"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow." ~Henry David Thoreau

So if it is not completely apparent yet, I decided to take my weekends back for myself!  I try to do as many chores as I can within two hours of my weekend so I can dedicate the rest of my time for relaxing and playing with the dog.  Especially with Kevin gone this last week Dolce has spent less time out of the crate playing during the middle of the day, and consequently I feel guilty.  Yes I know she is fine and it is good for her to rest and gain security and independence in the crate, but none the less I feel guilty for leaving her while I go off to work.  So I am trying to make the most of the time we have together.  It has actually been working well.  We run around and go on hikes, get her tired and socialized and we have quality time, and when I need to run quick errands I have been leaving her baby gated in the kitchen.  I have been working our way up in the amount of time she spends in there to gradually get her used to it.  First 15 minutes while I did yard work and put in a load of laundry, then 30 minutes while I walked over to Walgreen's, and finally this weekend an hour while I went grocery shopping.  And (hopefully not jinxing it) she has been doing great.

Now that I have gotten completely off topic, back to my original post topic.  I have been searching around for good places to take Dolce where she can get out, get exercise (hopefully off leash) and get some socialization.  I feel like I have been hitting alot of dead ends. Either they are leash only and have water, so the dogs cant go in or they are off leash and don't have water!  Well, I was talking with my neighbor this weekend who has a Great Dane and he was telling me all parks in Weston are off leash.  Ok this was very helpful to know.  I think I will be sticking to Weston parks from now on.  Then on top of it he told me there is a park in Weston hidden down some little dead end, side street off of Route 117 not 10 minutes from our house with great trails and a pond, Cat Rock Park.  Oh my God! I was so excited. Not only did I want to take Dolce out for some exercise somewhere other then Weston Reservoir (which is great, but I think Dolce was probably getting tired of it) but I have wanted a place I could take her to get her excited about water, with other dogs as motivation.  So I called up Nancy and off we went. It was great.  Lots of different trails to walk (that were shaded too), a brook, a pond and lots of other puppies. 

The before and after photos of our hike.

Well it was a slow and cautious beginning but after watching another dog run in after his ball 3 or 4 times Dolce started to follow him most of the way in to the water going a little further each time.  I am so glad that other dogs running out to get their balls is good motivation for her.  Despite my best efforts she will not retreive a ball from the water for me.  She will run out to it but will then abandon it. We discovered this weekend that she wont return it because in order to get her mouth on it she must put her nose/mouth/face? into the water (even if only a little bit) and she just wont do it, doesn't like her face wet.  Such a diva!  Well as a result she hasnt reached a full swim yet (she is definitely nervous with water) but thats ok,  we can try and work up to it since I am not sure how well her stubby little legs would keep her afloat anyhow.   All in all it was a positive trip (minus the part where I had to yell at her for not coming when I attempted to call her away from traffic) and we're definitely excited to go back soon!

"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

So today I took Dolce out on a trail hike at the reservoir in Weston.  This is definitely my favorite place to take her.  The hike in total takes about an hour.  I can keep her off leash, the trails are shaded and there are plenty of other people with their dogs.  We stop occaisonally, meet and play with new furry friend and also jump in the many brooks and natural pools.  All in all it is great!  Dolce has a blast sniffing things and meeting people and animals.  And basically just enjoying the summer! And as any owner can attest its great when theyre pooped out afterwards!

I took this after we had gotten home but literally she is asleep the second I snap her into her harness in the car.  This is a blessing and a curse.  Great that she is sufficiently pooped out but bad because there is an adorable little farm stand on the way home where I always want to stop and I don't because I hate to wake her.  Well today I parked the car close left it running with the airconditioning on and ran up to get some fresh produce.  I have to say it was totally worth it!

Land's Sake Farm 90 Wellesley St Weston, MA



http://www.landssake.org/

It's local its fresh and it's delicious.  I am so glad I stopped by.  I got some red leaf lettuce, parsely, mint and some honey (made right there on the farm)!  I made a great salad for lunch when we got home and I plan on using the honey and herbs for some very interesting recipes I have been concocting.  Stay tuned for the recipe post to come! 

Early to bed, early to rise!

