The importance of self-control...

Mommy says that it is very important for puppies to learn self-control.  Not only does it mean that we are better behaved when we get older, but she says that self-control makes us more confident and things won't scare us as much.

So she has been making me practice self-control.  She has been teching me to sit and lay down and stay.  Staying is very hard.

But the hardest thing so far is when she puts treats down right in front of me and tells me not to eat them until she says it is okay!  That is super hard, but she says I am doing great and she is very proud of me.

Archer is definitely helping me learn.  I also have been bonding with some of the kitty cats in the house.  Janeway is the mommy cat of the house and she likes me a lot!

Yesterday we went for a fun walk, nut the wind was blowing really hard and I got cold.  Mommy says she can't wait for it to get warmer so we can take longer walks and play outside!!

Things are great!

I had a great weekend.  Well, first it started off not so good - Saturday morning Mommy took Archer put with her and didn't take me.  I was really upset.  She said that they were going on a run and that I was too young to be runningnwith them.  I tried to explain that I am a good runner and could keep up but she insisted I stay home.

But Daddy and I had a good time and when Mommy and Archer were done running, they got me and we went for a mile walk.  

Then in the afternoon, Daddy asked Archer and me if we wanted to go on a walk up at a park and we were really excited.  We went for a short car ride and then walked around this park with Mommy and Daddy.  

Then we went to the Petco place again and I got lots of hugs and kisses from people as we walked around and then got some special treats before we went home.  

On Sunday we went for another walk.  It was a place called the Black River Trail.  There were lots of other people and dogs walking.  Some of the dogs were not very friendly and barked.  But both Archer and I did not bark back and Mommy said we were very good boys.  

Daddy said that he couldn't believe how well I am walking on the leash.  We went 2.5 miles and I wasn't even tired.  On the way home we stopped for Mommy and Daddy to get something to make themselves for dinner and they bought us a present!

A big and comfy new bed!!  I laid down on it as soon as we got home and took a nap!!

Check up!

I had to go to the doctor's again today.  Mommy said that I needed a 12 week check up and some shots.  Last time we went Mommy had to carry me in.  This time I walked in on my leash!  I was still a little nervous, but I walked in and the people there were really nice.

We met with Dr. Hill who told me I was so cute and looked like a "happy healthy puppy".  He listened to my heart and said that things sounded good.  He then talked to Mommy and Daddy about my shots.  I had to have something called rabies today and the doctor said that this was really important.

He gave me this cheese sprayed on a wooden stick and had Mommy hold me.  The shots hurt a little, but not that bad.  I weighed just over 20 pounds.

My first hike!

Today it was still pretty cold out, but Mommy said that she was doing something called "going stir crazy".  Since most of the snow is gone for now, Mommy said she wanted to go to a favorite place of her and Daddy's and take me and Archer hiking.

First we had to go in the car.  I have only been in the car a few times and always sat on Mommy's lap.  But since I'm getting to be a big boy she said I could be in the back with Archer.  I was a little scared at first, but then me and Archer just hung out in the back during the ride and I felt fine.

We then got to the place to do the hiking.  At first both Archer and I were walking next to Mommy and Daddy on our leashes.  But then we got left off the leashes and got to run around.  It was so much fun!  I followed Archer in and out of some woods and there were lots of interesting smells.  

A couple of times I got kind of cold, so Daddy picked me up and carried me for a while holding me against his chest so I could warm up.

We went for a very long hike and boy oh boy I was so tired when we got home!  I had to take a very long nap!

Mommy daid that this is only the first of many many hikes we will be taking!!

I'll take the stairs...

In my house there are 2 main doors that we can use to go to the outside.   The front door goes right out into our yard.  The back door goes out onto a big deck that is wayyyyy off the ground.

Mommy was taking me out the back door when I first came home and the deck has had a lot of snow on it and I was going potty there.  But then she started taking me out the front door and I liked that a lot better because it feels better to go potty on the grass rather than the wood deck

But last night Mommy took me out the back door again and all the snow was gone and it was warmer.  She said that we had to out there because the front yard was a "mud pit".  So I paced around because I didn't want to go potty on the deck and I stuck my head through the rails and watched my brother Archer go way way down to the grass and go potty.

Mommy saw me and asked if I thought I could go down the stairs like a "big boy".  She called me over to the top and she started walking down those stair things.  I was scared and thought I would fall if I tried.  So I barked at her and waved my foot in the air and tried to get the courage to jump down.

Mommy told me that she knew I could do it.  So I took a deep breath and jumped down one step.  I realized it wasn't that hard and so I ran all the way down those stairs and went potty on the grass!

Then Mommy called to me and I looked up and those stairs looked like a long way up to the top even though I had just been there.  So I carefully tried to climb up and I realized that going up wasn't hard either so I ran right up them.

