Rain conditioning

 Aware that dogs can be bothered by thunder, lightning and rain, I took advantage of Tuesday morning's showers to show Ember that rain is not scary.  See?  Mom can take your food dish out on the deck and reward you for coming to me in the rain.  It's not scary, it's just water coming from the sky!

Besides that, when you come back inside, you get to play the "paw check" game, to make sure you still have four paws and get you rubbed down with the towel.  Ember loves that towel, and her bunny!

Tuesday morning Mommy learned that Ember has a very hard head, especially when she launches herself from three steps up in a very enthusiastic response to "come".  OUCH!  Right in the kisser!

I almost despair of getting her to leave my feet/shoes alone, particularly in the early morning when she's really hungry.  We go outside and she pulls on my laces and gnaws at my heels.  She already destroyed one pair of old running shoes.  She's got a good start on the second.  

"Let go", "leave it", "drop it"... I'm not being effective.  We've tried calm English "leave mommy's shoes alone", "you have to let Mommy do what she needs to do", etc.  Persistence.  The worst mistake would be giving up.  Like so many things in life, patience, tolerance, persistence, and consistency are all required.

Ember:  Tuesday was workout with the trainer day for Mom.  After she got home and we went out for a little ball chasing, we tried a trip in the car to pick up mom's prescription at the drive thru.  Mom was trying out a dog seatbelt that should attach to my harness, but that harness is still on order, has not yet arrived.  

Mom tried hitching it to my leash, on the shorter loop.  This was a fail. There was enough "rope" to climb into the front seat, and then it was stretching it, so it was not a good thing for a puppy.

Back to Mom:  I pulled into the grocery parking and readjusted how we had her attached, attaching the short "seatbelt" directly to her collar, instead.  She wasn't particularly happy about it, but I kept tossing treats back to her, and we survived the trip without any tummy upsets.

A big girl leash-walk up and down the block, and we were ready to nap.  I let her nap just on the floor while I was in the reclining couch, and I kind of nodded off a bit, too.

By the time she woke up, it was nearly 80 degrees outside.  She was not much into outdoor exercise, but we did get the bathroom needs taken care of.  I felt a little bad putting her into her den about 3 p.m. given she had slept away a lot of her "out of crate" time, but I ignored her complaints just so I could have some human time, unworried about her safety.

The culinary ventures today included a cucumber slice (she had one yesterday, and liked it, so today was another), and part of my cooked eggs.  

I know that most physicians are not fond of Dr. Google, but I wonder how vets think about all those lists of "human foods that are / are not safe for dogs".  I think back to stories my mom told about her dog Deuce.  They adopted him from another family and could not get him to eat dog food, so they asked the family that had him before.

"He's always just had table scraps," they responded, so pretty much back then, it was "give it a try" and trust the dog's instinct to not eat something that will make him sick?

That's about it from here.  It's time to load the snuffle mat and let Ember have a different kind of puzzle to end her day.

Life is good.  Spark on!

Something I forgot about puppies

Early this morning I called the HVAC place I subscribe to and asked them to send someone to survey the damage that Ember had inflicted to the insulation around the piping.  

I was pleasantly surprised that they were Johnny on the Spot able to get to me shortly after 9 a.m.  The young man replaced a section of it and covered the other section with a new piece and zip tied everything in place.

He recommended that I try to put a barrier in place to deter her continued attention, suggesting my weed tubs.  So as soon as he was gone, I strategically placed two of them.

He was done with the job before 10, so I got Ember out of her den to get her some activity before the scheduled time of 11 a.m. for a handyman to come look at my woodpecker issues.

However, a phone call from the Handyman service informed me that he would be arriving late, due to issues at his prior job.  I'm cool with that.  After all, if it were my job where there were issues, I would want them fixed right, even if it took longer than anticipated.  Besides, I noted, it would give me more time to wear out the puppy before he got here.

The new estimated time was 12:30 p.m.  I figured, that's enough time for a "big girl leash" walk, practicing our skills.  

What I forgot:  A walk for a puppy who is only 12 weeks old probably should be shorter than the 0.59 mile route we took.  Ember poohed out on me with several blocks to go and I had to coax her the rest of the way.  When we got home, she collapsed in a tired heap on the cool tile of the dining room.  I left her sleeping there for a while before gently moving her to her den.

The Handyman arrived about 1:30 p.m., but here's the good part:  their service dispatch updated me again, with a phone call, and a text when he was on the way.  When he got here, I met him outside, and we discussed the job.  The original estimate was for four hours, based on what I told the dispatch on the phone.  We changed the plan a bit based on his expertise and visual observation of the side of the house in question.  Still going to be about a four-hour job, he estimates.  Approved the work, and he's out there doing his thing:  going to replace parts of the siding, match color for touch up paint, for the two most vulnerable spots.  The places that are still wire mesh, he might do a little re-covering of, and touch up painting, too.  I'm just so relieved to have found someone who can do the work.

