Episode 6: 13 weeks: Contractor Chaos

Bonnie

Staffordshire Terrior

Color: white with brown spots

Expected size: about 70-80 lbs

Current weight: 21 lbs

Clyde

Staffordshire Terrior

Color: Lilac

Expected size: about 80 lbs

Current Weight 26 lbs

WEEKLY ADVENTURE: The Handyman Debacle

Let me set the stage for you: We needed to replace the back door so we knew the door would be open for hours. We used the barricade that usually keeps the puppies in, to keep them out. This was great for the handyman (except that he loved being distracted by them), but it meant their bed, their play space, AND the puppy pads were now blocked as well. In addition, Bradley had a long work day, the kids were at work, and Moxie and Penny came over for the day also. Me alone with four dogs and a handyman, what could go wrong?

That morning started great. I thought that I could handle it with ease. Boy, was I wrong. I am extremely balance challenged and the following events pushed those weaknesses to the extreme! The handyman arrived, and for the next six hours all I had to do was keep the puppies from running out the door. Sounds easy enough, right? Not right!

Immediately, at the sight of the truck, Moxie and Penny go berserk at the man walking to their door. Both big dogs bark incessantly, as is their “job;” and the little ones, confused from the shear amount of excitement, start jumping and biting the big dogs. In natural reaction, Moxie and Penny growl and snap at Bonnie and Clyde in between barking at the door. Oh, the noise this creates. It must sound like the dog pound to the guy on the porch. This onslaught of volume always determines for the visitor if they really need to come into my house. I must always ask whoever is on the porch how they feel about dogs, so they are warned to stay calm as I slowly open the door.

Moxie goes out, sniffs the guy and is done and comes back into the house. Penny, taught well by Moxie, does the same but with some added growls and a few barks to remind him to stay clear of her puppies. While Moxie and Penny were completing their ritual, I try to be a gracious hostess while pulling the pups back from the door at the same time. ULTIMATE FAIL! They get loose and lunge toward the handyman. Bonnie and Clyde follow Moxie’s lead and go out to sniff the visitor. The problem is: they don’t seem to want to come back in. Now, I am forced to run through the yard chasing puppies. As soon as I gather up one, the other escapes. This continues for several minutes until the handyman puts down all his tools and helps me. Penny, as all of this is going on, continually growls and mean mugs the stranger touching the puppies.

You might wonder why I left the door open when Moxie and Penny could have joined the complete upheaval. I couldn’t close the front door because it automatically locks after 30 seconds; then we would have been locked out. I trust Moxie and Penny to stay in the house because they are well trained balanced dogs; so, when the split decision was made to grab the puppers, I was thankful that the girls were so obedient (even if Penny was growling at the handyman the whole time.

Back inside as the work began, the dogs were behaved enough for me to offer some direction and to get them situated in their pen (open metal “playpen” about 4x4). I was going to sit and write my blog. As I started, I remembered that Penny had not pooped that morning, so I need to walk her. I got her lead but every dog in the house recognized that sound. Moxie immediately came running from the upstairs but was easily controllable. The pups started whining and barking from their pen. It got louder and louder, but I knew they were contained so I fastened Penny and started to open the door. Suddenly, here come the pups. They, not wanting to miss the excitement, pushed and jumped at the pen until they knocked it over. I quickly closed the door back and tried to think of where to put the puppies now. They couldn’t go to the regular spot because of the back door work, and they were too strong to be held by the pen.

I decided to leave them out while I took Penny on a short walk. Mental checklist:

They recently pooped

Barricaded from handyman

Can’t maneuver the stairs

Laundry and bathroom doors closed

Yes, this should work!

Penny tightened her bowels and would not poop, but she walked steadily without pulling me. She was great! It went so well; I took Moxie next. She was great too! I took Clyde on a walk so that he would not use the bathroom in my house, He was not so great. He is still learning how to walk on a leash but he is improving. Then Bonnie, same as Clyde. Every leaf is a distraction but we got through it. I had four walks that morning, but it was worth it if they peed outside.

