Fuzz Monster Update

Bailey, sleeping in the floor tonight.

Bailey is now a couple weeks older and a heck of a lot more ingratiated in our lives.

We had our first vet visit (after I got paid for assisting with a photo gig!) where Bailey got her first check up, a dewormer, and her first set of shots. She took the experience like a champ. At the time, the vet figured she was between 10 and 12 weeks old, and she weighed a whopping 10.4 pounds.

I had to buy her a bag of large breed puppy food at the vet's behest; she said that Bailey is growing fast as it is (because of her breed) and large breed puppy food would help keep her growth in check so that her bones, ligaments, and joints all grow at the same speed. She cautioned that normal puppy food, which encourages growth because of what it has in it, can be too much for her and cause her to grow too fast. So, Bailey's getting a mix of food (2:1) until the normal puppy food is gone. She also handled the car ride to and from the vet pretty well.

Barking at me to get my attention.

Since the last post, I have started taking her out on walks, and she has decided that she likes our "adventures." I am glad that she chooses to eliminate on her own choosing during our walks. (The one thing I don't like about our walks? Stickers --goat heads or bull heads-- like to get in her paws!) She has also, over the last few days, decided that she does not like to listen to me when we are outside. When we are done with our walk, after she has done her business, and we are heading inside, if something catches her eye, she stares and finds it incredibly more interesting than going in, no matter how many times I call her name.

...she's too young to be going through her adolescent phase. I think it might have to do with her wanting to (obviously) stay outside longer. And I think the fact that my parents calling her variations on her name on a regular basis makes her a little confused. Meh.

She has also had a bath. Having never had a puppy before, I didn't know if there were rules about puppies being a certain age before bathing, but after I found out that it was okay, we had a bath. Grandma (my mom) helped. She didn't want to be in the sink, but after she was wet, she basically surrendered. And then after the shampooing and the rinsing, she was glad to be out of the sink, but she clung to my shoulder for dear life.

Look at that face!

I love that she hangs out with me when I'm outside photographing the changing seasons. But don't I dare get out of her line of vision, or else she barks. =)

At night, we have to take the chewie eagle, the stick, and the squeaky squirrel to bed with us, despite having an old slipper and a squeaky fishy already in the room. (But that doesn't stop us from chewing on the futon frame!) Note to self: I really need to research homemade remedies like a bitter no-chew spray, as well as the stuff that you spray to tell puppies that it's okay to eliminate in certain areas.

I throw that last bit in there because she's been good about piddling on the papers in the room, but only once has she gone #2 there. (And that was without my prodding her to do so!)
We have put newspapers down in the living room for her, too, and they seem to be working. She goes #2 on there at least once a day, and piddles when she has to empty her bladder.
...but, we are still struggling with her little piddles that happen during play time. She'll be playing with Uncle Pacer, he'll run across the room, then she'll start to chase him, stop to piddle a teaspoon, and then run on after him. It's so frustrating.

The first few nights that she was home was hit and miss as far as her sleeping through the night, but that was expected. Now, she sleeps most of the day, and most of the night. The record for the earliest that she had awakened me for needing to go out was 6:30, but she set a new record this morning when it was 5:50 am. Her normal times were between 8 and 8:30, but that is something, I hope, we can work back toward. (It is only the last three or four days that she has slept through the majority of the day. Needing to sit in front of a computer because of school assignments is tough. I am writing this blog during her normal sleeping hours anyway. And my normal sleeping hours.)

I found a weird bump near her shoulder two days after visiting the vet. It's still there. I know it's not a bone (unless it's a floating bone: it moves) so I am going to ask the vet about it when we go in. I'm monitoring its size and shape to see if there are any changes. If I notice any, we are going to the vet. Yeppers.

Last night, her eyes were puffy and red. I think the poor dear got into something that she was allergic to. Since I am in class on Monday nights until 10 and don't get home sometimes until 11, I don't know what it could have been.

Also, I am battling my parents on giving her human food. I don't mind a taste (a small portion, like maybe a square half inch at most) but only after she has eaten her most recent puppy meal. My parents see it another way. Her "begging" for food at mealtimes is her begging because she's "hungry." They fail to see that it's because she's had a taste of succulent fatty human foods, and wants that instead of her dry kibble. What good does it do to argue with them? I'm only home three nights out of the week, and I cannot control what they do when I'm in another room or I am not home.

I give her 1 1/2 cups food twice a day. Well, twice a day when she actually eats all of her breakfast. She got served twice today because Pacer decided to eat her food.
He won't eat dry dog food when it's purchased for him, but when it is not meant for him, he's all over it.

...and it's wonderful that mom and dad don't see anything wrong with him eating her food, especially since they're currently paying for it. Never mind the fact that it's taking food away from her. No wonder she's "hungry" and "begging" at dinner; their dog ate her food!

I wish I could kennel train her. Then this would not be a problem.
...except when I'm not here. They wouldn't kennel her at mealtimes; heck, they'd probably give her more food because "mean mommy" isn't here to "cage" her up. Whatever.

Any advice on dealing with these situations is much appreciated!

I am seeing visions already of what it's going to be like when I bring my kids over, but that's another story entirely.