It’s certainly a bit of a grind around here since we haven’t yet potty trained these pups. So we’re watching them every second of the day and trying to prevent “accidents”. It’s in quotations because it doesn’t appear accidental when it happens!! Fortunately, the weather in Austin is always perfect so we have frequent outings to the front yard which makes this whole thing a little easier to take.
Those pink blossoms are mostly gone- they both love to eat them. They also like to chew the base of this plant.
The front yard, however, isn’t real happy about that. There are two large flowerbeds that have been getting destroyed! Puppies love to eat the leaves of any of the plants, with certain plants and blossoms preferred. And digging. So Rob has been erecting some temporary fencing so we don’t lose all of these wonderful plants which include many herbs, roses, salvia, and more. When they wrestle and play in that area it becomes quite fragrant because they are releasing the scents of the herbs when they get crushed :) Thorns on rose bushes not noticed. Fire ants have been an irritant for them, albeit only for a minute or two and they’re onto something else.
Finally the puppies are starting to notice the deer that are frequently standing a mere few feet away on the other side of the fence. Typically it’s a doe with her baby fawn(s). Woody stares and then emits a quiet growl but then may run to the house in fear.
Sleeping!
They can see the chickens from inside the house and are getting interested now, yet still somewhat scared of them. The pups have been more focused on small things right in front of them, so beetles and flies get a lot of attention.
We have taken them into the pool twice in our arms or briefly on the dog-floaty-thing that the previous homeowners left behind. They are very nervous but at the same time are curious and I think if we keep it up they will start to enjoy it. Once they start to swim, that’ll be great, but there’s no way for them to get out right now so we will have to figure something out. Below are links that may or may not work to little videos Rob took of our first pool adventure.
Just before we got the pups, we were brainstorming ways to keep the chickens off the concrete patio which is our outdoor eating area. They like to congregate there, especially in rainy weather, but they leave behind a bunch of poop. One somewhat useful tool was Rob’s outdoor speakers. When the chickens hopped up to a little table on the patio, he’d turn up the music REALLY loud and that would spook them quite a bit…at first. But over time they were less alarmed by it.
So then I came across a kids’ remote control fire engine on Amazon which can move forward, backward, left, right, AND squirts water! It just came yesterday and I have tried it out once on the chickens. They definitely ran away…not sure if I got them wet or not. And the pups are completely fascinated by the fire engine! I can put the fire engine outside while the pups are inside watching through the window. Once I get it into position, SQUIRT the window! Excellent entertainment for all. I won’t be able to let them get near it as likely it will be destroyed.
I love this package! “OWNING IT IS YOU BEST CHOICE” and “The Leopard’s Speed” LOL
I wish we had more footage of things but it’s hard since first, we are so tired! But also it’s just hard to film when the dogs are in motion and typically chewing on wrong thing or about to have an accident! Or, like the roadrunner I just saw in the lawn, is so fleeting by the time you get your phone for a pic the opportunity has passed.
It’s definitely “survival mode” for us around here so training the pups is not happening yet. We’ve been so tired that literally we forget the name of the dogs sometimes, especially Stony. So sometimes I call Stony “Salty Dog” or “That other dog” or “The Black One”.
We’re also reverting back to our muscle-memory of having babies in the house. When it’s nap-time, we whisper and tiptoe and I keep not shutting doors hard enough and so the back door ends up blowing open and microwave won’t engage.
Did I mention they chew everything, including stones? I’ve seen Woody chew on the side of the house. Rock.
Woody seems to be more of a digger than Stony, but once the idea is introduced they both embrace it fully. Woody is usually less likely to spook than Stony. But the sound of other dogs barking in the neighborhood freaks them both out. Stony seems to be the more cerebral of the brothers.