The world's smallest Newf? NOT!

So it turns out that I am not an abnormally small Newf; Rarf was just starving me. Seriously! She was so worried that I might become one of those fat Newfies that she wasn't feeding me enough. It took a visit to Birchbark Newfoundlands, where I was born, to make her see the light. Amy took one look at me and told Rarf to increase my food by 2 cups a day (thanks, Amy!) And Rarf wondered why I was eating rocks, sticks, anything I could get my paws on. I am now 120 pounds, 28 inches at the shoulder---and still pretty darned thin. Feed me more, Rarf!

27.5 inches???

Okay, maybe I'm not going to be the world's smallest Newf. A very strange thing has happened. Even though I've weighed about 98 lb for four months, I've gotten bigger. Rarf noticed that I seemed to be taller (she must have noticed the proximity of my mouth to the top of the kitchen counter) and so she pulled out a tape and measured me. At first she said, "Twenty-eight at the shoulder? That can't be! That's breed standard for an adult male." So she measured and remeasured, making me "Stay" and flattening the fur on my shoulders. Finally she declared, "Twenty-seven and a half unless I'm totally blind; no way around it. So much for our petite Newfie. It looks like there's some weight gain in your future, Ciara-Miara." (This explains a lot: I have never FELT like a small Newfie).

I am not a horse

. . . although I feel like one with this halter on. Oh boy, I wish I could speak human. "What's up with that?" I'd say, when Rarf puts this thing on me. I don't need this: I've been so good at listening to "Easy," "Wait," and "Stay" commands. It's not as if I pull when I'm leashed. Well, maybe when we see other dogs and people. Okay, maybe I get a bit carried away sometimes. I did pull Rarf down that one time, when I saw Tim the Labrador coming my way. But he hadn't been over to play with me in so long! I didn't mean to pull her down . . . Just like that time at the high school field when I didn't mean to tackle her. I was just playing! I mean, she falls down so easily! Anyway, I've pretty much figured out that if I kind of flick and duck my head at the same time, I can get out of this halter. I'm saving that trick for emergencies.

Tricks

Every morning Rarf and I go to the park---VERY early, when I'd still rather be sleeping. But once I wake up, it's fun cause I can tear all over the place. Then we always practice tricks for a while. I'm really good at the whole sit, stand, down thing. I'm really good at "come,"---except if I see something terribly interesting. I do okay at "stay," but it's pretty boring. I'm learning "down" from a distance---that confused me for a while.

Lately Rarf has been throwing a ball so I can "get it," "bring," and "give." (I don't like "give" so much---why won't she just chase me???) I really just like running after the ball. This morning she pulled a sly one: she used a ball that squealed when I grabbed it. Scared the fur off me---I thought I hurt it!

My wicked best trick is "wait." Rarf says "wait" and I can stop and turn on a dime!

All growed up???

Alright; I've been 97 pounds for three months now. (Forget that 101 reading in November: that was obviously scale operator malfunction.) Does this mean that I'll never break 100? Does this mean that, at slightly over one year old, I've FINISHED GROWING? Does this mean that I'm the world's SMALLEST NEWF??? I may not have put on any weight since early October, but I swear I've grown taller. Hey you other Newf bloggers out there: can you tell me if I have some growing left to do? Perhaps a growth spurt at about a year and a half? Or is this IT??? Because right now I still FEEL a lot bigger than I am. (Although my extremely svelte, athletic, and attractive physique can certainly compensate for any size deficit---trust me on this.)

Christmas ornaments have interesting textures

I should know: I sampled most of the ones I could reach.

I don't get the whole Christmas tree thing anyway. I mean, we have a tree in our yard that looks almost the same. Shadow pees on it all of the time, and Rarf hangs toys off of it for me to pull on and chew on. But she and Joe cut a tree down, take it inside, hang things off it, and what happens when I chew on them? I get in trouble. And Shadow won't pee on the inside tree, the big wuss. Go figure.


By the way: this picture? NOT my idea.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm not exactly sure what a birthday is, but I have to say, I like it. Rarf has been making a big fuss over me all day. I had liver for breakfast, and we went to Petco and PetQuarters and got all kinds of treats.

Speaking of PetQuarters, we met a dog there who, well . . . I don't know. He was like me, kind of, but bigger, with white on him. Rarf called him a "landseer." His name was Buzz and I felt kinda funny around him. But his owners pulled him away so I didn't have a chance to really sniff him all over.

Anyway, here I am after getting brushed for my birthday, and then with my birthday present: the biggest tennis ball I have ever seen!!!