November 18, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged bully sticks, dogs and music, dogs and TV, great dane puppy, littermates, problem solving, puppy chews, puppy play
BB’s math homework–how to get a 36″ bully stick through the crate door
BB’s been having himself a pretty good time the past week, expanding his horizons, meeting new people, and doing his math homework. As you can see, getting a long bully stick into a narrow crate takes some experimentation, and an understanding of geometry!
This bully stick episode of “Doggie Days of Our Lives” lasted the better part of an hour before he give up totally and chewed his bully outside the crate. Before he quit trying though, he’d gotten it stuck twice in the wire, once losing it under the couch, and once sticking it inside Mom’s bedroom slipper.
Now that was a cartoon–he’s shaking his head to get it loose, she’s hollering at him to stop it before he breaks her toes, and I’m howling on the other side of the sofa. Persistance is BB’s trademark, so he kept right on shaking until her slipper ended up landing on Kenai’s head.
Then Kenai whar-whar grumble barked his displeasure at having a good chew interrupted. He promptly picked up both his bully stick and Mom’s slipper (there’s room in them thar lips), trotting himself upstairs with both, and Mom scurrying along behind him…
I told you BB was a comic strip!
He’s also been watching TV, expanding his horizons. The show with the Great Danes interested him the most, though the elephants came in a close second, with a show about bears and mountain lions tied for third. We’ve discovered he loves the sounds of ocean waves and whales, too. So Beebs has his very own sleepy time CD of whale songs now. That and the Chipmunks singing (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) comprises the doggie CD collection.
He had a needed check up at the vet Monday, but it wasn’t a total pill from his standpoint. Between the weigh in (105 pounds) and the blood draw he got to play a game of footsies with the tech, slime the entire length of the vet’s sleeve, and sit on the tech’s lap when it was over. Before he figured out how to open their treat jar, we took him home so he could finally eat breakfast.
Christmas is going to be interesting…
November 10, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged calm, great dane puppy, littermates, puppy diarrhea, puppy play, relaxed
It’s finally over–Thursday, Nov 6, 2008, my brother left! It was a total of 34 weeks as of Thursday, eight and a half months, and now we have our home to ourselves. BB doesn’t have to deal with a small child in his home every few days, so we’re expecting him to continue calming down.
The poor pup has had diarrhea for a couple days, likely from a toy that was full of treats to find inside. Bless his heart, Sunday morning he made a huge mess of himself and his bed. I got him cleaned up and the bed too, mopping the floors and washing carpet runners. This morning (Monday) his stools were still a bit too loose, but he didn’t have any accidents in the house since Sunday morning.
Little Beebs has been much calmer overall since my brother left, maybe because we are calmer. Partly, at least. He and Mom are settling into a routine, with more playtime in it! You can see above, BB having a grand time with his soft ball in the kitchen. Our four pack doesn’t meet up until breakfast, lunch, and evenings in front of the tube, so there is plenty of BB play going on!
Mornings for BB are spent following Mom around as she does laundry, makes her bed, dusts, or anything else that she needs to do. She’s gone for a couple hours on MWF, then it’s bouncing around in the laundry piles, or chasing a toy she tossed. Afternoons are a nap with Mom, then getting some more play in before Kenai and I appear to make supper.
Meals are still trouble time for Beebs, since he makes a pest of himself around the table. He hasn’t gotten the idea of leaving people alone when they eat. He’s getting better about it, but oh how hard it is for a boy! He wants to play and have attention all the time, not to mention stuff smells good.
We’re all still transitioning back to the four pack days, and working out what schedule works best for us. But it’s indescribably wonderful to totally relax again–no one comes and goes but us, so we dont’ have to listen and anticipate BB’s reactions. We don’t have to hurry through breakfast to get BB out of the house when he’s not handling the kiddie invasion well. I am free to leave him alone in his pen when Kenai and I have something to do.
It’s just relaxed around here again!! Yay!
The cold snap has kept BB from going in the car much, but I’m hoping to stash him in the hatch Thursday for a stop at Melba’s house. Some puppy games with Chloe the lab would peg his happy meter! It’s sad that he can’t play with his brother, the rough and tumble thug of the house. Kenai just gets too rough, and BB gets nasty when he’s losing. Boys…
That will be worked on over the coming winter.
I’m looking forward to the days when the boys can be loose and unsupervised, just hanging out and walking around together, playing a game of tug or keep away without the fussing. We’ll get there.
November 3, 2008
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged fearful puppy, Great Dane, nervous puppy, puppy play, puppy toys
BB’s crookedy turn about, playing with Chloe, 43 wks
BB’s such a comic strip! All his lumpy bumps spend their time looking for fun. When he can’t find any, he makes some. This new toy, a big fat ball with 8 little balls inside is the best thing since monkey bread: he gives the big ball a bigger shake, and the little ones go flying out. Then it’s puppy pounce time all over the living room. Life is good with interesting toys…
Beebs made it relatively calm through weekend number 33 with a 2 year old in the house. Em didn’t stay overnight. Mom’s still saying this was the last weekend, but she’s said that for 3 weeks now. I hope but I don’t believe. He had some barking at her, though not too much. Jumpy as a cat, but relatively calm compared to some weekends we’ve had.
Our little bent bottom boy has had lots of fun with Mom, who’s decided playing with him is equal to or better than watching TV. Now she does both. Young master BB has copied his brother’s two at once toy times, carrying around a toy while he swats about a ball. Unlike Kenai, he is determined to retrieve lost balls at any cost! That poor couch, being burrowed under.
Sunday, though, the ball chase led him across a shiney floor too fast–whammo. Now he knows what “don’t run” means, and it’s a good command to follow. Poor kiddo, helped up on the couch, having his liniment rub and a bone to chew. Even rough and tumble big brother treated him gingerly, hanging around the back of the couch to poke his head around it and give little bro a sniff and a lick.
Since the pool was closed, he’s using his repaired leg less, and it’s tightenting back up. We’re going to have to be religious about his dry PT over the winter, rubbing, stretching, and going back to the “touch footie” game. He’s likely always going to be bent up, but maybe over time, huh?
Watching BB is never dull. He really is a comic strip, going from one funny to the next. I’ve always wanted to be able to draw, but the ability just wasn’t there. Every once in a while, though, I’ll get a zing of regret about it. BB would be the ideal candidate for a spot in the Sunday paper.
His latest game is dunking for ice cubes, and he makes the most glorious mess doing it. Like everything else he does, he dunks with enthusiasm! When ring around the rosie chasing the ice meets his determination, he even blows bubbles with his nose–”Me get it”! He won’t come up for air unless he has to.