Oh, and any fans of Chewy out there?  I was most surprised, I ordered some food puzzles and a car seat belt connector on Sunday, and bingo!  They arrived Monday morning even before the HVAC guy arrived.  Ember spotted the snuffle mat when it was atop Mt. St. OTheDog, and remembered (apparently) what it was.  The puppies at Preschool had been given puzzles on Sunday, including a snuffle mat.  

That sucker was going to take some prep work to fill it, so I had to put it away for a while.  I got it back out right before her suppertime, and she was very patient letting me take the time to load it.  Then she had a great time finding all the treats!

I am declaring this particular enrichment tool a win.

Another win is for The Prisoner.  He's looking much more robust, now that we've figured out the breakfast arrangements and he's getting his full ration.  He asked to come upstairs and outside this morning at a point when Ember was in her den, so we had some quality mommy-kitty time on the deck.

Bad news:  The Handyman says my siding is not available locally.  They can order it in, but no estimate on when it comes.  Might be later this week, or next week.  Might not be the same handyman sent out next time, either.  But he put up a temporary fix to keep the woodpeckers away in the meantime. It's not pretty, but hopefully it will be effective at keeping Woody the Woodpecker and his family evicted!

As long as there is a plan, I'm good.  

The bug guys are coming on Thursday morning, to do the outside work.  It coincides with my trainer workout time, and I had some indoor treatment I wanted them to do... so it could be a split thing... outdoor to keep the barriers in place, then reschedule later do the indoor part.

That's the deal with home ownership... always something, eh?

Still, Life is Good! Spark on!

Sunday adventures with kitty and puppy

The morning started well.  Mommy fed the cat first, before even getting the puppy out to "take care of business".  I think this was an element in a smoother morning routine.  The kitty was content, so not asking to come in while the puppy needed to get out.  

The puppy got her breakfast and some play time before going back into the safe space for Mommy to cook and have her own breakfast.

We are gradually getting better about "off" and "let go" (in lieu of "drop it").  Mom did have to scruff remove the puppy from behind the A/C unit once this morning (and once this afternoon, too), but then she behaved once distracted.  We're far from perfect, but we're doing OK.

Ember:  The bunny is my favorite comfort toy.  Mommy even put him in the sling backseat while we drove to puppy class Sunday morning.  Mommy 'splained to me about how the driver needs to pay attention, so the puppy has to stay in the backseat.

And she did!  After the engine started and we started to move, a few little whimpers, then she pretty much laid down and chill for the short drive to puppy class.  No upset tummy, at least not to the point of upchuck.  The current plan is to take some shorter car trips to hopefully get her adjusted.  Her sister Paisley doesn't have the tummy troubles, and is in the car a lot, per her hu-mom.  She's even been on a couple of trips back to their birthplace (about a 3-hour drive each way).

Puppy class had only two puppies this week.  Ember and Paisley.  Consequently, they got a lot more individual attention for the instruction.  They also got extra puppy play time.  Puppy Play time was particularly boisterous, with just the two of them.  We had to calm them down a couple of times in their rough and tumble play.

Once again, the poo schedule was not ideal. Ember went when she got up before breakfast at about 5:30 a.m. and then did not poo again until almost the end of the puppy class.  Yeah, almost.

I tried to get her to go before we went to class, but nope.  I tried to get her to go mid-class when they offered a potty break.  No dice.  And finally, just as we're supposed to have mat calming time... sigh.  

Home again, she was definitely ready for a long puppy nap.  Bunny is now the favorite calming toy, going in the den as well as in the car with her.

Plenty of fresh water puddling during Saturday afternoon's rain.  Ember loves rainwater, in preference to tap water, when she can get it.

An online friend pointed out that leptospirosis is carried through water sourced outside.  Yeah, that's why she's being vaccinated for it.  Because there are enough things to keep her away from!

When Ember got up from her nap she played some, but still seemed tired.  Puppy Class certainly exercises both puppy brain and body.  They had the tunnel out today and the ball pit.  They pretty much combined play time with the stations.  

When not napping this afternoon, Ember followed mommy around, and mostly found a spot in whatever room Mommy was in to curl up on the cat tree or lay on the floor.    

While Mommy was cooking her lunch, Ember tried a small bit of broccoli, first a raw bit, and then a bit after it cooked.  She liked it better (or was better able to manipulate it for eating) once it was cooked.  We also tried a "licki mat" with a bit of ricotta smeared on it.  She really liked that.  There were also two blueberries reserved from Mom's breakfast for Ember.  Little by little we are testing what "safe" human foods she like and seeing if her tummy tolerates them.  

