Hide and Seek, Bathtime and Tattletails

Bathtime for Belle

A clean Belle Pup

Bonnie’s Turn

A clean Bonnie Pup

The other evening while working on the recall command we played hide and seek in the house with the pups. One of us holds the pups and the other goes, hides then calls them. When it was Greg’s turn to hide I entertained Bonnie in the kitchen so she wouldn’t follow him. When he called her, she looked at me as if to say “Oh,that’s me! Gotta go!” and took off at a mad dash to find her Greg.
When it was my turn to hide and Belle’s turn to seek, she was so excited to find me that she took off looking for me before I called her. She was more patient but just as excited to find me the next 2 times 🙂 It was satisfying to note that both Bonnie and Belle came running as fast as they could to find us when we called. Although we hid in various places the trickyiest was when I hid behind the chair, the challenge wasn’t where I was but how to get to me. Both pups figured it out in their own way and gave me lots and lots of kisses to show me how happy they were to get to me!

Later that night the pups had their first bath, they previously have had showers. Belle went first and wasn’t too sure she like it. Bonnie kept getting in the way and was all about telling Belle there was nothing to it until it was her turn when she didn’t think she liked it either. Belle the loving sister that she is nosed her as if to say ” nothing to it huh!” The pups, floor and Greg were all very very wet by the time bath time was over but we had two clean puppies.

Yesterday morning Bonnie snatched a magazine, an envelope and a pen I dutifully told her to “give” each time and she did. A little while later while drying my hair I looked down at my feet and discovered Bonnie sitting as close to me as she could get. Considering that the girls don’t like the sound of the hairdryer I found this strange. I looked to see what she was looking at and discovered Belle on the couch happily playing with a dish towel that she had snatched! Clearly Bonnie was tattling on her sister!

Last night when Greg told the pups it was bedtime, Belle the good girl that she is ran to her crate and laid down. Bonnie on the other hand jumped up on the couch and pressed herself as close to the cushions as she could in an effort to become invisible. When she realized that Greg could still see her she closed her eyes. Guess she figured if she couldn’t see him he couldn’t see her. Silly pup!

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Hide and Seek, Bathtime, and Tattletails

Bathtime for Belle

A clean Belle Pup

Bonnie’s Turn

A clean Bonnie Pup

The other evening while working on the recall command we played hide and seek in the house with the pups. One of us holds the pups and the other goes, hides then calls them. When it was Greg’s turn to hide I entertained Bonnie in the kitchen so she wouldn’t follow him. When he called her, she looked at me as if to say “Oh,that’s me! Gotta go!” and took off at a mad dash to find her Greg.
When it was my turn to hide and Belle’s turn to seek, she was so excited to find me that she took off looking for me before I called her. She was more patient but just as excited to find me the next 2 times 🙂 It was satisfying to note that both Bonnie and Belle came running as fast as they could to find us when we called. Although we hid in various places the trickyiest was when I hid behind the chair, the challenge wasn’t where I was but how to get to me. Both pups figured it out in their own way and gave me lots and lots of kisses to show me how happy they were to get to me!

Later that night the pups had their first bath, they previously have had showers. Belle went first and wasn’t too sure she like it. Bonnie kept getting in the way and was all about telling Belle there was nothing to it until it was her turn when she didn’t think she liked it either. Belle the loving sister that she is nosed her as if to say ” nothing to it huh!” The pups, floor and Greg were all very very wet by the time bath time was over but we had two clean puppies.

Yesterday morning Bonnie snatched a magazine, an envelope and a pen I dutifully told her to “give” each time and she did. A little while later while drying my hair I looked down at my feet and discovered Bonnie sitting as close to me as she could get. Considering that the girls don’t like the sound of the hairdryer I found this strange. I looked to see what she was looking at and discovered Belle on the couch happily playing with a dish towel that she had snatched! Clearly Bonnie was tattling on her sister!

Last night when Greg told the pups it was bedtime, Belle the good girl that she is ran to her crate and laid down. Bonnie on the other hand jumped up on the couch and pressed herself as close to the cushions as she could in an effort to become invisible. When she realized that Greg could still see her she closed her eyes. Guess she figured if she couldn’t see him he couldn’t see her. Silly pup!

Photographic Memories of Our Pete Cat

Pete and the pups with their Greg

Pete trying out the pups crate

Pete and Bonnie

Pete on a sunny day

Pete trying out Abby’s new bed

Pete getting comfy

Aaron and his buddy Pete

Thank you Pete Cat for all the memories, you were one of a kind.

Family Time

Today’s post is going to live up to it’s blog name. Things have been crazy busy in our household and so it stands to reason that my thoughts are whirling around in my mind.

My number one thought is that yesterday Palm Sunday was the start of Holy Week. I keep going back to the realization that Jesus made a choice to die on that cross for us. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever believes in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” God loves us that much. He gave His Son. I gave my heart to Him a long time ago but I am still humbled and marvel anew that Jesus chose to die for us.

Last weekend we had the joy of having our daughter, one of our sons and all three grandchildren here. Due to winter not wanting to give up yet, and folks needing to get home to beat the start of a late season snow storm it was a very short trip but a fun one. If it’s one thing our family knows how to do it’s how to pack a lot of memories into a short amount of time.

Jess and Jon were in a 5k race saturday morning. Uncle Jon asked Ethan who was going to win. Ethan told Uncle Jon that he was. When Jessi teasingly reacted Ethan said to her in a very serious 5 year old voice, “Mommy listen to my words, I was just teasing Uncle Jon, you’re going to win”.

