Rude Awakenings

Weekends don't feel like weekends. They used to be staying up late and sleeping in. Now, staying up late (without the help of a M-80) is closer to midnight. Polly does not let me sleep in and Jon makes no movement to get up when she whines or barks until I say something.

This morning was paired with Polly constantly eating the rabbit poo outside. Everyone tells me its okay because their poo is mostly berries and fiber, things that would be good for her to eat anyway. Well, this morning she threw up those "berries" on the living room carpet. In the summer she used to throw up because the change in temperature was so great that it was more of a heat thing and it was a bile throw up-clear. This was NOT clear. There was even a "berry" left. I can't keep her from eating it because it is all over the back part of the yard.

I want a weekend without cleaning, laundry, whining and too early in the morning barking. Really Polly, it's just Duke from next door...you every day!

Christmas Polly

I know...I'm cruel. I just couldn't resist!

New Friends

Polly and I went to the Moritz house to help get ready for the 4th party. Polly got to meet Elsa and Jay. Rocky at first but then they all got along. Jay and Polly really got along-they both had the same amount of puppy energy. Polly was VERY tired when we went home. She didn't even make it to the light before she was fast asleep. When we got home she went in the basement into her kennel and slept. She never goes in her kennel unless we tell her to because we are leaving. I took some really great pictures with my phone, but they are loading very small with a lot of white space around them. I will get some better pictures at the party tomorrow.

Family Reunion

Tamara came over to help with invitations and brought her kids and Jack-Polly's brother. They haven't seen each other since last October. Polly doesn't get to see other dogs (we haven't brought her to any dog parks yet), so we weren't sure how the encounter would go. She was apprehensive at first but then they couldn't stop playing with each other. It was fun to watch. They are 10 months. Jack is about 4-5 inches taller than Polly and is much more German Shepherd, where she is more Lab.

Left: Polly and Jack
Right: Polly(top), Jack on floor

Polly after about 4 hours of playing with Jack-she is pooped. Cooling off on the cement.

Vacation

End of the fiscal year at Lifetouch. I had 3 days of vacation that was either use it or lose it. So I had yesterday, today and tomorrow off. I thought I was going to be so productive. Get all these things done. Yesterday, Polly rolled in something (smelled like fish), so I gave her a bath. The rest of the day we (Polly and I) pretty much slept, watched tv, and once and a while went outside (bathroom breaks). I thought with all the rest I got, today I would be ready to tackle something. Every time Polly has wanted to go outside I have been pulling weeds from the rock areas until the mosquitoes get to be too much. I went to have lunch and Polly didn't want to come in, so I left her outside. When I went to check on her she was rolling on the ground...again. I went to check what she was rolling in, I didn't see anything, but somehow she had poop on her. Do I try and give her a bath again (first time was not enjoyable-hint, leave the collar on to hold her) or do I bring her to Petco and pay the $15 to use their facilities? I tried my own bathroom again. This time it wasn't as bad. She stayed still and I learned not to use as much soap. She comes out looking like a big poof ball. What will tomorrow have in store? Jodi comes into town and we have the Twins/Brewers game in the evening. It is going to be a busy weekend. More posts to come.

Doggie Pacifier

Usually this lasts her all weekend.

Recuperating

Polly made it through surgery. They said she would be tired and would mostly sleep the next two days. yea right. We are supposed to keep her from jumping, going up and down stairs and excessive running. We are talking about a puppy. Most of today she has been resting, but we live in a split level house-hard to avoid going up and down steps. We aren't playing catch with her which I'm sure is driving her crazy. She is currently laying down under the desk-sighing I think from boredom. Poor shaved Polly

Poor Polly

Poor Polly has to go to the vet Friday morning to get spayed. I have been thinking about this for days. Hoping I will be able to care for her after the surgery and what to expect. I also have been thinking about the fact that she will be staying at the hospital overnight. This means not having to take her outside 5 times for nothing and I can sleep in on Saturday! I'm comparing it to giving the kid to the grandparents for a night. Yea, I can see that happening a few times a month...

Bad Polly

The pictures really say it all.

A hint at what was to come.

She got into the garbage in our room, onto the counter in the kitchen (got her pills, but thankfully didn't OD), and chewed up my cowboy hat.

Her food was scattered across the kitchen floor.

All in all it looks bad, but it could have been worse...no poop, pee, or torn up carpet or furniture.

Pooped Out

Most Saturday mornings have been spent sleeping in. Not with Polly in our life. My parents went to the cabin for the weekend and she had a vet appointment this morning so we have her back. She was up at 5 am. We decided (and I actually stuck to it) that she would not be let off her leash to go to the bathroom. She was outside from 5-9 and never went to the bathroom except when I went to switch her leash to take her to the vet...she peed (almost on my foot). We took her to the vet and she got a clean bill of health, she even lost a pound since her last visit 2 weeks ago. We mentioned to the vet that she had not gone and that we can't get her to go unless she is off the leash. Then she takes off running and we have to catch her. He said unfortunately we are in for a hard couple days (she should only be able to physically hold it this long). Since she was not trained as a puppy to go on a leash she will be reluctant to go on one now, but eventually she will HAVE to go. All day we took turns taking her out. When Mike and Margaret came over it was Jon, them, Olaf and myself taking turns taking her out. Later this evening she went downstairs and took two launches at the craft room door. We took this as a sign that she had to go poop since she went in that room already once. So it was Olaf first, then Jon, then Margaret, then finally Mike. He took her down by the school parking lot and she did actually go. There was a lot of praise. She is now sleeping under the computer table by my feet...pooped out.

More Trouble?

So I went through my normal ritual this morning and she peed but didn't poop. I tried forever to get her in the kennel. I would throw a treat in there and she wouldn't go after it, so then I gave her one and threw one in the kennel. She still didn't go for it. When I went upstairs to get her she was laying next to the sliding door. I got in her face and was very stern; if I let her stay out and found a surprise when I got home her butt was going outside for a long time. I'm really wishing I had this camera system right now.

Frustration

Last post was about how we can't get Polly to go the bathroom (on command). When we left for work today she was in her kennel. When I got home she greeted me at the door. I took her outside and again nothing. The upstairs didn't look like she got into anything, either did downstairs. I checked her kennel and all the doors are still locked. Great, an escape artist! Then I saw my craft room door open. BIG HUGE LOGS!!! Boy is she in trouble! No wonder she didn't have to go when I got home. She is now outside on a 10ft line attached to the ground. Hope she likes it, she'll be there for a while.

Game Night

We had quite a few people over last night. I decided to make lasagna; however, when the meat was browned and the water just came to a boil-I blew a fuse on the stove. I called Mike and he walked me through fixing it, but I couldn't get it. Then Jason and Jadah arrived and Jason was able to fix it. I was back to making dinner. I made two pans because we had so many people over. Erin, Richard and Shirley made it over as well as both sets of parents and Olaf. My parents brought Polly over too. She was a little overwhelmed by all the people. When there were just a few people around she was okay, but get more than 4 and she would hide behind the couch. She slept next to me on her dog bed. We got up this morning and it wasn't raining (thank God), so we spent like 2 hours just being outside. She sniffed everything in the yard, we went for a walk, then she sniffed some more. She loves to be outside. We came in and played with her squirrel for a while and then Jason and Jon got up and I made breakfast.