Pets as Present?

It's hard to resist the joy of giving your favorite loved one the pet they've always wanted for Christmas. However, the result of many of these well intentioned gifts is animals that are unwanted, uncared for and oftentimes sent to shelters. 

An animal of any kind (even one as small as a fish or a hamster) is not a light, last minute purchase. Bringing a new life into the house should be well thought out and discussed with the entire family. 

Holiday pets often get ignored in the holiday rush. Christmas morning is filled with so many presents, lots of food, family and relatives coming over...then there's New Years in a few days. You think it's stressful on you? Thank about what a pet who's never been in your house before would be thinking. A new pet needs lots of quiet and calm. A new puppy or kitten needs to watched constantly and settle into a routine so they can become a happy member of the family. This is impossible to accomplish on Christmas. The new pet will just end up confused and scared. 

You should never pick an actual pet for another person, even a child. Bring the child along to pick out the animal and let it be a family event. All animals (even hamsters and fish) have distinct personalities and letting your entire family help with the choice makes the animal more special to them. Besides, don't you want to see how the puppy interacts with your entire family? That great puppy you pick out for your son might not like kids. Your son might decide the puppy you like plays too rough. Your kids may decide they'd rather have a cat! 

New Puppies

Almost every child asks Santa for one, however a dog is MAJOR purchase and a new puppy needs lots of attention and care. With the hustle and bustle of the Christmas/New Year holiday, the puppy probably won't get the attention it needs. That's not even taking into account all the ribbon, trees, rich Christmas foods, chocolate and other dangers the puppy could unintentionally get in while your family is busy with their other gifts. 

Alternate ideas: Give the kids a stuffed puppy and tell them the new puppy is coming. Wrap a puppy bowl, collar, crate and other puppy supplies with a "certificate" to get a puppy at a later date. All of this stuff should be set up and ready for the puppy when it comes home anyway. This way, you and your family can set it up while you tell them about the responsibility of a new dog. Another great idea is a few books on puppy care (especially if you have an older child).

New Kittens

Kittens don't take quite as much attention as puppies but they can still get into a lot of trouble at Christmas. Kittens are notorious for swallowing tinsel and ribbon and getting lots of stomach problems. Small kittens scare easily and the safest retreat will probably be up the tree which can be dangerous. 

Alternate ideas: Cat care kits, litter boxes, cat toys, books on kitten care. The litter box and a bed for kitty should be in place before he gets to his new house. You and the kids can decide where to put it.

Holly, Jolly and Oh-So-Safe! Of course you want to include your furry companions in the festivities, pet parents, but as you celebrate this holiday season, try to keep your pet's eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible. And be sure to steer them clear of the following unhealthy treats, toxic plants and dangerous decorations:

O Christmas Tree Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.

Tinsel-less Town
Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching "toy" that's easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It's best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.
No Feasting for the Furries
By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising fur kid will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

Toy Joy
Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Choose gifts that are safe.

• Dogs have been known to tear their toys apart and swallowing the pieces, which can then become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible.
  
• Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

Forget the Mistletoe & Holly
Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.

Leave the Leftovers
Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won't lead to costly medical bills.

That Holiday Glow
Don't leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!

Wired Up
Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws' reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet's mouth.

House Rules
If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you're busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.

Put the Meds Away
Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.

Careful with Cocktails
If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak, ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.

A Room of Their Own
Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.
New Year's Noise
As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat's intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears.

Dog Waits for Santa

Holiday Pet Gifts

Are you looking for a gift for your canine friend that is sure to get the tails wagging and paws pouncing this holiday season? For the safety conscious pet, you could always get them a new travel carrier or car seat harness. Or for the sophisticated pet, try some baked doggie goods from your local doggie bakery. If purchasing special goodies from bakeries isn’t your thing, make your own doggie treats! For the owner on a budget or for the pet who has everything, the gift of time is the top gift for any pet this year.

 

Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know?
-Cancer accounts for nearly 50% of all disease-related pet deaths each year
-One in four dogs die of cancer.
-Approximately 1 in 4 dogs develops a tumor of some kind during his lifetime.
-Just like in humans, cancer can occur in any part of your dog’s body.

