My name is Augustus

Lizzie.......

2009-10-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

I Love Lizzie.....

Lizzie Loves ME!

A Meeting....

2009-10-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

I get to meet Lizzie today! I am sure she will LOVE me. I have been recently described as a Prince. And who doesn't love a prince? Unfortunately I am a bit suspicious as to the voice inflection used. Mom seems to be spreading bad stories about some of my more eccentric behaviors. I'm still young...really just a pup!

Big weekend coming up. I am getting a brother (-in-law)....

Welcome, Randy!

AUGUSTUS

Special note to Emily....

2009-09-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

19 days!!

WOO-HOO!

Augustus

Reprieve.....

2009-09-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a reprieve. Rosie and I were on our best behavior on Saturday when Heidi came to clean....which means that we don't have to be boarded during the BIG WEDDING WEEKEND!

We can stay home and Heidi will come in and take care of us. I was especially concerned we might miss the visitors on Sunday following the celebrations! Now we get to stay home for the whole weekend and sleep in our usual spots (Sort-off).

I am disappointed that no one has asked me to be ring dog! I am also a bit put out that I have not met my future brother in law! There is some concern that he is 'cat people.' I know that I can win him over if just given the chance. I've tried to get invited to their apartment, but that has not worked out yet. Emily seems to be keeping us apart and every time she has been over here she seems to pay special attention to Rosie. I know she is just trying to appease Rosie's fragile ego!

Augustus

Bad Weekend....

2009-09-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hey, Fans, I'm back....

Sorry that I haven't blog sooner, but.....

Had a terrible weekend. Mom and Dad went to Michigan for the weekend. The lady that cleans our house was to look in on us on Friday as well as clean the house on Saturday. It did not work as planned. I MISSED my family! Rosie was a shit all the time that Heidi was here to check on us. Acting all in her face all the time and not liking when I got some time with Heidi. Heidi brought her daughter over to help on Friday night, and she fell in love with Rosie. What the hell is up with that? Clearly I am the top dog around here now. Just ask my Dad! So the house did not get cleaned. All we did when Heidi was here was beg for attention and cry and bark if she tried to put us in different rooms so she could get her work done. I'm not sure I understood the whole going on vacation thing that my family did so I was a bit lost without them around. Once they came home on Sunday, everything seemed to get back to normal. Although I had a lot of pent up energy to get out since I had to stay in my crate for a longer period than I have become used too.

(Did I tell you we get to sleep in Mom and Dad's bedroom at night now? Woo-Hoo! So that is a whole lot of time that I do not have to be in my crate! I am sure the plan was that we would have to learn to sleep on the floor, but that's not going to happen!)

Anyway, the plan now is that anytime Mom and Dad go away for a weekend or a vacation we are going to be boarded! Not a great idea as I see it, but I guess we blew it with the whole getting to stay home and have someone come in and play with us! I blame it all on Rosie!

Anyway I do get to see Heidi next Saturday again since she is coming back to clean the house. Mom will be home so we will be on our best behavior.

Later,

Augustus

New Friend....

2009-09-07T19:45:00.001-07:00

I made a new friend on Sunday. I met Heidi. She is going to come and take care of me (and Rosie) when my parents are out of town (she also cleans our house.) She rightfully thought I was one great dog. (I am a heart breaker!) Rosie however was a total jerk. She acted like Heidi was her friend and only hers, and that I should just get out of the way. Well, that did not work when I turn on the charm! Heidi got right down on the floor with me and we instantly became best friends! I do have that effect on people. While Rosie was trying to impress Heidi, I tried to play a bit with Rosie, but she still just doesn't get it! I had to give her a smack down once or twice to put her in her place. She of course was such a drama queen about a little push....but then no one seemed to give her a moment's notice so she was right back in every one's face. Poor little Rosie, not!
Note to Emily: the racist remark was uncalled for! I am a big dog that happens to be black, it is my nature to dislike little dogs, who may or may not be white or black, or polka dot for that matter!

Augustus

Dislikes.....

2009-09-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

So far there are two things I definitely do not like:
1. The white dogs from down the street. I don't know what it is about an all white dog that brings out the bark in me. (I do seem to tolerate Rosie, the black and white dog that I live with, tho. Obviously the black helps.) I wish they would walk in the other direction AWAY from my backyard, so I did not have to see them.
2. Fireworks! The town we live in postponed their fireworks last July 4Th due to the weather. They had them instead on Saturday, Sept 5Th. We can see and heard them quite nicely from our patio. I had to stay in the house. Way too much noise for me. I did contribute my share of barks in response to the fireworks!

Augustus

My bark is....

2009-09-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

There are two small white dogs that live down the street from my house. They get walked a couple of times a day. They go past my backyard in the open area beyond our fence. I have seen them before and was only mildly interested. Today I seem to have found my bark. For some reason their presence in the back, with my dad in our yard (having just cut the grass) and me inside behind a sliding door bothered me. So I decided to let all know I was there and started barking my head off. Dad was not thrilled. Only the second time in a week that I have felt the need to bark. What's up with that?

