Mini Aussie Ace in New York :)

Ace Face

2011-01-27T16:41:00.000-05:00

This would be the nickname my dad uses for Ace lol, it doesn't make any sense, but it sure has stuck....I find myself calling him "Ace Face" now hahaha!

Ace's first birthday went really well. He did manage to get into come cough drops, so he suffered from a bit of a stomach ache all day, so we had to forego the "hooman food"

BUT, he did get a super cute triceratops toy, and a giant bone, along with a cool bone from one of our new friends here in New York! OH and did I mention...I found a replacement ORANGE MONKEY! it's a miracle! He almost died when I pulled it out of the bag. haha this one is a bit bigger than his original monkey..so he drags it around somewhat...but he loves it!! He even tries to take it on walks with us...I got it at Bed Bath & Beyond for 11$. Great deal :) because it LASTS, he isn't able to shred through it like everything else...

He had a lovely day overall!!

Cute little bug :) He has been having ridiculous fun in all the snow, we got a storm last night, so this morning he romped and "helped" us shovel the driveway? Yea..not so much.

He found a coffee cup in our recycling bin which had just been tossed out. It had some coffee in it at the bottom...so he poured it out onto the snow..and then ate the snow.."Coffee Snow Cone!" ...He's smarter than he looks...hahaha!!

Thanks so much for everyones recommendations on the crate and aggression. I have been working with him everyday and it seems to be getting better. I remain calm and assertive. I love it.

This is his new thing...sitting in my laundry basket..forget the beds Ive bought him...he would rather chill in here...haha

This week is a busy one for us. Between work, and I am returning to school tomorrow (Friday), Ace is somewhat left out. I considered a lot of things such as getting a dog walker to come mid day, but realized, this just isn't enough! For now, I live just outside the city, and will be commuting into NYC to get to school, and then rushing back to get to work. I have to be realistic...that doesn't leave much time to get this little Aussie's energy out! (which never runs out no matter what...)

My dad has a friend who lives about an hour away in New Jersey, he has a huge piece of land with sheep and another dog. SO...he offered to take Ace for a few weeks, or as long as I need almost as a "Doggie Sleep Away Camp", of course, this breaks my heart, because...I love having him around everyday, but with this new schedule, I won't have the time I used to to give to him. This will of course...only be temporary, as I am trying to find a new job, that way, I am hoping to move into the city, and then Ace will join me. ( I have dreams of Ace and I going for "jogs" in central park together...) In the mean time, I will visit him on the weekends (our cousins live right near by). But at least this way, during the week, he will have tons of space to race around in, and even SHEEP to herd!!! We went last weekend to check it out and let my dad's friend meet Ace and he loved it there! I could barely get him in the car when it was time to leave!!!

I will post updates of Ace's adventures out in the country!

Oh..and did I mention my dad's friend is a great dog trainer as well? I think this is just what he needs! hhahaa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOY!

2011-01-20T01:16:00.000-05:00

Ace's First Birthday!

I CANNOT believe it! a Year?!?!!? Since we waited eagerly by the phone awaiting the call from the breeder to let us know our little boy was here!!!

I was so happy that day, I cried!

We met Ace a 1.5 weeks after he was born!

For his birthday, I plan on taking him to Petco and letting him pick a new toy, I'm sure he will pick a Dragon, like always hahaha, and he's getting a GIANT bone!

I didnt make any doggie friendly cake, but Ace LOVES fast food...I know...even I shouldn't be eating it, but sometimes I get the craving. He likes chicken nuggets and french fries, so I might get him some McDonalds haha. I remember for Bandit's birthday, his mommy got him a plain burger and put a candle in it! I might just copy this fabulous idea!!!

Other than Ace's birthday, he has been enjoying the snow to the fullest! He jumps like a bunny rabbit and burries his face in it! He could probably play in the snow all day! However, I would like to keep my fingers and toes, so I am usually the bad guy who cuts his play time off lol

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to be better about my blog! I love the blogging community so much and I miss it greatly!

I have a question/concern for my fellow doggie parents though. In the last bit, Ace has developed some aggression issues. He will go totally rabid when it comes to his crate. Such as, if someone goes near it, (even though it is in my room next to my bed) he goes nuts and will try and bite. I have to put snacks in there, and let him go in on his own, and then close the door while he eats his snacks, otherwise he will go crazy! :( It's awful. I don't know why this started, but I do not know how to fix it. I even got him a bigger crate for christmas!

Another is with Sammy around, he gets ridiculously possessive of his toys and snacks. If Sammy even so much as goes near one of Aces bones or toys Ace goes crazy, barking, and jumping around.

I tried to give Ace and Sam each a treat last week, and Ace jumped up on me grabbed his snack, and then went crazy and bit my arm for sammies. I was so scared!

I read that he probably feels a lack of leadership!

I need help and advice! Please!!

He is such an angel 90% of the time, but this other 10% is bad, and I don't want it to get worse. It would be awful if he bit someone else...

It's Beginning to Feel A Lot like Christmas!

2010-12-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

Ace's First Snow Play! He saw snow for the first time just after Thanksgiving when I took him with me to stay with a friend a few hours North of the City. It was light snow though, and he only got to see it for a few minutes on the ground before it melted.

This morning at home however, we woke up to find snow everywhere!!!

I think he is in his element....he just can't get enough!

Even though I was freeezing, I piled on 10 layers and took Ace and Sammy to the park before Work this morning. He didn't want to get into the car to leave he was having so much fun!

On a side note, I noticed lately that Ace's bum hairs have gotten so wild that "yucky stuff" gets stuck in the hair. I have to wash his butt constantly! (which of course he doesn't like)

With treats in one hand, and scissors in the other, I went scissor happy on his long hairs on his bum. Let's just say...I will probably never be hired as a dog groomer....

I will try and get a photo, it's pretty funny actually.

Poor guy, shoulda seen his face when he looked over at the huge pile of hair on the floor. I think he was pretty upset with me.

I'm going to do a touch up tomorrow...

How often do you usually bathe your fur baby? I usually have to bathe him once a week or once every 2 weeks. He gets SOOO smelly...I don't understand!

*I have been trying to measure Ace to see how tall he stands, but he ate my tape measure..., so I'm still trying to get on that*

Nom Nom Nom Apples :)

2010-12-08T23:06:00.000-05:00

A Lovely Video of Ace Nomming on an Apple :) I always sharee <3

He Likes to Nibble them with his front teeth! hahaaha

Can it be?!?!

2010-11-30T03:06:00.000-05:00

It Can Be!

Ace is back!

After some reserve about getting back into blogger, I finally broke down and have decided to come back! I have missed..Ace as well...all of our blogging friends!

What fun is puppy/dog parenthood if you don't have great friends to share your adventures with!

After moving to NYC, there have been a lot of changes which have prevented me from staying in touch with blogger :( Now that I am much more settled I am thrilled to be back in touch!!

Ace was neutered 10 days ago! FINALLY! He is a whopping 36 pounds (Will he ever stop growing?!?! What happened to a MINI australian shepherd?!?!?!) and NEVER stops running around! We go to the park everyday before I go to work :)

His big brother (my parents dog) Sammy is his bestest friend in the whole world...even though Sammy is more of a retired dog at 8 years old and would probably rather have his toenails yanked out than have Ace jumping on him all day, he takes it like a champ!

I feel like there is so much to catch up on! But for now, enjoy some adorable pics of Ace wearing his short lived, yet ADORABLE "Mama's Boy" Tee that my sister picked out for him!

The billowing chest hair really does it for him...

An Onslaught of Photos!

2010-08-18T22:02:00.002-04:00

In catching up, I figured I would bombard you with pictures from our last few weeks!!

*The houses in the area have yards filled with vines, Ace is OBSESSED with laying in them*

*Swimming away at the park...*

*He really wanted to get to those geese*

*really...*

*Watching my younger sister on the swing*

*NOT sharing the bone..they both like to lay on my bed...*

*Model Pose*

*Ace & my cousins dog Coolio! She is about 7 I think*

*Spooning with Sam*

*Aw...SamSam...*

*Playing with Coolio*

Ace and Sam are best of friends and actually won't go on a walk unless the other is there...as we experienced this evening. They play with each other all day and I hope Ace will learn good behaviors from Sammy :)

Ace is SO loved here and gets attention all day long! The crating is hard for me because as soon as I put him in there and walk away....someone comes and lets him out for another play time or walk!

He never stops....

We took a great little drive over to New Jersey to visit some family and stayed the night! Ace played with my cousins dog, and they actually just got a new puppy! A little golden retriever names Layla! We can't wait to go over and meet her asap!

Oh, I also switched Aces food, since the food company we used in Canada doesn't deliver here in the USA as of yet. I came across Blue Buffalo...there "Raw" diet food. The one with the wolf on the front. It is a duck and other meat food with no grain or corn!

I wasn't sure if Ace would like it because he can be pretty picky...but he LOVES it!

I like that the ingredients are not a bunch of junk...I always worry about him.

Does anyone else use this food?

There will be many more updates to go!

It sure is good to be back!

The finer things in Life....

2010-08-18T01:07:00.000-04:00

Thats Sam the 8 year old golden...who's birthday is actually today, August 18th! He is 8 years old! and Ace...snuggled in next to him. They play all day, biting and pawing each other, by the end of the day, they are so worn out it's really cute :)

This picture and moments like this is why I love having a dog in my life (or dogs) haha

Awards! & Getting back in the groove :)

2010-08-16T23:53:00.002-04:00

Ace and I want to thank everyone for their support and love during a not so fun time. We wanted to let everyone know we are doing really great though! Being with my family has been really wonderful for both of us. They are all very happy, upbeat people...so how could you not be having fun!

Ace is adjusting really well! He loves his new friend Sam (the golden), but things are still a work in progress with Ben (the cat)...Ben was a rescue...and we aren't sure what his past was like...but he tends to be on the mean side...haha I'm sure things will turn around!

