Best Friends.

Having a Pet means that you get to have long conversations about everything and nothing, and that Pet will never betray a single word. That’s a Best Friend. Kenni is quickly becoming that best friend. I forgot how good it was to spill your guts to a pet that doesn’t judge, or even question you or your comments.

You see, I also have another best friend. This one is my very best friend in the whole world, and yes, Sorry Kenni, even closer to me than you. This friend of Mine is absolutely amazing. I tell this friend all my hopes, and fears. I speak of all the dreams I have, and all the worries. I am never judged, and never brushed off. Simply an amazing find in anyones life. But this person is much much more than that.

Being a best friend is not an easy job. I mean, they have to listen even when they don’t want to. They have to reassure you, without making you seem like a fool. They have to show that you are the important one. That you have their undivided attention. Thats not an easy thing to do. Not even for a Dog.

This person has the added distinction of having me as their best friend. So that means I get to return the favor. Good Days. Bad Days. Doesn’t Matter. I am there for my best friend. In the same ways that my best friend is there for me.

Its a godsend, to have a best friend like this. I am equally blessed to have 2. Kenni gets to hear things at times that my other best friend doesn’t. And vice versa.

So to that other best friend, I have some words that need to be said.

Gabriela, you are my best friend. Your always there for me. You do everything that a best friend should and could. You are always there for me when I need you. I am there for you as well. between us we have the best of both. Not only are you my best friend, but you are also the woman that i love and adore.

At no time in my life have i ever been as blessed as I am now. To have you in my life has shown me the love and appreciation that you give to me. And you have allowed me to give all that back to you. And you have given me confidence to grow.

And, if that wasn’t enough, on top of all that, You, and Harley, have shown me that I was far too long without a dog, another best friend in my life. You have no idea what that means to me. Or how much I love you and everything that you do for me.

To many times in my life, I have not said to a person that was important to me, how much I appreciated them. Well, I have also learned, because of You, that its important to speak up when you can. So I am speaking up now. To let you know.

Best friends are important. And no matter how many legs they have, each one is precious and important.

Thank you Gabs, and I love you.

Update!!!

Been a few days since I posted about Kenni, so lets fill in the blanks.

Mid week last week we took a trip to Perth, Ontario, just a short ways away from Ottawa. We visited the bosses farm. A little business and a nice place for the dog to be. Kenni loved it, but not at first. I really think he was a little overwhelmed. not everyday a dog is confronted with 5 acres of grass.:)

He spent the night with me there, and the sights and sounds kept him busy. Oh, and going off leash? Well, we were fenced in, but he never strayed more than 10 feet from me. And as usual, he loved the car.

I LOVE the Park

Then over the weekend, we took some time to do some dog exploring in the park. He is getting to like sniffing around the bushes. And he has met quite a few people in the neighborhood, as well as their dogs. He does have some issues with larger dogs, if they move fast. If they are slow movers, he is fine. Kenni has a great sense of hearing, and like the original add on petfinder said, his ears are like little antennas. It’s funny to see.

Then fresh on the road again Monday. I headed north to do a little work and see my kids. So this trip, I was sure of what to expect from Kenni. Again the car ride is great. We arrived at the office, and I introduced him to a few of the people that worked there, and then tucked us away in a server room to do a little work. Again he was a trooper.

Part of this trip is staying in a motel. And Kenni seems to enjoy it. He took the whole bed. Good I got a room

My BED!

with 2 beds. We checked in and got comfortable, then headed out for kid introductions.

They took to him as I expected. And he got his first face to face with a cat i think. This is my daughters cat that is totally at home with dogs. And since he is about Kenni’s size, he was a perfect introduction. No growls, no attempt to chase, just a few sniffs, and then ignore. “Not a Dog” was the look he gave me as he jumped on the chair to sit with me.

We are now back at the motel. A few hours in the office tomorrow, then its back home. And Kenni, the Travel Trooper he is, is curled up on the bed, loving it.

Thats Enough!

I promised myself I wouldn’t use this blog to rant, but I have to. Its to darn Important. I have been sitting on this for a few days now, and I cant any longer. So, here it is.

There is something sorely lacking in our world today. I don’t know if its the ME ME ME mentality, or  a Genetic Defect. It seems that there are more and more people who lack 2 things. Not sure if there are genes that control these two things, but I am starting to wonder. What is it that I find lacking?? Easy.

Personal Responsibility, and Common Sense.

Yes, BOTH of these traits are sorely lacking. So I am going to tell you what set these thoughts in motion, and then discuss how each one plays out.