Well for the last week or so Kevin has been away in Connecticut so Miss Dolce and I have been on our own.  Night one, I put her in her crate as is the norm and she literally barked and cried for about 45 minutes.  Not wanting to wake my roommates and frankly not wanting to listen to it anymore I pulled her out and let her sleep at the foot of my bed.  I was a little nervous but she did great.  She stayed at my feet, snuggled with her toy and fell right asleep and stayed there all night.  Really I was just happy she didn't pee on the bed!  So one night down!  Night two, I follow the same routine and again she cries and barks.  So again I pull her out and let her sleep on the bed.  This continued on for about 4 nights the next morning in my excitement I take this picture.  Ahhh what a jinx!  Literally hours later that evening when we climbed into bed , again in routine fashion, I thought nothing of it.  Well the next morning I got up for work as usual I went into the bathroom and called the dog.  After a second she came in and I noticed her paws were wet and she looked very embarrassed.  I looked at her in fear and asked her "What did you do?!" I went back out to the bedroom and saw a massive puddle on the corner of my bed.  Why? This morning was different then any other!?  Ugh, so disheartening to see her doing so well for her to then have a set back.  Needless to say I was frustrated and disappointed.  And so our sleepovers have ended, sadly.  She goes in the crate at the end of the night and sleeps with the door open and moves from bed to crate throughout the night with no issues.  So while I am sad to have lost a snuggle buddy I am happier to take my chances cleaning pee off of the floor then my comforter. Ahh parenthood!

Follower FYI

Some of you have mentioned recently that you're following my blog but you do not get an email or any notification when I post new items.  Well I found a way to have you notified, and I have added the people I believe will be interested or who were already following me.  Please let me know if you'd like to be added to this list or removed if I have already added you.  Hope this helps, and you continue to enjoy!

-Dolce & Diane



Wet, Hot Boston Summer!

Our 4th of July photo!  It was a bazillion degrees out and humid as could be.  And naturally my parents don't have central air or air conditioners.

Dolce has a baby pool to keep her cool on these hot days but it really doesn't do much for her.  She really considers it more of a large water dish then an actual means of cooling off.  And when we stick toys in there or even just place her in, she just stands there looking at you as if she's saying, "Ummmm yeah, what am I supposed to do in here?" and then she proceeds to drink it. She loves the hose though.  Constantly drinking from it when people are using it, just jumping at the stream of water and running through it.  So since that seems to be such a big hit, in order to cool her off somehow, we decided to try my parents sprinkler!  Well it was a big hit! She was trying to "eat" the water and was barking at it as it oscillated back and forth, and every once in a while running under the water fall (but just for a second!).  Needless to say our first time in the sprinkler was a great success and also a relief as we have an effective way to cool her off during this hot and humid days we're having.  And it also entertain her (and us) in the process!

"Love is like a flower-you've got to let it grow." - John Lennon

So when I first found out that I was getting a dog (side note...thank you to the best boyfriend ever!) I knew I would have to tell Nancy and David.  Yes I call my parents by their first name.  Yes I know people think it's weird. Ask me if I care...spoiler alert, I don't. Anywho, I knew that they weren't going to be happy. David has always insisted that a dog would "destroy the house!" and Nancy has always said she just plain doesn't like dogs, "They smell!" And for those of you who have been to my home and know me you can attest to the fact that I am a crazy, obsessive compulsive house cleaner and my home is nine times out of ten spotless and far from destroyed and also that I treat my dog the same way as I do my home, and she is bathed about every other week!

Moving right along, when I officially knew that we were getting her and the plane ticket was purchased, I decided it was time to tell them.  I hemmed and hawed over this a bit and sought advice from a trusted friend and colleagues with whom I'd trust my life.  And who I know would probably be able to put the best comedic spin (or at least it's what we find comedic) on delivering bad news...the infamous, the fabulous Naomi! After much hard and admittedly inappropriate deliberation at the reception desk in our office we decided that the best course of action would be to tell my parents that I was pregnant first, and then anything they heard after that would HAVE to be good news! Well to Naomi's credit I think that this would have been a fabulous idea, but my delivery was all wrong.  When I announced this fake pregnancy I immediately smiled and had to stifle a giggle so I am pretty sure it dint carry the weight that it should have.  And then when I told them that in fact I was not pregnant but was instead getting a puppy the mood went from annoyed to extremely annoyed quite quickly. Whoops! Long story short I got pretty much the same responses that I had mentioned in this first paragraph.  And naturally I was not deterred and I made a vow to them that I would do my best to train her and have a quiet, enjoyable dog and once they saw her adorable face they too would fall in love!  Skepticism was in the air.  But sure as rain once they saw the puppy their hearts melted.  Some more quickly then others.  David immediately got down on the floor and began crooning "Puppy puppy puppy puppy puppy" and let her lick the entirety of his face. Nancy was a harder nut to crack.  She still thought she was "too big", "smelled like a dog", and was not more likable then a cat.  After about two months with us, we had slowly been working on her, when i saw the love begin to grow.  I knew we were on our way when she introduced Dolce as her Grand-dog at a barbecue they had. And slowly but surely Dolce has gotten more invites to do things with Nancy and I.  First it was coming over to have meals with the family and then more recently on hikes together.  And then a few short weeks ago Dolce quietly stole Nancy's heart.

