So Much for Batman and Robin

Mom's original Halloween costume plan for me and Jax was to make us Batman and Robin.  While at Target getting boy t-shirts to fit us, however, she happened upon the clearance pet costume section and came home with four total.  Here's how that went...

Brit in her charioteer costume

The Yellow Labmarine

Me with the Headless Horseman (minus my hat...see later pictures)

The dude tried to stab me with his sword!

Jaxson as the White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland

And then they remembered the hat...

As I've told them before, I really...

REALLY...

HATE HATS!!!!

Oh wait--is that a Crab Cake?  I'm sitting!

You know you're one of us when...

...we take you hiking at least once a day:)  Jaxson has put some serious miles on those little white paws of his this past week!  We went hiking TWICE on Sunday.  We were driving Mom crazy by wrestling all over the couch and throwing all the pillows and cushions on the floor, so she whisked us into the BeauceMobile and drove us to Gans Creek.  Lovely morning hike!  Once we reached the open forest, I caught a strange scent and charged of to investigate.  Two HUGE black birds exploded from the brush.  I didn't get a good look at first I admit, mes amis, because I was high-tailing back the way I'd come for a good twenty yards...until my curiosity got the better of me.  They kind of smelled like chicken and I really like chicken and I hadn't eaten breakfast yet.  I skidded to a stop and bolted after them.  They took flight briefly and I heard Mom's call.  I stopped, twitching to go after them but ran back for a treat and then took off until Mom called me again.  I came, watching wistfully as the two birds descended on the other side of the fence.  Mom was very proud of me, however, and gave me lots of treats so it wasn't a total loss.
On the way back, the ground began to rumble.  Jaxson and I milled about uneasily, sniffing.  Mom was the one who saw the beasts first--a whole line of them with two heads: one human with a strange black cover on top and one head was long with huge nostrils on one end and tall pointy ears at the other.  And there were at least six of them.  "Oh," Mom said.  She pulled us off to the side and the beasts ambled by.  Jax and I let loose a volley of furious threats concerning the imminent violence that should occur if they should come near OUR person.  Mom, for her part, seemed very unconcerned and kept telling me to just look.  I tried to do my best and finally succeeded when we ran into the next group of them further down the trail.  Jax hasn't learned the Look At That! game yet so he was still pretty freaked out.
The second hike was with Becky and Kai at the Grasslands.  We found an entire deer leg but weren't allowed to eat it:( 
Hiked Monday in lots of wind and many birds and Mom let Jax drag his leash.  He really enjoyed the extra freedom, he said, and I was happy too--bounding around in circles.  Mom said I was a banshee and Jaxson a wood sprite.
On Tuesday, we were legit lost for one hour of our 2.5 hour hike.  Mom's first detour was spot on--we walked about a mile and a half down a dry creek bed and joined back up with our old familiar trail.  The second, well, it was a nice try.  We ended up on a huge bluff in a campground we've never even heard of before.  Mom was proud that I could always find a trail, if not THE trail, so we just had to double back the way we'd come.  Jax had received off-leash status had a great time, except for the two times he had to ford a creek on his own.  The water was only 6 inches deep so I did tease him a little:)

The Exchange Student

Hello!  My name is Jaxson.  Spur tells me that I can dictate my message to Kate since I've never typed with my paws before, so here goes.  As I've said, I'm Jaxson--Action Jaxson to my family back at Grand Paws.  I live at the wonderful kennel where Spur was born and where his doggie mom and two siblings still reside.  Since we shelties lose a good bit of our luxurious coat this time of year, I'm not on the show circuit and I get to stay with Spur and Kate for three months or so and be trained in the Way of Agility.  The other shelties have told me about it and Spur speaks of it quite highly, so I'm sure that I shall enjoy it.  I start class in a little over a week at the Columbia Canine Sports Center!!
It's been quite adjustment since I arrived on Thursday.  I felt more than a little hesitant to leave my mom Adrienne and climb into a strange car for a three hour car ride.  My nerves (and something I ate before--some fur?) got the better of me and I did lose my lunch about 20 minutes out from Columbia.  Kate put Spur in her bedroom and let me get used to the house for a few minutes.  When he did come out to say hi, he was a wild crazy thing!  I do enjoy playing with him, but I have to tell him to be gentle every now and again.  Luckily, I know how to deal with Beaucerons--I rock back on my hindpaws and grab their face in my paws and give a small but eloquent growl: "STOP."  I have had to remind Spur several times now that my esteemed person is not to be used as a chew toy.  He can be a slow learner.  Kate helps by timing him out every now and again and now he's pretty good at backing off with just a voice command.
Seeing that we were both quite wired from confinement, Kate whisked us back into the car to go hiking.  And here, dear readers, came one of the strangest but coolest things ever: a seatbelt harness.  When Kate first put it on, I was not entirely convinced that I could still move.  Some treats and coaxing later, I managed to walk stiffly down the front steps but still had to be picked up to get in the car...in the front seat!  Kate says that I am the perfect size to ride SHOTGUN!!!  I curled into a ball of anxious fur at first, but now I LOVE IT!  The comfy seat, the sturdy harness, the breeze in my fur--bliss!  And that was before the hike...

