Hi all:
Today something strange happened, that really delighted Chris. I don't know why, but she was extremely happy, and above all, pleased with me. And that is the greatest award she has to offer, along with food, of course. But this time she had not taken any food, but loads of pets.
This morning all four of us, Mom, Grandpa, Chris and I, walked our usual morning route. But then we started through the empty corn field. Chris was walking in a lane some tractor tires had left there. We walked until we came to the sandy road Chris and I usually walk around lunch time, if the weather is nice. Then we returned home.
After lunch Chris took me for a walk, and we walked the same direction. Only when we had reached the sandy road, we turned to walk towards the wind weals. On the way back Chris hurried a little, ecause I bet she did not like the chilly wind in her face.
When we arrived at the tractor lane I stopped softly. I just stopped, did not pull into the lane direction. Chris could have continued on the sandy road as well. But she turned and looked for the tractor lanes, while I was waiting. Then we walked along there, and she found that I had guided her to that same lane she had used in the morning, the left one. And when it was time to leave the field and continue on the usual route, I turned and slightly pulled to the right. I guess there is no way for Chris to know when to turn. Both times, when entering the field lane and then leaving it, she had loads of praise, and I felt her joy. And at home she did have some delicious food for me, that I can tell you.
Talking about food: It's time I start begging for my evening meal, though Chris will say I have to wait two more hours. So have a good time while I will try to be patient, Yours, Hapoo.

Hello friends:
A few days ago Chris and I went on a trip. First we took the usual train, and then I really had to guide her. Mom was not there, Shadow was not there, but a lady joined and watched us going to the Straßenbahn station - I guess you folks call it street car - well even Shadow says Straßenbahn!
We took the second train that was there, but soon got off, Chris using all kinds of words. We got off, and then Chris wanted to cross the street. However, where she wanted to it was not possible, so I did not move one step. Chris repeated her command, but I still did not move. Then finally she sat down to check and realized that she would end up on the rail tracks, if she crossed here. God, sometimes humans are not the smartest! Well then it was my turn to show her where to cross. By then there was one train at the other side, which we took. Inside we moved from door to door each time the train stopped. When we got off we were where we usually go shopping. We wanted to go to the trafic lights, but mom met us before that, so we continued our walk together. But after we had ended all shopping, mainly for Chris, of course, she made me guide her again. That was nice, that way I could work again, and she tried the new harness we had gotten the previous week.
So all in all I guess the tour was an adventure but ended up successfullyy. Good she has me to keep her company, she praised me a lot, so I believe she enjoyed my company.
You people have a wonderful time now while I am going to wait for my evening meal and then sleep, Yours, Hapoo.

Hi all:
Last week we were in the city for almost a day. Chris bought new coats, and for me the new mat. While we were in a supermarket, two men approached us and started talking to Mom. Only later I found out that they told mom I had to leave the supermarket. Mom replied "No." Then they suggested mom and Chris attach me somewhere outside, but mom told them the risk would be on their side if I got lost. When Chris got involved in the argument she negotiated for a compromise. She said we'd never come in here again, if they let us finish our shopping. Chris also had to promise not to take me into the food section. And just as the men were turning away she told them something very interesting:
"The next time you talk about me or my dog it would be more polite and appropriate to address me."
One of the men replied that they had to talk to the person accompanying Chris. She then told them that she has all rights of a normal person over the age of 21 and that she can very well speak, think and decide on her own behalf. She used vocab that expressed her legal competences, which intimidated the two so much that they left with a very soft "goodbye".
I at first did not know what the deal was, but mom and Chris later told the story to people, so I had enough time to figure it out.

Secondly, I have the suspicion that Chris will soon take me to the kennell again. Last week she called them and arranged for something. I like it there, but I would much rather go with Chris. Why can't she just take me with her - come on Shadow, you always give me Wurst, you should talk her into taking me, please!
Okay, time for me to sleep, byebye, Yours, Hapoo.

Hi all:
Here are a few things I would like to mention before I continue telling you about my daily life.
First about comments Chris read for me.
Shadow said I should be nice to guests – well I am! I didn’t mind Chris’ friend, only her dog should have stayed somewhere else. Okay, I know you would say not “What if Chris had to leave you behind?”
Good question but she couldn’t have left me behind, because it was our home.

And there was another comment, somebody was laughing and then encouraging me to continue writing. What I was writing was not funny at all, Dear reader; it was as serious as I can be! Do you honestly think it is pleasant to lose the person you love and depend on to the TV, or to tennis? At the very beginning I had trouble seeing her with Shadow, but he seems to just belong here, that’s fine. But honestly, a TV with bouncing noise-making balls and stupid people running after them?
No, that’s nothing to laugh about. And if you, dear comment writer, should ever visit me, I will show you how my crying sounds. I can cry loudly, I promise!

And here’s really good news: Just after the article about my mat was finished, Chris surprised me with a new mat. It is right at the same spot, but softer and warmer and really wonderful! She also bought me a rope to play with, nice Chris.
So people, have a good time and good weekend, Yours, Hapoo.

The mat I live on:

Well I never told you about the place I usually spend my time on. Chris sends me there with the command:
“Geh auf’n Platz”, (“Go to your place (colloquially spoken)”)
Even Shadow knows how to pronounce it, it’s fun.
Chris says it covers an area of around 1.2X0.u8 meters – well I honestly don’t have a good idea of meters, so I believe her.

