Cute Dog Drawing

Our son Beau created this pencil drawing for Reed for his birthday. Beau used one of our favorite pictures of Reilly and Fionna plus a couple of other pictures for reference to create it. The picture actually doesn't do it justice mostly because I'm no photographer!

 

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.