Enjoying the winter sun

Jelly finds her spot in the newly planted flower garden yesterday. 

Jelly the carpenter

Jelly likes to help her dad on his house projects.   This is the same balcony that 10 years ago was being repaired and didn't yet have the sides up.  Jelly was on the balcony with with her dad and as I was leaving I told him it wasn't safe to have her up there.   He scoffed and seconds later Jelly jumped off the balcony to the cement 10 feet below.   She was perfectly fine.

Here they are working on the back deck.  Her dad affectionately refers to her as "flat head."    Jelly clearly didn't appreciate the level being used to confirm this name.  Jelly was doing the hammering.   Note the jellybean patterned collar.  It's a newer, bigger version of the one that earned her name at the shelter.  

Be back soon...

I am at home a lot with Jelly since I work out of my house currently.   However, there are those occasions where I need to leave without my pooch.  Often times, she stay on the couch with her "goodbye" treat.  

Other times she'll wait for me to leave and  follow me dejectedly out to the gate and watch me go.   If I reach down to pet her over the gate she'll charge the gate to let me know that she is not happy.

Something I love about Jelly is that she's not going anywhere.   Sometimes the gate is accidentally left open but not to worry.  Jelly will be there on the couch to greet me sleepily.   She has it good where she is so why leave?   She gets to see the world on her many walks.

Jelly Vacation to Kenwood B&B

One recent summer Jelly got to go on vacation with her Mom *and* Dad.  Since we have joint custody and usually vacation separately this was a special treat!   We ventured up to a dog-friendly B&B in Kenwood, Sonoma County

Ah the pleasures of rolling in the grass.

Hanging out with the papa on the foldout bed

But choosing to sleep with the mama.

Look at that cute little tail

Walking through the barn at the B&B

A day trip to the Sonoma Coast

Happy Dog

Jelly at United Kennel Club (UKC) trial

The UKC held its first level 1 trial at the Petfood Express headquarters in Oakland.    Jelly came in third place out of 38 dogs!

Can't wait to get started.   I have to hold her back.

Vehicle search

getting close

It's right here mom!

Giving the treat at the source

Exterior search took Jelly less than 10 seconds

Yay, we're done

Jelly at home with her 3rd place medal

It's a Jelly Christmas 2013

Looking serious in front of the xmas tree with cousin Natalia

Jelly is the best present ever

New toy

Jelly Christmas 2008

Jelly had a good xmas in 2008.   She received a lovely new orange dog bed, treats and lots of toys!

Letting her cousin try out the bed

Everyone needs a job and Jelly's is to lick

She is the lickiest dog I've ever known.   Every morning when I get out of the shower/bath she comes in on cue to lick my legs free of water.

It's actually quite relaxing to sit on the couch and have her lick your legs... Many a visitor have benefited from her services.

Jelly and her toys

Aside from a ball, Jelly has always preferred soft stuffed toys.  She certainly has lots of her own but she loves to go next door to my sister's and take the kids' "stuffies" and bring them home (or drop them in the garden).

Stuffy stealer caught in the act

Ever hopeful squirrel chasing

She's never caught one (fortunately) and it's funny if the squirrel stands its ground she stops too and will wait for it to move before pursuing it. 

Nosework Part 1

Jelly took her first nosework class "Intro to Odor" at her alma mater "Berkeley East Bay Humane Society."   Boy did she love it (and was good at it).

Eagerly awaiting her turn.  Note that she's not in a crate.  Jelly doesn't do crates (well not at first) when she realized how much fun class was and that she wasn't going to be left at the shelter she would go in and hang out for a bit.

Can hardly contain her.   She wants to go, go, go (and collect her hotdog treat)

The search for the "birch" smell started with plain boxes.

Jelly has a very distinctive "alert" signal which is great.  She stops and looks directly at me.

And again...  Treat time!

In here?

Or here?

Oooh, stuffed animals are tempting...

Jelly joins the circus

Well, not really.   We did take a circus class together this year which was fun (lots of hot dogs for you know who) but turns out Jelly prefers nosework as her career of choice.

Here she is learning how to "sit pretty" which means lifting the front paws on the box.

And they're off!

Jelly cartoon as rendered by Kerry!

Jelly kindly models a winter scarf to suit the whims of silly humans