Are you aware that November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month? Run your hands over your pet and feel for any unusual lumps or bumps. If you feel something new or unusual, let's take a look at it. Dogs and cats can get benign lumps such as lipomas and sebaceous cysts, but they can also get much more serious tumors, like mast cell tumors, melanomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and many others. Many of these can be diagnosed with a simple in-office procedure involving a needle aspirate and then a microscopic exam of the cells obtained. A fine needle aspirate is generally less painful than a vaccination, so don't hesitate to get that lump checked out. The importance of annual check-ups regardless of the age of your pet is critical in the prevention of cancer. 

Here are the top 10 early warning signs of pet cancer listed out by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

1. Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
2. Sores that do not heal
3. Weight loss
4. Loss of appetite
5. Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
6. Offensive odor
7. Difficulty eating or swallowing
8. Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
9. Persistent lameness or stiffness
10. Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating

Better to be safe than sorry, and much better to catch something sooner rather than later!

Level 1 Class:: Take 2 and Maggie's 1st Surgery

Maggie and I geared up all week for redemption at Level 1 class.  I must say she impressed me by the end of the week!  Just 10 minutes a day of practice can do wonders for a dog!  Not only would she sit and stay, she would let me walk around her and go upstairs where she couldn't see me before moving! 

...Well class was once again another story.  I must say she did a lot better but once again I couldn't help but laugh at her lack of listening skills.  Joe (finally) made it to one of the classes which was very nice (for me) to have him understand what we do every week.  We'll keep working at it!

Maggie got her big surgery on Friday.  She got her umbilical hernia repaired, spayed, had 2 teeth pulled, and had a microchip placed.  (THANK YOU so much for everyone who took care of her on Friday!!!)  Our weekend has been full of snuggling!  She has been such a little stinker... She's really good about not licking her stitches... But she definitely knows how to work it with me.  She wouldn't let me be within 5 feet of her.  If I was cleaning in the kitchen she would come sit on my feet.  If I sat down she would plop down in my lap.  If I tried to put her down she would twist and try to hold on to me.



Recovering... still sleepy!



This pretty much sums up our weekend...

 I could tell she was having a little bit of pain because she would be sitting and all of sudden jump up frantically trying to find a new comfortable spot.  At bedtime we tried two nights of the "cone of shame".... and well I think I now know how Maggie feels when my wild feet kick during the night.  I can't count how many times Maggie frantically jumped up trying to find a comfy spot and I saw the faint outline of the cone B-lining to my face.  I'm surprised I survived the encounter without a black eye!

Cone of SHAME

Just pitiful

...SO meet Plan B::

I don't think it really bothered her... Afterall it was this or the (da da dahhhh) the CONE

I bought Maggie a onesie and cut a hole in the butt for her tail.  It also works great because she has been scratching herself where her shaved belly is (thankfully missing the stitches!).  One of her nails must have been cut a little jagged because she has been leaving little scratch marks on her belly.

I'm sure you'll hear from me again soon with an update on Maggie's recovery!  Class should be interesting on Wednesday since we haven't been able to get much practice in.  Hoping for a quick and healthy recovery... Lucky puppy has her own personal nurse to take care of her :-)

Maggie's a STAR!

  Joe, Maggie, and I took pictures for Christmas cards (eek! already!?) the other day with the wonderful Graddy Photography. We went to an apple orchard in Northfield... Maggie had lots of fun!  If you're looking for some awesome pet photographers, check out Graddy Photography's website here.

Maggie's Level 1, Day 1 FAIL and Unexpected Expenses

Maggie Moo made this little lady look like a fool on the first day of Level 1 class!  The little stinker would not behave and wouldn't even do a simple sit or down.  Tiana, I PROMISE you we have been working on her sit's and down's!!  I don't know what her deal was and why she was acting up! 

We worked on "heel", "ready", and "stay".  I am determined to get Maggie to do this - regardless of how silly I feel telling my little 10lb dog to "heel" as if I'm attempting to tame some wild beast!!  I was so happy to see there was another little dog in the class - Maybe she'll make a new friend or two!

Dr. Cindy Sellin was also downstairs watching the dogs.  She likes to watch the first and last days to see how they all progress... Let's pray there's hope for Maggie and her listening skills!  Cindy, I promise you Maggie is more well-behaved than that, too!  I also need to work on getting the husband on the same page with training.  He rough-houses with her and she's been enjoying gnawing on some fingers... which she made apparent tonight.  I had to put some bitter tasting spray on my hands so she wouldn't keep biting them!

I also talked with Dr. Sellin about Maggie getting spayed and fixing her herniated umbilicus.  She also (unfortunately) noticed Maggie's baby canines haven't come out yet... which means she'll most likely have to get those pulled when she gets everything else fixed up.  Ughhh, Maggie!!!!!  Are you trying to be my expensive little puppy!?  Note to self - budget for unexpected puppy expenses.

