Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween (my first one! YAY!) Love, OriannaIt's my favorite day, but probably because my nickname is Boo! Heehee! Have a fun one, love Kekah, aka Thing 1 (please note the one, because I was here first!)


Heh, heh! I have a MAINE! (Haha, get it...Maine coon...Mane....) Roxie was a little more hesitant to get into her costume than I was, although I thought hers was very appropriate...

How utterly humiliating...

The Cat's Meow

Hello, hello! It's me, Sawyer, the fat lazy cat. Well, I wanted to share some pictures with all of you, because I think they are quite nice. They are of me. Well, and Orianna, also.

Orianna has had some trouble in recent weeks with wanting to break a stay when Roxie and I come around, so Mom decided she needed extra practice staying in a down with a cat nearby. Naturally, Roxie finds herself otherwise prioritized (what with ruling the household, rolling heads and all...), So I got to be the lucky volunteer. I'm well versed in Dog, as I was adopted after staying in a foster home full to the brim with cats and dogs alike, so I'm pretty easy going.

So, Mom slipped Orianna into her cape (because she can always use practice with that, too), and we started doing downs. All I had to do was lie down nearby, which, if you know me it all, is what I do best. Orianna did great...she just needed a reminder or two to stay put, but a few treats later, I was walking around and swishing my tail in her face and she wasn't budging. Bravo!

Hurricane Annabelle

JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! Oh, yeah, forgot where I was for a minute. Hey, it's me, Orianna! I wanted to say hello and tell everyone how things are for me around my neck of the woods. First of all, I want to say, the nosinator ("gentle leader" to you people, but you dogs know what "nosinator" means...) isn't as bad as I had originally thought, and I don't mind it anymore. I actually can do teh "Dress" command, too, which seems to make mom pretty happy.

However, when I'm not training and getting to run (BORN FREE!!!!!) I'm a wild woman! (Cue "Wild Thang" theme music, please). Mom says that it's inevitable that out of all the toys available to me, I will inevitably grab the ONE thing I'm not supposed to have, although after several corrections I am getting better about it. I like to take all of my toys into the kitchen so I can lay on the cool floor and revel in my riches, heeheehee.

I can be good when I want to be good...the trouble is, sometimes I just want to play (JUMP! JUMP!) Sometimes I just have so much energy, I have to get it all out....excuse me for now, I need to go sprint around the room!

It's true, Orianna's is FULL of energy, but she focuses when we're working, so I'm not concerned that it's "excessive" at this point (LOL- I had Rogue, so I KNOW the meaning of "excessive energy"!) Anyway, she's doing really well and basically having fun being "just a dog" when she's out playing in the apartment, learning not to pick up things from the coffee table (this is something that has just recently become an issue) and other manners as such. She's so sweet, though, and doing well! Hope everyone else is great too! We will be getting out last round 'o shots in a week and then we'll be ready to take a few outings. We'll start slow at first, probably up to Barnes and Noble during the afternoon on weekday when it's quiet, something like that. Will let you all know how it goes :)

She is Our Sunshine!

Hi everyone! Orianna is doing great, as always! The more I am around her (which is all the time, lol) the more I am in awe of what a joyful little puppy she is! It never ceases to amaze me how different all three of my CCI puppies have been. If I had to sum them up in a brief statement, Rogue is the lovable goofball, Kekah is the co-dependent cuddlebug, and Orianna, well, she is the little sunshine. I don't know if I had mentioned this, but I did find out that her name actually means "dawn", which I think fits her so perfectly because her personality is just like little rays of light. I would say she is just a mix of Rogue and Kekah: she has Kekah's trainabilty and Rogue's little independent streak. She is a headstrong little puppy, but she is also very motivated by praise and eager to please, which is a good combo.

Right now, we are working on Kennel very hard. She does NOT want to kennel when told, but then again, when she is out in the house playing and the kennel door left open, she will just wander in there on her own and settle in if she's tired. So, it's not that she doesn't like her kennel, it's just that she doesn't like going in if she is not ready to, which is also known as "Orianna Rebel Syndrome". There's that independent streak I was talking about.

But, that independent streak can go two ways, I suppose, assuming we hone it in some. Kekah was not independent enough and therefore had a lot of separation anxiety when she went to AT, so if we can master Orianna's little stubborness, I think it will be a benefit in the long run. Anyway, that's all we've got for tonight! Hope you all are having a pleasant weekend!

