A breakthrough

I think the video probably says it all. Sometimes dogs know more than the humans do. Ethan's treatment of Savannah is a good example. He's been growly and ornery with her, not letting her get away with much of anything. Smart dog! Now she respects and adores him, while treating Libby as a total equal and always attacking her. I guess Ef does understand pack order. What a good boy! I love my girls, but damn I love my silly red dog!!! The original video is nearly 10 minutes long and You Tube doesn't let you use a lot...I'm new to this video stuff. I'll have to play when I have more time to learn.

Ef and Savannah 10-29-06

Freaky!

This happened lasst night, but stupid Blogger wouldn't let me upload the damn picture. No picture, no story, so here we go with what I wrote last night.

The strangest thing just happened! First, we heard this slight popping noise that the house has made a hundred times when temperatures change and it shifts a bit. Then, a bit later, we hear this loud crack from the bathroom. I don't have a lot of space in there and leave my hair dryer on the back of the toilet and it just sounded like it had fallen down onto the floor or the lid of the toilet. We keep the door closed with a new puppy in the house. When we went in to check what was up, everything seemed in place until we looked up at the window and saw this.




We were sure someone was in our backyard taking pop shots at the house until we went outside and saw that the window was whole on that side. Only the inside portion of the double paned window broke. How weird is that?!?! Paul was just about to go in and take a shower, too. Glad he didn't! Have no idea what it'll take to fix this, but it has to be one of the oddest home repair things I've ever seen. I'll have to call Dad and see what we should do!

Twelve weeks and one day and more

At 12 weeks, it's official, Savannah's a potty prodigy. I'm not bragging (much), but there have still been zero accidents...none in the house and none in the crate...and she now goes to the back door and barks when she needs to go out. Just one small bark, not incessant barking. Thank goodness!

She does have a wee bit of a temper when she doesn't like what you're doing...like grinding toe nails...and she's got a dramatic flair, but otherwise she's the easiest going of the three. She backs down when necessary and she jumps right back in when it's time. She doesn't scare easily and is willing to check things out when they do startle her. She knows "watch", "leave it", "down", "stand", and "come here". She's just plain smart! And way damn cute and a little energizer bunny. As we speak, she is busy frapping around the living room and kitchen trying to wear herself out enough to go to sleep. She's starting to go to the bedroom door where everyone but she and I are sleeping and she's looking intently at her crate, so I better wrap this up.

She's cooperating a little more...next to work on the stretch.

The light was fading fast!

On other news, my dad is happy in Alaska and having a great time. Here is a picture of him with his new Alaskan boat. He looks healthy and that's oh so important even though I miss him like crazy!!!

Another reason for a blog

Pictures are the overriding theme here, but I just had to send the latest my sister sent me of my nephews. The cutey with the upside down frog on his head is my 2 1/2 year old nephew, Keegan. The one looking proud of his rolling over achievement is my nearly 4 month old nephew, Quinn, when he was only 3 months. Yup, he's a big kid....we're already planning his future football career. :)

I suck at this

I haven't a clue how to do the stacking thing. My table is too damn big and too damn heavy to bring out every day. ACH! Guess I'm buying myself a table instead of yarn next month. :( It needs to be a wee bit higher and a ton lighter. Any favorites? I need it to fit both Savannah and Ethan. I know he can be better...he just has to be taught how and he has to be taught regularly. It's not happening now and I'm so exhausted I can barely write this with the way work and life have been lately, but it must be done and I know it's do-able. I just haven't a clue when, though I know a lighter table will help.

So, here are the obligatory attempt at stacking at 11 weeks pictures...and I'm not even showing what we tried to take of Ethan. They're inside and the flash is too close, so the quality isn't good, but we're trying.

Can you tell by the tightly gripped muzzle how cooperative she was?

So abused!

Rough night

Where did the week go?

Has it really been a week since I posted anything?!? Busy, busy week, that's for sure. Savannah's growing like crazy, Libby's decided she's staying, and Ethan thinks she's great...as long as she stays outside. It's getting better, but still a bit of a pain...always have to be vigilant inside. He'll get over it.

We went to our first puppy kindergarten at the vet's office last night. The class was big. Something like 11 puppies, so she split the group to two nights. We'll be in a group with a pemmie, a shiba, a dachshund, lab/border collie/goldie/something mix, and maybe another one or two. Savannah wasn't so sure about all those other dogs, especially when the instructor tried to put the shiba on his back. He's already bullying his owners, as shibas are wont to do, and the instructor happens to be the breeder of this particular boy, so she took him in hand to show him she was boss. Of course, when the typical shiba screaming didn't get her to stop, he decided to poop on her. Lovely! All the other puppies were like, "We'll do whatever she wants!" We've gone to this same class with our other two, so she was shocked at how calm and laid back Savannah is compared to Libby and Ethan. Can I just hear a hallelujah on this one?!? :) Finally, a calm Cardi...thank you, Louise, and Styxie, and Carbon!!!!!

