I Ain’t no Heel

I sure had a busy day today. I had to visit my friend Jan at the vets today to get a couple of shots, I visited my favorite store (PetSmarts), and had another training session with my new friend Tony.

Dad and I went to the Vets and I got to weigh myself. I’m now 22.5 pounds! Jan took me in the back without my Dad, but I was a brave puppy and Jan said I was really good. I have my last puppy visit in a couple weeks, and I won’t have to go back for a year!

So after the visit to the vets, we stopped at PetSmart. I love seeing everyone there, some of the girls who work there even remember my name. I got to meet a couple new puppy friends and say hi to the birds.

Now let me tell you about my walks. Dad and I have been walking a lot! Every morning we just leave the house and walk somewhere new. It isn’t just wandering either, Dad makes me walk right beside him and I’m not allowed to chase leaves or squirrels or nothin’. Every once in a while he tells me I can go sniff, and that is fun too. Today I learned about heeling. It just seemed like walking to me, only I can’t stick my nose out front…

Well, it is bedtime…. Talk to you again soon!

Big Changes

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven’t been blogging, but I’ve been learning to walk, sit, and stay. Well, and growing… It is a lot harder than it seems, not the growing part. I hardly notice that at all, until I see myself in the mirror, dishwasher reflection, or try to fit in Dad’s lap to take a nap.

So much has happened I hardly know where to start. I have been to the Vet’s twice and I like them a lot. I think I heard Dad on the phone talking about us going there again this week for a booster shot.

I have really been enjoying the walks I take with Dad. I wasn’t a big fan when we started them, but I was just a pup then. Now we take 2 walks a day around 2 miles each. They make me tired both mentally and physically. Thinking is harder than it looks…

Mom and Dad introduced me to a man who is really working me hard. His name is Tony Filippone and he is a professional dog trainer. He is training all three of us, but Mom and Dad don’t have to wear a collar. I don’t see to be able to get him to do what I want like I can Mom and Dad… He says stuff, and MEANS it… 

Well, time for a nap so I can be ready for my afternoon walk! I think Dad wants to say something too.

Ben is right. I do want to say what a great decision it was to hire Tony. Both Janet and I have had dogs, and I have taken dogs through group obedience classes before. I watch Cesar. I knew the basics. I thought. I may have been able to take Ben to 50% of what he could be, but I doubt he would have been that responsive to everyone, even me all the time. Ben deserves better than 50%. Don’t all dogs? I mean we brought them into our homes out of their natural order, we should at least make their lives with their human pack as “natural” as possible. That means we need to be strong leaders and 50% isn’t good enough. Tony has been training dogs and their owners for over 30 years and knows how to train both. If you have a dog, no matter how young or old, that has “issues”, he can help.

Big and Sleepy

Sorry I haven’t been writing much, but I’ve been a tired pup. I think it is all the growing I’ve been doing. According to Dad, I now weigh 16 pounds, that is 9 pounds more than I weighed when Mom and Dad brought me home 3 weeks ago!

So I have been sleeping a lot! I am about to outgrow my bed, but it is still a great place to lie down. I do like to be held while I’m falling asleep, this may pose a problem when I run out of lap.

I am learning to go look at the door when I want to go out. The only problem is I sometimes want to go outside right after I pee on the rug, but it is something.  Playing is a lot of fun even though I’m not allowed to bite Mom and Dad like I would my puppy friends. These warm days have been great. I love going out and chasing leaves and sticks and shadows. Walking  up the street is still a little too exciting for me sometimes and I just want to sit down and see what happens.

We went to my favorite place in the world, PetSmart. I have the best time seeing everyone, even the cats. I really like the birds, and they have fish like my Dad’s. Everyone wants to pet me and they all tell me how cute I am. One of the girls who works there even remembered my name! I got to watch a lot of the older dogs that were in an obedience class walk around. It is a lot of fun.

Well, until next time, be sure to pet a puppy every chance you get!