I have a bunch of pics that I will upload tonight hopefully and try to get posting asap! They are soo cute! My cousins just got a new golden retriever puppy! So we hope to be visiting them soon in New Jersey!!

We want to thank our buds Roo & Scratch my Belly for the great awards!! I love it & I love the sense of community this blog brings us and the new friends we have made!

The rules are I have to write down 7 things about us!..hmm since there are 2 awards..I hope it's okay if I stick with just 7...and that will work for both!!! haha :)

Rules...

Ace will not, under any circumstance, sleep in the bed with me...I have tried many times now, and he will just NOT sleep, but the second I put him in the crate, he conks out like he's in a coma...I think he really enjoys the sense of being snuggly in his crate. He won't even nap outside his crate!
Ace eats a whole apple about 2 times a week. It's sooo funny to see him with the apple between his paws! (of course I take it away when he gets down to the rind)! I don't want an apple tree growing in his belly...haha!! It is definitely his favourite snack of all time!
Ace has never chewed a shoe! I know, how did I manage this!?!? He will however, grab my shoe...and bring it me, drop it in front of me, and whine. I think he does it to get my attention! Such a funny little guy!!
I don't know how we discovered this, but when Ace is acting crazy and needs some relaxation time....I put him on his back and scratch his inner thighs...he immediately goes calm and closes his eyes. Perfect solution for an unruly Ace! Which happens a dozen times a day!!!! haha
I wanted to name Ace, Ackamaru, which means Red in Japanese. It is from the Japanese Anime Naruto and it's the dog in the shows name!! I thought it was SO cute and still do...but I couldn't imagine constantly saying that LONG name all the time...especially now with Ace....I say his name 36597563 times a day calling out for him!! haha
Ace has a very human like personality, it sometimes freaks me out!! haha. When it is time for bed, I say sleepy time, and whatever he is doing, he lays down and rolls over because every night I always rub his belly and give him a nice snuggle for about 10 minutes...then I have to lift him up and he burrows in my neck...then when I try to put him in his crate, he goes limp and makes it hard on me...yea, this happens every night, but I absolutely love it and I wouldn't make it easier or try to change it for anything in the world because it is "our" little ritual!
I have made up about 3 full songs all about Ace. I sing them to him and he jumps around and will dance with me. It might sound corny, but it's our "mommy & ace" time and I LOVE it :) It makes my day...and WEEK. Having Ace has brought so much joy to my life, I wouldn't change it for anything.

Big Changes!

2010-08-09T01:14:00.000-04:00

Sorry we have been away for a while!!

We ended up doing the big drive from North Carolina all the way to New York!!

I have many pictures of us sharing Sonic Drive-in and pics of Ace's new best friend Sam (my family's dog)!!

I will be sure to post everything this week!

We do have some sad news though that will be changing our lives for good.

Ace's daddy & I decided to split up after almost 3 wonderful years together. We had a wonderful time, but things didn't work out. It's sad, but I have to be strong to start over and make a new life for Ace and I.

I will be keeping Ace and for the time being, we are going to be staying with my dad and stepmother, 2 of my younger sisters, a golden retriever, and a cat!

I have already found a job, and soon I hope to establish myself and find Ace and I a little apartment for us to share :) It's a big move from Toronto to New York and still need to figure out moving all of my things here.

It's been a rough few weeks, but after a lot of stress, we decided it was best. Who knows what the future holds. If things are meant to be, they will come together, but in the meantime, I am going to focus myself on my new job and most importantly Ace!! I hope to find agility courses for him and he needs some serious practice on his training!

(He is being VERY rebellious)

Anyway, Just wanted to let everyone know we are still around, we have just been so busy trying to get adjusted. Here is a silly picture of Ace and I playing with my computer!

(Me making a ridiculously weird face and Ace trying to bite my chin)

He loves me...I swear...<3

This is War!!!

2010-07-29T20:56:00.000-04:00

Flea is my Middle Name :P

So this is officially war!

Little Booger Butt has SO many fleas! I called the Vet & discussed what to do. They mentioned a pill called Capstar.

So...50$ later and a long trek to Petco we got our paws on Capstar!

Capstar is a flea killing pill! You give you pup one pill and within 30 minutes the fleas start to fall off dead! I gave it to him and then he went in his crate...because...seriously I didn't need angry fleas jumping all over the house!

While Ace was in the crate, I sprayed the house and vacuumed!

Then...when I got him out of his crate about 45 minutes later, there were SOOO many dead fleas in the crate! SO gross!! There were a few still clinging to life...but I killed them! Whew!

Ace then went right into the tub and got a wonderful Flea bath! WITH aloe vera! (for sensitive skin) Ace doesn't really have sensitive skin...he is used to getting bathed weekly (dirty little guy), but I figured the shampoo is probably already harsh enough...

It was pretty nasty....The fleas that did survive were frantic!! I got those little suckers though!! I gave Ace a nice foamy lather and massaged him for a good 5 minutes. When I rinsed, a bunch of dead fleas washed down the drain!! YUCK!

After the bath, to Ace's dismay I picked through his fur...even though he tried to bite me a bunch of times...I don't blame him though...I would bite too if I was infested with fleas....LOL

I found a few that were still alive, but for the most part, they were dead...just latched on! Eeek!

Ace is still itching a bit, but I haven't seen any for now....

I think his skin is just itchy from the bites!

He is due for reapplication of his monthly Revolution spot treatment on the first. I don't want to give it to him now because I feel like it might be TOO much for his body...I don't know how that works really. I like to follow the instructions on the box :)

With the capstar, I can give Ace a pill every 24 hours if they come back or...if they don't I will continue to give him the pills every couple of days to make sure to kill the newly hatched fleas!!

This has been a total nightmare and I am SO exhausted from cleaning everything. I had other plans for tonight, but forget-a-bout-it! I am already in bed watching re-runs of gosh knows what!

Little Ace-Chan sure is a lot of work!!! But I love my little peanut to pieces!

I just hope we can rid ourselves of this flea issue!! At first I was SO grossed out and didn't want to touch them, but I felt SO bad for my little boy, I sucked it up!

He seems a lot happier now after his treatments :)

I'll make sure to keep everyone updated on our progress with the fleas!!

I really appreciated everyones advice on what to do!! It really helped!

OMG FLEAS!!!

2010-07-28T00:24:00.000-04:00

YES! ACE GOT FLEAS!!!

So today, Ace was sitting on my bed while I was checking some email and I noticed he started scratching himself a lot, which he never does...and my heart sank and I thought...Noo......

Sure enough, I parted his thick fur and all these little black things are marching around!!!!!

SOOO GROSSS!!!

I literally grabbed him under my arm, ran to find my uncle (he has flea shampoos for his dog) and we bathed Ace outside with a flea shampoo!

You could see the fleas falling off...dead from the shampoo!!!

It was awful! I felt SOOO bad for Ace!!

Turns out, because it has been SO hot, fleas has infested my grandmothers yard. There are a lot of dogs in the neighbourhood and they will randomly walk through the yard sometimes, so who knows if they have fleas??!? Well my uncles dog, who lives outside gets fleas from time to time and he currently had them!!

I think that this morning when I let Ace out, he ran over to my uncles dog's pen area before I could stop him! I think he might have picked them up from him!!!! (the vets said that even if a dog living in a certain area of the yard gets fleas, usually the whole yard gets them...)

AHHHH. I'm sooo grossed out! I called our vet back in Toronto and she said that even though I use Revolution on Ace, because of such a large quantity of them, the medicine cannot keep up!

So a flea bath now...and then once again right before we leave to NY. She also said to make sure my Dad's pets are protected against fleas to prevent an infestation at their house!!!

How horrible!

I had to wash everything, I sprayed everything, and there were still a few fleas on Ace when I checked him this evening....I tried to pick them off, but Ace jumps and fidgets with me!

The vet also said that because we used the shampoo, it SHOULD kill any left over adult fleas (also the revolution will kill them too) but I didn't realize they have so many life cycles and that we might see fleas for the next few weeks!!!! But just less and less of them...

AHHH....

My poor baby!! He is exhausted after all the commotion!! He is in my room now, sleeping in his crate, but I feel like my skin is crawling!! I keep itching, but I think or HOPE it is just the heebie jeebies!!

If anyone else has dealt with fleas on their poor furbaby, I would love advice!!

It would be SO helpful!! I want Ace to be 100% flea free!!!!!

*I hate flea baths....*

Fabulous Friday!

2010-07-23T19:30:00.001-04:00

Ace and I are enjoying time visiting my grandmother in North Carolina!

It is pretty country-ish out here, much different that Toronto that's for sure!

My grandmother has 4 birds (one of whom talks NONSTOP and now barks like a dog...he also says SHHHHHH really loud when Ace barks...it drives Ace nuts! haha)

She has a chicken coop with 4 chickens and 2 roosters

My uncle also has a pit-bull named Jazz (a VERY nice pit-bull), Jazz really wants to be friends with Ace, but Ace isn't really interested...sad...

There is a big yard with a huge forrest for us to explore!

I think he is enjoying himself.

We play outside and Ace lays under the big trees while I tan. It is quite lovely. He also just loves the chickens!! There is one rooster who walks about freely outside the coop, and it chases Ace. He totally loves it though...he keeps going back for more! haha

Ace sure loves his *GREAT* grandma!

She ~~secretly~~ feeds him bananas and other delicious snacks at breakfast every morning. No wonder he sits by her seat.

Last night during dinner, I left the table for a second to come back to find my grandmother at the table, and Ace sitting at the head of the table seat staring at her!

It was priceless, but I couldn't get the camera without him jumping down!
He looked like a little fuzzy person!!

Ace Says Greetings from North Carolina!

*BTW there is the lamb toy (with chew guard technology, I had to surgically remove his tail after ace shred it! Go figure, he removes the tails from all his toys...I suppose he wants them to look more like him??? Otherwise, the Chew Guard is holding up REALLY well! I am impressed*

I also wanted to post an update on air travel with doggies!

Ace is doing really well now, but it did take a while.

