A Puppy Update ~ From Berra

Hi, it’s me, Berra! Mommy is really busy, you know, chasing and training me and making sure that I don’t chew anything I’m not supposed to (like her plant), or accidentally tinkling inside the house, so she thought it would be pretty cool if I updated you on my progress.

 I’m almost sixteen weeks old and I’m growing fast. When I stand on my hind legs, I’m almost taller than Madea’s head! That’s a really big deal because when I first came to live with the Zydel’s my entire body was as big (or little, depending on how you look me) as Madea’s head! Mommy said she wants to enjoy me while I’m little because before she knows it, I’ll be all grown up! She acts like I’m her baby, and I really like that. Daddy does it too. He even holds me like a baby when he takes me to Mommy for goodnight kisses. I’m the center of attention around here. Not just because I’m SO cute, but because I’m demanding and extremely fast. That's why one of my nic-names is Sonic. (Mommy turned her back for less than a minute and I had those leaves off that plant!).

I have an obstacle course! I run from the deck, through the slider, on through the kitchen and then through the hallway which leads me to behind the one chair that I’m not supposed to be near and on into the den and then I head faster than a speed of light to the kitchen where I’ll plop myself down beneath the kitchen table, in between the two legs, so that Kommit, who has been chasing me (because she doesn’t like when I run like a bat out of hell) can’t reach me. Mommy said one day I won’t be able to hide under the table. I’m not sure why because I really like it under there. Sometimes I even nap there.

 How has Kommit been treating me, you ask? She’s coming around…s-l-o-w-l-y. She’s very rough with me when she does play with me though. She’s not nearly as nice or tolerant as Madea. I think it’s because she’s a lot older and she’s trying to let me know, that besides Mommy and Daddy, SHE’S the boss. Which is fine with me; I just want to play!

Guess what? The other day, Kommit was taking a nap, so I sneaked, very quietly, up to her, and not only did I get to lie right next to her, but I also got to rest my head on hers! Until her brain said, Wake up! The furry intruder is on you! Plus, Mommy was using that flashy thingie and I think it woke Kommit up, because I was so gentle as I lay there, I almost didn’t even breathe! So it must’ve been Mommy and that bright light! Even though Kommit can only see out of one eye, and she’s almost ten years old, she’s sharp as a whip! **Sigh** One day, though, I just know she will kiss me!

 At least Madea likes me. We play EVERY day—for HOURS! We’re really noisy too. Sometimes Kommit will stand on the side lines and bark at us, and Mommy gets a little upset. Those days she LOCKS Kommit in Austin’s room and puts Madea in the game room—she doesn’t know how to open doors like Kommit. (I like when Kommit opens doors, I can sneak into the bedrooms.)

But anyway, back to separating us. Mommy said we’re like having three little kids that need time-outs. I don’t like when she puts Madea and Kommit away. I get lonely, then I have to chew on her, so I follow her around—VERY close to her feet and there have been times she almost fell! She said, Berra, don’t do that, I might fall and crush you! I’m thinking crush must be bad by the sound of her voice; she sounds a bit like she did that one time I almost fell off the deck.

 I go out on the deck and get very close to the edge because I really want to go in the yard with Madea and Kommit. One day I got too close and my front paw slipped off. Mommy got really loud. She called my name, like B-E-R-R-A! I never heard her sound like that before and had I not gotten my paw back on the deck, I think it might have slipped off from sheer fright! Anyway, Mommy came running out to me and said, You can’t go that close to the edge! You could fall off! I thought, Sheesh, your voice could scare the hair off a freaken cat. Stop that, Mommy! I haven’t gotten THAT close again, I really don’t want to hear HER screech like THAT again! I DO love the deck, although THOSE steps scare me more than Mommy’s screeching. Even the steps in the house are scary.

Madea and Kommit, Mommy, Daddy, Dalan AND Austin, all go up and down, down and up. They make it look so EASY! But I’m so little and I think I might roll head over tail, so I sit at the top and bark REALLY loud. I CAN go UP the stairs, although, sometimes I get stuck, so Mommy and Daddy have to push my bummie to help me. Pretty soon, though, I won’t have any trouble at.all and then I’ll be BIG trouble, well, that’s what Mommy says, because I’ll be able to go up and down, down and up, then up and down AGAIN all on my own! Oh what fun! I heard Mommy say she hopes I can’t go down steps until I’m over six months old. She said I’ll be hell on four legs once I master the stairs—whatever THAT means. She’s confusing.

 She says I’m her little angel, but then she she’s I’m a demon dog. What the heck! It’s bad enough it’s taking me so long to learn my name considering they STILL call me Berra No, Puppy Vicious, Demon Dog, Sonic, Fuzz Ball, T-Rex Teeth, Angel Puppy (mostly when I’m sleeping when they THINK I don’t hear them) and now Hell On Four Legs. How in the heck am I EVER supposed to LEARN with ALL those names or know which one my for REAL name is? Are ALL human families as confusing as MINE?

I mean, I love them and all, but they are weird. They say, Berra come, Puppy Vicious no bite, Angel Puppy time for bed, T-Rex Teeth that hurts, Hell On Four Legs slow down, Fuzz Ball you’re SO beautiful, Berra do you want a treat--OH.MY.GOSH.DO.I.LOVE.TREATS! 

I think I have A.D.D. Say treat and I will forget all about Madea, Kommit, water, snow, my toys, Mommy’s feet, Dalan’s computer wires, Daddy’s toes, the open bedroom doors—anything and everything, because those TREATS are so delicious!

I can barely sit still long enough I get so excited! I try to climb on Madea, but Mommy tells me to SIT. I sit, then I jump up again, then I sit, then I jump up again. I try SO hard to sit still, I really do! But remember I’m ONLY going to be sixteen weeks old, for Lassie’s sake.

Speaking of Lassie, she was a beautiful dog, but not nearly as beautiful as my buddette Madea. I LOVE Madea. One day, when I’m a big girl, I’ll be able to sleep with Madea. Right now, though, I’m little, with a tiny bladder, so I have to sleep in my crate. But when my bladder is big girl size, I’ll be able to snuggle with Madea! Or Daddy and Mommy or Dalan or Austin...my goodness, the choices! 


I love my weird human family. They are good to me and one day when I out grow my A.D.D.ness, I’ll be the BESTEST dog EVER! Now, though, I’m a puppy and I do puppy things so it’s probably a good thing I’m a cute little fuzz ball.


Bow Wow,


Berra