Spoiling The Pups

[sheepdog 10]

Does anyone realize how easy it is to spoil a puppy? Just the least little simple thing you do, and you can really make a monster out of one. I now should rename T'Pel Cookie Monster. Though technically I suppose it should be Donut Monster. I made a monster out of mine accidentaly, I may of mentioned in a previous post we recently brought a new puppy to the house, I fed her a couple of stale chocolate coated donuts, and now she's hooked on them. I left the bag of old ones on the couch, and she would get on it, and poke her head in the bag, and get one donut out, then get down and eat it, then go back for another, but she was just taking one at a time. Most dogs would of snatched the hole bag and torn it to shreds and ate them all. My hubby was sitting on his chair watching her the hole time, he thought it was hilarious. He finally got up and rolled the bag close so she couldn't stick her head in it. He said if looks could kill that would of been the end of him. She was really pissed off at him for closing up her treat bag. But she still didn't take the hole bag and shread it like you would expect a dog to do. After my lunch today I grabbed another bag of the little chocolate covered donuts, a fresher one of course, and had a couple. T'Pel spent the entire time I was eating them laying at my feet staring at me, hoping for a donut. She completely ignored her will I was eating a boiled egg and cheese and crackers, but when the donuts came out, she was right there! Dogs can just be so much fun!And just in case anybody is concerned, the donuts were just coated in a thin coat of milk chocolate, it's the dark chocolate that is bad for dogs, and then they have to eat a lot of it in most cases.

[sheepdog 10]

Over 2 weeks now and her addiction is still quite intense. Despite last nights dinner of ham, cream style corn, bisquites and baked potatoes with cheese and sour cream it wan't until I grabbed that bag of donuts that she mobbed me. Boy does she ever have a good memory! And she is so sneaky! She is currently asleep under my computer desk. I can never figure out how she gets under there, I never see her go past me, and she would pretty much have to crawl under my legs to get there. I have to get in gear and start some serious training with her. She can really be a juvinile delinquent sometimes. She is really funny about her choises. For example, at night when it is time to go to bed, all I have to do is tell her to get in her crate, and she practicly shoots herself into it instantly. But when we are outside, taking to her is like talking to a rock. She pays nearly no attention to me whatsoever. Catching her while out is almost impossible. One look at me when I call her and she heads in the othe direction. Oh, she's right under my feet every step I take, I just can't grab her. And she is FAST! We did get a really good laugh out of her yesterday, she likes to bounce on the screen door when you try to ope it to let her out, as it happened, hubby was coming in as I was letting her out and when she lunged at the door it opened and she splatted on the front porch. It could not have been timed more perfectly if it had been done on purpose. She took it in stride though, got up and shot off the porch just like nothing had ever happened.

[sheepdog 10]

T'Pel completed her first away from home trip last week. She actually did a lot better than I expected her to. We stayed with my sister in law in California for a week. She has 2 dogs of her own, a beagle and a large Chihuahua, both older and obese. Not the kind of playmates T'Pel likes. She tried her best to play with them, and the Beagle wasn't totally against a little playing but he's just way to fat and lazy to keep up with my devil dog. The Chihuahua however, was not at all thrilled with the new kid in the house. T'Pel was just too overwhelming for her. I think she wanted to play but couldn't deal with T'Pels pushy, rambunctious in your face activity level. At one point the Chihuahua actually snapped at her and got a couple of wiskers in her mouth. Sure wish I would of had a video camera at that moment. Poor Chihuahua decided right quick that Schnauzer hair didn't taste very good. She spent several minutes making some of the awfulest dog faces and spitting and carrying on you ever saw. We got quite the laugh out of it. We of course, had our other dog Sissy, a mini Schnauzer with us, so at least they could buddy up together and play. It was really funny when Sissy thought T'Pel needed to learn how to play fetch. They had found a tennis ball somewhere, and Sissy got it and would stand up on the porch by the front door and then drop the ball down the long wheelchair ramp, and T'Pel would run down the ramp and fetch it. First time I ever saw one dog teach another to fetch. One thing that I noticed on the trip is that T'Pel was completely unwilling to go into her crate at night. Here at home I can say one word to her and she dives right in but every night while we were out there I had to push her in it, although by the last night before we were to leave she finally went in on her own. I thought it was pretty odd. Even in the motel room she would go in when I told her too. Can't figure out why she wouldn't at my Sister in laws place. We did have her crate in the bedroom with us, right next to the bed. She just didn't want any part of it. She also did real well when we would stop on the road for potty breaks. She has spent very little time on a leash, but that didn't seem to bother her at all. She had a lot more confidence when she was out in strange places than I thought she would have. So all in all, at least that part of our trip went well.