October 2006

Tugger is now 1! He's grown into a very loving dog.

Totally house broken....and the crate has been taken down and put away now for 3 months. He sleeps at the foot of the bed---and is a long sleeper....going from 9PM until 4:30AM when we get up. On weekends...that changes to 6AM and he could still stay in bed until 7AM if we let him.

He's a total baby.....whines and cries when he doesn't get his way. You can tell he's an only child! LOL!

He's a bit "chubby", which we can't understand because he's not a big eater. He's still picky about his food....but eventually eats what is in his dish before 8PM. He's got a sensitive stomach.....so he's on half a tagament a day. Also, when he drinks water, especially a lot and fast.....he'll burp---and he'll throw up at times. Other times he just burbs. Cracks us up....

His favorite: "Wanna go for a ride in the car?" He's beside himself in excitement. Screeching and howling---he runs in circles until we get out to the garage. We got him a "doggie car seat"....and it belts him in and gives him a boost to look out the window. He's very well behaved when we get him in the car. He sits on his seat calmly while we buckle him in and he gets frustrated until the car moves. (This is also true at red lights!!! He's just likes to "go!!!!")

His favorite time of day.....is bedtime. He tells US when he wants to go to bed. At 8:45PM, he gets his sponge bob......and then starts to pace and whine. He sits patiently outside the bedroom door until he's allowed in the room and settle in very quicky to bedtime.

It's amazing how much he's turned into a creature of habit. Workdays...he is told "vitamin" and goes directly to his pillow in the kitchen so Richie can give him is tagament. (This started when he was watching us take our morning vitamins---we figured he'd know that it was his turn, too!) At 4:45 AM, once again, he gets his sponge bob and waits for Richie to come into the kitchen and Tugger sits and snuggles with his "Daddy" until Richie goes to work. Once Richie puts him down--he goes back to his pillow in the kitchen....Richie will give him a "be a good boy" treat.....and he's settled in until almost 8AM when I leave for work. I get home at noon to take him out....and I'm home at 4:30....but Tugger has separation anxiety and whines for 5 minutes---literally hugging us and kissing us when we return home. It's takes a few minutes to settle him down. He loves the backyard which is gated/fenced in.....and spends a lot of time out there running and "hunting" for things.

He knows the word "no" now....and listens very well--once he realizes we mean business.

All in all--it's been great to have a dog in our home. Such company for both of us (even when Richie does yardwork---Tugger is outside watching). He's not so much a lap dog...but he's a snuggler who likes to have some part of him touch at all times.

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