The end of 2009

This year I was a good boy although I was only around for a little over 8 months of it. I now weigh a whopping 56 lbs. I hope to be 90 lbs --that's what I was advertised to become -- but since my Ma doesn't feed me enough, I'll probably only get to be about 65 lbs.

We went to Sutro Hts Park where Pa made me fetch a really large stick.

When we got home, I made an alarming discovery. A sinister critter in front of our fireplace!

What the heck is that???? I must alert my people.
Well, it turns out to be a gekko, whatever that is.

Here's wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous year in 2010!
And, if you don't mind, let my people know that I can eat about 10 times more food...he he...

P.S.
It will be the year of the Tiger. Interesting, since it is a tiger and not a cat; but there is a DOG in the zodiac and not a wolf/bear/coyote/jackal. Get it??? That means a dog is equivalent to a tiger. Bring it on!!!

Mr Max teaches his buddies how to dig

Today I was a good dog and I got to go to Ft. Funston where there were lots of doggie buddies around.

I had a great time with a Great Dane.

After running around on the beach, I found a pack of white dogs to hang out with.

Obviously, they are clueless when it comes to digging.

I had to show them the right way to do it: hind legs apart so that the dirt can go between, both paws in the hole, nose down, tail up, eyes on the hole -- now, DIG with gusto!

Hopeless!! No amount of coaching is going to fix their problem - I guess you just have to have the digging genes. Being an Airedale Terrier, I got a good dose of those.

Mud wrestling and other terribleaire fun

Today, I was a good boy so even though it rained yesterday, my Ma took me to Ft. Miley. We played ball for a while, saw some park rangers who were real friendly, went for a walk and met Haupia and Lois up at the picnic area.

Note how white Haupia was when she first arrived.

We ran some. Note the beginnings of a nice hole I started.

Dug some. I like to do that lying down sometimes.

Rolled some. I like to roll in the dirt I've dug up.

And, we engaged in our favorite terrier activity - mud wrestling. Note how dirty Haupia is now. All in all, it was a fun morning for me.

Boxing day

Me - running to greet my friends.

Today I was a good boy and played with Haupia at Ft. Miley. Lois and Haupia were worried a coyote would come by since they saw one at the VA. There've been many coyote sightings recently. For some reason, Lois thinks Haupia will be picked off by a coyote; my Ma seemed unconcerned at first, but then she remembered I'm still a pup so I might not be able to hold off a coyote like Stanley. I guess that Stanley was a dog to be reckoned with but I figure, with me, Haupia, Ma and Lois, no coyote in their right mind would come to bother us.

These days I have to keep an eagle eye out for my Ma. Sometimes she just disappears!!! Eh? How could she leave little old me? I have to sniff around and look for her and, sometimes she hides! Eh??? What's gotten into her, is she senile? Even today, when I was having a good time with Haupia and Lois, she just suddenly went away. Very alarming. The SPCA should be contacted.

My first Christmas

I was a good boy so Santa was good to me. I was also good to Haupia - I gave her two of my bones. This morning we went to Ft. Miley and ran around the pine forest and the lawn up at the top. It was a beautiful morning. I'm getting much better with "come" except when I'm digging - or, if there's another dog, or, if there's something more interesting. Hmmm...well, I try to listen, but it's hard.

This is me and Haupia wearing our little Christmas collars that Pa calls goofy.

See, I can stay down even with some distractions.

That's Haupia's new stocking behind us. I don't think she knows she got those bones yet.

Ha! And guess who broke her stay first???? Not good little me -- it's all caught in this photo.

Those are our Santas.

When I got back in the house, Pa gave me a new real bone from yesterday's soup stock. It was a lot like this one but I chewed it up already.

Here's wishing all of you a happy, healthy, productive and prosperous New Year!

My Christmas

Today I was a good boy and we practiced "come" and "by my side" on our walk in the morning. That was kind of fun since I got lots of treats when I did these right. When we got home, Ma pulled out all of my fuzzy old toys that had been missing for months which I proceeded to destroy. Some things don't change.

Me and big bear, or is it a hedgehog?

Hey - at least I'm not chewing up the nice pillows!

So much for Leo the Lion.

Note the fuzzy innards strewn around the "living" room. Ruff ruff. However, the look of surprise is because Ma and Pa collected all the eviscerated fuzzy toys and THREW THEM AWAY. Huh?? What kind of Christmas is this going to be???

