Something's Clicked

Something has recently clicked into place for Emme in the last week. When she needs to go outside, she stands at the door to the porch and whines. She seems to know that this is an actual communication. Actually it can mean "I need to go outside and do my business" or it may mean "I want to go outside and eat snow" but either way she has learned that whining at the door means "Go outside." So, I take off my shoes, put on my boots, check my pockets for tissues in case there are doodles in the plan, put on my red LL Bean coat, snap up the front, flip up the hood, put the collar and leash on Emme, put on my gloves, flip on the outside light if it is dark, go out on the porch, sweep the back steps if we have had more snow, and go outside into the 13 degree weather. Sometimes this is for real business. Sometimes this is just for Emme to push snow around with her nose. Either way, I am glad to do it, because Emme has learned how to ask to go outside. Up to this time, I have taken her out regularly on my schedule and usually when I have her outside, she has done something. Now she is initiating the activity. This is a major break and I couldn't be happier.

On Guard

Emme has discovered that the back of the couch in the living room is the best place to guard the house. She jumps up on her perch and lets us know if anyone is walking on the sidewalk, if anyone is driving on the street, if anyone is out in their yard or if there are golfers on the golf course. Of course when she barks, Rudy has to join in. It doesn't matter that he doesn't know what he is barking about. If it is good enough for Emme to bark, it is good enough for Rudy to bark. No one is going to sneak up on us.

26 Foot Leash

Recently I went to the pet store and bought a retractable 26 foot leash for Emme. She is fascinated with the snow and loves to run in the back yard and I don't want her out there without a leash. Each morning Ken goes out to play fetch with Rudy and recently he has been taking Emme out on the long leash to play fetch. She is so excited when he is outside with Rudy that she sits in the kitchen by the back door and watches them and whines. When it is her turn, she wags her tail and her entire body and dashes outside. Ken throws a little ball for her and she runs to fetch it. She does grab it up in her mouth and begin running, but not to Ken. Every time, she dashes toward the porch. She is going to take that ball inside and keep it forever. Ken is trying to teach her that part of the game of fetch is returning to the person and giving back the ball. She hasn't gotten that part of it yet, but she loves to go outside to play on the long leash.

Almost Double Digits

We stopped at the vets Friday to get more medications for the dogs: Frontline for Emme and 3-V caps and Levothyroxin for Rudy. While we were there, I asked them to weigh Emme because she had not been weighted for a while. She weighed 9.6 pounds: almost double digits. She is really growing up. She should be nearing her adult weight at this time. She should be at the end of losing her puppy teeth and should be getting her adult coat soon. She seems to have thicker fur, but it is still so touchable. I don't think that will change. In one of the books I read, it said that a seven month Bichon will have the adult look. She is nearing seven months and is a cute as she can be. I wouldn't mind if she looked this way forever.

"Woof" means ...

Emme has discovered that she can bark, "Woof," or whine and that somehow those sounds have meaning. The trouble is that we don't know what the meaning is. Sometimes I am sure Woof or whine means "I need to go outside and do my business, now." Other times it means "Pick me up and cuddle me" or "I am hungry and I want to eat." Other times it means "I am bored and I need someone to play with." I know that sometimes it means "We are out of water" and sometimes "We need treats." Other times it means "I want to go outside and eat snow." "There are people walking on the sidewalk." "The phone is ringing." "The mail is here."

As soon as we get smarter and figure out what Emme means, we'll have this communication problem all worked out.

