Week 5 and 6

 

Biscuit's Notes:  I am getting big and learning new things every day.  I had a great time playing with the little boys across the street while my human was away but I missed my big dog.  I have mastered sitting and my favorite: JUMP!  I can jump onto the furniture, over those gates in my way and onto big dog, big humans and my favorite: little humans!!!   I also like getting treats so I try to learn a new trick like down or shake and then I JUMP!  I am too cute.  I also have come to love that car, it takes me fun places where I can prance around showing off....but not jumping too much.

 

Lia's Notes:  I will admit it.  I kind of missed that little furball when he was gone.  But not as much as I missed my human!  She left me.  :-(  He still loves to jump and follow me all over but I am showing him our big yard as it starts getting warmer and I am jumping up on the couch and bed because I am allowed up here and he is not.  :-P   He does not like to come when he is called so I have to teach him come.....because when I do, I get treats too.  :-)

Susan's Notes:  I had to leave my pups to travel, and though I had a GREAT conference experience, I learned a lot (including the fact that I should make this blog), and I knew that they were in the best hands with my wonderful neighbors....I admit I missed them, a little.  However, since this "sleeping Biscuit" is rare (especially when I need it), I did enjoy sleeping in and the freedom for a few days.  When I got back I swear my little puppy turned into a teenager!  He must have doubled in size.  I keep working with him to learn new, and master old, tricks but he still has too much of that jumpy puppy in him most days.  What shocks me is I can put his vest on and (most of the time) he turns into the most polite, well behaved dog in public.  This week we were really brave, we visited our first sit down restaurant: Eat n' Park...where he did pretty well..............the second hour when he fell asleep.  Then yesterday we really ran around and did a lot of errands:  we went to Ross Park Mall, Get Go, picked up Chinese food, the post office and Costco.  We also visited my parents where we shared Chinese food, braved sharing the same room with their big scary dog and did taxes.  I will admit Biscuit made it through it all like a CHAMP!  He was great everywhere......I on the other hand need some work.  I need to better work on encouraging heal and down and most of all saying, "No, please let him be.  He is working and can't be pet right now."  I had at least one person in every place try to pet him, and the lady in the Chinese restaurant HAD to hug him and let him adore her.  It is hard to say, no please let him be.  I did say it at Costco, and people were nice about it....but I learned my lesson:  NEVER visit Costco on a weekend again!  That place is crazy, and add a puppy and I should be labeled crazy too.  I am not crazy though, I am learning.

Week 3 and 4

Week 3 and 4

Biscuit's Notes: I am starting to catch on to life in this house.  I have learned to run down to the basement when I want out....which means I have a lot of accidents in the basement :-(  when I sneak down or run too fast.  I love to run, I have so much energy.  I wake up each morning wanting to run, run, run.  I am getting used to that kennel, but I don't like to stay in it too long because I want to run, run, run.  I am also not supposed to chew EVERYTHING, even though EVERYTHING looks like it is for me to chew.  I am getting better at walking on a leash, guess what?  I even went to the mall on one of those snow days and walked and walked and walked.  We saw lots of people.  I was a happy puppy that day, in fact I love ALL snow days becuase then I am not trapped in that kennel, AND there is snow!  Look an extra picture of me playing in the snow:  I mastered the bunny hop because it was so deep!

Lia's Notes:  I can't decide if I love or hate this thing.  I am VERY jelouse of him!  He gets all the good food, the good bones and seems to get all the attention, and the special trips.  I hate being left behind.  However, I do like having a playmate to run around in the snow.  I like to steal his bones (ha ha!!), and then I really don't mind when he just wants to cuddle......so long as I can keep the bone.

 

Susan's Notes:  Wow!  I can't believe that a month has flown by already.  Sitting here looking at his first and newest pictures, he sure has grown.  I wish he was doing better house breaking, but we are getting there.  He is doing pretty well with all other training though.  In fact we met our trainer, Ron, in Cranberry this weekend to learn a few new tricks and get more practice in public and he was doing great.  Ron gave us homework to practice:  heal, sit, attention.  We are also looking into even more classes!  He is a lot of work, but every now and then I will look over and he is doing something silly like watching TV or Reading a book (ok I admit that picture was completely staged, but check out the bonus pic below which IS real: where he just fell asleep on the bookcase!  He has a pillow and soft cushy slippers right there and he falls asleep on the bookshelf!), these are the things that really make me smile.