The thunder and heavy rain descended, flooding the backyard again. But before the big deluge, Ember went to the front door, and gave signs that it would be a good idea to let her out.  We put on her "big girl" leash as we do when exiting through the front door.  She pulled toward the grass at once. She relieved herself to great praise and joy from me, especially for asking to go out.  Rain started with big drops while we were scanning for a poo spot, so we hurried inside.  

Later during a break in the showers, we went out to see the stream in the backyard, and it started raining again, so we hurried back in again.  I think it's me driving the "lets go back inside" rather than her, but I may be inadvertently training her to dislike rain.

But also she loves her "paw check" towel!  

I kept giving her treats just for being a calm girl, and eventually she was sleeping at my feet, and I offered to put bunny in the den, and she just followed right on in, where she's sleeping now, and I'm finishing up the blog of the day!

I'm going to call this a good day, with The Prisoner safe in his luxury suite in the laundry room, Ember sleeping in the crate, and me with my supper in the oven.

Life is good.  Spark on!

Saturday morning naughty puppy

 

Don't know if it's visible to anyone else, but this is my outdoor unit of the central air... can you see where the puppy tore at the rubber and tape?  Copper conduit pipe is showing.  So I had to reach back in there, grab her by the scruff of the neck and pull her away.  I wonder if anyone could install perhaps a chain link barrier for all the places that enter the house?  Around the AC unit?  Or will she learn before she gets fried or disables something vital to my home?

So, after that episode, and making her spit out the rubber stuff, she is in her den until Mommy recovers.  Will I survive to her adulthood, I wonder?

Meanwhile, basking in his status as the best-behaved animal in the house (including Mommy), is The Prisoner.  

Pretty weather this Saturday morning.  Ember is supposed to go meet cousin Carl in his yard for playtime at noon.  I am picking times to avoid traffic around Memorial Stadium which is on my route from my house to my son's place.  The Spring Red/White football game kicks off at 11 a.m., and another round of severe weather is due through here about 3 p.m.

Addendum, post visit to Carl's yard

I loaded Ember into her "den" in the back of the car, and messaged my son we were ready to start.  He messaged back about the Spring Game, and I told him I already thought about that.  But then I was delayed for a while because Ember while going through the garage had used her sharp puppy teeth on the HUGE bag of her puppy food, tearing a hole in it.  I had to schlep that big bag into the house, pour about half of it into the puppy food safe, and tape up the hole for later use.  Then I messaged the son that we were only just leaving the garage now (20 minutes later) and coming the long way around because of the football game.

We arrived a little after noon, and Carl was most generous about sharing his yard for playtime.  He was fine with Ember sharing his water dish, too.  He didn't even bat an eye when the puppy stole some of his most recent meal, remaining in his dish.  He did, however, insist that HE was still his daddy's puppy!  

Despite the obvious size difference, they raced and tumbled around the yard, shared attention between the two humans.  Ember got a little anxious when I left the yard to go organize the car, but she was soon distracted by play.  When I came back into the yard, she ran to greet me, glad I hadn't abandoned her for keeps!

After not quite an hour of this, Carl was showing signs of being tired, as was Ember, and we called it a day.

One big revelation was that Ember gets car sick on trips longer than the few blocks to Puppy Class or to the vet.  She tossed her tummy contents both ways.  I thought of LeanJean6 and her Big Beau, who was car-sick so much when he was young.

When we got home, I wrapped my poor baby in a towel on the deck while I cleaned out the crate, then used some waterless dog shampoo to clean her up and cuddled her while apologizing for her having an upset tummy.  She fell asleep in my arms, and I tucked her back into the cleaned-up den.

And only then did I claim a shower for myself, just as the next line of thunder boomers arrived.  I understand that Carl crashed on the floor after we left as well.  And this is why we do play dates... tired puppy (or dog) is a happy one.

Life is good.  Keep on Sparking!

Wet Friday

The overnight was "interesting" balancing cat, dog, and weather.  It looks to be a very drippy Friday, and more showers are predicted over the weekend.  Clearly the cat doesn't feel safe in the sight / hearing of the puppy, but they aren't at constant war, either.  We have carved out a safe space for kitty in the laundry room and attached crawl space.

The Prisoner's bed space is under my hang to dry rack where I air-dry my delicate things.  It is lined with "his" comforter and blankie.

The Prisoner's feeding space.  You'll have to imagine the breakfast (wet food) bowl because he already licked the platter clean, and I took it upstairs to wash.  I have to remember to watch my step when doing laundry now.

You know what a standard litter box looks like; it's off the same room.  I would say that The Prisoner now has a luxury "safe space", just as Ember has her own "den".