At one side of it there are Chris’ armchair (Shadow’s most favourite place to sit and work on his laptop) and a little stool, where she puts my collar. It is sometimes used as an extra place in the kitchen, for when there are more than three people visiting. I like the stool, because I love to put my head under it.
On the other short side of my mat there is the outside wall with the heater. It is nice in winter, trust me!
One long side faces the kitchen door. Sometimes, when Chris is in the kitchen I lay down so that I can see what is going on there. You never know, maybe she does something that’s worth seeing, or I get a bit of food, maybe??? But usually I am immediately and very unkindly thrown out of the kitchen.
On the same side in the corner there is a CD shelf. I only know that CDs are round slices of a probably huge plastic roll. For a mysterious reason Chris puts them into her recorder and they produce music, or sometimes books. The other ones, the ones she puts into her computer, are in the other CD shelf, near the entrance door. Really strange, those CDs! But just by that shelf in the corner is my water bowl, so I just need to get up and put my tongue into the water and drink and drink. Sometimes Chris is annoyed by the noise I make
On the other long side there are a few boxes – I think they’re empty, and Chris keeps them for a reason I fail to know. They are nice; I can lie down against them. And the gap between armchair and boxes I use to watch Chris while she is sitting, watching tennis or something similarly stupid. Goodness, don’t remind me of tennis, this stupid ball clicking and people talking. It just doesn’t reach my brain, how she can like this stuff that much! She even has tons of tapes full of some “very important” tennis pieces – don’t ask me what that is, I haven’t a clue!!!
And finally – my mat is made of fabric that feels like a fur. It is nice, soft and warm, it holds quite a bit of the hair I shed, but unfortunately, it also absorbs the sticky balls that I bring in from outside, if Chris hasn’t discovered them early enough. I don’t like sticky balls; it sometimes hurts when Chris removes them.
And when I complain, Chris says!
“Tough luck Hapoo – you brought them, now shut up!”
This is how cruel she can be sometimes, but nevertheless I for one love her – more than Shadow, of course!! :-P
Now, before Shadow kills me, I’ll better run “auf’n Platz”, Yours, Hapoo.

Hi everybody:
this is the time of year when Chris changes her sleeping times. She has moved her bed from bedroom to living room. After dinner she turns on the TV and sits by it forever. In between, when it gets to late, she gets up, hurries to give me my evening meal, and then it's TV time again.
Guess why? Tennis!
Much later at night she also tries to get up and watch tennis, but usually falls asleep. And then tTV stays on all night, until she wakes up to turn it off. And then in the morning or afternoon the same story continues.
I have not yet found out what patern she is following. There are times in the year there is not even a thought about tennis on TV, and once she has discovered it it's there all the time.
And then sometimes she can watch it in the afternoon, and she does not move her bed into the living room. But then again it's on at night. I don't get it, people must really be strange or somehow mentally disabled to go out this late at night and play tennis? I would refuse...
Well wouldn't, if Chris put on my harness and told me to go to the train station in the middle of the night, I would certainly ....
But that's Chris, that's my master. And chris would not do that for just about everybody, this I know! So why do those guys do it? Would they be tortured in case they did not go play tennis? Has Chris ordered them to do?
No, that's not possible, otherwise she would have ordered the late night match to take place early morning or so...
I'm confused - I give up. Just had my morning meal, my stomach and brain are tired, goodnight!

Hello my friends:
I have tried to update you earlier, but we had visitors, so Chris hardly ever turned on her PC – and if so, she only checked her emails very quickly.
Who our visitors were? Lesley and her guide dog Miss. I don’t like her much; she just comes in, sleeps by the shelf behind Chris’ desk and is even fed and petted by Chris. How come? Why does she have to invite other dogs? I mean, if it were a male, the sky would not have been that clouded, but a female???
I have to admit, once or twice – or maybe three times – we had short fights, but either Chris or Lesley always separated us before I finished telling Miss what I thought about her presence in our home. Les is a nice guest, I like her, but she could leave her dog at home, if I had a say.
Later Chris always made sure that I did not get too close to Miss. Once grandpa Ajax even turned away from me and tried to make friends with her. Why should I not express my disliking then?
Well there you go all the negative news. But the positive was that each afternoon we went for a really long walk. It never rained, and I did not mind the strong wind yesterday, but enjoyed smelling the grass and piles of dry leaves. And Chris has always stared feeding me twice each day – what a nice change!
All right, all from me – I know you’re happy you can go now – cheers and good week, Yours, Hapoo.

Hi everybody:
I am so sorry I could not write any earlier, these days Chris seems to be very busy whenever she switches on her PC. But I really have to tell you something extremely strange, something, the solution of which I only found out later when Chris talked about it.

One night mom came downstairs for no reason. It was dark outside and quiet, and Chris was certainly still sleeping. I stayed inside for a while, and then all of a sudden Chris came out of the bedroom, fully dressed, coat and shoes in her hand, her trousers smelling strangely. How was it possible that she went outside without me noticing?
I tell you: She had planned to trick me, so I would not bark while she was away. She had left through the window of her bedroom, which goes out ground level to where grandpa Ajax is guarding. I don't know why they had to leave in the middle of the night, and never figured out why it was, because they did not bring home anyone. Can you believe it - she tricked me, so I wouldn't bark all this time? O these humans are sometimes too smart, too intelligent to cope with!
I am promised a dried pig ear to chean my teeth now, so good Sunday everyone, Yours, Hapoo.