Hi; my name is Abby.  It used to be Eva but my cousin is called Ava which was confusing.

That’s me on the left.  I was originally fostered by my family over Christmas but when my friends at the SPCA phoned and asked for me back, my foster family couldn’t give me up.  They adopted both me and my sister, Holly.

My adopted Dad calls me Cuddle Butt because I’m so fluffy and cuddly.  When I was originally brought home I was small and cuddly.  I’m getting big now but I still like the cuddles and fusses.  I really like having my tummy rubbed.

I like being with my family.  I have a nice fenced yard that I can roam about.  There’s a big deck too and I found a neat hole under the stairs so I can run under there and scare everybody because they think I’ve escaped the yard.  Now why would I do that?  I know when I’ve got it good.  I have lots of toys and Richard, my adopted Dad, buys me all kinds of chewy treats to keep my teeth clean or just chew because it’s fun.  I especially like the 12” rawhide rolls.  I like to escape to the backyard and bury them in the snow.  It’s fun digging them out a few days later, when they are frozen and icy.

Richard takes me for walks now with my sister and Bagel the Beagle.  I didn’t like walks at first.  The collar was OK but I didn’t like the leash or steps.  Now I have a new blue harness and I like walks.  I was not too impressed the first time out in the harness because Richard, the silly person, put it on wrong and I flipped over in the snow two or three times.  Richard is old but amazingly, he can still learn, so he figured out what the problem was and he puts in on OK now.

After my walks I really like curling up in the kitchen.  It has heated floors which are nice and cozy.  That’s me on the right, snoozing on the warm floor being cuddled by my sister, Holly.

I’m a quiet dog usually but, like my sister Holly, I really like to bark at old Morris the cat.  He’s a grump though so I don’t get too close or he’ll swat me with his paw and hiss at me.  He’s OK, for a cat that is.  He lets me sniff him sometimes but I only do that if I can run away easily.

I’m the boss of the family.  Bagel the Beagle used to be the boss.  He’s my stepbrother.  He’s a bit of a wuss though so I am taking over the job.  He’s a sweet dog but somebody has to be boss, don’t they?  I like to get all the treats.  Richard and Donna are training me so I don’t nip their fingers in my haste to get a treat.  It’s coming along but “Leave it” is a mystery to me.  Why would I want to leave a treat?!  My family is going to take me to puppy school with my sister.  I think that will be fun because I like to learn.  I hope the “leave it” doesn’t happen too much though.

I have to go now because it’s snooze time.  I like to get in Richard’s favourite chair for my snooze.  As you can see, my sister Holly likes the same chair so I have to be quick to get it.

I need a snooze after breakfast because Holly gets us up so early.  She barks to be let out of her crate at 5:00 in the morning.  That’s w-a-y too early for me.  After a good snooze we’ll go for a long walk and after that, I’ll see what mischief I can get into to keep Richard hopping!

Bye everybody.

Abby

Update June '09 ...

Hi guys; I thought you might want to see the girls, Abby and Holly, at 7 months.  The pictures were taken around my cottage last weekend, where they really like to be.  They especially like playing in the fields behind us and then up into the hills.  Holly even presented me with a deer's leg bone, avec hoof (residue from winter kill).  We "camp" in our RV, which they also enjoy.  They are really good travellers.  I don't get to sleep in though.  They religiously jump onto the bed to wake me up at 5:30.  At home, they are crated at night, so I'm more in control of my beauty sleep.

They are really sweet dogs but boy; what a handful.  I need three hands to give equal fusses, otherwise I get "gentle" nips to let me know I'm not paying enough attention.  The toilet training issues (touch wood) appear to be history, thank goodness.

My arms were getting excessively long because the three dogs (Bagel the beagle is the worst) were trying to pull them out of my arm sockets while on a leash.  I now drive them to an off-leash walking area at Bowesville and Leitrim twice a day, where they can run, play, socialize and even swim in a sandy-bottom pond.

Update June ’10 …

Abby & Holly are delightful dogs.  When I picked them up, they were only a couple of months old.  I immediately pegged Holly as a mischievous, liveable little devil and Abby was a cuddle-butt.

Now they are all "growed up" and my predictions hold true.  Holly is into everything and (unfortunately) still likes to chew on my wife's favourite shoes.  She is also adept at opening containers so cookie boxes or food in containers in general are not safe.  If I ignore her too long in her opinion, she woofs at me to get attention and looks at me with ears perked and a devil-may-care look.  She still thinks she is a lap dog and bounds onto my lap every now and again.

Abby we affectionately call tickle-butt.  She too will bark at me and roll over so I can rub her tummy.  If I stop she'll woof at me again until I resume.

Update September '11 ...

They are indeed pretty girls and they enjoy life to the fullest.  They especially enjoy riding in the RV, going for walks and chasing rabbits.  Abby is still the cuddle-bug, always looking for fusses and tummy rubs and Holly is still the bratsky, giving me nips any time she feels I am ignoring her wishes.  They just had their annual check-up and the vet was very pleased with their weight, coats, teeth and general all-round health.

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