I've noticed she's been getting more startled around other dogs... I know that's one thing I haven't been working on with her.  Maybe we'll have to venture out on some new trails this weekend since it is supposed to be gorgeous - Maggie's going to be in for a real surprise when some white stuff starts falling on the ground and all of the green disappears!

Maggie also had some pictures taken today for fall family pictures... Maybe that was why she was acting up!  We took some as a family and our photographer snapped a few of her solo.... I got a good laugh out of it.  I'm curious to see how they turn out.  We took them at an apple orchard and we put her in one of those old fashioned wooden crates... Hopefully they're cute!  As soon as we get a preview I'll be sure to post them!

Now that Maggie is back in school every Wednesday I'm hoping to update the blog more with her progress.  Should we take bets on how she'll do at the next class?

Ugh... Until next time,
Brit and Maggie

The (MIS)adventures of Maggie Moo

Having a puppy is not all puppy kisses and dog bones...
Here are a few of the funny and not so funny things Maggie has gotten in to::

While we were camping, Maggie decided to sniff a sticky bug catcher that was on the floor of the camper.  It scared her and she ended up flinging it up from her face and on to her tail.  Her fur got matted on her face and tail... which lead to Maggie vs the scissors.  Thankfully the scissors won and Maggie escaped with a semi-decent new (home-made) haircut.... Just in time for Christmas card pictures!

I left the house to go out of town.  My sister-in-law was coming to get Maggie for the weekend a few hours after I left.  I got a phone call from Shannon asking if I still locked Maggie up while I was gone... I guess someone (ehh... ME) forgot to latch the kennel and the little rascal had free range of the house.  I keep wondering if she had fun or was scared wondering where I was.  Luckily there was only one small accident on our bathroom floor.  What a smart puppy to choose peeing on a bathroom floor.  Now only if I can teach her how to use a toilet....

My husband took Maggie outside while I was driving off to work.  I rolled down the window to say good-bye.  Joe set Maggie down thinking she would follow him back inside.  Wrong!  She BOOKED it towards my car and I guess ran all the way to the end of the neighborhood.  She took a good nap for Joe after that exercise stint!

I just got home after a long night at work and all I wanted to do was go to bed.  I let Maggie run around for a little bit and took her outside one last time before heading to bed.  At the same time the sprinklers started and she thought it would be a good idea to run through them at 2am... Not cool.

On a good note - Maggie is a big girl now!! She officially survived her first time in the kennel (without someone letting her out) while I was at work - and NO accidents!  This is a HUGE thing for me, too, because (as mentioned before) I'm stubborn and hate asking people for help.  Now I know she can do it!  On days we have to do that we make sure we get A LOT of exercise in the morning!  With her having to be in her kennel for so long there's no way I have the heart to put her back in the kennel at bedtime.  We get in LOTS of snuggle time and that way I don't feel so bad!

Maggie is also going back to puppy school starting this Wednesday... She's advancing on to Level 1 :-)  We had to miss the first class since it was the one Wednesday I couldn't get off of work.  It will be interesting teaching a little dog like her to "heel"... It makes me chuckle!  Excited to see what else she will learn!

Here are a few random pictures of Miss Maggie!

Maggie playing with Nala the weekend I was out of town

Yes, she's tucked in under the covers smack dab in the middle of our pillows!  Do you see why it is so hard to wake up in the morning!!!??

I can't remember why we were so pooped out but needless to say Maggie and I crashed in the car!

Wackiest Pet Names of 2011

Ozzy Pawsbourne and Almost-A-Dog top this year's list of quirkiest monikers.
Fido, Spot or Fluffy? For some peculiar pet owners, these names are just too traditional. Although "Bella" and "Max" currently lead the pack as the nation's most popular pet names, thousands of other four-legged friends have much more distinctive names.


So drumroll, please... the 10 Most Unusual Dog and Cat Names for 2011:
Dogs

1. Almost-A-Dog
2. Franco Furter
3. Stinkie Mcstinkerson
4. Sir Seamus McPoop
5. Audrey Shepburn
6. Dewey Decimell
7. Knuckles Capone
8. Beagle Lugosi
9. Shooter Mclovin
10. Uzi Duzi-Du

Cats

1. Ozzy Pawsbourne
2. Mr. Meowgi
3. Murderface
4. Fuglee
5. Scruffernutter
6. Corporal Cuddles
7. Cat Masterson
8. Spam
9. Tape W. Orm
10. Louisiana Purchase

For The Love of My Puppy (and other little updates!)