Anyway, I've been picking times when it isn't actively raining to get Ember out for some exercise.  I took advantage of one of her puppy naps (I stretched it to two hours) to go get groceries.  I have started letting her take one of her stuffed but OK to chew toys into her den with her. It seems to be a comfort to her to have Snaky or Monkey with her in that safe space, and she hasn't destroyed them.  I am keeping a close eye... the den is for quiet times, not fierce exercise times.

Got her up from her nap and we went on a "big girl leash" walk, all the way around the block.  We returned to the house and did a perimeter check of the backyard and a little game of chase the ball before coming back in for another nap in her den.  About 2 p.m. we were out on the deck and the big outdoor tornado sirens blared... I closed the door and pondered over whether the schools were running a drill... but no, it's for real, a warning lasting until 3 that covers the Western half of our metro area.  Carl, who is freaked out by t storms is in the warned area... hoping he's OK.

The Prisoner asked to come in after I got Ember back settled, so he was down in his kitty luxury suite... safest area of the house.  I woke Ember long enough to shuffle her den to the family room (next lower level) with me.  And we watched the storm coverage on the local TV.  It was scary, as there actually were some funnels touch down in nearby areas.  Still not known how much damage, and there was hail on my son's side of town, but the important bit is that all the people and animals are OK.

One of my nieces lost the screen door to her porch.  My son will probably have his roof checked for possible hail damage... but at my house?  Wind and a very little bit of rain... no hail, no funnels, as the line of storms passed to the west and north of me.

After supper I took Ember out in the back yard for some ball chasing, since her afternoon play time was interfered with by the severe weather stuff.  Now she's in her safe place again, and I'm getting ready for bed.

Life is good.  Keep Sparking!

Ember growth compared to Auntie Alicia

First photo with Auntie Alicia, April 3rd, 2024.  Ember looks so tiny!

Three weeks later, sprawling under Auntie Alicia's feet in the back yard.  April 24, 2024.

But when Auntie Alicia stands up, Ember still looks pretty small, just not AS small as three weeks ago.  Gaining weight as she grows, the vet's scale said 23.4 pounds.

We continue to work on puppy lessons (no surprise there), but we have only one more appointment for puppy shots.  Various theories of when to spay versus lifetime risks for disease were discussed with the vet.

Thursday it was chilly and rainy outside, and I forget just what Ember did to need a quiet time at 7 a.m., but it was something.  I think it was her usual morning puppy Zoomies plus teeth, so I put her in for a puppy nap, while I took a Mommy minute.  About that time, my trainer messaged me that another client had cancelled, so could I start my warmup at 9 a.m.

Consequently, between taking the time to get ready and go, the workout, and come home, Ember was in for longer than some days.  But she does get used to it.  

Meanwhile, the woodpecker...

Here he is, poking his head and beak out of the hole he has expanded!  Yikes!

I had the call in to Ace Handyman Services.  Turns out they are an extension of Ace Hardware, use all employees, no sub-contractors.  They called me back while I was mid-workout, but my little Google Pixel Watch connects to my phone, and I was like Dick Tracy of old with the wrist radios, talking to their admin while I was doing my lunges.  

Anyway, she checked with their craftsman and the craftsman said yes, he could do this (I estimated about 10 spots that need reinforcing).  She gave me both a time and dollar estimate: 3 - 4 hours, and at the outside $500.  Worth it to save my wiring and maybe restore some of the insulation this dude dropped onto my patio!  He is coming Monday around mid-day.

It got all wet and yucky in the rain, and I picked up some of it, and left other parts of it, cautioning Ember to "leave the yuckies".  She did pretty well about that... it must not taste good, that insulation, and even seems to be learning "spit it out" as a phrase, related to things that are not food.

I have five more days to live with pounding on the walls to try to deter the woodpecker, but I'm pretty sure he's not bothered by a few loud noises.

The day went on.  I got Ember out for some great games of "chase the ball" alternating 3 balls that aren't the kind that get soggy.  I waited it out during a break in the showers until she did her business.

We came in for an early supper, and once well fed, Ember started to tire out, and laid at my feet in the kitchen while I put a yam in to bake.  I gave her a couple bits of my afternoon snack apple, and she seemed to like that.

About 3:45, she voluntarily went into her den, without my even suggesting it, coming out for a quick cuddle so I could release her from the house line.  When the tired puppy sleeps gently in your arms... well, whatever they did in the day is forgiven!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Prisoner never was a fan of the cat-tree anyway

 But Ember has decided it is an excellent place to stash her toy treasure trove.  She hides them in the lower level!

I had moved the cat-tree to the garage but when it wasn't there, she got in worse trouble with other distractions.  Since Prisoner has never been a fan of the cat-tree, I made the executive decision to sacrifice it to Ember's growing pains.

