From Summer to Fall

It's hard to believe it's almost October, almost that time when a chill hits the air, and Mother Nature paints the leaves so many pretty colors! And hard to believe that Riley has been here almost 6 weeks! She came as a 5.2 pound puppy and is now 7.6 pounds and has learned a few things at puppy class, learned a few things at home and learned a few things out on walks in the neighborhood.  Being in the city you wouldn't expect to find as many big dogs as we've come across.  Last week we met a man walking a Newfie and a Bernese Mountain Dog.  Two days ago we met a Saint Bernard. And we've met numerous labs, goldens, a few huskies and mixes that are bigger.  Riley doesn't seem to be afraid of them with two exceptions, both behind fences.  We pass a house with two dogs, a lab and a hound of some kind.  The hound puts her head through the gate rails but it's the lab Riley gives a wide berth to.  And just a couple doors away, there's a shepherd who barks and runs fast to the fence and Riley stays away from that one, too (though I met the owner who said both her shepherds are love bugs).

Riley has gotten used to the noises of the city, though loud bangs still startle her, and she loves to lay out on the balcony in the sun.  She's been pretty good on the balcony, just putting her paws up on the ledge sometimes just to watch the world go by, sometimes to bark at people or dogs walking by.  She's doing well with housebreaking, going potty on the balcony and on walks, and loves to play with her toys (she's got the 'go get it' part down pretty good, it's the 'give it to me' or 'drop it' part that is problematic!).


And I'm getting used to having a puppy around.  I am getting plenty of exercise with our walks, and have lost about 7 pounds since I have to also sneak snacks when I want something.  It's still a work in progress to get a good balance of puppy time and me time, but I'm working on it, and I hope the work I'm putting in with her now will pay off with a good dog as she grows up.

Pip's Special Party

So I was checking some blogs and found that we're celebrating a very special pup - Pip! He recently celebrated his 15th birthday! Wow! We hope you had a wonderful celebration of a very special day indeed! Little Riley has a long way to go to reach that milestone, but we sure do hope there was some treats involved!

Riley

This past Sunday I welcomed a new addition to my family.  I had been looking for a pup who would 'fit' for me.  I'd been looking at Petfinder for a little while and hadn't found that special pup.  Then Friday there she was - she was listed with her brother and sister.  I kept thinking about her and finally filled out the application and emailed it to the person listed. She responded that someone was supposed to meet with her that weekend.  If anything changed she would let me know.  I was sad, but I knew I had tried.  Then she sent another email right before I shut the computer down for the night. The people had to go out of town, and they don't hold dogs.  So I went to the vet Sunday morning to meet her - the three puppies had been rescued from a kill shelter in southern Illinois and hadn't been placed with a foster yet.   Her brother was getting adopted right before I got to see her.  She was smaller than her picture - I think her fur made her look bigger, and the rescue person told me she was 5 pounds according to her vet records, not the 7 she had estimated on the Petfinder description. She claimed me immediately, peeing on me, but it was her cuteness and personality that won me over.  She's been here four days now and is settling in rather well for a puppy.  She sleep through the night in her crate next to my bed with just a wimper when I first put her in and then go to the bathroom.  She poops outside but we're still working on the pee.  She has gotten a bit more 'bitey' since she's been here - the rescue person had commented as we played in a room at the vet's that she seemed more kissy than bitey...she's still kissy, but has discovered her teeth.  She's not been destructive, which is good, and I've been trying to correct her when she starts  mouthing something she shouldn't.  And of course she has a carpet full of stuffies she's been showing who's boss.  We start our puppy classes at Petsmart on the 2nd.  She'll be a work in progress for a while, but I'm sure she (and me) will figure it all out.  In the meantime, welcome Riley to my little family!

For Tuni

This is Rainy sent to me by her mom.  Since I don't have a pup of my own yet, I'm including this picture in a tribute to little Tuni who loved her beds! I'm sure she's looking at all the pictures of pups in beds with a smile on her  little face and I hope that her parents find some comfort in all the people who loved Tuni even though they never met her. Tuni can never doubt that she was loved!

A Hiking We Will Go

Quechee Gorge

This past Memorial Day I went hiking in Vermont and New Hampshire with the intention of conquering Mount Ascutney.  We hiked it a few years ago in the fall which meant we were hiking through knee deep fallen leaves and the daylight was significantly shorter, meaning the hike was truncated because we needed to get off the mountain in daylight! The trip out east started with a visit to Quechee Gorge and some of the covered bridges that had sustained damage due to Hurricane Irene last year.  With the heavy rainfall from the hurricane and the many smaller rivers in the area, there were natural paths for the water to take, only the water overwhelmed the banks of the rivers, carried debris downstream, and deposited trees, mud and anything else carried along wherever the water crested. Most of the state didn't suffer damage and much of it has been repaired enough to bring back the tourists. The hiking started first with Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire since the elevation going up wasn't as much as Mount Ascutney, then we did Mount Ascutney two days later.  We made it to the top of both mountains and were rewarded with some spectacular views.

One of the damaged bridges

The top of Mount Sunapee

The path up Mount Ascutney

The view from the top of Mount Ascutney

For Tuni

It's been a rough time lately for the pug blogging community and another little girl has gone to the Bridge. I remember finding The Girls blog and seeing Sequoia and Tuni.  Tuni was such a tiny little pug and had a magical tongue.  She also had a very special friend in Winston.  Yesterday was Tuni's turn to go to the Bridge.  I'm thinking she was greeted by so many from the pug blogging community that she knew she was home and safe. She'll be looking down on her sisters Sequoia and Emma and her parents and her new brudder and making sure they are okay.  Maybe you can help her and offer some words of comfort to her family at this sad time.

Raise a glass

Yet another furiend has left us for the Bridge.  This morning it was Hanklin and I'll Tell Ya What   he's gonna be telling his stories, and rolling his eyes and causing happy chaos with all the other furiends that greeted him there. So raise a glass, or a can as the case may be, of some ice cold PBR to Hank! And maybe go give some love and support to his mom and dad who miss their little boy.