Mommy finally decided to do an update for me!!!   She's been terrible with her own blogs and she felt like I was much more deserving of an update...thanks Mommy!
Mommy and Daddy decided to put me away at a training kennel which is almost like a camp to me. I could tell that this was something they had thought about for a long while, I guess they weren't satisfied with my behavior or whatnot.  I know that my parents have done a lot of research of where to put me so I could have the best training possible without it being so costly. Mom and Dad had heard about this place called Red Iron Kennels which is about 15 to 20 miles outside of Austin. We all visited this place twice and spent several hours at each visit. They made me wait in the car most of the time.... grrrr ....but at least they left the air conditioning on for me.  My parents talked to the teacher for what seemed like an eternity to me, so apparently they were quite impressed with this place. They came to their decision after our second visit and signed me up to start the following day.
After we left the kennels from our second visit...I'll like to call it a camp from now on..., Mommy seemed really depressed and I didn't understand why. We, dogs, don't always understand humans, but my  heart went out to her. For some reason, Mom and Dad decided to spoil me with the second best dinner I ever had (the first being a steak), they mixed my food with hot dogs!!! YUMMY!!! Although, I didn't understand why Mommy looked so sad and would break out into tears every now and then, but Daddy and I did our job to console her and tell her everything was going to be okay.
The following morning, Mommy and Daddy both made me another crazy meal. I had no idea what I did to make them spoil me rotten!?!  They mixed my food with an egg, hot dogs and PEANUT BUTTER!!!   It may sound gross to some of you, but to me, it was DEE-LISH and I gobbled it all up in two seconds like a hungry horse! After breakfast, my parents took me out to the dog park at Barton Springs...one of my favorite places in the whole world! We all spent the day swimming and playing fetch with my toy. All the other dogs were jealous of my toy and kept stealing it from me...grrrr.  Anyhoo...it was all in a good day of fun. (If you wanna see what it's like at the dog park, look at the pictures from my previous entry.)
After the dog park, we went out to lunch...yes, I was allowed to sit with my parents as long as I was on a leash. That's why I love Austin so much...it's so dog-friendly! My parents decided to spoil me AGAIN...they ordered my OWN hamburger and french fries!!! I'm not talking about table scraps or leftovers...I had my own hamburger basket!!!  I am the coolest dog on earth and I have the best parents!
Then we went to Amy's Ice Cream...I definitely couldn't stomach any more junk food, but then I realized we didn't go there for ice cream. Dad talked with the manager to ask if the three of us could take family pictures in their photo booth. The manager reluctantly gave us permission and told us to make it VERY QUICK as pets were not allowed inside the store. We all sat in a cramped little booth while my parents made funny faces and I had no idea what the hell we were doing....they can be crazy and silly sometimes.
We all got into the car for another long drive. Mommy was admiring our pictures we had just taken and all of the sudden, she broke out into sobbing tears. Little did I know we were on our way to camp and I was going away for  FOUR MONTHS !!! No wonder why Mommy was so sad...I know my Daddy was sad too, but he had to act tough and machismo for my Mommy's sake. 
Of course I was very nervous on my first day at camp...you could tell from my heavy drooling. My teacher told my parents that the drooling was a sign of nervousness and that it was normal for the first 24 hours. Mommy and Daddy gave me a long and hard hug with many  kisses before they left. They waved and shouted goodbye with an "I love you!!!" Even though dogs may not fully understand the human language, we can certainly understand love.
It's been almost a week since I've been at camp and it's really not so bad after all. I'm actually having fun because I get to play with real birds!!! By the time camp is all over, I will get to go hunting with my Dad and I can't wait to show him everything that I've learned. Not only am I learning how to retrieve birds, I'm also learning obedience. I won't have to walk around with a leash all the time because I will know that I have to follow my parents.
My teacher sent my Dad an email to let him know how I was doing. My parents were thrilled. Here is my progress report:
Thomas,
Everything is going well as far as settling in. He has been a little wild with his neighbors - mainly playing but a couple of times was fighting with them through the fence at feeding time. He has eaten fine and had good stools. The obedience part is just underway but he is responding nicely. He still likes his bird and is playing keep away with it, but that is ok for now. This is the first chance i've had to look at email but hopefully will do it daily from now on. Hope all is well with you, and feel free to write back if you have any questions.
Bill
I can't wait to see my parents when they come visit me on October 16th. I will get to show them everything that I've learned so far and give them some loving as well. They get to visit me two times in two months. I know it's not enough for us, but my teacher said I really needed focus at camp. Fortunately, Mommy and Daddy will get to visit me every weekend during the last two months. Boy...I can't wait...awoooo!
I will try to update whenever my teacher gives a progress report and I certainly will do another update after my parents come to visit. I miss my parents a lot and I know they miss me tremendously. They think about me all the time, I can feel it in my spirit. I love you, Mommy and Daddy.
P.S. Dad-
Can you please post the pictures from the photo booth so everyone can see? Please do it ASAP! I love you.
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