The joys and challenges of puppy training!  

Wednesday's start

We made it through another night, and it's Ember's second visit to her local veterinarian.  She got her next round of shots, and an appointment for three weeks down the road for the final shots in this series.  She was a very good girl at the vet's office, not nearly as shy as she was the first time there.  They probably spoiled her with the wet dog food they tempted/treated her with.  Once again had confirmation of what I'm doing in training... tempt her away from the no-nos with more attractive "yes" things.  OK, so keep calm and carry on.  

She was drowsy after the vet, so I left her napping and stocked up on things that I hope will help in the weeks ahead... the non-skid water bowls recommended by Susan, the puppy food large bag, some supposedly enzyme cleanup stuff, and some spray-on sealant to see if I can make that PVC repair less Ember-enticing.  

When I came home, though, it was to find that a persistently pesky woodpecker has broken through the sealant that Antonio the handyman put on in 2020, and pulled out enough insulation that Ember of course started picking up to gnaw on.  For the first time, I was able to get her to "show me what's in your mouth" and hook it out with my finger... without getting bit by her sharp little teeth!  Progress!

I have a call in to a handyman service to see if/when they might be able to effect repairs and put preventative measures in place on that side of the house.  If this sounds repetitive (I wrote about the problem before), that round, the bird ended up dead, and not by my hand.  I found its body on the patio.  But this is a new bird!

Oh, well... pesky bird or no... life goes on, and Life is Good!  Keep on Sparking!

Chillin' in the backyard

Chillin' in the backyard on a very blustery Monday.  It wasn't cold, but it was certainly windy.  There were plenty of leaves flying with the wind, tempting Ember to chase them.  I'm sure there were plenty of layers to what she could smell on the breeze, too.  In the end, though, she just wanted to sit and watch the world and listen to the birds sing.  No ball chasing, no puppy zoomies... just chillin'

Monday overnight we got a very minor amount of sky water, and The Prisoner even came in and ate a bit in the shadow of Ember in her "safe space".  Ember passed a good overnight with a potty break at midnight, and a wake up potty outing at 4:45 a.m.  

Tuesday morning

The 5-6:15 time frame was a whirling dervish time that included feeding Ember and feeding the cat.  Looks like the cat is moving to a meal schedule that will match Ember's.  Breakfast was interrupted by play time and she got pretty rambunctious.  I moved her crate back from the kitchen/dining area to the living room/parlor, and she chilled there while I waited for enough daylight to go out for poo-patrol.  Found both from overnight, and she also did her bit while we were out on patrol.

It is trainer day today, so I tried to schedule enough exercise for her to be content in her safe space while I go do that thing.  

Ember had other plans.  She found the two big bags of potting soil that I had put in front of the gaps under the fence, and today, she was not willing to listen to my "leave it".  She started tearing the bags open and digging in the potting soil that spilled.

I had to scoop the puppy up not once, but twice (after playing inside for a while we tried to go out to play again).  After the second puppy retrieval, she pulled her water dish stunt (dump it and drag it into the living room, dripping all the way, then hang on to it like a chew toy).  That did it... Ember went into the crate about 8 a.m. so that Mommy could do clean-up of the minor flood in the dining area.

But as long as I have her started on her morning nap, I went out and did some upping of the blockade.  Hopefully this will hold for a while, and I'll ask Gary (trainer) to go a little easy on me today, as I shifted those cinder blocks a ways to put them there.  Oof!

Now I'm taking a "mommy break" and changing to workout gear.  Also building my shopping list:  

• Water bowl that she can't tip/flip over.
• Enzyme carpet cleaner.
• Next 20 pound bag of her puppy food

Oh, yes, my house may be no cleaner than it was, but it is getting cleaned in pieces more frequently!

I don't know if it's just the posture (not curled up) or if she's growing that fast, but remember I said she was not going to fit in that space for long?  

One more puppy training photo:  her collection of practice items for "let go" / "drop it" command (progress is very slow on this one!)

I did not choose these items, Ember did.  It's a cluttered photo, but it's the shoes that she drags out of the closet when I go to hang up or get out my jacket.  I'm sure she'd go for all the paper products on this shelf, too, if given the chance.

Busy morning!  And I'm off to finish getting ready for the trainer.

Life is good. Spark on!

 

The Cat as Tutor

High from a successful play date with Carl on Saturday, and a good puppy preschool class, Ember was ready to play some more.

Deterred from his normal escape spot by the neighbors running an edging machine on their lawn, The Prisoner was standing his ground on our own deck.

Ember took this as an invitation, and approached, nudging the kitty with her nose.

The cat put up with this for a brief time, but when Ember put herself in the "on top" dominant position for puppy wrestling, Prisoner had had enough.