I can't say over and over again how much my life has changed since getting Maggie.  Whether good or frustrating... I love everything about my Miss Maggie Moo and how she has changed my life.

I was thrilled at work when I was (finally) granted 12-hour weekends.  This means I would work every 3rd weekend instead of every other and I would have 5-6 days off before my weekend I work.  After giving it 3 months I've decided I can't handle working 12 hour NIGHT shifts.  It wasn't fair to Maggie to bring her somewhere else to spend the night and then expect her to sleep all day with me.  It not only screws up her schedule, but mine as well.  I've now decided to switch back to 8-hour evening weekends.  Even though I'll be working every other weekend, I'll have some consistency with my schedule so Maggie can get into a routine.  (It also means I won't always have to rely on someone to watch her or let her out! Thank goodness.)

There have been many opportunites to travel or go here or there with friends.  Having Maggie has either put a kink in the plans or cancelled them all together. It's a lot harder to pack up and leave on a whim these days.  I have to make sure I'm not gone for too long... which means I have to be home within a certain amount of hours or I'll feel guilty when she's in her kennel too long on my days off.  I'm sure she loves her kennel, though -  It's her time to get caught up on sleep!

Even though there are certain things I can't do right now, I love how much joy Maggie has brought to our lives.  I love coming home to her little wiggly butt and endless kisses.  It makes being home alone a little easier despite it being a lot harder to get motivated to get chores done around the house... I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

My favorite thing Maggie does right now is when she sees me give Joe a hug,,, she gets very jealous!!  She jumps up on the both of us until we pick her up.  Then she covers us both in kisses back and forth.  She loves our little family hugs! (Which reminds me - we are getting family pictures taken in September with Maggie and Graddy Photography! Can't wait!!)

Joe was home for 8 glorious days last week!  Maggie and I got used to Joe being home.  We have been letting her sleep on our bed with us for a little bit after she goes potty first thing in the morning.  She wiggles her way up the stairs after going outside and hops over to Joe's side.  She jumps up and down until I pick her up only to attack Joe with kisses until he wakes up to rub her belly.  The first morning he was gone again she went upstairs with her tail wagging.  I lifted her up on the bed and she sniffed everywhere for him.  She finally settled down on his pillow and sighed.  I snuggled up next to her and said, "I know, Maggie.  I miss him, too!"  It was just pitiful!  She was not herself that day.

Joe and Maggie snuggling

We are still working on her peeing issues when she sees new people.  I was proud of Joe for actually "researching" how to fix the submissive urination!  Maybe he'll start believing the things I say are true and really do work!

Miss Maggie Moo graduated puppy school a couple of weeks ago and I am one proud Momma!  She did great on her last day!  We played games and all of the dogs played together - minus Maggie who wanted to visit with the people or hide under the chair!  I thought it was so cute they held a graduation ceremony and even played the traditional graduation song when they called each puppy up for a diploma and a bone!

Graduation Day!

I'm hoping to enroll Maggie in the Level 1 class where she can advance her awesome "sits" and "downs" into "stays" and "heels" :-) Hopefully we can work it into our schedule!

Here are a few other random pictures of Maggie!

Maggie LOVES our new couches! I had to put pillows up so Maggie wouldn't go behind the couches and secretly poop!

Do you really think I'm going to say "down/off/no" to this face!?

Princess Magg-ster :-)

Lots of Little Maggie Moments

LONG over due for an update on Miss Maggie Moo!

I can't begin to say how thankful we are to have the ability to call a vet after hours.... We have taken advantage of this 3 times in the past few weeks!  Thanks Cindy for all of your help!! (Maybe I should think about that pet insurance??)

Call 1) Maggie was puking after her vaccines.  We gave her Iam's Low Residue wet puppy food - She couldn't eat it fast enough!  She just loved it!
Call 2) The little stinker fell going up my parent's steps and hurt her paw.  She wouldn't walk on it and I was out of town.  My poor Mom was a wreck and felt horrible.  I told her she's fine (and thankfully she was!)
Call 3)  Miss Maggie found a plastic baggy on top of her kennel (my fault) and ate half of it while we were gone.  Lucky for her she got more of her favorite Iam's wet dog food! after that incident!



Maggie wanted to come on our trip, too!