Savannah did make nice with a cavalier that will be in the other class and the big mix puppy and talked a bit to the pemmie. Everyone just thought she was adorable, of course. And I'm proud to report that she's gained her pound (and a bit more) this week. She was 10.6 lbs. at 11 weeks. We'll attempt to do the obligatory stacked on the table pictures tonight between all the other things we've got to accomplish today. :)

We need to do some training

Okay, so we've been bragging about how wonderfully the potty training has been going, which it still is, but we've got to work on that table stuff! Here is our really lame attempt at 10 week stacking. No laughing, please. Remember, we didn't do early training with Ef...Traci did. :) We didn't have a clue and we weren't looking to get one, either. So, now we're learning. Oh, and there was no combing prior to the taking of these pictures...we'll do better next time, Mandy! :)

Forget me looking straight ahead!

Here's the other side...all scrunched up with a hair bump in the middle of her back.

I can look straight ahead!

All done!

First vet appointment

Miss Savannah went to visit our vet for the first time today. Actually, it was one of the two back-up vets that we don't like, but oh, well. She had her second shot and got all checked out, as they want to do the first time they see them. She didn't have any fleas or flea dirt, so that was good...and a bit surprising for the Willamette Valley. She weighed 9.4 lbs. at 10 weeks. I think that's darn good for going to a new home and messing with eating schedules, etc., just 5 days ago. And not a single accident in the house or in her crate so far, knock on wood. We'll have to get her up on the table and try to take some stacking pictures...good time to practice. I also need to order show collar and lead for her...got to have black for this one. Any preferences between silver and gold collar, folks?

Ethan is still unsure about her in the house, though definitely better. Today at lunch, Libby had rolled Ef over on his back and Savannah got too close to him. He made ugly face at her, but then seemed to apologize and check her out when it was over. A while after that, he'd found a stick he thoroughly cherished and played keep away from Libby with it. Then, when Savannah came over, he dropped it so she could take it and then stuck with her so Libby couldn't take it from her. Awwww...the first sign of sharing! Thank goodness!!!

Another one

Life is rough for cute puppies in our house...not the chewie to the right and the ball tucked under the chair cover to the left. That's the tv tray I mentioned in my last post. Thank goodness the older ones like her enough to wear her out when they play in the yard now! :)

Corgi Negotiations

Man, am I tired, but we did do much better on the sleep last night. Libby and Ethan ran Savannah all over the yard yesterday, then she went to work and the nail salon with me, so she was a wee bit tired. She eats well, if you continue to encourage her to do so.

Libby doesn't mind her so much anymore and even gave her kisses in the house today. Ethan thinks she's great fun outside, but still doesn't want her inside. He woke up so confused, he growled at everyone...Libby, the cats, and all of that. Took a mini nap, went out to play all happy happy, then didn't like her again when they came in. It wasn't as bad, though. I'm so thankful for the nice weather, so they can spend more time out in the yard playing and not protecting in the house. When Savannah is taking a nap, Ethan is all over me. He needs to know he's still mama's boy, I guess. It'll all work out, I'm sure. :)

Right now, Ef's sleeping in his crate, Libby's sleeping on the living room floor, and Savannah's right next to her, tucked under Paul's tv tray/computer table. :) I'd take a picture, but the battery on my camera ran out and is charging. I do have other gratuitous cute pictures below.

One ear up, one ear down!

Fascinated by Ethan

I'm gonna get it...

Got it!

Wait for me!!!

And a rousing game of get the stick

The reason I have a blog....

More pictures. Darn clouds came out, so they're not as bright as I'd hoped, but still way cute!

Also, cute from behind!

Savannah with big sis, Libby, checking her out

Savannah's fascinated by her bubba, Ethan.

What are the big dogs doing?

Being a new puppy mother....yawn!!!

The last few nights, Savannah slept through the night when in a crate with a sibling...obviously, there was no sibling last night and no sleeping through the night, either. We finally got to bed around 11, tired from the big day and the stress of introductions. When she has to go, she's not shy about letting you know...unfortunately, she had to go at 1ish and at 6ish and at 9ish. :) Other than that, she's lovely!

Not a single accident, she loves toys, she eats fairly well while getting used to a new schedule, she tries to be friends with the older dogs and is good about giving in and showing her belly, she's easy going, she talks quite a bit, and she sleeps like a rock when she sleeps. And she is deadly cute!!! She's uniquely marked (though no one beats half-sister Blue on that one!) and she moves beautifully even for a puppy.