For a few days he had a bit of anxiety, he would whine and was a bit skittish.

I don't blame him though! It was a VERY long day and he was probably petrified!

Because of this, when we leave for my dad's in NY in a few weeks I am considering renting a car and doing the 11 hour drive myself with my mini Aussie!

I think both of us will feel a lot better traveling together in the comfort of a car listening to tunes :)

Even though it's a long drive for one person, I hate to see Ace scared in anyway. Not to mention the ridiculous price tag for my poor pup to ride cargo....250$$$ and that was just the estimate! He still wouldn't be able to fly into NY, but instead would have to fly to Newark where I would need to go pick him up an hour away! Crazy.

As it is, he was always attached to me, but now....forget about it..I can't even take a shower without him trying to jump in!

I love my mini Aussie though :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T21:43:00.000-04:00

Silly Sunday :)

2010-07-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

Here are some silly pics from right before we left Toronto to visit family!

Ace finds the need to climb on every bench!! Here he is sitting on a bench waiting for the bus haha

All sorts of people stop and stare and laugh!

This one is just down right mischievous! Daddy snapped this pic after he walked out of the room and Ace immediately took advantage and checked the table for snacks!!

Here is Ace in his baby pool in the yard in Toronto. He was learning to blow bubbles with his nose in the water, He must have sat there for 30 minutes just blowing and blowing and then trying to bite the bubbles!

In the car, I am trying to get Ace used to sitting in the back because a) it is much safer, and b) he is just too darn big to sit on my lap in the front. So I sit in the back with him.

He decided to use my arm as a perch and literally put all 4 little paws up on my one arm and sat there....

Hope everyone has a Silly Sunday! :)

Humpy Friday & Missing C :)

2010-07-16T22:11:00.001-04:00

After our whole ordeal earlier this week, Ace has been very content relaxing the last few days. We dealt with a bit of all night potty breaks with diarreah. It is a combo of being stressed from travel and the new environment. I think the heat has a big part in it though!

I take him out and he will chase the frisbee a few times and then he wants to lay in the shade....

I don't blame him. I would too if I was wearing a miniature double fur coat!

We were out today at a few stores and I found this SUPER CUTE blanket!! It had paws on the package so I figured it was meant for doggies! It is SO soft...I don't know the material because I have to remove the tags from EVERYTHING or our little tag muncher will eat it... It's pretty big though, so I am not sure, but nonetheless Ace LOVES it!!

Of course it's leopard print! Shh don't tell Ace's Daddy, he likes manly things for Ace, but...He looks so cool all snuggled up in it in his ginormous travel crate!

*YAY new blankie!*

He just loves snuggling on it eating his VitaLife Chicken Strips!

Yawhoo! I love my blanket!

I was organizing our room, and was looking around thinking...how did Ace get so many toys?!?! Well...it is my fault of course. I just LOVE getting him cute toys! He loves them all dearly and will gather them and put them all in the same spot so he can watch them all.

I suppose this is how new mothers must feel with their human babies haha!

*Here he is with his CHEW GUARD technology Lamb squeaky toy! I found it in a magazine! They come in pigs, cows, and lambs! We call him Mr. Lamb Lamb, and his new CROCODILE squeaky toy. He is taking the place of monkey *also below* for now because monkey is now a choking hazard with his neck dangling by a thread...(Monkey is hiding in my nightstand drawer for now...) eek!*

I wanted to EDIT and say the site I got the Lamb toy with Chew Guard Technology is GODOGFUN.COM and they are called puppy tough balls! haha

Here is the little peanut last night after his bath...he decided to warm my pillow for me...*sigh*

Since it is just Ace and I right now, I thought, hey, why not let him sleep in the bed with me?!?! Well...he is now back in his crate after only one night....he wanted to play ALL night!

I would wake up randomly to find him just sitting there wide awake...and then he decided he would lay across my face and I awoke startled with a mouthful of fur...

He is much happier in his snuggly little crate with his leopard blanket!

(I let him snuggle on the bed during the day though while I work on the computer)

On another note, Ace absolutely LOVED my sister. He took to her like white on rice. Following her around, learning her name after like 2 times of me saying it, waking her up in the morning, and....dun dun dun....HUMPING THE HECK OUT OF HER!

I can't remember the last time we laughed so hard. EVERY time my sister would sit or lay down Ace would come charging towards her and try to hump her!!

He does this absolutely crazy thing where he wraps his little arms around your arm, nuzzles his face into your neck, and does this crazy heavy breathing...it is NUTS!

Of course when I would scold him to stop, he pauses, looks right at me and continues.

I read about it, and apparently it isn't a sexual thing, more like a dominance thing.

He doesn't get all sexual about it if you know what I mean.

But it sure leads to some good laughs!

Here is my sister and Ace (she agreed to let me post the picture for everyone's viewing pleasure) and besides, everyone could use a good laugh, even if it is at her expense! haha

We miss you already C! We will be seeing you soon in New York!

Not So Fun Adventure.... :(

2010-07-14T20:56:00.001-04:00

We certainly had an incredibly stressful weekend.
Daddy's new job has been keeping him really busy and because we haven't found a new place yet that we can really see ourselves in, I spend the days working from home at Daddy's parents and after a while everyone starts needing their own space. Very understandable :)

So, we decided I should take the chance to go visit my family in the states who I haven't seen in forever! (I do visit, or they visit me, but usually only for a weekend or a week at a time) I do miss them terribly! :(

We decided I would bring Ace with me because he wouldn't be able to get the attention and exercise he usually gets due to the long work hours.

Well it was all really last minute and so we decided on Air Canada. When we called, we told them about Ace and the girl on the phone assured us that Ace would be able to fly as *Carry on* with me on the plane. They explained they were flexible and allow dogs under 25 pounds.

So...we purchased my ticket, his ticket, went out, purchased the carry on crate, Ace hated it, but soon got used to it with the help with treats!

Our flight was at 8 am so our day started early and daddy brought us and all our luggage to the airport at 6 am!!! :s

The lines were RIDICULOUS and Daddy stayed as long as possible until he finally had to leave to go to work and we still had a bit of a wait ahead of us.

After an hour in line, we finally reach the counter to have one of the attendants say *I don't think that dog should be on the plane, he is too big!*

My heart sank...I pleaded, begged, and argued with this woman for 10 minutes until she finally said I could purchase a crate at the airport and he could fly cargo!

So I run with Ace on my arm across the airport to get this crate...I get there to have the woman look at me with a baffled face and tell me that there is an embargo on transporting animals via cargo because it was over 85 degrees! OMG!!

I almost cried. I found another supervisor...tried to argue with him, but no luck in the end.

I ended up missing my flight, sitting in the checkin area for 3 hours trying to find a flight for Ace to get on.

Air canada directed me to one place, that place directed me to another, and then another.

Finally Air Canada Cargo* told me they would send him the following morning, but I needed a hard sided crate.

I quickly called Daddy's mom at home to come get me so we could race home, get a crate, and have everything ready, and THEN get back to the airport for my 4 pm rescheduled flight.

We got the crate, which by the way is $$$$$. I never knew! Sheesh, who knew a plastic crate would be so expensive.

When we got home, I called the Air Canada Cargo to book him and the man on the phone (who was different than the first guy I talked to) told me that they too had an embargo and wouldn't send him!!!

I almost died! What was I going to do with Ace?!?!? Daddy's parents aren't big dog people and were already doing us a favour by letting us stay at their house with him.

After everything that day we couldn't find a freakin way to get him on the plane....

I finally had to leave for the airport with no prospects on getting Ace to North Carolina with me.

My heart was broken, but I figured I would just keep trying to find a way to get him to me!

While I was waiting at the airport (sweating)... Daddy's mom called me to tell me they had found Continental Airlines Pet Cargo Shipping!! (You'd think other airlines would be aware of this and recommend it to people).

So they booked his flight and on Tuesday morning at 6:30 am, Daddy dropped him off at the airport in his crate with his little bed and a toy.

Toronto to Newark...then Newark to Charlotte!

He didn't arrive until 4:25pm!!!

I was SO worried I didn't sleep all night on Monday. I felt so terrible about Ace riding beneath the plane.

We practically sped to the airport on Tuesday and we met Ace there!

He was SUCH a trooper!

He rode on the plane with 2 bunnies, 2 puppies, a baby pig, and a few other pets! At least he wasn't alone. I felt so much better to have my little Chan Man in my arms again!

I took him outside and he hightailed it to the grass and took probably the longest pee of his life...

Even though the crate had an absorbent material on the bottom, he must have held it!

I don't know how he did it!

I feel so much better now that he is with me! Not only that but he gets to visit with my sister (who hasn't seen him since he was a little peanut at the breeders when she was here to visit).

When we picked him up, we surprised him with some new treats and a fresh bottle of water!

The treats, which I recommend to everyone, are made by Vitalife (the company Daddy works for)!!! They sell them at Walmart, Costco, and many other large stores.

We got him the chicken strips for fresh breath!! He was SO happy!

It will be great for Ace out here in North Carolina visiting my grandmother & sister. There is a huge yard with a forest, chickens, a rooster, and bunnies everywhere!!

After this, we are then going to New York to see my dad & sister(again) yay!

We of course will then need to get a flight for Ace, but this time, it won't be such a huge trek because it won't be *International* and I am going to try to get him on the SAME flight as me! But there isn't any worry yet, since we plan to stay and visit for a few weeks :)

We miss Daddy Terribly & hopes he will get a chance to read the blog to see pictures of Ace on his "International Adventures!"

Miss you and Love you Daddy & We'll see you soon :)

*Ace sleeping in the Car on my sister's lap on the way home from the airport*

Graduation Day!

2010-07-09T20:53:00.002-04:00

PUPPY OBEDIENCE GRADUATION!

okay, so it was actually on Tuesday but I hadn't uploaded the pictures from my phone!

Yea I know, I forgot the camera, but luckily the iphone did the trick somewhat...the picture of our teacher handing Ace the diploma was a little blurred but the other came out pretty good I think!