Maggie's Elmo ice pack after hurting her paw!

Maggie now weighs 8.5lbs - what a little porker!  She graduates from puppy school next Monday - so excited!! She's done very well and we'll hopefully have her go on to Level 1.  I think it's funny that she's going on - she's the smallest breed enrolled! :-)

Maggie's first pony tail

This past weekend we were also busy with a garage sale.  Maggie did so well!  She just sat there with her tail wagging until people noticed her!  People would say how amazed they were with how good she was around people.  She loved when kids came up to her because I let them give her a treat!  She's such a well socialized puppy!  We also had fun putting a "priceless" price tag on her.  Everyone thought that was cute!

PRICELESS :-)

Her new thing is to bring you a toy and if you dont pay attention to her she'll keep shoving it in your hand.  If you walk away she'll push the toy against your feet as you walk!  What a needy little puppy! :-)

I'm still working on getting Maggie to hold her pee while in her kennel.  She's up to 8 hours as of this morning!  She must have been pretty tired last night... but it was nice being able to sleep for 8 whole hours.  Even though she woke up at 630am we are going to stay up and get some chores done before my husband comes home.  I'm looking forward to him being home for 8 whole days coming up next week.  He will get a taste of how much work it is to take care of her!  Can't wait!!! Muah ha ha ha!

Maggie ZONKED out - She sleeps under her kennel pad... not sure why!

From BOW to WOW!

Maggie got her first hair cut yesterday!  Yes, she went from BOW to WOW!  :-)  We brought her back to our breeder's house for her to get a nice summer trim.  With the horrendous heat we were having we kept Maggie inside... plus her hair was really long and hot for her.

She recognized the breeders right away.  She seemed a bit overwhelmed with all of the other puppies... but that literally lasted 2 minutes.  Before I left she was chasing another puppy (Bailey), who was the same age as Maggie.  Our breeder said she just loved playing with little Bailey... we might just have to bring her back from some more play dates!

Thankfully I brought her in for a trim when we did.  Our breeder found she had little bumps/sores on her bottom.  It almost looks like poison ivy.  When we got home from getting her hair cut, I called the on-call vet and they suggested putting Neosporin on it.  She did such a good job with not licking it off.  I was a very proud Momma!  We had lots of snuggle time to distract her from licking!

Later tonight Maggie seemed so uncomfortable.  She kept crawling up on me and wanting me to hold her.  She was really sleepy and couldn't seem to get comfortable.  My heart was breaking for the little one.  If it doesn't get better I'm going to have to bring her in tomorrow. :-(

A special treat this weekend was when Maggie got to meet my Grandma (aka Maggie's Great Grandma!).  Maggie is named after the only dog I ever really knew growing up.  My Grandma always wanted a dog.  She begged and begged my Grandpa to let her get one.  He finally agreed to let her get one but only if her name was Maggie.  My Grandpa passed away when I was young so I didn't get to know him very well.  I try to hold on to every memory I have of him so I decided to name our first puppy, Maggie, in his memory.

When I was little with the "original" Maggie

I wish I had a picture of my Grandma holding her... she just loved it!  She spends hours studying pictures of little Maggie and the other puppies on the breeder's website.  She can name all of the puppies, their colors, and probably where their new homes are!  She waits anxiously by her compture for me to post new updates on Maggie (Hi Grandma.... Maggie and I love you!!)

We are looking forward to going to puppy class tomorrow evening!  Stay tuned for the new tricks we are learning!
 

Little fur-ball... Can hardly see she was so shaggy!


 

Pretty little girl!  So fresh and so clean!



Parenting Battles

Well, Maggie ended up having to play "hooky" from puppy school this week.  I was super bummed she didn't make it.  I unfortunately had to work.  My awesome sister-in-law was able to help take her out half way through my shift but couldn't make it in time for school.  I'll have to look back in her puppy book to see what new tricks I can teach her... she's getting too good at sit and lay down! 

Her new favorite toy are ice cubes.  (I can't remember if I talked about this before...)  I think it's funny when you spend all of this money on toys for kids then you give them a simple cardboard box and they love it.  Same with Maggie - I spent all of this money on toys for her and all she wants is a darn ice cube!  Anytime I open the fridge she's instantly by my side waiting for a cube to drop.  Cheap entertainment!  It has also come in handy during these (unbearably) hot days!

