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!
Anywhere there's a problem with birds, especially the woodpeckers, it can be solved with peppermint oil. I purchase large bottles online, easier to find and more economical. There are several recipes for peppermint bird repellent on Google. I spray the rafters and railing liberally. It works like a charm. I remove the dog's feed and dishes when I spray.
ReplyDeleteThe backgrounds of the photos are looking pretty sparse.
🤗💖🐶😸
Hee-hee... the backgrounds in these photos is my family room, a.k.a. the Ember playroom. There wasn't much in there to begin with, so it was easy to puppy proof.
DeletePeppermint bird repellant... hmmm... The area in question is on the second story, and there are no windows on that side. Wonder if it could be "power sprayed" since I could not reach the area with a spray bottle (I can't even toss a tennis ball to the specific spot).
Those pictures of Ember with her head in her treasure storage! What a hoot.
ReplyDeleteOther item of interest is what she's doing in there with her head: she is squeaking her squeaky toy! Sister Alicia said she's doing this on purpose for the sound, kind of like an echo chamber.
Deletelol, a dog with a cat tree! ❤️ Ace
ReplyDelete"when in Rome"...
DeleteShe's so clever, hiding her toys! Oscar used to make piles far away from the main living area.
ReplyDeleteDD2 is having similar problems with birds removing foam. They may try a wire mesh embedded in the foam next round.
Funny you should mention wire mesh... that was the first handyman solution (can't remember exactly the year that one went in), the "FlexSeal" kind of plugs went in in 2020. Seems like every so often, it needs renewing of the knot-hole filling/blocking.
DeleteLOL... the hoarders with four paws in our lives!
Glad Ember made it through another vet visit! Go Ember. And go Mom!
ReplyDeleteWe used Resolve for stain and odor removal for accidents. Worked well.
Oh no that the woodpecker is causing problems with the siding and Ember. Glad you were able to get Ember to comply with show me what’s in your mouth. Woodpeckers can be so destructive. The rat-a-tat-tat of their bill doing the damage is unmistakable and they are precision drillers! UGH Hope the handyman can help.
My DS proposed to his girl Crystal yesterday and she accepted. Wahoo!
Hugs
Barb
1cd
So excited for your DS and Crystal! Have they set a date, or just an intention? I remember how excited I was when Jonathan called me and Lacey called her mom after they formalized their engagement... it was several months before they married, waiting for a graduation and such to happen first.
DeleteThat blasted woodpecker! I heard back from the Handyman services and they charge by the hour. They are coming Monday noonish, and say it could take 3-4 hours. Half a day, write a check, no more woodpecker! Anyway, that's the hope!
I have used Resolve myself, and I don't know if it's enzyme based or that's just a new buzzword and the recommender not wanting to name a brand.
I got nuthin’ re: woodpecker repellent? Mine have plenty of trees to preoccupy themselves! Peran gets upset with the barn swallows, building their nests under the eaves of our porch (they’re messy), but I don’t allow him to destroy active nests.
ReplyDelete(Val)
Two more days until the handyman cometh!
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