11 Weeks in.......

Today, April 23

I wish I could remember every thing he's done since we last blogged.   It's just been really crazy.  
I can tell you that we've started taking him to a dog park with the girls.  This place has been empty every time we've gone since day 1.

Knowing that, we've taken the 3 to the park.  It's been a joy to watch him run free and play with his sisters.  We took them earlier today.   Additionally he was up early and playing with Duchess for about 3 hours on and off this morning.   Thanks to all that, he's a pooped pup.   It's a nice little break from him.

Daddy has been taking them on walks lately. He takes the girls first and comes back to take Peryn.   It's great as it burns a lot of his energy. When he comes back, we just do a few rounds of fetch and soon he's calmer.    His walks have been getting longer and longer.

He's jumping on the higher bed now.  Athena can't even do that.  Duchess is no longer alone up there. It doesn't matter any ways as the bed is going bye bye tomorrow.   Duchess will not like that one bit.
The office is also the guest room and unfortunately the bed is too big for both my desk and a queen sized bed.   We'll need to look for something smaller.

Duchess and Peryn at the park

The girls are doing fine.   They tolerate their brother most days.   He is a handful and tends to bug them at moments when they're not having it. They put him in his place though.

He's holding it a lot longer.   Our friend who lets him out during the middle of the day was on vacation this past week.  We both had to be at work and that's about 9 hours in the crate.   Each time it was bone dry.   This dog can hold it almost all night and most ogrf the day, but can spend 30 mins outside and come back in to pee in the middle of the floor! I don't get it.

He's got the commands I taught him down now.  He finally FINALLY does paw.   Working with him on Stay & Come.     .......

He's grown so much.  It's like you close your eyes and boom! he's taller/longer.   He's now over 25 lbs.   He was under 9lbs when we brought him home 11 weeks ago.

Buddies

As of today he's also micro-chipped.  I want to make sure i get my baby back.......
Which leads me to this train of thought..
It is absolutely amazing how many people are taken with him.   Rich tells me every time he walks him someone stops him to ask about Peryn. It happened twice today when I went in to have him chipped.  

As a avid dog lover, I was aware of an Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler. When we went to pick him up, it was not a surprise about seeing the breed.   However I'd say almost 98% of the people we've come in contact with or who have seen his picture always ask what he is.  
I posed this question to the online group I belong to and it was mixed. Those down in Texas, where there are ranches galore, know the breed well. Actually most areas where there are farms or ranches with cattle or flocks to be herded, know of the breed.  The rest say they have the same reactions.

Duchess

I was used to the questions about Duchess, but now we get to deal with them about Peryn. In fact, at the drive through today someone was insanely curious about Duchess and then when they saw Peryn, they asked about him as well.   Poor Athena. Looking like the German Shepherd that you are doesn't make people ask about her.

Life is busy with 3 dogs again, but it's been pretty good.  Our only complaints is the chewing on EVERYTHING and the ninja poops.  Otherwise they are a great bunch that I adore.

Oh and MY complaint is Duchess and Peryn feel the need to wrestle on top of me. If they don't start there, they end there. My thighs are bruised up. My lower legs, which are extremely sensitive to begin with , are scratched up.  I have teeth marks from where they go to "bite" at each other and miss, getting me in the mean time.

Double Trouble

It was cute at first, no longer.  I dread and hate it. Even when I get out of the way, Peryn finds me and then uses me as a launch pad to dive at his sister.
It's irritating.

Well, I'll let you enjoy the pics of the pups....












On a sad note, four years ago I lost my little clown.  We said goodbye to my little buddy Goldberg. The first of my kiddos to leave me and the worst as it was so unexpected.   Here's a moment for my little BUG.

WWE all the time

Yeah, it's safe to say Athena is L-O-V-I-N-G her new life.   No doubt about that.

Her life now consists of:

--her place in front of the window in the upstairs office.   We have an ottoman placed in front of one of the windows in the guest room/office.  Athena has taken this spot over and can be seen at the window when we come home from anywhere.

--her bed in the bedroom.  She walks in the master bedroom and plops right down on it. She stays there until she decides to look out the back window, jump up on the bed to cuddle with Mommy, or if we decide to move to another room.   She is quite comfortable on her bed.

--wrestling with her sister.  The WWE has moved to our house. What once started as an occasional thing has turned into a 24/7 thing.   It MOSTLY starts when Duchess gets jealous and uses it to get Athena away from us.  Athena occasionally starts it.  The girls seem to love playing with one another.   What was once very very cute is bordering on annoying as they tend to get loud and interrupt Rich's TV time.    Over all I'm very happy that they're there for one another.

--A family that loves her.  Athena has melded into the family quite easily.   She gets along with both of her sisters. She is very gentle with Sheba. She is affectionate with Duchess. She is super affectionate with the both of us.  She is a very sweet girl.

--Loves her walks. She loves her walks with Mommy/Daddy & Duchess.  She gets her additional exercise in that way.   Between the wrestling and the walks, she appears to be very content.

--Loves the outdoors.  She can sit outside for hours.  She loves to bark at nothing, squirrels, cats, dogs, etc.   She's also content to just sit out in the back and watch.

--She loves to eat.  She doesn't have to fight with anyone to eat. She doesn't have to starve, food is provided and she loves to just settle down and just chow away.  The increased activity I think keeps her appetite healthy.  She's put on some pounds but looks fabulous now that she is filling out.


Really, she's been very easy to incorporate into our home.  

Another very obvious sign that she is doing well is how she holds herself.   Before she use to fold in on herself.  Her tails was tucked under and close to the body, she walked like she was slinking away, moved gingerly up and down the stairs, and tended to stay in one area like she was trying to avoid being noticed.   Now she walks around like she belongs. Tail no longer tucked under.  She moves pretty quickly up and down the stairs (awkwardly though), and she moves about where she wants. From onto her perch to the floor to into one of our laps, she has no hesitation.  

She is such a pleasure and so easy to love.