That afternoon we took the kids to go watch the play Annie, mainly because we thought the boys would get a kick out of seeing Roxy who played Sandy the dog, who by the way did a very good job. Roxy is a beautiful Golden Retriever who belongs to the family our pups stay with when we are away. Roxy has been very patient with our squirrelly girls for which we are grateful for.

All three boys did very good job with the pups. Aaron almost 4 loved the idea that he could tell the pups to sit and they would and Bonnie couldn’t sit fast enough as multiple treats were being offered to her. I think by the time Aaron went home he was getting the idea that the pups have to earn their treats. But it was funny to watch Bonnie try to keep up and try to do what she was supposed to do!

Ethan 5 upon learning that the pups licked him because they were giving him kisses said ” well dogs don’t have lips like we do so they have to lick to kiss us. He handled the active pups very well and was able to get them to sit several times.

Kaden almost 2 from his grandpa’s arms told the pups sternly “down” and they listened to him!

I enjoyed watching Ethan figure out how to hitch the toy wagon to the toy 4 wheeler for Kaden. When I told him he was just like the other Abbott fix it men he said “Am I part Abbott?” to which I replied you sure are. He smiled a satisfied smile at the thought that he was in the same group as his Grandpa Greg, Uncle Jon and Uncle Jake. Sidenote, Ethan’s daddy is a great fix it man too, so Ethan gets the “fix it” gene from both sides of the family 🙂

I wish I would have had a picture of Kaden reaching up for both Grandpa and My hand while walking up the stairs it was one of those times that turn into a precious memory.

Aaron had a good time playing with Kaden, it didn’t seem to matter what they played they just had fun together.
It was a lot of fun watching a three boys interact with each other. They don’t know it but they are building strong bonds that will last a lifetime.

In puppy news at class this past week we worked on recall. We played hide and seek, I called Bonnie while hiding and she had to come and find me. I learned that she wll come faster if I use a bright and energetic voice. Although it’s hard for me to muster that up at 7:30 in the evening we did a crediable job and she found me all three times. My favorite exercise was when Bonnie was put on a long leash with the trainer holding the end of the leash I went to the other side of the room and called her, and she ran to me, then I would clip her leash on and take the other leash off. She couldn’t run fast enough to get to me which was made me as happy as she seemed to be.

Leave it, Leave it, Leave it… the pups hear it alot especially when they are checking out the counter top, sink, bill basket, pens, magazines, or Pete cat. The tables were turned on Bonnie at class the other night when Jolly the Great Dane decided that she wanted to say hi to Bonnie, her owner told her “leave it” and I ended up laughing at the expression on Bonnie’s face as I was body blocking in an effort to help Jolly “leave it”.

Another first

Belle snuggling with her fox

We had another first tonight. Our continuing class was tonight and Belle stayed home this week with Greg while Bonnie and I went to class.
We worked tonight on walking, practicing turns and passing another dog without being distracted. While there weren’t enough cheese treats in the world that would keep Bonnie walking across that floor without stopping to get a better look at the little dog and person that we were partnered with, we discovered that liver, a new treat for her was exciting enough to keep her moving in a forward motion. I was very proud of Bonnie Pup tonight she did very well and once I managed to get her out the door and we were on our way she didn’t seem to miss her sister or Greg.

The real story is how well Belle did for her first time being away from Bonnie for a whole evening. Greg said that she just couldn’t settle down, she kept going around the house and her puppy pen looking for Bonnie. When our van drove down the lane He started taking a video of Belle so I could see her reaction when she heard us walk in the house. She was trying to doze on the couch, (she was worn out from all of her pacing). When she heard us come in the house, her whole body perked up and she ran for the kitchen. Then a surprising thing happened, as she was smelling and greeting her sister Belle started to growl, Bonnie stood perfectly still and just waited. As all of this was going on I started to talk to Belle, greeting her and petting both pups at the same time, Belle to say “Hi I missed you” and Bonnie to reassure her that everything would be fine. Greg called the pups and while Bonnie wanted to go to him Belle stood in between the two and wouldn’t let her go to him. After a few seconds Belle shook off what ever was bothering her and everything was fine. She then went to play with her kong which she had been ignoring all evening. All of a sudden she stopped chewing on the kong and ran over to me tail wagging as if to say “Oh you’re home! She then ran up to Greg as if to say “everything is fine now, they are back!” and with that she ran back to her kong.

I would give anything to really know what Belle was thinking. Did she smell the scent of the 5 other dogs or was she just disgruntled because she was left behind. We will never know, but whatever it was I am glad that her world is back to normal.

Belle and Bonnie’s Different Approaches to the One Minute Sit

This morning while working with the pups on a 1 minute sit their different personalities were very apparent. I was working with both of them at the same time, they were right in front of me. and both were as different as night and day.

Belle was like “Sit? you want me to sit, ok I’m sitting, do I get a treat? Where is my treat?Can’t you see I am sitting, Hey wait, maybe I won’t get a treat this time.  Oh! what is that on the floor? Oh that’s right I am supposed to be sitting. Did you say I was going to get a  ah there it is a treat! Finally a treat. Oh yeah I am still sitting but….don’t I get another… wait what’s over there? Oh that’s right…ah another treat. Isn’t it almost time to get up?Please, please, PLEASE can’t I get up? Ah there’s the all done!

Bonnie on the other hand: ” Sit you want me to sit, hm, well I don’t know am I going to get a treat if I sit? Well maybe I could if it’s for a treat that is. Ok I am sitting, so where is my treat, like come on, I am doing what you want me to. You said I was going to get a treat, oh there it is. ok sooooo do I get another one I’m still sitting you know even though it’s really boring to just sit. By the way are you ever going to say “all done?”