Taos (no, we're not in New Mexico)

 If you aren't interested in cute puppy pictures, go no further.   

come sit with me!

This post is filled with pictures of little Taos as he grows and learns.     He's changed our lives and keeps us very busy.     Sometimes he thinks he's in charge - one of our jobs is to remind him that he's not, in a kind but firm way.     Not always easy!    He has a very loud voice.

He likes to "help" with whatever we're doing and he's very alert to his surroundings.  Fun.

Happy Hour each night is more of a production now.    No more just pouring a couple glasses of wine or beer, and perhaps a little snicky snack for the two of us.  There is the filling of the interactive puzzle toy (s) that allow us to enjoy our outside time without worry of unnecessary wine spillage.   

he figured them out quickly!

yes, that is red wine on his head

Happy Hour interrupted.....must hose red wine off the rug immediately!

He's learning to accept the "equipment" he'll be expected to wear in his grown-up life as a Guide Dog.  

We play games to help him learn behaviors that may be needed in the future.   He loves games and sometimes plays them by himself - you know, just for fun (and the possibility of treats?)

he lays quietly in his "place" while we eat

Until he's completely up to date on all his vaccinations we can't really take him out in public very much.    He's been a few places and had a good time.     He goes to "class" in Phoenix about once a month.    It's hard for him to control himself in such an exciting environment, but he tries hard.

hmmm, now that I've posted this picture, I'm not sure if it's Taos OR his sister Talia!

He has had dinner at Steve and MonaLiza's house and behaved very well.    He learned to follow a paver path instead of racing, willy nilly, around the yard.   Good boy!

Who is that bald man walking with Taos you ask?   Tee Hee, it's Dave!    He used the wrong clipper on his hair and, before he realized it, there was no more hair!

Back to socialization......He saw Steve's "new" car and let MonaLiza pick him up and hold him.     She's really little he says...

Pam and John came down for a couple days, so Taos got to ride out in the desert with us!    He was a real trooper in his crate behind the back seat.    We bounced and jiggled and started, stopped and turned around for a few hours, in the quest of a Crested Saguaro.     He slept!        The few times we stopped for photographs; he was a good boy.    Well, except when he snapped the head off a pretty blue Lupine and we had to poke around in his little sharp mouth to remove it.    And, when he gulped large mouthfuls of river sand instead of exploring the dry riverbed.  sigh.

But, most often, he's just a silly, sweet puppy who plays with his toys, loves his people, and falls asleep in the oddest places....

zzzzz

snore.....

he doesn't fit very well anymore.

lying in front of the fire always gets them.....

French friends.....ahem

Nascar buddies

And, here's Anabel "playing" with Dexter, the cat.   Check out Dexter's manicure!

    

March

It's the end of March already - Opps, I guess it's April 1 today!    March has flown by.    The weather has been changeable, volatile really.     I guess March is like that everywhere but I'm through with it now.    No snow, but wild skies, cool temps and lots of rain....It's not fun walking Taos in the rain, almost every hour on the hour!    He doesn't like it either.      Come on April!

Luckily the threatening skies are usually passing through, sometimes dumping on us, sometimes just racing along to their destination.    Sometimes they bring us pretty rainbows.

March wasn't ALL puppy care and yucky weather.   Dave continued to help Steve work their magic on his Trans Am and we enjoyed a short visit from Pam and John.    You know she had to see Taos before he became a big guy!

On Tuesday we loaded Pam, John and Taos into the Jeep and headed out in the desert to look for a new to us Crested Saguaro.    We (I) had a very rudimentary map with no writing or instructions on it, other than an entry point gate so we did some serious bumbling with no Saguaro success.      Taos did very well, rolling and bouncing around in his crate, as we went up rocky hills, down rocky hills, frequently stopping and turning around to retrace our steps or look at wildflowers.   

John stands guard while Pam takes pictures.

Taos sniffs Lupine

 As I was walking away from photographing a pretty hedgehog (I think) cactus flower, not watching where I was going.....I was attacked by a Jumping Cholla.

It attached itself to my forearm, the side of my shoe and left several single barbs stuck to my shirt......ouch.      Luckily, we carry a Leatherman in the Jeep so Dave came to the rescue.

ouch!

The adventure wasn't a total loss, we all love just being out in the desert on a beautiful day.    As we were about to give up and head home, a couple in a side-by-side stopped to say hello.   We chatted a few minutes (they didn't know the whereabouts of our Crested either) but they asked if we saw the "big red rock" along the dry riverbed.....Nope, we didn't, so off we went!   

 Whoa!    It was huge and very red and beautiful.   So glad we took this little detour.

the Jeep looks tiny

 It was getting late, and Taos had eaten his fill of sand, (no, he didn't really get his fill because we put him back in the Jeep as soon as we realized what he was doing!) so we headed back to Wickenburg and dinner with Steve and MonaLiza. 

the food from Hassayampa BBQ was very good, no matter what John's face says!

 Hmmmm.    I think this post has become long enough.    I'll show you Taos photos in a couple days.....stay tuned.