New Pix of the Pixie!

Hello People! It's me...Buster B.

These are pix of me that Alan took of me at Pepper Beach Park. There's no Pepper at the park, and they don't let dog's on the beach (which is fine with me). It's just a fun place for me to hang with my peeps (people friends).

Tomorrow I'm going to the vet (wasn't veteran's day last week?). I'm going to meet Dr. Burger for the first time. Sound's like a nice man...I mean, how can a person with Burger for a last name be anything else but yummy.

If I am good and I behave, I've been promised a visit to TGIF in Melbourne (a patio table, plz!)

Here is a pix of me chasing a leaf. These leaves are REAL sneaky.

TTYL...BB

BAILEY! BAILEY! BAILEY!

Hi there! Sorry I havent writen lately, but I've been a very busy puppy. The big news is that Alan's Aunt Ann has arrived for the winter season with her new puppy Bailey (read: My NEW playmate and classmate!)

I haven't figured out my new digital camera, but Alan promises to upload a pic of Bailey (or better yet Bailey and me) on the blog soon.

Alan did an AWFUL thing and left me for some stupid biz trip to New York City and Las Vegas...and NO, I didn't even get a STUPID T-SHIRT as a souvenir!

Michael has been my 'caretaker' therefore for over a week, and I think I pooped him out. We have been playing games, going to class, and just overall having a great time...but I missed Alan and I was happy the kid finally came home...abeit with a case of Jet Lag. But that's another story. But granted Alan has been doing more sleeping than I have the last two days!

Bailey is named so because his coat is somewhat the color of Bailey's Irish Creme...whatever that is! Ann says he is a mutt but Bailey told me he is a Maltipoo. (I tend to believe Bailey on this one).

Bailey is a bit bigger and older than I am, but we have lots of fun (ok...I think I have more fun with Bailey than he has with me, but we ARE GREAT PALS). And I've only known Bailey a few days. (I sort of am attracted to everyone...but that's another story!).

Weather has been nice but a bit chilly late at night and early morning. Last night I got to cuddle in bed outside my crate with the big dogs. WOOF!

I hope to learn my digital camera soon. Until then, its up to Alan to feed the pix to my blog!

luv and woofs! BB (Buster Benjamin)

Musings while in lock up...

First, let me say this...I like my crate. It is not a prison as some would like to describe it. It's a nice place to chill out for a little while, and a fave for sleeping in.

But sometimes, I want to make an impression on this two dudes I'm living with. Something like, 'aren't I so cute you have to get me out of here?' That's the mood I was in when Alan took this photo of me in my crate with my yellow bear. This was not a 'posed' shot. (At least Alan didn't pose it). I get to play with some of my fave toys when I'm in my crate, and this day I just felt like showing off yellow bear...Isn't he (and me) sooo cute? I thought the grated door adds a nice effect, don't you? Alan often times just leaves the door open so he can reach in and give me a pat on my head or let me sniff his hand so he let's me know he's never too far away in the middle of the night.

Oh, by the way, here's a pix of me and Michael battling over a piece of paper. (He won). Seems that Michael helps Alan with his expense reports (whatever that is) and I was just trying to help (sort of).

I kant reed to well but I thought I made out somthin like Mariot on this piece of paper.

So, I have to apologize for not writin mor often, but the life of a puppy is full of lots of work...wake up, pee, poop, eat, play, sleep, pee, poop, play, sleep....you get the idea. I'm starting to learn my way around the neighborhood too, as Michael and Alan take me to diffrent parks to pee in, I mean, play in.

Here's a pix of me in a park, you don't expect me to remember which one, do you? I'm only 15 weeks old, for goodness sake!

I don't think Alan zoomed in enough, but I think I'm chasing a leaf...a BIG leaf!

Michael thinks I might like learning agility courses when I'm older. I saw some of the equipment last Saturday at my first day of group kindergarten. I met a nice daschund named Mike (not Michael, like my owner...but similar, you know). Most of the other dogs were bigger than Mike and me, but after I got used to seeing so many dogs, I introduced myself to the more frendilier ones. I had the most fun running through the fabric tunnel. It got LONGER and LONGER each time. (I think Cissy had somethin to do with it). Cissy is my teacher. She comes to my house once a week or so to play with me and teach this dog some new tricks (for treats)...but that's another story called Halloween which we skipped this year caus I was too young to go trick or treating. So I showed off all the stuff Cissy had already showed me at home to the other older dogs. Sit, down, come, you know...the basics. Everyone seemed to be very impressed that I already new my name...come on' that's so BASIC!

