I know, I know, I've teased you with four pupper pics and then just left you hanging for almost a month. But -you probably know where this sentence is going- SHE'S BACK! My lovely four pawed friend is doing amazing and has even become more cuddly. Though I think 1) this is because of the cold weather, as she sneakily snugs her wet nose under my scarf and 2) because she still loves to 'gently' bite in anything and everything she can get her teeth into. I'm literally talking mending holes in before-mentioned scarf. And don't get me talking about the daily struggle of tying ones shoelaces. *deep sigh* *repeats 'I love my dog, yes I do' twenty times in a row*

"Oh yes, it's a dog with a blog."

After #Blogmas day 2, I think a lighter subject is needed to keep the festive spirit alive. Or at least held in a comatose state. That's why I've taken a step back from writing today's post and cleared the stage for a more friendlier, light hearted and always happy to see you writer. Oh yes, it's a dog with a blog. After swiping my phone screen with her nose on the first day we met, I knew we had a natural talent among us. Although a debutante, I believe Sarah can turn this Blogmas right round, baby, right round.

Hello, my name is Sarah!

All hail the princess

Hello, my name is Sarah, which means princess. But you don't have to address me with 'her majesty' and can call me Saar for short. I'm exactly 11 weeks old this Sunday (at least if Dominique has done her maths right, that is. But I wouldn't one-hundred percent count on it...). And, as is introduced above, I'm taking over the blog for today. Although the logistics of this operation may be questionable, I can assure you that it's harder for me to think of it -let alone type these words with my paws- than for you.

Admittedly I'm not book smart but I think experience is just as, if not twice as, important. Although my life is still short and sweet, I've had my experiences already. The other day for instance there were hailstones as big as golf balls falling from the sky while I was trying to pee. A real struggle, you can imagine. It certainly took me a few minutes to accept the situation (much to the disdain of Dominique who was stupid enough to go outside without wearing a coat. Which I think demonstrates my point that experience is sometimes the best way to learn something). However today I don't want to talk about hailstones. I want to talk about my trip to the zoo.

Puppy invasion!

Where are all the animals? (and humans)?

Zoolander

You've heard me: a pup in a zoo. And not just one pup! Oh no, it was a true puppy-invasion as we went to the zoo as part of our puppy training course. Some go to the train station to get familiar with different smells and sounds at once, others go to the zoo. Potayto, potahto. Because, you know, what are the chances of bumping into a train these days? Next to nothing! But we should all be on the look out for those neighbourhood tigers running around town. I've seen them! With their bells ringing as if they are Santa's helpers. Lies, I tell ya, all lies! We both know Santa is led by Corgi's with beards and no stray cat can convince me otherwise!

Look at how not impressed I am.

So we went to the zoo which, in December and with a minus degrees temperature, isn't necessary idyllic. Not least as a zoo at this time of the year doesn't live up to its name. In Dutch a zoo is called a 'dierentuin', which literally means animal (dieren) garden (tuin). Sure we saw some garden work, but where are all the animals? No elephant, monkey or bird in sight. Even the penguins were hiding. Rather disappointing, you might agree. However we weren't there for the animals, we were there for turning me from a know-nothing to a know-some-of-it.

"Although the walk itself was the exercise, this didn't withheld the trainers of challenging us even more."

Although the walk itself was the exercise, this didn't withheld the trainers of challenging us even more. The first Xtreme challenge was lifting me up, and putting me next to a statue of a monkey. Although the lifting up part isn't a problem for me, the statue can be scary. It looks like a monkey, it smells like a monkey, but it isn't a monkey. I was not impressed (unlike some other puppers who 1) hated the lifting work and 2) looked into the soulless eyes of this creature and were confronted with their own existential dread).

The second Xtreme challenge had a bit more X to it: walking down the stairs. Although it is ill-advised to teach us K9's walking stairs (as we have no collarbones to soften the backlash of a step) it's still important for us to learn to walk stairs for when there's for instance an emergency (or you're one of those dogs who, when puppyd-out, are, like, really big dogs). The brave soldier that I am, I decided to go first. There's a first time for everything, amiright? Nice and gently I glided, step-by-step, until my paws touched the ground again. From now on call me X-Saar-treme.

Is it a bird? Is it not a bird?

They call me X-Saar-treme for a reason...

Dog detective

I can't deny that those Xtra challenges were fun, but it is called a dierentuin for a reason. I can't leave before seeing something move behind the glass windows! It became a mission, a quest, a duty for me to find some form of life. I sniffed, snuffed and wagged through the cold. My nose touching the ground and my feet briskly flowing over the bricks and sand. I had no time for the many strangers calling me adorable (well, admittedly, I stopped for one stranger who petted me and called me a cutie-pie. But what's a girl to do, I'm not made of steel?!). But then, suddenly, I see from a not so far distance weird creatures moving.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a monkey? No. It's a giraffe. Or so I'm later told. A giraffe and its friends came to greet us mere mortals. It's majestic body being, approximately, five times bigger than mine. Was I scared? Well, may I remind you you're talking to X-Saar-treme, scared of no nothing (but maybe perhaps cars. Cars, man, cars are something otherworldly).

Two paws and three licks from me!

And that concludes our trip to the zoo. It was cold, I saw some giraffes and from now on I go by the name of X-Saar-treme. Also I got my puppy training course certificate. So I'm not an ordinary pup, I'm a certified pup! Next I will learn how to wash the dishes!