Long Time, No Post!

Bonjour, mes chers! Sorry it's been so long. The Tripp Trio has hit the ground running this past month.  Hiking, obedience and agility training, trips to the dog park, swimming--you name it, we've probably done it!

The Tripp Trio, precariously perched on the window seat

Jax's first day as shop dog

Jax's "Chick Magnet" tank--see how small he is beneath all that fur!

I am pleased to announce that I am a pretty stellar focused heeler and am no longer afraid of the agility teeter. Jax remembered all his training--even the scary weaves! Olive has been successfully introduced to the wobbleboard, flat boards, the sway gate, the pause table, and the weave poles. We try to practice three times a week!

My New Sister!!

Mom disappeared last Saturday for several hours and returned with a scruffy little wisp of a dog. Olive, as Mom called her, padded quietly about the house for a few minutes while I watched from behind the baby gate in the bedroom.  Once introductions were made, Mom released me and I quickly set off to get a better sniff of this audacious house guest who made herself comfortable on MY window seat. Yes siree, Miss Olive went from tentative to entitled in a matter of moments. She walked around like she owned the place! I looked to Mom for help and was informed that Olive now did indeed have a stake in the holdings here. She was, in fact, my new sister! I was flabbergasted, mes chers.
But she's actually pretty cool--as long as I don't try to bother her in her crate or when she's napping. Gets a little testy, that one. She and Mom are working through it and I have been instructed to be more respectful of space (something I'm not too good at doing). Otherwise, she is cuddly and energetic, housebroken and loves to ride in the car. Mom can't understand why anyone would not look for her when she went missing and was picked up as a stray after the February blizzard. She loves to wrestle with me, which is my favorite thing about her:) Mom loves her crazy fur that sticks up on the top of her head and her very human-like eyes.

Olive about an hour after her arrival--collar, tags, and all!

While she hasn't learned to ring the bell, she does go to the door when she needs to go out.

Olive's favorite spot--formerly known as my window seat

Sister and Brother!

After a long play session

Me after the same play session

Our personalized Easter Egg cookies from Treats Unleashed

And Jaxson arrives later this week!

STL

Mom and I have been to St Louis for training twice in the last two weeks, visiting all the other Treats Unleashed stores.  My favorite person thus far is Gail's daughter Kelly--she thought my tricks were pretty cool! We have stayed both times at a fancy hotel with marble floors. Mom was a little unsure about walking in the front door, but I strolled right in! To a flock of adoring fans, I might add:)

Me with the GIANT antler Mom bought me at Four Muddy Paws

My new bowl. Also from Four Muddy Paws!

Jax's new shirt from Chesterfield PETCO

Me with my old antler

Things Are Going Swell

Critter tracks on the bridge this morning

Relaxing after Focused Heeling Class--it's a lot of work!

I don't know if you can see me very well, but I'm running towards Mom.

Off to check out another trail

And a bit of exciting and transient news--I'm the #7 Beauceron in the breed standings! For the moment. I've only shown twice and all the other dogs show every weekend, so I'll be bumped down the list pretty soon but it was still a good bit of news that made us proud for a little while:)

A Tiny House For Spur (and Jax) (and a Malinois...sometime)

Mom has got it into her head that she is going to build her own house, and not just any house--a tiny house.  Yes, we three shall be living in a house under 800 sq feet (perhaps with wheels) on a plot of land yet to be determined. I blame Grandpa--he showed her the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company Catalog over which she went into ecstasy.  She was uncontrollably giddy, mes chers. It was a terrifying sight! She says we live in a pretty small house now and we don't use all of it--it just holds all the stuff that we don't use. And, she added, we pay lots of money to heat/cool this crappily made house, money that could be better spent on other things. Images sprang to mind of more dog classes and more dog toys, treats, etc. and I could feel my tail start to wag... but what about exercise?! Land, Mom says, we'll have Land--or park on someone else's Land with permission and hike to our heart's content. Since Land is expensive yet vital to our happiness, our house must therefore be of a reasonable cost and energy efficient so that we may afford said Land. The tiny house solves this problem--many of them can be built for about $20k.  Mom says the mortgage would be cheaper than our rent right now...

Some tiny houses are built on trailers, so you can take them anywhere!

The Harbinger by Tumbleweed--not movable but still small!

The Loring - Mom has a soft spot for bungalows!

Interior of a Tiny House

Tumbleweed Founder Jay Shafer and his EPU house

The Whidbey, another favorite

Concept drawing for the inside of the Whidbey

Check it out, ya'll! And if you want to join us with your own Tiny House, we could have a Pocket Neighborhood!

A Doubly Good Day

I thought that my day was wonderful enough when Mom managed to drag herself out of bed a little earlier than usual and give me an extra-long walk. After work, however, we got back in the car and went to...GRINDSTONE! I was so excited that I barked all the way across the bridge. I swam for a little in the creek and then we went in very confusing circles as Mom seemed to be waiting for something...
And then...HUGO!!!

Hugo and I haven't played since he was a pup in our PETCO class. It took awhile for him to warm up--the sand helped a lot! I don't quite know what it is about sand, but it DRIVES ME CRAZY. In a giddy way:) It worked the same way on Hugo, too! SAND WRESTLING!!! I retrieved a few sticks from the creek and Hugo went in after me. Then the creek dropped off. He bobbed back to the surface and swam back the bank but we were all surprised that his short little legs actually swam. We spent about an hour at Grindstone and then went back to respective houses for a much-needed bath:) See? Doubly good day!

Mom went to PETCO to visit her friends today and buy the LAST BOTTLE of the best whitening shampoo ever...and a muscle shirt for Jax;)