I'm so happy that she is feeling better after puking for 4 days.  She couldn't get enough of that special food!  She's eating like a champ and scarfing down her bowls in no time... just like my husband!  (I've joked with my husband that I need to HIM one of those food pacers you put in the dog's food bowl.... He's a little food monster!)


The Portion Pacer ball! (obviously not Maggie!).  Joe needs one for his plate....


My biggest issue with her doesn't really revolve around her -- it's differences in parenting!!!! When my husband comes home, Maggie gets thrown off the routine her and I have during the week, including doing VERY well with potty training.  When my husband is home, it's nice to be able to run my errands and take my time at the gym without having to hurry back to let her out (and not feel guilty about leaving her in her kennel).  It's nice every once and awhile to be able to sleep in and not have to wake up at 6am (I don't even set an alarm clock anymore because I can always count on Maggie to wake up at that time!).  I sometimes feel like it would be easier to just always have responsibility of her.... but everyone needs a break now and again.

Joe thinks she needs to learn how to "roam responsibly" (yes, he really said that!).  My response is, "When we have kids are you going to let the baby learn to 'roam responsibly'!?" Oh lord I can see it now... The poor child will have pulled everything out of the refrigerator/cupboards and Maggie will be there eating it all up... Ah!!! Lord, help us!!!  He says she does fine and has no accidents.  Well, clearly he didn't go in the basement (which the gate was supposed to be up and it wasn't....).  There was a puddle of pee by the door (she tried to make it outside) and then I found she POOPED on a picture of Joe and I!  I got a chuckle out of it... but the humor didn't last long.  I don't want her to realize when she slips out of our sight and pees/poops somewhere that she won't get scolded.  It's frustrating to have to get her back in to a potty routine.  We'll get there... hopefully! :-)

We are going out of town this weekend and will be away from Mags for the first time.  I'm going to miss her like crazy but I know she'll have a fun time with "Auntie" Nicole (a good friend of mine is staying with her!).  She will also get her first haircut on Sunday.  We are bringing her back to her breeder's house to get trimmed up.  She does a great job with puppy cuts and I can't wait for her to see how big Maggie has gotten.  It will also be interesting to see if she remembers her Mom and Dad!

Maggie's Busy Week

Maggie went to the vet again…. She weighs 6lbs now!  She has a little “junk in her trunk” so we were cutting her food back from 1 cup/day to ¾ cup/day.   She got her first vaccine with me being there… It was harder on me than Maggie!  Dr. Cindy and Nancy were awesome at distracting her!  We are so lucky to have such an awesome puppy!  The only minor problem we have been having with her is when she gets excited and pees her “hello” to people.  We have been working hard on not getting excited when we see her and telling others to do the same.  It is so hard to ignore the little rascal when I first get home, but I’ve been strong and we’ve already seen improvements!! Way to go Magg-ster!

Getting weighed at River Valley

Puppy school on Monday was full of information once again!  (If anyone is thinking of putting their puppy through school, Tiana is AWESOME.)  Maggie did a lot better on her obstacle course this week.  She rocked her “sits” and is slowly but surely understanding “lay down”.  (I’ll sit on the ground with my legs out.  She’ll jump over my legs and then sit down every time.  That’s my spunky little show-off!)  We also talked about food bowl safety and barking.

The last half of puppy class was spent letting the puppies all play together.  Since there is only one other small dog in the class, Maggie and the other little puppy were separated in their own pen while the big pups ran around.  It was torture for Maggie!  She wanted so badly to play with the big ones.  She did circles around the inside of the crate trying to figure out how she can get out to play!  (Maggie has been around big dogs lately… I think she’s starting to think she’s bigger than she really is!)  Tiana said next week she can roll with the big dogs - she’ll be so happy!  Speaking of next week, I am supposed to work and my husband is out of town so I will probably have to find someone else to take her.  No hooky for this puppy!

I gave Maggie her first bath this week.  She didn’t hate it, but she didn’t love it.  Afterwards, she went into her “psycho puppy” mode and was doing sprint circles around the house.  She didn’t realize when she’s wet she’s slippery so she slid EVERYWHERE!  It was rather entertaining to watch!!  Now whenever I turn the bath water on to take a shower she comes running towards it and tries to get in… maybe she did like it after all!?

All wet... pretty sure 3 of those 6lbs are fur and fluff!

Maggie continues to melt everyone’s hearts that she meets.  My Dad is not much of a dog lover and now he always asks if I brought “the puppy” over when I visit them.  He’s even held her!  My mom has always wanted a dog so we are hoping Maggie will finally break him of his “Puppy or Me” mentality!

