The Dogger Blogger

Braggy McBraggerPants

2009-03-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

It HAS been awhile, hasn't it? hmm. Well, all I can say is raising 4 human kids and a puppy is much like I'd imagine a rip in the fabric of the space/time continuum must be. Things happen, seemingly in slow-mo, and the next thing I know, it is weeks later. Like to me, we just got this puppy a couple days ago, right?

Not so much, Speedy. Try more than a month ago.

And at first, I couldn't see that she was even freaking growing at all. but then i compared some recent photos of her to the ones we took when we brought her home and... she's definitely grown. and weighs more. her ribs are still visible, but almost not really, anymore. I have always had a habit of holding her upright, forepaws on my shoulder* and when we first got her, her back end came to about mid-chest. Now I hold her the same way, and suddenly her hind end is nearly resting upon my lap. I mean, I have a short torso and all, but clearly this demonstrates growth on her part.

I ended up increasing her food, too. the eXXXXtreme skinniness was worrisome to me. I now feed her 2 1/2 cups of kibble, one small jar of meaty baby food, and half a med. size jar of a green beans/rice mix. 1 cup kibble in the AM, 1/2 cup around lunch with the meat puree, and another cup for her evening meal, with the beans/rice puree. this seems to be working much better, as she is not only gaining weight, but seems much more satisfied. I've even seen a decrease in her attempts to eat non-food items.

Cesar is right, too; lots of daily exercise for her also makes her a much happier pup. She's always been sweet and snuggly, but the change in diet and activity has calmed her down considerably. the last few days, we haven't heard a peep from her about being in the crate, and have had no more messes made in there, either. Progress!

She still has the occasional accident in the house, but that is always due to someone not watching her properly, and taking her out when she should be (ex: after feeding or play). I was also finally able to give her more space in the crate, because she's been so very good about not messing in it, lately, and that has helped as well. she doesn't freak out or fight being in there, which is a godsend. I think maybe she figured out that the crate is her space for quiet play and rest.

yes, all in all, the changes in her care have resulted in a much happier dog.

oooh. and she has finally conquered the stairs. she can now go both up AND down them on her own, which is great because for a little while there, I was getting concerned that I'd be carrying a huge dog up and down stairs for the rest of her natural life. And she definitely knows her name, now. She knows more commands, too. "Sit" was practically mastered in a day, and she now knows "wait", "down", and "drop it". she usually knows what "go potty", "come here", and "go get it" mean, too. I still can't get her into a laying position upon command, though. she just does NOT want to work her front paws forward from a sitting position to a laying one. I'd worry, except i know she's really smart and will do it in her own time when she's ready.

Oh yeah! also! she has the basics of leash-training down pat. she can now go for short walks on the leash, and willl walk next to or behind whoever's leading, but never in front of. Once she becomes accustomed to a routine including a daily walk, we'll work on having her sit and wait by the door until we've passed through before she joins us.

I have to say, if she continues with the same personality she's been showing, I do not think we'll have many problems with her jumping on people by way of greeting. she doesn't even bark when people come in the house, just sort of sits or stands there, checking them out visually, and will sit upon command from people she doesn't know. She's not terribly excitable with most people, except maybe little kids. I think that is because they are closer in size to her, so she probably thinks they look like hairless puppies because her behaviors all practically scream, "come on, let's play!" we are working on teaching her to wait for an invitation to play and what play behaviors are okay and which ones aren't and she is trying so hard to learn it.

yep, we have a winner. between the smarts and quick training, the generally great beahavior, and the amazing snuggling, I'm starting to think I might just have the best dog in the whole world.

And ok, I know I'm being a Braggy McBraggerPants, but I cannot seem to help it. I love my pup. she's awesome. Adopting her was one of the absolute best things we ever did. She just makes every single blessed day feel like a gift, because she's just so eager to please and so very very good. plus, she's awfully cute and those puppy hugs and snuggles are freaking amazing and so so SO rewarding. yay for dog ownership!

*i know, i know, she's gonna get huge, and then what am I gonna do? but dog hugs are some of the best ever, and I'm training her not to do it unless someone asks for it

The Goopening

2009-02-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

We were finally able to take Maizie to the vet, yesterday. Her eye will be fine, and according to the doc, it's not from having been poked, but is instead a result of the head cold she has had. She has puppy pink-eye. Luckily, the conjunctivitis is not communicable to humans.

So, we were given a different prescription for a more current medication (a broad-spectrum antibiotic), "Clavamox", and a tube of eye ointment, and a lesson in how to apply it. That first dose given in-office has already made a major difference for her, and she seems much happier, already. Poor thing must have really been suffering. And before anyone gets out their torches and pitchforks, I TRIED to get her in sooner, I really did. But my the brakes on my car went out unexpecctedly and there isn't a vet's office within walking distance of my house, so I had no choice but to treat her at home as best I could and wait until I could get someone to take us there. Rest assured, this is not a normal situation for us.