Well, I'm gettin tired of typing...my paws have trubl reaching some of the keys...I'll sign off for now...

Luv, BB

Sleeping with the Angel

Yes, the 'angel' is the one on the right! Michael snapped this shot of me and the little angel this morning. That's us on the loveseat in the living room this morning. Early morning!

Seems BB didn't want to come out of his crate when Michael was following his normal 'routine' at 2:30 am. Seems BB does his business when Michael does his. (Not exactly at the same time and not exactly at the same place, thank goodness!) But not this morning.

Buster wanted to stay in his crate. That got Michael a tad worried. So I woke up and it got me worried too. Why wouldn't the wee little one come out of his crate at 2:30 am? Michael was convinced that BB has some business I used to call 'visiting Mrs. Murphy' when I was little. A few minutes of coaxing and the little guy stretched his legs out of his crate and walked out. Michael was right about needing to do 'something' but by that time, everyone (except Michael) wanted to go back to sleep. BB and I never made it out of the living room, and when I got up this morning, Michael greeted me with these two 'splendid' photos of BB and I cutting the zzzz's. I've heard of a lap dog, but a neck dog?

Alan, asleep with the 'angel'

The gathering storm

This morning I awoke to an eerie silence. For the first time since Sunday evening the wind wasn't rattling the storm shutters. I could hardly wait for sunrise, not so much to roll back the shutters and gaze once again upon the still-roiled Atlantic, but to get Crazed Puppy to the park to burn off some energy.

A high pressure area stalled to our north and Tropical Storm Noel to our south have been funneling 30-40 mph winds across our barrier island all week, and it has not been to Buster's liking. On Sunday afternoon with the winds just starting, I took Buster to his potty lawn outside the condo building and his little ears started doing the Flying Nun. When I tried to lead him to the car for our afternoon walk in the park, he just sat his little doggy butt down and refused to budge. The unmistakable message: No park. Back inside. Now.

OK, we'd had our morning walk, so a little tug of war, some indoor chase-the-ball and some solo shake-the-chew-monkey burned off enough energy. By late evening, though, I'd had to close the shutters on the west balcony as well as the windward east balcony.

The west balcony is where we've installed the grass-sod Pet-a-Potty for those times when an elevator ride and a walk across the parking lot are just not, well, feasible. With the eddying wind blowing rain horizontally onto the balcony, it didn't seem fit for poop nor pee. I thought closing the shutters would help. But to Buster's mind shutters where there once was a fifth-floor view did not seem at all like the spot he remembered. And to make matters worse, the shutters were rattling.

So when Buster peed by the sliding door rather than on the sod, I gave him a pass. Chalk up another lesson: One must never relent on potty training, even in a storm. For now it seems, anywhere is fine out there on the balcony, a message I definitely did not wish to communicate and must now rescind.

But the worst problem was the accumulating puppy energy. By Day 2 Buster no longer was afraid of the wind and would willingly accompany me to the downstairs potty lawn, but all the windy commotion made him hyper. Although the hype would build to frenetic running on his leash, once back inside, puppy continued bouncing, now off the walls. There's a limit to how much tug-of-war and chase-the-ball a 60-year-old doggy daddy can manage, and chew monkey was losing its appeal. Add to this a teething puppy's insatiable need to chew, on anything really but especially on things you don't want insatiably chewed.

And then, this morning, merciful calm. We just got back from our long delayed walk in the park, puppy damp slippers to chin from cavorting on the wet grass. A long drink of water, a rigorous roll-around-in-it toweling and now, thank the Great God Fido, Buster actually slumbers beside me.

But I must not linger. I must get chew toys aligned for the Chomper's inevitable awakening.

School daze

Yesterday my new teacher paid me a house visit. Her name is Cissy and she was very nice. She had lots and lots of treats. She taught Alan and Michael how to give them to me just for putting my little doggy butt down on the floor. That would make them all happy and they'd make a big fuss over me.

Cissy made a clicking noise whenever I made her happy. Sounded kind of like one of those bugs I tried to eat in the park a couple days ago. After she left, Alan and Michael started clicking too. I put my rear-end down and they click and say something, I'm not sure what it is yet, but it's the same thing over and over. Then they give me some kibble.

After I do that a few times they start wanting me to lie down on the floor with my paws out in front before they'll click again. Humans have such short attention spans.

Later I heard Alan and Michael talking about taking me out to visit Cissy someplace where she teaches other dogs too and we can have recess and all run around together like I used to do with my sisters and cousins before I came to live here. I like to run.

I think I'll go now and see if my humans still remember how to give me kibble if I sit my rear down ... maybe that's what they're saying, "sit." It's so easy to make these humans happy, but I don't want to spoil them too much.

