Happy Birthday Sweet Sophie

Sent straight from heaven to us 7 years ago

CH, CGC Bonnie Bay's Heaven Sent

(Sophie)

Ready to party

Party Animal

Birthday Pool Party

Oh come on ... can we stay in a little longer??

I'm shopping for just the perfect birthday gift for Sophie

I wonder if she'd want one of these??

It sounds like they have good squeakers

These cookies look good

I know she likes cookies

Maybe a new outfit...... I don't see her size

Wow now here is something she might like

These down here smell really good.... I think she'd like one of these

Maybe a new toy

These look like fun but I'm going to keep looking

Haa heee heee This is hilarious!!! Life jackets for dogs!!

She does not need one of these

I think I found it!!

Or maybe one of these....

No... I think I found the perfect gift

In the basket it goes before I change my mind again

Sophie taking a dip

Bella's Chewbacca Sounds

Ump! Did she buy that toy for me or for her???

Well.... It Happened Again

It all started shortly after our 4th of July party….. the buzzing around.. the packing … the unpacking and repacking… and then the instructions given to our boys (Justin and Chad) about how to take care of Mom’s tomatoes and Dad’s lawn. I wasn’t worried until I heard Mom showing the long list of instructions to the boys several times and almost quizzing them about how much food, vitamins and cookies we can have, where to walk us and what brushes to use. I got a sick feeling in my stomach.


You see I’ve seen this all before but only 3 times in my lifetime. I wasn’t ready to accept it so I put it out of my mind until one night Mom didn’t go to bed at all! The packing and packing and the lists for the boys started up again and my gut started telling me this wasn’t good.

Bella wouldn’t hear any of my suspicions and just got herself all excited because she thought we were going to the Carmel dog show to cheer on Hummer. I tried to explain to Bella that… sure we were groomed and bathed and trimmed like we’re going on a road trip to Carmel but other things were just NOT adding up and I’ve seen this happen 3 other times.

Bella continued to follow Mom from room to room ALL NIGHT and would run to the garage door to be ready to put on her leash. I finally gave up and went to bed with Dad. At 3:00 AM Mom comes in and wakes Dad and I up. We never leave for a show at 3:00 AM and my worse suspicions are coming true…


They’re going to Italy again!!

I just went in the living room and watched more buzzing around and more packing. Poor Bella just wouldn’t believe me when I told her we weren’t going to a show and continued to run to the garage door and stay on Mom’s heels. I just sat in the living room by myself and worked on mustering up my saddest face in hopes of changing their minds to stay home.

After big hugs and kisses bye they were gone… and Bella just stood there for a long time before going back to bed. Actually Bella was so upset she barked and cried for few days. Our boys tried hard to comfort her but nothing worked.
I knew I was in charge now so I'd have to hold down the fort until Mom and Dad come back from Italy. Oh and by the way they’re going to France too so this may be a long one.


I told myself not to lick my missing toenail because Mom wouldn’t want me to do that. I tried to refrain from playing with Bella too rough in the house and to still eat my dinner even though my stomach doesn’t like to eat when Mom and Dad go away for a long time. Our boys took us for walks, swims and lots of cookies. It’s a good thing Mom left a lot of cookies for us because the boys are easier to get cookies from.


Finally after what seemed like two months since Mom and Dad left I heard our boy Justin leave late at night. I didn’t think much about it until I started counting the days and wondered if this could be the day Mom and Dad come home. I had just fallen asleep when I heard Mom yelling from the front porch our names!

Oh happy day!!! After lots of hugs and slobbery kisses Mom tells Bella and I we’re getting a big scrubbing first thing in the morning. I guess it had been a month since our last bath! We didn’t care…. we were just happy to have them home.

The next morning Mom and Dad took us for walk at 6:00AM! Their sleeping hours seemed to be a bit off but we didn’t mind… we were just happy to have them home. Mom saw that my toenail is growing back nicely now so I was able to finally walk our usual route and not just walk on soft park grass.


After our walk Mom worked on grooming me for hours and hours. She laughed at my shaggy feet, long shaggy ears and kitty cat whiskers. I didn’t mind I was just happy to have them home again.