She quietly followed Nancy around the yard as she watered the plants.  Seriously I was shocked. She just followed her and would lie down beside her in the grass while Nancy weeded and then get up and follow her off to the next plant and lick the drips of water off of the watering can.  She didn't get excited and jump up at it and she didn't try to steal the weeds from Nancy's hand or even from the bucket, and she didn't even try to eat the plants! As she kept going I kept peeking my head out into the yard to check on them and still the same a quiet relaxed dog and a quiet relaxed Nancy, just weeding away and every so often talking to Dolce.  And about an hour later I came upon and interesting sight.  Nancy and David in the grass with Dolce, David trying to get her to look their way and sit still and Nancy with the camera, trying to get a good shot to send to her friends. I think when you hold a puppy photo shoot it is safe to say your heart has been claimed.

"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat"

So those of you that have been to our house and seen Dolce and Smudges together you will understand completely what I am about to say.  For those of you who have not, try and follow along, thanks!  So pretty much, as I believe I mentioned in a previous post, "I know you are, but what am I?", Smudges to Dolce is pretty much a little plaything.  But I also think now that she thinks he's her little buddy.  Smudges remains unamused.  She is constantly following him into the closet when he goes in to sleep and despite our distractions and directions to leave him alone and vacate the closet she always returns.  She plays a bit and then stops goes in and bugs Smudges a little comes back out and then repeats the process all over again.

Dolce will follow Smudges pretty much anywhere he goes and has begun to start mimicking him.  The copying is what really has made me begin to think Dolce is truly enamoured with Smudges.  Whenever Smudges will jump up on the back of the couch on into a window or even goes to nap in the living room closet Dolce either appears to become insanely jealous or she just plain follows him.  When she acts jealous she jumps around on the floor barking at Smudges wherever he may be and whines her little face off attempting to get Kevin or I to pick her up and put her on the couch. I'm actually not sure how this will work now since Dolce has recently figured out how to jump up on the couch all on her own (I am half proud, half scared). So one day when she was sitting on the couch with me she got up and leaned over the back of the couch and started staring out the window.  Then the next day she actually climbed up on the arm of the couch.  The next day she was full on sleeping stretched across the back of the couch.  And then finally one day when I had left her alone on the couch to go and get myself a drink from the kitchen I came back in to find the following.

She sat, or stood I should probably say since she is far too big for the window sill, and watched birds fly into the tree and barked at any and all passers by. And still every time she sees Smudges climb into that window within a half an hour she also feels a need to be in that window. Waiting and watching she sees his every move and she learns a little bit more about being a cat. This is not the only example but suffice to say (for the purposes of a concise blog post) I have pretty much decided at this point that she thinks she is a cat.  Or at lest that she wants to be a cat. Either way I don't care, I think it's kind of cute.  Smudges however is a different story.

Title credit to Edgar Allen Poe

We Learned Paw!





I think I took this photo around June 15th, I honestly can't remember. This is what happens when you start a blog after something happens and you are playing catch up!  Well after today we are all caught up, and then, never again! 