Potty training for the mutually determined

I wouldn't say it's a contest of wills, exactly. Clearly both parties want to meet the needs of the other. But both homeowners and puppy are determined to have their needs met.

We're talking potty training, of course, and it seems to be a matter of one step forward and another step back. Mind you, it hasn't even been a week since Buster came to his new home, so our progress toward mutual consent has been remarkable. But I'm sure all three of us look forward to the day when we have it all clearly settled.

Alan and I were quite pleased at the end of Day 1 that Buster had managed to deposit his wastes four out of six times on the luxurious grass-sod box conveniently arranged just outside a quite inviting doggy door onto our balcony. Perhaps we took our eye of the ball, or in this case the pooch, which we had concluded was the smartest puppy yet born.

For alas, on Day 2 the ratio was approximately reversed. Fortunately, we have marble tile floors, so as long as we get the piddles and poops right away cleanup is easy, always followed with an application of various formulas purported to erase any lingering smells, even to the sensitive and ever-inquisitive puppy nose.

Now we are on Day 6, and Buster seems to have definitely figured out that the piddles go on the balcony sod. However, poops seem to be more optional in his mind. Of course his crate is never soiled, nor is the sitting area of our condo where we spend most of our time. But anywhere on the balcony seems to be acceptable poop space, and in a pinch the marble floor outside the sitting area will also do.

So as the big dogs around here, our strategy now is two-fold: Keep Buster in his crate more, outside of eating, play and cuddle times, and leave a trace of his latest poop on the sod for his sniffing instruction. Truth be told, puppy has been making great progress in divining and meeting our rather mysterious desires. I have visions that within a few short weeks he will even be taking care of his own needs without our supervision.

Then if I can only teach him to fold laundry ... well, one step at a time.

Michael

A day of play...

We had a day of play with Buster...we opted to stay close to home today because of the rain.

I mentioned how Buster likes his car seat...here is a picture of him...oblivious to the sights and sounds around him (at that moment).

Here is a pix of him nesting in my recliner with me on my blue bankie.

Alan

Love is a warm puppy...

Life is good. Puppy Buster B. is doing great and his appetite is back to full speed. He still pulls some of his food out of his bowl to eat a few inches or feet away, but he is a happy puppy and loves his Mother Hubbard chicken treats the best.

Buster is learning lots of new sounds (the washer, the dryer, the garbage disposal, the telephone, and the TV). Last night we watched lightning and felt a touch of rain together on the balcony where is potty grass is located.

Buster likes his den and his beds (he has more than one, of course!) and likes to play with us just about everywhere.

We love taking naps (frequent) together, and playtime is never too far in the future.

Michael and I get lots of puppy kisses and we both make comfortable resting spots for his chin.

Buster likes his car seat (he can look out) but also likes to be held during car rides. He likes to snuggle his chin in the opening of the sherpa-lined nest in the corner of the car seat.

We're planning on taking him to downtown Fort Pierce today to see the sights (not too too many) and to greet some people.

Tonight we are going to have some little grooming tasks done. I'm going to trim his little nails (just a tiny bit).

Yes, love is a warm puppy...

Alan

Adventures in Florida...

Whew! I haven't writtin this week caus I've been a really busy puppy! Grammie Martie gave me a bath and packed me up in my new Sherpa bag and drove me down to Carolina's BBQ in Glouster Point to meet Alan and Michael on Thursday. My mom Bebe came with us and we said goodbye and I got a bit frightened. Then Michael and Alan let me spend some more time with Mommie and I got better. They promised me that I could visit Martie and Mommy when they come to Florida at the end of the year. So it was more of a 'till I see you again' instead of a goodbye...that made me feel better.

Soon I was in an airport where there were alot of loud announcements...rather annoying. I got out of my Sherpa to go through the metal detector and I got alot of attention. Which is ok. Alan and Michael got me place in Business Class, so we got to board early and I got plenty of room under the seats.

I had my face pressed against the mesh for alittle while looking at these guys with my 'what's up?' look. But I decided I was tired and rolled over and took a long nap. Next thing I remember was getting into a new car and snuggling with Alan. We only took a short ride, and I got to play outside until it started to rain. We hung out a while longer, and back into the car we went.

We stopped once or twice (can't understand why) but we made it to my new house and it was all very new to me. I guess the excitedment got the best of me cause I piddled in the kitchen. That was before I knew about my potty outside with some nice grass. Since then I know that's where I go. I'm not so sure I like the patio door that much, I've asked my people to put something by it to make it easier to get over the metal lip.

