my first parade...

So, things are going pretty well here around the farm. Mom and I are "working" hard, going to all sorts of places, working on my manners, and just learning how to be a good puppy. I like to spend time with Abbie... and she seems to think that I am a pretty good girl (at least that is what she tells me). Mom said that we have a big event coming up.... I can't wait to see what this is all about....

The weekend started out with my first restaurant visit... Mom found a place with seating outside (she doesn't quite trust me yet with my potty signals...) I don't mind being outside, and it was fun to look about and watch all the other people who were there.

My first "job" was "under".. Mom said I have to learn to "hide" under a table when we go out to eat... or should I say when "they" go out to eat, because I am certainly not allowed to eat any of the food...or even beg for that matter...

I have to say that doing that "under" command took more than you would think, because just a reach away was this little tib bit. Everyone who was with Mom thought that she should just pick it up and throw it away, but she said no... that this would be a good test for me to "leave it"... and I am proud to report... that is just what I did... it was still there when we left.

I don't know, I love working and going places.. but sometimes this "service dog" thing is hard work.....

The next morning we met up with the family and walked up the street and waited on the sidewalk. Mom said that we were going to be watching a parade.. and that there would be so many things for me to see. She also said that we could leave if it bothered me... but we would see what I thought of this.

Leave?? why would we leave.. I'm not afraid of anything!!!!

In fact, it got kind of boring waiting for this parade, so I found a nice little stick and chewed on that for a while....

Abbie told me that the parade might be loud, and she didn't think she would need her ear protection... so she tried them on me.....

I felt a little silly wearing them, but Abbie seemed pleased.... (so did Mom)....

and then, after a bit... here came the parade. Mom said it was a "firefighters parade" and I could hear the sirens coming.... Mom kept a close eye on me... because the closer they came -- the louder it got...

I "lost" my ear protection, because once the parade was really close, Abbie decided she needed them back. Reagan wore his too.....

Mom backed me off the sidewalk, because the air horns on the firetrucks were very loud, even for her. Do I look worried??? No way...

Though they were a bit annoying. Mom said that the firemen can be just like kids... and they love to be able to "play" with those big shiny red trucks!!!!!

And then they went on their way. My first (extremely loud) parade was a huge success... Mom said she was so proud of me, and that was a big "test" to get threw....

After the parade we went to the "muster", which is where the firemen like to have competitions against each other. There were all kinds of people there and all sorts of things to see...

I met a lot of people, but the kids really seem to like me... (I would have loved a bite of this little boy's lunch).. but Mom was watching the whole time. We walked about the muster, watched the firemen for a while, I had to sit quietly when Mom talked with her friends....








But, by the end of the day, I was getting tired... and it was time to head for home. So, that was my first parade.. Mom says there are others that we will go to.. but I think they are fun...



and that is ... "a day with Debbie"....