I'm still here, going to be a better writer this year!

So my human mom has been lax in writing my story here. She has promised to help me out since my paws won't let me type and for some reason the microphone doesn't translate bark.

Here's some updates on me:
- I have adjusted to my daily schedule and take lots of naps between my play times. That way I am always fully energized for fun.
- On Christmas day, I learned how to catch a bounced ball. That was surprising. I'm not sure what was really going on. Mom bounced the ball and for some reason I decided to open my mouth. I caught it! Mom hugged me and told me I was a good boy. That made me happy. She kept playing with me and most of the time I caught the ball. Mom said that my "stance", whatever that is, is so cute. I'm going to keep practicing.
- While traveling with Mom and Dad for the holidays I have determined the best view for seeing out the window and snuggling. Mom let me ride on her shoulders and back. I was able to stretch out between her neck and the headrest. I felt so safe and snuggled up. I snoozed for over an hour!
- I had my first spa treatment. Yes, Mom setup an appointment for me at Petco. They gave me a nice bath, trimmed my nails, and spritzed me with something that smelled good. The lady there talked really nice to me.  Mom said my report card was great.  I got a special treat from Petco that day.

I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but my Mom & Dad signed me up for a monthly BarkBox. Now for those of you that hate those "of the month club," let me just say that this is awesome. Mom and I spend time together looking at what all is in the box. The things I'm not interested in are shared with other family dogs and Mom said soon she is going to start taking things to the local animal shelter. That's great that I can help other puppies.

*Yawn*

Well, I'm going to head to sleep. Thank you everyone that didn't give up on me and are still interested in my story.  Mom made me a Facebook page so I can keep up socially. It can be searched by lynnythepuppy.  She also uses #lynnythepuppy hashtag for me.

Nite everyone!

LynnyThePuppy

A trip to the beach and meeting my human Grand-dad.

*Yawn*

Why do humans use these loud noisy alarm thingies?

My mom hugs me and whispers good morning to me. She keeps saying "let's get up and make the donuts." I'm not sure what this means but it sounds fun. We go out in the backyard and there are so many things to see. I chased this cricket until he hopped through the fence. The birds here are noisy in the morning and I'm still a bit nervous out here. I keep thinking they will not want me anymore, but each day I feel safer and safer.

Mom started singing softly in the backyard. She does that a lot. Sometimes she sings funny songs, but the best times are when she sings to me. I know she is singing to me because she looks right at me and uses my name in the song. It makes my heart happy.  She seems happy too because she laughs and pats my head.

Daddy Craig was packing a large bag and putting my toys in a box. I tried to take them out but he told me no. I want my toys. I kept trying to get in the box. Mom put clothes in a bag too. I tried to get in the bag. She giggled and lifted me out. What is going on? Mom said to me "Lynny, we are going to the beach and to see Grandpa Pet and his dog Roscoe." I wasn't sure what a beach or grandpa or Roscoe was but I wagged my tail.

The clip of the leash meant we were going somewhere. I paced back and forth in front of the door. Let's go, let's go!  Mom walked me around in the yard and I did my business. She took me to the car and I sat on her knee looking out the window. Sometimes my nose pressed against it as I looked at all the grass and trees that we went by as Daddy drove.  Eventually I started to feel tired and I fell asleep.

I think I slept for hours. When I woke up the air smelled different.  There was a salty taste to the air. My nose quivered as I looked around. What was that gray water for out Daddy's window? There were strange animals eating grass out Mom's window. Overhead I could see very large birds and sometimes they threw themselves into the water. Why would anyone volunteer to get in water?

We pulled up in front of this tall house. There was a really big dog there. He was huge. I had to crane my neck to look at him. The man that was there petted me and Mom said he was my "Grandpa Pet." I wagged my tail and let him pet me. That made Mom happy. Then I got to meet my "Uncle Roscoe" the dog. He wasn't too sure about me and man did he have some big teeth. We chased each other around and shared toys. It was so much fun.

Daddy took me down on the sand and I looked at the water, but I didn't get in it.  The wind was cold at night and the weather was rainy.  I hope I get to come back here when it is warm.

My Uncle Roscoe is so lucky. Grandpa Pet gives him these twisted rawhides to chew on. Lucky for me that he has so many. I like how they feel on my gums when I chew.  I might take some of these back with me when we go home.

Daddy let me snooze on his lap.  I feel like I am part of this family.

