Breaking the Shell

Tessie had a big day yesterday.  It began at puppy class.  The play time, which lasts about 5-10 minutes each class, was at the beginning of class this week.  Everyone takes the puppies off leash and then they get to run around the room and play with each other.  Our trainer's three-year old Standard Poodle was there, as well as two of the other puppies in our class, a Cockapoo and a Golden Retriever, who are both really sweet dogs.  Tessie usually stands off to the side with us and doesn't play.  Last week Paul went out into the middle of the play area and she followed which was big for her.  This week she took it upon herself to go out, play with the dogs, and have a lot of fun.  She was playfully barking at them and playing with a tennis ball that belonged to the Standard Poodle.  We were so happy to see her relax and have fun with the other dogs.  She loves the Golden Retriever puppy and gets so excited when she sees her each week.  She did so well and it makes me so glad we decided to continue the puppy classes after puppy kindergarten ended.  The socialization aspect of the class is really helping her.  Later on in the night we had Swilly and Sue over.  Tessie did so well going over to them, letting them pet her, and being so much less tense than she has been in the past.  It is so good to see her enjoying things a little bit more.

Tessie's new thing is shoes....if she could have her way she would spend the day chewing every shoe in the house.  She chewed a hole on the back of my sneaker and she loves Paulie's slippers.  But she really isn't picky, she'll chew any shoe she can get in her mouth.  She even tries to chew my father's sneakers while they are on his feet.

We went to the vet on Thursday and the puppies both did well.  Skippy weighed in at 21 pounds and Tessie at 29 pounds.  It is funny to look at pictures of Skippy from when we first got him.  I think he looks so little and boney in old pictures.  He's such a good boy and he listens so well.  I think he knows that he has it good here and he's very happy.  He really just wants to make us happy - except when he tries to eat goose poop at the pond.  

Next weekend the puppies will be going to the Cape again for the night.  We are buying an off road beach sticker for the summer because the drive-on area of Chapin Beach is conservation land and is dog friendly.  I can't wait to bring them on the beach this summer.  With a full day on the beach Tessie will probably have a moat dug around the car.