return to top

Oh, I'm Afraid That I Might Live Up To My Name

One more thing...

Oops, I forgot to mention how much better I have gotten about my crate. When I hear the crinkle of the treat bag, I get so excited that I run into my crate. This is an improvement that Kathleen and I both like and appreciate. :)

Appetite for Destruction

Yes, I'm considering joining Guns-N-Roses, or least being their mascot. In six days I'll be 5 months old and man are my teeth really driving my life right now. I chew a lot, especially Kathleen's flip flops and other shoes I can find. I also thoroughly enjoy chewing on Luca... even though sometimes he doesn't. My top teeth are already poking through the gums. My bottom row, though, is completely toothless! Kathleen doesn't understand how I can destroy things when I have no chompers on one half.
Yesterday I went to the vet to pick up my Frontline and Interceptor. They had to weigh me first so they knew which weight class I'd be in. I'm a little chunker! At 25.8 pounds, I am solid muscle. I eat Fromm's Large Breed Puppy food to prevent my bones and stuff from growing too quickly... I wonder if it's doing the trick???
Speaking of tricks, this coming week is my last week of puppy kindergarten (then it's off the beginnner obedience). So far I know: sit, down, come, give paw, touch, off, wait, and heal. Heal and wait I know, but I don't always feel like doing them. Also, I don't want to jinx anything, but I think I might have the potty thing down. It's been almost a week with no accidents. Kathleen was very surprised about my lack of speed with this skill. She'd catch me mid-stream, yell like crazy, pick me up, put me outside, and then tell me to tinkle----the whole time she was carrying me I was wagging my tail and I think it would send her over the edge. Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go. After my last accident, she was so fed up with me she put me in the backyard by myself. I heard her say she couldn't be near me because she was so mad and didn't want to say anything too mean. Whoo, that might have been it. I hated to be out there alone and cried to come back in. But no, I had to wait.
One thing that hasn't changed is my love for Luca. We get along so well. He lets me play with him, his toys, his food, etc. We have been getting separated a lot more, though. The kindergarten teacher told Kathleen that I was using Luca as my source of confidence and not forming my own identity. So, Kathleen and I go out just the two of us almost everyday. She says I am a different dog without Luca--I'm actually much better behaved. That's the only perk to splitting us up she says. She feels pretty guilty about leaving Luca behind all the time. But since it seems to be working, she's just gotta suck it up.
One aspect of my training that Kathleen's worried about is my reaction to some people, men in particular. I'm not all that crazy about poeple coming at me to pet me. Their big monster paws in my face make me back up. Although, kids I'm cool with. The other day we were walking all through Manasquan's farmer's market to get me socialized. We passed the Algonquin which was running a kids hip hop dance class. Kids came out of the woodwork to pet me. You know how kids are--they wanted to hug me, pet me with heavy hands, pick me up, drag me into the studio. I was fine it. The only time I got a little stubborn or unsure was when a little girl wanted to drag me inside to meet her dance teacher. It didn't look like Kathleen was coming, so I wasn't really into the whole idea. Plus, there was this man with a slice of pizza sitting on a paper plate right next to us... mmm, yummy!
Well, I think I'm gonna nap and then go to the puppy store with Kathleen. We're low on food and I've started to make little tears in my Kong. Also, I think we might go to PetSmart or PetCo afterwards. Kathleen signed us up for an obedience class there. Even though she loves Bayshore, she was looking for a male instructor for me. She loves Luca's teacher from Bayshore, but he's not doing any beginner classes this session. Anyway, she hasn't heard from the new instructor yet and class starts soon...it's just another place she can take me to get me out and about so we can strengthen our bond. Such mushy fluff!

My First Beauty Appointment

This morning I went to the beauty salon for the first time. Kathleen kept warning the nice lady about me... I'm a little squirming, I have a mind of my own, I don't like to have my muzzle held... She even brought along a baggie of treats to help keep me in line.
Well let me tell you! Not only did the nice lady make me gorgeous, she also gave Kathleen a report card about me and some clippings from my first haircut! I was "an angel" and Debbie (my new BFF) went on and on about my behavior to Kathleen. Everyone was pleased with my first trip to the parlor-- but NOBODY was as ecstatic as Luca! Man, he hasn't left me alone since. Kathleen even started to wonder if maybe I started my heat cycle. Luca is nuts over me and just beside himself.
On Monday I go to the vet for my last puppy shot. Then I can go wherever I want and not worry about getting cooties. I wonder how much I weigh...
My potty training is starting to come along, I think. Yesterday was the first day I didn't have an accident in the house. This girl watches me But I think maybe, just maybe, I'm getting her drift about the house.
Biting is still one of my favorite pasttimes. However, I have started to ease up a little with how hard I chomp down. As for what I bite--well anything of course. If it's in this house, it's free game.
Waiting at the door might be one of my best skills so far. Sometimes I even do it before Luca. When Kathleen takes us out for our walks, we're supposed to sit and wait for her to go through the door first. Then she says, "Ok," and that means we can get up and come outside, too. Luca has taight me that "ok" means "free" or "exercise finsihed". I also get the impression that that's a good thing. He gets so excited that sometimes he flies out the door --real fast a furious style. Kathleen's not too thrilled that I'm learning to do the same.
I've also improved with my crate. Today for sure was one of those days I realized I loved its protection from sniffing and licking Luca! If Kathleen leaves the house, I'm still a little bratty about it. But she says I gotta get over it because she doesn't want me to be a baby and suffer from separation anxiety. I'm much better about being in my crate when she's with me, though.
I also went on my first vacation already. But my paws are getting tired and I wouldn't want to mess up my pedicure... so I'll have to tell you about it later. At least some of my Maine photos are already posted for a little sneak preview.