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Big Brother

One of my puppy's favorite visitors are their friend, Jasper and his doggy Mom, Ashley.

Jasper is a brother from a different mother for Ricky (literally!).  They have the same dad.  Jasper and Lucy share the same mom and dad.  But they aren't littermates, of course.  Jasper is about 10 months older than the Ricardos. 

So Jasper isn't just a friend, but a big brother to Lucy and Ricky!

Ricky seems to idolize Jasper.

And Lucy just loves him





I love him and Ashley, because they were the road that led me to Ricky and Lucy. 

One day back in March, I went running by the dog park and was literally stopped in my tracks by how handsome Jasper is.  I went in the park, met Ashley, asked her lots of questions about Jasper, and then got all the information about his breeder.  The timing was perfect-- Lucy and Ricky were about 6 weeks old, I met them, fell in love with them, and got to bring them home a couple of weeks later.  If I hadn't met Jasper and Ashley that day in the park, Lucy and Ricky would be living with someone else, with different names, separated (more than likely), and Fermin and I would be lonely! 

But fortunately, we did meet.  And even better, we've all gotten to know each other and we see each other a couple of times a week.  We always get to see Ashley and Jasper on Saturday mornings because Ashley just started working at Dog City Training Center, where the Ricardo's attend their puppy class.  And then we usually get together during the week, too. 

I will forever be grateful to Ashely and Jasper.  Not only did they lead me to my pups, but they're helping me shape my little puppies into great dogs!

Toys, Toys, and More Toys

I just brought home a new toy for Lucy and Ricky.  This is nothing out of the ordinary.  Lots of days I bring a new toy home for them.  As you can see, they love it, and appreciate it so much! 

You can, of course, buy toys in the usual places, like PetSmart and Petco.  But you can find great bargains at unexpected places like Target, Tuesday Morning and even Big Lots.  But the best toys and best bargains come from TJMaxx, Marshall's and Home Goods.  Now that I've discovered they have toys, I can't seem to stay away.

The puppy's toy basket is overflowing...

But the novelty of a new toy wears off pretty quickly.  At first, they are both in love with it, playing with and sharing it, and then eventually fighting over it.  Then, the toy becomes boring for them. 

With so many toys around, I just put the boring toy down at the bottom of the toy basket, we all forget about it for a week or so and play with something else, and then sort of rediscover that toy later.

There's almost always toys in pictures that I take of the Ricardo's.  It's sort of a "Where's Waldo" game.
Altho the toys aren't nearly as hard to spot as Waldo always was.

The Big Pillow

The other day a brought home a pillow for the Ricardo's.  I know, for now, it's a little big.

The Queen

But eventually, it will be too small for both of them to fit on it comfortably, like they do now.

Plenty of room for two, for now.  But maybe not so comfortable!

At first, I just referred to it as "the wrestling mat".

Evenly matched.

But sometimes, when it's just one of them, it becomes a big, fluffy pillow.

Ricky Ricardo

 

You Are My Sunshine

Ironically, a friend brought this sweet little toy over to Lucy the other day~
Before I renamed her, her name given to her by the breeder was Sunny. 
And really, it's such a fitting name for her, if I hadn't instead chose Lucy, which is even more fitting.
But she really is a sweet little ray of sunshine.  Happy all the time.  And warms up the place!!

Salute

I try to come up with new ideas for field trips for Ricky and Lucy.

So the other day I thought, "Hey, they've never climbed stairs or seen a big American flag!"  It was Ricky's turn to go somewhere, so we were off to Flag Pole Hill, very near my house.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize the stairs where really spread out, and more like steps...  not good practice for "climbing stairs."  Also, there were little pebbles all over the steps that looked like kibble and I guess Ricky was hungry.

Steps, not stairs.  And pebbles that look a bit too much like kibble. 

So we cut our field trip a bit short.  But Ricky loved getting to see the American flag.  And he learned  the Pledge of Allegiance. 

"...and to the Republic, for which it stands..."

Dog Friendly and Delish

Both Lucy and Ricky have been to Cafe Lago on several occasions.  It's by far their very favorite restaurant in all of Dallas.  Okay, it's also the only restaurant they've been to, but that's just because whenever I ask, "Do you want to try a new spot?" they answer in their own doggy way, "No way!  Take us back to our favorite scooby snack place, please!"  And so, I do!

Cafe Lago is a great neighborhood joint that has delicious- and healthy- food.  What's really great for the Ricardo's is that Cafe Lago even has a puppy menu.  And pretty soon, the Ricardo's picture is going to be on the menu.  Hello, Hollywood!!!

Lucy and Friends this past Friday night at Cafe Lago-(Ricky had a performance at the Tropicana.)

Oh, and on many a Friday nights, they have fabulous live music there-- performed by yours truly! Don't forget to bring your pooch with you...