Today I got another car ride and when to a place call PetSmart. I got to shop (not sure what that means) but there were lots of new smells and alot of people to meet. I met a little girl, a little boy, a couple of employees, and some nice shoppers. It was alot of fun. I got a treat from the cashier.

Oh! I forgot to tell you about the beach trip this morning. Michael showed me the ocean and I got my feet in some sticky stuff called sand. I'd rather have Michael hold me for now. I met another dog on the beach. His name is Brutus and he is another Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But he has more colors than me. He likes the water. I'm not sure yet. Brutus lives with Maxine in the condo down the beach. Its nice to know there is another Cavalier in the neighborhood. Fran came to meet me at the beach too, and she is really sweet. She said I would meet her dog Tizzy soon.

I'm confused about time still. I like taking my naps. I nap in my den (a nice dark place filled with treats and toys), on Alan's lap or tummy, or on Michael's feet. I like to support my head on something warm.

I'm tired of writing but I will rite mor suun. promise. My appetite is a bit 'light' cause Ive been getting treats alot....but I am getting used to this place quickly. I'm getting lots of love and Ive been giving lots of kisses. Puckers you out. I sleep in my den at night and can see my people caus I must be on a chair or sumthing. I feel safe.

Playtime is fun, but I like to just hang with my people just as much.

luv, BB

PS Alan says my ears have handsome curls and look like my Dad, Macnab.

It's the Final Countdown!

It's just 4 more days until Buster Benjamin travels to Florida and his new home with us on North Hutchinson Island. Michael and I will be flying up to VA on Wednesday night and returning from Newport News, VA on Thursday.

We got his doggie door installed on Thursday...

This will provide Buster with access to the back balcony that runs across the kitchen and guest bedroom. The railings on the balcony have been outfitted with a special mesh net to protect Buster from fitting between the slats in the railing. The primary purpose of the balcony will be to allow Buster to 'go potty' without having to make a race to the elevator and the doggie walking area outside the condominium.

We outfitted the balcony with a pet-a-potty which is covered by a soiless sod. The pet-a-potty came from California where all 'odd' things emerge...but in this case we hope it will be a welcomed invention. Here is a close-up of the pet-a-potty...

Michael and I think we are as prepared as we can be...we met a trainer from Vero Beach on Saturday, Cissy Sumner. She is one of two trainers we have been in contact with regarding getting Buster Benjamin (and Michael and I) heading in the right direction.

We can't wait to see Buster again and bring him home...

Alan

Extreme Makover-Home Edition (Move that Bus!)

Michael and I have been busily preparing the condo for Buster Benjamin's arrival next Thursday. The UPS and Fedex delivery people know something is up because virtually every day something is getting delivered to Unit #506 - the future home of Buster Benjamin.

Balcony safety netting - check!
Doggy door for patio slidging glass door - check!
Doggy gate for kitchen/dining area - check!
Electrical cord covers (Critter cords), and puppy-proof cabinet locks - check!
Filtered waterer - check!
Crate - check!
Puppy supplies of every kind - check!

We are so very excited it will be hard to wait another week without BB. But we really wanted to make sure as much as we could to be prepared for the 'precious' and 'awesome' puppy (neighbor's comments, not mine).

Word spreads quickly around Hibiscus by the Sea, and there are lots of people anxious to meet Buster Benjamin Mcnab in person.

Saturday Michael and I will be visiting a likely candidate location for Buster's Puppy Pre-school, and we are excited to be discussing additional training with two Certified Pet Dog Trainers from Vero Beach, FL.

We will also will be checking the location of the Emergency Animal Hospital in Fort Pierce, and setting up Buster's first vet appointment with Dr. Paul P. Burger, located in Melbourne, FL.

These activities are serving two purposes...preparing us for Buster's arrival and distracting us from our pent up excitment and anticipation of his arrival. Can one week really feel this L O N G ?

Personally, I'm taking next Thursday and Friday off work (vacation days), so I can have 4 solid days to start bonding with my new dog, and member of our family.

X'ing off another day on the calendar...Alan

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Just got word from Martie and Stan that my new 'people' are getting ready to pick me up and fly me to my new home in Florida next Thursday. I'm excited and a bit nervous since I've never flown in an airplane before.

Alan and Michael will be flying to Richmond next Wednesday Night, and will be staying overnight in Newport News. Martie is going to pack me up in my new Sherpa carrier (with one or two of my toys) and drive me part way to the airport where she and Alan and Michael will 'hand me off' so I can make my flight on time. I'm flying Business Class, but I'm not sure I know what that means, cause my only business right now is to 'do my business' and trade kisses for little food treats. Is that a business?