This is how we played in class for playtime, isn't it, Mom?

At this point, the murder mittens unsheathed the claws, and The Prisoner hissed and swatted.  Puppy yelped, Prisoner jumped to the deck rail, and it was all over except for Mom telling the Prisoner he was a great teacher, and a good kitty.

And of course, comforting the puppy, telling her, "A cat is not the same as a puppy, Little One."

Anniversary Dinner

Puppy did a good job, after all that Sunday activity, holding her organs while Mom dressed, drove across town and enjoyed a lovely dinner with the companionship of the one-year-married now "kids", and my DIL's parents.  We had a nice table in a little nook, and enjoyed an excellent meal.  The plan is for this to be an annual tradition. Good friends, good food, good conversation, leaving the venue with good feelings, hopefully all around!

Ember did well overnight, and when I went down in the midnight hour, she just came out and climbed sleepily in my lap, not wanting to go out at all, so I cuddled and tucked her back in, and she lasted until 3:45 a.m., at which point I got up, and we began the day.  And mommy is tired.

But Life is still good!  Spark on!

Cousin Carl visits Saturday, Puppy Class Sunday

 

After all the drama in the blog from Saturday early morning, several cycles of puppy activity and napping led to a backyard visit from her big cousin Carl.  They wrestled and played in good doggy style.  Turns out Carl is a fine mentor to Ember, on "how to dog".

As usual, Carl's carers gave me the heads up that they would be heading in my direction and the option for whether to have a joint play session.  Of course I said yes!  As they did last Sunday, they wore one another out.

Carl was very patient, but also acted like a parental kind of dog, stopping Ember from doing what he deemed was "not OK" by blocking her way, in some cases.

Both got good and dusty, so it looks like Carl went home to a bath, and then crashed.  Ember did not get a bath, I pretty much just sponge her off if needed, or brush off the dirt.  But similarly, she napped for two hours after the visit.

Sunday morning was her Puppy Preschool.  This weekend they put the two litter mates a couple of stools apart in the class lineup, and that worked better for both of them in terms of focus on the lessons.

I took NO photos during today's class, so that my own focus would be good, too.

I was glad to have confirmation on how I'm trying to train "drop it".  This one's going to take some work, witnessed by the shoe obsession... it's nearly impossible to get her to drop shoes she pulls from the hall closet.

They also had the "conditioning to the vacuum cleaner" as a station, the ball pit, and hurdles and a hoop from agility as the other two stations.  Of course we showed off sit, down, and stand, and puppy push-ups.  I told the trainer that at home we are working on "off", "leave it", as well as "drop it".

On to HUMAN stuff:

This is my son and daughter in law's first wedding anniversary.  Her parents have arranged for an anniversary dinner at the same place we held the wedding dinner.  I am grateful that we don't have to re-live the bone-chilling ceremony part before dinner tonight.  I only have to make sure Ember's in a fit state to stay quietly in her safe space for the two to three hours of dinner.  She's had practice, so I'm pretty confident if she's on a good bathroom schedule through the afternoon we'll be fine.

Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful rest of your Sunday!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Up in the 3 a.m. hour

Puppy emergency... sigh.  There have been two nights in a row now, where the puppy did not manage to get mommy up in time to be let outside, and since her crate is a little bigger than it needs to be, it led her to foul her own den.  This upsets the entire schedule, of course, as mommy has to put puppy on the deck so she can do the necessary cleanup.  

The Prisoner was a player both nights.  He had been inside each night.  I have to wonder if the puppy was reluctant to raise a ruckus with this presence in the house.  She and he are continuing to work on their pecking order.  This morning after the great cleanup, they had an encounter in the upstairs hallway that involved claws and hissing. Ember had to back away.  I have given Prisoner permission to keep Ember in line (not that a cat waits for permission).

Once Prisoner got safely outside with his breakfast dish, we had to have enough puppy play time, training time, and feeding so that she would go back into the now "cleaned" (although I'm sure her little nose can still smell what happened) den.  

We do some puppy calming, comforting and cuddles before she goes back to bed after such an episode, too.  No shaming here, it really isn't her fault.  It's Mom's job to give her opportunities before an emergency happens, at her tender age.

Ember safely tucked back in, I could then take meds, shower, etc.  

We've had a second session of puppy outside and puppy indoor play, to tire out the puppy for another nap while mommy cooks and eats her own breakfast. The second play time was held in the family room, a new venue for Ember.

We had some tail-chasing (which Mommy tried to catch on video, but failed), and we brought out toys that Carl likes.  The "big" chuck it ball was one of the stars of play time.  It looks huge in Ember's mouth, but Carl does a good job getting his jaws around it.

