My name is Fozzy Bear, and I’m four-and-a-half months old. Isn’t it amazing I’ve learned to type this well already? But it’s to be expected since I am, after all, growing up to be an exceptional canine.

My humans, Jessie and Betty, have been a little slow training in, but I’m working with them. It took awhile for them to get the idea that when I plant my butt on the sidewalk and turn my front legs into posts that I’m done going for their dumb walk. I know they need the exercise, but geez. Sometimes enough is enough.

I’ve also been working with them in making appropriate food choices for me. They gave me some terrible food that I didn’t like one bit, so I threw it up. Often. After awhile, my humans got the hint and tried something else. I didn’t like that either. So now they cook me rice and hamburger. I love that stuff! This last time they added peas and pumpkin. And hard bits of some other food. I haven’t decided if I like that or not. But they’re being good girls and trying hard.
The latest thing I’m working with my humans on is potty training. They are trying so hard to get their timing right, but it’s definitely a work in progress. But I have lots of patience. I just know that they’ll get it figured out. In the meantime, it’s sure fun to make them run outside with me. They give me a free ride right to the grass, where I love to roll and sniff and play and forget I had to go to the bathroom! Then when we go back inside, I remember what we went outside for. So I just go wherever I am. Oops. It’s really fun watching them run around yelling for things like paper towels and Nature’s Miracle.
When I first came to stay in this doghouse, there was a big old cat wandering around. I think his name was Hooch, although my humans called him Bad Cat when he bonked me in the head with his paw, which he did a lot. It didn’t hurt too much. I really, really wanted to be friends, and tried so hard to play with him. I often stuck my butt in the air and wagged my tail, put my chin on my paws, and looked really cute. How could anyone resist? Hooch just made faces and a lot of funny sounds at me and then ran away. Then one day something happened and my human Jessie had to take him away all wrapped up in a big orange blankie. After awhile, my humans came home, and their faces were wet. I tried to lick them dry. They still didn’t look happy, but it did make them smile. I’m not sure what happened, but I’ll keep trying to make my humans smile, because it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I think they are going to turn out just fine 
Jessie Chandler is owned by me, Fozzy Bear. She writes the Shay O’Hanlon Caper Series, and people laugh when they read her books. We live in a strangely named suburb of Minneapolis. You can find out all about Jessie at www.jessiechandler.com