Piece of my Heart

When we were considering getting Emme, I was unsure how well Ken would like her. She is SO different from Rudy. Rudy is truly a "man's dog" low maintenance coat, active, big, and strong. Emme is certainly a "frou-frou" dog: small, high maintenance coat, small, and cute. I never should have given it a thought; Ken has fallen for this little puppy, hook-line-and-sinker. She certainly has a piece of his heart. The first thing Emme wants to do in the morning, after she had gone outside to do her business, is to cuddle up with "Hans" for a morning massage. Ken sits down on the dining room floor and lets a cold, often wet puppy into his lap and the two of them start the day. After breakfast, Emme wants to climb onto his lap and be cuddled inside his robe. She dashes into his office during the day to sit on his lap as he works on the computer. When Ken is outside playing with Rudy, Emme sits in the kitchen looking out the window and whines to go outside with Ken. She lays next to him on the couch when he is reading and falls asleep on his legs while he is watching TV and Ken loves every minute of it. When it is time to go outside, Ken puts her little pink collar and leash on her and takes her out. When I am gone for the day, he puts Emme up on the dryer and combs her fur so she doesn't get tangles. When he gives Rudy medicine wrapped in a piece of bread, he also gives Emme a small bite of bread as well. He picks her up and rocks her and talks to her throughout the day. And he loves to rub her fur. One day, out of the blue, he said, "I am glad we got this puppy." I think it is mutual admiration.

Andy Rooney Eyebrows

I am getting better at cutting the hair that hangs down over Emme's eyes. She has such a wonderful, full coat and it grows quickly. I love the fur on her body because it is so silky and touchable, but I don't like the hair that grows over her eyes. She has such expressive dark eyes and I don't like to see them covered with hair. When she is first home from the groomer, her face seems to be all eyes. As the weeks pass, however, the hair above her eyes grows like mad. She looks like she has Andy Rooney eyebrows that hang down to cover her eyes.

It scares me to try to trim around her face, because she is so wiggly. When we first got Emme, I went to Sally Beauty Supply and bought a pair of scissors for trimming. Although they are called "blunt tipped" they look like lethal weapons to me. I absolutely was not comfortable trimming Emme's face with these. Next I bought a smaller pair of sewing scissors and although they were better, they were still too big and too pointed for my liking. A few weeks ago, I went to the kid's craft department in Joann Fabrics and bought a short, really blunt tipped pair of children's scissors. I figured that if they cut paper, they should cut puppy hair. The blades are short and very rounded and I am more comfortable using them. I still don't like cutting the hair around Emme's eyes, but I am more comfortable as time goes on. The older and quieter Emme gets and the more confident I get, the easier it will be.

Two Meals a Day

Emme is now eating two meals a day, instead of her puppy three meals. I think that puppies are given smaller meals more often because their stomachs are small and cannot hold half their daily food at one time. Up to this time, Emme has been eating in the early morning, after our lunch and about 4 PM. She is a good eater, but inconsistent in the amount that she eats in any one meal. We have started giving her two meals a day and that seems to be okay with her. She is on the same meal schedule that Rudy is: once in the early morning and once before out dinner. Each week she grows more cleaver and more knowledgeable. She has learned many things and has many more to learn. I am pleased that she is growing up, but I would hate to lose all her puppy charm. I don't want her to grow up too fast. One of the characteristics that drew me to a Bichon is their reputation for keeping that puppy playfulness and curiosity all through their adult lives. I hope that is true, because she is just so much fun to watch and to live with.

Without a Leash

Yesterday we celebrated Chet and Leota's 50th wedding anniversary and the dogs were not invited. They stayed home in Wooster in their crates while we celebrated. Ken and I drove separately because after dinner he was transportation to the airport for some of the relatives, so when the celebration was over, I drove home to Wooster. The dogs had been in their crates for a little over four hours and were eager to go outside when I got home. Usually when I take both dogs outside, I put the collar and leash on Rudy first because he gets right down to business and I have Emme wait on the porch. I take Rudy outside and when he is done, I return Rudy to the porch, take off his collar and leash and then put the collar and leash on Emme to take her outside. Yesterday, as I opened the door to take Rudy out, Emme dashed out the door. She had on no leash or collar and I was terrified that it would be the last time I ever saw her. I was afraid that she would run away and I would never be able to catch her. She ran to the edge of the house, squatted down and did her business. I called, "Good girl. Good hurry up. Come. Let's get a treat." She quickly ran straight back to the porch, dashed up the stairs and was ready for that treat. I was just lucky. The combination of having to go really bad and being eager to get a "good girl treat" saved me. I have learned my lesson. From now on, I will put the leash on both dogs before I let one out the door. I never want Emme outside without a leash until I know she is absolutely trained and will not leave the yard. A scary lesson.