Not content with just doggie toys, Ember decided to co-opt the cat tree.  She will not fit in this space for long, folks, so I kind of let her use it as her soccer goal.  Whenever she dropped the chuck-it ball, I would soccer pass it across the room, and she would chase it and bring it back to the kitty condo for another round.

Squeaky toy play was the intermission between some of the rounds.  

Cousin Carl's "big stick" was a distraction from the game, at times.  Pre-chewed by her bigger cousin, it was quite attractive as a teething helper.

Finally tuckered out, the Little One is back napping, and mom is enjoying breakfast and a blog!

Life is good.  Spark on!

Friday!

 

Friday's experiment:  don't wear these shoes any more.  Ember has decided they are her toys.

I changed to another pair of old athletic shoes, instead, one with different laces that can be more easily double-knotted.  Turns out this helped only a little.

For those of you who despaired of my ever getting rid of my Imelda Marcos level collection of old running shoes? Ember is your advocate for down-sizing.

Ember and I went on a practice leash walk on Thursday afternoon.  She seems to be doing very well, not pulling, sniffing everything because everything is so new to her.  I realize this is likely to change as her confidence builds.  But for now, it's another way to get her some physical and mental exercise!

Let's just call this photo "indecision".  Thursday was such a nice day in the afternoon that I slid that door open so that we could come or go.  Ember chose "neither"... let's just lay across the threshold!

She was a little rock star for the A/C annual checkup.  She rolled onto her back and begged for attention from the tech, a young man named Tyson.  I think she would have happily headed home with him, but as is, she's stuck with me.

Bit by bit, the house is becoming increasingly puppy/dog proofed.  Today the shredding machine was moved up to the office, removing another tempting electrical cord.  The boom box got moved to a kitchen counter (higher than its space on a coffee/end table.  The recycle stack is now in the garage.  The DVR got moved to the electronics graveyard in the basement level, and the old paint and flooring materials shifted to the garage.  I think I can now safely invite her into the family room for couch cuddles before bedtime.

Meanwhile, the lower levels of the bookcase in the living room have been cleared, leading to this sequence of photos:

Where's the shelf for "P"

P is for "Puppy", I must belong here!

P is also for "Prisoner", but don't ask me to share a shelf with the puppy!

After the man left, Ember went out for a practice leash walk with mom.  And poo'd and pee'd in her own front yard.  Mom was glad it was in our own yard, as the poo was a bit on the "SoftServe" side.

Life continues to be Good!  Spark on!

Eyes on Mommy

 

"Eyes on Mommy."  That's my sub-command, when I say her name:  "Ember.  Eyes on Mommy."  I copied that from the puppy pre-school class, because that's what the puppy is supposed to do in response to her name:  focus on her human!  Only when I see her eyes lock on mine does she get her name treat!

Her Auntie Alicia snapped this photo while Ember was being hand-fed her supper during our Wednesday sister time.  We make her work for her meals, going through the sit, down, stand, and come (recall) command.

Before her supper, we went on a walk, practicing some leash manners.  We went about a block, down to the entrance to the park, and over the bridge.  She did get to exchange sniffs with another dog, and of course she was ecstatic to have not one, but TWO humans paying her attention and praise.

Ember stopped being interested in her food and decided a nap was in order, where she could feel comforted while the sisters yakked.  So clearly comfortable under grandma's Duncan Fyfe table.

The bunny came with Ember when she came to me.  Being fabric, I don't want her learning to destroy cloth, so she only gets to play with the bunny under the watchful eyes of her people.

We must have worked her puppy brain really hard on Wednesday, because overnight she showed no interest in going outside at all.  She came out of the crate to lick my hand, then retreated back into the safety of her cave.  I left her be, as she wasn't whining or showing signs of pain, but I was dog-mommy concerned.

When at 4 a.m. she came out extra hungry (remember the skipped dinner?), I felt we were a-OK.  She lunged for the cat's food dish on the deck and I had to whisk it away.  Prisoner showed up looking for his breakfast.  After some drama, Prisoner got his breakfast in the laundry room because it started to rain, and he wanted some shelter.  Hunger satisfied, he came upstairs once Ember was settled in her crate again, to hop up on the counter and get some pets and give some purrs in return.  Yes, mornings are exciting around here!

Puppy proofing the house has been an incremental process, as she reaches each new level of boldness.  There is no longer a TV in the front room, it's been moved to the family room, because that electrical cord is just too tempting to the pup.  The recycle bins are about to be moved from the kitchen/dining area to the garage, for similar reasons.  It's so hard to keep track of all the no-no's in a human dwelling, thinks Ember.  Everything should be a toy!

Anyway, that's all I can write this morning... the saga continues.

And life is good!  Spark on.

