Yes I’m still talking about the puppy

 

 

I just opened a bottle of champagne* with a puppy under one arm.**

We’ve had a silly day, puppywise, but all days are pretty silly that contain a puppy.  I’m 1 handed again due to Holding & I will never learn that you can’t trust little freller to behave how you expect.***  We’ve had a lot of STIMULATION today but not much running around kitchen like lunatic & after dinner SHE WOULD NOT SETTLE DOWN so I got her out of her crate (grumbling, I wanted my supper in peace†), chased her around kitchen for 15 minutes (with some help from Peter) & plonked her on my lap for some remedial Holding.  Since she was going to be a moaning†† monster for some while I prepared inadequately for being nailed/puppied in place.  I don’t mind carrying a moaning monster around the kitchen under my arm††† while I finish preparations for focussed Holding but it seems a trifle unfair to wake her up when she’s immediately crashed out & perforce behaving.

Diane in MN

A sleeping puppy is a GOOD puppy.

Is arguably the only good puppy.  Although peeing and crapping fast, especially in the rain which she doesn’t mind at all but I do, also registers.

Anonymous

The boys seem to be excepting their new sister (so far so good).

I will not embarrass the person responsible for this typo by naming her out here in public but this made me laugh and laugh.  Yes, that’s exactly what the hellhounds are trying to do.  Except her.

Catherine

I’m immediately starting the process of trying to convince her to relieve herself on command. Hey, have a crap and get a treat! Dogs must think we are totally nuts.

I did this with Chloe, in theory it’s great, in practise it does require me to say ‘Do a poo!’ in public. Note to self: next time, phrase better.

Eh.  I’ve said ‘go pee’ to several generations of dogs, meaning ‘relieve yourself appropriately’.  I get a bit crusty about dogless onlookers recoiling from the graphic scene.  They’re probably the same jokers who object to breastfeeding mums in public.

Claning

I seem to recall it was Robin’s line in one of her books (I forget which one) where the dogs meeting new puppies “looked with horror on what they evidently took to be a revolting exhibition of dog dwarfs.”

Nope.  Not me.

B_twin_1

I’m looking forward to when you find Pavlova front and centre of the Doggy Heap.

I lost her for about a minute a few days ago—before yesterday’s

manifestations of rapprochement—& discovered her in hellhound bed between the two of them who were curled up together in a Celtic knot as they often are.  She was in a state of extreme ecstasy.  Them, not so much.   I do try to protect them from such vicissitudes but occasionally I fail.

Rainycity1

Jmeadows wrote:

Puppy in a bag! Puppy in a bag!

Seems the obvious answer to bell tower stairs, I think… Leaves your hands nice and free for hauling crates, too.

You might think so.  But in the first place you need a hand to ensure the puppy stays in the bag.  Peter and I had a nice stroll along the river in Mauncester today, which was the Scheduled Puppy Stimulation/Socialisation, and I spent most of it stuffing her back in the bag.  There probably are specialist dog-tote bags with, for example, zippers that do not slowly but inexorably unzip in response to frantic heaves of enthusiasm from the occupant, but she’s going to outgrow carrying soon and I’m hauling her around in an old shoulder bag.

Also . . . I am a clumsy oaf.  Tucked firmly into my armpit (supposing she is cooperating) she’s relatively safe.  Out in front of me . . .  I tend to keep both arms around her just so I don’t absent-mindedly slam her into things.

Diane in MN

Pavlova is really cutting in to my knitting time.

Puppies cut down on one’s ANYTHING time.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Catherine

I’d love to try taking Chloe ringing, she’d probably (once she worked out what was going on) be quite down with it, but my tower is in a no dogs churchyard. Alas. And dog in a bag is a great thing, you get to take them so many more places than otherwise.

Today’s Scheduled Puppy Stimulation/Socialisation #2 was taking her ringing at Glaciation where Anthea managed to get out of a touch of Stedman doubles because she had a sleeping puppy in her lap.

Usually dog prohibitions in open spaces like parks and playgrounds are about the possibility of dog crap.  If you bagged her in, why would anyone object?  Have you asked?

Katinseattle

“Me, intimidated? What does that mean?”

I have never seen anything like her.  Granted I’ve tended to specialise in the nervy end of dogdom (although anyone who says ‘w(h)impet’ to me is likely to be bitten severely) but … even so.  The Unexpectedly Puppy-Soppy Bloke was tonight telling me stories of bundles of canine nerves he has known & I’m like yup, been there, done that, hugged it till it stopped screaming.

Mrs Redboots

I love the way puppies waddle, don’t you? She’s nearly outgrown the toddler stage, but you can still see traces of it.

Yes.  I have historically not liked vertical tails but they’re part of the hellterror charm somehow.  For those of us who have dogs to have walking companions it is very important that you like the rear view.  As I follow Pavlova around the garden waiting for an opportunity to reward her however I’m thinking that some of that assertive waddle is just bull terrier.  Ask me in a year.

Skating librarian

Puppy in a bag also looks to be going well. I wonder if being close to you like that has the effect of the ticking clock and the hot water bottle on puppy mood.

I know body heat is popular with most baby mammals (and some grown-up ones) and according to Southdowner and Olivia bullies are very much contact critters.  I did wonder when she was ducking into the bag at the fun fair the other night if it was a reassurance thing.  I also wondered if my own accelerated heart rate—I hate things like fun fairs—might have a negative effect, but her heart rate didn’t change at all.

Brite

First, I apologize for being a blog reading lurker for many years without ever signing up to show my appreciation for your books and your blog.

No, no!  No apologies necessary!  Very glad for readers!  Very glad for all forum joiners! ‡

I had to register when I got really into KES because I can’t buy it,

BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SOME DAY.  Let me write some more of it, preferably including something a little more recognisable as a story arc.‡‡

And…Congratulations! I think terriers rule, but I’m biased.

Bull terriers rule.  And hellhounds, of course.  Oh, well, and Border Collies, and Great Danes, and . . .

* * *

* Well, cheap fizz, but it had a cork in a little wire cage like real champagne.  And no, you don’t want to know.

** No canines were harmed.  There may have been some language, equally distributed between puppy and bottle.

*** Stupid adult human  Stupid.

† You have a new puppy & you wanted supper in PEACE??  Hahahahahaha.

†† Puppies make the most ridiculous noises.  She has this sudden eruption of outrage noise like she’s just sat on a rather blunt tack, when she feels that her needs are being insufficiently catered to.  It’s nothing like a bark or a yap, & it comes after she’s been whinging for a while.  Silence will fall, briefly, & then a sharp little iiiiEEEEiiii.

††† Although as previously observed my puppy-under-arm days are numbered.  My bicep starts burning rather quickly now, eight days after puppy arrival.

‡ With a sotto voce caveat about politeness and Pollyanna.

‡‡ There may be a Suggestion of a Recognisable Fantasy Story Arc in the Next Ep.