elanya

This is what she is doing right now:


This is her all played out esterday:


and this is her in her sot under the counter with Bill the Tiger, the LSU mascott toy I caught at Mardi Gras and carried around for a bit in my boobs. I suspect it smells (or smelled) like me as a result:


In Jola news, she was exploring a lot more yesterday. tethys123 brought Samson over and that was pretty interesting! She was even wagging her tail for the first time! I think further exposure to less cranky dogs can only be a good thing! She is acting more and more like a normal puppy all the time. She still hasn't barked (and you know, if she never learns that, I'm not gonna be upset), but last night when I shut her in the kitchen at bedtime, she cried and whined for about ten minutes. So sad, but I know it is best just to let her get used to it. She has started wagging her tail for me if she is up and active and I come by, so also a good sign, and it is so endearing. A slow tentative wagging, ears perked but still a little uncertain. She is chewing on everything now, especially me. And (library) books. And power cords if you're not watching her and she's roaming -_-

She also sheds. I think I need a keyboard cover for my laptop :p She has a sheppard-y or beagle-y beagle over coat, but whatever her indercoat is it sheds like mad. i got her a brush (a cheap human-use boar bristle one) to try and get her into the habit of being groomed, so I can cut down on the shedding, but we'll see how much it helps. She doens't mind being brushed and was apparently good about having her nails trimmed, but that was when she was more scared and less active. I think I am also gong to get a cheap windchime or something and train her to use it when she wants to go outside. Because she doesn't bark it is hard for her to let me know what she wants.

Also, thanks to everyone for all the advice so far! I do have a few questions though. First, I am hoping to get her on a regular feeding schedule so that she'll have a somewhat regular pooping schedule. However, I'm not sure what to do to get her current rhythm in line with what I need her to be. Right now I put down the food but she won't eat it right away. Secondly - I have been getting up at night to let her out, though she will pee on the papers I have down (notably, when I'm home can just take her out and she's had very few accidents that I've been witness too). I don't actually *know* when she needs out, so I've been setting my alarm for random periods to get up, but she is generally sleeping.... Should I just leave her overnight with no maintenance? I'm afraid of getting her into a schedule where she needs to go out regularly in the middle of the night, as opposed to learning to hold it until morning. She is actually pretty good about holding it, so I'm not sure.

Anyone anyone?