I'm swimming!

The parents remembered the camera and I was a bit more prepared.  Lots of photos since they tell more than words can.

Really, Lady?  Do I look excited and ready?

This seems far enough and I didn't mess up my fur-do.

I'm not going any where, but it's getting deeper. 
What's up with that and may I go now?

It's good that one of us really loves it here. 
I will too... eventually... in my own time... when it suits me....

Does the photo speak volumes or do I need to tell you
how I feel about this ocean-with-huge-surf thing?
Check out these waves!!

So, Isabella, I'm going out, you want to come in.
One of us needs to get out of the way and you know who is smaller.

The toy thing does tempt me to play.

O.K. You got me. Let's play!

I'm gonna get you!!

C'mon, give me the floaty toy, pleeeezzze.
I'm doing my best cute look with puppy dog eyes.

Not a glamour shot, but I'm having too fun much to care!

Madeline thinks she'll get me to go out farther
if she throws the floaty toy out there.

Thankfully, she loves me no matter what.

And she decides there is more than one way to get me totally wet.
It's hot out here today!

I caved.
I'm swimming out to Mom and she's happier than I am about it.

That was far enough so I'm coming back into shore.

I'm wet. Are you happy now?
I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

The water feels pretty good. I'll walk out to Madeline and Mom.

Is this really a good time to pose for photos, Dad?
I'm also checking to make sure the shore is right where I left it.

Bunny ears on a dog, Madeline?  Really?
(I think Jane gave me a very strange family.
I love 'em, but they're on the odd side.)

I like it when Mom holds me in the water.
I'm cool and I get to relax.

She gently pushes me toward shore.
I'm doing so well!



Much more graceful than my first few times swimming.
(I may even be smiling.)

Check this out!  Dad caught me on video.

Mom is SO proud of me.

Everyone is proud of me!

Soggy doggy.  This water is not like my dog dish water.

Ah, the dog days of summer... NOPE!
It's Hawai'i and these are the dog days of autumn!
Life in paradise.

Busy afternoon. Need nap. No matter that I'm still sitting.

Cut my nap short to eye a plastic bag blowing down the beach.
Is it worth chasing?  Not today. Maybe another day.
(No wonder I'm always on a leash!)

Posing.

Mom telling me how much she loves me.
We do this a lot.

Needed to stretch.

Hey, what are you doing there?

Since I like to lean on Mom or be right next to/on her,
she found a way for us both to be happy.
I'm really, really close to her and she gets a beach pillow.

This way we both get some rest.

Dad thinks any view with me in it is better than one without.
I agree and humor him by waking up.

How many more photos, Dad?

My furry sister joins the nap.
We help keep Mom warm since the sun
is setting and the wind is picking up.
She says it must be nearly 75 degrees cold
with the wind chill factor and we're wet! bbrrrr...

I'm trying to kiss you.  Why are you making an icky face?
(Answer: You're sandy. Spitty and sandy.)

I smell BBQ.

If I can't eat the BBQ, then I'll go back to sleep and dream about it.

End of my second day at the beach.
Rough life.  Or is that ruff life?

Much aloha to you and mahalo for stopping by...
Kolchak XV, the swimming King of the Wolfhounds!

Veteran's Day Parade

Before we started, I get loved up!

Blah, blah, blah... We know who is the handsome one here.
No need to discuss it any longer guys.

Dad (a.k.a. 1SG Crump) and I lead our regiment.

Oh, my!  What is THAT thing?
(Mom says I need to get acquainted with stollers and wheel chairs.)

Dad and me with a local family looking on.

Home at last and winding down with Mom and Isabella.

Isabella really missed me!

Yes, I have as good a sense of humor as the next guy, but REALLY?! 
Madeline says it looks like a yarmulke.  All I can say to that is....

Stink eye. (Hawaiian for a dirty look or evil eye)

Play time!

First things first...  Me looking quite handsome and fluffy after my beach day bath.  See?  The staff followed my directions well.

After much pestering from Isabella (my four-legged sister), I decided it was time to play like a Lab since she'll never be smart enough to play like a Borzoi.  Don't tell her I said that!

Just learning tug-of-war.  I've got the holding the rope thing down.

So, I've got the rope.  Now what?
I'll lay down and wait until Isabella tells me more.

I see.  Grip rope, rear in air, and PULL!!!

Doesn't take long until I overpower her.

Sound effects: Grrr.... rrrr.... grrr...

Train of dogs

She's sure trying. 
She's good, but I out teeth and out weigh her.

