Today marks one week since we picked up Millie and brought her home. I've decided to share with you our first week with puppy...
Friday: "WE'RE GETTING THE PUPPY!!! YAHOOOOO!" We pick up Millie at 7:30pm. She is the last of her litter to be picked up... poor lonely puppy.
The Tjernagels give us 2 puppy blankets, a toy, a ball and enough food for the first 24 hours. They take our family picture, and we leave with our newest member in the van.
Mommy and Josh take turns holding her in the van. Make a stop at Petcetera on the way home to buy brand of dog food she is used to (Orijen - they don't sell it there).
Introduce puppy to our home, the kitchen, her doggie bed and her kennel. Josh really wants her to sleep in his room (we say no.)
After kids are in bed, Mark has puppy on his lap while he watches tv!
10:30, after last trip outside, Millie goes to bed.
Saturday - 1st Full day - Millie wakes up at 4:30, then 5:30 to pee outside, then sleeps til 7am. Josh and Lucy wake early to play with their puppy. Josh is very careful to follow all of mommy's instructions about the puppy. Lucy cradles the puppy like a baby, and coos: "Who's the cutest puppy? Yes, Millie, Millie, Millie... Kisses!"
12pm: Nancy, Brian, Grace & Griffin arrive from Seattle - are introduced to the new puppy. Puppy gets LOTS of attention from 4 children.
1:30pm : Erin and Nancy begin hunt for brand of dog food. Find it at 3rd store (Prairie Pets).
2:30: 4 adults take 4 children to Jungle Jac's to play and give Puppy a good break.
Adults watch "Oceans Thirteen" with Puppy taking turns on our laps.
Puppy slept another 6 hours at night.
Sunday - Millie escapes from kitchen while family at church. Relieved that there are no messes or chewed toys in bedrooms. Family decides kenneling her while we're gone isn't too cruel.
Millie won't sit still on Mark's lap - wants down to explore floor. Ends up in kennel. Millie slept 7 hours!
Monday - Josh doesn't want to go to school, begs to stay home and take care of puppy. Millie makes a visit to Joshua's classroom at the end of the day for Show & Tell. His class is so cute... everyone waits silently at their desk as Josh proudly walks around to show her off.
Tuesday - Lucy and Mommy enjoy a very nice afternoon with Puppy while Josh is at school... we're really doing well! Puppy is a little obsessed with fridge... really wants to get in, jumping up in it, whining beside it. Hmm....
Wednesday - first day I leave for work... Puppy poops and pees on kitchen floor while I take kids next door for childcare; after spending 15 minutes outside with Josh! Neighbour and Lucy visit Millie midday for potty break, lunch and playtime. Feel guilt as puppy gets a 5 min. potty break/playtime, before we head to skating lessons (poor puppy).
Thursday - I hit the wall with puppy training... Millie decides "Why pee and poop in my playground when there is a perfectly good kitchen floor?" Pees only on floor today. Erin washes floor with lots of VINEGAR! Erin thinks "I am such a bad puppy-mommy." Good friend Anne consoles Erin on the phone.... assures me Millie will learn to pee outside.
Friday - what a fantastic day! Well, not so fantastic at 4:30am when I take Millie out and smell a SKUNK! Decide to let the dog pee on deck so that we don't get sprayed in the dark. (It's supposed to rain this morning anyway) Head out for next pee trip at 5:45 - phew - not so skunky-smelling; skunk must have left yard.
Millie happily goes in crate when time to leave for work. Nana & Papa arrive with children at noon. Josh does most of the potty visits today - she pees and poops outside consistently today!
Woo-hoo! Also, watch "Pollyanna" with kids late this afternoon, as puppy sleeps on Joshua's lap. (Good movie, Masterpiece theatre version - recommend it for families).
Goal for the next week: get Millie to stop chewing on Lucy's feet!
1 comment:
ah, fun times, eh? I've heard puppies can be less work or more work than babies ;0)
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