English As A Second Language

Yesterday, after mom helped me write the post about how well me and Stanley were doing, we pooped on the living room carpet.  We didn't plan on it, it just happened.  Mom said, "I'd prefer you to poop outside."  Now I'm no wizard with the English language, in fact I understand very little of it, but Stanley looked up the word "prefer" and there were several definitions.  One of them was "to like better or best" and another one was "to bring forward or lay before one for consideration".  So we thought we had it covered in this situation.  If she liked it better or best that we poop outside, then that doesn't mean we can't poop inside, it just isn't the best option.  It's not like she said it was mandatory that we poop outside.  And if it was the other definition, well . . . we did lay the poop there for her consideration and we did it in the living room where it would be easy for her to find.  I don't think she appreciated the thought we put into it. This human language is just so confusing!

So today, we were just playing.  We had a few toys out, not all of them, but we were having fun.  And me and Stanley said to each other, "Let's not poop in the living room, I don't think Mom appreciated it."  We agreed, that was the plan.  So while we were playing, my bladder was feeling a bit full so I went over by Mom's chair and peed for her.  She wasn't sitting in her chair but I saw the clicker on the table by the chair and I wanted to make sure she could give me a click so I could have a treat for peeing.

 Long story short, I'm starting to wonder if peeing outside is mandatory too.  We haven't peed in the house for awhile so I thought she might not mind.  I even tried to play with her when she got the towel out and started spraying and rubbing the carpet. I guess I was wrong.  I just wish Mom would be more specific in what she wants.  Is this poop and pee thing mandatory or just "preferred" or "suggested"?  Sheesh . . . me and Stanley are too tired to try and figure it out.  Maybe if we take a nap Mom will decide what she wants once and for all.

Because when we wake up, she should know we'll need to pee again!



Murphy

Getting Big at 12 Weeks!

Today Stanley and me are 12 weeks old!  My mom says I am getting big.  We already knew Stanley was big.  She weighed me this morning and I am 7 pounds 2 ounces!  Stanley is 12 pounds 4 ounces.  When I took my nap this morning she saw me in my bed and said, "You sure are getting big my boy!"  As you can see, I  barely fit in my bed (and it is a big bed).

We are learning commands.  We practice sit, down, and stand.  We are also learning to go potty outside and to not jump on people.  We're not too good at that one (not jumping) though.  Mom says we are getting much better at remembering to go potty outside and we started sleeping through the night.   We are also trying to learn leave it and off but it's more fun to ignore those commands.


I can run up and down the stairs inside (12 of them) and also the (17) stairs to the upper deck.  When I walk on my leash I am doing much better although Stanley is a rock star at it.  I'm not sure what that is but it seems to be a good thing.

We are learning so many things and having so much fun.  When we go to the vet next week (Yikes!) mom is going to see when we'll be able to go to the parks.  We see the pictures of parks on the other posts in Blogville and can't wait!


Murphy

My New DOG Collar

Today dad started messing with the skinny puppy collar that I have worn since me and Murphy came to our forever home.  I was a little scared that maybe he was upset because of the few accidents (poop & pee) me and Murphy have had.

My old puppy collar.

He then brought out this brand new DOG collar that was thicker and a lot stronger than the puppy collar.   I feel so proud about my new DOG collar. 

My new DOG collar.

Dad tried Murphy's DOG collar on Murphy but his neck is still too small for the DOG collar.  I told Murphy to not worry, the way he is growing lately, it won't be long before he is wearing his DOG collar.  Murphy gained four ounces since yesterday!

Stanley

Are Our People Crazy?

Sometimes me and Stanley see what our mom and dad are doing and we have to wonder if they are crazy?  Some things make no sense to us at all.  When we started climbing up and down the upper deck stairs, all 17 of them, (just because they are there), mom had dad put chicken wire around the bottom.  We don't have any chickens!

I think about these things all the time, especially during my "stick time".  Chewing my stick helps me when I am in deep thought.

 But sometimes when I think too hard it gets the best of me and I fall asleep. 

Lately mom and dad have been putting little blue vests on us and making us walk.  Stanley likes it but I've  decided that it's just too much effort.  It was OK when we just did it in the back yard but along the street isn't my thing.  But Stanley thinks he's a hot shot.

I have to admit, he does look handsome in it doesn't he?

Dad says, "Look how good my boy walks!"

Just the thought of it tires me out. 

 But the weirdest thing they did was last night.  Instead of going for their long run (13+ miles) this morning like they usually do, they went last evening when it was still 83 degrees out!  I told Stanley, "This is crazy!  They are old, they might have a heart attack!"  But Stanley said he heard that the reason they went last evening was because if they went this morning (earlier than normal in order to beat the heat), it would conflict with our play time.  They try to go running when it is our nap time because Mom doesn't want us to have to be in our kennels too long, especially during our regularly scheduled play time.  So while it was still hot out, we went to our kennels and napped while they went running. Yes, they are crazy.

Crazy about me and Stanley!

Murphy

Chewing The Days Away

Me and Stanley have been playing a lot these past few days.  The rain has finally stopped so mom is happy that the mud is gone.  Yesterday was our 11 week birthday.  Mom and Dad said they are shocked that we have all been together for a month now!

Yesterday was our weigh in day.  I weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and Stanley was 11 pounds 4 ounces.  Mom said my weight gain must have all been in my feet because they sure are getting bigger!