A Not-So-G-Rated Post

I am Kekah, who is the Boo of this home, and to be honest, we have had a problem recently. No, I have a problem. That's the first step, admitting you have a problem. But the truth is, I don't know any better...it's just in my nature. And even though she shows no interest, I do like to "try" to make sweet, sweet love to Orianna. I am ashamed to admit it. Not only is she my cousin, but she's also 3 years my junior, which in dog years makes her 21 years younger than me. But I am a dog, and this is what I do. Mom stops me anytime she sees me, but I simply cannot help myself. It causes utter and total chaos in our house, so I am trying to quit, but it's a hard habit to break. Sigh...I know, bad, Kekah...bad. But I can't help it!

Sold!

Puppy's Sold by: Colby Atkins

To be sung to the country song "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)", and with my apologies to John Michael Montgomery...



Well I went down to the Atlanta airport

to pick up something I just couldn’t pass up.

My mind told me I should proceed with caution,

but my heart said,."Go on and love that pup!



So I said 'hey, pretty puppy, I hope you don’t whine,

Cause for a little while you’re gonna be mine, all mine,

I'll do your feeding and be at your beck and call.

'Yeah I've never seen puppy have a coat with that much shine,

man, I’m excited to have her, she's a one of a kind.

I'm goin' once, goin' twice.

I'm sold! to the puppy in the traveling crate,

she's snuggly, she’s cuddly, she’s not irate

She's got a fast wagging tail, black hair, brown eyes,

And I’m about to kiss my heart goodbye!



Well, I swore I wouldn’t fall for her

Cause I know I’ve gotta give her back

But when I started singing it proved

that when I thought I couldn’t get attached I didn’t know jack!

Cause I said 'hey, pretty puppy, I’m the raiser you’re assigned

And at least for now, you’re mine all mine

I'll do your bathing and teach to sit and down.

'Yeah I've never seen any pup lookin’ so cute,

She’s playful, she’s loving, and smart to boot!

I'm goin' once, goin' twice.I'm sold! to the puppy soon to wear a yellow vest.

Well she won my heart, it was no contest,

with her fast wagging tail, black hair, brown eyes,

I think I better kiss my heart goodbye!



Well, we found friendship at the airport that day and I hauled her to my home and away.

And even when she turns in I’ll look back and laugh about how we met that day:



When I said 'hey, pretty puppy, now I’m glad I didn’t decline

When the PPM said for a while you could be mine all mine,

I'm teaching you manners and making sure you pee outside.

'Yeah that day I’d never seen a puppy who was such a mess,

Little did I know how much of my life she’d bless.

I'm goin' once, goin' twice.I'm sold! to the puppy now in my living room,

Her young little life is now in full bloom

She's got a fast wagging tail, black hair, brown eyes,

and I've done kissed my heart goodbye!

The Fearless One

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Orianna's family's blog! A few little updates on Annabelle: she's doing great, except GROAN, she has stopped eating the kibble dry, so we're back to mixing it with vita-gravy again. But, she'll get there ("I think she can! I think she can!) I am so proud of her, because she is now holding a sit for me to walk around the room/out of the room, etc. and not moving. The same goes for if Brian is in the room and starts clapping or talking to her, etc. She is still focusing in on me, which is awesome. Another thing that I was proud of her for was there has been a lot of rain today, and when I take her outside I pop open that umbrella...but no startle at all! I was happy, because Kekah did have a startle in the past to that same thing when she was Orianna's age. Orianna wants to chat:

Hello, friends! My mom is so proud of me because I don't run when she opens an umbrella...they get so excited, moms, over the dumbest things, huh? As for the kibble, I'm picky. There, I said it. I just want it to be yummy! During the day I am so good for mom and work hard, but in the evening I'm a wild-woman! So, it's off to run a muck around the office while mom types. By the way- get excited, because Kekah and I are going to be wearing AWESOME costumes for Halloween...but I'm not telling what yet! It's a surprise! See ya! (Oh, that white cat wants to say something, so I better let her...she scares me!)

Yeah, yeah, it's me, Roxie. I just wanted to point out to all of you that today marks the 1 1/2 year anniversary of my captivity. My assassination attempts on the humans have been futile. So now I'm being affectionate in order to lure them into a false sense of security before I sneak in and make my escape...shh...don't tell!