Don't give up!  C'mon!!  Play with me!  Did my growls scare you?

Thanks!
This is fun, but I can do it laying down.

I think I really scared her.
She's only going to hold the very, very end of our rope.

She's pulling so hard, the bed is moving with me on it.

We tired of the rope.  Now we're fighting over our stuff-less stuffy fox.

Dead fox.

The next day, Isabella tries to start a play fight with me as usual.

This time, I lick my chops and get ready to show her who is the boss.

I think I almost got her whole head my first try!

We each have the other's neck.

Didn't take her long to submit to the King!  She's my new chew toy.
It's normal now that I have her slobber on my neck
and she has mine on her ears and neck.

Well, she wasn't a door mat for long!



Phew!  After all that playing, I'm tired.  Who broke me?

Beach Day!

Aloha!  I went to the beach for the first time and it was... scary fun.  I was quite a sight for folks there.  Lots of people asked what I was.  Seriously?  I'm a dog.  Duh.  Some people say I look like a greyhound mixed with collie.  Puhleeze!  I guess there aren't many Borzoi out here since we're more meant for snow and I don't see any snow here.  Maybe I'll see snow soon.  Folks keep saying it's cold and winter is nearly here.

I didn't like the sound of the water going up on the beach.  We were in a bay, but the water still moves.  Mom got me slowly closer to the water without even dragging me.  I did sit down a few times, but I relented and walked with her, a few steps at a time.

Finally, I was clear up to my toenails in it!  Bet you're impressed.  Eventually, I went far enough in that all four feet were wet.  I am so brave!  Then, when I was in about 3-4" of water, I turned around to face the beach and saw this enormous wave coming at me from the beach!  It was HUGE - at least 1-2 inches high!!  Can you imagine?!  I was so frightened of it, I turned back to face the ocean and ran right in.  You wouldn't believe my surprise when I realized the bottom fell out of the ocean.  I had to swim and I didn't know where to go.  I swam a few small cirlces and then Mom called me back (even though I was on my 30 foot leash).  I was so relieved to get out of the water, I ran until my 30' ran out.  When I turned around to see what all the noise was about, it was my family and a few bystanders holding their stomachs while laughing hysterically.  I don't know what was so funny, but I overheard something about the look of surprise on my face and my lack of swimming finesse.  Hmph.  See how they would do swimming while trying to out run a virtual tsunami!!

After the laughter subsided, I returned to my mom (who was still snickering) and we sat in the sand for a very long time.  She tried to get me to get close to the water, but there was no way... until I saw Isabella repeatedly fetching our toy.  I really wanted to go with her.  I don't fetch toys, but it's fun to run after her.  Eventually, I caved and got closer to the water.  Then, something possessed me and I just ran right into the water, swam a bigger circle, and made a dash for the beach again.  I must have swam for a whole ten seconds!!  I'm just so impressed with my progress.  So is my family.  They didn't think I'd ever get back in the water.

That was the end of swimming today.  I spent the rest of the time sniffing sand, watching Isabella fetch her various beach toys and try to get me to join her.  Eventually, she tired out and we laid with Mom in the sand.  I hear I make a great pillow.  I like to being a pillow because I get pet all over! 

I did whine quite a bit when I saw a snack playing on the beach.  It was a nice, juicy, white chihuahua.  You know, the dog breed made for the stairs and sitting in the car with people?  Unfortunately, his mom picked him up and left with my snack.  Then everyone, except for me, took showers before getting into the car.  While this was going on, a guy had a little puppy and, despite my mom's warnings, he kept putting this puppy by my face.  Nose to nose!  I was good and didn't eat him.  It was hard.  I just look so sweet that no one suspects I'd eat their pet.  My family praised me a lot for not eating the puppy.  I think if I weren't on a leash I would have had two great snacks today. 

Finally, Mom washed me.  Madeline and Mom would like to share their instructions on how to wash me or any Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound).  During all of these steps, praise me for how good I am to tolerate a hose shower.

1. Wet me
2. Wet me more
3. Wet me more (I have a wicked undercoat)
4. Lather
5. Really, really work those fingers, therefore shampoo, into my mess of fur.  My fur is sand-velcro.
6. Rinse.
7. Rinse.
8-35. Rinse and use hands to squeegie me.
36. Let me shake.
37. Tell me to shake.
38. Towel dry my head so I want to shake some more.
39. Towel dry me.
40. Let me shake.
41. Get another towel and repeat.
42. Get another towel and repeat.
43. Get a towel and dry my tail.  It needs its own towel!
43. Let me shake.
44. Fluff me up with yet another towel.
45. Let me in the house so I can go crazy like a Mexican Jumping Bean.
46. Thank you staff, you are done because you are done with me.  Your back hurts, you smell like dead fish (ocean) and wet dog, and you are covered in sand and fur.  You look awful, but I look and smell like the king that I am. 