What's in a Name

Before we got Emme, I thought of many names. In contention was Abby, for Abigail Fillmore, the first lady I portray at the National First Ladies Library. I also considered Annie, for Baby Anne, an imaginary friend I had when I was a very little girl. But Emme won out. She is named for me. My maiden name was Ellis, so she has my initials as a little girl: M. for Mary Lou, E. for Ellis: M.E., Emme.

First Snow

Yesterday we had our first measurable snow and Emme loved it. Earlier in the year, we had a dusting of snow one morning but yesterday was the first day that there was enough snow for Emme to play. She was fascinated with the snow. She would bend her nose down and plow through the snow. She left little trails with her footprints on either side of a line plowed in the snow by her nose. She was so taken with the snow, she forgot what she was outside to do, so we had to go outside again and again. She rubbed the sides of her face in the snow, but hasn't yet rolled in it. That is one of the things that Rudy loves to do. With any amount of snow, he jumps and rolls in it. Emme has lots more to learn about snow, and living in Ohio, I know she will get the opportunity.

Always the Last Word

Our next door neighbors have sold their house and yesterday morning they were loading a moving van to take all their furniture to Tennessee. Emme and Rudy were on guard. All morning long, Rudy would run to the window in Ken's office to monitor the activities on the street. Emme would jump onto the couch in the living room and hop up to the top of the back of the couch to get the best view. And they would bark. Rudy was a little more responsive to commands, but Emme just continued to bark. So I got out the "enforcer" AKA the plant mister. When Emme got all wound up, I would say "Quiet." If she didn't stop, I would spray her with the plant mister. She would issue one last "Woof" and then be quiet. Then another sound would come from the movers and it would start all over again. Always with Emme getting in one last word. I guess I should feel comforted that if we are ever under attack from marauding furniture movers, I will know about it.

A Dog Named "Lunch"

After we had Rudy for a while, I began to make noise about getting a cuddly, little lap dog. Ken laughed and said that a little dog would become a meal for a big dog like a Lab so we should call the puppy “Lunch.” This, however, was the man who dreamed of having two chocolate Labs in his retirement and naming them “Latte” and Cappuccino.” Well, we did get Emme and we didn’t name her Lunch. That was a good thing because she is such a spunky little puppy that she would not stand to be lunch for anyone. Although she defers to Rudy sometimes, other times she asserts herself very well. She is no pushover. She holds her own in the family and we couldn’t wish for a different puppy. We are very lucky to have Emme.

See Where I Am

Emme has discovered the game of “going under things.” It started with her going under the wicker table on the porch when we were headed out to the back yard. After discovering that I could not reach her on the shelf under the table unless I got down on my hands and knees, I decided to prevent it by bringing her leash into the kitchen and putting the collar and leash on her in the kitchen and then taking her out to the porch. Next she discovered the cabinet in the dining room. The game seems to consist of Emme going under the cabinet, peeking out and barking. It is like she is saying “Look at me. See where I am. What are you going to do about it?” Actually we don’t do anything and she eventually comes out and continues playing. Last night she was interested in the space under the grandfather clock in the front hall. Somehow it seems to be a big game to her. I guess you have to be a puppy to understand.

Happiness is a Warm Puppy

Many years ago Charles Schultz wrote a book called Happiness is a Warm Puppy. I never realized how true that was until we had this cuddly little dog. I love to hold Emme and feel her warmth next to me. Ken says Emme could be an emergency furnace, she is so warm. I particularly love riding in the car and holding Emme. As soon as the car picks up speed, she snuggles down and naps for the entire ride. She is so sweet and warm. She likes to be held in Ken’s arms as he works on the computer. It makes using the keyboard or mouse a challenge, but the payoff of having a warm puppy in your arms is worth it. I have a coffee cup with a picture of a Bichon that says on the back “There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” I don’t know about that. I know where that tongue has been. Give me a warm puppy snuggled next to my chest anytime.