Ben's 2nd Week

While Ben loves to write his own blog, I am going to be sure and write some posts too. I want to make sure I am doing several things. Thanking people who are helping us on the doggy odyssey, documenting Ben's life, and providing some information about our struggles and successes so others may feel they are not alone.

First, I again want to thank the Homeward Bound people. You make such  difference in the lives of the dogs, and people you help save. Please if you are reading Ben's blog and are looking for a dog or can help them in any way, please do. Today is the end of the second week since we have had Ben.

When we picked Ben up, he was just starting his 8th week of life and weighed about 7 pounds. He was all puppy clumsy and excited. What he has never been is nervous or anxious. This I attribute to his mother's calm demeanor. Nothing has fazed him. Dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, disposal, vacuum, cars, people, cats, squirrels, he is a very balanced puppy. This has made for a great start to getting him running with our pack.


As he is not constantly fighting these outside items, this allows him to focus on what he should be doing. The two key areas we are focusing on right now are potty training and play biting.

Potty training is going well, WHEN he is crated for enough time for him to have a real urge. He does tend to squat and leave very small amount at odd times if he is out of his crate for awhile. He is starting to go to the door when he has an urge to go which is great! I haven't connected the doggy dots in his brain yet to know why sometimes he chooses option carpet.

Play biting is a big item with Ben. He has a strong prey drive, so anything moving is alive to him and he wants to get his mouth on it. Pant cuffs, shoe strings, hands, feet, shirts and scarves. This is a daily struggle, but he is much better, and gets better everyday. Sometimes making sure he has something to chew helps, and sometimes not. I believe the key thing here is the difference between teething and play biting. He is teething a lot, but that doesn't really effect his nipping, unless he is being help for awhile.

So Ben is now 9 weeks old and 10.5 pounds as of this morning. Growing like a weed and getting cuter everyday...if that is possible.

Play Date

I got to have to most fun ever! Mom and Dad took me to see my Aunts and my cousin Ty. 


Ty remembered my Mom and Dad from when they watched him, he was so excited he even dribbled a little all over my Dad's shoes!


Ty is older than me, so it took us a little while to "work things out".

You have to play nice!

Once we settled all of that, we had a lot of fun, running around ...

Look how fast we run!

and under the table...

Tag! You're it!

I'm really glad I had the chance to practice my doggy skills, Mom never bites me to get me to play... I also have to say that playing with my cousin made me really tired, I fell asleep at 9:00 and didn't wake up till 7:30, I was a tired pup.

Puppy Gifts!

Guess who got a package today? That’s right, ME! 

My Grandma sent me a care package. She said she had some things that my Aunt Madeline didn't want anymore. Now I really feel like part of the family, getting hand-me-downs…

New Toys!

 I do have to say that I love my toys. I took two, the little red bone and moon shaped one, right in my crate. I want them with me all the time. 

This moon shaped one is my favorite. I love to chew on it, it is just the right size.

I’m going to have to grow into a couple of my new toys, the big Kong ball is as big as my head now, but I still knock it down, chase it and chew it. 

  

Snow Dog

It snowed today! I have never seen snow before. I have to say it looks much nicer from the window than it feels while taking care of outside business…

Dad took pictures of my first steps in the snow and kept saying something like one small step for puppy, one giant leap for puppykind. He is too weird sometimes.

Feet are cold

Snow is fun, and I’m sure I’ll have a lot more fun next year as a one year old in the snow than I am now. I really want some more warm sunshine and want to help Dad plant the garden.

Can we go in now?

I did get to take my heartworm pill today and Dad signed up on Remind My Pet.com to send him an email when my pill needs to be given again. Technology is a wonderful thing.

I got an email from Dr. LaForte today telling me I really need to change my puppy food to a large breed puppy food to make sure I don’t grow too quick, something about my bones and stuff. Sounded like really good advice.

Oh and I slept in my crate all night last night. I did have to get up around 2:30 to melt some snow, but then I slept till 7:30. Yeah, I whined a little, but Dad never said a word. I think he likes me.