PS...Ace was the only pup who actually grabbed the diploma himself! hahahaha everyone was laughing!

Handsome little guy! I don't mean to brag but he sure did come a long way from being the loud constant barker from our first class to being the only guy who would actually stay in his *Down Stay* for the alotted time!

I remember our first class when he just WOULDN'T stop barking! I was so embarrassed because I was getting weird looks from other people!

I feel so accomplished and even though we won't probably continue with the higher level classes as of now, I am going to stick with doing the training myself! There are all sorts of cool tricks I want to teach him!

He sure is turning out to be a great dog!

We are very proud :)

ALSO I wanted to thank everyone for the birthday wishes! It was a great birthday :)

Celebrating Mommy's Birthday!

2010-07-01T23:43:00.000-04:00

Today was a wonderful birthday (mine) and Canada Day! yay July 1st!

The highlight was this morning when for the FIRST time, Ace jumped up into our bed all on his own and snuggled with me for 10 whole minutes! I feel like maybe he was trying to say *Happy Birthday? Thank you for feeding & loving me everyday?*...hey I can dream haha!

We spent the beautiful cool morning walking through the park and splashing in the river. Ace is sure becoming a great swimmer. We are very proud :D

I can tell once he swims a nice lap he walks out and struts his stuff as if to say "Hey ma, dad! Did you guys see those moves out there?!?!"

After a lengthy park playtime Ace got a deep clean! (He gets SO grimy at the park)

He might be the cleanest dog ever. He has actually grown to really enjoy his baths and jumps in the shower if he gets a chance. This is such an improvement from a few months ago when he would whine and cry and struggle to get out.

Now if we could only get him to shake off....he usually just stands there and waits to be dried while he is sopping wet! SO CUTE :D

While Ace napped I dragged Daddy out for an adventure (and besides, he said I could pick out a birthday gift) hehe.

We shopped a bit and I must say I totally recommend signing up for Sephora's beauty insiders club...they give you free gifts on your birthday WITHOUT a purchase! haha Oh how I love free things.

Ace loves free things as well as when I returned home he thought the little gift pack was for him and stole it, ran away with it and tried to eat it...*sigh* Dog & makeup were unharmed in the end!

After a delicious dinner we came back to enjoy a quiet evening with our little guy while he chewed his kneecap bone (YES the SAME kneecap bone from my post a few months ago) I must say, that thing has some serious staying power!

Sadly, we may be saying goodbye to Ace's FAVOURITE orange monkey toy soon. I am looking for a replacement before I toss the original. (He sleeps with it every night, so I don't want him to be sad) It was a VERY strong toy for Ace, but I suppose 24/7 loving for the last few months took it's toll as he now has a hole in his neck and we had to remove the stuffing....

Here is a beautiful picture for your viewing pleasure!

This is Ace's lip curl...he does this ALL the time (Happy, sad, angry) He has about 10 different versions of the lip curl... It's hilarious.

Swimming with your Best Friend :D

2010-06-29T22:23:00.002-04:00

On Sunday Ace met his *cousin* doggy Baxter! He is actually daddy's cousins' doggie!

Baxter is a giant black lab and is about 3 years old!

We went over for a nice lunch and brought Ace along for some play time. Daddy's cousins house has a super cute pond that Baxter swims in so of course once we got there and Baxter and Ace met, Baxter immediately showed Ace his pond! It was so cute because at first you could tell Ace was a little bit nervous about the water but Baxter jumped right in! Sure enough Ace crept towards the edge and at first tried to climb on Baxter's back, but once that didn't work he went right in and swam around!

We were so proud!

After hours of running, playing chase, swimming, eating snacks, and climbing on everything you could tell the two pups were done-zo haha.

Sadly Baxter, at only 3 years old, has really bad hips. His family noticed just after they had brought him home and as he grew it got worse. There is a long and complicated series of surgeries that can be done, but they are not gauranteed to help and could cause him a lot of pain. With some different supplements and lots of swimming (low impact) he seems to be a very happy guy! Daddy's cousins said they have never seen him running so much. He and Ace are thick as thieves! We are already planning our next play time!

Tummy Ache!

2010-06-20T17:57:00.000-04:00

Uh-Oh!

So after our trip to the park last week Ace started having really bad gas...

and when I say bad gas...I mean BAD. Like nothing I have ever smelled before...haha

When we put our heads together and a little googling action, we remembered that Ace had drank out of the river that he was playing in. We had tried to stop him, but it was too late!

He was fine until the evening when the gas started.

*Ow Ma, my tummy hurts*

Poor little guy. He barely touched his dinner (which never happens) and he had a bit of the *runs*...eek!

It was a very different and unique experience when it was time for bed and I walked into our room and had to open a window it was so smelly! Aw Ace...

I figured if he seemed to be getting worse or it didn't clear up soon enough we would call the vet. Luckily it cleared up after just a day and a lot of CLEAN water drinking!

Online it said that if the water isn't moving (and even if it is) there can be bacteria that can make us sick! ;(

We will most Certainly be going back to the park, but we are going to be REALLY careful to not let Ace drink the water!

Ace is back in business!

*Ma, you better not blog about this...*

We also wanted to let you know about our newest blogger friend...another MINI AUSSIE! yay!!!

http://ohcharlietheminiaussie.blogspot.com/

Off Leash Dog Park Review-High Park, Toronto

2010-06-18T23:01:00.001-04:00

So Thursday (Yesterday), we decided to head on over to High Park, which is a little oasis in the city of Toronto. I had heard a lot of good things about their Off Leash Dog Park from other pup parents around town! (Yes we are quite the socialites...)

No seriously, I have literally become obsessed with going to every dog related activity around the city...I just find this new and exciting *dog world* so amazing! I have met so many new & fun people who have the same love for their dogs!

Back to my original thought...so High Park...we ended up loving it SO much, we went back Today as well!

It had a really great vibe to it, a lot of friendly pet owners, a lot of dog walkers with their entire *pack*, and dogs of all ages and sizes!

Pros+

+Large running space with side trails

+Fenced in

+Watering Station with hose

+Tons of picnic benches in the sun & shade

+*Babbling* brooks for your pups to play in

Cons-

-Even though fenced, there are gaps and the gate could use a little TLC, your dog needs to have a good recall.

-Under construction in certain areas (so who knows how long that will last)

I think when it comes to Dog Parks, it is so important there are safe fences implemented. If a dog were to slip out they could easily get lost in the large park or worse, hit by a car.

I hope that during the construction a new fence is in the cards.

Overall Ace rates High Park Dog Park an A+!

He had his first non doggie pool water experience!

He jumped right into the mini river and ran through like a mad man. He sure loved splashing & rolling in mud. He had a smile on his face the whole time.

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure....

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

WoofStock Dog Festival 2010 !

2010-06-14T13:52:00.003-04:00

So this past weekend was Woofstock! The Largest Dog Festival in North America & it takes place right here in Toronto!!

We thought we might not be able to go when the weather turned sour and started raining Friday night. Luckily..like it was meant to be the rain stopped for Saturday and we decided to head into the city!

It stayed pretty grey out and I think that might have deterred some people, but even with the weather it was PACKED! I really love to see how many people are SO enthusiastic about their pets!

*Here is Ace at the festival, I am not sure I have ever seen him so happy*

*We met SO many other Aussie parents! Here are two Standards, but we met many other Mini's as well!! We had a lot of photographers stop us and ask to take photos of him for the event, our little guy is quite handsome!!*

*I registered for free for the VIP area a few weeks ago and we got in! I was so excited because it was limited and it was so cool! They were private air conditioned tents with couches, water, and swanky gift bags with free samples!....OH and this sweeeeet Bandana that says " I <3 Woofstock" Ace Loved it!*

Here he is on the red carpet outside the VIP tent!

*Ace got SO many pets & pats! He was such a bit hit with humans & dogs alike!*

*Howling in the wind! Sporting his awesome bandana!*

*a 5 month old collie girl! She REALLY wanted Ace to play with her, he wasn't as interested... :(*

*Ace's First Agility Experience!! We have been wanting to head over to Pawsway, but just haven't had the chance! They had a booth and agility course set up! He did SO well! He was mighty proud of himself afterwards as well...*

*Grand Finale!*

*Here is a pic of some of the crowds at the Woofstock Festival!*

Besides a lot of free treat samples, shampoo samples, and all sorts of other knick knacks, we got Ace a super cool new leash! It was very unique and we just had to have it haha*

He was SO sleepy after our afternoon at Woofstock, he slept in the car! SO CUTE!*

I wonder if there are doggie festivals in other areas around North America...if there are any in your area I recommend you check them out! It was so much fun! It is SO popular here in Toronto they are having a *Winter Woofstock* in November! We will most certainly be going back!

Ace-Chan ;)

2010-06-05T12:01:00.000-04:00

Here is Ace Chan sitting on the couch!

His latest thing is trying to climb up. It's funny because I know he is capable of jumping up no problem (I've seen him jump up on big rocks & benches), but he insists upon climbing up like a mountain climber.

I just hope his nails don't snag the couch considering it is not ours...yikes!

The reason for this pic is that Ace met some new friends in Puppy Class on Tuesday night!

One that really stood out was a 3 legged mix who was SO cute and probably the happiest dog I have ever seen...next to Ace of course!!

I can't remember his name, but I think it might have been Max...

Well, when Max sits, he doesn't sit like an average doggie, he sits up totally flat on his bum with his 1 good front leg up in the air. His parents told me that it is his *party trick* haha

But honestly, they said they think he does it to take the pressure off of his front good leg!

It sure was cute though!!! ;)

Here is Ace's daddy trying to get Ace to sit upright on the couch. I feel like he looked at the camera and stuck his tongue out at me on purpose!!! Little Devil!

Overall puppy class could have gone better. Ace did a lot of looking right at me and barking, trying to demand my attention. The trainer, Dorothy, came right over and corrected it. She said not to even look at him when he does that! It ended up working! I was pleased...Ace wasn't.