Signs of Encouragement

Recently I think I have seen some signs of encouragement that Emme may be “getting it.” This morning at breakfast, she went over to the speaker wire, laid down about eight inches away and barked at it but did not touch it. It was almost like a toddler going up to something that he knows he should not touch and telling himself, “No, no.” She wanted that wire, but she didn’t touch it. Yesterday she whined at the door to go outside to do her business. Last night while I was curled up in a quilt watching TV, she jumped up on my chest and slept there for about 45 minutes.

This was all much better than yesterday morning. I had taken Emme outside three times between 6 AM and 10 AM. Then about five minutes before I had to leave to go to the dentist, I was taking a bagel out of the refrigerator to carry with me for my lunch. Emme walked about three feet away from me and peed on the dining room carpet. I was livid. I caught her in the act and said, “No, no, bad dog” and carried her out to the porch. I was mad, frustrated, and at my wit’s end. I left the house wondering if she was ever going to be housebroken. While I was gone, Ken got on the computer and wrote this for the Pupdate to cheer me up and encourage me. I read it when I got home and I really needed it. I am copying it into the pupdate:

Ken wrote: “Into every relationship there comes challenging times that test each side’s patience and tolerance. Fortunately I am an observer of the evolving relationship between Mary Lou and Emme. I get to see the love that Mary Lou has for her puppy and the thoughtfulness and care that she shows many times daily in helping Emme grow into a healthy and happy dog. I see Emme go searching for Mary Lou when she has left the room and hear her whine when she cannot find her. I see both of them snuggle down together on the couch for a nap. It is a joy to see Mary Lou so happy and Emme so connected to her.
However, I think we are in one of those “challenging times.” Intellectually we knew we were getting a dog with a strong personality and a breed that had a reputation as hard to house break. Mary Lou has patiently endured four months of cold and wet weather for early morning and late evening trips outside to teach her what is correct to do. We have rewarded good behaviors and criticized the bad behaviors. But we are not quite there yet. There are times Emme will whimper at the door to go out and then, a day later, she will pee on the floor directly in front of Mary Lou. To work so hard to train her and then experience such a blatant set back must be hard for Mary Lou to take.
The thing that gives me hope is one of Mary Lou’s sayings as she has dealt with Emme. When Emme is being stubborn and won’t do what Mary Lou wants she will often say to Emme, “Listen girl, I am bigger than you and I am more stubborn than you. You’re going to end up doing what I want anyway.” Hopefully, Emme will realize that she might as well cede now rather than later. With love to both, Ken”

That's Entertainment

Emme has started chewing many things lately. It doesn't seem to be chewing for teething as much as chewing for entertainment. She spends a lot of time upstairs with me in my sewing room and she has discovered my stabilizer. That is a lightweight backing that I put on the back of fabric for machine embroidery to create a solid base for designs. It comes rolled on tubes, kind of like paper towels. I store the rolls in a wine rack on the bottom shelf of a book case in my sewing room and recently Emme has discovered it and cannot leave it alone. I was working on the computer and looked over at Emme who looked like she was unrolling a roll of toilet paper. Upon closer inspection, she had a roll of stabilizer; she had pulled the elastic band off of it and she was unrolling the stabilizer. I took it away from her and told her "Leave it." I put it back on the rack and Emme went right to the rack and pulled off the stabilizer again. I solved that problem by putting that roll of stabilizer on my desk and a few minutes later, she was pulling another roll out of the rack. I don't what the fascination is, but we continue to have a war over rolls of stabilizer.

Emme comes into the bathroom with me while I take my shower and Emme has decided that a good game is to pull the individual strings out of the bath mat. Before I got out of the shower, she had created a one inch square bald spot on the rug.

Emme has found out what fun it is to disassemble a silk plant. On the landing on the stairs, we have a basket of flowers we purchased in Williamsburg. Emme has discovered how entertaining it is to pull off the blossoms one at a time.

Emme has discovered the speaker wire in the dining room under the plant stand and during dinner chewed through it completely.

Up to this point, we have not had any trouble with Emme chewing anything other than her toys and bones. I think this a case of figuring out what is hers and what is not. So far, she hasn't gotten the boundaries straight. She thinks it all is hers to chew.

