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!

Model Dog

Well, I might not be a model dog yet... but I do take pretty pictures for my mommy!  Here is my first photo shoot.  

Thanks for stopping by... woof :)

Potty Training

------------------------Poop Disclaimer: do not read if you have a weak stomach-------------------------

My mommy read a few books about raising a puppy like me and my daddy watched a lot of the show "The Dog Whisperer" on TV so together they thought that potty training would be a piece of cake.  Turns out I wasn't as house broken as my breeder made it out to sound like I would be by the time I got to my new home.  
I didn't pee at all in the 1.5 hour car ride home!  Probably because I was doing a lot of this in the car...

When we got home they let me out in the yard to go to the bathroom, but I was distracted with all the new smells and things to explore so I couldn't go.  So my people brought me into the house without letting me eliminate myself... MISTAKE #1!  

I peed on the carpet in the middle of the living room within 10 minutes.  Oops!  Since I'm a boy dog when my mommy caught me in the act and picked me up to take me outside my pee sprayed all over and almost hit my daddy who was sitting on the floor.  (#boypuppyproblems)  

Then I got my first meal at my new home.  I didn't eat too much--more on feeding later.  My people read that dog's need to eliminate 10-30 minutes after each meal because of some reflex the food elicits in my colon.  Well, while my mommy was cooking dinner and my daddy was supposed to be watching me....MISTAKE #2... that reflex happened sooner than expected and I pooped in the living room.  I just got dewormed on Thursday when I was at the vet so my stool was still pretty loose, too.  Daddy almost puked!  Mommy is used to poop because she is a nurse, but she said it was still pretty stinky!  

My people quickly got the hang of it and started letting me out about every two hours.  I only had a few more accidents, but I'd say I caught on pretty quickly and have been accident-free for the last two (going on three) days! They've figured out my cues--I have to go when I wake up from a nap and if I start acting kind of manic then I usually have to go #2.  I don't linger too long outside before I do my business anymore either!  I think I know what it means when mommy and daddy say "go potty!"  Mommy doesn't like to say the word accident (or as she says, the "a" word) because she is afraid she will jinx us. 

I still get a treat immediately after I go to the bathroom but sometimes my people just praise me while I wag my nub for a tail in complete self-satisfaction!  I will admit that I miss watching my daddy "dab" at the carpet after spraying the odor and stain remover!  I think he has come a long way since my first accident... I guess we all have!

Here I am coming to get the treat after a successful potty by my favorite tree!  So proud!

Welcome Home!

The first few days I was home were so exciting!  I had fun exploring my home and taking in all the new scents around me.  I had an accident or two on the fluffy carpet--but it was my people's fault not mine because I didn't know any better.  While my people teach me not to pee and poop in the house, I am teaching them about patience!  More on potty training later...

Here I am at the front door of my home.  I wish my mommy would remember to water those mums more because they sure do smell good! 

Meet me, Eddy!

Hello,

My name is Eddy.  I am a Weimaraner.  Not many people know how to say my breed's name so this link will help you:  vī-mə-ˈrä-nər, ˌwī-; ˈvī-mə-ˌ, ˈwī-\ 

It's OK if you still can't say it though, I'm still learning my first name!  

I was born on August 6th, 2013.  I was the 8th born out of 12 puppies.  You can see my brothers and sisters here: Wisconsin Weimaraners.  

My people chose me when I was only 2 weeks old.  My eyes and ears were barely open yet!  They said that I was calm compared to my brothers and didn't cry when they held me.  

I was very anxious to see my people again, but in the meantime I was growing and learning a lot of new skills while my people were busy puppy-proofing my new home.  

Here I am at one month old:

The best day was when my people could finally bring me home on October 5th, 2013.  I was 2 months olds and weighed 13.5 lbs.  I was the biggest of all my siblings until one of my sisters passed me up!  

Here I am in the car on the way home: 

I was so excited to see them again and to ride in the car--but then all of the excitement wore me out and I fell asleep (I do that a lot!) 

I am so happy to be home with my people!  They've given me so many hugs and kisses already and I'm learning lots of new commands.  I can't wait to share our adventures with you!