All three do really well in the yard together, though Savannah's not too sure about how big Libby and Ethan are and how rambunctious. The only time we get a grumble from Ef is when we're inside and Savannah gets between me and Ethan. But he gets reminders and knows he'd be in big trouble if he did anything. It's funny, because she seems more interested in him than in Libby.

And...of course...she's already a Daddy's girl. Paul hasn't had nearly the time to spend with her yet that I have, but she's prefer to lay at his feet and he was able to soothe her to sleep lastnight when she was particularly ornery. Figures!!! :)

I'll take more pictures in our crispy brown back yard later today.

She's finally home...phew!!!

Well, it was quite an odyssey, but Miss Savannah is now home. We got stuck right behind an accident on 205 on the way there. We then didn't leave until well after 5 and got stuck in horrible construction traffic in Salem on the way home. Man, are we tired!

We brought Libby and Ethan up with us so they could sniff their sister all the way home. Libby looked at her and thought she was alright. Ethan put his flag of a tail right up and tried to show he was big dog. Then we got in the car for the long ride home. Once here, Libby wants to play with her, but Savannah, but Savannah's not sure about how big Libby is. Ethan wants to ignore her until she comes near me, then he does growl a bit. I think he's a bit tired, which makes him growl more, but I also think he's a bit protective of the sweet deal he has with Mom. Over the next few days, we'll mostly let them hang out in twos and get Ethan used to the idea that Mom and Dad will not allow problems with puppy...gotta share. Should be a fun few days!

As for Savannah, she ate a good portion of her supper, though I'm sure it was late. She seems to like her crate quite a bit (as you'll see below) and didn't squeak once on the way home. She's told us that she needs to go out and she's made no messes...knock on wood! She is so incredibly cute!!! I think she and Libby will be fast friends...Ef will take a bit more to learn to share with yet another girl. So, here are some quickie pictures. I'll take some in better light tomorrow, so you can get a look at the way cute brindle on her face. She's got one ear that's mostly up and the other one is trying off and on. She is sooooo incredibly sweet, loving, and easy going!!! I love her tons already!!!!!!!

It's almost time!!!!!

I leave work in less than half an hour to go load the grown dogs and head to Portland to pick up Savannah! Yippee!!!!! Puppy breath, here we come!!!!! :) I'm a little excited, can you tell?

Savannah at 8 weeks on Sept. 25

Here is Miss I don't want to sit here for the camera Savannah, a few days after she turned 8 weeks old. More to come soon, very soon! Just one more day until we go to pick her up! :)

The Pink Scarf is Done

I'm not that big on pink, but I know Ina will like this. It'll be nice and toasty and fluffy and fun. Here are a couple of pictures.

This one gives a good idea of the color of it.

This a close up detail...couldn't figure out how to make it clearer with my camera while I was tired and rummy last night.

Completed Knitting Projects

I don't think I have too many pictures and it's all of completed stuff, but here goes. I know I have at least three bags that I don't have pictures of. One is my very first, a plain orangy booga bag. The others are the two I'm using right now...a two toned green and very pale green handbag I designed myself that is a variation on the booga bag and one from Bags...a Knitter's Dozen that I made in charcoal grey and bright green. That one was a booger because of the seaming. Took me 9 months to go back to it and finish it, but I use it all the time now. Must take a picture when it's light.

This was my first ever sweater. It was a shower present for my newest nephew, Quinn. It's supposed to be 6-9 months, but Quinn's a big boy, so he should be wearing it as soon as it gets cool and will probably outgrow it by Christmas, when he'll be just 6 months.

This is the purse I made for my sister for the shower so that she'd at least have something pink mixed in with all that boy stuff. I packed the sweater I'd made, a couple other outfits, a gift card and the bear in there. It's not huge, but good sized...of course, now she's uses a diaper bag for a purse, but I know she'll go back to it some day. :)

This is a funky bag I made for my co-worker, Charlotte, for her birthday. I didn't realize the variegated yarn only had poofs in some places when I got it to use on her bag. It turned out kind of fun, though. It's kind of a small bag. I had to keep pulling it out of the washer and using my dog grooming comb to brush the tufts out so they wouldn't become dreadlocks. She said she'd use it as her casino bag. :)

I just started knitting at the end of December and so far, I've made 6 bags, 4 scarves, a baby sweater, and two pairs of socks. I'll have to take some pictures of those, too. I've given away two bags, two scarves, and the baby sweater. I'll take picture of the pink scarf for Ina tomorrow...it's a little over half done and I have to be done by Tues. for her birthday. Knit, knit, knit!!!