Puppy: Day 6

The puppy of last weekend is gone. He is now a wild dog running around, exploring and being a puppy. When our little puppy was Beau, he sat quietly - including the long drive from Regina to Calgary. Charlie, on the other hand, likes to run around and then under our bed in a circle as fast as he can. It snowed here last night. When I took him out to pee he was a maniac. This morning he ran full tilt up the five steps of the deck, over the couple feet of deck and then leaped through the air the ram square into the door.

He has figured out how to play with a ball and a little stuffed pig, how to get up and down the stairs (up alone, down with encouragement), is figuring out how to get up and down from the couch with a little foot stool. He is doing not bad in his kennel - he likes it when it is day time and he can choose to go in there and chew a bone - is not so keen at night. We even took him to the groomer to have a little puppy clean up - it is designed to get him used to being groomed. They gave him a bath, trimmed his nails and hair in important places - like his eyes.

He is a very good puppy. I think I am very lucky - as a first time pet owner - to have such a good pup. I wasn't totally thrilled with the idea, then I reluctantly got on board, but now I am happy to play with the little guy. He knows he is Logan's dog (he goes looking for him when only I come home), which is fine by me. He likes to cuddle and play - and only once has he left me a poopy mess...

Yesterday when we left for work we caged him in a small space in the kitchen with his kennel, toys and a puppy pad. We stupidly put the puppy pad in line with the door. When he heard me come home he started begging at the fence right on his little poop. In the time it took me to cross the deck, unlock the door and take off my shoes he had poop all over his feet and thus everywhere in his little pen. Super. Oh well. He has been really good with going to the bathroom outside when we are around. A few accidents but they have all been times when he couldn't ask to go out, our fault for playing too long without a bathroom break or leaving him alone. He is just a little puppy and I am happy with his progress and how much he seems to learn everyday.