Thursday, April 30, 2009

A Day in the Life of Annie

Happy Birthday Annie!!! My beautiful little dog turns 5 years old today. I can hardly believe that I've had her for so long. She was maybe 6 months old when I got her as a pup. The time has simply flown by...and the time has been joyous!!







Speaking of blessings...Annie is one that I'm thankful for each and every day. She is a very good girl, doesn't really have any bad habits, and is a constant source of joy and loyal friendship.


This is her regal pose. She and her one and only prized pocession - that ball. In this incident, ball could (and is) be considered a 4-letter word...yes - in that sense of the word. Grrrr!! Sometimes, I'd just like to pitch that ball - pitch it so very far that it would never, ever be seen by mortal man ever again! But, I wouldn't ever do that to her. She absolutely loves that ball. She used to have another one just like it, only that one was orange. She chewed and chased and slimed that ball until it pretty much disintegrated. It was not a pretty site. Long before the orange one died, we replaced it with one just like it - only red. You know, a new and improved model. Annie wouldn't touch it. She hated the new ball. Only had eyes for the old one. Pathetic thing that it had become. Depression set it...it was pitiful. The old orange ball could not be found. Seriously. The sucker was gone. I swear we didn't do anything to it - cross my heart and hope to die. It disappeared. Just like that.






Time passed. Annie forgot about the old, orange beloved pocession aka nasty thing. She began to play with the new and improved red ball.


Joy, once again had found its' way into our household.



Yeah.



If you don't throw it for her, she will slime it up real good - and then spit it at your bare legs...or right onto your sore toe. That'll get your attention. Boy howdy!!


So we throw it...and we throw it...and we throw it some more. Now we're having us some fun!!


My little poochie is also the very best walking buddy anybody could ever hope to have. She absolutely lives to go for walks. Anytime, anywhere. Let's go!!



She loves to race way up ahead of me, check things out; flush out the monsters, you know...protect her master. A dog has to earn her kibble. And then she gives me one of these looks. Mom...come on already - hurry up!!!!! *sigh* Must be hell bein' a dog.




See this look here. The intent, glazed over stare and the crinkled snout. Yep, you guessed it - that ball again. This game is called "kick the ball". She loves this, maybe even more than throwing the ball; because there is the block involved with this one. Just try and get the sucker past me!!!! Go ahead - make my day!!! And, she is good at this one - really good. More times than not, she stops it dead. But occasionally we get lucky, connect with the ball and send it flying to parts unknown...and off she goes. Lightening quick - she's after it!!



Aren't games grand?




Tonight, I'll make a stop at the local meat shop. Annie's got a birthday surprise in store for her. That's right - a big old beef bone. She'll like that.





I can't imagine life without my dog. She goes everywhere I go, including to the clinic every day. Walks with me at lunchtime. Accompanies me each and every night to the barn to do the chores. If I go - Annie wants to go. Does a body good to have a dog. She even takes naps with me...if she didn't hog the covers, she'd be the perfect napping buddy too. Oh well, nobody's perfect.


It's a rough life, but she says it could always be worse.
Happy Birthday my little friend!!

16 comments:

Maria said...

what a sweet post and great pictures, especially the second one. I wish I could take my dog to work with me and so does she, I hate that look I get when she wants to go ride and I can't take her, breaks my heart.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Gotta love a good dog! Happy birthday Annie , don't drool bone juice on mommas's toe!

Dusty Devoe said...

What a beautiful girl! Happy b-day Annie!

Grey Horse Matters said...

She's so adorable. Happy Birthday Annie!

Pony Girl said...

She's so pretty! I love labs! I had to laugh over the ball story. Dogs are SO funny about their toys! I used to dogsit a black lab that was nuts for her red kong, and only the red kong! ;)
Birthday hugs to your Annie!

Kathleen Coy said...

Happy Birthday, Annie!!!

What a beautiful girl, I love the second to the last photo...so regal!

Carolynn Anctil said...

It sounds like you have a soul mate there. I feel the same way about my cat, Bear.

Annie is adorable and...relentless, it would seem when it comes to playing catch. It's funny how dogs never seem to tire of the same old game or tire at all, for that matter.

I think the beef bone is an excellent gift. Yum! Happy Birthday, honey.

Paint Girl said...

Happy Birthday to your sweet Annie!
I can so relate to her obsession with balls! I use to have a German Shepherd/Lab that did exactly what Annie does with the ball! So obsessed, that she would keep dropping it at your feet, and just like Annie, she would stand right in front of your feet so when you kicked it, she'd catch it! She always had a ball in her mouth! She passed on a little over a year ago and your post about Annie has brought back so many memories of ball playing!

Anonymous said...

Your dog is just beautiful - she looks sweet and loving. Thanks for your wonderful post!

Jessica said...

Annie is a beauty! I agree, it does the soul good to have a dog (or two in my case) around. A constant companion...there's nothin' quite like it.

Jenn said...

She is beautiful! I have two that like to nap with me, too. I get to be in the middle and they trap me under the covers!

Anonymous said...

sounds like a "playdate" for manker (aka the B&B dog) here.. :)

where i had a great show with gazi today... really felt the "equine partnership" today... bodes well ( we pray) for next week's endurance ride

a great way to celebrate today your dog's bday :)

gp

Donna said...

One of our Goldens is like your Annie about his ball too, completely obsessed. We have a ball thrower so you don't have to touch the slimy, dirty thing and we've trained him to drop the ball into the kitchen sink after playing outside so we don't get dirty ball marks all over the floors. He sits patiently while we wash it off in the sink then catches it no matter how badly you throw it to him. Couldn't live without my pets.

Danielle Barlow said...

She's just adorable!

Leah Fry said...

We already have 2 cats who take up the whole bed, so no dogs allowed.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

LOL! That last photo...too cute!

Happy Belated Birthday Annie!!!

I hope you enjoyed your beef bone, too :)

~Lisa

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