Hanging Out With My Friends from South Suburban Chihuahua

Today we had a meetup at K9 Tailshakers.  Several of my chihuahua friends were there.  K9 Tailshakers provides training, dog day care and spa services.  I finalized my training and tested for my therapy assist dog certification there.  They  have a very clean and well kept facility with outstanding staff.   It is not St. Patrick's day yet, but I got all dressed up to celebrate.  After all, my daddy is Irish - don't you know?!

Some of us are trying to sleep!

What?

Reading With Kids At The Library

What? 
You did not know that I am part of the Tail Waggin' Tutoring Program? 

Yes!  
As a Therapy Assist Dog I get to have kids read to me in libraries.  No treats required.   

Kids who are shy readers or would like to improve their reading skills sign up to read.  I listen (sometimes I get sleepy), I don't correct them and I pay attention. 

Did you know Tufts University did a study where it was found that kids who read to dogs have an increase in their reading skills?  

Therapy Dog reading Links: 
Tufts University Study    
ABC News - Dogs Help Kids Read

Below are a few recent photos of me at the Crestwood Library with my friend Birdie.  I love when kids pick books about dogs!

I love reading with kids!

Strike a pose!

Birdie and me

I Am Ready for the 15 Below Windshield!

I'm ready for the cold!



Hmmm, it is awful cold out!

Why go out? There is a good spot behind the-...



Done!  Time for a nap - ZZzzzz...

My 6th Birthday!

I was born January 1st, 2007

I had a birthday party last weekend with 24 of my closest Chihuahua friends.  I got to eat peanut butter cake and mini cheese and spinach cupcakes from the Happy Dog Bakery in Downers Grove.  Here are some photos from my birthday party - enjoy!...

My Mom made my sit by my birthday cake!

Here I am at my party with one of my friends, Tequila!

Don't I look handsome in my birthday hat?

I love birthday cake - just a taste - WOOF!

Smiling at the Dog Park...



Love hanging out at the dog park!







Some people say I look like Bolt, from the Disney movie.  You be the judge!



New Trick

I have been going to school at K9 Tailshakers to learn new tricks.  One of them is 'take a bow.'  Still working on perfecting that (need lots of carrots) - but am getting there.  In the meantime I practiced my 'bang! bang!' (play dead) trick over the weekend at the dog park, then we went for some treats.  Wanna see?


Bang! Bang!  Trying this again... what do I get?



Ahhh - Ice Cream!  It sure was worth doing the Bang!Bang! trick for a lick of this  treat!



A little tired at the end of the day.  Time for a nap!

My New Bow Ties!

I was very excited to receive a nice yellow envelope today with some goodies!  I received two new bow ties  made just for me by Sophisticated Pup.  Wanna see?

My Burberry style custom made bow tie by Sophisticated Pup 

Don't I look handsome?

Just in case you did not get enough of me...

Here is my custom made ecru bow tie by Sophisticated Pup

I wanted the 'Mr. Peabody' look!

Just in case you did not get a good look!

Vacationing in Marco Island

View from the room balcony.  I really wish we had taken more photos but since we'd been here before we just took it easy on the photos.  I will post some photos of our previous visit here too. 

Love the Beach!

Nice picture of the sun going down... 

View from the Snook Inn restaurant

We stopped to visit Sarasota one day... 

When just one photo is not enough!

Can you see me in the picture? 

I was really trying to take a picture of the pelican... 

View from the balcony at night overlooking the pool

WHAT A DAY! Wear a Dress, Go on TV & Meet Teresa Giudice and Jonathon Brandmeier!

I had a great opportunity presented me where I was asked to model an outfit on NBC Channel 5. I was really thrilled to arrive at NBC studios but as we were on the lower level we had a hard time finding the door. We finally bumped into a nice woman who was standing outside the studio back doors, and she happened to be the producer for the Brandmeier show. I shook her paw and she told me they were waiting upstairs and she would guide me through. She asked if she could hold me (who am I to say no?) and took me through security and through a maze down the main elevators.   WoW - Check out the video here: They took me into a conference room where several other doggies were already getting fitted for the outfits. I introduced myself and shook everyone's paws and then they began to dig for my outfit to wear. Uh! OH! the owner of Sophisticated Pup indicated she had forgotten I was a boy and did not bring a specific boy outfit... as that was already taken and she wanted to showcase an outfit she had created for Tori Spelling's dog! And - it was a dress. Well, I am an equal opportunity dresser who embraces his feminine side - who am I to say no?

Here I am waiting in the conference room... 

They asked me to smile for the camera

Waiting in the hallway in the studio... 

The view from inside the studio as we wait to go on... 

Jonathon Brandmeier interviewing Teresa Giudice

Still waiting to go on stage... 

View behind the camera 

I soon put on the dress and remained in the conference room where I was told Jonathon Brandmeier was interviewing Teresa Giudice - from Housewives of New Jersey. COOL! We were to come out while she was being interviewed, our outfits would be described and we'd move through the studio and out. That sounds easy enough!

Here they are discussing my outfit

A male dog wearing a dress?  Why not?

I do look cute!

Trying to sample Teresa Giudice's cookies!

A closer view

View inside the studio (right next door is the newsroom!)

Before we left Teresa said how cute I was and asked if she could get a picture with me. Someone took a photo of her holding me (but they haven't sent it to me yet). She was really, really nice. She did add me to her Twitter account - cool. As I walked out I bumped into a really nice man who shook my paw - his name was Bruce Wolf. We chatted for a couple of minutes then I was on my way to take off the little tutu. We then got called back in for a final photo and were told when the show would air. 

 Fun day for me!