Who says Corgi don't swim?

I find it pretty amazing that I went from being scared of the hose to willingly padding around puddles, lakes and ponds -- as long as I can touch the bottom!

I even SWIM for brief moments, paddling frantically when I step off the edge and into a less shallow part of the water. Once my paws rest on the rocky ground below, I am once again content.

I think someday I will be an all-star swimmer. At the age of 1 I am already conquering the baby pool (definition: standing in it and observing the world around me), chasing geese into the lake (definition: realizing that that wet stuff is NOT a continuation of the land, and abruptly scrambling out after my head has gone under), and eagerly chasing the hose water as it sprays all around me (when I'm not hiding from it).

Oh yeah.

Someday, I'll be famous.

My mom

I have known my mom a little less than a year now, and in that time she has had just about 42 different hair colors.

Was she trying to confuse me?? A brassy blonde took me home, a brunette took me to obedience school, a girl with near black hair made me sit on the Easter Bunny's lap and now a dirty blonde is typing for me!

It's insane, really, and I just do not know how much more of this I can take. It's like she's trying to disguise herself and hide from me! I'm not going to get bored, mom, just stop before your hair falls out and then nobody will recognize you!

Needless to say, my mom's kinda strange.

But I love her anyway, of course!

How I got my "party girl" image

I learned early on in life to take it easy on the partying. At the ripe age of just 3 months I was out at the clubs all day and night, partying with the wrong crowd, starting fights, pulling hair... then mom broke out the LEASH. At first I tried to convince everyone it was a fashion statement, and even got a few other pups to start wearing them just because I was. But it is a sad reality -- I was leashed for my foolish ways.

I begged and pleaded with mom -- trying to convince her I'd never go to those parties ever again! I wouldn't eat the cat poop, I'd leave Lacey's toys alone, I'd do anything....

But it was no use. I was on lockdown.

Little did I know it would help my career and give me my BAD GIRL reputation that all the other pups crave!

Alas, the notso glamourous aspects could not be avoided. This was me just 9 months ago, during my first stint in rehab. How could you lock up that face, you ask?? I don't know -- the justice system is cruel, what can I say.

But I could not resist the party animal inside of me, and when I was released I had a minor relapse. I was back in the clubs, and passing out in my food bowl all over again. I was a mess.

I let down my family, my friends, and probably my fans but I needed one last hurrah before I became an "ADULT" -- oh, the dreadful words! It's a wonder how I keep my youthful look and complexion after I was aged so quickly by the fast paced life of a young starpup.

By my first birthday, I was a new dog. I was matured, and even though I am now old enough to legally go out partying, I refrain. I am a responsible dog now -- I have truly learned a lot.

I now channel my extra energy and urges into the great outdoors! I have taken up swimming, hiking, fetch, frisbee and jet skiing as hobbies! I hope that these new found things will keep me on track and out of the clubs!

Okay so maybe I don't jet ski.

Yet.

Where do I begin?

Well, let's see.

I was born Peggy Sue of Missouri to a farm Corgi named Cowgirl on June 28, 2006. I was one of six, and am pictured at the far left --you know, the one freaking out. Couldn't you tell?

Clearly, I was the awkward, ugly duckling of my immediate family. Did I mention my one blue eye?? Mom chose me anyway....

...maybe that was just because I was the only female left in the litter.. but that's besides the point!

When did my life of luxury begin? Probably after my first class plane ride at 8 weeks old from Missouri to Newark Airport where my new mom and her parents came to get me -- in a limousine, of course. This was August 23, 2006 -- a day of infamy!

When I arrived at my new home that day, it was quite apparent that I was anything but the ugly duckling Corgi from Missouri. In fact, I was quite adorable, if I do say so myself. Clad in pajama pants with camera in hand, I was iniated into the limelight with flash after flash after flash after flash after....

They marveled over my cuteness, showering me with treats and toys. I was the star of the show, and it was only the beginning! I made my self completely at home--



BUT.

There was Fat Lacey.

I knew I was forgetting something! I had yet to win over the veteran of the household, then-7 year old dog-aggressive Australian Cattle Dog Lacey. She is the exemplary house-dog, with her obedience levels and natural intelligence off the chart. She does it all -- roll over, shake, do exactly what she is told when she is told it, and did I mention her expanded vocabulary? And the fact that she can catch a frisbee better than you?

Yeah, it's quite a lot to live up to. Nevermind the fact that this (unfortunately) Pet Store puppy (it was 1999 and mom was 12 -- they knew nothing of puppy mills, and thank dog they lucked out with Lacey in good health and all) had a disdain for her fellow dogs!

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT???

A natural tolerance and kind of friendship followed in those first days, much to the shock of my new family.

Lacey wouldn't even put me in my place, and let me steal all of her toys -- mostly from right out of her mouth. She never attacked me, and rarely tried to tell me she was boss. Her submissive nature allowed me to co-exist in the house she'd lived in since 3 months of age. How nice of her, right?? I guess she understands me, seeing as though we are both herding dogs and all. Or maybe she can relate to my ugly duckling story, seeing as though she was the clearance puppy that day back in 1999.

I also developed an obsession with the now almost 13 year old family cat, Patches. It's rather unhealthy, I must say. Sometimes we chew on eachother, other times we share the couch and gaze out the window at the world.

So here I am a year and hundreds of photos later! Many of these photos can be seen on my Dogster page which was developed a few weeks before I even came to my forever home.

And that, my friends, is the beginning of a very, very long and ongoing story.