Here's wishing all of you a happy holiday season. I'm a little worried about mine, needless to say.

Pacific Coast Trail 50K at Marin Headlands

Today I was a good boy and I played a supporting role in my Pa's first marathon--but longer--50k -- 7.805k longer than a marathon or 31.25 miles. It was part of the Pacific Coast Trail Run series and was held at my favorite place - Marin Headlands. Whew! I'd have a hard time pulling my Ma along on such a long run. She definitely doesn't carry her own weight when it comes to running. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, she can't run.

Me -- encouraging Ma to walk faster.

Here he is -- a few meters from finish!The elevation gain was apparently close to 6000ft, even though it's flat here. Also, it was wicked windy -- my ears were flapping around a lot.

He doesn't look too tired -- he probably could have run faster!

You can see the wind blowing the tops of the waves at Rodeo beach.

He finished at just over 5 hrs -- not bad for a first timer.

New friends and other adventures of Max

Yesterday, I was a good boy and I had fun with my friend Haupia. I also have a new friend, Lucca. He's really a good boy and a big one too! He's a Chocolate Lab from Chicago. Funny -- there are two CL's from Chicago in our neighborhood, but I don't get to play off-leash with Scotch. Ma makes me walk nice with Lucca and her Ma. It's really tiresome - they won't let us wrestle when we walk, in fact, we're supposed to ignore each other -- but I get to go to the Palace of the Legion of Honor which is a treat. I wish we could tear it up on the golf course there! What are those old men doing, driving around in those funny carts--they should be running and chasing the ball and each other.

Lucca and me. He loves to play grab the stick.

We got home and I got a haircut. That was OK but then Ma washed me so I smelled like a Poodle.

No worries -- I rolled around in the sand at Ft. Funston on Friday so I smell much better now.

Saturday at home

Yesterday, I was a good boy and we mostly hung out at home. My Ma lost her mind and took bezillion pictures of a stupid bike -- huh??

She thought this one was cool - she seems to have rediscovered the macro function on her old Nikon DSLR.

Then she took some of me but they were as wierd as the bike pics.

Now here's a good, normal one -- ahhh, but that's an old one.

Home Sweet Home

Here is my home...and the most important items there are my water and food bowls, particularly the latter. I like to eat lying down which is apparently a characteristic of Airedales. I get the best food in the world!

Notice the funny picture in the water bowl -- I've had some issues with it, as in, what's that in my bowl????? I'm a little wierd that way -- I notice a lot of little things.

My girlfriend, Haupia, gave me a present today on our walk. It's that funny thing around my neck.

Pa thinks it's a little goofy. It jingles when I walk around.

Fun (again) at Ft. Funston

Today, I was a good boy and I went to Ft. Funston again. I never tire of that place. We first ran into two dogs - one of them definitely had some terrier in him but he was completely black.

It was the coldest day yet although it looks sunny in these pictures. We didn't stay long since it was very windy. Also, the tide was high so there was very little beach.

The humans went to Costco - I took a nap. I had to guard all the groceries on the way home.

I still don't like to jump out of the car even though I've got "load up" pretty much figured out. That means I get to go somewhere fun!!

Haupia and Me

Yesterday I was a good boy and I had fun with Haupia. She was Stanley's girlfriend but now she's my best friend. Being part terrier, she really knows how to wrestle.

When things get too rough, Ma yells at us to knock it off and we have to act nice, as in Sit, Down, Stay!

But not for long!! Back to UCF (ultimate cage fighting).

I got her good. She fits underneath me since I've grown taller.

Drat!! Time out. Sit. Stay.

More adventures at Ft. Funston

Don't know about this water -- better not get in above my head.

What's with this ball -- not much left of it!

Let's start digging!

Look Ma! I'm pretty fast!

Romping around in the fog at Ft. Funston

Today, I was a good boy and I had fun at Fort Funston. It was a foggy day but I needed to run around since yesterday, I didn't get out much and I was not a good boy. I got to romp around with a bunch of dogs at the beach. I'm getting good with the ball -- I like to fetch and I sometimes drop it when I bring it back. I still don't know how to swim -- the waves kind of scare me. Ma thinks the waters off Ocean Beach/Ft. Funston are not safe and Airedales aren't as good swimmers as the labs and retrievers, so a little caution could go a long way. She says she will teach me how to swim, though, like she did for Stanley.