Toby? Tobi?

Our dog's name is Toby. It's registered to his microchip but not officially enough we haven't registered to our village yet.

My husband wants to convert his name from Toby to Tobi. He's heard Tobi is a common dog name in Italy from his Italian co-league.

Why Italy? We'd decided to have a dog while we were traveling in Italy, actually it was in Pisa yeah that place was famous for the leaning tower.

At first, he wanted to name him Galileo the genius who designed the tower long time ago. The idea seems perfect we can live with our summer trip memory but it might be a easy quetion why we didn't name our beautiful puppy "Galileo". It's so weird..

Well..still it will be nice to add a little Italian spice on "Toby".

The problem is we have already engrave "TOBY" on his name tag as well as in microchip. May that cause any confusion? Most of all I don't feel like changing it. Toby is a perfect name, Tobi seems so something-missing-imperfect name for me. Well...what should i do...?

the first ordeal

While we were skiing for the first time this year...

Dogs were in this dog's day care center.

There were several dogs already. Toby had never been in the same room with stranger dogs before. At the instance we came in, two Jack Russels barked and growled to Toby, he freaked out and whined behind my legs.

.

"He'll be fine!" the owner of this place who was so nice and a believer of the concept of the power of the pack from Ceser Milan's show announced us.

As a result he was fine. He survived whole 12 hours without us.

.

I have to admit I missed him. I happened to smell Toby's puppy smell from my gloves on the ski lift and I missed him. It was like Mom missed her baby boy after he left for his nursery school for the first time.

.

After he overcame his first obstacle, you know what ?, he started lifting his leg when he pees!! I wonder what he learned...macho?! oh, nooo..

doggy playdate

Let me introduce my girlfriend Mystic.

The first time I met her I was scared to death because she was huge. Moreover she insisted to play ball with me. she pounced around me with holding a ball which size was as big as my head in her mouth. I was shaking and whined, all i can do was hiding behind my mommy's legs.
But, I've been growing everyday. I was not the coward Toby today. I played with her in her dog run. I challenged to get her tail and tried to nibble her ankles. didn't make it though..maybe next time...

Run! Toby, run!

We went to this dog park on New Years day.

Toby ran, ran and ran.
His floppy ears were flown up to the air like a bunny's when he went down.

When he was going UP, his floppies allowed gravity pull down. A running fur ball.

Yipieee!!!

a snow dog

How many snow storms have we had already? Five or six? and right in this moment we are having the other one...sob...

My husband and I are so sick of shoveling and my kids are tired of making a igloo or snowmen anymore, but there is this guy who always happy in snow and has never cared the chilliness.

He pounces, dives, rolls and digs on snow. It was so adorable the way he mesmerized (or tried to eat?) by falling snow.

Sorry, Cesar...

Cesar Millan, his books are the bible for us to have a dog. I've read some of his books, watched his shows and educated myself to be a ideal "pack leader" for Toby's sake.

His books are so eyeopening. He keeps saying that human being and dogs are so different, if you want to raise a good dog, you must understand dog's nature.

The key is that you must satisfy his instinct first, mainly migration (walk) with his pack leader and then make him suit human beings which means discipline, and then give them a lot of love.

Exercise, decipline and affection in this order.

According to him, a pack leader has to always project "calm assertive" energy which makes him feel stable and submissive. You can not melt down his cuteness, because dogs don't trust emotional energy.

I'm hoping it's not too late. I have to stop babying him. I'll keep trying when I aware it anytime. but, you know...it's sooo hard not to melt for my beloved Toby!!

Toby, Tobs, Tobi-chan

First snow today. Toby's brand new "dog run" in our yard was powdered but he didn't seem he cared the chilliness. But the anticipated mother (me) squeezed him into the sweater. Although he wears gorgeous fur, he's only a puppy, plus he looks extra cute in it, am I right?

One more pic. Come to your Mommy!!

Wow...He looks so elegant in this pic. Should we have named him Prince or Christopher to suit his grace? No, no. We can't forget he was called "Sumo" at the breeder's house, because he was the chubbiest and goofiest in his litter. And we loved that!

everything is new

First walk on our road. You did a great job on "heel" naturally but afraid of the sound of wind? distracted by dried leaves? It's OK, I'm here for you.

First shower. You look so thin when you are wet.

Toby is a 9 weeks old, Australian Labradoodle puppy. Every movement he makes melts our heart. How can we resist you!!

Welcome home, Toby!!

Say good-bye to your litter mates.

Say good-bye to your breeder.

You are coming with us to your new home, but don't worry.

Lots of greeting were waiting for you.

Good-night. Sweet dreams, Toby.