Puppy Play from the warmer months

This is a very short video clip of three of our four pups with two, Hutch and Fionna doing one of their favorite things. Water Play! Fionn is thinking about joining them but isn't sure about the whole thing. Reilly was off to the side watching. He has the longest hair of the four dogs and thinks twice before he messes up his "fur style" by getting it wet.

 

 

Hmm looks like there may be technical difficulties. I'll have to check into it later.

 

 

 

Doggy Antics

Sunday was quite a cool day. We haven't been using our heater yet. That meant for chilly little dogs. When they're chilly the dogs will let me know by constantly wanting to be picked up and held.

Soooo I got out all of our doggy sweaters and coats and proceeded to see who fit in what. Fionn is so huge compared to the others that there was only one sweater he could wear. The other three being more of a similar size fit into quilted coats that Velcro under the neck and stomach.

Once they were suited up and looking all dandy I went upstairs to finish some chores. Imagine my surprise when I came down a few minutes later to find all the coats lying scattered around the living room. Fionn was still wearing his sweater.I decided I'd put them back on everyone and surreptitiously see how they got out of them.

Fionn proceeded to make the rounds and undress everyone. First he would reach under their belly and grab the Velcro tab and pull it loose. Then he'd pull it up over their head and they would assist him by backing out of it. He went from dog to dog until all three coats were once again lying strewn on the floor and he stood there grinning, tail wagging, as if to say, "Wasn't that good mom?

At that point I decided to get a blanket, gather them onto the couch and share some snuggles. After all, what are Sunday afternoons for?



 

Remodeling - with help

Remodeling is always a challenge - even if you're simply replacing worn appliances and cabinets as we are. Luckily for us we have a full crew of Connemara Terriers at the ready to assist with the finer points of the project.

 First a picture of three of the four on a regulation break from construction.

Fionn seems to be the dog that takes to home remodeling most. Here he is doing a consultation on a difficult aspect of a cabinet installation.

 His attention to detail is amazing. He double checks everything!

His approach is often non-traditional. This is how he checks for a level cabinet. Apparently if he doesn't slide out - it's level enough.

And finally a shot of Reilly - who loves to lavish praise for a job well done - whispering, "Good job Dad!"

Where is Starsky the cat, you might ask? He was actually sitting on a stack of cabinet doors watching the proceedings from a very safe distance. He likes the job of foreman.

 

Puppy Update

Isn't Fionn a handsome boy? He's also huge!

I've been really bad about putting up puppy updates. Everyone is doing well. It feels like a major miracle but everyone gets along. There are minor squirmishes but no outright fighting and often a squirmish quickly turns to play with eveyone jumping into the fun. There is never a dull moment. There are quiet moments with dogs and cats in laps or around the woodstove but never it's never dull and we are really loving that. So far this has been a great decision. Not a decision for everyone perhaps but it's definitely working for us.

Fionn and Fionna

I tried to get a good shot of Fionna but she runs like the wind. She loves running just to because she can. You can't tell from this picture but she's still quite petite. Not that it stops her from mixing it up with her brothers! Yes, this little lady will very soon rule this roost. LOL!

Here they all are - same pose I took them in when the pups were tiny. Fionna still looks bigger than she is. She's a fly weight but that doesn't stop her for a minute.

Here's an action shot of all four. Poor Reilly
ended up in a full on butt pose when I snapped the shot.

Puppy Update!

Reilly and Fionna after Reilly cleaned her face.
"Look mom I did a good job. Her face is nice and clean!"

We're now at the point where we can't really remember what it was like to not have 4 dogs as part of our household. Reilly has gotten over any resistance he had and all four canines play and sleep together as if they were always together. We're really enjoying having a canine family of four and are really very happy we made the decision to move ahead with our plan.

Fionn delights in plunging headfirst into the
first available snow drift!

It's quite amazing how different from one another the dogs and pups are and yet it's just as amazing how many ways they are similar. Fionn (pronounced Finn) is still our big bumbling puppy yet he is as smart as a whip. I've extended my morning workouts to 50 minutes. The first time I did this Fionna was content to occupy herself and didn't seem to even notice that the time was longer than the 30 minutes I was taking previously. Fionn on the other hand was accutely aware. He wasn't unhappy about it but wanted to let me know it hadn't gotten by him. Around the 45 minute mark he walked over and sat down and alternately stared at the TV and then at what I was doing. He seemed to be thinking, "It's that same T-Tapp lady and Mom's doing the same kinds of movements but man this is taking forever!"

DH, the man who longed for a pile of little Terriers is in his glory. Saturday naps have never been this good. I'm enjoying searching for the perfect mode of travel to allow us all to go on vacation together. I've discovered some of the most interesting trailers and travel vans, some more affordable than others. I'll share some of them in the future. Starsky and actually my son's cat Sky who is visiting both seem to enjoy watching the antics of the dogs. The both obviously consider themselves superior to the canines in the family yet everyone gets along without issue.

 

Pups are now reliably housebroken, sitting on command, staying for increasingly longer on command. Fionn has the most trouble with this. He is more excitable than Fionna but he's getting better over time.

I Guess you had to be There: T-Tapp Moment

Fionn napping - He's quite laid back. LOL!

Puppies do better with a schedule. I go to work early so the pups and I get up at around 4:05-4:15 am. It's amazing that I almost always wake up before the alarm but I do. :)

Pups are toileted - they are doing so well in this area - especially given the fact that it's winter and CCCCCold! Then we stoke the fire - again because it's CCCCold - about 25 below zero. Then I load their food puzzles and they anticipate while a cup of tea steeps. Then it's into the TV room where they play with their toys and chew their bones while I T-Tapp. They are used to this schedule and will often head to the next destination before asked to follow me.

