Toby

Hi, my name is Toby; (I have kept my name that I was given) I was recently adopted by Barry, Janie, Brittany, and Curtis. My new family is very nice to me, they take me for walks, give me treats, and best of all they play with me and give me lots of attention.

Since I have been at my new home, I have discovered lots of new sights and smells. I like to sit and watch the birds as they whistle and move around in their cages, though I’m not to sure what to think about them and their not sure what to think about me either. They watch me with suspicion, not sure what I will do.

I have a new friend named Max; he is a lot older then me and has taught me many things. He’s taught me to speak when my masters tell me to in return for a treat. He has also taught me that it is better to go to the bathroom outside then in the house. In return for treats I will now shake my paw, speak, sit down, lay down and when told to. And they are currently teaching me how to roll over. I know not to beg for food, and when my family is eating at the dinner table, I know not to be in the kitchen.

I sleep on my mom and dads bed (taken over) with Max and I now wait until morning before I go to the bathroom. Since I have been here I have only had a few accidents in the house, but now, most times, I ask to go outside when I need to go.

I don’t mind the leash anymore, and Brittany has gotten me a bigger and better collar for me to wear. I am used to it now so it doesn’t bug me nearly as much as it used to.

In the morning when Janie is getting the kids up for school, I often follow her to their rooms and jump on their beds and help to get them up in the morning. A cold nose on warm skin is a good method, it works. Brittany and I often wrestle out in the living room; also we will play tug of war with all my toys.

When I am bored and want attention I will go up to a member of my family and bark at them and then they will know that I want to play. I don’t like strangers very much but I am deeply in love with my family and I get very excited when they come home from work, or from school. I love to run, whether it is to chase a toy or just because. I like to be out in the country running most of all, hiding in the tall grass and pouncing out of nowhere and surprising Max.

My favorite toys, by far have got to be bouncy balls and ice cubes. I push them around with my nose, I pounce on them, and I step on them with my paws so that they go zooming across the room and I chase after them.

When I first came here I was just a little shorter then Max, but now I am proud to say that I am twice his size, and the last time I was checked by the vet I was 33 pounds. I have been given the nickname Toblerone by Janie. Curtis likes to take my pictures

Brittany eats an apple every morning before she goes to school and one time she gave me a piece and I discovered that I really like apples. Since then every time she has an apple I wait patiently until it is almost gone and I help her to finish what is there, though I will eat almost any kind of fruit or food that they put in front of me. I have recently tried pineapple, and I found that I enjoy that too.

I also discovered that I like water. Janie was spraying the birds one day, and I wanted to know what it was and I got in her way and ended up being sprayed with the water. I like to try and bite the water out of the air, I think of it as a game. I don’t really mind baths though, I have had a few of them since I have been here and I don’t really care for them, though I do try to make it hard by getting out of the bath every now and then.

I also have a couple of other friends, one is named Boxer, he is the neighbor’s dog, and he is also a German Shepard cross. I also don’t know what to think of the neighbor’s cats, they don’t seem to mind me overly much, and as long as I don’t bug them they are fine with me. As for myself, I am curious but I don’t mind them much either. Love you all, Toby