But good things: I was treating her (sans meds) at home in just the exact right way (go me!), and Maizie has gained weight! She was checked over by the pet store's veterinarian immediately after we picked her up, and weighed in at 8 lbs, exactly. In the week and a half she's been with us, she gained over a pound! So, she now weighs 9.2 lbs! whoo hoo! Puppy kibble that she actually wants to eat combined with meat-varieties of baby food have been working for us! I think that next, we will try the pureed green beans my aunt recommended.

Another good thing is that Maizie has been doing extremely well with night-training. She hasn't messed in her crate overnight for 2 nights in a row, now! We still have a few daytime accidents indoors, but that is due more to certain people (who shall not be named) not paying as close of attention to her as they should be.

She just doesn't have many "tells" that she's going to make. she doesn't sniff around a whole lot, and is prone to just go as the urge strikes her, regardless of where she is. So it's imperative that she be taken outside immediately after feeding or play. This will reinforce the idea that she needs to go outside to eliminate. I'm having a harder time getting my husband and kids to understand this than I am with impressing it upon the pup!

As long as her general schedule is followed and she is watched carefully when not in the crate, indoor accidents are not an issue. It is simply going to take time for her little bladder and bowels to catch up and for her to learn to hold it, and she IS slowly but surely starting to learn. She's a smartie, our Maizie.

Still a total snuggle-bug, but wow, very stubborn. She makes up her puppy mind how something is going to be, and will do her darnedest to ensure she gets her way. And when she doesn't, look out, because she will have a small tantrum. I find it amusing, because after 4 human kids, a pup acting like that is no match for me. I just do with Maizie the same sorts of things I did with my kids when they'd get like that as babies/toddlers, and it is working well. She is starting to learn that tantrums don't get her what she wants at all, and if she wants something, she can let us know, but is expected to behave properly before she'll get it. So, the tantrums are becoming fewer and farther-between in just a few short days.

Aside from these small things, were are doing pretty well with having a dogger in our home. Having her here, as part of our family, feels very right, and Brian and I are already having a hard time remembering what it was like without her. We don't really mind the accidents like we thought we would, and we are really enjoying her personality. I love snuggling with her on the couch in the evenings, while I read a book or watch tv. She just adds a specialness and richness to our lives that we didn't realize how sorely we were lacking it until we adopted her.

pup-n-stuff, MD

2009-02-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

It was wonderful to see my aunt and grandmother on Sunday... they even brought new puppy presents! I know! I should be pretty set with puppy food for awhile. Am very lucky, no? :)

My poor pup. My lil guy poked her in the eye the other day, and since then the eye has been swollen and the inner eyelid is red/bloodshot-looking. I have been bathing it with a warm, wet washcloth frequently, but so far that doesn't seem to have done much but keep the eye goop to a minimum and help soothe what is surely aching. And I knew within a day that she should probably see a vet, because while it wasn't getting worse, it also wasn't getting better.

But then it was Sunday and I figured vet offices would be closed but for emergencies, and if vet's offices are anything like human emergency rooms, it would cost an arm and a leg, and she was otherwise doing just fine, happy, even.

And then I tried to take her yesterday, however, the vet's office is too far away to walk, and the brakes are completely toast on my poor car. So I waited for my husband to come home from work, figuring he could either drive me or we'd go together. Except he didn't get home until after hours, so that was a bust.

So today for sure, we need to get her in. I asked him to please make sure he was home at the normal time today so we could run her to the vet and get her checked, and he agreed. No clue if he'll actually come home when he's supposed to, but I am trying. My only other option for getting there is my MIL, and she is, unfortunately not returning my calls. Meantime, I will just do what I can for my poor, sweet pup.

In other news, Maizie's housetraining is going pretty well. Last night was the first time I am sure she didn't pee in her crate in the night, and she is having fewer and fewer accidents in the house. Also of note, her temper tantrums about being placed in the crate are less intense and less-frequent. It is not as though she spends all her time in there, far from it. only when I absolutely cannot watch her like a hawk or at night. the rest of the time she can be found either in the kitchen or outside or snuggled in someone's arms.

I hate to sound like a groupie or something, but Cesar Millan's general advice for dog-ownership has been spot-on... first excercise, then assertiveness/discipline, THEN affection. It just makes sense to me, I guess. My experience with dogs is that they are generally eager to please, but when they don't have a "pack leader" they try to step up and take control and that's where the problem behaviors come in.

I couldn't begin to predict how Maizie will turn out, but I feel confident that she will be the kind of dogger that most people will enjoy having around. (provided, of course, that we train her right) She's smart and sweet and sometimes a little too stubborn, but we are really enjoying her puppyhood and the experience of raising a pup.

