Greetings to my friends and fans,

Today, July 21, 2020, I turn 9 years old!   I often tell Dawson it is good to slow down and reflect upon things so that is what I’m going to do with today’s blog.  This past year has been full of changes, all wonderful since it only increases Mom and me time.  What could be better than that?  Although, as I think about it, a tennis ball plus a treat plus Mom would be the best thing ever!!  One can only dream.

This past year was great!  Mom, Dawson and I moved to a new house and we love it so much.  I now have a pasture to run in and there are so many wonderful and interesting things to smell.  Recently, there have been several baby deer in the pasture so we can’t walk there but soon they’ll be big enough to leap over the fence and I’ll have my pasture back.  They’re so cute that I don’t mind sharing my pasture but they are very shy and after staring at me for a moment, they run off.  On the other hand, I have a very nice relationship with their mom, Natalie.  We touch base almost every evening, just to talk about the day’s events.  She is interesting but cusses like a sailor.

We also have a new pool which Dawson is absolutely in love with – he is a swimming fool!  I really shouldn’t spill the beans (but it is my birthday and the birthday rule is you get to do and eat what you want), but Dawson is developing a swimming routine that is is inspired by Michael Phelps and Evel Knievel – dare devil stunts combined with speed and stamina.  He about gives Mom a heart attack but, I’ll admit, he’s impressive.  I generally avoid getting in the pool while Dawson is working on his routine because he gets so focused on his work that his appreciation for physical boundaries is nil.  I do swim some because it is a good low impact exercise which, at my age, is beneficial for my joints (or so they say. Honestly, I think good exercise is simply doing what you love because love is the best for heart health).  I must confess that my favorite thing about swimming is rolling around in the grass afterward while Mom yells at me to stop.  It’s a fun game that I know Mom secretly enjoys so I make sure I do my part after each and every swim.  I can tell she especially likes it when I roll in the mulch!

I continue to enjoy my Nose Work classes.  Mom and my teacher place the hides in interesting places with less time to find them, a challenge that I appreciate.  The only hides that are a bit perplexing are the hides high above my head.  There’s just no way to get my nose on the hide so I just sit by the wall and hope Mom figures it out. Mom’s success rate for this is very low so I’m rethinking my strategy because I really hate to miss out on getting a treat when I’m not specific about where the hide is and Mom cuts me no slack at all on this.

As you can tell, I’ve had another fabulous year.  I have the best Mom ever and Dawson is the most agreeable brother and compadre one could have.   My birthday wish for this year is the passage of the Mandatory Two Treat Tuesday Initiative (MTTTI), a cause you’ll be hearing more about later.  Which reminds me, it’s time to stop writing so I can savor a birthday treat.

Sincerely,

Grady Buford Huntley, AX, MX
Spiritual Advisor, Abolish the Crate Federation
PhD in Treat Management
Golden Extraordinaire