Puppy Love

My life is full of it right now.  Full of puppy love I mean. Puppies are enchanting and amazing.  They are also busy, and into everything!.  Stevie is, in fact, busier and into more stuff than any toddler I have encountered.  She especially likes to chew.  I remember a recent facebook post I wrote because I caught myself telling Stevie that No, she may not, in fact, chew on the house.  It made me laugh at myself, and then at Stevie.  (the very same day I had to tell her not to chew on the car!  Seriously!  Hilarious!)

She does not limit herself to just the car, or even just the house.  Anything is fair game!  Stevie will chew on the concrete pavers that make up the patio, the patio chairs, anything green and growing (salad anyone?  I believe she prefers ranch dressing).  Nothing is safe from the teething puppy!

Sometimes, she is just naughty about it.  She has a particular affinity for a sweet little stool I picked up at an antique store.  I recovered the stool with fabric that matches my favorite rocker and it is now full of little puppy tooth scrapes.  She can be very quiet about it, but even when I catch her, and tell her NO,  Stevie just lifts her head for a moment.  Then with a glint of pure puppy evil, opens her mouth to see what I do.  If all I do is say NO again, she,  steadily keeping her eyes on mine, puts those teeth on that stool, and with another NO, she is off chewing. She never takes her eyes off my face.  That girl knows what she is doing!!!

OK.  I confess, it does make me laugh. Of course, I get up and stop the chewing, but the routine of naughty puppy  taking one step after another, asking so very clearly, How about this?  Can I get away with this?  Gotten away with it she has!  Enough to require that at some point in the future, I will have to refinish my sweet little stool.  

I fear I am not a very good dog trainer.  There are some naughty things that a dog can do that are just darn cute, and because Stevie is so very good at charming her mom with those sparkling little eyes, I end up laughing at her.  The only good thing I do in a situation like that is redirect her.  I like to tell myself that redirection keeps me from being a complete failure as a trainer.  It's the little things that keep me sane.  =D

In spite of me being a pushover, that little stinker is making decent progress in puppy class.  She is (in my ever so humble opinion) the super-star of puppy class.  Her sits and downs are conscious decisions and getting quicker each time we practice.  She is doing nice loose leash walking and some heeling with automatic sits. I do it on both sides, since she is destined for agility if I have anything to say about it!  She does lovely nose touches and come to sides, and is spinning both directions even while heeling.  Did I tell you she was a superstar?  Oh, and she is starting to sit pretty.  It is sooooo precious!

Last but not least, this little puppy apparently pouted all day while I was at work. Elizabeth was afraid she was actually sick, but the minute I walked in the door, Stevie sparkled and shined and we played.  She ate with gusto and tortured the big dogs.  Stevie is fine, but I wonder if the rest of us will ever recover?  

 I hope not!

PS  I took a picture of the stool and the naughty chewing puppy to post, but instant upload can't seem to find them.  I am so techno challenged.  Sigh.