New Toys

Emmy got some socializing with humans Tuesday.  A walker asked could she meet my puppy, when we were practicing with the leash.  Then when we were out playing fetch, the neighbor lady who is Frank the Springer Spaniel's hu-mom asked if this was a good time to meet the puppy.

She brought presents, little squeaky toys that are good for those pups with a soft mouth.  Susan (I think that's her name) has had labs in the past, and knows they have a soft mouth.  She swears that this toy is Frank's favorite, and he can use them for months and months, has never torn one!  I told her I'll let her know how it goes.  Ember has those sharp puppy teeth still.  

Miss Emmy fell in love with the googly eyed round things right away.  They squeak if she steps on them, they roll away and invite chasing, and they squeak when the puppy bites them, too.

They are also a great help to me, because I can monitor that she's playing with an approved toy by the sound alone!

A puddle on the sidewalk was an item of interest, too.  Everything is interesting when you're new on the planet!

A long puppy nap Tuesday afternoon ended with an early supper.  Her meals today came in the 5 a.m. hour, the 11 a.m. hour, and the 4 p.m. hour.  I am starting to be sensitive to signals that she's hungry and making adjustments for it.

Sometimes she loses interest before the whole meal has been consumed, so I put it up for a "play break", then when she appears ready to resume, we take it up again.  Since I'm feeding her by hand, her meals are also training time.  Puppy attention span is a thing.

Wednesday morning I had a dental appointment, so I had to juggle puppy schedule a bit to allow me prep and drive time for that.  To think, once upon a time, I had a complete family, job, etc., and this sort of thing was going on daily.  It makes me very aware of how much my spouse contributed to pet care!

After I got home from the dental cleaning, Ember of course had some outdoor playtime, and she was a bit "teethy" so I calculated how long it had been for her since breakfast, and decided on an early lunch, too.  We had several shortish outdoor play times, a bit of chill time in the "safe space" while mom cooked her own VERY late breakfast (I only had a banana and coffee before the dentist).

Ember has apparently made an executive decision that water bowls on the deck can be upended to cause a flood under the deck.  She then dragged the water bowl inside, draining all the way, and got in trouble, stealing the paper towel mom was trying to "mop up" with.  And I just vacuumed that carpet she's dumped water and mud on... 

But the big trouble she got in today was going after the electrical cord to the TV.  She's been scolded about this before, but Mom really does not want a fried puppy!  So Ember got herself into a time-out situation while mommy finished the mopping up of the water spill.  Don't worry, she'll be let out in time for maybe some leash practice with Auntie Alicia.

Sigh. What is it someone said, "Good thing they're cute!"  She is that, and her mommy loves her oh, so much... one falls in love with a young thing so easily, and one forgives them their learning curves.

Life is good!  Life with puppies is better.  Life full of Spark and purpose is the very best!

Spark on!

So many distractions!

 

The wind was blowing the flowering tree petals into the backyard, which was quite the distraction for a puppy who was supposed to be out there to "take care of business".  Monday was a hot day again, which makes the dark-coated puppy a bit on the lethargic side.  That lead to extra energy Tuesday morning.  

Add a thunderstorm to this, and the resultant wet stuff falling from the sky.  This started around 4 a.m. on Tuesday.  I came downstairs about 5.

Ember does not seem to be bothered by thunder and lightning.  Motorcycles, yes.  Thunder and lightning, no.

Mud was an interesting discovery, under the downspout.  Speaking of the downspout that is also a distraction for her.  I've been concerned she could cut herself on it, so I removed the extension, but now of course, it is just eroding a mud puddle at its foot.  One more thing to add to the landscaping project, to put a concrete spillway under there.

Fresh water, from the sky!  So many, many things for a puppy to be interested in.

Including a wet cat who wanted to come in for breakfast.  I popped the puppy into her "safe space" long enough to feed the cat his breakfast.  Prisoner then retreated to the basement to hide from the noisy yipper.

Then there was a period of fascination with the TV's power cord, the Scrabble box, and a diaper dustrag.  Sigh.  Can't take your eyes off them for a second.

Tuesday was to be a workout day with the trainer, so I was trying to balance "chill" time for the puppy with prep time for me.  When it got light enough, and the rain had let up, I snagged the Holey Roller and a Chuck-It hard rubber ball and we went out.  Ember did what she was supposed to before we came back inside to deal with whirling dervish puppy a bit more.  I am practicing a scoop and hold move I picked up from a puppy training video for calming her down.

While we were out playing alternate fetch with the two toys, the trainer texted that he woke up not well, and needed to cancel.  Can we spell "sigh of relief" because of hyper puppy?  Anyway, by 8 a.m. I decided it was time to start her "chill time" in the crate, whether I was heading to the trainer or not.  She has been fed, exercised and loved on... time for a puppy nap, and give mom a chance to do some human things for a bit.

Life is good.  Spark on!