Cabin Fever

We have all been experiencing quite the frigid winter this year with inches upon inches upon inches of snow to top it off.  Obviously, Wisconsin has been no exception.  Carly, Ben and I are finally now recovering from a terrible case of cabin fever!  Frustrations were high among all of us.  I was frustrated from not getting any exercise all day and would find other avenues to displace my energy, many of them more destructive than my people would like... As a result, they would get frustrated with me.  I think my mom very seriously threatened to return me a couple of times--like I said, it was bad!  

Longing to be outside... 

Is winter over yet?  

Please, please, please let's go outside!

Now that the weather is getting warmer I think we have finally come up with a routine.  Two walks a day or one run a day makes Eddy a happy boy!!  I am loving all of the fresh new scents that the melted snow uncovered from the ground.  If you ever see me outside, then you will most likely find me with my nose to the ground (or mulch in my mouth... and if you are with me later that evening, then you will see the mulch on your carpet because my stomach doesn't handle it very well and it almost always comes back out--oops!)

I'm bored... 

There are a lot of paths and dog parks in Madison.  My people need to get my doggy license from the county so that I can enjoy the dog parks though.  Ben brought me there once but was paranoid that every car that drove by was a cop so we didn't stay very long.  I look forward to playing there again soon!  

I might be crazy, but I'm awfully cute! 

We've been playing a lot of tug-of-war and "fetch" in the apartment lately 

Getting warmth any way that I can--Ah, that rare sunshine!

I'm SO over winter!

More posts about our springtime adventures to come...!! 

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday!  I know that I did :)  I spent Christmas vacation partially at my daddy's parents and the other half at my mommy's parents.  My people even took me to my mommy's family's Christmas gathering.  It was a little hectic with all the little kids and another doggy there--but for the most part I was better behaved then on Thanksgiving night!  I slept a lot of the time on top of my daddy on the couch and didn't try to open up all the presents or bother the tree!  Yay me!  Here's to a new year!

December & Puppy Class

December went by really fast!  My first puppy classes started last month but were mostly in December.  We went once a week for six weeks.  My mommy didn't find them all that helpful but I got to meet and play with some other puppies.  I had a hard time focusing during the class because I just wanted to play the whole time.  I was also the biggest and youngest dog in my class so while the other dogs were looking attentively I was pulling my mom all over the place on the leash.  She was really embarrassed!  Sorry mom!  At home I do really well with training though and have learned quite a few commands.  I know sit, lay down (or lie down as my daddy says because it's grammatically correct), stay, watch, come, drop it.  The last couple I'm working on though.  I'll always do anything for a treat.  It's the phasing out the treats that is a challenge with some of the commands.  I know hand motions for sit and down though!  

I will post some videos of my training soon...

Other than my puppy classes, I've been stuck inside all day because of the snow and cold.  None of us were ready for the cabin fever we would be experiencing through January and February... Yikes!  

Finally warm enough to go for a walk! 

Where's my stocking guys??

It might be cold but it does look pretty!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was my first time visiting La Salle-Peru, where my mommy and daddy grew up!  First, I went with my daddy to his parent's house.  I stayed there for a couple of days and was a very good boy!  I definitely stole the hearts of my grandparents when they first met me here in Madison, but I sealed the deal during this visit!  Ben never had a dog growing up so I was the first one in their home!  There were some challenges because I like to sleep on the furniture and they didn't want me on the nice furniture upstairs in the living room, but I was able to sleep on the couch downstairs where everyone watches TV so it was OK.  I tried to hump my grandma a few times though--I hear she's popular among other dogs, too. 

Daddy and his parents go to Ohio for Thanksgiving so Ben dropped me off at my mommy's parents house before he left on Wednesday.  Mommy had to work that day so she met me there later that night.  I met my doggy "aunt" Chloe.  Obviously I was overly excited at first, but I quickly grew comfortable and lounged around with Chloe when I wasn't trying to get her to play with me.  I really loved getting to run around in my grammy and papa's fenced in yard!  

On Thanksgiving night I met lots of new family!  It was pretty crazy with all the kids and one puppy, but I had a blast!  I tried to hump a few select kids--I just can't help it when they're running around and screaming!  Eventually, my mommy kept treats in her hand so that I'd stay by her side.  Surprisingly, I was really good with all the food that was out; I didn't try to eat anything at all!  While I was at my grammy and papa's, mommy let me sleep in the bed with her instead of my kennel and I always slept the whole night!  

Here are some pictures of the week in L-P! 

Playing tug-of-war with Chloe.  She liked this game because she didn't have to do much since I was so little at the time.  Now I can pull her around though :)

Getting yelled at by my Great Aunt Kathy on Thanksgiving night.  Look how well I'm listening though!

A quick picture before getting to go play outside.

Getting spoiled at my grammy and papa's house :)

Four Month Check-up

Hello everyone,

Can you believe that it's already January?!  We have a lot of catching up to do!  I haven't JUST been doing this for the last couple of months...

I had my four month check-up in early December.  I got my booster shots in the butt and had my poop re-checked for Giardia.... It came back positive again :(  So the vet ordered a different antibiotic that came in powder form.  We had to mix it with a small amount of canned dog food once a day.  The people thought it was gross, but I loved it!  

A couple weeks passed but my poop was still runny at times and very stinky (but who's poop doesn't stink??) So we brought another sample to the vet and they had to send it to Milwaukee for further testing.  Turns out if came back positive for Camplyobacter, a bacteria that's a fairly common cause of GI bacterial infections.  I most likely got it because I'm a puppy and have had recurring Giardia infections... bummer!  So I had to take another antibiotic twice a day.  The vet had to call it into a pharmacy and when my daddy went to pick it up it was under the name "Edwin Dog Swanson".  Not sure where they got the name "Edwin" but I kind of like it :)  The medicine was a suspension that I had to take through a syringe.  It tasted like bubblegum or cherries--either way I had no trouble taking it!  

My poop has been better since the antibiotic.  I still have some runny ones, but they are becoming few and far between.  We tried changing my food during all of this at some point, too, but it didn't seem to be the food so we switched back.  I have to schedule an appointment for February to get neutered (eek!) so we will ask the vet if we need to send another sample to make sure the infection is all gone. 

The good news is that I still eat and tolerate all my food without any trouble and am just as playful as ever (to my parent's dismay at times...) There is a certain lamb bone that my daddy bought me that I can't seem to tolerate and puked up.  Other than that though I'm great if you ask me!

November Adventures

In November I had lots of new adventures and met lots of family!

First, we went for a walk around our neighborhood that turned into quite the adventure!  My daddy (I mean, Ben... he doesn't like when I call him my daddy) likes to take me for walks through these random fields nearby.  Mommy came with us this time and took some pictures.  The memory card lots a lot of the pictures though and mommy was very upset!  Here are some of the ones that she recovered though! 

Then we had some visitors!  It was the first time they'd been to Madison since my mommy moved here so it was exciting for everyone!  I think my favorites were these three... 

They were just my size and so easy to get food from... I was still very hyper and easily excitable back then so I apologize for running after them and knocking them down.  We've met a couple times since then and they seem to really love the thought of me.  Luke likes to play with me, Paige likes to run away from me, and Fiona likes to say my name but also runs away from me at times.  I know I get annoying though... we're still in the early stages of our relationship. 

I also met Nala.  All I wanted to do was play with her but she wasn't crazy about me either.  Here we are being civil... 

And here's one more picture from their visit.

It was so fun to finally meet more of my family!  I hope they had fun!