First off, I was out walking Kenni last night. Time for him to do his thing, so he heads up on the grass next to the road. Of course, once I see this, I pull out a bag from the holder that is ALWAYS attached to the leash, and I Stoop and Scoop. Its the Law, right? Well as I bend over, I catch site of about 4 other piles. Not from Kenni. WTH??? One was large enough to BE Kenni. So I am a little P/O’d about this. I take my responsibility very very seriously. Kenni is licensed. Kenni has all his shots, he’s altered, and up to date on his shots. (Yes TPDR did that, but I would have anyways.)  That’s being Responsible.

I’m Sooooooo Purdy!

Today was a good day for Kenni. I decided to take him in and give him the “Spa Treatment”. Off we went to the groomers.  Here is how the trip went.

First off, Kenni was a little apprehensive when we got there. He was great in the car, as usual. But the other dogs, and one in particular that wanted to make friends, even though he was in the middle of getting his spa treatement, seemed to bother Kenni. But being the little trooper he is, he showed why he is so damm adorable. I dropped him off, and told them i wanted him to have a nice bath, and dry, ears and nails done, and of course, the face trim that he needed. Well, they took him in thier arms, and my little guy was in their care now.

They called me about 15 minutes before they were done to give me time to get there so they wouldnt have to crate him. I arrived to find his groomer sitting there with Kenni on her lap petting him and talking to him. She told me she did not want to give him back, he was so good. She asked me about kenni, and I explained his origin, and how he came to live with me. She was in awe. She said Kenni was so wonderfully behaved, that they wished the rest were so good.

And he looked amazing. Not only did he get a bath, but the trim Made his already cute face totally adorable now. Go ahead and click on the picture above to see the final result. I couldnt be happier. The fur around his feet was trimmed as well, and his coat positively glowed.

As we drove home, he even semed to know he looked good, he proudly sat on the seat, tethered in to the seat belt. When we came to a stop light, he moved towards the window to show his lovely mug to all the cars that were within his view. Of course, once we pulled into the parking garage, and came up outside for a potty break, he pranced around like he was in a show. And he was almost smiling as he got attention form the people coming and going from the building.

Once upstairs in the apartment, we had to do a skype call to him New mom in Switzerland to show her just how purdy he was. She told me that he was even more gorgeous than she thought he was just a couple of hours before.

Just goes to prove, a day at the Spa is good for everyone. Even Kenni.

Kenni’s Surprise

Kenny doesn’t know it yet, but he has a new Mom, and a little brother.

Here is a Pick of Kenni’s little brother who is over in Switzerland right now.

This is Harley. Harley is a Havanese/Yorkie. About 1 year old, and darn Cute to. His Mom is Gabriela. I must say they have a Lovely place in Switzerland. But I cant wait till they are here. I am sure Kenni will Love his little brother. He is a little smaller than Kenni.

So no one tell Kenni, its still a Surprise.

First full day in his new home

Mornin!

So we woke up this morning, and Kenni slept all night on the bed next to me, never moved. I got up and did the wake and stretch thing. Then I tossed on the track pants to take the little man out. Slipped him into his harness, and down we went. Waiting for the elevator, he tried to cock his leg on the wall. CORRECTION! Nope, not a good thing. But I caught him before he did anything. Down we go, he does his thing quick and back up. Now its coffee time.

After a cup of coffee, Out we go again for a little walk. Just a little 1/2 hour walk. Discovered a few things. Kenni doesn’t appear to like Wet Grass. Went into the park across the street. Was no longer a walk but a Drag. Okay, something to make note of. High curbs seem to pose a problem for him. He wont jump them less he is coaxed quite a bit. We can deal with that. And he seems to waddle more than walk. Kinda cute.  He is great on the leash, and we have a good match of our pace.

After his walk, we came back up, dried his feet off, and I put his food out. No interest. He wanted to lay down, so he curled up on the Ikea chair, now dubbed “Kenni’s Seat” and he closed his eyes. Must be on a Different schedule. Well, he will adjust. He needs to adjust to those first walks at 7:30am each day. A routine. I jumped in the shower while he lays there sleeping. Looks so darn Cute. At this point, he is enjoying doggie daydreams.

Kenni’s View:

OK, look.. It was a hard night. I wanted to sleep in a little. Did you know he gets up at 6am ?? 6am!! Of course I was tired. And yes, I dont like walking in wet grass before I even wakeup properly.

