Keeping Warm

The weather has been getting colder up here in Wisconsin!  We already had our first snowfall! I don't care much for the rain, but I didn't mind the snow at all.  

It was fun to play in and I kept getting it on my nose. Burrrr!

I like playing in the snow, but I LOVE laying by the warm fire!  My mommy said that I am obsessed with it.  If I am being bad then my people turn the fire on and I immediately play with a toy or lay down in front of it.  

As I've said before I really love to snuggle--but my people figured out that I probably just like to be warm because I would choose sleeping in front of the fire over lying on top of them.  Sometimes I get really close to the screen of the fireplace and my people get nervous that I'm going to singe my hair off.  

My daddy read that a dog's fur can get too hot to the human touch but not hurt the dog because of our extra "insulation" skin (you'll have to ask him for his references...)  I could lay in front of the fire all day; however, sometimes I lay in front of the fire for so long that I start panting and drink lots of water.  When that happens my people turn the fireplace off!  

At least they finally turned the heat on!  So here's to my first Wisconsin winter!

Three Month Check-up

Hi everyone!  No worries I'm still here... I've just been busy these past weeks. 

During my time away I had my three month vet appointment.  I was really brave!  Everyone at the vet was really nice and they gave me lots of treats!  

First, I had my weight checked and I was 26lbs!  Then we waited in a small room for the vet.  While we were waiting, I was a little nervous and kept farting... I just didn't want my mommy to forget to ask about my stinky gas.  The vet smelled it as soon as she came into the room (how's that for a first impression??)

I had also been having some occasional loose stools, too, so the vet wanted to check my stool for giardia.  Giardia is a parasite that both humans and animals can get from the environment and it is passed through stool, causing diarrhea and sometimes vomiting

The vet did her exam and gave my my three month vaccinations--she said that I appeared very healthy!  Then as we were about to leave she came back and said that the stool sample just became positive.  She was concerned it may be a false positive but said it wouldn't hurt to treat me with some antibiotics just in case.  So I had to take Flagyl for 5 days (my people just threw it in with my food and I never even noticed it).  

We think it might have helped some.  My gas is not as frequent but it's still quite potent if you ask my people (or any of my recent visitors--sorry!)  My stool is more formed sometimes but other times it is still loose to liquid-y.  I will go back to the vet in a couple weeks for my final booster shots so we will follow-up about my pooping issues then.  

In the meantime, everything else checked out just fine and I tolerated my vaccines great, too!  I was very tired for most of the night after my appointment, but otherwise the shots didn't effect me at all!

My mommy didn't take any pictures of me while I was at the vet but I sure am getting to be a big boy!  The vet said I am right on track though!  I can't wait to find out how much I weigh next month!

Fall Ya'll

Hey everyone!

I've been really busy with lots of visitors these past few weeks!  I was very well-behaved.....except for when I'd get really excited and jump on people then start humping them.  Mommy and daddy hate when I do that!  They think I'm too young to start that already, but I can't help it!  I've heard them mentioning the word "neutered"...I'm not sure what it means, but it sounds scary. Apparently, I'll have more self-control after that happens though.  

I go to visit the vet tomorrow! I'll be getting my 12 week vaccinations and check-up.  Mommy and daddy have lots of questions.  I hope it's not too scary!  I'll let you know how it goes...

Here are some pictures mommy took of me next to our pumpkins.  I was scared of them at first, but now I like to smell and lick them. 

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!  We didn't get any trick-or-treaters :( I wish the rain would have stayed away--but that just means we get to extend the fun for one more day!  

Happy Halloween!

Room to Grow

When my people took me home I weighed 14lbs.  They weighed me the other day and I was about 17lbs.  I will have a vet appointment in a few weeks when I will be 12 weeks old so we'll see how much I weigh then!  My people were worried about my appetite.  At first I wasn't interested in eating and would only eat a little bit each time.  Just a couple days ago I started transitioning to a new food and suddenly my appetite is back!  

I normally eat three times a day, but lately I have been hungry for a small 4th meal late at night.  When my people would feed me before I would take a few bites and walk away from my bowl--they would have to remind me to keep eating.  Now I can barely contain myself and whine when they say it's time to eat!  My people would make me sit and lay down before they would put my food bowl down, but now I sit and lay down without them asking because I am so hungry!  I am eating almost more than a cup of food each meal, too.  I'm definitely a growing puppy!

You can tell that I have a lot of growing to do by the amount of extra skin I have and how big my paws are for my body.  I have lots of extra skin on my back and on the top of my head!