At first they would only allow me enough time to do a few moves, then they graduated to Basic Workout Plus. These days it's "Healthy Hormones Menopause Management."

By the time I get  I get to T-Tapp Twist I give them the first food puzzle. Teresa says the words "T-Tapp Twist before we actually do the movement. Today when she first said those words, Fionn looked up from where he was busily chewing his toy, walked over the desk where I put the filled puzzles and barked as if to say, "She said it! She said it! It's puzzle time!"

I guess you had to be there......

I'm really enjoying this DVD! This is my second bootcamp using it, During my first bootcamp I actually lost 3" off my ribs! We'll see what happens this time. I reviewed it previously and you can find that review HERE.

Puppy Update

Fionna says, "Can you believe how lazy these boys are?"


 

Yesterday I mentioned how hard it was getting my T-Tapp shots with active puppies and dogs running around the house. So I thought I'd update with some pictures.

Everyone is getting along well these days. Hutch, Reilly and Fionn have taken to palling around while the fair and fearless Fionna looks on and at times joins the game.

Nothing beats napping with "dad."

 

Four on the Floor

Fionn and Fionna are doing really well with their puppy training. This picture speaks for itself. I took it Sunday night 24 hours after I started teaching them to sit.

They won't listen to the command to sit if they are excited but genuinely seem to enjoy practicing with their big brothers, Hutch and Reilly.

I took this picture after I put them into a sit. To their credit they held the sit while I fumbled around with the camera trying to quickly take the picture. The first time we practiced the pups where between Hutch and Reilly but Fionn started chewing Hutch's tail and you-know-what broke loose.

What a difference a week makes! Fionn and Fionna Update

Tuckered out animals after the last play session of the night

It's just over a week since we picked up Fionn and Fionna and I'm amazed at how far we've come in one short week.

We've established a wake, eat, play, sleep schedule and it's working pretty well.

Hutch and Reilly are not only tolerating them but seem to be fond of them and keep tabs on where the puppies are at any given time. The four of them interact all the time now. Quite entertaining!

Potty training is going really well. Fionn will squeek out a few drops any time you ask him to do so. He lives to please. Fionna will usually squeek out a few drops, not because she lives to please but because she wants the praise that she sees Fionn get for having done so. We have an in house grid style doggy potty and both will seek it out but we keep tabs on them and toilet them often.

Lazy puppy play

Fionn and Fionna will both reliably come when called so they know their names.

This is the very best! They are learning to sit. They mimic Hutch and Reilly. Fionna doesn't like ot sit on command - she has already established that she is the "Queen" of this household - but she does it - again not to be left out.



Starksy the cat is taking this all in his stride. He is always present; watching and read and has begun interacting on a limited basis with the pups. Hutch and Reilly both keep an eye on things and pull the pups away if they get too aggressive with Starsky.

Yes, a Connemara Jack Russell & a cat who get along

Reilly cleaning Starksy's face


 

I've talked about the fact that even our cat Starsky likes Reilly. Every time I see the two of them interacting it amazes me. Starsky will play chase with Hutch and for the moment he tolerates Fionna and Fionn but he seems to genuinely like Reilly. I can't help but think that there is a message to their unconventional relationship.

 

Half Nap Half Cuddle

Were napping together until the flash woke Starksy

Hutch and Fionna and Bite Inhibition

Puppy teeth are sharp and Fionna could definitely benefit from some bite inhibition training! She's earned the nickname puppy shark. Hutch was the same way as a puppy and we successfully used the information on Sheila's page on bite inhibition to train him out of the habit. Reilly was much easier to train because Hutch taught him bite inhibition as they played and rough housed together.

I would have never believed it but Hutch has become the leader and caregiver of our pack. He still watches over Reilly even though Reilly is an adult now. Reilly will often clean Starsky the cat's face and ears and Starsky allows it and even seems to enjoy it but if Reilly gets too persistent Hutch will step in and pull Reilly away by the tail. It serves two purposes. Pulling Reilly by the tail physically moves him back a few inches. It also distracts Reilly who then chases Hutch.

Well, caregiver Hutch is stepping in again. This time with Puppy Shark Fionna! Below are a series of pictures (hopefully pretty much in order) that I snapped of Hutch and Fionna playing together. Hutch instigated the session by moving close to Fionna and then rolling onto his side and then back. The play session alternated between sweet, soft interaction and sharp rebukes when Fionna would bite too sharply. It appears that Hutch is baring his teeth and biting her but in reality his bite is extremely soft and often doesn't truly land on her. We won't expect Hutch to do the job on his own because Fionna needs to know it's not ok to bite anyone but it's so endearing that he is taking on the task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fionna and Fionn's First Snow Adventure

It was a very short adventure because it's cold here. The pups were only outside for a few minutes but they got a chance to experience what it feels like to wear a coat and Fionn managed to roll into a snow pile and cover himself head to toe in snow. (I didn't catch that on the video but you can see all the snow on this sweater.)

Getting Ready to go Outside

This is a picture of Fionna in her coat and Fionn in his sweater. (Hand me downs from Hutch to Reilly and then Reilly to the pups)

                                                This is a short video of their time outside.

I promise to get back to regular wellness blogging soon but for the time being we're preoccupied with pets.