Now That Is Rash!

Jesse and Josey are losing hair in patches. The skin underneath the thinning hair is scaly. Donna, our Kindergarten Teacher thinks it is a food allergy. Damn, I feed them probably one of the most expensive puppy foods on the market! She suggested me I try another food that does not have corn listed as the first 3 ingredients. Do you know how hard it is to find dog food without corn. Very hard.

FB Friends think it is the mange. Oh no, not that! That is like telling the well to-do mother that her kids have head lice! That's for dirty people, not my babies. Guess there will be a trip to the Lonoke Animal Hosital this week.

These free puppies are costing me an arm and a leg.

Night Away From Home

Jesse and Josey had a new experience this week. I had to go out of town for three days/two nights. I have probably already mentioned this, but my hubby, while a loving guy, will not take care of my puppies AT ALL. Therefore, I had to board them for two night. I am lucky in that in the my local vet will board pets. Wednesday morning I dropped them off at the animal hospital in the caring hands of the vet and his assistants. Like any new mom, I worried and missed my babies.
Picked them up this afternoon and oh, how happy they were to see me, and me then! They were extremely hyper so we walked next door to the animal hospital to the State Farm Office to say hello to Leanna. She was busy, so we just said hello and went on our way home. Lots of outdoor play when we got home and some practice of their newest commands, then a nap in my lap. So sweet and peaceful. Hope they are having sweet and peaceful dreams.
Both Jesse and Josey have dry patches on their skin that must itch because they are doing a lot of scratching. I wonder if I can put a little mild hydorcortisone ointment on these places and they will resolve. I think I shall try this. Also I notice that their neck is pink and inflamed looking. They are wearing flea collers and it looks like it is irritating their tender skin. These will come off and we will go back to the drops on the back - but probalby more expensive drops. These "free" puppies sure cost me a lot of money. That's OK, I still love the unconditional love Josey and Jesse give me. They are awesome.

All I ever needed to know, I learned in Puppy Kindergarten.

Saturday was our first day in puppy kindergarten. Josey and Jesse were scared shitless, or at least that is how they acted. Stayed under my chair, not interacting with the teacher, or anyone else for that matter. Shaking, or trembling when the teacher would approach them. Refused to take treats from me or the teacher. I was beginning to think my puppies were a bit retarted. Poor babies.
Back at home, we had a little better luck. They are doing well with the "sit" command, however we still have a lot of work on the "watch me" command. Guess they are not retarted after all.
They are being very naughty tonight. Only being playful puppies, fighting and barking. So why is that a problem? Because the hubs has already gone to bed. He is going to be pissed, cause they are making too much noisel and keeping him awake. Please be quite, little puppies. Please.

Clover

Jesse and Josey love playing in tall clover. Running and ropping and tumbling among the clover blooms. Occasionally stopping to look up at me and bark a thank-you for play time. Haha

J and J

The pups continue to grow and just get more and more entertaining. Still letting them stay outside in the kennel during the day because the weather has been so wonderful. This morning I put them out, but worried about them all dang day! Storms in the forcast for the entire weekend, starting to day. I called the hubs to check on the weather and put a status on FB to check on the weather in Lonoke. All was well, as I made it home before any bad weather arrived and the pups are safe in the house with me.
Every night when I bring Jesse and Josey into the house, my hubs immediately heads to bed becasue they are to "wild" for him. Ha-ha. He has "old peoples" skin and if they jump up on him and accidently scratch him it will leave a bruise or cause him to bleed. I don't know if he will ever bond with them like I have.
Tonight will be bathtime for the puppies, They do not like bathtime. Tomorrow is puppy kindergarten class one and they must smell nice and clean. We don't want to make a bad impression. This should be quite an experience. Stay tuned..........

Outdoor Fun

Today, I worked out in the yard with the hubs and the puppies. I put Josey and Jesse in a laundry basket secured to the front of the 4-wheeler. They rode around in the basket most of the afternoon as I worked clearing and moving limbs and brush from the back of the yard. After a while, they lay down in the basket and went to sleep. Guess I can say they are getting use to the 4-wheeler now. I plan to take them with us when we hit the trails on the ATVs.
I bought them a car seat, but haven't tried it out yet. I hope it will help control the motion sickness when we travel. They will be able to look out the window. Will have to plan a road trip soon to try it out.
We are training. I have been walking around the house and the yard with puppies tethered to my waist trying to teach them that I am the Alpha Dog and I am suppose to do the leading. They haven't learned that very well yet, as they continue to try to drag me. Poor babies, they are not big enough to drag me anywhere. I feel like I am a walking puppy treat machine. I keep puppy treats in my pocket and a clicker around my neck. When they do something right - like piddle outside - I press the clicher and immediately give them a treat. They get very excited when they hear the clicker or see my hand move toward my pocket. I am considering puppy kindergarten at PetSmart. Some would say it would be a waste of time and money, but hey, it is my time and money, so what the hey............

Puppylove Update

Oh, how Jesse and Josey have grown! They are so excited to see me at the end of the day they can hardly contain themselves. Ain't love great! I am almost as happy to see them. They are little trouble with the kennel outside and the crate inside. The get plenty of sunshine during the day and at night still curl up in my lap for to sleep. Still bunches of puppy kisses, although puppy breath is not as wonderful as when I first brought them home.
Josey is turning out to be a she-devil. Mean as snot to her brother, even though he is still the biggest one of the two. She will bury her treats, then go take his away from him. She is very jealous of any attention Jesse gets from me or the hubs and will crowd him out. Jumps all over him, knocks him over, chases him off. Now I know that some of this is just puppy play, but occasionally she gets to rough with him and makes him yelp. Poor baby, Jesse. Josey is a wild child! I might have to put her on Ritalin.
I took them to the cabin for a weekend outing. Just me and the pups. Both of them threw-up in the jeep. We stopped a couple of times and let them rest, but everytime we got a few miles down the road, up it came again. They both are more refined vomiters than I am. You can hear me for a block away, but they just open their little mouths and out if comes. I had prepared the jeep for soiling, but did not have this in mind when I did so. Once in Mtn View, we visited the county vet and he did not have any medicine for motion sickness so he gave me pills for sedation. One forth pill for each of them and they slept like babies and no more vomiting. WooHoo.
They go for their second set of shots this Saturday. I also need to check into boarding for the puppies because my hubs never cleaned up after my son when he was a baby and does not intend to clean up after the puppies. Told me to "do something" with those puppies before I go on vacation - which is in July. Don't get me wrong, he likes the puppies as long as he does not have to feed/water/clean up after them. WIMP! God love him. Me and God love him.

Until Later ~