Augustus

I Tried, Really....

2009-08-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

I guess in my former life, I must have been taught how a good dog is suppose to behave. I haven't made any messes in the house. I don't bark. I sit when I am told to and I come when called. Since I am learning my name and since it seems to fit me, I have decided to come when I am called by name. But I do have a couple of bad habits. I seem to like to jump up on people and there is a selective chewing thing! I don't weight much so it isn't painful when I jump on you, but I am being told 'down', a lot. And my other problem: although I have adapted to the crate, I was hoping to be sprung and have a little more freedom when Rosie and I are confined to our rooms when no one else is home. I tried, really....But I like Rosie's bed and I am always grabbing her pillow or her blanket or even her whole bed and I carry it around. Well, I got to be free of the crate a couple of times when we were home alone, but I couldn't leave her bed alone, I chewed on her bed, a little. So, back to the crate. At least I don't have to be crated when we go to bed at night! I tried, really....maybe I'll get another chance sometime.

Now that I have been 'chipped', 'fixed' and vaccinated, I need to wear a collar with my tags attached. So I got to get a new collar. I am now proudly wearing my new Cubs collar....Red, White and Cubby Blue! I now have a Dog Watch I.D., so people will know I am chipped if I get lost (again), and my County Dog Tag attached to my new collar.

I got to go for a ride in my Dad's car, without crate! We went to visit Mom at the pool. I did o.k. Hopefully this is the start to a few more outings.

I also got to meet one of my human sisters. She was very nice. I,of course, jumped on her, but she did not seem to mind, too much. She appropriately said I was cute and a spitting image of Zoe. She also praised my shiny coat. I am one handsome dog, no doubt. Can't wait to meet the other sister. She is the one who I am told will really freak out when she sees how much I look like Zoe! Zoe, too, must have been a real looker!

Augustus

I am Augustus......

2009-08-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hi, I am an almost 2 year old Setter Mix who found himself in the 'system'. Somehow I got separated from my owners and ended up at Animal Control in Joliet. There are only three ways to get out of there:

1. Your owners come and claim you.
2. You get rescued by someone.
or
3. Well, I don't want to talk about that!

Luckily I was rescued and ended up at the Humane Society of Plainfield. Then one of the Volunteers there told a co-worker where she works about me. That nice lady and her husband had recently lost a wonderful companion. (I will probably tell you more about him later.) They weren't looking for another dog yet, but as luck would have it I looked like a dog their daughter had had a number of years ago. Her name was Zoe and they still had a soft spot for her. So one day they came to Plainfield to check me out. They seemed nice, but before I knew what was happening the man left. Well, that turned out to be a good thing because the next thing I was in a private room and there was the man and his wife; and some little black and white dog was sniffing my butt! Well, she did not seem so bad, so I returned the favor!
The couple filled out a lot of papers, but they still had to leave me behind. But the next day the man came back because the Humane Society told him that he was approved to take me home. Although the Society was calling me Gordon, my Dad said they were going to call me Augustus. (For those of you who are into Trivia: Augustus is the name of the little fat boy from 'Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory.' But I got the name because I was adopted in August!) One of my Dad's daughters says she is going to call me Augie Dogie and the other daughter says that's cute but she is going to call me Gus! Anything is o.k. with me as long as I get to be part of this family. The daughters don't live there any more anyway, so I really just care what my Dad and Mom call me!
Well, then my new Dad slips a collar around my neck and attaches a leash and out we go to the great outdoors. It was great to be breathing the fresh air. I WAS GOING TO A NEW HOME! He took me over to his car and opened the door and I was quick to jump in and what did I see but a crate. Well, I thought I was done with those, so I tried to lie quietly next to it, but that did not work. So I reluctantly climbed into the crate. The ride home was o.k., I tried to be quiet, but started to get restless about half way home. I didn't think it would ever end! But soon it did, I was let out and there was the lady and that little black and white dog, again! Turns out her name was Rosie and we are going to be new brother and sister!
I got to run around the back yard of my new house. It was glorious!
My new Dad says I am a great dog and he is very surprised that someone would loose me and not try very hard to find me. But for me I am grateful for my new Dad and Mom. My Dad also says that I am smart. I have been very careful not to have any accidents in my new house and I never bark in the house. I sit on command, and give paw to shake, too! I am a bit of a beggar at the table, but I am a little underweight. I am always hungry. The Vet said I need to put on a few pounds so I am doing what I can to make that happen. Right now I have to stay in a crate at night and when my Dad and Mom are at work. But I hope to be free from that before too long.
So that is how I got here and I'll keep everyone up to date as I make my way in my new family.

Augustus