My Busy Days...Squirrels and Springtime

I really had a hard time this winter.  So now that it's warming up, the flowers are starting, mom and I are outdoors a LOT.  She rakes dead leaves and plants things, I supervise and keep the squirrels from attacking her.  I also monitor the birds.  The "regulars" are used to me and just go about their business.  They know I don't consider them worthy opponents.

Who IS a worthy opponent is Rocky.  He's the rottie a few yards down who is kept in a little pen all day.  He moans and cries and watches me run around, go next door for treats, nap in the sunshine on the soft grass, while he is stuck in that silly pen.  His mom never walks him either, he is so jealous of me.  I ignore him for the most part, but sometimes I run to the fence and bark at him 2 times.  Just 2..and always 2.  You dogs know what that means.  My mom doesn't but she thinks it's funny.

I am soooo tired now at the end of the day.  Mom keeps making me go into the house so she can paint her pictures of OTHER dogs and animals.  Meanie.  But I actually need the break, I have to keep one eye open when I nap outdoors...you never know when a squirrel might decide to attack!

Want to see mom's pet portraits?  She says they keep me in milkbones!  Thanks for visiting!  Otto.

Oh, this Snow! Mom's doing pet portraits and I'm stuck inside!

I love cold weather, never wear a coat and won't.  (I do wear my Chimney Inspector hat..on Santa Patrol).  But this much snow spooked me.  It came up way over my belly!  I wouldn't even help Dad shovel, which I usually supervise when it snows.  Instead, I laid on the couch looking really disturbed and upset...this was NOT regular!!  Luckily, even though we got almost two paws of snow (I mean, feet), humans made paths for us dogs so we could walk.  They used shovels and snow throwing machines that were loud like vacuum cleaners.  But they were good, I now have a maze out my backdoor to my driveway and then to the sidewalk, so I could take Mom out for her daily walk. 

Today, a great thing happened, my friend Chloe, who is a chocolate lab, came for a visit to her Grandma Pat's next door (tip...if you're in the neighborhood, Pat gives out biscuits if you sit by her door long enough).  And I just couldn't help but follow Chloe right into the snow to play.  We ran and jumped til I ran out of breath.  Chloe is a lot younger than me, so she can run longer than me, but not faster!

Anyway, Chloe and I decided we could be outside in this all day, but since we have a weird backyard that can't be fenced because of the driveway, Mom has to supervise us to make sure we don't go on our own walk without her.  And she usually likes to do this but she said, "Otto I have one more portrait of a yorkshire terrier to finish and I have to finish it today"..so that means I only get to go out on her 'breaks'.

No fair!  Just when I decided I liked being in the snow after all!

I'm lucky to get a walk...while mom does portraits of OTHER pets!

Yep, I remember this...she's in what she calls "the home stretch" doing pet portraits of OTHER people's pets, like this one. While I try and get her attention...strutting around with my ball and an enticing look in my eye...she just keeps saying, "later Otto I have to get this done".

I'm lucky she walks me. I thinks it's because she also has baked Christmas cookies. Otherwise, it's just watching her work. She says later...we'll see...

Mom's Drawing a Pet Portrait

WEll, we've been spending a lot of time on the couch with old movies because she's working on a "pet portrait". You know her, it's all she's thinking about. I like it because it's been really cold and I get to snuggle up.

There's 2 dogs, one black, one white. And three cats! I don't understand cats, I see them around, they aren't as interesting as squirrels, and whenever I've gotten really close up, they make strange noises and try to hit me with their claws. So I haven't gotten to know them very well.


Evidentally they like dogs, because these 3 cats are all laying on a bed with the dogs, one is even asleep!

But you know, I'm a "good boy", and not a dog.

Have you seen our pet portrait website? It's http://robinzebley.com

Welcome to my dog blog!...even though I'm NOT a dog.

Hello out there. My name is Otto. My mom is animal artist Robin Zebley. She has a website at robinzebley.com where she draw pictures of dogs. She also has a blog where she sits on this computer and writes about animals and her art. Sometimes when she's on this computer, she doesn't seem to remember I'm sitting right next to her...or bringing her my ball. So I figured I'd see what all the fun was about.

I hear I'll get to meet other dogs. I don't know what the word "other" means, but I do know that dogs are creatures similar to me that don't live here or next door. My best friend Chloe is a "good girl", not a "dog", and I am a "good boy". When someone says the word "dog" around me, I look around to see who they're talking about!

Anyway, here I am in my car. Dad's taking me for a ride, yay! They actually bought their new car based on how I would like it. The moon roof is great! It means I get to go out more in the summer. If they park it in the shade and open the moonroof, I stay comfy!

I am almost 10 and for some reason I can't keep up with Chloe like I used to. We like to run around in the two backyards and pretend to fight. We don't really fight. She's younger than me. She's a chocolate lab with beauiful eyes.

I like squirrels, rides, walks in the neighborhood, hikes, every person I've ever met, most dogs, swimming, playing with sticks and balls and toys, playing hide and seek (I always find them), travel, looking out the window, eating human food and going to the pet stores.

People always ask what I am. My mom tells them that I am supposed to be a boxer bullmastiff, but by the way I look, everyone thinks I'm a pitbull with boxer. What do you think?