Up the Stairs

Emme learned how to go up the stairs on Friday. I was at Buehler’s buying food for the family picnic on Sunday and Ken was watching the two dogs. The man who put up the gutter guards came by the house to repair a spot that was dripping and Ken greeted him at the front door and then went around the house and went outside through the porch. After talking with the man for about five minutes, he came back into the house to find only Rudy. The gates hadn’t been put up, so he went around the house calling and looking for Emme. He went into his office, looked under the desk and in Rudy’s crate. He went into the laundry room and the family room, living room and kitchen. When he couldn’t find Emme, he went back through each room, even opening closets. No puppy. By then Ken was sure that she had somehow gotten out of the house without him noticing it and was long gone. He started checking the first floor a third time and happened to look up toward the second floor and saw Emme’s little face looking through the spindle rail outside our bedroom. She had gotten up the stairs and couldn’t figure out how to get down. Why she didn’t whimper or bark when he was calling for her is anyone’s guess. After Ken brought her downstairs and he settled down, it began to be funny but it was not during the time she was missing. That was just plain scary. So now she is a stairs champion. When she got outside the gates later that day, she climbed the stairs twice more and did the blitz on the second floor. She was so excited to find that the house had more rooms than she ever realized. Up to this time, she has been carried upstairs for bed and has never walked around on the second floor. Now she goes upstairs by herself at night. We say, “Time for nighty-nite” and she dashes up the stairs, into our bedroom and into her crate and waits for a treat. We have to be very careful that the gates are up or she runs for the second floor in a flash. I guess the attraction is that she should not be there.

We went to the lake for the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa and had a family birthday party for Julius and Chris on Sunday. This was Emme’s first overnight at the lake house and she did just fine. We brought her sleeping crate and put it next to our bed. She slept fine and did all her business outside, all in all, a successful weekend. She was everybody’s best friend and spent all Sunday afternoon being the party entertainment. She was exhausted by the time we got back to Wooster on Sunday night. She spent a long time asleep on my lap while I watched TV and napped a little too.

I have noticed over the last week or so Emme is scratching a lot. I know that we have had the furnace running more with the cooler weather and that may be drying out her skin. She seems to be itching all over, not just in one spot. She scratches behind her ears, chews near the base of her tail, and chews on her paws. I am at a loss. I have looked through her fur and don't see any sign of fleas, sore spots, irritated skin or anything. This morning I gave her a bath with Rudy's oatmeal shampoo which is supposed to be soothing. I also rinsed her very well. Actually, I always try to rinse her well so there is nothing to irritate her skin. I don't think I am bathing her too often. The last time was about three weeks ago when she was playing in leaves at the lake house and got very dirty. I brush her every day and wash off her mouth and paws so I know that her coat is not being neglected. I have a vet appointment on Friday for puppy shots and I will ask him at that time. Until then, I'll see if this morning's bath makes a difference.