Me and Spur on our first hike

So much for being freshly bathed...I looked like something blown in from the Scottish moors within the first mile.  Kate kept me on leash while Spur ran loose like a wild banshee back and forth through the woods, chasing squirrels and bringing sticks.  I stayed on Kate's heels like a shadow at first, wondering to where we would be wandering.  Apparently it's one of those journey-not-a-destination things.  When Spur would breeze by, I would pluck up my courage and sally forth ahead for a few steps--until the scenery changed and then I would stop and let Kate go ahead.  It was all so new!  I peed on everything vertical object I could find and accepted treats with Spur when he responded to Kate's recall.  A high-pitched "PUPPUPPUP" will turn me on a dime now:)  We finally left the brush and reached a bigger forest with a relatively open area below.  Spur jumped over every log in sight and I tried to follow--it usually takes me two hops to his one jump.  But I was beginning to get the hang of this hiking thing and ventured out in front more, trying to follow my speedy Beauce friend.  We turned around after romping in the forest for awhile and ran part of the way back in short bursts.  My little sheltie legs were working overtime--good thing I have a nice extended trot!  It was all I could do to climb back in the car.  Kate says that both Spur and I were completely passed out on the way back home.  

That night, Kate left Spur at Faurot and took me to Petco while she taught a puppy class.  I behaved quite well if I do say so myself--was very quiet (too tired to be otherwise!).  And so I was awarded Petco mascot status and allowed to come to work with Kate and Spur when they work.  I love the adoring crowds and how they have flocked to me when I trot down the aisle to a potty break--it never fails!

I think that I shall like this new hike/Petco/riding shotgun routine:)

Action Jaxson signing off for the night!

BONNE ANNIVERSAIRE!!!

Today was the first annual Spur Day, mes chers.  I woke up this morning to singing and a ear rub, then off to Gans Creek for a hike.  It was a gloriously crisp morning and Mom was surprised that I still took my customary dip in the creek.  Back at home, Mom introduced me to Mr. Greedy Goblin--a plush goblin (complete with armpit hair) from one of her co-workers.  I flipped him about and rolled around on the bed with him in my jaws for a good long while, completely content.  It was all Mom could do to try to pack Mr. Greedy in my bag and get us out the door.
A trip to Treats Unleashed garnered me a Flossie and a new Molly Mutt duvet!  I still bark like a maniac when I walk in that door--the only place I do that!  It is my all-time favorite place in the whole wide world and I just can't help myself...

My new bed

I spent the afternoon napping on my new bed in between bouts of chasing Anatole, who is in very sad shape.  Most of his outer foam has come away to reveal drool-stained canvas--and even that is starting to become a bit thin.  You might be hearing about a soccer ball funeral soon:(
When Mom returned from teaching at CCSC, she and the rest of the Faurot clan surprised me with a stack of treats!  Oddly enough, they put a little green stick in the treats and lit the thing on fire.  I was flabbergasted.  Why on earth would they burn perfectly good treats?!  I leaned as far as I could over the side of my pen, trying in vain to rescue said confections as the humans all just stood around and smiled, singing the same repetitive song with which Mom had awakened me this morning.  Just as I was about to lose it completely and jump ship for an emergency rescue, Mom blew the fire out and handed me the plate...yes, Grandpa--I licked off one of your white plates--but it's washable!!  I gulped down the morsels, all the while keeping an eye on the big red lighter in Grandma's hands...

Oh--the celebration actually started yesterday, mes chers.  Mom invited my doggie friends to meet us at Grindstone Park for a party!

The Party Table with a view of the Egg and Spoon Race in the background

Those lucky enough to attend were:

Riley the Irish Setter

McCartney the Corgi Mix

Charlemagne the Terrier Mix

Colt the Heeler

Teddy the Shepherd Mix

Finnegan the Border Collie

Rusty the Heeler Mix

Introductions were a bit rough since we were all so hyped but we got straight into the games.  We bobbed for hot dogs first...or tried, rather.  Colt was the only one who figured out to just hold his breath as he stuck his snout into the water to snatch up the bits of hot dog!  The rest of us had a little help...

Colt--the undisputed winner

McCartney the eager beaver

Teddy

Charlemagne

Riley

Finnegan

Rusty

The Egg and Spoon Race came next--with fake eggs.  Mom apparently didn't trust us with real eggs:)  A quick practice round favored Ira and Colt but in the end it was Riley that prevailed in the end across a long field with Katie and Finn a close second.
Finally, we threw our mats down for a rousing and competitive game of Musical Mats (Mom says that all you humans use chairs for this game, but she thought it a hazard with dogs).  I was out at Round 3 but Teddy claimed victory in the end.  And then...

CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom made me do tricks for little bits of cake.  As a side note, I can do lots of stuff on hand signal when a piece of liver and peanut butter cake is on the line...

Me and my Mom:)

And The Galaxy's Coolest Dog Award Goes To...

ME!!!!! 

And the trophy, mes chers?  You all want one, admit it!  Introducing...

SPUR SKYWALKER!!!!

Made for us by the wonderful PinkPupDesign at www.etsy.com!!

Howl-O-Ween Photos

Do not be alarmed by my Mom's strange sense of humor, mes amis--these are fake limbs courtesy of the wonderful photographer from The Picture People.  And they taste very good...

It started off very tame.  Cue the three-quarter pose, turn on the smolder...

And then there was some tomfoolery with leaves.

"What?!  You'd shred it, too!  I want to go play."

But then they gave me a snack...

BIRTHDAY!!!

GUESS WHAT!!!!  On October 18th, mes chers, I shall be all of one year old.  Mom says it's hard to imagine such a thing and gets misty-eyed while looking at my puppy pictures. We both think that my paws have not grown much since I was little but that I have just grown into them.  Mom made a cast of my paw when I was three months old and wants to make a new one soon to compare.  Anywho, the long and the short of it is that YOU ALL ARE INVITED TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!!

The glorious event shall take place on October 17th at 3 o'clock in the afternoon at Grindstone Park off Old 63.  Dogs and their persons will be asked to participate in games, provide a crate or pen for their pooch if they tire of the crazy fun, and bring no gift other than a small donation to Columbia Second Chance (a can of food, a collar, a toy, etc).  Cake from Treats Unleashed for puppies and regular cake for the people.  Please let us know if you want to come!