This past Saturday I paid a visit to Tagpi after my evening walk. Tagpi was a little more wound up than usual and I quickly found out that he was on a rampage, because his hooman sister got a new pet dwarf bunny!

Tagpi got so crazy that he got kicked out of the house for a while. He whined and barked the whole time he was in the garden, but once he calmed down a bit his sister put on his harness and let him inside the house to see the bunny. Every muscle in his body tensed up and he never took his eyes off the poor bunny as it sat watching him from underneath a rocking chair. I swear I could see murder in Tagpi's eyes. He never lunged at the bunny, but he did strain against his harness. Tagpi's sister soon got tired of holding him back and put him outside again so the bunny could better explore its new home. I don't think Tagpi and the bunny will ever be friends. In fact, my mom says that the two will probably never be in the same room again unless the bunny is in its cage and there are plenty of hoomans around to watch Tagpi's every move.

I on the other hand got on very well with the bunny. I've seen bunnies before on my hikes, but I've never taken any interest unless they were dead and rotting on the ground. Decaying bunnies make the best puppy cologne. Mom held me back as I got my first sniff of it, but I was calm and relaxed the whole time so she eventually let go of my harness. I just lay down and watched the bunny roam around the living room. When it was time for the bunny to go into its cage I found it amusing watching my mom and Tagpi's sister try to coax it out from under the bed. I just lay down and watched teh whole scene. Sometimes the bunny would run in front of me, but I just contented myself with sniffing at it. After nearly an hour, the bunny was finally put in its cage and mom was so proud of me for behaving so well around teh bunny. I guess those hunting instincts don't kick in for me unless the small animal has wings and feathers.
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Early Sunday morning I visited Tagpi again and he was still going mad, because of the bunny. To help him let off some steam we all went for a walk through some country lanes. Tagpi and I got to sniff at so many different flowers and run through lots of cow poop. It was wonderful!


Once mom and I got home she tested to see if there were any new additions to my already large vocabulary and said a word that sent me running to the kitchen: ice cream! Ohhhhh ice cream. I can't believe I've lived this long without ever knowing your wonders!


I also got an award from my very good friends Rudolf and Goofy



"This award was created to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creativity and their talents, also for contributing to the blogging world in whatever medium. When you receive this award it is considered a special honor." (Extracted from Origin, Sen & Tom)

The RULES!

You have to pick FIVE blogs that you consider deserve this award for creativity, design, interesting material and also contribute to the blogger community regardless of language.

Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited.

Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given him/her the award itself.

Award winners and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of the "Arte-y Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of the award.

And here are 5 blogs that I think are deserving of the award:

William Tell's Spot
Blue
Maggie
Holly and Zach
Memoirs of a Toller

Today was a day of fulfilled promises! I've been reading the blogs of all my other doggy pals and lately a whole lot of them have been having fun with kiddie pools and feasting on ice cream. I've hinted to my mom on numerous occassions that a kiddie pool and some vanilla ice cream would be great additions to our adventure filled days, but I guess I was being too subtle about it, because days passed by and I was still without a pool or ice cream. This afternoon, my whole family and I (minus Lolo Buddha who is in a far far away land called Germany) went downtown to go shopping. When we got back home I was soooo happy, because in one of the shopping bags was a Noddy kiddie pool and some ice cream!!! I got to eat the vanilla ice cream from my mom's Cornetto after I finished eating some very stinky fish for dinner. It tasted as good as I imagined it would be! I won't be able to play in my kiddie pool for a few more days, because I have a hot spot on my paw and mom wants to make sure it heals all the way before I resume my aquatic games. Lame.

Mom and Dad make sure that I get brushed at least once a day, because I often pick up leaves and burs when running around outside. I don't really enjoy getting brushed, but I suffer through it, because I know that I really don't have a choice. I don't really mind the brush running up and down my body, because it is quite soothing and it often puts me to sleep right there on the kitchen floor, but I do hate how my mom and dad seem to take so much pleasure when it comes to messing with my hair:




Argggghhhh!!! I look bald in those pictures!!!




Now that is much much better. I take great pride in my crazy blonde locks and I want to make sure that I sport them with style.

