After yesterday's visits and excitement, this Saturday was a low-key, at-home affair. The camera didn't get taken out until almost dinner time. I recorded Aurora's source of chronic puzzlement: how to operate the stairs! Day 62 -- Contemplating the Stairs AGAIN Then I asked Geoffrey to pose with Aurora, because it had been a while. Geoffrey did his best to make me wonder if he was a fit parent! Day 62 -- Only a Slightly Demonic Look
After the big Thanksgiving dinner for the humans, we all weighed ourselves this morning. In Aurora's case -- and only in her case! -- heavier is better. Today she was 4 pounds 6 ounces. That's five ounces more than the last time we weighed her five days ago. Good girl! The pack stayed together and decompressed most of the day. By "decompress" I mean run, chase, chew, and snarl for an hour or so followed by complete collapse for several hours; repeat! Aurora's newest discovery is how to walk up the side of the decomposing planter box and join generations [...]
There are a few things puppies have to learn at an early age. Aurora isn't housetrained and cannot do any tricks, but we have taught her some behaviors for social and safety reasons. Puppies need to be held stomach up, getting cradled. This reinforces that the humans are the pack alphas... we get to have access to the soft spots. Puppies need to open their mouths wide when we say ,"Awwww!" This means if they put something dangerous in their mouths we can get it out without a struggle. Day 60 - Say "Awww!" Humans need to repeatedly [...]
Aurora's favorite spot for napping has definitely moved from the whelping box to the adult pack's den in the hide-a-pet underneath the butcher block. Day 59 -- Under the Butcher Block This photo above, taken by Geoffrey on his iPhone, shows Aurora nestled in the den. The wire in the photo is the exercise pen which surrounds the whelping box... which our girl is out of. Day 59 --Ready for Parboiling? Aurora is quite comfortable snuggled in with the rest of the pack in the too-small space! The humans were in the living room, so what [...]
Aurora had two special visitors this afternoon, Kurdish dog-loving men. But, before she received the call to greet visitors she spend time in the backyard tasting the vegetation. Day 58 - Among the Plants Later in the afternoon Firooz and Basil stopped by to greet the girl. Day 58- a Kurdish Visitor Day 58- a Visitor and the Pack
Most dogs have at least two names: the name they get when they are at the breeders with their siblings and then the name they are called by when they go to their permanent homes. Purebred dogs registered with the American Kennel Club are given an additional name, their registered name. We gave Zenith's newborns puppy names of "MUNI" and "Metro". (Unfortunately Metro died the first week.) And, now at 8 weeks MUNI is old enough to have a permanent home and a new name. Her permanent home is going to be with the Ozdachs pack! So, we get to give [...]
What could be more traditional for a Sunday than being At Home to receive visitors. MUNI socialized in a big way today meeting five new friends. Day 56 --- MUNI and DianeClick on any photo in the blog for a larger version. Then click again! Diane and Kathleen drove me home from church and were today's first visitors. Diane clearly is a dachshund maven, although MUNI enjoy attention from them both. We talked about showing dogs, and wondered if MUNI is destined to be a show girl. It's too early to tell, but Geoffrey brought out the grooming [...]
MUNI liked having another human around today to help her enjoy her current play toy favorite, the snake! Apex and MUNI Share Snake Destruction Duties MUNI, in her role as deputy play machine, is fearless in competing with the #1 player, Apex. MUNI will fight for the same toy and do at least her share of growling! Apex and MUNI Play Snake But, it isn't all Sturm and Drang in her life. The day was nice (if smokey) and MUNI continues to enjoy early afternoon outdoor dining with her mother. More Outdoor Dining But, [...]
MUNI started off the day at a fiesty 3 pounds, 13 ounces, up 2 ounces from just yesterday. Well, maybe her weight isn't necessarily feisty, but everything else abut her is turning out that way. It's a good thing! Day 54 -- Woof! or Grrr!!! She's playing hard three or four times a day. Her sessions are pretty aggressive, fearlessly playing with any adult, canine or human. If she had litter mates we probably wouldn't find her attacks on them so fierce, but watching her pose and "Grrr!" at her mother, aunt, grandmother, or Paris is a kick. [...]
Weekdays tend to be busy for the humans. Playing with MUNI always happens, but grabbing a camera to capture a cute moment (or two or two hundred) sometimes gets overlooked. Today MUNI showed fearlessness in following the adults out of the kitchen and romping into the back hallway. We were kept busy watching her, encouraging her, and warning her away from things like wires. Very cute. And, happily exhausting. We had an opportunity to take photos only one time. The puppy was slowed down at the gate -- she had to attack her long-suffering mother. Day 52 -- Expanding Our [...]