We are very excited for next week though! I am not sure what we will work on!! This week was heel, which Ace does not like to do! In time...

He is quite a free spirit and likes running like a banshee around the yard playing tag and hide and go seek than walking on a leash.

I have been reading a really good book though recommended to me by a fellow blogger, mommy of Ninja & Penny, She told me to read *Be the Pack Leader* by Cesar Millan.

I must say, what a great book!!! I really recommend it to everyone!

I feel like I have learned so much!! No wonder Ace tries to be so dominate!!

Another thing I found interesting was that it is really hard to raise a dog when there are a lot of people around. I feel like Ace's training hasn't been progressing as well since we had to move back into Daddy's parents house. There is very little consistency. We are trying though and hope that it will get better! ;)

Work & Patience ;)

Fun in the SUN =)

2010-05-30T17:26:00.000-04:00

So I know I have been slacking on doing regular posts! I always want to update everyday or at least every other day because I feel the need to share with everyone how cute Ace is, but I have been busy busy! I am trying to get back into a fitness regiment at the gym Daddy & I just joined!

I must say, I think I may be a little TOO ambitious haha

I feel like a noodle right now ha!

But anyway,

BACK to Ace Boy!

Tuesday is the start of his NEW puppy classes!! We will be with the same trainer, but we just had to resched due to our sudden move!!!

With all the backyard play time every day, we don't take as many walks anymore. I am going to need to practice on the leash with Ace!!! He sure objects to walking at my side...the little demon <3

*Hey ma, look at this stick I found!! Can I bring it inside??*

*This is my good side...haha*

*Don't get nervous ma, but look at me! I climbed a tree!!*

*There was another one of these giant flower pots, but Ace likes to crawl in and roll in the flowers....Daddy's parents were wondering why their flowers were dead when they came back from vacation!..Wasn't me....*

*You just try and take my pinecone...*

*Vogue*

*This is Daddy holding Ace, the flash came out all wrong, but it was so cute I had to share*

*I'm always watching you mommy...*

Ace has been doing really well this week!!

Tons of energy like always, but he is usually WIPED out at the end of the day.

Sometimes, like the picture above, he will sit on his little mat and eat his snack while I watch tv or use the computer! My good little nugget <3

We are having a big family get together tonight, so Ace will be the center of attention like always!

Oh!! And we will baking FurBaby cookies tomorrow!!

Apple Peanut butter Ones!!

I got a giant container of cookie cutter for Christmas from Daddy, so I need to look through and decide which animal shapes I want to use!! It's so hard because they are all so cute!!

Little Squirrels, Whales, birds, dinosaurs! I can't decide haha, not like Ace will take the time to appreciate the choice of cookie cutter I used...

BUT we are going to send some cookies to my Dad & Stepmothers BIG dog Sam in New York!!

He is a Giant Golden Retriever! I think around 70 pounds or more...

(I say GIANT because compared to Ace he is HUGE!!)

I will have to post a picture of him in my next post! It is on my phone <3

Anyway, Sam is about 7-9 years old, I can't remember, but he got pretty chub for a while so he went on a diet, it seems to be working pretty well for him!!

I figured some natural treats will be better for him than the pizza crusts and cat food he is always stealing!! ha!

Ace's Update @ 18 weeks!

2010-05-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

Okay, well technically Ace is 18 weeks until Wednesday, but I felt like doing the post now =)

Since we got him at 7 weeks on March 10th 2010, it's really amazing how far he has come!

I thought I would never sleep through the night again and there would never be an end to cleaning up paper misses!

It is truly amazing to watch a puppy grow and develop. I never realized the changes with our family pets growing up. I feel it must be because he is all ours and he depends on us completely.

I noticed a lot lately how many people comment on how well behaved he is! When I think of Ace I think of a mischievous little guy who finds socks in places unknown, stashes pine cones in our house, digs holes, and flattens flowers.

We had friends over on Saturday for a get together and everyone couldn't believe he was only 4 months old! I really started thinking about it and realized how lucky we are that those snatched socks and a messy garden are nothing compared to some fur kid stories I have heard!

-Ace now sleeps until 7 or 7 30 (with an occasional 6 30 am wakeup)

-He goes to the door and barks when he wants to go potty

-He will lay at our feet and chew on a bone when we watch tv (instead of jumping and whining for attention)

- He stands still during bath time!

-His recall is about 98% haha

There are many other things he does as well that demonstrate good behaviour, and to some it may seem very little, but I know when he does these little things, it makes me so proud! In such a short time he has learned so much! It's bittersweet because he is not acting like a naughty puppy as much as he is acting like a little puppy gentleman, and it means he is growing up <3

The most recent thing Ace has been doing (which he started Saturday night after our guests left), I allowed Ace to stay up later than usual (12:30, he usually goes to his crate around 10:30pm, he loves his routine haha) He must have been very sleepy after all the playtime with everyone because after I finished cleaning the kitchen, I noticed Ace wasn't sitting on the rug in the kitchen anymore. My first thought was Oh no what is he getting into now. So I walked downstairs looking for him and when I got to our bedroom, there he was, sitting on the floor at the foot of our bed whining at me!

Of course, I was immediately like "Oh goodness are you hurt?!?!"

but nope, he whined one more time, rolled on his back, so I rubbed his tummy.

After a few seconds of tummy rubbing, he stood up and walked RIGHT INTO HIS CRATE!!!! All on his own!!!

I couldn't believe it! The little booger waited in our room for someone to rub his tummy before bedtime!

I hadn't realized at the moment, but before bedtime every night, I always rub his belly to calm him! So once his belly was rubbed, Ace wanted to go to sleep!

I was so proud, and no lie, he has gone into his crate on his own each night since!!!

My little Genius <3

haha Sorry about a huge post bragging about Ace, but I am sure you other fur kid parents who went through puppy training and development understand my excitement & enthusiasm about things as little as being able to sleep in a bit longer!!! haha

Blog Hop!

2010-05-21T11:58:00.002-04:00

Back from NYC with Tons of Mini Aussie Fun!!

2010-05-20T19:35:00.000-04:00

Hey all of our blogger friends!

I did get back from my trip to NYC on Sunday but have been Uber lame about posting!!

After a wonderful trip to see my family (wishing I could have brought Ace along), daddy picked me up from the airport and I went into the back yard to wait for Ace. Daddy opened the door to let Ace out for his potty break and I thought he was going to have a heart attack! It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and it is always nice to know you were missed! He made all sorts of squeaky/crying noises and rolled all over the place wanting me to rub him haha. Needless to say, he was glued to my side the rest of Sunday to make sure I didn't disappear again! ha!

I must say, even after just ONE week, he grew! I was so surprised!

We think he weighs around 16 pounds now =)

While I was gone, he lost his FIRST tooth!!....well we thought he did, until we did a thorough inspection and realized it actually broke....we think the endless hours of chewing on his cow kneecap bone did it!

It doesn't seem to bother him, so we will show it to the vet when we go back in a couple of days for his follow up shots. Because it was one of his baby Canine teeth, he now looks like a little hillbilly when he opens his mouth...ahhh Ace...lol

I have been wanting one of those little baby plastic pools for a while now, but the weather is just now getting perfect for it! It was a warm 81 degrees and sunny today so Daddy and I went over to Toys R Us to pick up a little pool!

Ace was totally shocked at first and like anything new, barked and growled at it, but then I think he started to enjoy it! We kept having to put him in, but he would stand there and then jump out and run like a maniac around the yard! I think his favourite part was that all the dirt he rolled in stuck to him...haha

Here are some wonderful...and VERY dirty shots of our *dirty merle* Mini Aussie Ace!

-Here is the new pool after a couple of uses haha-

-A Very dirty & wet Mini Aussie Ace with a giant stick he found-

-The flower bed he decided to dig up and make into a *nest*-

-YUMMY morsels!-

-His new hang out spot under a little tree in the backyard, He likes to eat the flowers off of it haha-

-"Ma, seriously, you need to try this stick...it is SOOOOOOOO good!"-

-Unable to decide which stick he wants while playing with his Uncle (Daddy's younger brother, who is back from law school for the summer)-

-Ace's new favourite spot on a giant rock in the back yard! He got a nice bath after this haha!-

We wonder how Ace will be this weekend, It is a Holiday here in Canada and there are a lot of fireworks all over the place (including our house)! We hope Ace will love them too!!!

Mini Aussie Vet Visit =)

2010-05-08T23:17:00.001-04:00

So I am happy to say our vet visit on Thursday went wonderfully!

At 15 weeks, Ace weighs 14.9 pounds =)

I guessed 14 because when I give him goodnight hugs and kisses (yea I know, there's no wonder I get walked all over) I felt like my arms were getting tired...(no I am not a weakling, I just have a very intense yoga instructor) haha

So since we moved, our original vet was way out of the way, so we decided on a new one. I read reviews, and we picked the Bloor Animal Hospital. It's not too far, so Ace was happy. (He is still unsure about the car).

The vet was super nice and of course everyone loved him (other patients and parents included).

He was supposed to be in there for his 3rd series of vaccines (which include the basics which protect from parvo and a bunch of other things, yea I have a terrible memory)

I might have it wrong, but I know he got his parvo vaccine, but It includes a couple of other things, and they need to be given in a series of every 4 weeks 3 times lol

Before we got Ace I grew up with family dogs and cats, but never realized that they need all sorts of vaccines too!! I feel like I am taking a toddler to the doctor...except Ace is way braver than his daddy and I and we both sweat when he gets the needles. Ace doesn't even flinch!

Well anyway, back to the story...he was supposed to be in there for the 3rd set of his series and his rabies shot, but we ended up also getting him the shot that protects against the weird disease racoons carry & is in their feces (there are racoons EVERYWHERE here) so better be safe than sorry.

AND he also got the kennel cough nasal spray immunization.

Needless to say, I could tell he was angry with us for letting them do the nasal spray...

I think that even surpassed the thermometer up the bum! His face was priceless...poor little guy...