Later in the day, we went out a few times, but with the heat and humidity, we took it easy. Besides, I was working. Then around dinner time, we took a quick trip out in the car. Again Kenni was good. Till we stopped next to a car with some dogs in the back seat. The barking proved to be to much for the little guy, and he lost his composure and started to tell them off. At least I think he was.

Kenni Says:

They were annoying! Yap Yap Yap. I was just relaxing enjoying the ride and they spoiled the tranquility of they Ride. So yes, I told them off.

When we got home, we had some food, then it was relax and play a little with the stuffed bear he seems to like. He loves to toss that thing around. After the sun dropped, we went for a nice long walk. Was real nice, and he is so good on the leash. I am very impressed with his manners.

And with a great surprise, we walked through an office building area, and a skunk was patrolling one of the lawns. He looked at it, and ignored it. Just as he did with the cats we met along the way as well. Now we are back, and he is curled up on the sofa again, slowly drifting off. Nice day.

Kenni Says:

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

Homecoming

Kenni Writes:

Okay, what is going on here? Where am I and whats Happening? First I am at Foster moms, then that nice guy comes over. next thing i know, I’m here. Okay well not exactly like that, let me try to explain.

When the nice man showed up, I was all happy. Its always great to see people. so of course i was excited. He spoke with foster mom and dad, and I knew something was up. mom looked sad, and dad was sad all day. The nice man picked me up, and I didn’t mind. He pets me real nice. But soon he took off my collar. That collar never comes off.

Then he added something to my collar, a tag. I cant read it, cause its in Human words, and of course I’m a dog. Then the collar went back on me. He spoke with Foster mom and dad some more, then he put a new harness on me. It looked nice. A nice blue color. He adjusted but not quite perfect. I tried to tell him, but I think he was distracted.

Then mom gave me a hug, a good petting, then a kiss. Dad then gave me a good pet too. I knew something was gonna happen, just didn’t know what. Then the leash, a new blue one to match the harness went on, and in his arms, we left. The nice man carried me downstairs and out of the building. He put me down and we started to walk around the building.

I was so excited, I needed to stop and pee on the corner of the building. The nice man waited. Then around the corner and to the parking lot. He stopped by a big car and opened the back door. ROAD TRIP !!! Of course I jumped right in the back seat. The nice man closed the door and opened the front to get in. Before he could  get in, i was in the front seat.

“We cant have that!” he said. he then put me in the back seat. Again i jumped over to the front. Hey, if we are going on a road trip, i’m calling shotgun! That means i ride up here! Well, He smiled at me, and took my leash and attached it to the headrest so that i had enough slack to sit and lay, but I couldn’t get into his lap. I wanted to be there. no one ever lets me drive. he laughed when i tried.

Then he started the car and off we went. Well I have to look around. Thats what we do. But this darn leash is making that hard. He kept his hand on me and was talking to me and smiling. He’s a nice guy, but he has a lot to learn about road trips.

I settled in. Nice car.. leather seats, air conditioning (thats a good thing, it was hot and muggy), and best of all, I see a BIG bag of dog food. This guy knows a little about road trips I guess. We drove for a while, then he turned towards a garage. The garage opened, and in we went. Well this is not good. What is going on?

I barked a little and he told me to hush, and we drove deeper into the garage. Soon he stopped the car and turned it off. I didn’t like this much, so as soon as he undid my leash I was on his lap. He scooped me up, picked up the bag of food, and stepped out. I wanted down but he was having nothing of that. We walked across the garage and went through a set of doors. when we got to the elevators, he put me down. Well, thats more like it.

We stepped inside when the doors open. The only ones in it, I had to sniff around. Up we went till the doors opened again. HEY! I recognize these smells! I followed my nose and wend down the hall I remembered the smells from, pulling a little on the leash. right down the end, and I went to the door. This is where he lives, I can smell it.

He opened the door and we went in. Soon i was off the leash and checking this place out again. Yep, i remember it. Theres the Doggy bed, the Doggy Bowls, and the sofa. Weee! up i go on the sofa! Oh yeah i am not supposed to do that. I looked at the man, and he smiled. Go ahead he said, make yourself at home.

Cool! I call Dibs on this end of the sofa! This is great. Off i go to look around. When i came back to the sofa, the nice man had some toys. Oh look, I like that one! I Scooped up the soft plush little teddy bear and up on the sofa again. You know this isn’t so bad. I may like it here.

