She's not only getting older...she's getting better!

(Mom's taking over the posting these days - she might let me write every now and then!)
Too long between posts - life has a habit of getting in the way of writing! Emma is getting older, and definitely better. Between episodes of "the Dog Whisperer", articles in magazines and on the 'net, and occasional obedience lessons, she is a pretty well-behaved dog. Her one big drawback is still the jumping...fence-jumping that is. We're working on that one...

Still here...and longer than ever!

 Hey everybody, my mom's been super busy lately, and she's neglected her dictation duties. Well, we're back...and I'm longer (and cuter!) than ever :-)
I celebrated my 2nd birthday roundabout the first of the year, and I guess I still have a lot to learn. I hear Mom tell her friends that I'm still a puppy, and that I probably still have a couple of years before I start to act like a big dog. 
Oh, well. 
Sometimes I just can't help myself, like today when I jumped after my favorite 
toy (a tennis -ball dumbbell thingy that squeaks...love the squeaky ones), and left a big 
muddy pawprint on her new shirt.
Or like yesterday, when we were coming home from a walk, and I saw one of the neighborhood kitties, and I wanted to play with him, so I tried to run over to see him...and I just about broke her finger...I really do try!
On the good side, she does always tell me what a good dog I am, and how cute I am, and she
gives me lots of cookies and tummy rubs. I really am a good dog :-)

Good Dog, Bad Dog, Good Dog, Bad Dog...

So one minute I'm a good dog, the next I'm a bad dog, then I'm good again - you get the picture. What can I say, sometimes I can't help myself! My last "bad dog" episode came when I got over-excited about mom's bird - a cockatiel named "Snowball" (what a silly name!) - and somehow her cage came crashing down...I don't know how that happened, honest! So naturally, I wanted to check things out, make sure she was okay and all. But I guess mom thought I was trying to hurt her or something, and she got sooooo mad at me. I don't think I've ever heard some of the words that came out of her mouth!
But on the good dog side, there was this weekend, when I got to hang out with both my moms and they said lots of nice things about me. I did what they wanted me to do, stayed pretty mellow, let them sleep in on Sunday morning, didn't whine and cry...I think I might get to stay awhile longer :-)

Bad Dog!

Uh oh, mom's not happy with me. I had another lesson with my teacher, and was doing really well...but then, well, I guess I got bored with being good and just going along with the flow. So I decided to stop paying attention to mom when we walk. Boy, does it make her mad! She just wants me to pay attention, I know, but there are so many distractions! I especially like Chunk, the dog down the street, and the cats! There are just too many to mention, though I'm supposed to leave them alone, especially my own cats Gus and Chloe. If they just wouldn't run...

Home

What a day it's been, almost as long as I am...Mom took me with her today, but I don't get to go inside the school with her (she says there are "stupid freaking new rules" about pets in the building). So I have to stay in the back of her car, which is big enough to hold my crate, and then when she has free time, my mom comes out and takes me out to play. It's actually better than staying home, 'cause I get to get out for walks more often. WALKS! Is there anything better than a walk? I know I drive my mom crazy 'cause I get all crazy when we go for walks, but it's just because I love them so much! And because I want to chase all the other dogs, cats, birds, leaves, people - whatever moves around out there. What can I say, I'm a dog!
So I know I called this post "Home", so I'd better stay on topic. Like I said, it was a long day, 'cause my mom had to work a really long day, which meant we didn't get home until really late (she said it was after seven - I'll trust her, since I can't tell time yet). Anyway, we're home, and after doing a few chores like vacuuming (I love that one! My job is to chase the sucky thing while Mom moves it around the floor), I'm lying on the floor pretty much wrapped around her feet. I think she likes it, since I'm really warm, and her feet are cold. I like being home, where I can eat, sleep and play, and stretch out to my full long-dog length. Or curl up tight into a little circle, if I want. But the best part about being home is being with my family, and knowing that they love me...well, that and the belly rubs and the treats!

So Why "Long Dog"?

Ah, the mystery of the name...if you knew me, you wouldn't need to ask. But since you're just getting to know me, I'll share the secret: I'm a long dog. Well, duh, you might say - that seems obvious. But see, the thing is, I'm really long. My moms measured me the other day (uh, yeah, I did say "moms' - you got a problem with that? well, love makes a family, bucko!), and I'm almost five feet long when I stretch out. My other nickname is "circle dog", and if I have to explain that one, well, then your imagination must need a little work. Just in case you're having a rough time with it, though, here's a visual to help you out. And this one might look more like "oval dog", but you get the picture!

How Long Dog Found Her Mom

First things first - that's me in the picture right over there...no, not the redhead! That's my mom, Heather - she thinks she rescued me, but really, I found her - I'm the black and tan and brown one behind the bars. That was taken the day mom came looking for love in all the right places :-) and found me at the shelter. When she took me into the playroom to see if we would get along okay, I tucked myself right under her legs, and that was it. She melted. And now I live with her, and my big sister Murphy (she's old and fat and lazy - more about her later), and my brother Gus (he's a cat - I love to chase him and freak him out).
So anyway, we've been a family for, like, 4-1/2 months now, and it's pretty cool. I was a little rough around the edges, having lived out in the streets for a while (I don't know how long - it was sort of traumatic and all, living out of garbage cans and fending off the wild racoons and feral cats). But I'm getting pretty civilized, and my mom thinks I'm gonna be a great dog someday. I'll keep ya posted on how that's going...