BUT despite a few shots and some nifty flea & tick repellent to start June 1st, our little guy is in superb shape! He really is growing fast! His legs are getting longer, and his body leaner...He still is my little fluff ball, but he isn't so much a baby anymore...

*tear*

Here is Ace and his daddy. He started off a mama's boy, but he sure does look up to his daddy.

We also had to get Ace a new leash on Thursday after he totally...stealthily I might add....chewed though his leash! *sigh* We figured that one wouldn't last long, but we got a really nice one, only 22$ and it is reinforced, but it is SO soft...very flexible and comfy for both Ace and us! He seems to really like it, he hasn't tried chewing it at all!

Speaking of chewing though, I must add, I have been wondering lately if other mini aussies did this as puppies, and if they still do or stopped.

Eating Treasures in the yard!!

When I say treasures I mean.....leaves, flowers, small twigs/sticks, anything they can get their mouths on!!

I literally have to remove something from Ace's mouth 3 times at least! Daily...

He eats so many leaves!! I don't get it....

The vet said he might grow out of it or he could be one of those dogs who forever eats well...everything lol

I will miss my little guy this week along with my big guy! I am going away for a week to visit my family in NY. I thought about bringing Ace with me, but daddy got some time off from work (he can't go to my family's house because they have a cat, and he is deathly allergic) and we decided that it would be great for Ace to stay with him rather than go to our lovely breeders for the week to board!

I am sure they are going to have a great time! I of course being the overbearing puppy mommy will be sure to call numerous times a day! haha

I will make sure daddy takes some good pics! Hopefully he doesn't get too big in a week! Ah!!

A Ridiculously Hectic Mini Aussie Week! =)

2010-05-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in about a week or more!

It all started when I started having a really hard time breathing when I was in our apartment, I wasn't sure what it was until I literally wheezing and needed an emergency inhaler!

Turns out our apartment had a huge mold problem, and I have a huge allergy to mold!

We literally packed up our apartment last Thursday and moved to Ace's daddies parents house who live 30 minutes away from our apartment!

While we search for a new home, Ace sure as heck doesn't seem to mind being here.

He has tons of space, a huge backyard, and he even has a stair case to play on! haha

Now that I have recovered from the mold, I really have noticed a huge difference in Ace's behaviour. We have been wondering if the mold was affecting Ace too!!

Since moving in with Ace's grandparents, he has been SO much happier, sweeter, and has been listening like an Angel (I don't want to jinx it now)

*On the bridge in the big park by Daddy's parents house*

*Ahh!! Geese & Ducks!*

*After romping in the river*

*Hey Ma...can I bring this big stick home?*

*Looking for treasures in the leaves!*

Not only has Ace been SO much happier, but he also has become 100% potty trained! (again...don't want to jinx it)

In the apartment..(ridden with mold..) we had originally paper trained Ace because it was difficult to get the little guy out in time (not to mention, there was no way I was wandering onto a city street in the middle of the night)

so back to the point....

So since we got to our new temporary home, the yard is fenced in and Ace literally just started going up to the sliding door and then looking back at us! He will even trot over to one of us then back to the door if we don't notice him!

I am so proud of him =)

Now if we could only stop the digging he has started yesterday...he made himself a wonderful mud hole in Ace's grandpa's flower bed....

*I think he has had about 5 baths since we moved here...haha no no..I'm joking, only 1*

Because we moved, we had to change his puppy classes because I don't have a car, and really don't think it's great to make a 1.5 hour treck via bus, subway, streetcar to go to a puppy class!

I called the wonderful puppy trainer and turns out she has another location closer to us! She is going to let us actually start over beginning June 2nd or 3rd I think! She just loves Ace and I know she doesn't want to miss out on his training!! =)

Today Ace is 15 weeks and tomorrow he goes for his Rabies and checkup!

We will get to see how much he weighs!!

I did a strenuous yoga class today and I am sooo sore and was seriously strained trying to lift him haha!! (okay, not SERIOUSLY strained...just a bit)

A Mini Aussie Weekend =)

2010-04-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

Despite a crazy training session on Friday, we had a wonderful weekend!

The weather was beautiful, a little cloudy, but not too cold!

We spent Saturday taking walks down by Lake Ontario, running in the sand and climbing on rocks!

Practicing *Heel* on the boardwalk!

*Making Friends!*

*Exploring the Sand*

*Running with Daddy along the beach*

*Climbing the rocks with daddy!*

*Ace's Regal Pose*

*Looking for Fish in the pond...nope..none...*

*With the Giant Cow Hip, or kneecap (which freaks me out, but daddy and Ace think it is awesome) that Daddy bought him after our big day out!*

*Ace-Chan totally wiped out relaxing with mommy watching a movie!*

After Saturday's adventures, Ace actually let me sleep until 7 am on Sunday despite his usual 6:30 am wake up time! Maybe he needs more adventure...haha

First day of Puppy Obedience Class!

2010-04-24T11:31:00.000-04:00

So usually I always attach photos to my posts, and I brought along the camera to puppy class, but I didn't even get a chance to use it..

.Let me tell you why...

Ace had been a good boy all day romping in the park with other dogs about an hour before we went to class. We came home, He took a nap & we waited to daddy to get home from work.

When Ace's daddy got home, we left and made it to class just a few minutes late!

Ace was SO excited to see all the other dogs, and luckily they were all still socializing, so we didn't interrupt anything.

There were 5 of us in the class I believe! Ace-Chan was really good at first playing with the other pups =)

Just as class was getting started, Ace's daddy had to step out for a couple of minutes to take care of the class payment. Literally as soon as he left, Ace flipped out!

No one could hear Dorothy (our wonderful puppy teacher) speaking because he wouldn't stop barking! He wasn't just barking because his daddy left, but he started barking at all the other dogs too!!

When I tried to correct him, he would snap and growl at me! Everyone was looking at me with a bewildered expression because how could a pup so cute turn so mean!!??!!

Needless to say, Dorothy walked right over and solved the problem! Her first lesson was based on Ace's behaviour and it had to do with dominance! She corrected his barking by making a sharp noise *Ah Ah* and doing a light jab in his side! (This is supposed to mimick a mother's correctional bite). She also made him lay down at her feet.

It worked!

I couldn't believe it!!

(Ace wasn't the only one though, during the course of the class, a few of the other dogs had barking/growling fits)

She handed me back the leash and he waited patiently at my feet (VERY quiet) might I add!

Ace's daddy walked back in and of course Ace was extremely pleased.

We have noticed he prefers to have both of us together all the time (but obviously this is impossible due to work)

We also know now that Ace has a lot more *respect* for his daddy than he does for me. Dorothy explained to us that Ace views our pack as 1)Daddy, 2) Ace, 3) Me....

I most certainly agree with this....It is mostly because I coddle him too much. I suppose I didn't realize how strong the pack instinct is with dogs.

It has come to the point where Ace is pulling me while we take walks, he snaps at me when I try to take his collar/leash off/on, and he will sit and bark in my face.

I have cuts all over my hands from his razor teeth! =(

Ace's daddy doesn't have ANY of these problems!

So this week, we are working on the dominance (pack leader) problem, and *heel*. haha

Once we got Ace's behaviour under control, we worked on heel!

We went first, and he did really well! There was a chihuahaha in the class that kept snarling at the other dogs and Ace wanted to play with him, so he kept getting distracted!

I cannot remember her name now, but there was another woman helping out with the class, and she told me she has a standard aussie! She said that even though he is well trained, he is constantly *testing* her! She laughed and said that her dog was very similar to Ace when they started out classes! Sure does make me feel a lot better!

Ace improved so much within 1 hour of puppy class, I can't wait to see what else is to come after 6 classes!

The funniest part is that Ace made himself a girlfriend! A Beautiful Sheltie name Bridgette! She is just 3 months old!!

*Too bad our blogger buddy Eva doesn't live close!, Ace has a thing for Shelties!*

Hopefully with time & plenty of practice Ace will catch on!! I know he will, we laugh and say he is too smart for his own good!! He sure does like to test us all the time!

Mini Aussie Tricks & Behaviours! =P

2010-04-22T14:27:00.001-04:00

Well puppy classes start tomorrow (Friday) as I mentioned in a few previous posts. It's scary to think how quickly the time passes. Ace was just over 5 pounds & 7 weeks old when we brought him home and he is now 12 pounds & 13 weeks! Carrying him to his crate is going to become a problem pretty soon I can already see it haha ;)

So being as puppy Obedience classes start tomorrow, I have decided to put together a list of things I really want to work on with Ace.

(Also, things I can discuss with the trainer, or even my blogging buddies for advice!)

*Ace can already Sit, Lay Down, Roll Over, Speak, & he sometimes will Shake*

1) Barking- Ace's voice has become his favourite thing to listen to haha, he barks when he wants out of his crate to go potty/or just to come out, when he wants attention, when he sees me get his food out, and at other dogs when they don't play with him (or during play).

I have tried a few different things to help correct it, but so far none are really working (don't worry I don't give up that easily!)

-Quietly (in an low tone) saying *Quiet* when he barks, then praising him when he's quiet.

-Taking two fingers and lightly tapping him on the nose and saying *Quiet*(and of course praising him)

-A soda can with pennies, and shaking it when he barks

-Ignoring him when he barks

2)Drop it-Ace is really getting into eating EVERYTHING, he takes nibbles off of boxes, bags, leaves, sticks, etc. I need him to DROP it, especially if it could cause choking! I have already had to save him from choking 2 times!! Needless to say I was sweating/freaking out haha. Last week, he picked up a small tin ant trap at daddy's parent's house and I had to pry his mouth open to drop it! Luckily it was still in tact and there was no sign of him getting any poison in his mouth.

3)Biting- You know this has to stop when every time you wash your hands your skin burns like it's on fire because of 50 puppy teeth marks! His bites hurt!

