I am back in Deer Park....After being 841 miles away in Nashville

I returned from Nashville Wednesday night, and had a homecoming with Angus and Robert. I was so excited to see both of them...Angus looked like he gained 12 pounds since I had left.

We hadn't ever seen him wag his tail, but let me tell you he wagged his whole back end when I got home. :) He had plenty of kisses for me and didn't want to leave me a lone for a while.

Then when it was bed time, he choose Robert again :( for some reason he really likes to sleep next to Robert. Today I worked from home and we had lots of fun. He spent a good deal of time sitting on the couch while I worked.

I am working on a release tonight and instead of going to bed with Robert Angus was wide awake and wanting to play. I thought he was going to take over the phone call tonight. Each time I unmuted I was afraid that Angus was going to be growling, barking, or grunting. Connie got Angus a laser toy and he LOVES it. We probably enjoy it more than he does because I laugh non stop as he chases it across the room, watches it on the ceiling, or growls at it on his paw.

Robert did a good job with him while I was gone, he fed him (every 12 hours), brushed his teeth every night, and put medicine in his ear. He did however, decide to tear up his pee pad :( two days in a row, and he tee-teed in his bed yesterday. We washed the bed today, it didn't really work out very well, the bed is all lumpy now. He still appears to like it so that is great. Pet beds are SO EXPENSIVE....But you know he actually uses his so it isn't a waste of money.

He is so sweet when he is sleeping, but down right crazy when he is riled up....He has started this new thing where he gets all hyper and starts running around the living room. And just when you think he is going to keep going he slides under the ottoman...Usually hits his head as he goes in looks like it would hurt....then looks out at your feet, growls, and barks, and then......ATTACK

His teeth are horribly sharp....and he has not yet been broken of biting feet, hands, and pant legs...Or if he can't get pant legs then just legs.

Still in Deer Park

So it is 12:30 in the morning, I am participating in a software release for work, and thought I would provide more information on what I learned about Angus today.

Here are a few things:

1. VERY STRONG TEETH


2. VERY STUBBORN


3. VERY CUTE


4. Did I mention VERY STRONG TEETH

Today was all about chewing on my feet. When we went outside to go potty, he chewed on my feet, when I was fixing his dinner, he chewed on my feet, when it was nap time, he chewed on my feet, I think you get the picture. I tried telling him NO sternly, I tried spanking him with a tap, I tried distracting him with toys, and although it appeared to work at that very second, he would come right back to chewing on my feet.

I did find that he does respond to picking him up and getting directly in his face to tell him no. Although he forgets about it a few minutes later, he does at least give you a little reprieve. Right now while I am worrying about my release he is in bed with Robert, and although it sounds peaceful now a few moments ago all I heard was 'Owwwww, why did you go directly to biting my face' definitely not something you expect to hear when the lights are all turned off and everyone is supposed to be going to sleep.

He is so adorable, and sometimes it is so funny the way he attacks things that it is hard to be stern with him and not laugh while you are getting on to him. We are trying our hardest to teach him that biting people is bad, but I am not sure we will be able to get it across to him. I am going to start looking at resources on how to train him not to do that, since everything I am trying is not working. By the way we tried the little Puppy Trainer tool (a clicker) and the first time it stopped him, now he just wants to attack the Puppy Trainer tool to eat it.

If anyone knows other wise to discipline stubborn, bull headed dogs, please let me know.

Overall though - we adore him. I think we finally have the bathroom stuff down. When I came downstairs to let him out of his crate after his 4 hours of solitary, he had used his pee pad like he was supposed to, and when he went outside he used the bathroom. He only used the potty inside once today. :) So definitely progressing.

I also found it odd that he is no longer scarfing down all of his food like he was. He left 1 of his 4 ounces in the bowl after meal time. I was worried about him, but he appears to have plenty of energy at least enough to make my feet look like I walked over the Popsicles at the Shards of Glass Popsicle factory. His bathroom issue seems to be clearing up, so hopefully I won't have to call the vet tomorrow.