When we first got to our forever home, Mom had a nice toy basket for us.  Right away we learned that it was fun to chew.  Then mom asked, "What was I thinking?"  So she took it away and put our toys in a different chewable box.  We sure like it.

Murphy

Murphy's Active Dream

I thought you might enjoy seeing my brother slowly leaving our bed.  I think Murphy might like being with Sneaky Snake Jr. better than with me.  But I really know me and Murphy will always be best buds.

Murphy didn't even notice that I left and came back.

Stanley

Team In Trouble

 It seems like things are always changing at my house.  Just as me and Stanley get used to the little pen in the mudroom, Mom and Dad take down one of the gates and we get to run all over the place!  We've been exploring the kitchen and living room. There is so much to see and chew! It has been so wonderful being able to play with our toys in the house.

Of course about the time one of us finds a good toy to play with, the other decides it's time to wrestle.  We spend LOTS of our time wrestling!

Stanley really likes to throw his weight around when we wrestle.  I think he is a heavy weight and I am a feather weight.  

Sometimes I catch him by surprise and I take him to the floor!

But we don't spend all our time in the house, we spend a lot of time playing on the hillside too.  Mom tries to keep us in the yard but we are always sneaking down the hill.  Lately it has been raining a lot so mom has told us, "Do not go on the hillside or you will get muddy."  I try to listen to mom but sometimes I just can't help myself.  This afternoon I tip toed down the hillside for a quick looksie. 

 But I guess mom noticed.

And of course Stanley and I are a team.

"Brother . . . keep a straight face and maybe she won't notice . . . "

Murphy

Hard At Work

Since me and Stanley spend a lot of time chewing on the plants that grow on the hillside, Mom spends a lot of time checking to see if they are toxic to us.  
She says sometimes it's frustrating because not all sources agree on whether a plant is bad for us.  Stanley thought the safe thing was just to chew on mom's shoe.  I disapproved so I told him, "Stop!".

There are many different types of plants and sometimes the plant is bad, sometimes the flower, sometimes the bulb, sometimes the whole thing.

Even though the tulips were OK (the bulb is toxic). Mom decided to cut them all off at the ground.  "We'll see what happens next year." she said.

 Today she was checking on poppy plants but the information was so confusing she just said, "I'm ripping them out!"  Mom says she wants us to be very safe.  So even though her back was hurting, she ripped out 2 big black garbage bags of poppies.

She was working so hard that me and Stanley thought it was only right to help her.

Mom was surprised to see how deep the root went on poppies, so we had to help dig.

Mom said our help was really a pain-in-the-butt but she would not have wanted it any other way.  We worked so hard we took a break to share a stick.

It was another fun day.

Murphy

April Showers

 Today Murphy and I are 10 weeks old.  This means it was time to check our weights.  Murphy weighed  5 lb 12 oz.  I weighed in at 9 lb 15 oz.

 It has been raining here and the flowers are blooming.  There's nothing like a fresh tulip for a treat.

This one tasted extra good.

Sometimes Murphy needs a helping tail to reach his flowers.

The bad thing is mom won't let us in the house until the mud has been washed from our legs.

Stanley

Busy Meeting New Friends

Mom and Dad want to introduce me and Stanley to as many people and pets as possible.  They said it was really important to be properly socialized.  We're not sure what that means but we sure are having a lot of fun.

We met our new friend Mickie.  She liked to hold me and I like being held so it was a win-win combination. (Stanley was sound asleep behind the storage box on the left.)

But it didn't take long before I felt the need to chew something . . . anything.

Unfortunately I never can keep my eyes open for too long.

 The next day, in the morning, we went to meet Raleigh and JuJu and their human Sherrie.  I think JuJu liked us right away but Raleigh took some time.  Mom and Sherrie wondered if I might be an alpha male.  Imagine that, little me, an alpha male!  Luckily, Raleigh decided I might be an okay pup after all.  Their human, Sherri, gave us lots of toys to play with and I found a special one I really liked so my mom said she'd look for it at Pet Smart.  We had lots of fun.

Stanley was trying to figure out who was who. Raleigh and JuJu looked a lot alike.

I know it looks like I was peeing but honestly I wasn't!

Jazzi thinks I have great potential.

Jazzi's mom Nikki liked me and Stanley, so Stanley licked her.  Nikki is allergic to puppy licks but  she thought we were worth it.

Later that same afternoon, Heather and "M" came over to play with us.  We REALLY liked "M", she was so much fun!  And she brought us presents too!

After we left Raleigh and JuJu and their human Sherri, we went to meet another new friend.  His name is Jazzi.  He is all grown up so we thought he might have some advice for us.  I asked him if he thought I could be an alpha dog and he said, "You might be."

"M" brought us a skunk, a stuffed animal and a tire tug toy.

We chased "M" back and forth across the yard about a zillion times! 

We had so much fun chasing "M".  She is a REALLY FAST runner!

We thanked Heather and "M" for coming to see us and for all the presents.

We met so many new friends and it was such a fun day.  But now I have to sleep.








Murphy

Bath Time

 I had a bath the same day as Murphy.

I had my ears cleaned, but I still pretend to have selective hearing.

Now I can go on the hill and roll in some fun dirt.

It is nice when life returns to normal.

Stanley

No Words Necessary

Murphy