My first trip to the pet store and sunset happiness.

That Friday night after they decided to keep me, they took me in the car to a local pet store.  The lady held me softly and talked nicely to me while the man drove. I looked out the window of the car. Where they going to throw me out like my old people did? I snuggled closer to her hoping she wasn't going to get rid of me.

When the car stopped, there were a lot of other vehicles around and a big building. I sniffed the air. Hmm. There were a lot of dog smells here.  She carefully carried me into the store. Another lady came over to us and petted me softly. I wagged my tail and licked her hand.

The next few minutes were so strange.  They found this black fabric thing that clipped around me. It felt like it was hugging me.  I liked it. It was my brand new harness. I pranced around the floor with my harness while the peoples laughed and talked to me.

I then was given some delicious treats and I picked out a toy to play with.  The toy was a set of pirate bomb balls. They squeaked!

I felt so much love. I even got a special tag made for my collar. I felt so loved. They then went to a big open place and as the sun was setting, they took pictures of me.

I have a home.

A decision that changed my life.

A decision that changed my life.

That next day while she held me stroking my back softly, he stared at me.  With a deep sigh, he said, "let's keep him."  Me?  Did he really mean me?  She squeezed me softly and petted me.  I heard her soft voice saying thank you and I felt so much love.

What should we name him? she asked.

hmmm, said the man.

How about Lynnard Skynnard?  We can call him Lynny.

I licked her hand and snuggled close.

I had a name.  I had a family.  My story changed and now a new one begins.

The Pondering...Will I stay or will I go?

That first night with these new peoples was pretty strange. The woman cuddled me and I slept a bunch on her knee in a very comfy chair.  The man said very little and when he looked at me it was with a sad worried face. I wondered what he was thinking. I could hear other dogs outside barking. They knew I was inside and wanted to know who I was. I stayed quiet and as still as possible. A big white cat stared at me from her bed by the window. She never moved. I was too tired to worry about her.

When the man went into the other room, the woman held me and then took me outside in the front yard. I stayed close to her. There were cars zooming down the street. I shivered and thought about being shoved out of the car.

When we came back inside she put me in the small bathroom and made me a pillow out of her t-shirt. I snuggled down in the shirt and slept. I was too tired to complain about the door being shut and being left alone.

Sometime in the middle of the night the man got up. He took me for a walk and then put me back in the bathroom. It was super cold and rainy outside. I was glad to be back in bed.

A few hours later the woman woke me up and took me outside. She talked kindly to me. She kept telling me that she was going to work at the school today. I was not happy going back into the bathroom. I wanted to play. I wanted to be held. She laughed but kept putting me back. I think she put something heavy in front of the door because I couldn't get it open.

It seemed like forever until they got home that day.  The woman got home and took me out front. She smiled and laughed as I ran around.  The man brought in some dog food and he took me for another walk.  I wagged my tail at him and tried to get him to pet me, but he just continued to look at me sadly.

That night the woman gave me a bath in the kitchen sink.  It was awful and it was great at the same time. She scrubbed off all the dirt and killed the fleas that had been biting me so badly. I was exhausted after the bath and slept for a long time in her arms wrapped in a warm towel.

When the man went to bed he put a gate up on the bathroom door.  Interesting. I looked at it and wondered if I could climb it.  When the woman put me to bed, she left the door open and it wasn't long after she went to bed that I climbed out. I curled in her chair and slept until the man got up to take me for a walk.

The man put me back in the bathroom with the gate and shut the door. It wasn't long after he left that I climbed the gate and pushed the door open.  I slept again in her chair. When the woman got up she laughed and said I must "need to be free."  I wagged my tail.

When she left for work that day she shut the door again and put something in front of it. I couldn't get it to budge. I climbed up on the fence pushed on the door with all my strength. It wouldn't budge. So, I decided to chew through the gate. Maybe if there was a hole in the gate the door would open.

That night neither the man or woman was too happy about the hole in the gate. The man said that I had to go to the shelter. He said with the two other dogs in the backyard and the cat, he just couldn't take care of another dog.  The woman petted me softly. She told the man that she would do as he asked on Saturday. She cried softly that night as she held me after he went to bed. I licked her tears. I heard her pray quietly that her husband would change his mind.  I really hoped her prayers were answered.

