Sometimes we make mistakes with puppies, ok, with every puppy we make at least one mistake. With Comet I made the mistake of too much freedom too soon. I got her as a 6.5 month old who'd been in training since birth but I ignored one small factoid, she wasn't with me. She wasn't in my home, I didn't know her habits (beyond what I was told), I didn't trust her and she didn't know or trust me.
So we've run into some annoying habits. We start tomorrow with no priviledges that an 8-week-old puppy wouldn't have. No sleeping loose, no being loose during the day, spending time in the yard unsupervised, etc. Our tie-down will be utilized and potty breaks will be done on leash in the front yard.
We will get far quickly, I hope, with this new strict earning trust regimen. She is far too much work at this point for me to take to work with me and trust her in the store while I work on the other dogs. We will get her there, to the point where she can be in the store and lay quietly at my feet while I groom customers' dogs and take care of the store on my shifts.
We have to get this under control! We only have 6 months at the most left with the crazy girl and I need to be able to trust her and control her before too much more time goes by and I'll be too big and exhausted to control her crazies!
Lesson learned. Especially when she reminds me so much of Iverson, complete with the way she tosses bones in the air, who never had freedom in the house!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
So Sweet
I can't get over just how sweet Comet is! She def. has her quirks and issues but she loves to lay at our feet chewing on bones and cuddling. She will not be coming home if career changed, no matter how much we love her but she sure has wiggled her way into our hearts!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Pictures of Comet
Ally and I took Tiki and Comet to the park Friday. My big goal with Comet was to get her to play in her equipment and loosen up. It didn't take long at all, hooked the long line up to her and ran around a little and she did good!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Little Miss
Comet is such a little pup! Growing and gaining at a normal rate but she's just tiny! She is almost 8 months old and weighed 5 pounds less then Ally's Tiki (5 months old now) last week. She's just a short little thing who has all the energy in the world to make up for it!
She's a jumper, can clear the 32" baby gate like she's walking over a dog bone. She loves to run and is a power chewer major! She loves to give kisses and play with Eva and the cats.
She is of course, not perfect but she is so much fun! She doesn't like her harness or jacket so we are working on it. She didn't use a harness at the other organization and that weirdness could be transferring to the jacket for her. She is improving as we work with her, short walks down the street wearing her gear wtith lots of kibble and working on the "dress" command.
We couldn't be happier with Little Miss. She adds a challenge and a personality we haven't had in the house in a long time! She reminds me of Iverson in some ways but has a bit more freedom in the house and of course has her own quirks and what not.
I haven't taken any pictures of her really, I need to get better at it!
Good news is that plans with Comet don't change at all since we're pregnant, the only thing that may change is when we get our next puppy. Max is really in love with her and if she doesn't make it already has plans for agility with her.
She's a jumper, can clear the 32" baby gate like she's walking over a dog bone. She loves to run and is a power chewer major! She loves to give kisses and play with Eva and the cats.
She is of course, not perfect but she is so much fun! She doesn't like her harness or jacket so we are working on it. She didn't use a harness at the other organization and that weirdness could be transferring to the jacket for her. She is improving as we work with her, short walks down the street wearing her gear wtith lots of kibble and working on the "dress" command.
We couldn't be happier with Little Miss. She adds a challenge and a personality we haven't had in the house in a long time! She reminds me of Iverson in some ways but has a bit more freedom in the house and of course has her own quirks and what not.
I haven't taken any pictures of her really, I need to get better at it!
Good news is that plans with Comet don't change at all since we're pregnant, the only thing that may change is when we get our next puppy. Max is really in love with her and if she doesn't make it already has plans for agility with her.
Cell phone picture of Comet at the Mall.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
I have a secret!
I have a secret and I've actually kept it for over four weeks! I would like to introduce you all to our baby!
(S)he is 8 weeks 2 days old and about 2/3 of an inch in length. Due date is August 25 :-)
We actually found out the day after my year in review post where I said 2011 would be the year we have our baby. I promise I didn't know! As far as the two little girls go, well, that's still up in the air but I'm content with whatever role I have in their lives!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Carnival - One Big Decision
Instead of talking about all the choices I've had to make while raising, I'll tell you about the choice I had to make that affects my life everyday! It makes it fuller, brighter and so much more fun! I made the decision to bring Eva home and get over the fear of losing her one day and instead, enjoy today and enjoy what love and enthusiasm for life she does have.
Eva has not had an easy life. She was a very sick puppy and now, as a gorgeous two-year-old still has a bad prognosis. When she was career changed I was scared out of my mind. Would I take her back? Would I be able to handle the emotional strain of living with a terminally ill dog day in and day out? Would I be able to be strong enough to make the choice that we all knew would have to be made in the not-to-distant-future for her sake? I didn't know when I said yes but I knew I couldn't let her live her life with people she didn't know, who didn't know her and who I had no idea if they would listen to her the way I knew I could.
Eva has this way about her that just makes everything okay. She's loving, caring, loyal, sweet, adorable, determined, enthusiastic and a whole host of other things. She is my forever puppy, the one that was meant to come home and I'm thankful everyday that I have her soft golden ears to rub and her sweet eyes knowing just when I need her and knowing that we can communicate. She knows what I need and I know what she needs, when she's having an off day or just needs some extra loving.
We don't know what the future will hold for Eva or how long her life will last. What we do know is that we are so thankful we made the choice to bring her home and to love her as much as we can for as long as we can.
Eva has not had an easy life. She was a very sick puppy and now, as a gorgeous two-year-old still has a bad prognosis. When she was career changed I was scared out of my mind. Would I take her back? Would I be able to handle the emotional strain of living with a terminally ill dog day in and day out? Would I be able to be strong enough to make the choice that we all knew would have to be made in the not-to-distant-future for her sake? I didn't know when I said yes but I knew I couldn't let her live her life with people she didn't know, who didn't know her and who I had no idea if they would listen to her the way I knew I could.
Eva has this way about her that just makes everything okay. She's loving, caring, loyal, sweet, adorable, determined, enthusiastic and a whole host of other things. She is my forever puppy, the one that was meant to come home and I'm thankful everyday that I have her soft golden ears to rub and her sweet eyes knowing just when I need her and knowing that we can communicate. She knows what I need and I know what she needs, when she's having an off day or just needs some extra loving.
We don't know what the future will hold for Eva or how long her life will last. What we do know is that we are so thankful we made the choice to bring her home and to love her as much as we can for as long as we can.
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