A RARE sight.... my Dad holding a puppy

She also met my sister's dog, Macy, who is a teacup poodle.  I was curious and excited to see how they would interact.  Macy has only known my parent's house as "hers".  It went better than I expected.  Macy barked, Maggie wanted her to play.  Maggie kept going over to Macy to get her to play and Macy made it known she didn't want to play!  Maggie eventually learned to keep her distance.  Hopefully they will become best of friends!  My nieces just loved her!  Addy would wake up asking about her and go to bed talking about her.  So cute!

Addy and Maggie... BFF's.

We have a neighborhood girl that loves to come over and walk Maggie.  Maggie just adores her and gets so excited when she comes over!  It has been helpful for me too because then I can finish getting ready for work quick without having to worry where she is.

This past weekend I started working my 12-hour weekend shifts.  With about an hour commute each way, my 12-hour shift turns in to a 14-hour day by the time I get back home.  My husband had to go out of town this weekend, too, so that meant Maggie had a slumber party at Grandma and Grandpa’s!  I felt guilty making Maggie come back to bed with me when I got home at 8 in the morning.  Joe’s parents were awesome and made sure she was pooped out and ready for a nap!

Maggie has been sick these past few days.  She has been throwing up undigested food and bile.  When she threw up the bile I figured she was just hungry.  (She was also thrown off her eating schedule with me working 12-hour nights.)  After day 4 of throwing up, I finally called River Valley.  They put her on Iam’s low-residue wet puppy food.  This must be cat-nip for dogs!  Man, oh, man she jumps in circles when she sees me bring it out.  We’ve been feeding her a little bit every few hours.  So far, so good with no puking.  Some other girls at work and I were laughing about my puppy being on “bowel rest”!  I’ve been making sure she’s been getting enough water, too.  Her new favorite thing is to chase and lick ice cubes!

WHEW!  What a busy week Maggie has had!  Well, Maggie and I are off to go wake up “Daddy”!  How is it that men always get to sleep in!?  Hmm maybe we’ll have to change this…

Hugs and Kisses, Brit and Maggie

POOPED OUT after a busy week!

Happy 4th of July

Maggie wishes you all a happy and safe 4th of July! 

She heard her first fireworks last night and couldn't care less.  She was more interested in the sound of the crickets and chasing the baby frogs in the driveway!  So glad she was okay.... we will have to see how she does tonight, too!  Wish us luck!



Happy 4th of July!! She seems much happier in this picture with her new hat...



How Maggie Has Changed My Life

(Catching up on a few blogs tonight!!)

I never realized how much I up and leave until I couldn’t do it anymore.  There would be so many times I would run errands before heading in to work.  But now I have Maggie…. And I have to be mindful of how long she is in her kennel.  I used to be able to stay at the gym for as long as I wanted to.  But, once again, I have Maggie … And I don’t have the heart to put her in her kennel for 2 hours in the morning when I know she’s going to be in there while I’m at work.  My life doesn’t just revolve around myself and my needs anymore… I have a puppy to take care of.  Miss Independent (aka yours truly) can't be so independent anymore!

It is a challenge and a half to coordinate schedules between Joe and I.  When he is gone on trips, I need to make sure we have someone to watch Maggie and let her out about half way through my shift.  We try to spread out our resources and switch between Joe’s parents and mine.  Our friends have also offered their help.  It will be interesting when I start my 12-hour weekend night shifts next weekend… I’m not sure what we are going to do there.  I’m obviously going to have to get sleep during the day, which will be confusing for Maggie.  (And I don’t do well on little-to-no sleep…)

Work has been short-staffed lately so I have been picking up extra shifts.  Work knew I wouldn't be able to pick up extra shifts as long as my husband was home because we wanted to spend time together.  Now I can only pick up extra shifts IF Joe is home so she can watch her.  It's been hard since I've been sacrificing spending time with Joe, but who couldn't use the extra income in today's economy!

Today we went to the beach and of course it was too hot for her… so once again we needed to find someone to puppy-sit her.  I think we will be having to do the same for the fireworks on the 4^th… It will be interesting to see if she is a chicken little when it comes to fireworks!

I never thought I would monitor a dog’s butt so much in one day!! (Sorry, too much detail!?)  I constantly have my little shadow by my side so I can make sure she is going outside to poop and pee.  She’s getting the hang of it… She already knows to go downstairs by the door to go outside.  I’m one proud Momma!