4)Stay- This is something that would really help for just...everyday! While I am cooking, cleaning, or even while the front door is open it would be very convenient (and SAFE) to have him be able to Stay put until I release him from the command. He is so antsy, being a puppy, it's understandable. That one might take some time haha

Here is Ace up to his latest antics...

I found this Ikea trash can laying around, I don't know where it came from & I don't think it was ever used for trash..it looks brand new, but I cleaned it out anyway and decided to use it for Ace's toys!

Yea...every time I put the toys in...Ace comes right behind me and takes them right out!

He decided "why bother with all the toys, when I can just play with the bin"

"How am I supposed to carry this thing?!? Maybe I will ride on top!"

"Maybe if I bark at it I can herd it!"

Taking it back his little bed to snuggle with it LOL

He then went on to munch on the edges and look at me as if to offer a bite. I of course declined haha

So excited for tomorrow! I hope they don't mind me snapping some pictures at the class!!

Doggie Ice-Cream Cones!

2010-04-20T23:05:00.001-04:00

Here is 3 Month Old Ace!

It was SO nice out Monday (yesterday), so I took Ace to *Big Dog Bakery* & Bought him a doggy *Ice-cream Cone* Cookie!!

We found a great spot in the big open park & sat in the sun while Ace munched his treat!!

Because Ace had no tail, it isn't always obvious when he is happy =)

We have realized a few different ways to tell when Ace-Chan is happy/excited!

1) He does the Butt Wiggle

2)He tucks his ears back or down low

(I know that sometimes dogs do this when they are scared, but this is his happy pose!)

I love the fact he has crumbs all over his lips! Once he was done he gave me a big cooke crumb kiss!!

We were VERY excited to hear that the bakery is going to be doing *Doggie* Frozen Yogurt in Waffle Cones for the summer!! Everything Fuzzy kid Friendly!! I never thought of such a thing! I am already excited for Ace to have one!!

Ace LOVES going to the bakery (it's only a once in a while treat), but it is okay, he runs it off!

(Ace Chasing his daddy! He is almost as fast! Another few weeks and he will catch up!!)

Now that I have started the routine of giving Ace carrots and/or apples in the afternoon (lunch time) he has come to expect it! It's sooo funny when I see him sitting in the kitchen staring up at the fridge waiting for his snack....it never fails...he is a creature of habit! haha

Puppy Classes this Friday!! Only 3 days away! Ah! Our little boy is growing up so fast!

Ace's Play date & Off Leash Play!

2010-04-18T12:31:00.000-04:00

Ace made a new *friend* on Friday evening! The Daschund *Max* =) He is 5 years old and soo cute!

Max is really calm and really didn't have much interest in Ace, but Ace sure did want to jump on and play with him! When Max didn't want to play back, Ace barked at Max for about 10 min while we walked haha!

Max totally ignored him! =0

Once Ace settled down and quite barking, Max warmed up and wanted to play!

Max is a pretty dominant guy, where as Ace likes to just roll over for other dogs!

There was a bit of crazyness at first when Max kept trying to dominate Ace =0

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Saturday, we went out to Daddy's parents house for a visit! They have a huge backyard that is all fenced in for Ace to play! This was his second time there in the yard and he knew right when we pulled up that he was in for some serious play time! He was SO excited!

It was a little chilly, but all the flowers are blooming, so of course I needed to take some pics!

*Waiting to go Outside!*

*So much Space!!*

*Inspecting the area!*

*Posing for Mommy amongst the flowers! Such a good Picture Taker!*

*Looking Handsome like Usual!*

*Such a beauty!*..or should I say *Handsome* =)

*Found a delicious leaf, yet...he seems to think every leaf is delicious....*

*Best pic of all! Ace chasing Daddy through the yard! Ace LOVES to jump on the rocks!..So does Daddy! haha* I wish my camera was better at getting Action shots!

We were really trying to work on frisbee with Ace! He has a small blue soft rubber one that is easy for him to pick up!! He chases it and brings it back...he doesn't always like to drop it though haha!

We got him able to catch it while it is rolling, but he isn't able to catch it in the air...SOON! He is such a quick learner and you can tell...he wants it! haha

Ace was SO exhausted after yesterdays back yard play he fell asleep right when we got home!

Another Beautiful day and we are heading out to the big yard again! and maybe the Doggie Bakery for a treat!! =)

Nom Nom Nom!

2010-04-16T11:10:00.000-04:00

So we didn't make it out to the agility play @ pawsway yesterday =(

Right as I was packing up Ace's essentials, we got a text from daddy that said he got invited to play in a big work poker game right after work (the time of the agility course)!

Ace & I were bummed out at first, but daddy told us that there was nice prize money if you won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place!

Daddy reassured us that his University Poker days would get him through, so Ace & I agreed =)

Instead, Ace & I took a long walk on the boardwalk along Lake Ontario and Ace met all sorts of other pups!

(I really must remember my camera when we take walks...)

Ace even met a 3 month old Visla (who I cannot remember his name right now) =(

The Visla pup was about 16 pounds his mommy told us, and oh boy was he rambuncious and strong!

I let Ace meet him and we let them play off leash in an enclosed area.

Ace is usually very receptive to playing with other dogs, even those much bigger, but this visla pup was tough! He kept trying to push Ace around and even tried biting his fur! After about 10 minutes Ace was not happy....he ran to me and cried to tell me he wanted to go...Oh, well we tried...

He met a VERY sweet doberman puppy the other day who was 2X his size, and they loved each other, I suppose they can't all be winners =)

After that, Ace I came home and relaxed, I shared my carrot sticks with him while we watched a movie!

I have recently been giving Ace apple in the afternoon & carrot sticks at night! He LOVES them! I also noticed his *business* doesn't smell as much when he eats fruits and vegetables! His teeth also look very nice!

(Mouth full of carrots)

*Notice the giant cow lick on his back, his hair is growing in wild!*

(Nom Nom Nom hehe )

(Here is Ace with his FAVORITE toy, it is an orange rubbery monkey that squeaks at the slightest touch, he sleeps with it every night in his crate, and carries around the house all day!)

Ace's daddy & I have gotten used to hearing monkey squeaks during the night as he rolls around in his crate haha

It is also VERY durable, and NO stuffing, so I find it to be a very safe toy!

Ace picked it out when I took him to the pet boutique down the street! I should have saved the tags to give you all a name, but it comes in different colors, and I think it is one of the cutest toys! You can probably just google, rubbery monkey toy haha

I believe it was only around 15$, which I thought was a lot for a toy he might shred to bits after a few hours, but it has lasted 2 weeks now & no holes! Whew!

After a long day of play and *shnicky shnacks* (that's what we call snacks here at our house haha)

Ace & I retreated to bed with no sign of daddy!

Right after we fell to sleep, daddy came in all excited with news he won 3rd place at the work poker game! We were all very excited because he beat 27 other people! Very Impressive for someone who hasn't played in a few years haha =)

Ace danced around *even though it was past his bedtime* because he misses daddy like crazy all day!

Thankfully he calmed down pretty quick and settled into dream land!

What a nice day we had & Later today Ace might be meeting my pilates instructor's 5 year old Daschund pup Max! We are trying to set up a play date! Max is a puppy at heart, so hopefully they will get along!

*I will be sure to bring my camera!!*

Back at Last!

2010-04-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

So I felt like the worst mini aussie mommy ever because I misplaced my camera charger and of course, my camera died....

I missed so many good pics! =(

Thank goodness Ace & I found it yesterday while visiting Ace's *Great* Grandparents (Daddys grandparents)

I wasted no time charging it right up and snapping a few while on our after dinner walk!

So in the almost 2 weeks since our last post..has it been that long? maybe not...

Ace has been on all sorts of adventures!

He went to his first vet visit since he has been home with us!

(He saw a vet numerous times when he was with this puppy family)

He weighed 10 big pounds at 11 weeks!

As of Yesterday, he is 12 weeks old!!!!! AH! I am sure he weighs around 11.5 pounds now...

The vet was very impressed with him and gave him a snack when he didn't even flinch when he got his shot! Ace's Daddy & I were both green & shaky while we watched him get his shots!

(I actually looked away!)

Another big first for Ace-Chan...

Public Transit!

Yesterday, I needed to travel across the city to take care of some family business, so I decided to bring Ace with me! I figured the earlier he is introduced to travel, the better!

So, at around 10:15 am I packed up my purse with water and a few toys, put Ace's new orange collar on him and set off for the street car!

We rode (Ace in my lap) the street car 30 minutes, then connected with the subway for another 35 minutes, and then hopped a bus for 10 minutes!

Needless to say, he was an ANGEL! He sat patiently in my lap and we even enjoyed some snuggly moments when he put his head on my chest and would close his eyes!

(That NEVER happens!)

He is usually WAY too rambuncious!

Ace didn't cry, or whine, he was so well behaved, we had all sorts of people come up to say what a great boy they thought he was!

When we got to our destination, Ace played in the big yard on his *giant* super long leash!

He even accidently crushed a budding tulip! WOOPS!

We will have MANY more pics coming up!

We introduced Ace to the *beach* aka Lake Ontario, and he LOVES to jump on the rocks with his daddy! He even waded in the freezing water up to his knees!

With the beautiful weather this weekend, I will be taking lots of pics!

We are traveling via Street Car again today to Pawsway! We are going to introduce Ace-Chan to agility!

Priceless Mini Aussie Moments =)

2010-04-05T22:30:00.000-04:00

After throwing a fit and an attempt to climb out of the tub...

I call it...Mini Aussie Mohawk!

Gotta look sharp ;)

Happy Easter! :)

2010-04-04T23:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter Everyone!

We spent the day out at in the Beaches, Toronto attending the Easter Parade!

We stopped by "Big Dog Bakery" and got Ace a delicious Easter Snack...or 2... :)

We then found a nice spot where we wouldn't be hounded (no pun intended) by the hoards of people who want to pet our little baby! haha

Seriously...I feel like a celebrity when we go out! It takes me about 3 times the amount of time as anyone else would to get anywhere because we get stopped constantly by dog lovers!