Two Gerbils and a Favor

Last night I would have traded both dogs for two gerbils and a big favor to be determined at a later date. It was after 10 o’clock and Ken was watching a movie on DVD and I had fallen asleep on the couch. Suddenly Emme began running around the living room like a wild thing. She woke me up with the noise of doing the “blitz” dashing around and around the living room and dining room and I immediately paid attention. She often does the blitz right before or right after she has taken care of business. Ken walked out to the kitchen and found out that she made a puddle on the kitchen floor. As he cleaned that up, I got my raincoat on and my crocs and prepared to go out in the rain. The back yard was a bog, because we had rain on and off all day. I called Emme “Come. Let’s go outside to hurry up.” She ignored me and continued to run around. I called again. At puppy school we were told that the first time you give a command you are ordering the dog; the second time you are asking the dog; the third time you are begging; and the fourth time, you are the dog.” So I went and got Emme and I went out on the porch with her to put on her collar and leash. As soon as I put her down on the porch floor, she immediately jumped onto the shelf under the wicker table and stayed there. I called her, but she was not budging. There is no way I can reach her to pull her out unless I crawl on the floor to get her. No way. So I walked back into the kitchen and closed the door to the porch. She immediately got off the shelf and stood at the door, looking into the kitchen like “Hey, where are you?” I went back on the porch and put on her collar to take her outside. After investigating a few mud puddles and smelling a hundred blades of grass with me standing in my jammies under an umbrella, she made some doodles. I brought her back in and then took Rudy outside. He walked around to the back of the porch and got to business quickly. Then he decided that he would return to the house by cutting between the corner of the porch and the birdhouse. Of course, he was on the leash and that wrapped around the post and he couldn’t figure how to get back in. I had to walk over to the birdhouse and pull Rudy around the right direction to untangle him. This was all too much at 10:30 PM, a time that I am not at my best. After I finally got both dogs back inside I was ready for bed and all I wanted to do was forget that we had two dogs, especially these two. I wonder what it would be like to have goldfish…

Friendship

Emme and Rudy continue to develop their relationship. When Emme first came to live with us, although Rudy was never mean or nasty to her, he seemed a little frightened by her. He would jump up when she came near him and often seemed upset by her quick, bouncy behavior. As time went by, he was less distressed by her behavior and seemed to tolerate her more and more. By now, he has decided that she must be here to stay and is allowing her to be near him, smell and lick him, and to climb all over him. Many times Rudy seems to be wearing an "Emme hat" with Rudy lying on the floor and Emme climbing all over his head. When Rudy is lying on the floor, Emme is usually near by. In the dining room, in the living room, in the kitchen, or the hall, if Rudy is lying down, Emme is near. They often lay back to back, but we have never seen them cuddle up to one another. When she gets to be too much of a bother, Rudy will growl and Emme will back off. They seem to understand each other.

Emme seems to be copying some of Rudy's behavior. When I cook and Rudy does a down/stay, Emme is right near by. Rudy stays plastered to the floor, because he knows that a good boy treat will follow when I am done. After lying down for awhile, Emme hops up and goes to another spot to investigate, but she is soon down again.

Rudy seems to be copying some of Emme's behaviors also. He seems to stay closer to us and to ask for affection more often, seeing how Emme behaves. He is more often in Ken's office with Ken, rather than being on the rug in the hall. We also have noticed that Rudy is starting to lick our hands. He never did this in the past. Emme will often lick us and we pet and talk to her and I think Rudy has watched this and it looks like a good idea to him.

They are really forming a close relationship and we couldn't be more pleased.

People Training for Dogs

Emme continues to be a very slow eater. We are used to Rudy who bolts his food down in record time. Emme is slow to start eating. When she does decide to eat her 1/3 cup portion, she picks up one kibble and wanders to a rug to eat it. She then comes back to her dish and gets a second kibble and this goes on for a while. Then she takes breaks. She will lay down and think about things for a few minutes and then come back and eat a little more. I was making myself crazy by calling her every few minutes: "Emme are you done? Come on girl, finish this kibble. Come and eat." It never hurried her up and I continued to be frustrated with the pace of each meal.