I returned to write my blog as the puppies napped and/or wrestled intermittently. Everything was going smoothly, that is, until that afternoon. I was occupied with the contractor while Bonnie made a huge discovery! She had figured out how to climb the stairs. Clyde was still at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the top, too scared to take the bold leap. Knowing that I didn’t have the balance or control to carry Bonnie back down, I debated on how to fix the current problem.

I tried to coax Bonnie down with words, but she wouldn’t come. Just then, one of my children came home and carried her down. I decided then and there that they needed to learn this skill even if they weren’t fully house trained.

Several times during the day, I took the pups out. They were so excited about the outside that they usually wouldn’t poop. They left that for me in the house somewhere to find.

When Bradley finally came home from work, I was so relieved. He was my knight in shining armor that day. Taking care of four dogs plus life was harder than I thought.

MOMENT TO REMEMBER: PENNY SNAPPED

The ever-patient Penny finally snapped at Bonnie. These puppies torture her. They try to take her rawhide bones, they take her toys, they took her downstairs bed, they climb her, scratch and bite her, sit on her, and chase her. She always puts up with it even when she should put them in their place. She will let out this low growl as a warning to them, but they have learned that they can usually ignore the growl and approach slowly to take anything that Penny has (and of course that is the one they "need" at that moment). When Bonnie sneakily tried to take her bone, Penny snapped at her. Bonnie yiped and ran the opposite direction. Yeah Penny, stand up for yourself, girl!

PUPPY PAD UPDATE: 95% accuracy

OUTDOORS: 40% accuracy (mostly Bonnie)

DISCOVERING THE UPSTAIRS

Bonnie and Clyde are Usually blocked from getting to the stairs, but we never worried much about them because they were too scared to climb the stairs. Bonnie, bold and adventurous, tried once and made it all the way to the top but then she couldn't get back down. Clyde, a little more timid, Took a few steps but then frozen fear and we had to help him get down.

The handyman scenario forced stair access, so I had to be on my toes. But eventually, as I did regular household chores, they found the stairs. Bonnie bravely went up, but Clyde didn't even try anymore. We knew that eventually they were going to need to go up-and-down the stairs. So, we decided to help them along.

They slowly climbed the stairs as they learned how to work their front legs against their back legs. They both do this little bunny hop thing. It is so cute. They received great praise when they finally got to the top. We let them explore the upstairs for a few minutes and then worked with them on coming down the stairs. They both were slow and meticulous.

Moxie being the great teacher that she is, went down the stairs in front of Clyde to show him that it was OK and that he could do it. Clyde, with new found encouragement, decided he wanted to be like the big dog and began to mimic. But mistakenly tried to go at Moxie's speed. He got about halfway and then wiped out. He slid down the bottom half of the stairs on his belly, but managed to catch himself two steps from the bottom. Even though I was a little scared for him, he definitely learned from his mistakes because now he goes up-and-down the steps like a pro (almost).

(photo: Bonnie stuck on the stairs while trying to come down, notice both back legs are off the ground)

CUTEST MOMENT: New Crate for Penny?

Penny loves the puppies, loves to cuddle, and loves enclosed spaces so it is only fitting that shr occasionally gets inside their new crate. It is big enough for her and she takes advantage!

WHY... JUST WHY

MOMENT

There are six dog bed stategically placed around our house (well, now there is only five). We took one of the beds at put it inside the new crate so they wouldn't have to lay on the cold plastic. They immediately loved it. It was a WIN, or was it. Within a hour they hade found a weakness in the pillow and began to destroy it. Fluff was everywhere. Toys that are easily replaced are one thing, but we took a bed that the older dogs used and now it is gone. Now they get blankets only! Rotten to the core!!!

Firsts

1. Wearing a harness

2. Tall enough to look out the window without climbing

3. New, bigger crate

Training Commands

1. Watch

2. Sit

3. Sit before opening front door

4. Shake

5. Walking on leash