Episode 12: 19 weeks: The Plush Life

Amy Shackelford
May 18, 2021
5 min read

Updated: Jul 4, 2021

Bonnie

Staffordshire Terrior

Color: white with brown spots

Red Nose

Expected size: about 70-80 lbs

Current weight: 36 lbs

Clyde

Staffordshire Terrior

Color: Lilac

Red Nose

Expected size: about 80 lbs

Current Weight 43.5 lbs

THE PLUSH LIFE!!!

We didn’t take them on a special adventure this week. As I wondered what to write about, I realized that these puppers live a new adventure every day many times a day. They are so young, the constantly get new smells, new noises, new humans to interact with and new exposures. Which set me in a whole new way of thinking…

These puppies have joined the ranks with Moxie and Penny in “the plush life.” I cannot see the future, but if it is always up to my family to decide the fate of this pair, they will never know the horrible fates that do exist in the world for pitties or dogs forced to fend for themselves.

Right now, unless they must be crated, the have a two room play pin (homemade gate blocking full access) or full access, toys and blankets galore, treats of all varieties to explore (even some sent by strangers), a large human family that also includes the partners or our adult children, out every two hours (will shrink to three walks per day as they grow), and unconditional love (probably more that they want sometimes). They are kept clean, fed, and entertained. They have Moxie and Penny, VERY well-balanced dogs, to learn from, grow and play with, and to receive nurture and protection (the dog way).

What else could they want?...

Regular adventures to the dog park? Check.

Living behind a park so that you walk out the backyard into fields of new smells and new noises to discover every day? Check.

An owner who daily considers your needs and takes responsibility to not just let you outside to potty, but considers walks to be the highlight of your day? Check.

Neighbors and strangers that adore you because you are so stinkin’ cute and have cute names to match? Check.

There is no room for doubt that their life is a good one!

NEW TOYS

Bradley read that you should rotate their toys so that they don’t get tired of them. I believe he has used this as a convenient excuse to lavash more on the pups. He loves to give, and since we have no grandchildren yet, we pour that extra attention on Bonnie and Clyde (I don’t think their suffering from it). Every time I look in the living room floor, there are new toys. But the puppies DO love the new toys (once they get the toy away from Penny).

MOMENT TO REMEMBER:

Every morning, as I’ve mentioned before, we have a morning routine. It was already adorable that the puppies hear my “time to leave for work” alarm and automatically get in their crate; but now they have taken it a step further! Every morning they get a few moments of attention, go potty outside (if they use it- they get a treat-100% effective), eat breakfast, play, then get crated when I leave for work. Now, for several mornings, they come in from pottying and sit by the table until they get their treat. Then, led by Clyde, mister food motivated himself, they go straight to the closet where their food is kept and wait for their breakfast to be served. Creatures of habit.

POTTY TRAINING UPDATE:

We went this whole week with these potty incidents…

No accidents on carpet or wood
No accidents in a random room
No accidents in hidden or repeat locations
Three pees and 1 poo on a single pad
Most bathroom events outside!!!

We’re so hopeful!!!

WRESTLE MANIA!!!

All Bonnie wants to do is play. Every day, most of the day she instigates play (wrestling). She will taunt and run. She is smaller so she could fit into spaces that Clyde couldn’t reach; but now she nips or boops Clyde which gives way to chase. When she tries to dive under the couch (or any small crevasse that she hunts out and remembers for later), she no longer fits; so he gets her back. She is quickly learning that this tactic just gets her caught more often than not. But after weeks of this torture to Clyde (since he is larger), it is nice to see that she is getting “pay back” now.

They have their moments when they chase but mostly, they wrestle. Clyde has his fair share of stirring the pot, but I think Bonnie wakes up daily just to play. When Moxie and Penny come over, it is like an internal gland releases a “wrestle” hormone in the puppies. The older dogs barely get in the door before they are mauled the puppers.

When we go for a walk, they try to wrestle; when the are pinned, they wrestle; when they are open to the entire downstairs, they wrestle and run. Unless the are asleep or eating or actively getting love, they wrestle.

When we visit the vet, he comments that they must play a lot because he notices the scratches, they religiously give each other (and their growing muscle mass). Most of the time it is not a problem but if you are in the room, they want to wrestle in your lap or around your legs. This becomes a REAL problem when they “accidentally” nip a sensitive area on you.

CUTEST MOMENT

Bonnie was lying beside Penny, skin-to-skin. It was a sweet moment. We weren’t quite sure if Penny was patiently enduring for Bonnie’s benefit or if she was enjoying the cuddles. Eventually, Penny must’ve gotten hot or cramped because she moved a few inches to the left. Then Bonnie, whom we thought was sleeping, got up, adjusted herself to the left, skin-to-skin to Penny again, and closed her eyes in complete relaxation. Sweet moment!

WHY... JUST WHY MOMENT

Bradley broke down and bought a new remote control after ours finally had so many puppy marks that it would stick in the “toggle right” position. We were missing batteries and the battery cover had been replaced with duct tape. The new remote was needed and we have tried to be extremely careful that it is never left in the floor or in the reach of the puppies. But, no matter how much we try, the inevitable fate of the remote would come to be. I ran into the room today to grab the new remote out of Bonnie’s mouth. Again, the batteries were scattered around the room and the battery cover had been freshly gnawed (but not destroyed yet) The chewed remote instantly became a belt against Bonnie’s backside. I spanked her (not super hard, but enough for her to know I was serious), I shamed her (literal words “shame on you”) and raised my voice with an unpleased sharp tone. The stubborn Bonnie actually responded, which is a big step from “everything is a game.” She ran and pouted in the back of the crate, which is notoriously sensitive Clyde’s spot. I let her sulk for a few minutes then gave her love. We will see any of these steps pay off! But really Bonnie, why…just why?