Pippa, 3 1/2 months old

Time for a Pippa update!

We love our Pippa!  It's hard to believe that we've had her for about a month and a half now.

Oh, how she's grown!  When we first got her and took her to the vet she was five-and-a-half pounds.  A week and a half ago when she was last at the vet she was up to about eight-and-a-half. (We're expecting her to be about 15 pounds when she is full grown).

With the exception of a few nights (the last two being part of the exception), she sleeps through the night in her crate from about 9:30-5:45ish (when we get up for work on weekdays) without needing to be taken out to potty.  Quite honestly, she's pretty much pooped from the day by about 7:30 each night and just wants to snooze on a lap or in her bed, but we get her up and always take her out to potty that one last time before heading to bed.

She is a bit of a grump when she starts getting tired in the evening and will make growly/ complaining noises when you try to move her or pick her up when she's comfy (especially when it is time for that last potty visit).  We're working on that one, but I'm not sure we're going to totally eliminate that "I'm not a night person, so don't bug me" attitude.

One development that we are very pleased that she's achieved is that for the past few weeks she is able to go outside and go potty when she needs to (when she's roaming free in our house).  We have outside steps that lead from the back door/ doggie door area to the patio and grass.  She was able to climb the steps from the first day we brought her home.  She figured out the doggie doors (yes, doors, it's a complicated set up), about 2 weeks later.  But, it took until a few weeks ago for her to get down the stairs.  It is so nice, now that she can.  I feel so proud when I look out into the backyard and see she went out on her own and is doing her business, or playing, or sunning herself. One less thing to have to worry about.

Now that Pippa is more than 3 months old, I'm starting to train her.  So far we've just officially worked on "sit" during little sessions that use treats for rewards.  She does a decent job of coming when we call her name but we'll need to work on her consistently following the command "come".  And I can only dream of the day when she has enough self-control for "stay".  But, she's still young, so a little at a time is okay.  

She is such a cute puppy that we can forgive the mischief she gets into.  Really, she doesn't get into too much trouble; just the puppy kind that you mostly blame yourself for, like leaving something on the floor and then she chews on it.  The only significant damage so far has been two books (that had been left where she can reach), a silly mask toy (dang, now that she can jump on the couch, things on the end table aren't safe), a drink coaster (fell off the table) and a small section of an area rug (thankfully she chose to chew on the Target rug, not the Pottery Barn ones).  Most of the time when we catch her chewing on something she shouldn't, like a chair leg, we give her something she should chew on, like a Bully Stick, and she is happy to transfer her chewing efforts.

Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, lets get onto the cute stuff...

Pippa, like most dogs, likes rides in the car (that don't involve the vet).  Here she is at Sonic. (Don't worry, we don't drive with her hanging out the window like this.)

The kids love Pippa!  Carter and Pippa play more now, rather than co-existing as they sort of did when she first arrived.

 As you read in a prior post, she was an enthusiastic participant in this year's Easter egg hunt.

 

 One of her favorite spots is in the blanket section of our end table.

She (and her brother Beau) have learned how to walk with a leash.  We've taken her on a few walks up and down the street and sometimes around the block.  She's a little spooked by other dogs barking at her, but we're making progress.

Sometimes Pippa and Beau stop from wrestling with each other long enough to "share" a Bully Stick.  They love their time together, which happens 1-3 times a week (and the one day is for a full day).

Here's Pippa's special space.  It is where she eats, drinks and naps.  It is also the place she goes to be left alone, the place she's put in when she needs to settle down or not be wandering the house, and the place she stays when we have to leave the house.  She's very good about going into her area when she's tired and she just takes a nap.

Pippa happily sleeps in her crate overnight.  We move it into our bedroom on the floor when it is close to bedtime and many nights she'll just go into the crate on her own and snuggle up for the night.

 Pippa LOVES being outside in our backyard.

 Soooo cute!

She likes chasing balls.  Her favorites are mini tennis balls that squeak.  She usually brings them back but she doesn't hand them over very easily.  I am trying to not encourage tug-o-war with the items, so it sometimes takes a lot of patience to play fetch with her.

Pippa continues to love chasing around empty plastic water bottles on our hardwood floor (and then barks when they get stuck under furniture).  We don't buy bottled water but my class knows about Pippa's love of water bottles and often supplies me with a couple every day. 

Her breed is known for being lap dogs, and she certainly is!  If someone sits down, and she can't get onto their lap, she will look at the person and do a little whine to say, "Don't you want me up there with you?"  It's getting easier now that she can jump onto the couch (which is funny because most people try to teach their dogs to stay off the couch, but that isn't what you want with a lap dog).

 More cute ones...

 

Now that Pippa can jump onto the couch she can look out the front window.

 

Not the nicest picture, but this shows how Pippa is gated off from the kids' part of the house. Ashlynn is very good about closing the gate because she is worried that Pippa will choke on something and die.  Carter is hit and miss with closing the gate so a day doesn't go by that we hear Ashlynn's frantic scream of "Close the gate!  Close the gate, Carter!  Pippa is going to get in!"

 Cuddles between Carter and Pippa

 And Ashlynn and Pippa

Today I gave her the first bath she's had since arriving at our house.  (She doesn't smell and her white fur stays surprisingly clean).  She didn't enjoy it, but she thought the water coming out of the faucet was kind of interesting.

 She looked pretty pathetic as a wet dog.

Today, Pippa figured out how to sit on the end of the slide.  Not sure why she does it... my only guess is that she doesn't like her tootsies getting wet in the grass.

We love our Pippa!