Sleeping in is SO last season!  Maggie is like clockwork and wakes up every morning in the 6am hour to go poop and pee.  It doesn't matter what time she went to bed.... she'll still wake up at 6am! Sometimes she'll let me go back to bed.  Other times I camp out on the living room floor so she can play and I can rest!

My husband and I have our differences with raising Maggie.  I’m so glad we got a dog before having a baby… and that we are figuring out these differences now before we have another person to think about.  I think he sometimes gets frustrated when he realizes what I’m telling him might actually be the right thing to do… he never likes admitting when he is wrong and I am right!

I thought I was mentally prepared to have a puppy… But I don’t think it quite sets in how much work it actually is to raise a puppy until you have one.  However, I wouldn’t change it for the world.  She has brought so much joy to our lives and our families.  I love seeing how people “ooh” and “awe” over her.  I love when you get home to see her, her little butt wiggles and she squeals with excitement to see you.  I love watching her sleep... especially when she's dreaming and her tail starts wagging.  Wonder what she's dreaming about!?  No matter what, she gives you endless love.  Having a puppy is A LOT of work… but the memories are priceless.

My forever fur-ball buddy :-)

She's my little buddy - that's for sure.  I've been calling her "buddy" a lot lately... I hope she doesn't think that's her new name! 

Happy 4th of July to everyone and your little furry friends!

My Night with Maggie

(This was my night with Maggie a few nights ago....)

My husband and I have been very fortunate with our work schedules these last 2 weeks with Maggie.  So these last 2 days have been hard for me to leave her in her kennel.  I moved her kennel closer to the front entry so she can run outside to go potty when we get home (since she’s been sprinkling!)  I usually give her a Kong treat to distract her while I slip out the door.  Well on my first day of leaving her in her kennel for work she heard the door open, turned, and saw me leave.  I listened outside the door and she was crying and whimpering.  Yes, I will admit it, I shed a tear as well.  I felt horrible leaving my little fur ball buddy!  Fortunately, Joe’s parents were able to come let her out half way through my shift.  By the time they got there she had an accident in her kennel.  While his parents were there they played with her, took her for a walk, and fed her. 

I was planning on being home right around midnight.  Well, of course work was busy and I got out a little late.  I was already worried about Maggie being in her kennel for too long AND to top it all off I got pulled over on my way home because I had a break light out (THANKFULLY the officer was nice and asked me kindly to get it fixed).

When I finally got home, Maggie had puked and peed in her kennel.  Naturally I started feeling guilty and thought she was so distraught she was left in her kennel that she made herself sick.  I took her potty and cleaned up the puke… just what I want to do after having to deal with puke, pee, and poop all night at work (I work as a pediatric oncology nurse - so I deal with all sorts of bodily fluids on a daily basis!).

Maggie was in her kennel all night so I didn’t have the heart to walk upstairs and put her in her kennel so I could get some sleep after an exhausting night at work.  So we played and burned off some of her energy… finally heading to bed around 2am.  Around 3am I hear Maggie whining in her kennel.  I knew she couldn’t have had to pee because I literally let her out an hour prior.  I put my hand down by her and told her to go back to sleep.  She was quiet for a few minutes then started whining again.  (She usually goes back to bed right away so this was odd for her).  I took her out of her kennel to find she had peed everywhere… great another bed to clean up!  I tried taking her outside right away only to find our neighbor’s cats in the front yard (did I mention they are 2 fiesty male cats in heat who love to bug Maggie!?)

Back inside we went… and at 3am I’m scrubbing down and changing out another bed.  I put her back in her kennel only to get another wake-up call at 6am from the little fur ball.  I took her outside to potty (no cats this time) and tried to get her to follow me back upstairs to catch a few more Zzz’s.  The little heart breaker sat at the bottom of the stairs with her head tilted thinking, “Where are you going? I want to play… No more sleep!”  I picked her up and brought her upstairs… I didn’t have the heart to put her in her kennel yet AGAIN… so….

Defeated.

The little stinker ended up in bed with me.  I was desperate!!  I needed to get some sleep since I had to go back to work later that day.  I had to wake her up a few hours later.  All she did was role over for me to rub her belly… such a stinker!!  Thankfully she hasn’t minded going back in her kennel since… she doesn’t even beg to come up on the bed!  I think we have one awesome puppy :-)

(Sorry, Tiana... I caved in!!  Hoping it was a one time thing!!!)