Mom has bought me A LOT of brushes to try to keep me pretty. Some work ok and some are just crap. Well, Mom finally found the bestest brush ever. It's the Furminator (www.furminator.com). One sweep across me and you'd think she was shaving me. Tons of hair come off and I am a pretty hairy dog. We were both amazed at how well it works. She found it through my kennel when I went on vacation a few weeks ago. I was looking pretty bad when she dropped me off because she was in the middle of trying to groom me during blowing season. I guess the kennel felt bad for me because I wasn't looking my prettiest so they surprised Mom and groomed me while I was there. Mom was so amazed and said I looked beautiful. Now I can look that way all the time!

I've waited so long and it finally came!! SNOW!!! We got about a foot last week. It fell over-night so I had no idea what I was waking up to. Mom went to let me outside and I just stopped and stared at all this white stuff. What the heck happened to my backyard??!! I cautiously walked outside and looked around to make sure it was ok. Once I felt safe, nobody could stop me from all the fun to be had. I jumped, I ran, I rolled around in it. I even took a nap and when Mom came out to get me, I had a mound of snow on top of me.

Check out the picture of me Mom took of me enjoying the snow!!

Mommy had to take me to the doctor's on Saturday because I was limping and my foot hurt. Dr said that I broke one of the toes on my back foot. Unfortunately, it's one of the weight-bearing ones so it hurts to walk on it. They wanted me to come in for xrays today and get fitted for a splint. Mom and Dad talked and decided to just see how it heals on it's own. They know me all too well and know that I will probably chew off the splint about 5 minutes after they put it on me. Plus the xray alone costs $350 plus getting the splint would be another $700. They need to see if this cost is covered by my insurance (yes, I'm a dog and I have insurance). My toe only bothers me if people mess with it. I sometimes cry. :(

My toe isn't affecting my bad behavior though. I took a mud bath over the week-end which Mommy wasn't too happy about. Have you ever tried to wash a Malamute with her winter coat on?? Apparently it's not very easy since my under-coat is designed to resist water. Kind of hard to give me a bath when the water just falls off me! Mommy managed to do her best and I came out fairly clean but had to stay in my crate until I cleaned myself off so I looked pretty again.

I really screwed up...but it was all an accident. I bit one of my human brothers on the cheek and he had to get stitches. I feel bad but he woke me up and I didn't know what was going on. I lashed out in defense but didn't mean to hurt him. Mommy took him to get stitches and they (the hospital) had to report me to Animal Control. An officer came to my house yesterday and talked to my mom and dad. I have to be quarantined for 10 days at home which isn't a big deal. I know I don't have rabies. Luckily, my brother knows I didn't mean to hurt him and will hopefully not wake me up so suddenly next time. Bad things is that if I make another mistake, I will have to leave my home. Mom and Dad don't want to give me up but Animal Control says "2 strikes and that's it." Mom is so worried about that. She loves me and knows it was an accident. I hope that the next 10 days pass quickly.

Up-date: My house arrest is over!!! Mom and Dad are happy that experience is in the past.

My family could not take me to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Georgia so I went on my own vacation. Mom took me to a place called "Interlude Kennels".  First off, I hate riding in the car so Mommy has to put down towels so I don't get my drool all over her car seats. She rolls the window all the way down so I can stick my head out. I was really nervous about going there. I thought it was like the vet's where I get ouchies all the time.  The people there were really nice and acted like they were happy to see me. I said my good-byes to Mom and I was off to my new adventure.

I guess I was a good girl there because they gave Mom a good report about me. Said I ate well and went potty well. I was happy, adorable, and friendly. Mom told them to give me special playtimes so I wouldn't be cooped up all the time (although the cages were even bigger than my crate at home and I could go outside whenever I wanted). I like getting to run around like I do at home. Seeing that it was Thanksgiving, I got a special Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and even a dessert especially for dogs! I don't normally get "people" food so it was a real treat.

Mom came and picked me up a few days later. I was alittle confused at first because I didn't know she was there. I was sooo happy to see her. I was even happy to go in the car because I knew that I was going home. Once home, I ran to my favorite spot in the leaves to go pee and then went inside to see the rest of my family. They were happy to see me too. I got tons of hugs and kisses. I love my family!!! It was nice to be able to sleep without all the noise from the other dogs. I had fun on my vacation but it's so nice to be home again with my family.

Mom took me to the vet's the other day to get my shots  and they had the nerve to say that I was getting FAT! I couldn't believe my ears. Neither could mom. Do they not know that I'm twice the size they last saw me at is because it's getting colder and my second coat is filling in????? Mom didn't want to be rude but she basically told them they were crazy. Now that it's cold, I love to spend the day outside running around my backyard and only go inside at night for bed or when mom and dad go away to work. Yes, it's true I weigh 105lbs but I'm a freaking Malamute. I worn born to pull heavy loads. You can't do that if you weigh the same as a cocker spaniel. The vet told mom to only feed me 4oz of food. Are they nuts??? That barely covers the bottom of my bowl. To make them happy, mom has cut down my dinner to half a scoop of food or sometimes if I eat my breakfast late, she doesn't even give me that. And I only get 1 Milk Bone instead of 2 for going into my crate when I'm suppose to.

Mom told me that once my older human brother starts Kindergarten in the Fall, she and I will go for long walks every day when she gets home from work since she will have almost an hour and a half before she needs to pick up my human brothers. That will stink in the summer time because it's hot, especially for a Malamute but I'd like spending 1 on 1 time with Mommy, so it's ok.

Thought I might up-date to let everyone know what's been going on with me lately. Luckily, nothing bad or major has happened. No socks eaten, no illnesses, etc. I've been spending alot of time outside. I love the cooler weather. Mom has to bribe me to get me to come inside. I just lay and watch the clouds go by. I even eat outside now! My behavior is improving. I'm not the jumpy puppy I used to be. I love to dance with mom and woot my head off. I still love to try to crawl up in laps even though I'm not a little girl. My second coat is getting full now that the cooler weather is coming so I look even bigger!! Next month, I get to stay at a kennel- a first for me. I hope I do well. My family is going away for Thanksgiving to a house full of cats. I love my cats that I live with but not sure how'd I do with cats I don't know. I am sure they won't be too fond of me! Mom said she'd call and check on me while they were gone. I get to have playtime too so I think I'll be just fine.