Mom met a Newfie in Italy or should I say a “Terranova”. Mom and Dad had been gone for several weeks and were missing us badly now. While listening to a concert in San Remo Italy Mom spotted the Terranova from far away walking with his dad. Mom ran so fast over to the Terranova it startled the man but after showing the 50+ pictures of us on her phone he understood her excitement. The man thought Bella and I were very beautiful and wanted to know how Mom keeps our coat so beautiful and how to trim our feet and ears. Somehow the man and Mom were able to communicate about their Newfies for quite some time. Remember the man doesn’t speak English and Mom doesn’t speak much Italian. Dad told us it was hilarious watching the two of them “talking” or sharing about their Newfies/Terranovas.

In Paris

In Grimaldi Italy at the beach house

Mom spotted a Terranova!!

Hiking down to Cinque Terre

1000 year old fortified city and castle in Parma Italy

Touring a Parmesan cheese factory and farm in Parma Italy

4th time to Venice!!Back to hotel Ovidius on the Grand CanalViews from the balcony

Sophie

GRATES ARE NOT GREAT to have in a dog's kennel or run!

Last week while I was at the vet’s office they had me in a kennel that had a drain with a round brass grate covering. The brass grate had square holes punched into it. You known… the kind of drain cover that is made for showers…. not dog kennels! Along the outside edge of the grate the squares become much smaller which it make it just right for getting all sizes of toenails stuck in!

Well… when I went to stand up when the vet tech called me I noticed my back foot was stuck so I laid back down. I was hoping she'd see I was stuck in the grate covering the drain! She called my name again so I tried to step forward. As I stepped forward with very little force two of my toenails on my back foot were severely sliced by the sharp brass edges!

One toenail broke very short leaving a jagged bottom layer but what happened next was sooo painful! The drain was so sharp it completely removed my entire toenail leaving just the bloody exposed quick coming out from my toe!

So take it from me…. PLEASE ASK BEFORE DROPPING YOUR DOG OFF AT A VET’S OFFICE/GROOMER OR KENNEL IF THEY HAVE INDIVIDUAL DRAINS IN EACH KENNEL AND ARE THOSE GRATE COVERS MADE FOR PEOPLE SHOWERS THAT CAN CATCH A TOENAIL IN.

Sophie the homebound newf :....(

A Working Dogs' "Work" Is Never Done

Today was a "working day" for Bella and I. Being working dogs we're pretty good at this kind of thing. Today was a different kind of "working" day... no we didn't have to haul in heavy nets full of fish while fighting the cold, rough waves of the Newfoundland coast line or rescue anyone from the water nor did we have to pull heavy carts full of fish to market. No working the show circut today so no washing, drying, trimming, fluffing and styling with every kind of product sold.



Today we do what us Newfies do best.... KIDS!!!!!!!!!!



Bella and I went to Mom's classroom for the whole day! We look forward to this annual trip every spring. The kids are learning about animal features so we have them discover all the wonderful features of us newfies.

Can you tell this is very hard "work"?? It's good thing us "working" dogs can handle it. Now watch us "work"....

Yep, my toes are webbed.
It helps us swim for miles with less effort

Can you see I have two layers of fur?

One layer for warmth and one layer to keep me dry.

Check out my SIZE...

Do you think a little dog could do the "work" we do???

We make very good nannies to you little ones.
Do you remember Nana in Peter Pan?




My "floppy mussle" as Naomi calls it helps me
to breathe while swimming hard pulling to shore fishing nets
and even people.


Yes, my ears are close to my head so water doesn't get in.

I didn't quite catch that...could you repeat that question

Bella still likes to sit on laps.

We loved to be groomed.... a little to left please

Mom had read many stories with newfies in them before we came in

We're still "Working"

Here's some video of our "Work"

We shared our many "other talents" too!!

Oh and there was one more thing that was very special about our day....

It was Bella's 2nd birthday so the kids helped us celebrate. We brought our favorite "Frosty Paws" for us and cookies for the kids. We invited another class to join us.

Sophie