Month Two

On Sunday it will be exactly two months since we got our puppies.  I did a post like this a month ago after our first month together - kind of like a reflection.  Both puppies are continuing to do very well.  Together they are very entertaining.  Even though it may not always seem this way, they love each other very much.  When they are apart and are reunited they always get excited and begin kissing each other.  I love to watch them play with one another, especially as they are getting older.  They are more into their toys now and are very aware of what the other is doing.  Many times they want to play with the same toy at the same time but occasionally they will each be entertaining themselves without antagonizing one another.  They are both Puppy Kindergarten graduates and start the next phase of obedience school (what I like to call Puppy First Grade) next weekend.  They both know "sit," "paw," "down," "wait," "drop it," "take it" and "leave it."

At times it is hard to believe that Tessie is the same puppy we brought home in March...other times it is very easy.  The most common 

comment I get from others about her is something about her being shy.  Typically it is people who I don't classify as "dog people" who make comments like, "why doesn't she like people?"  I feel bad when people make comments like that because I feel like they miss out on seeing what an awesome dog she is.  She is the sweetest dog I have ever met and may come off as skittish but she would never hurt a fly.  At five months old she has made great strides with us.  When she wants to give us kisses she doesn't just give us kisses, she comes full on and attacks us with kisses and hugs - yes, she hugs.  You could be sitting on the couch and then all of a sudden have a lap full of lab.  When we come home not only her tail wags, her whole body does.  It's the Tessie wiggle.  She's a riot.  She loves to be outside and she runs and runs and runs.  She falls right into Skippy's trap when he starts to antagonize her.

..even though she almost always ends up on top.  In my opinion she knows he's smaller and there are times when I think she will intentionally let him get the upper hand.  She loves to dig holes in the dirt and she loves to be dried off with a towel.  She loves meeting other dogs, something we probably couldn't say for sure two months ago.  

Skippy continues to make us laugh.  His latest exploits include getting an ice cube stuck to his tongue.  At some point during every Puppy Kindergarten class Skippy would go out as far as he could on his leash, sit down, and stare at the trainer as if he was listening.  This fits him to a tee.  He has so much personality.  His favorite thing to do at night is crawl into bed (we let them on the bed now) and curl up next to Paul on his back.  He will fall asleep with his legs straight out in the air.  I love it.  His ears still stick out, although it seems to change everyday.  One day the left will stick up and the right will stick out, the next day the left will be down and the right will be up in the air.  He's gaining weight quickly and he's a little tough guy.  At Puppy Kindergarten he felt that he needed to protect Tessie from the other dogs, since she was hesitant when playtime came around.  He loves his stuffed dog Squeaky and has learned to play fetch indoors - yes, only indoors.  When he's outside he runs away with the ball.  

Overall we have two very well behaved puppies and I couldn't imagine having a four-month old puppy and a five-month old puppy being any easier.  We got very lucky.