It was a busy day so I'm off to bed already.  Hopefully, I will see some of you at the Veteran's Day Parade in Wahiawa on Thurday morning.  Look for me, OK?  I'll be marching with some of my fellow Wolfhounds.

More of me...

Can you stand any more of me?

My human sister is trying to hug me
while my fuzzy sister wants in on the action.

I am so loved every day, but especially on my birthday.

Cat patrol.
My sister barks and I've got her back if they attack.

The day after my birthday, I went with Dad (1SG Crump) to work at 5am.  That's an ugly hour.  I wanted to stay in bed, but hopped right in back of our tiny car like I'd done it a thousand times.

I spent some of my day with Dad.  For PT, he walked me.  Dad brought my blanket so I had a bed in his office.  When he stepped out, I decided his pile of uniforms, blankets, jackets, towels, and socks bound for Afghanistan made a much more comfortable napping space.  He laughed that he won't miss me when he's gone because he'll forever have my fur with him!

During the morning and afternoon, I went to hang out with Uncle Royce (CSM Manis) and Uncle Dan (LTC Wilson).  I really enjoyed my time with them.  Other people came into their offices so it was a good opportunity to meet my fellow Wolfhounds.  Dad had to come get me or they would've kept me.  I wouldn't mind, but my family would have missed me.  Besides, I was ready for a nap.  When Mom picked me up around 4pm, I was exhausted!

More excitement yesterday.  Easy, President of the Wolfhound Historical Society, came to visit me.  SPC Smart picked him up at the Hale Koa in Waikiki and they drove all the way out to Wai'anae to see me.  How thoughtful!


Easy and me; two handsome Wolfhounds.



Easy and SPC Smart checking me out

This is how I see most people!

I decided I wanted to sit with Madeline on a chair built for one.
I think she thinks I'm silly.

Just hanging out with my sister...

"What? Dogs don't sit like this?
You should have said something earlier."

I warmed up to Easy about the time he needed to leave.
Next time, he should stay longer!

 Our family got coins.

Front of 27th Infantry Regiment Historical Society's coin

Tail (pun intended) of the coin.

Easy left four coins on the ottoman.  I chose mine without asking.  Dad went to collect them after they saw Easy and SPC Smart to the door.  There were only 3 of the 4 left.  Then he saw the plastic envelope it came in on the floor.  It was slimy with slobber.  THEN he checked my bed.  How did he guess?  There was my coin laying slimed on my blanket.  No harm done, but no one else wants the slimy coin.  I don't care.  It was my first coin and I just wanted to have it right away!  Mom said she'll put it my baby book.

By the way, mahalo nui loa to the 27th Infantry Regiment Historical Society for defraying some of the costs of getting me there.  I hope to meet more of you guys!  Wolfhounds forever!!

Hauʻoli lā hānau to me! I'm one year old today!!!

I'm thankful I get to celebrate my first birthday as Kolchak XV.  Mahalo Jane for sending me here.  Mahalo Wolfhounds for allowing me represent you.  I'm a blessed Russian Wolfhound!

Here's some photos of me doing what I do best.

Who broke the dog? Which way am I really facing?

Relaxing while tolerating my furry sister.
I don't think there is a dog bed out there that really fits me.

I like to sleep with my feet up.

Hanging out on my bed.

Me at our homeschool.  I'm listening... really!

Back to napping... aloha until next time!

My First Halloween

Uh... OH... am I in the way?

And people say I look funny?
Check out my three siblings.
A crayon, a pirate, and an alien.

I did growl at my dad and two human siblings when they came out in costume.  I didn't know who these weirdos were until I took a good sniff.  I was relieved and wagged my tail at them to let them know they were OK.

Mom left my four-legged sister and me in her room with the TV on.  I was the most calm dog on the block.  I slept through Halloween while the neighborhood dogs made fools of themselves barking at everyone and no one for hours.  There's no doorbells even!  It's so nice out, folks just sit outside and wait for the hords of trick-or-treaters to come get candy.  No point in making noise over that.  My family was so proud of me.