Ken suggested that I just time her meal: put down the kibble and leave it there for ten minutes with no comments, calls, or encouragements. It seems to be working just fine. I read a magazine or work a Suduko and she eats when and whatever she wants. After ten minutes I pick up the dish and give Rudy a good down/stay treat. Emme also gets a puppy biscuit and she always seems to have room for that no matter how much or how little kibble she has eaten. Actually, she eats the same amount whether I fuss at her or not. Sometimes she cleans the dish and sometimes she eats a half or three quarters of her meal. I am relaxed because I haven't spent the last few minutes coaxing her to eat. I think this is an example of people training for dogs. The only behavior that has changed at mealtimes is mine and I think we are both happier.

Bath Time

Bath time is a full body experience for both Emme and me. Emme is a reluctant bather and cuddles next to my chest as I bathe her. I have learned to wear a Tee shirt that I can throw in the wash as soon as I am finished with Emme's bath, because I will be as wet as she is. I have tried both the bath tub and the kitchen sink and prefer the sink because I have a sprayer to rinse her off. I put about two inches of warm water into the sink and then put Emme into the water. I wet her fur (and me) before I put on the shampoo. When I get her fur all wet, Emme looks kind of like a cross between and white rat and an albino dachshund. She looks so skinny and long when her fur is lying close to her skin. We are using an oatmeal shampoo because that was recommended to us by the vet for Rudy's dry, itchy skin. It seems to clean her well and is easy to rinse off. After she is rinsed, I use three towels to dry her off. The whole process is quite quick and she always looks so much better after her bath, well, after her fur is dry. As a white dog, she needs frequent bathing and so far we have a system. A system that includes a load of laundry at the end consisting of many towels, a washcloth and all the clothes I had on.

6 Months Old

Yesterday was Emme's six month birthday. She has learned so much in those months. She knows her name. She knows Rudy is her best friend. She can climb steps, both going up and coming down. She has learned that she stops to chat on the way down the stairs, every time. She can sit on command. She knows that when we go to bed, everyone is quiet until morning. She has learned "leave it" and follows that command about 50 per cent of the time. She knows that quilts are for napping. She knows where the toy box is and knows that whatever toy Rudy is playing with is the one that she wants. She knows that when Eric and Katherine come to visit it is time to play. She knows the word "ride" and knows that when I pick up the go blanket, we are getting in the car. She knows to go outside to do her business about 90 per cent of the time. She knows the word "eat" and has learned to sit to wait for her food bowl to be put down. She knows that when we eat bagels for breakfast, she and Rudy get peanut butter in their Kongs. She knows that Hans will give her a massage first thing in the morning. She knows the word "treat" and where the treat jar is located. She knows that there are great chewies in my sewing room. She has learned that she gets washed and brushed each morning and is relatively cooperative with that. She knows that we have two houses and she is equally at home in both. She has learned that she and Rudy nap at breakfast while Ken and I read the papers and drink coffee. She knows that she loves Grandma and Grandpa. She has learned the word "come" and does come most of the time. She knows that toes are great to lick. She has learned that if she barks and looks cute, someone will pick her up. She knows that one of her jobs is to protect us from anyone walking downs the street outside the house. She has learned the word "quiet" and follows that about half the time. She knows that cuddling inside Ken's robe is her favorite place in the morning. Not bad for half a year.

Just Do It

At the lake house, there are two open steps leading from the deck to the grass where Emme does her business. Up until now, she was afraid of those steps and although she would walk up them, she would not walk down them. I think the openness made her unsure of herself. When she went outside, she would just stay on the top step and whine to get down on the grass. Well, we went to the lake house for the weekend and Emme can now do the steps. I didn't even realize it the first time I took her outside, she just went down the steps and did a "hurry up." It wasn't until the second trip outside that I realized that she was going down the steps. She forgot that she couldn't do the steps and she just did it. Maybe there is a lesson in here for the new year. Some times I, like many people, don't do things because I think I can't. Maybe I just have to get over it, forget that I can't do it and Just Do It. Having a puppy is a learning experience. Emme learns from me and I learn from her. Happy New Year.