I have one of those overprotective moms.

So, let me start by saying I may or may not have walked through and sat on a lawn that he been sprayed with pesticide. My mom totally freaked out about it because she didn't see the sign in the neighbor's yard until I'd already smelled the grass to figure out why it smelled so funny. She made me get out of the yard and walk in the road, which was way less fun. Then, she kept watching me. This all happened on Wednesday. So, on Thursday night in the middle of the night, I woke up and started panting. I was really just upset because I didn't want to be in my crate and because I was very thirsty. I had eaten right before bed and hadn't drank enough water. Mom convinced herself I was having some kind of reaction to the pesticide yard, though, and her and dad didn't get much sleep that night because they were worried about me. I didn't mean to wake them up with my panting, but I was thirsty!

Mom looked up a bunch of information about pesticides online, and she says you should definitely not spray that garbage in your yard! She says it can not only hurt dogs, but it can also hurt kids and even grown adults! All sorts of bad things can happen. Lucky for me, the stuff was dry by the time I walked over it in the neighbor's yard, and no damage was done! It's pretty awful how bad it is for you, though. I'd rather just have grasshoppers and ants. Grasshoppers are fun to chase, anyway.

So, mom got me a new crate that's a lot bigger to help with my anxiety since I am so much bigger now. I like that my water bowl fits in it, and I like that she keeps hiding treats in there. Beyond that, though, I'd rather be sleeping on the couch.

Speaking of the couch, my back knee has started making a popping noise when I jump. It doesn't hurt me at all, and I really don't think it's anything to worry about, but mom said she is going to ask the vet about it when I got to get my second flu shot. She thinks I have patella something another. Basically it means my knee cap isn't situated right. I'm not to upset about it, because even if there is something wrong, mom says I'll get to have treats with glucosamine in them. Uncle Murray eats those because he has hip displasia, and he really likes them. Boy, I sure do like Uncle Murray and Uncle Dexter! They came to play at my house last Saturday. I don't understand why they are so scared of me! Before they left, Dexter was laying on the couch, and I wanted to give him a hug, so I jumped up there and snuggled him. He acted like he was really scared of me, so I licked him. Uncle Murray is getting less and less scared of me, though, which is good because mom says I can play ball with him someday.

Last night something very scary happened. I noticed the fireplace for the first time, so I started barking at it. A lot. And loud. Mom said there isn't anything to worry about.

My mom got me this new food called Natural Balance. It is so delicious! She's mixing it with my Puppy Chow right now, but I wish she would just let me eat only that because it is good. She said it's very healthy, so I should have more energy. I am a growing girl, you know.

I wish mom would stop taking cool stuff away from me. So far, she has taken away socks, underwear, the camera, multiple shoes, the end of the doorstop (which, incidentally, I worked hard to get off), pieces of toys I've bitten off, leaves, sticks, water bottles, and even bugs.

Well, I better go now. Mom and dad are both still really tired from not sleeping the other night. Sometimes they can be a little overprotective, but I love them anyway.

-Maddie