Well for those of you who don't know, we signed Dolce up for "Puppy Kindergarten" at our local PETCO and she has been learning all sorts of basic obedience and little tricks in her 7 weeks. Well after about two full days of Kevin and I really practicing this with her and having to repeat "paw" over and over before she'd give it to us, that evening when I was just laying around playing with her all of a sudden I just said it and boom! She did it, first try, no hesitation.  As I am sure most of you have surmised at this point I basically think that Dolce is the best thing since sliced bread and, of course, a genius!  I swear she is working on the cure for the common cold right now from her crate! And this just reinforced it.  Two solid days and she's got paw all locked up.  And it was about a week after that that she started giving us both paw! Just depends on what hand you give her!  GENIUS!  Love that little dog!

I am the copilot. I sit on the right.

I don't have any real story to go along with this picture, other then the fact that its just too cute for words!  But here's some basic update/back story.  She is officially big enough to fit in the harness.  When its just the two of us she sits in the passenger's seat because if I put her in the back when Kevin is not with us she whines and cries like I am stabbing her in tiny little heart! Just recently (when this picture was taken) she realized she was tall enough and strong enough to reach the window.  Now that she can, if it's open she just hangs there and checks out the people that go by.  And thank God for that harness! On a good day she'd jump out it to try and go play with a bunch of kids or anyone really.  And on a bad day, like yesterday, when someone runs a red light and cuts me off...it saves her life.  She still went flying and landed on the floor and she was a little shaken, but she is okay!  Perhaps the man who cut us off should have been wearing one, because I swear if I were not more worried about tending to Dolce he would have needed some protection/life saving. And that harness is sooo worth the whole $10 I think I spent on it! All in all a good buy!

South End Birthday Adventure!

Well on June 10th I had officially been on this earth for a quarter of a century...gross!  As unhappy as I was to be acknowledging that, I was happy that I was smart enough to take the day off of work.  So I planned an outing for our little trio to the South End!  The weather was overcast but still nice, so after I slept in for a bit that morning, courtesy of Kevin (thank you!) we headed off to Castle Island.  I had never been here in all my years of living in this city. I was nice, very pretty, definitely lots of activities for kids.  The only downside is the strict leash laws and the beach ban for dogs.  We made due though.  We spread our little blanket down, laid out some toys for Dolce and tethered her to the cooler and just chilled!

I read some books on my Kindle and Kevin slept.  After I ate some sandwich from our makeshift little picnic I took the dog for a stroll around the island and made friends with some very cute little toddlers and their mothers. I couldn't help but wonder why the leash laws were so strict considering how many people were out with their dogs walking, running whatever.  At the very least why not fence off an area and make a mini dog park?  But I digress.  After a while when we'd had enough we packed up and headed back to the car, only to find that I had left my lights on! Aaaand my battery was dead.  Long story short, people are terrible and rude and it took us forever to get someone to finally give us a jump!  And even then after much coercing!  Once on the road again we headed down the street to get a little birthday treat for Miss Dolce!

So we headed off to Polka Dog Bakery, on 256 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.

http://www.polkadog.com/

This place was adorable and I loved it!  The staff was very friendly and also very helpful.  I decided to bring her here to find some alternatives to rawhide, which Dolce had and loved, and almost choked on.  The man at the counter was very helpful in directing us to different types of bones that would suit Dolce best as well as towards some treats which might be good for her considering she has a bit of a "sensitive" stomach. The selection of treats and cookies from both their "bar" and packaged options were too numerous to count.  Their case of baked goods with adorable iced cookies were not only beautiful but also looked pretty delicious. AND they had great natural food options as well as doggy birthday cakes in their refrigerated section. They also had a basement level that was all doggy toys and bed, but Kevin and I opted not to even go down there as she is already quite spoiled and probably has too many toys as it is.  I do have to say it was a bit pricey, we bought two large bones a meaty stick and a bag of treats and it costs us just under $20. But I think we end up paying for the location and the novelty of it all but I loved it so I can't complain.  And they do offer free samples and when I was at the counter the man told me to take as many as I wanted! Definitely generous.  I would definitely go back here again!  In fact, it has actually inspired me to look into starting my own doggy bakery in the area as this one and another in Wesborough were the only two I could find online.  I think the Metrowest area may be in need of a pet bakery! Getting back to the point, all in all I loved it and it was a pretty great day!  And I think Dolce might have enjoyed herself too!



Better late then never...

Hope everyone had a happy and healthy 4th of July!

It was our first 4th of July and we made it through the heat! And the fireworks! 

Now that the holiday is over we're right back to blogging so keep your eyes peeled for more posts!