BUDDY THE EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEDOG - by Buddy

Hello There! Don calls me "Big Dumb Buddy" because he says I'm big, I'm dumb, and my name is Buddy. Sometimes he'll sing a song to me: ~~~~~ He's a Big Dumb Buddy Dog, Buddy Dog. He's our big dumb dog. We love Big Dumb Buddy Dog, Buddy Dog, Because he's a big dumb dog. ~~~~~ Then he'll rub my belly and give me a treat. I love that guy so much! ---------------------------------------------------------- Since I've been at Chez Salty I've learned to:

1. Poop in the woods and not the lawn or trails.
2. High-Five people upon request with a smile.
3. Curb my appetite for eating the driveway dirt.
4. Scratch myself less obsessively.
5. Not wander away from the store so much or sample any of the treats.
6. Greet other dogs at the shop without scaring the living daylights out of them.
7. Go on slumber parties with people outside the pack.
8. Win Doggie Musical Chairs at the Mutt Scrub.
9. Pick and eat blueberries right off the bush. (And I can't wait for the rasp and blackberries!)
10. Learn to make a numbered list.

That's a pretty impressive list! I'm sure when Don reads it he'll realize how hard I've been working at Chez Salty and give me a new name. Like.... Big Nice Buddy, or Buddy The Extraordinary Gentledog, or My Hero Buddy Dog. I've already written the lyrics for the last one: ~~~~~ He's my Hero, Buddy Dog, Buddy Dog, He's my Hero dog. We love Hero Buddy Dog, Buddy Dog, He's our Hero dog. ~~~~~ Anyway, let me talk about 7, 8, and 9. The others numbers are kinda boring to talk about. But if you want to talk about them, drop by the shop. I'd be glad to tell you all about any one of them! 7) I spent a couple days outside the pack. I knew Alexis from the shop, and she and her family were sooo nice to me! I got to meet their cats and their bunny. We went for walks every day, tons of treats, and after a couple of days Don came back to get me. It was nice to see Max, Auggie, and Coal again, but I was sad to leave Alexis. She was THE BEST! I can't wait to go back! 8) The people I had the slumber party with were the same people who helped me win Doggie Musical Chairs at the Mutt Scrub! Yes! I had some help! I hope that wasn't cheating. My best friend Alexis led me around the ring and helped me to remember when to sit. After we won she gave me so many treats! I miss her so much! 9) There are all kinds of berries. Blue, Black, Rasp and Juniper. Juniper berries taste like I've been chewing on the Christmas tree. They also sting my tongue. Don laughed so hard when I ate some of those by mistake and tried to paw my tongue for about 10 minutes. They're even worse than the white blueberries. Max says the rasp and black berries are super-tasty and I should quickly grab the berries closest to the main stem (Editor's Note: Max is playing a practical joke on Buddy and trying to get Buddy's nose stuck with a thorn). And thats it! Thanks for reading this far. I'll get better about writing Blogs. I promise! I wrote THIS one before the end of the month. So I hope everyone is OK with it. Especially Auggie. Thanks for the belly rubs and treats everyone! Big Hero Buddy Dog