I GOT MY PUPPY!

Ok, well now I can write a little bit.....

My daughter was terribly ill the night before my mother and I were to fly to Kansas City to get the puppies - 104 degree fever that Tylenol wouldn't bring down, bad cough, sore throat....YUCK! Anyway, my hubby took her to the Dr while I was getting Coal and thankfully Taylor just has a virus but the Dr had given her cold medicine with codeine sooooo....she was basically zonked out on the couch when we got back home. I put a huge Christmas bow on Coal with a note that read, "I hope you enjoy Coal for Christmas - Love, Santa". I put Coal on the couch with her and she opened her eyes and at first looked very freaked out (her eyesight without glasses is pretty bad). Then she whispered "A puppy!" as she doesn't have much of a voice right now either. BUT, she was very surprised and she loves him to pieces. My son is just 2 1/2 and he was very excited as well. He kept calling Coal "little fellow" which was sweet cuz we call my son that sometimes. So, it all went well.

Last night was like having a newborn baby! I think I got up every 2 hours or so with Coal. He hasn't had an accident in the house yet but I am keeping a close eye on him and only letting him play in areas with vinyl flooring for a while! No crate accidents which is good! How long does it take before they sleep through the night? I hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in days before Coal came and the last two nights have been quiet difficult because now my husband has the cold too and he is absolutely no help. I have 2 sick kids, a sick husband and an 8 week old puppy and I haven't had more than 5 hours sleep a night for 4 nights now! Funny I don't feel more stressed out but I know this is all temporary. Coal is just adorable and I am so excited to have him grow up in this family.

Thanks for all of your comments about our new little baby!

Stacy
Coal's Mom

Honestly it's only for the first week or so that he will be napping so much during the day.
Every puppy I've raised (5 of them) got into the swing of the household and stopped napping, and starting following people around during the day.
As for the housebreaking thing and where they spend the day. Alot of hardcore trainers recommend that until they are housebroken they spend the day in the crate. Coming out only to eat, do their business, a short play session (20 mins) and business again...then back to the crate.
I can understand how this would really help with the housebreaking, but then what fun is it having a puppy?! They only stay so tiny and cuddly for a short time, and I say take advantage as long as you can for as many minutes as you can each day!
I basically gave Boone the run of the mainfloor (exception to the dining room with a new white rug) during the day. I paid for giving him too much freedom with a few accidents here and there, but it was too much fun to have him following me around all day to block him off somewhere.
I did however pop him in the crate for a few hours of "Tina's Sanity" time throughout the day. Also I work 8-4 monday to friday, so he's in there with a potty break halfway through the day at those times. Unless the boyfriend is home (which is often with his work). I'm a firm believer that if a puppy never has an accident in the house, he can never learn that it's wrong to go in the house. While I commend keeping on his so much that he doesn't get the chance to potty indoors, if he slips up it's a perfect opportunity to teach him that it's not ok to go indoors!
Whew sorry for being so long winded! Have fun!

Thanks you guys! You are all so sweet. Coal had a GREAT night last night. He went in his crate at 12AM and I didn't hear from him until 5AM! Whoohoo! I am taking him out on a leash to potty and then giving him a tiny treat when he has done his business. Well, he's pretty smart because he already knows that he is gonna get a treat and when he's done he looks at me like, "OK, I did it, where's the good stuff!". I am kind of feeling bad though because I have a million things I need to get done now and he is just having to hang out in this pen I put up in the kitchen. Normally this wouldn't be a problem because everyone else could be interacting with him but they are all sick. I think I will wrap Christmas gifts outside today so he can run and play in the yard! Yes, here in AZ we can sit outside at the end of December (usually in short sleeves) and do things like wrap Christmas presents. Kind of weird when you come from NJ and are used to white Christmas's but I am not complaining!
Stacy
Coal's Mom