Puppy Kindergarten

Today was the first day of puppy kindergarten. This has been a big week for Brock. Last week his baby teeth started to fall out. He looked a little like Lyon Spinks - since there were gaps with missing teeth. Unfortunately, that only lasted a few days before the big boy teeth came in. Why can't they be all toothless and gummy for a few weeks at least?? Gimme a break!

Saturday, we went to the vet for the last of our puppy shots. He is now fully immunized and ready for play! He is also up to 35 pounds now. I was expecting a couple pounds more, but that's OK. One of the puppies from the other litter was in also and that puppy was up to 38 pounds - what a little piggy! It took them four months, but they finally caught up.

Tonight was puppy kindergarten. Brock was MUCH better than Berdy ever considered being. He wasn't perfect - far from it, but he was pretty well behaved. There were only two other dogs in the class. One was a puggle (sooooo cute) and another "yellow" Lab. (His parents were chocolate and yellow, so he's got a liver nose.) Other than biting the hand that feeds, he did very well paying attention and listening. He did bark when no one was paying attention to him, but not nearly as much as Berdy did during her training class just a few months ago.

He is now tuckered out and sleeping soundly. You gotta love a tired Labby!!

50/50

No, I'm not talking about a 50/50 raffle. I am referring to my little piggy gaining 50% of his body weight in three weeks. Twice. He went to the vet three weeks ago and went from 12 pounds up to 19. Then this past Saturday, he weighed in at 28.5 pounds. I almost fell off the chair when Dr Stratman told me that. I thought, MAYBE 25 pounds, but no way 28.5 pounds. No wonder I let out a small groan when I go to pick up Brock. He's a BIG boy!

This week, other than gaining weight, has been pretty quiet. Still working on the house-training and it's been going very well. He rings the bell, we go outside, he gets a treat. It's all good. This week I'm going to dig-up my old training take-homes and start working with Brock on basic training.

He's been doing pretty well with sit, since I make him sit before he gets food, which happens a lot. He also does pretty well with Come. He's funny to watch running at you, ears flapping and that funny Lab puppy gait. You can't help by smile. I'm hoping to get a head start on puppy kindergarten. If he's anything like Berdy, he'll lose his mind as soon as we walk in the door. I'll just try not to lose mine also.

I've Done It!!!!

I've done it! I've finally outsmarted the Labrador. It's taken me five years and three dogs, but I finally have done it. I feel like Wyle E Coyote if he were to ever outsmart the Road Runner. I thought outsmarting the Labrador, especially about food, was almost as improbable.

Brock has been eating his food so fast, it's scaring me. And I've seen some voracious eaters. He makes this wheezing, gaspy noise, wanders around and then BLUP. I'd rather like to avoid that whole scenario. Susan suggested putting a Kong in his bowl. Well, that slowed down the second half of the meal, but not the first half and still resulted in BLUP. So, I decided to head to the pet store (yes, I go there a lot). This time I found a toy shaped liked a badminton birdie only much larger. It was a little too large for the stainless bowl I had, so I purchased another slightly larger.

It worked great! He had to eat around it and it slowed his eating down considerably. I think we may be onto something. At least that is until he figures out that he can simply pick up the big blue object and set it aside. Hopefully that day will be far enough away that he will slow down a little or at least be big enough that it won't matter as much.

I have to say, I'm feeling pretty smug right now. Until I am reminded that my opponent is currently wapping himself in the head with a huge rubber ball and has likely been brain damaged by the oversized toy. I'm still marking it in the WIN column. Today's score: Labrador 4, Jill 1. Woo hoo, I made it onto the board!!

Happy Birthday, Berdy!

My baby-girl is FIVE years old today. I can't believe it will be five years soon that she's been with me. She has gone from a land-shark (you can't imagine how much she bit me), to a spoiled princess (don't know where she got that from), to a good little sister, to a grieving dog to a good dog and now a good older sister to Brock.

The first 12 months, I swear she never slept unless she was in her crate. She was a busy, busy puppy. She must have used up all her energy in life that first year, because she sure is lazy now! It's like living with Eeyore. Ok... I'll be there in a minute. As she moves so slow, it's almost imperceptible to the human eye. She is no hurry to get anywhere. Oh well, that's what a dogs life should be - no stress.

Berdy's big birthday outing consisted of riding to SuperPetz (where I had 25% off coupon), then sniffing all the great smells while I picked out a few toys I thought she'd like. I also got her a frosting coated dog treat shaped like cupcake for the bargain price of $1.79. An emotional, impulse purchase for certain. The trip back home was mostly uneventful, after a stop at Goodwill. (No, not to donate the puppy.)

Berdy must have had so much fun, she decided she did not want to get out of the car. You would have thought sitting in the car at DLM parking lot for 30 minutes would have been enough time in the car, but she refused to leave it. I'm starting to tire of that game, so I just left her in it for a while. Until it was clear that the war of wills was not going to be won by the person with the opposable thumb.

After all that, Berdy had little interest in the new toys. Brock, however, was MORE than happy to start playing with the rubber Jolly Ball with the rope. He keeps running through the house, banging his head with this huge rubber ball. Hope it doesn't give him brain damage.. what the heck? It keeps him entertained, which is the best birthday present Berdy could get.