One Year!

Today, Monty has been our dog for a full year.  It's the longest he's been anywhere.  He was rescued when he was 9 months old.  We got him just after he turned one year.  Now, he's been here a year.  What a year!  After months of anticipation, he picked him up and brought him home.  Started training, classes, bonding, then took him with us to so many places: airport, beach, long walks, the pond.  Then he took ill and I feared the worse, but like so many Britts, he fought to live.  We finally got him eating... a bit too much because he got to be a bit of a barrel. He ran on top of  and through the snow... when he wasn't eating it.   Now that the warmer weather's here, he's running off the extra pounds.

He is loved.  He is family.  I can't imagine life without him.  I can't thank NBRAN and his foster Mom enough.  They took care of my dog!  Tonight, I will make a donation to NBRAN in appreciation for all they do for the dogs in need of a home.

A good roll

with the nice weather, the snow is gone, leaving us with dry grass and dirt.  Monty loves rolling in it.  Here's his back after one good roll.  The stuff sticks like velcro.  Only a brushing gets this out.  Monty is now a very well brushed dog!

Fetch or Keep Away?

Great day to play with Monty.  First I went out to take photos of new spring shoots (to be posted later on my facebook page Lisa B. Merrill Photography).  As always I "get lost" taking photos so when I finished and called for Monty... no response.  Nowhere to be seen.  I was heartsick....sure he'd crossed over the fence after something and was running.  I went to get Jay and there was Monty, lying by the back door, looking at me as if to say "where have you been, I'm bored"   Later we went out to play fetch.  He has a very interesting version of the game.  He runs after the ball, gets it brings it almost within reach, and won't let you take it.   A turn of the head, and short run around you and sitting again... just out of reach.  We are working on drop it.  But I think he likes the keep away version!

Two Year Old

As near as we can figure, Monty turned two yesterday!!!  It so nice after what he's been through that at two he is healthy (ok, he can still afford to lose some pounds), happy and still follows me around like a puppy.  I think through this winter he has totally lost all of his leash manners so its time to start working on that again. I want to celebrate his birthday this weekend with time at the dog park in Hooksett!  Hope its not snowing!

Happy Birthday Monty!

My very own dog park?

I brought Monty out to play this afternoon and all of a sudden this young pup comes running into the yard.  A few sniffs and they became friends and were running through the yard like crazy.  While rolling over in play, I noticed the new friend was a she.  It took lots of running, but I finally was able to grab her enough to read her tag, she belongs to neighbors down the street but had not intention of being held.  She ran off.  Monty, I'm proud to say stayed in the yard.  I hope he would do that if I wasn't with him. She kept running in and out of the yard, playing with Monty.   He whined when he couldn't follow her.  I threw the tennis ball, she wasn't interested.  Monty went after it, ran past me, and dropped it at her feet!.  Well, in spite of treats and now a lead in hand, I wasn't able to catch her again.  Monty had a blast!  I hope she found her way home safely.  I'm sure we'll see her again.  Monty was so happy to play with his new friend.

Fetch

A sure sign of spring.  I brought out a new tennis ball this morning and played Fetch with Monty.  He's getting better at dropping the ball rather than playing keep away.  Its pure joy to watch him run.  Over the hard ground you can hear the rhythm of his running.   I was very proud of him when, while chasing the ball at full speed, he turned around and ran back to me when the ball  went out of bounds!!   In three days it will be his unofficial birthday (His papers state he went to the vet on 12/23 and the vet proclaimed him 9 months, so we figured we'd call his birthday 3/23)

Signs of Spring

With all the warm weather, the mounds of snow have melted, revealing brown  grass. Monty has rediscovered one of his favorite past-times: digging.  Small holes at first and as the earth warms, they get larger and larger. This is a sure sign of spring!