 Bonus Picture:  

Week 2

 Week 2

Biscuit's Notes:  I love being a puppy!  I  run around this house like a crazy man.  I jump all over the big dog, the lady and well everything!  I cannot walk without bouncing.  I love to chase the ball, play with all of my toys and especially with the big dog.  I want to cuddle with the big dog but she doesn't seem to like that idea.  

Lia's Notes:  You can't catch me!  I like to play with this ball of fur even if he does jump too much.  I especially like to eat his food and steal his toys!  I like to roll him over on his back and pretend like I am going to eat him up!!  Then we can run and play tag!  He only bothers me when he tries to get a toy back (but he knows who the boss is) and when he is constantly trying to sit on me.  

Susan's Notes:  What a roller coaster of a week.  It is extremely cold and snowy here and this poor pup needs to run outside but alas he is cooped up inside all the time.  We try to exhaust him in other ways but I have to admit after a long day at work or when he has had me up once in the middle of the night and again at 5 am sometimes I don't have the energy to keep up.  I can't wait for warmer weather.  He was doing great house training until this
morning when he had three accidents!  It was a long morning.  On a better note thanks to a 2 hour delay on Friday Biscuit had his first outing to a restaurant.  Like most little ones we ventured to McDonalds and I thought he did pretty well.  I also have to note how my heart lifts every time I see he and Lia together and they keep getting better.  I posted an extra pic below.  This is how they were at the beginning of the week and how Lia is with most dogs.  She ignores them.  They don't make her tail wag and she does not like to play or cuddle.  She also is not real big on dog toys.  That changed at the end of the week, suddenly she loves his food, his toys and even he is growing on her.  For him to get THAT close is something of a breakthrough for her.  Many people have asked me how I will be able to give Biscuit up, but maybe it will be harder on Lia than I.  But we are going to love him for now!

Week 1

Week 1

Biscuits Notes:  I am learning a lot and having a lot of fun!  It is fun to chase that other dog and chew her tail, it is fun to run around in the snow, it is fun to play with all of my toys and to cuddle with my new favorite pillow or a warm blanket.  I was showing off how well I can walk on the leash, sit when asked and come when called (I get called a lot when I start playing with those cords!).  I am a smart guy.

Lia's Notes: I have learned that I can hide from the puppy if I run upstairs or outside......and I sometimes need to because he loves to jump all over me.  But.....he is cute and I kind of like him.  I especially like running around outside and playing tag with him but when he tried to cuddle up with me that is just pressing it and I need to get up and walk away.  He knows who the boss is.


 

Susan's Notes:  That pillow has been sitting there for 8 years waiting for someone to love it.  I am shocked at how well Biscuit is doing.  While he will have a small accident in his crate when left all day, he is otherwise doing exceptionally well house training.....not a single accident!  He is also catching on to our games about sit, heal and come.  Also I can get his attention when I ask for it.  Though heal is a challenge as he cannot stop bouncing rather than walking! :-)   Ron (our trainer from Paws) helped show us some things to work on and helped us have our first successful outing to the local mall where we sat in the food court.  I had taken him to a meeting earlier in the week where he did great but got too much attention, I need to learn how to say "No petting, sorry he is working."  Some tips from fellow puppy raisers gave me hope that I can do better next time.  This is all despite the fact that I was incredibly sick with flu like symptoms all week.  Biscuit was the positive light in each day. 

First Weekend

First Weekend

Biscuit:  I cried and cried in that kennel all night and slept all day.  However, you can see my intelligence and personality shine through.  I was actually very quick to catch on to housebreaking.....we went outside a million times but had no accidents on Saturday and only needed to be out out once in the middle of the night.

Lia's notes:  I REALLY ignored that new little fur monster, as a three year old would ignore a brand new baby.  He wasn't interesting enough to play with (not that I am into that thing) but I also did not want to cuddle. He ALWAYS wants to cuddle! Here you see poor Biscuit trying to curl up with my tail….I just got up and walked away from him. 

My notes:  thank god for the weekend! And the fact that I could make Biscuit my priority.  Both helped because I was exhausted exhausted.  I actually looked forward to going back to work Monday.  However, I also loved cuddling.  Don't tell Ron(my trainer for Paws with a Cause) but I let Biscuit sleep on my lap with the electric blanket just to get some real rest.