Don't get me wrong...I love it..and Ace loves it as well (for the attention), but the other day we went out to get smoothies, I ran in and Ace's daddy stayed outside with him. I noticed there was a small crowd outside the smoothie shop and figured maybe there were free samples or something, but NoOoO, they were all crowded around Ace! Someone even had their Iphone out snapping pics of him because of his cool eyes! It was totally HiLaRiOuS =)

I was laughing thinking we could charge for those pics...Just Kidding!! He is so handsome and I feel like he is getting even more stunning all the time!

Here is Ace on His First Easter in the Beaches, Toronto =)

He is eating an Easter Bunny biscuit "a la" Big Dog Bakery!

Here is the little guy finishing off his last bite, covered in Crumbs!

I thought this one really shows how lovely his eyes are! =)

And no first Easter would be complete without a ridiculous bow tied on his neck against his will by his loving mommy =P

(This lasted all of 10 seconds...Just enough to dive to grab the camera haha)

We hope everyone else had a lovely day & Weekend =)

We have some great bath photos to post tomorrow! haha

Mini Aussie Behaviors!

2010-03-29T12:16:00.000-04:00

One of the most difficult things with Ace-Chan has been crate training!

Whew!

Because we live in a highly dog populated area, we have him using paper near our front door.

(We don't want to risk him picking up anything from un-vaccinated doggies before his 12 week shots)

Right now we have him on a schedule (we are TRYING to stick with it) during the night.

I set my alarm and take him to his paper at 4 am and then at 6 30am when his daddy gets up.

I am slowly moving the 4 am so that way he will hopefully soon only need to go at 6 30 am!

When we first brought him home he wanted NOTHING to do with the crate :( We put treats inside, toys, everything! He still wouldn't have it. The first 4 or 5 nights I spent on the floor next to his crate with my fingers dangling there like delicious sausages...(puppy bites HURT).

He would cry & whine what seemed like FOREVER! I of course am a sucker and would feel SO terrible! Luckily I didn't give in and let him out *whew*. (only for potty breaks)

In the last week or so we have him (not on his own, he still needs our help) going in his crate and going to sleep at night with minimal to no whining :D yay!

Now that we are mastering nighttime, we need to conquer the day!

Ace is VERY attached to us, he likes to always be with us every second of the day; long gone are the days were you have privacy going to the bathroom :) (we knew that before we got him though haha)

Now the issue...

He screams and barks and cries bloody murder when we put him in his crate during the day! I praise him when I put him in and give him treats, but it seems not to matter to him.

I like to put him in here while I clean and do laundry (He is safe here while I cannot watch him).

Here is Ace acting crazy in his crate! After I put him in, he rolls around, barks, whines, cries, tries to rip his bed, and then finally crawls underneath it and pretends it is a 1000 thread count duvet cover :)

We tried to make his crate comfy with a crate pad & puppy blanket but he decided to redecorate!

His bed is sideways and upside down and the blanket has lots of holes :o

I use the word *QUIET* to try and stop the barking & it works for about 10 seconds haha

He does eventually go to sleep, but after a long and drawn out tantrum. Reading about this, I came across separation anxiety*.

Do other mini aussie parents or just pup parents in general have/had issues with getting their pooches mellow in their crates?

Baking Doggie Cookies! :)

2010-03-28T19:02:00.001-04:00

So we made cookies!

When I say we, I mean I did all the work & Ace Chan did all the eating :)

It was SO hard to decide which recipe to make out of the book!

*The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook by Liz Palika*

(Pictured in Previous post)

After much deliberation, we decided on Peanut Butter-Honey Nut Cheerios Balls-YUM!

The Recipe is as follows....

(Makes 50-60 bite size treats) *I made like 30 though, mine are more like cookies (3 bites) hehe

*These cookies are soft and crumbly & deliciously peanutbuttery!*(Yes..I made up that word..)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky) * I used regular KRAFT peanutbutter/chunky*
2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
1 cup all purpose flour *If your pup has allergies, you can make flour from quick oats*
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Warm Peanut butter in microwave until soft.
Add rest of ingredients to peanut butter and mix gently but thoroughly
Form round teaspoons of dough into balls, squeeze each ball in hand (This reduces crumbling)
Place on greased cookie sheet *I used parchment paper*
Bake for 8-10 min or until golden on the bottom of cookies
Remove from the oven & let cool thoroughly & store in airtight container!

This is the page of the recipe! The pictures are SO cute!

I usually prefer cook books with the completed recipe shown, but I suppose after a Culinary Arts Degree, I should be fine without pictures haha

These are our ingredients laid out!

This is the finished product!

(These are only part of them, I had another sheet in the oven @ the time)

Uh-Oh...notice that one is missing!..I wonder where it went!

There it is! My little Taste Taster! :)

Ace Gobbled his cookie up in a couple of bites!! After he was finished he ran around the living room asking for more...

Only 1 Ace-Chan! I don't want you to spoil your dinner :)

.....sad face....But why????

Overall, they were SUPER easy to make (a little messy while molding them) but they mix up & bake quick! I think I spent about 25 minutes total on these :)

If your pooch likes peanut butter, they will love these!

Ace Chan wasn't a big fan of peanut butter when we first brought him home, I think it was because he had never had it before, now he gobbles it up in an instant!

I make yummy frozen treats for him in the ice cube tray

-Low Sodium Beef Broth with a dollop of peanut butter in the center-

Freeze...and voila! an icey beef broth with a gooey peanut center!

I must say, I loved the feeling of him gobbling up his cookie after I made them! It really showed he enjoyed them! He must have paced through the kitchen about a dozen times before finally setting down for a nap :)

Can't wait to try the other recipes!! Next weekend...Turkey treats! ( a play on Thanksgiving, but in a cookie!) Who doesn't enjoy Thanksgiving?!?! It doesn't matter if it is Spring :)

If anyone has any questions about the recipe or tries it out, let me know how it goes!
*EDIT*
These cookies can be stored in a sealed container (or baggie) for up to 2 weeks!

Pooped!

2010-03-27T22:54:00.002-04:00

No pun intended :)

We spent our Saturday lounging around eating cookies & playing with Ace of COURSE! :)

The weather was so so (medium coat) weather :(

We went out ( Ace in Arms ) to the cutest pet boutique near our house!

It's called Bark & Fitz. There is this sweet girl who works there and adores Ace so we wanted to bring him by for a visit & pick up a few snacks :)

Our Purchase...

I want to say it is about as big as my hand spread wide open. It is a great size because his mouth is too small to pick it up, he can only roll it.

We were looking for a "Herding" ball for our little guy because not only is the aussie breed stellar at herding, but our lil man has been trying to round up his pig ears and any other toy, not to mention my ankles! :( The only herding ball was about 2 times as big as Ace and we felt it a little ridiculous haha.

This ball is a hard yet flexible rubber (Very bouncy), and it has a little trap door to put treats in! Then as your pup plays with it the treats fall out the other end!! Brilliant! haha

Ace hasn't really caught on to the who roll it for the treat thing yet, but he loves to roll it around our living room already just for the fun of it!!

He played with it SO much that this was what happened....

This is Ace passed out on the lower level of our coffee table :D.

This is def one of the funniest things he does. We have a 2 level glass coffee table and he immediately took to the bottom level & loves to nap there! I have to wipe it down daily to clean the little footprints!

We need to break this habit soon, because once he weights 30 pounds that glass isn't going to be able to hold him!

He is just SO cute though!

If you're looking for a great toy to occupy your pooch, I highly recommend this one! With it being a puzzle, they actually have to work for it! Or if you have a small dog that likes to *try* to herd, this works GREAT also!

Ace rates this toy.....A+

(The picture explains everything)

A Doggie Cook Book!

2010-03-26T11:53:00.000-04:00

Our little guy is going to end up SO spoiled....well...he already is :)

The problem is he knows it too! ah! lol

So I just bought this cookbook for doggies!

You can find it on amazon.com or ebay.com even!

I got mine from Coles, the bookstore around the corner!

I had heard GREAT things about it from some other Mini Aussie Parents!

The Recipes inside look amazing! I am almost tempted to try some! haha

Liz Palika has some really great dog books!

Ace & I will be reviewing it this weekend after I make some delicious treats for him (shh he doesn't know yet!)

I was thinking....blueberry pupcakes? :)

Too bad his daddy said he is looking a little round...I don't think I have been over feeding him, but I think he is in growing mode & is just packing on a few pounds before he sprouts up!

Ace's Story!

2010-03-25T15:56:00.000-04:00

We found Ace-Chan through a breeder. We had been thinking about getting a dog for a long time and decided on a mini aussie! We went and met his parents! His *real* mom is a black tri & his *real* dad is a red merle! We instantly fell in love and awaited his arrival!

When the breeder contacted us that the litter was born on January 20th we picked Ace out and from his picture we just knew he was the one!

We visited him numerous times and they called him Ace right from the beginning! I think maybe that is why he knows his name so well! haha

This is our little Ace-Chan at 10 days!

His eyes aren't even open yet!!

This is our little guy with his litter mates and his doggy mommy!

(Ace is the blue merle in the middle with the black spots only on his right side!)

Our little boy at 4 weeks or so!

(This is his favorite photo pose! :) )

Our little guy when we brought him home!

(He got a bath & passed right out in his new *doggie* towel!)

And in just 2 weeks from that pic above, this is Ace now...

Our little Love!

2010-03-25T15:35:00.000-04:00

This is Ace-Chan! We are big anime/Japan lovers and tack *Chan* onto our names as cutesy nicknames! I of course immediately added it onto Ace's name and he now responds better to Ace-Chan than Ace haha! This is our little guy at 9 weeks 1 day while I was setting up his blog!

He is already 7.5 pounds! I am not sure what Mini Aussies weight progression is supposed to be. He eats a ton, but he runs it off around our apartment. If anyone can input how much their mini aussies weighed at around 9 weeks it would be great! I feel like he has grown SO much in the 2 weeks since he has been at home with us!