Check and Recheck

So - as I worked in the laundry room a few days ago I dug through a box that had been used as a catch-all for a while. All sorts of things were in it by now. Mismatched socks, little shirts that I have no idea who they belonged to, a broken bracelet, a broken clothespin, one side slipper which I silently wished I knew where the other side was, volcanic rock (yes, taken from Maui) that dropped out of my hand and down to floor with a loud crack. I had stooped down to make sure the ceramic tile was not chipped but I didn't bother to pick up the rock.

If only lost and misplaced things could talk, they'd tell us where they last saw the other matching sock, who might like that small shirt back, how did the bracelet get broken, who broke the clothespin and then didn't dispose of it properly, where that nice other side slipper might be found, and why in the world was that rock in the box anyway?

Once again I was in the laundry room this morning after having spent early morning chasing after my puppy Moto. Today will be THE day that he totally understands "potty" I thought to myself while I got up refreshed and ready to face another early morning taking him outside.

"Okay Moto, potty. Let's go potty." I said cheerfully as I coaxed him out of his kennel.

Out the door we went and I set him down near the woods and said, "Potty." He did and I praised him "loudly and profusely." "Very good Moto! Good boy! POTTY!"

Back inside we both went and I ran upstairs to get a load of Doug's jeans to throw into the washer. He followed me happily out to the laundry room. Okay good, I thought, he can eat his breakfast while I work in the laundry room a bit, and I can keep a close eye on him. So I began folding laundry.

I could hear the puppy sniffing around and then he began to whine and I thought that he was just bored and wanted to go into the house. (My laundry room is off of the garage.) I spoke to him and said, "Wait 'til I am done and we will go back inside."

Suddenly I thought I smelled something and looked down. Oh my word!

"Moto! No!"

"Come!"

He came up from the garage floor and yes, he did look very sheepish. I said, "No potty!" Then I took him to the offensive pile and sat him down to look and sniff at it. "No!"

Then I took him outside and put him near the trees again. "POTTY!" I said rather madly and feeling like bonking him on top his head.

I left him outdoors and went back inside to clean up AGAIN!

I got tissue paper and went to the laundry room and began to clean up the volcanic rock. Ha!

I laughed and laughed as I held the volcanic rock in the tissue paper. I went to Mom's room to go share what I had just done. We laughed and I apologized to Moto, then I went back to work in the laundry room. I suddenly stopped. One thing I have been blessed with is a good snout and I did smell something after all! Moto had gone down on the garage floor and did leave a mess, and I did smell it, and he was whining for that reason. So, perhaps we are coming along with the housebreaking.

Ah well. Live and learn. Learn to check ....and recheck!

Why O Why O Why?

I already have two dogs, one inside dog and one outside dog... "whatever possessed me?" I found myself wondering at three thirty this morning. He had been yelping and scratching and making himself a major nuisance. He not only did that, he went pee and poop not in just one place but MANY! I worried that he was bothering Mom so I got up and told him this was not good behavior for one that was so new to the family.

Why do people love puppies? What makes us willing to put up with such discomfort?

sigh

sigh

sigh

sigh

Smile.

He is a mutt (like me). Sharpei, Rottweiller, Husky and Blue Tick Heeler. I wonder who he's going to end up looking like! I hope he gets his Mom's trait of not shedding (Sharpei), I hope he gets the Rottweiller look, but with the family dog trait of the Blue Tick Heeler, and definitely no Husky fur!!!! His previous owner claimed that both his Momma and Daddy dogs were excellent family dogs.

Right now "Moto" is learning my tone of voice. I have tried to raise our dogs using Barbara Woodhouse's recommendations for "no bad dogs" in her book "No Bad Dogs, The Woodhouse Way." I use the choke collar. Right now Moto is wearing a choke collar to get used to it and I am getting worn out cleaning up after him! He is not as clean as my Shih-tzu Chewy was when he was a puppy. Chewy never messed on his blanket, but it appears that Moto has no qualms whatsoever of peeing on his! I can see right now that the next few months are going to be a challenge!

Doug? Maybe we should buy stock in toilet paper!

I am looking a head to a happy future with our newest addition to our family - welcome little Moto!