The Retriever

Elsie would retrieve all day. She's a natural! And she has the strongest retrieving instincts of the bunch.
 

Retrieving 101

Kenya: "Wow. This retrieving thing is fun! But, boy, it's tiring. Even Baxter has had enough. Looks like he's bowing out. Gee, maybe I will, too." 

Another Simple Request

Kenya: "C'mon, Elsie. Let me catch you just once.... pweeeeeeezzzeeee!" 

A Simple Request

Kenya: "Elsie, may I chew on your tongue?" 

More Than One Way...

Kenya: "Ah ha! If I just wait by Mom while YOU guys do all the work retrieving, then I can pounce on you when you bring the ball back to her! Hehehehehe..." 

Just Wait!

Kenya: "See... I can almost catch you! I'm gettin' faster, and pretty soon I'm gonna be able to keep up with you guys. You just wait and see!" 

Can I Have a Turn?

Kenya: "C'mon Ridge! Give me a turn. Please!!!" 

No Fair!

Kenya: "Buy the time I get half way to the ball, you guys have already retrieved it and are on your way back." 

Kenya Retrieving with the Gang

"Hey Ridge! Wait up! I'm too little to keep up with you!" 

Kenya: "I really like people feet." :o)

 

More of What Kenya Likes

Mom's trying another way to do photos, so I can keep telling you about what I like.

Hmm... I like the dishwasher: it has really neat smells
I love my big sister Sarah.
I really like things to chew on, like my big rope ball.
Oh, and I really like to run and run and run and run. I'm really fast.

Bye for now,
Kenya 

Kenya's Likes and Dislikes

Note from Joan: Here's a post from Kenya! She decided she wanted to tell you about herself and about her new life in the Esherick pack. Remember, she's just a pup, so her descriptions will be short and sweet! Enjoy!

I'm Kenya. This is me on the day when Mom and Dad brought me from Virginia to my new home with them in Pennsylvania. It's kinda fun here, but I'm not so sure. I miss my real mom and littermates.

This is me now. I'm ten weeks old. I'm growing fast! See...my legs are getting longer. I can jump up the back steps now without any help from Mom.

I thought I'd tell you about what I like and don't like at my new home. Here goes!

• I REALLY like people, espcially Dad's lap

• And I REALLY like my new littermates
• And snuggling with Baxter
• And hanging out with Ridge and Elsie
• And romping in the back yard like the big kids
• And chewing on tennis balls.

I like a whole bunch of other things, but Blogger is giving Mom fits again about posting photos. So I'll tell you about them later.

Bye for now,

Kenya

Kenya: The Snuggle Bug 2 (Canine Version)!

If a picure is worth a thousand words, then we've got at least 4,000 here (and maybe then some!).

Some of you have wondered how Kenya is doing with the Baxter, Elsie, and Ridge these days. Perhaps the better question is, how are Baxter, Elsie, and Ridge adjusting to Kenya?

The images speak for themselves. :o)

'Til next time,
Joan

 

Kenya, the Snuggle Bug!

She snuggles with Aunt Jeanie (aka: Joan's sister, Jean... yes we're twins).


















She snuggles with Mom (aka: Joan).




















She let's Mom nuzzle her, and she still sleeps undisturbed. :o)

















She snuggles with littermate Sarah (aka: Mom's junior-in-college daughter).







Yup, the Kenya Bean is a snuggler. We'll enjoy it while it lasts. :o)

'Til next time,
Joan

Buds

Baxter, Elsie, Ridge, and Kenya are settling down, becoming fast friends and companions.

They don't just romp and race and try to establish dominance: they rest and snuggle together, too.

Yes, the rowdy moments get a bit crazy around here, especially adding a puppy to the mix, but I'll take the craziness any day if it means we get the sweet, quiet, heart-warming moments, too.

And we do. More than I can count.

'Til next time,
Joan 

Kenya and Ridge

Wrassling buddies.













Someone for Kenya to chew her toys with (without fear of them being take from her, and with easy access to a canine ear to chew on, too).











Someone for Kenya to chase, especially when he has his own toy. Ridge is smart enough to jump up on the couch where Kenya can't reach him. That won't keep him safe for long!











Someone for Kenya to sleep near.

Kenya Gets a Collar

"Look guys! I have a collar. Does that mean I'm a big kid, too?" 

And here she is...Kenya!

Yup, we finally decided what to call the new pup. After getting to know the pipsqueak over the last few days, we've come to the conclusion that "Kenya" is a suitable name for her.

Here's why: the Kenyan people we got know and love while teaching there in 2001 demonstrated strength, dignity, ingenuity, warmth, joy, affection for us, and a love for learning unlike little we've seen here in the States.

And our little Kenya is exactly all of those things: strong, proud, ingenuous, warm, joyful (exuberant), loving with us, and eager to learn and please. She's feisty, too, and can hold her own, even against the odds. But she's still very affectionate and people-oriented. We could not have asked for a better personality or one more suited to our family dynamics.

For our African friends, please know this: in American culture, to name a pet after someone or something is considered an honor (never an insult). Dogs are highly valued here and treated as if they are one of the family. It's because we hold the Kenyan people in such high esteem that we've named the new addition to our family this way.

So "Kenya" it is.

Oh, and one more thing: "Kenya" sounds enough different from "Baxter," "Elsie," "Ridge" and standard commands (like "no" or "sit" or "come" or "stay" or "wait" or "off" or "down" or "heel" or "get it") that the puppy should be able to identify it uniquely as her name.

What do you think?

'Til next time,
Joan 

Give Me a Break!

"She just won't quit, Mom and Dad. Can't you give her back?"