OK I am going to pay attention to the software release that I am supposed to be attending right now - I am sure I will have plenty to say tomorrow, when we go to 6 hrs of solitary confinement.

Hope you are having fun wherever here is for you!

Still in Houston today - actually Deer Park

So yesterday was a fluke....When Angus was put in his crate this morning he started to whine. I am real sucker for whining puppies, but I stayed strong. I walked off and left him unhappy in his crate. He has to stay in for 4 hours today, and I am sure I am the one that is taking it the hardest. I am working upstairs today, where as yesterday I worked in the living room and he could still hear me. Maybe being so far away will allow him to be calm and not whine. We will see....

He slept all night last night, so that was fabulous. He did have some wild dreams. He hasn't really barked much at all, but in his dreams he was really getting something. He was barking like crazy, and of course running as fast as his stubby little legs could take him. He is getting more and more independent, which is good, but it is also a little upsetting for me. I know I should be happy that he can entertain himself, and wants to spend time away from me, but it is so nice when he wants to snuggle with me. Good news is he still has those moments, I just hope they don't all go away.

Last night he decided it would be a good idea to bite Robert as much as possible. He kept lunging at Robert's face and trying to bite him anywhere he could get. He was in rare form and boy when he gets his mind set to have something he is going to do everything he can to get it. You think he has moved on to something else, but he is just lulling you into a sense of security. Next thing you know he has snuck around to get a hold of it again. He is a smart little guy and extremely quick when he wants to be. (of course only when he wants to be, if you want him to hurry up he takes a step and rests)

Well I need to get back to work, I will check back in after we figure out how Angus really did with the 4 hours of solitary confinement.

Here today is Houston - and home with Angus

Well I am at home with my new puppy today. He has decided that he likes to eat toes, feet, fingers, and anything electronic. It is amazing how puppies don't want to chew on the things they are supposed to and chew on every thing they aren't. No matter how many toys we give Angus he continually goes for your feet or hands.

He is only 10 weeks old as of last Friday, and already has us trained well. He had his first visit to the vet yesterday, where he did well, only got really upset once because they gave him a shot, but overall he was the star of the clinic. Everyone wanted to hold him and pet him. I was amazed he ended up coming home with me.

This is our first English Bulldog, so we are learning. The amazing things I have learned thus far are:

1. You must clean out their wrinkles EVERY day


2. You must brush their teeth EVER day


3. You must brush them EVERY day


4. You must bath them VERY regularly (because of an allergy issue Angus is required to have 2 baths a week)


5. You must clean out their ears EVERY day


6. You have to choose a vet that specializes in Bulldogs because they have specific needs due to their breathing issues. (for example Anesthesia is dangerous for them)

Even after all of that I wouldn't trade him for anything. He is the sweetest puppy, he grunts all the time, hardly ever barks (except at feeding time, where he becomes very vocal about what he wants), is almost potty trained (we need to learn his signals), and loves to snuggle when it is time to go to sleep.

I have also learned that I don't do well with Crate training. Although Angus has taken to it very well, and is dealing today with being left in the crate with the door closed in a room all by himself for a couple of hours during a thunderstorm, I am anxious and want to get him out. :( But he is going to have to learn to stay in his crate for extended periods of time and now is the best time to teach him, I suppose.

Going to Nashville is going to be difficult now that he is at home. Robert has already complained that he misses me when I run to the store, and I find myself wanting to call and check on him, even though I am only gone for a few hours at a time at most. Not that I don't think that Robert can't take care of him, but it is amazing at how much I think I need to do. For those of you that know me, maybe not so amazing.

There are still moments when I feel guilty because we got a new dog, even though I said over and over again I wouldn't after all we went through with Buttons. We miss her horribly and we know that he is not replacing her, it is just hard to deal with.

Well that is enough for my first post. Hopefully I get good at this and can blog on a regular basis about absolutely nothing. :)

Have a great day wherever Here is for you.