Mommy was so proud of me and told me I was such a good boy.  When I had to get up in the middle of the night to go potty, I ran right down those stairs, went potty and then came right back up - just like Archer does!

I am happy to be doing things like my big brother!

An accident free day!

Mommy said that today was a great day because it was the first day that I didn't go potty in the house!  And let me tell you, it was hard, because it was very cold outside and when I had to go out, my feet got really cold and I started shivering every time.

Archer and I played a LOT today while Mommy watched something called football and yelled a lot and said bad words.

Then we both got really tired and took a nap together.

Daddy said that he can't believe how big I am getting!

Living healthy

Mommy says that it is very important to eat healthy.  She says that this is why my puppy food is a high quality grain free food.

Tonight Mommy gave Archer and I what she called a healthy treat.  It was a bully stick.  She said that puppies and dogs need to chew and that it is very good for the muscles in the jaw and is great for our teeth.  Plus they taste so good!  Mommy said that it keeps a young puppy like me occupied, so she and Daddy could watch a movie, too!

Mommy said that lots of people give their dogs rawhide, but she says rawhide is very very bad for dogs and can make us very sick or even get stuck in our tummies and we would have to go to the doctor and get something called surgery!!

So I'll stick to these great bully sticks!!

No, YOU lay down.

Mommy told me tonight that I am nutty!  She taught me to sit and so when I do, I get a treat which is pretty cool.  But then she told Archer to "lay down" and I watched as he laid down like when we are resting.

Then she wanted me to do it.  But I didn't want to lay down.  So instead a went crazy.  I barked at her and jumped up in the air and ran around in circles while she keot saying "lay down".  Finally I mostly laid down with my butt still in the air and she gave me a treat.

We tried again and it just drives me crazy when she says to lay down.  I just have to run around and bark and pretend to lay down before I finally decide to do it.  Archer can't understand why I do it.  He acts like it is sooooo easy to just lay down!!

I wonder what Mommy will want me to do next??!!

Hey, I think he finally likes me!!

One smart puppy!

Mommy had to return to that place she calls work today.  She gave me kisses when she left and said that she would miss me.

After she left Daddy said he had to go out to work, too.  And yes, he locked me in that terrible crate.  I tried really hard to be good and not go potty in there.  When Daddy got home he let me out and I followed Archer right outside into the field next to the house and went potty out there.

Daddy told me that I was a very good boy and that he was proud of me ans that made me happy.

Later Mommy got home and wanted to teach me a couple things.  I watched Archer when Mommy said "sit" and he sat right down and Mommy gave him a treat.  So when she told me to sit I did the same thing.  

Mommy said she couldn't believe it and called me Mr. Smarty Pants.  She said that I am such a smart puppy and that she is so proud of me!

Another first!

Boy, being young like I am, I have a lot of first time for everything going on!  Today was my first time ever going on a walk.  

Mommy put my collar on, which makes me really itchy and I don't like it.  Then she hooked on something called a leash.  Archer didn't seem to mind at all, but I was super confused.  Mommy was trying to pull me, and I dug in my heels and refused to walk.  She kept calling to me, and I would walk a bit, but I didn't like how the collar and leash felt at all and I would stop and try to pull back.

After a little while I was watching Archer and then I kind of thought I knew what Mommy wanted so I ran up next to her and started walking.  She told me that I was a good boy!

Archer got really excited and started jumping up and down and trying to play with me while we were walking.  Mommy said that she thought that he missed having a brother to go on walks with.

We walked over 1/2 mile and Mommy said that was great.  I wasn't even tired and played in the yard and chased those weird things that Daddy calls chickens.  He told me I shouldn't chase them, though.

Mommy said that we are going to be going on lots and lots of walks in the future!

A little game of keep away...

Even though I have been home over a week, my brother Archer is still not totally accepting me as his brother, I don't think.  He isn't upset like when I first came home, but he doesn't seem to want to play with me and he doesn't like when I jump on him or bark in his face.  

Today it got a little warmer out, so I could be outside without freezing my butt off.  So during something called "half time" Mommy took Archer and I outside with a toy.  

I started chasing Archer all  over the yard and he seemed like he was having fun.  He would take the toy and run away with it but then wait until I would catch up and then would run away again.

It was a lot of fun chasing him and a few time he even let me catch up to him and we would play tug-o-war.  

After a while we went inside and we continued to play with the toys.  I really like playing with my brother so I hope he will continue to play with me and maybe will let me jump on him!!

Mommy says that I am doing great with potty training.  I now will go right outside rather then having to have Mommy or Daddy carry me out.  And then I go right to the bathroom.  So there have been less "accidents" in the house.  I just need to get better at telling Mommy and Daddy that I have to go so they will open the door!