I had mentally prepared myself for some worst-case scenarios, and she has not shown me any of what I expected in that way, and has instead surpassed my ideas of how awesome dog-ownership would be. I'm so very glad we adopted her.

whoa.

2009-02-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

12:20 AM- we had a pretty good puppy training day today. She DID have a couple of accidents in the house but that was totally because we lost track of time or didn't keep her outside long enough. Bad owners!

OOOH! AND, she started to learn a few key things today, like how to walk on a leash and sit. and the biggest change of all: she barely whined at all when we put her into her crate for the night. I KNOW! she moped and climbed a little, we had a few low-grade whimpers, but otherwise, no tantrums. yes, that's a GREAT word to describe her usual night-time antics.

("for the night" meaning she stays in for longer than normal but still gets at least one potty break during sleep-time for the humans)

Also cool, my grandma, aunt, and possibly my mom are coming on Sunday to see our new house and meet our new puppy (whose name is Maizie, for I am an airhead and forget to tell such details). And I just got an email from my awesome aunt telling me she bought a big bag of puppy food for us! YAY! Thank you!!!

Bedtime now, shopping trip with some of my besties tomorrow. :) more pup-dates later. ;)

Oldie but goodie

2009-02-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

I received this e-mail today, thought I'd post it:

"The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. However, dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, bang your head on the door, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:
(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't hang out with drug-using people;
(7) don't smoke or drink,
(8) don't want to wear your clothes,
(9) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(10) don't need a gazillion dollars for college and
(11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children .."

hahahahahaah!!!! I have teenagers, this is hilarious!

ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy.....KIBBLE!

2009-02-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

So, I got this puppy for my birthday... oh wait. Let's rewind a bit further back.

So, I bought this house. and my husband and I always said, when we bought a house, we'd get a dog. and then I was offered a choice of "presents" for my birthday. The house came with a broken built-in dishwasher (shut up, the house was CHEAP) so I was asked if I wanted a new dishwasher or a puppy for my birthday.

And being the wise and practical soul that I am, of course I picked the puppy. New dishwashers are incredibly cheap, and I'm used to doing dishes by hand, anyway.

Thus began the search. PuppyQuest 2009, The "OMG ARE YOU INSANE?" Edition.

And we found the cutest little boxer pup I've ever seen. Fawn coat with a little white flash and the usual black mask on her face. and she was just so SWEET and affectionate. And I was ready to take her home right then. But here's the thing: I broke the cardinal rule of dog-adoption.

I got her from a pet store. yes, yes, I know this makes me awful and bad and I should be drug out into the street and shot for my part in perpetuating the puppy mills. But I'm not writing my first post about controversial dog issues. nope. We'll get to my thoughts on that in a different post.

I'm writing the first post because I'm excited to have a new member of the family. the whole point of starting a dog-blog was to write about the experience, maybe connect with other, more experienced dog-lovers, learn some new things about dogs in general and my dog, specifically.

So far, raising a puppy has been a little challenging, and a whole lot awesome. Of course, I'm so new we're counting things in hours and days, right now. I think so far, the part I've found most baffling/frustrating has been night-time crate-training... I mean, she HATES being in there at night. Nights are... well, kinda tough. days are fabulous, and she's actually IMPROVING. yesterday, she woke up and her tiny bladder let go, but the whole rest of the day, she went outside. she didn't mess her crate again until about 10 last night, when we tried to go to bed and put her in there for the night. I mean, i'd just taken her out and let her sniff around and do her business, and she went wee, and then i let her sniff around some more in case she had to poo, but after awhile she gave up and alternated between trying to snuggle up on my feet and scratching at the back door. so I took her inside, and when I put her in the crate, she looked right at me and popped a squat and made her little puppy doodle inside the crate.

that's when i fell over and DIED. I mean, I know she hates going outside, it's cold and she's little. I hate going outside during winter, too. But I know she needs to learn to go outside as soon as possible. Letting her go inside the house just because it's cold will send the wrong message, and the consequences of it can spiral outward from there pretty fast. no thanks.

So, I feel like a big old meanie a lot of the time, but what she sees is me being determined that she will learn, so I'm firm and calm in my demeanor and how I speak to her, because I know dogs can sense it if you waffle. It's hard not to humanize her and just treat her like a furry baby, because she is so damn cute and baby-like. But what I'm doing IS working, she absolutely IS learning. last night was better than the night before. And I'm pretty sure that cutting off her food and water a couple hours before bedtime made it possible for her not to mess her crate in the night or upon waking. We are following a strict schedule, and I think it really makes all the difference for her.

But she's awesome, and we love her and are committed to her.