Snow Dogs or Nap Dogs?
Our latest photos have been added to flickr today. Here's a peek at the "snow dogs":
Why aren't they wearing their new coats? They do not like clothing, and really only tolerate wearing the coats and only when it is snowing or raining, because I think they have realized that the coats help keep them dry. Not that they don't get covered in snow on their legs and bellies anyway . . . even though we shovel a nice pathway for them, they insist on plowing their own path through the deep snow. But I'm not about to try to get them to wear booties . . .
It's hard to believe that Penny has been living with us for just over a month now. I think she has gained at least 2, maybe even 3 lbs. which is a good thing, because she was sooooo thin when she arrived. Now she is filling out nicely and growing into her long skinny body and legs. Her ears are still floppy -- we don't know if they will ever stand up straight, but we think they are cute the way they are.
So what have we been doing these past few weeks? Well, we've been working on house training, which is our Number 1 (and Number 2) priority. We have been somewhat successful . . . Penny seems to understand that it's good to take care of business outside and that it's not good to do it inside . . . but we haven't gotten to the point where she can hold it and tell us that she has to go before we have an accident. So we are trying to be patient and hope that consistency and repetition (and lots of praise outside) will help her figure it out. It will be easier on us humans when spring arrives and it's not so cold and wet outside.
After house training, our next priority is to teach this girl some manners! She was almost 5 months old when she arrived and was a bundle of constant energy, of the "adolescent" puppy style. I am happy to report that she has learned to sit, lay down, and wait (a little). We are practicing walking nicely on a leash, too.
And this girl can eat! My goodness, it seems she just inhales it and comes back for more. Keli, on the other hand, eats very slowly and carefully. At mealtime, Penny must take her meals inside her playpen or the big crate, otherwise she would eat her food and Keli's, too. I can report that Keli is eating with more gusto now that Penny has arrived . . . perhaps she has decided it's better to eat while it's still in the bowl rather than letting the little piglet get it all.
Unfortunately, Penny had a case of kennel cough when she arrived and of course, poor Keli ended up catching it, too. For the past several weeks we have been "quarantined" so have had no contact with other dogs. Except for the sneezing and snotty nose, no one would think Penny was sick. Keli was miserable, and spent the better part of a week moping on the couch with a warm steam vaporizer nearby. I spent a lot of time wiping doggy noses and cleaning up after them.
They are both feeling much better now -- no sneezing or coughing in days. We are spending lots of time playing together and taking walks (weather permitting). They are becoming better friends, but I wouldn't exactly say that they have bonded yet. Maybe when Penny grows out of that biting puppy phase, Keli will like her better.
As soon as our vet gives us the okay, we'll get Penny into a beginner's obedience class so she can begin to socialize with other dogs and people. She has one very bad habit -- she barks somewhat aggressively, but not always at the same types of "triggers". After we can be sure that she is no longer contagious, it will be helpful for us to be able to take her on some field trips and expose her to more places and situations and figure out why she barks and correct it.
Here's one last pair of photos for this week - when Keli first met Penny, someone remarked that the puppy looked just like Keli, her own "mini-me". Well, they do resemble each other in many ways, especially the way they like to sleep (left = Keli, right = Penny):
These are just a few small photos -- there are more at our flickr page, and you can see them in all sizes.
That's all for this week! Bye for now!
Why aren't they wearing their new coats? They do not like clothing, and really only tolerate wearing the coats and only when it is snowing or raining, because I think they have realized that the coats help keep them dry. Not that they don't get covered in snow on their legs and bellies anyway . . . even though we shovel a nice pathway for them, they insist on plowing their own path through the deep snow. But I'm not about to try to get them to wear booties . . .
It's hard to believe that Penny has been living with us for just over a month now. I think she has gained at least 2, maybe even 3 lbs. which is a good thing, because she was sooooo thin when she arrived. Now she is filling out nicely and growing into her long skinny body and legs. Her ears are still floppy -- we don't know if they will ever stand up straight, but we think they are cute the way they are.
So what have we been doing these past few weeks? Well, we've been working on house training, which is our Number 1 (and Number 2) priority. We have been somewhat successful . . . Penny seems to understand that it's good to take care of business outside and that it's not good to do it inside . . . but we haven't gotten to the point where she can hold it and tell us that she has to go before we have an accident. So we are trying to be patient and hope that consistency and repetition (and lots of praise outside) will help her figure it out. It will be easier on us humans when spring arrives and it's not so cold and wet outside.
After house training, our next priority is to teach this girl some manners! She was almost 5 months old when she arrived and was a bundle of constant energy, of the "adolescent" puppy style. I am happy to report that she has learned to sit, lay down, and wait (a little). We are practicing walking nicely on a leash, too.
And this girl can eat! My goodness, it seems she just inhales it and comes back for more. Keli, on the other hand, eats very slowly and carefully. At mealtime, Penny must take her meals inside her playpen or the big crate, otherwise she would eat her food and Keli's, too. I can report that Keli is eating with more gusto now that Penny has arrived . . . perhaps she has decided it's better to eat while it's still in the bowl rather than letting the little piglet get it all.
Unfortunately, Penny had a case of kennel cough when she arrived and of course, poor Keli ended up catching it, too. For the past several weeks we have been "quarantined" so have had no contact with other dogs. Except for the sneezing and snotty nose, no one would think Penny was sick. Keli was miserable, and spent the better part of a week moping on the couch with a warm steam vaporizer nearby. I spent a lot of time wiping doggy noses and cleaning up after them.
They are both feeling much better now -- no sneezing or coughing in days. We are spending lots of time playing together and taking walks (weather permitting). They are becoming better friends, but I wouldn't exactly say that they have bonded yet. Maybe when Penny grows out of that biting puppy phase, Keli will like her better.
As soon as our vet gives us the okay, we'll get Penny into a beginner's obedience class so she can begin to socialize with other dogs and people. She has one very bad habit -- she barks somewhat aggressively, but not always at the same types of "triggers". After we can be sure that she is no longer contagious, it will be helpful for us to be able to take her on some field trips and expose her to more places and situations and figure out why she barks and correct it.
Here's one last pair of photos for this week - when Keli first met Penny, someone remarked that the puppy looked just like Keli, her own "mini-me". Well, they do resemble each other in many ways, especially the way they like to sleep (left = Keli, right = Penny):
These are just a few small photos -- there are more at our flickr page, and you can see them in all sizes.
That's all for this week! Bye for now!
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