A Chance of Hope

I really don't know where I am or what is going on.  One minute I was snuggled up with my sister and then the next I was grabbed and tossed into the thing my peoples called a car. At first I was excited because I thought it was an adventure. I quickly realized that this was an adventure like no other. This was an adventure that would surely change my young life.

The car slammed to a stop abruptly throwing me and my sister tumbling onto the floorboard of the car. Hands grabbed me by the scuff of the neck and I whimpered in pain and shock. What was going on? Suddenly I was tossed out of an open car door into a place I had never seen before.  The impact of the concrete against my tender paws hurt. My body shivered at the cold March air. My sister huddled next to me. I moved towards the car only to see it speed away from me. Where were my peoples going? Why had they left me here?

Over my shoulder I heard loud shouts. I crouched low and tried to protect my sister.  Many peoples I did not know surrounded us. They were all talking and making silly baby sounds. Slowly one of them reached out and stroked my head softly.  Ahhh.  A friend.  I wagged my little tail. The peoples giggled. I pranced about and tried to get them to chase and play with me. Soon my sister and I were zipping all over the grass with these new peoples.  It was so much fun.

Little by little though these new peoples started to leave in cars. The air was getting colder.  One of the smaller girl peoples picked up my sister and began to walk around the side of the building. I started to follow, but the other peoples were throwing a stick for me, so I decided to play some more. When I looked up again, my sister was gone.

Soft hands picked me up and snuggled me. I felt so loved. I licked a little girl peoples face. She giggled, so I licked her again. I heard an angry voice yell at us. The little girl peoples face looked sad. She put me under a bush and told me to stay and be good. As she walked away, I tried to follow her, but she told me no.  I whimpered softly as she drove away.

A sharp cry above my head had me under the bush quickly. What was that? I peeked between the branches. A large hawk flew low over the sidewalk looking around. Was it looking for me? I sunk back closer to the wall of the building behind the bush. Shivering. Cold wind whipped around me and stinging icy drops of rain pelted my little body. I couldn't stay outside in this weather.

Tucking my tail between my legs and quickly darting from tree to tree, I moved around the building looking for an open door.  Were there no more peoples here? Lightning and thunder crashed above me...I yelped in fear and darted into a little opening in the side of the building. A brief shelter from the storm.

My poor little heart beat fast as I hear footsteps approaching. I looked into this glass window.  There was a woman with her arm full of stuff about to come out. Maybe I could dart in and get warm. I edged close to the door. As she opened it, I tried to squeeze past, but she quickly stopped me.

Her voice was soft and kind. She knelt down to me and patted my head and said "no sweetie, puppies are not allowed in school." She then told me to "go home." I ran in circles around her legs and looked up at her.  Where is home? How do I get there?  She again gently pushed me away and began walking towards a truck in the parking lot.

When she opened the truck door and loaded her stuff inside I darted underneath the truck. The thunder scared me. I didn't want to be left outside.  She stepped back and looked under the truck at me.  I wagged my tail and looked up at her. She made a little kissing sound. Hmmm. That sounded good so I came back out to her. When she picked me up and held me gently. "What have we got here? A little boy puppy? With no collar? Poor baby."  She petted me softly. I shivered.  My coat was cold and wet.

A few minutes went by while the woman looked around the parking lot and finally said to me, "well, I'm not leaving you out here on the coldest night of the year. You are going to have to come home with me and we will figure out what to do with you." She tucked me inside the truck and wrapped me in a soft hoodie.  I snuggled up against her the whole ride making sure to sit really still so she wouldn't get mad and throw me out like my peoples did.

When she stopped the truck I could tell we were not near the "school" she talked about. It smelled more like plants. My nose twitched with all the wonderful smells.  As she careful brought me into this strange new house I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew this wasn't my home.  What was going to happen to me?

I heard a strange male voice as she walked through the house and I buried my head into her arm. What if he threw me outside?  I whimpered softly.  She kissed my head and whispered "it's okay." He didn't look to happy at all to see me. She started telling how she had found me, but she didn't know my whole story. I fell asleep on her leg in a big soft chair she was sitting in.  He decided I could stay for the night, but there were already two other dogs and a cat in this home. It looked like my chance of a new home here would not happen. My hope felt lost.

That night I slept inside one of her t-shirts on the floor of a little bathroom. It was warmer than outside, but I could not see anything. They had shut the door so I couldn't get out.  I was too tired to care.  As I drifted off to sleep, I really wanted this to be my new home.  Did I dare hope? Was there a chance?