Most people have never heard of a Field Spaniel before so whenever I'm roaming about I usually attract a lot of curious stares and a lot of questions about what breed I am. Most people think I'm some kind of setter puppy despite my ginormous spaniel ears!! I think people are thrown off because my body and head are longer than a cocker or springer and I have less hair than either breed. I don't think a Cocker Spaniel could get away with not getting a full grooming for 6 months. My back hair is a little on the fuzzy side, but as long as my ears and feet are trimmed regularly I don't think I look too raggedy. Others think I'm a Cocker or Springer Spaniel/Irish Setter mix, which might work except for my liver colored coat. Now that I'm hanging out with Corey and Abbey every day I think it's kind of fun to mess with people a bit and let them believe that they really are my mom and dad. They're practically family anyway.

Ever since Tagpi's family came back, Mom and Dad have been taking Corey and Abbey's neighbor, Pogo, out for walks with me.



We had a pretty bad start, what with him trying to pee on my face and mount me, but I cleared things up pretty quickly between us after telling him just how I felt about him. He doesn't even have manly chest hair and he still barks like a yippy puppy! For a such tiny dog, Pogo likes to be the alpha male, but if he's going to go for walks with me, he needed to learn quickly just who was boss. Things are okay between us now, though I can't help but growl a bit whenever Mom lets him into our car. Here's a short video of him that explains why he was given the name Pogo.



Lola got me a new pillow yesterday so now I have my crate and a pillow upstairs, and a new fluffy pillow downstairs. I had a great time breaking it in late last night.

Mom's friend just got back from the states and got me some cool accessories to live up my hardcore image. Here are some shots from last night's brief photoshoot.

The dog days of summer are upon us, which is great for anyone who loves a good long nap...


on the bed...



on the sofa with Dad...



on the ground after a good wet run with the garden hose...



on the floor (looks like someone nearly snapped my little head off)...



and in mom's arms with the other love of my life safe and sound in my mouth

My mom FINALLY uploaded the pictures from our 4th of July picnic so now I can FINALLY blog about our adventure. We went with three other families, including Tagpi's family, but Tagpi didn't get to come because he sheds everywhere in the car. While all the humans ate I protected the food from all the scavenging birds and for my reward I got to eat some beef and 2 hotdogs. Afterwards mom and I went for a long walk through the countryside.



Eventually Dad, Tagpi's human sister, and Dad's friend, Ryan, joined us and we walked almost all the way to the shores of our island. Along the way we found a secret garden, saw a really mean dog who snarled at me from inside his fence, and discovered 1 dead rabbit, and 2 hedgehogs and a rat that were practically glued flat to the ground. I was a bit bummed because mom wouldn't let me rub myself all over them.



Once we got back to the picnic site, I was dog tired and spent the rest of the time sleeping under the picnic table. Here I am sleeping between Lola's feet:



There were a lot of fireworks later on in the night and I usually freak out big time whenever I hear fireworks, but I surprised my mom by sleeping through most of the show. I didn't even try to hide in my sanctuaries (my crate, under tables) when I was awake and heard them. Maybe I'm slowly getting over my phobia. I hope so.

My very good friend Blue tagged me to do this record game where I pick 8 tracks that I would want to take with me were I to go to a deserted island, and one keeper song and book I'd save if everything else were to be swept away. Here are my picks:

1. "There Goes My Hero" - by the Foo Fighters, because that's my personal rock out anthem.

2. "Hero" - by Enrique Ingelsias, because that's the song Mom, Dad, and Tagpi's sister always sing on karaoke and dedicate to me.

3. "Start of Something New" - High School Musical soundtrack, because at heart I'm a big sap.

4. "Heroes" -by David Bowie, because David Bowie is a legend

5. "Best of Friends" - from "the Fox and the Hound", because that's my song with my best friend, Tagpi.

6. "You're My Best Friend" - by Queen, that's another song that makes me think of Tagpi.

7. "Bark at the Moon" - by Ozzy Osbourne, because this song is nearly as hardcore as I am and because when I bark, everyone can't help but join me.

8. "Hero" -by Bloc Party, because my Mom loves Bloc Party and because the beat makes me go crazy - in a good way!!

Keepers:

- Hero by Enrique, because I love it when Mom and Dad sing to me.
- The Dangerous Book For Dogs by Rex and Sparky

If anyone else wants to play along feel free to do so!!