Minute 14 - Tugger will be featured in the Portland (TN) Progressive next week along with Alli, his rescuer! They picked up on the Dispatch article because Alli lives in Portland. She’s going to get me a copy.
Minute 15 - Tugger and I will be on the noon news (NBC) on Monday the 20th. The last time we were on the news was pre-recorded but this will be live, so I’m extra nervous!!!
We just found out, via a news story that a friend just happened upon, that Tugger did not win. He’s a winner to me no matter what. We don’t need anyone else to tell us that. Regardless, thanks for your votes, it was fun!!! I’m just really annoyed by how we found out. I expected to find out online tomorrow as they have announced for months, I didn’t need a personal call or anything. Just finding out like this, when you’re not expecting it, really sucked.
Yay, it’s almost time for voting to start! The pictures of the finalists are up on the front page of http://www.dogshowusa.com and I think Tuggy’s the cutest, but I am not an impartial judge here. 
So yeah, you can vote once per day AND every time you vote, you’re entered to win a video iPod! So there, more motivation to go vote, other than my guilt tripping anyone who doesn’t.
The voting will begin at 3pm today, so please, vote for my boy! Please pass this on to anyone you know who loves dogs, the more votes, the better!
Also, the Dispatch just called and we did a phone interview. They’re coming tomorrow to do some photos. Craziness, I tell you.
Melissa
Ok, Tugger and I may be on NBC’s news tonight. While we were waiting before the link with NY to do his vote video, Duarte Geraldino talked with me on camera for a few minutes. So if you see me, don’t make fun of me because I’m sure it was awful! They got some good footage of Tuggy running around though. For the vote video, there were a lot of technical difficulties, so it ended up being really rushed. He was so good for it though! He just laid on the floor by my feet and chewed his new toy!! So yeah, I was a total dork in that too, but Tugger looked good at least! Voting starts on the 18th. Not sure if they’re actually announcing the finalists before then or not.
I just got a call from the press company handling the DogShowUSA thing. They’re setting something up with The Dispatch (Columbus newspaper) to do a quick interview/photo shoot over the weekend with Mr Tugger. This is cool, but kinda freaky!
Ladies first. Dollie had her all day doctor appointment today at the vet hospital. They took her eye pressures every 2 hours, just to get an idea of what they were like over the course of the day. On the whole, her pressures were pretty good, but they were higher than desirable a little before and for a while after her medicines. They decided to increase the frequency of the meds so that she’ll be due for her next round before the pressure starts going up. I sure hope this works!
Tugboat - all his paperwork (release forms signed, eligibility affidavit notarized, etc) has been submitted. I’m still somewhat unclear as to whether he is the official finalist for the hound group, or a potential finalist for the hound group. The paperwork said finalist, but the email I was sent said potential, but it also said pending verification of eligibility. So I am pretty sure he is the finalist, unless he totally blows his interview on Sunday by like, I dunno, eating a microphone or peeing on a plant or something. He’s got a colorful history, he does. If he IS the finalist, he’ll only be up against 7 other dogs! I can’t wait to see what happens next. The guest of honor, of course, could care less.
Remember a few months ago, I asked everyone to go vote for my boy at the DogShowUSA website? Well good job! Today I got a phone call saying that Tugger’s a finalist! (pending eligibility, and as far as I can see in the rules, I’m eligible!) Sunday I am taking him to NBC’s local station where we’ll do an interview, then starting January 18th I think, voting opens up on the internet for the finalists!!! I’m in shock, really. How cool is that? Prizes include a year’s supply of Purina dog food and for the Grand Prize winner, a trip to Philadelphia for the dog, owner and 1 guest to attend (not compete) the live dog show!!! This is kinda overwhelming, having to get interviewed and all. Hopefully he’ll be on his best behavior. Wonder if I can teach him some new tricks before Sunday!!!!
