gonna show him the ropes around here.

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The dark side of snow

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Donna Black-Sword

This winter has brought some news worthy weather our way. Well, just about everybody’s way, really.  Last month it was said that 49 states had snow on the ground. And the holdout wasn’t Hawaii, like I thought. There was snow on some mountain there, they say. Turns out, it was Florida that was free of the snowflake.

Here in southwestern Ohio, we had snow. And we had a spectacular ice storm that glazed the landscape. Pretty stuff, but what a nightmare to get around in. When the dogs had to go out to do their business, it was Godspeed to y’all.  Try not to get hurt out there, now.

But now, mid-February, the snow is gone. It’s been traded in for mud. Lots and lots of mud. Shoe sucking stuff and a squishy lawn that pools around your feet as you walk. This is crappy enough, but add two dogs to the equation and things get serious.

Ok, so Jager is a Felix Unger reincarnate. He is absolutely the cleanest dog, just will not get dirty. Ever. I don’t even bathe him; he doesn’t need it. Weird.

But Micron is a Lab/Golden cross – a water dog. One that apparently feels deprived of his web-footed heritage. An otherwise quick play session in the backyard brought me this little surprise.

Can you tell what the goober head is doing?  Not sure? How about now?

Oh, that’s not just a mud puddle. It’s run-off from a nearby creek that fills that area of the yard. After this shot, he laid back down in it playing yellow submarine. Then he started rolling. And for a finale, starting a vigorous bout of digging.

He couldn’t have been a happier dog.

I hope he was able to hang onto that happy thought during the obligatory hose down. What I don’t get was all the complaining about the cold hose water. Was it really colder than that mud puddle, Micron? Really?
And look at that face. I believe that to be a look of defiance.
 That’s right, Food Lady. And I’d do it again, too.
ADDENDUM FEB 21 2011:
A reminder to never underestimate the power of a new puppy in the house. Not to be topped by Micron’s mud adventure, Jager found something very dead in the backyard. And rolled in it. He has never done anything like this before.  And so, Jager got a bath.
Not sure who is going to win the “I got the food lady’s attention and you don’t” contest, but it sure ain’t gonna be me.

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A little bromance for Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Donna Black-Sword
Holy cow, but these two dogs are best of friends. I was trying to think of the word for when two guys like each other a lot, but the relationship is completely platonic. 
Ah yes, bromance. 
Micron and Karsen really enjoy each other’s company. And personal space.
I love ya, man

As a puppy raiser, I consider these play dates as very helpful in the training process. Of course, we expect these dogs to follow the basics whether the training cape is on or not. Playing with other CCI pups encourages good play behaviors and we can reward their appropriate interactions. 

These two have grown up together at our office. When the leash is on and the cape on their backs, they can pass each other in the hallway with just a wink and a nod. But when the capes are off and the Release command spoken, then it’s Tag! You’re It!

Two good dogs.

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The need for speed

Posted on February 19, 2011 by Donna Black-Sword
Micron looks like he’s working some complex problem in his head, finally gonna solve that pesky world economy thing. Those deep, soulful eyes; the wrinkled brow. What’s really going through his fuzzy noggin?
Gotta run why do I have to sit here why won’t she let me run there’s snow and I gotta run. Pretty much stuff like that.
Fair enough; it can’t be all work and no running in the snow. Let’s take the cape off and give the release command.  And let ‘er rip through the backyard.
I call this next shot: G-force. Feeling the need for speed, Micron has the wind whipping through his hair and is running so fast his lips are pulled back from the sheer force of it all.  If it were warmer out, he’d have a moth or something stuck in his teeth.

For a fun comparison, here’s the blog post on his first snow day ever in December 2009: Snow Day

Reminds me of why it’s a bad idea to smile when on a motorcycle

Now this guy understands the difference between work and play. Yeah, most of the time.

So we’re walking along the sidewalk to our favorite lunchtime diner, Micron at my side in perfect heel position. La la la, I think, just walking along. Maybe I’ll get the ham and cheese omelette today, when Micron dives front end into the snow. With his butt in the air and his plume tail as a flag, he’s playing like he’s a Bob the Builder Snow Plow. Just chugging right through the snow with his snout and actually leaving a wake behind him. 

While I’m mortified and wrestling him back to heel, my lunch partners are laughing at it all. Yeah sure, it was about the funniest thing I’ve seen him do.  And a puppy raiser lesson learned. Don’t forget to keep your  attention on the dog. You can think about omelettes later.

And anyway, I got the cheeseburger special.



You know what, Food Lady?
I don’t think Bob the Builder even has snow plows.



All American Mutts can love the snow, too.
Now there’s a snow plow nose.

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