Pooches

I love my dogs, really I do.  They're my little children, really.  I love to curl up in bed with them as a treat and let them snuggle in (they're normally not allowed on the bed).  But once G left we began having some behavioral problems.  I sleep on a different schedule than G does, and while for the first week I couldn't seem to sleep in, so things didn't change too much, they have gradually over the last month.  Meaning they don't get fed exactly at 5:45 and 4:30.  Instead they might not get fed until 12-2 and then again at 8-9.  At first they revolted and would jump up every time I had to go to the bathroom in the early crack of dawn hours.  We're slowly adjusting to this schedule, and they seem to be adapting. 

However a big problem I discussed with G was that Sophie takes off at full speed down the stairs, and as big as she is and as strong as her nails are, she was scratching up our hardwood.  I tried scolding her.  But if you knew Sophie you would understand she's a generally timid dog when it comes to even a slightly raised voice (has been since we got her at 8 weeks....she used to be scared of the sound of the airplanes flying over our house).  So if you scold her, she scrunches down and squints her eyes and makes you feel like you just beat her.  So I tried a different approach:  blocking her way and saying loudly, "Slow, slow, slow."

And you know what?  It worked!  When they're let out of the bedroom, Audrey generally rushes down a flight.  But Sophie?  She stays at the top of the stairs and waits for me and we walk down together.  It's become our little mama puppy thing.  And I tell her what a good girl she is.  Which sends her tail into a frenzy which leaves bruises on my legs.  (She's a lab mixed with a more muscular breed so her tail is over an inch of muscle at the base and thwaps you hard!).

I love my dogs.  They drive me insane, but they've also kept me going on days when I didn't feel like getting up.  Now we can't wait until the weather warms up and we can go running at the lake!