From Kenni’s Dad:

Well, he’s here now. And what a character. In the car, he was a little hyper, but settled down quick. yes, he did ride in the front, but that was a special thing. I am getting a tether tomorrow. He has settled in pretty quick. He loves his spot on the sofa, has explored the place, and at this moment, he is sleeping quietly next to me as i write this.

When we got home, it was raining quite hard, and i did take him down. he really didnt want to be out in the rain, but did a quick potty break on the grass. After it stopped, we went for our first around the block walk. About a half hour. he seems to be a bit more Timid in the dark. But thats fine, its all new to him.

Back inside, he curled up next to me, and rolled over for belly rubs. Yep, I think he will fit in Fine. So tomorrow we wake as a new family.

Kenni, welcome Home.

Today is the Day

I am supposed to pick Kenni up tonight. I have been in a fun email, back and forth conversation with Kenni’s Foster Mom. She has been filling me in on little things about Kenni. They will miss him terribly I can tell. I hope that reading things here of the New Adventures of Kenni” will help.

I went shopping last night, and of course, went a little nuts. But I needed to make sure that I had everything I would need to make his adjustment to his new home as easy as possible. I picked up 2 Leads, 2 collars, a Harness, assortment of toys, and of course, some treats.

I hope he will find all the things here to his liking. Im really anxious now….. C’mon Clock! Turn Faster!!!!

Oh, when Kenni came to meet me, I took a few pictures.. Here is one and damm he’s Cute!

Quick Update….

The lady from TPDR called. Kenni was going to come here on Friday night, but instead I am picking him up on Thursday Night.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Kenni is coming home!

Road Trip

I went on a Road Trip tonight. I love riding in the car. My foster mom and a woman from the Rescue place took me for a ride and we stopped at this building. Then we went inside. I am used to the elevator, cause foster mom has one. So up we went.

We went to a door and Foster mom knocked and a strange person let us in. They were talking alot. I looked around and it was neat. Didn’t smell like there were other dogs there, so i tried to get on the sofa with foster mom, but she wouldn’t let me up. i know i should know better, but it looked like a comfey couch.

The strange man was alright and he talked to me a few times as I walked around. He petted me a few times and was real nice. I went into the kitchen and found some bowls on the floor, but they were empty. No treats for me here I heard the man say “he found the dog bowls on the Floor, I heard his tags clinking on them.” Then the man came into the kitchen and picked up a bowl. Oooooo treats! but he just put some water in. Of course I took a drink.

Back in the other room they kept mentioning my name, but they were not calling me. When i came back in I tried to get on the couch again, but bonked my head on the coffee table. the man was the first to rub my noggin and he seemed to be really concerned. Nice man.

As i wandered around i found a doggy bed that seemed kinda comfy, but I wanted to look around. The man got up and went in th kitchen. He came back and I could smell the treats he had and came over to him. He reached for me as i stood there in front of him. He pushed down on my butt and said “Kenni, Sit” When my bum hit the floor he said “Good Dog” then gave me a treat. This isnt so bad.

He told me to sit 4 more times while pushing my butt down. Kinda weird, but he did give me a treat each time. So wasn’t to bad. but then there was no more treats. so i started to look around again. Different Smells here. That’s okay. Its always nice to get out and see new things. Then i was standing in front of the man and heard “Kenni sit”. Well I am no Dummy, so I knew the treats were back,, and I put my butt on the floor like before, but this time he didn’t push my butt down. He smiled and told me I was a good dog and gave me some good scritches. But no treat. Oh well. Then he picked me up real gentle and put me on his lap.

He was real gentle and was petting me and scratching me. my ears LOVE to be scratched so I was happy. I heard some strange noises. Some kids, so i barked. foster mom told me no, but the noise was new, so I barked some more. Its my job to let them know there was something out of sorts. Foster mom got more stern, and the other woman from the rescue place also told me to shush. So i did.. Eventually. but i had to let those kids know I was there.

I stayed on the mans lap for a while, I even laid down for a bit, but i wanted to go look around. I went out on the balcony. Not much there, but lots of smells i didn’t recognize. we stayed a while longer while they talked. This is a nice place, and the man seems to be real nice. maybe we can come back again. his treats were real Yummy.

So off we went, back down the elevator, and back in the car. I guess the road trrip is over. Oh Well. was fun.

-Kenni

Note from Kenni’s Dad:

Kenni doesn’t realize it yet, but Kenni will be coming to live here later this week. I am very happy to have such a good little guy to come share my life with me. The wonderful people at TPDR deserve a HUGE thank you Hug. I know his Foster mom will miss him lots, but I think they realize that Kenni will have a great time here.