Claire
Master Chef
Thought you might like an update. Rosebud is turning into a great pet. I still haven't had the nerve to buy her a new crate, so someone might turn me in for doggie abuse for the size of her crate (not really). The issues I thought would be problems just haven't. Her inside accidents have been so minimal as to be not a problem. I bought new kitchen rugs last week and she peed on one, the only "accident" (like THAT was an accident, I think just marking her territory)(also made me realize what a good buy the rug was! Cleaned like a dream). I need to find a bell for her, but generally she sits in front of one of us and stares us down when she needs to go out!
The next test will be when we start to air condition. We do not have central, so to keep the bedroom cool enough to sleep in we have to close the door. We usually don't run the window a/c unit downstairs at night, but that will be too hot for where we have her crate.
Our big deal has been that she wants to dig up anything I plant. Lots of chicken wire is going into this year's garden!
Because I write an occasional column for our local small town weekly paper, she's become a bit of a small-town celebrity, with people stopping me and asking how she's doing. I poured my heart out in one column about her, and got a lot of support and help.
I love it that my main mail carrier said, "So you named your dog after a sled?" Only one other person in town "got" it!
We now have our routines. I tend to wake very early (yes, insomnia). I put her out, be it 3 a.m. or 7 a.m. or any time in between. Give her a bit of love and a treat, then she runs up and jumps into bed with my husband. We live near a church that has bells that chime at 8 a.m. 6 days/wk. That's her signal to have breakfast. She watches husband dress, etc., then he feeds her. This has been a big discipline thing, and it is perfect. She has to sit while he pours her a bowl of food. Then she runs up to where I am usually sitting, reading a book, and asks for attention. Belly rubs, etc. Then a big burp, and it's time to go out and run and potty.
I cannot reinforce enough the advice given to me here and other places about walking her sorry ass off. I have a yard she can, and does, run in insanely. But the bond and discipline of walking on a leash cannot be under-estimated. We bought a no-choke collar from Orvis, and she sees it and sits and helps you put it on. Unless it is raining, she gets a minimum of one walk a day.
Hey, it keeps us on our toes as well.
Thanks for all the help with her. If I knew how to post a photo I would. She looks like a small German Short Hair Pointer.
The next test will be when we start to air condition. We do not have central, so to keep the bedroom cool enough to sleep in we have to close the door. We usually don't run the window a/c unit downstairs at night, but that will be too hot for where we have her crate.
Our big deal has been that she wants to dig up anything I plant. Lots of chicken wire is going into this year's garden!
Because I write an occasional column for our local small town weekly paper, she's become a bit of a small-town celebrity, with people stopping me and asking how she's doing. I poured my heart out in one column about her, and got a lot of support and help.
I love it that my main mail carrier said, "So you named your dog after a sled?" Only one other person in town "got" it!
We now have our routines. I tend to wake very early (yes, insomnia). I put her out, be it 3 a.m. or 7 a.m. or any time in between. Give her a bit of love and a treat, then she runs up and jumps into bed with my husband. We live near a church that has bells that chime at 8 a.m. 6 days/wk. That's her signal to have breakfast. She watches husband dress, etc., then he feeds her. This has been a big discipline thing, and it is perfect. She has to sit while he pours her a bowl of food. Then she runs up to where I am usually sitting, reading a book, and asks for attention. Belly rubs, etc. Then a big burp, and it's time to go out and run and potty.
I cannot reinforce enough the advice given to me here and other places about walking her sorry ass off. I have a yard she can, and does, run in insanely. But the bond and discipline of walking on a leash cannot be under-estimated. We bought a no-choke collar from Orvis, and she sees it and sits and helps you put it on. Unless it is raining, she gets a minimum of one walk a day.
Hey, it keeps us on our toes as well.
Thanks for all the help with her. If I knew how to post a photo I would. She looks like a small German Short Hair Pointer.