One of my two sisters has left for North Carolina. So its just me and the one sister now in our play pen (who is staying with the Parris pack - something about she becoming a model or something.) Who knows!

I'm getting more shots the day before I leave for Florida (enough already with the shots!) and someone is spreading a rumor about a bath. Hmm.

I wonder if I will be going to school in Florida, or will I be home schooled? So many questions!

Love, BB

A rose is still a rose..

I just read that my 'people' have changed the spelling of the last part of my name to Mcnab from Macnab.

I just hope they don't have as much trouble deciding when to FEED ME!

I'm not too concerned about this name thing anyway...I'm not a teriblly grate spellr anyway, and I'm just as happy to answer to any name (especially if there is a treat when I arrive).

I guess if my people thought this much about my name, they must really love me.

(I love them too!)

BB

What's in a name?

...more than you would think. Buster hasn't made it to his permanent home yet and he has already gone through a name change. From Milhaven Buster Benjamin Macnab to Milhaven Buster Benjamin Mcnab. It seems the AKS has limits on the number of characters in a dog's name (30) and Milhaven Buster Benjamin Macnab comes in at 1 over the limit at 31 characters. So what to do? what to do? We thought about dropping his kennel name Milhaven, but that thought lasted about three seconds. Then we thought about shortening his first name to Bustr (too cute). Maybe, we thought, we should use Milhaven Buster B Macnab? But then, what about all those questions about what the B stood for.

It turns out we had the solution all along. When Martie first wrote us about the 'cute boy puppy' she wrote that the sire's name was Miletree Mcnab. At first our biggest question was whether the 'n' should be capitalized, as in McNab. Well Pat Landers (Miletree Macnab's owner), set us straight that it was lower case. Funny thing is that the AKC capitalizes all letters in dog's name on their registration certificate anyway.

Hmmm. EUREKA! If we use the original spelling Martie gave us of Mcnab, we would come in exactly with 30 characters. We also figured that we could still honor the sire by naming him Mcnab, just with a different spelling (sort of like a Jr., or the II).

It even turns out that we first registered Buster's web site initially using the Mcnab spelling in error.

So, after much deliberation, Milhaven Buster Benjamin Mcnab, it will be.

To make things easier, we also registered www.busterbenjaminmacnab.com and www.busterbenjamin.com just to play it safe and to make his web site easier to find. They all lead to the same place.

So know you know more than you ever wanted to know about how our dog's name came to be.

Getting Ready

There's alot of activity as we get ready to bring Buster Benjamin home. For example, my first trip to PETSmart. Getting the condo puppy-safe has been a major priority, and we should be wrapping that up this week. I'm not sure sometimes if I'm anxious or just plain excited about getting my own dog after so many years of wanting one, but realizing that until there was the opportunity to make sure someone could be home most of the time, the dream of getting a dog, was just that, a dream.

Over the years, I've done a lot of research on different breeds, and I always came back to wanting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I think I am very lucky to have found Buster through such a great breeder/owner of Cavaliers, Martie and Stan Parris.

I've told Michael that we need to keep three lists going...What we need to do, What we need to buy, and What we need to ask.

Not surprisingly, I've got a lot on each of the three.

We expect to bring Buster Benjamin home in the next tw0 weeks, mostly dependent on my travel schedule for work. I'm very lucky Michael has volunteered (no his arm is not twisted) to make sure one of us is around so Buster does not have to be left alone.

We are excited to introduce Buster to the other canine residents in the condo, namely Tizzy and Bailey...but at the moment Buster will be the 'year rounder' while Tizzy and Bailey remain 'snowbirds.'

I told Michael that the next week or two will be like anticipating Christmas.

Alan

Buster's Blog

Hmmm. Buster's Blog. Has a nice ring to it, yes?

Welcome to my blog

Hello. My name is Milhaven Buster Benjamin Macnab.

This is my Blog. If you want to see my web site, please visit me at www.busterbenjaminmacnab.com

I'm waiting to for my move to Florida. Right now I'm still staying with Martie and Stan Parris at their home in VA. My new owners Michael and Alan came to visit on Thursday, October 4th and decided "we were a match." Now I'm just waiting on them to get their place on North Hutchinson Island, FL 'puppy proofed' so I can get on a plane and fly away to my new home.

Things in VA are very nice, but sort of hectic with all the other dogs around. I know I will miss my mom, Bebe, but I think it will be nice to be the 'top dog' at my new condo in FL. I hear that I will be living near the ocean and beach. I hope I like the ocean. I've never been, you know.