Many people have commented on how big my paws are for a puppy.  I also have very long legs!  My doggy daddy was over 100lbs when he was full grown--so I'm guessing I will be a big doggy, too! 

My people say that they can tell I've gotten bigger already!  They say that I am taller and that since I've started eating better I'm filling out a little more.  How exciting!  They also say that they wish I would stay little for longer though!  Don't they know I can't be little forever??  I'm sick of tripping over my big paws!

Out n' About

So far I've already had so many fun adventures!  The other day I went with my people for a walk along Lake Mendota and State Street.  

It was really windy so I was a little nervous and overwhelmed by all the new sounds and smells--but I still had fun!

There's me just checking out the Capitol building across the lake!

We found some rocks in the shape of a heart, so my mommy took a picture of it!  And then we found some flowers that I wanted to stop and smell.  As soon as I tried to take a bite of one the fun was over!  So we walked over to a nearby park.

The scenery was so pretty!  My mommy couldn't help but take pictures of me :)

We took a break from walking in the park and I played in the grass for a little bit.  Here is our first family photo!  I was giving mommy kisses (or biting her cheek...)

We stopped for a taps and apps at a pub with outdoor seating.  The nice waitress even gave me a doggy bowl of water!  Unfortunately, I wasn't the best behaved while they were eating so they had to finish their food fast--I still like to beg even though they haven't given me much "people" food yet!  

My mommy said I was like a celebrity while we were out and about because almost everyone was pointing at me or stopped to tell me what a beautiful puppy I am!  After a lot of walking, I grew tired very quickly and my people had to carry me the rest of the way.  I took a VERY long nap when we got home and slept very well that night! 

Sleeping Habits

Since I've been home, my people cannot believe how much I sleep.  Not only do I sleep a lot, but I also usually like to snuggle up close to a warm body while I sleep, too!  My favorite spot to sleep is the couch.  Mommy and daddy say it's OK if I go up there.  I'm too small to jump up on the couch on my own yet, but I've just recently found out I can jump down all by myself!  I will often bury my cold nose between the cushions or pillows to keep warm.  

My favorite pillow... for reasons not appropriate for this dog blog...

 Who woke me up???

 With my new friend, Artie. He didn't want to leave!

I like the futon, too!

I also like to sleep on my doggy bed in the living room.  It's very comfy and right in the middle of all the action so I don't miss anything.  I take my toys and chew them here, too!  The first few days I would lay too close to the edge of the bed and tumble off of it.  My people thought that was funny.  I finally figured out to lay in the middle of the bed, but sometimes I like to lay my head off of it and onto the carpet when I sleep.

Sunbathing!

I  sleep in my kennel, too.  The kennel is where I sleep overnight and when my people are gone.  I am too young to hang out without supervision right now so my people are kennel training me.  I almost always go in when my people say "kennel" now!  The first few nights were not easy.  I cried on and off through the night before I finally fell asleep and then I woke up at the crack of dawn and started crying again.  My mommy woke up early with me the first few days.  We went outside to potty right away and then I slept with her on the couch (well, I slept, not sure if mommy did or not...)  

When my mommy has to go to work early my daddy wakes up with me.  First when mommy wakes up she lets me out to go potty and then I sleep on the couch while she gets ready for work.  When she leaves she puts me back in my kennel.  We were worried my daddy wouldn't hear me crying the first morning because he normally stays up late and sleeps late--but the first morning we were up at 6:45am!  I've noticed that my people yawn a lot; I wonder why??  

I've been doing really well with my kennel training though!  I started me out with short intervals while my people were home, but I would cry a lot during those times.  When I would start to fall asleep on my doggy bed mommy or daddy would put me in my kennel and shut the door after I sat down.  Sometimes they would have to lure me in with treats and toys--I'll do almost anything for a treat when I'm not being stubborn!  I would cry for a few minutes when they would shut the door and walk away but eventually I'd fall back asleep.  Now I am very good in my kennel during the day and have tolerated being in there for 4 hours.  My kennel is the perfect size for me right now so I haven't had any accidents in it it (who wants to sleep and play in their own pee and poop??? Not me!!!)  As I grow, my kennel will grow with me!  It is so cozy w/ a soft bed to lay on and blankets inside.  I keep occupied by sleeping, playing with my squeaky lion and dinosaur, and chewing on my rawhide and rope bone!  I don't even cry anymore when my people come home to let me out!

The last place I like to sleep is... on my people!  I love to snuggle!  Mommy and daddy wonder if I will be this snuggly when I am a big doggy--I think I will :)  

With daddy! Check out my bow tie! I'm a little doggy gentleman! 

This is how I fell asleep on mommy one night

I hope she didn't mind!