Could you kick this sweet face out of bed?

I mean seriously, is he stinkin' cute or what? I'm loving this little guy.

Three Dog Night....again

Last night, I went to bed early, which is rare. Bailee, of course accompanied me and since it was early, I let Diesel snuggle and sleep with me too. Aaron was SUPPOSED to wake Diesel up when he came to bed and put him in his crate for the remainder of the evening.

Aaron tells me I'm the weak link...however, guess who slept in the bed ALL night.

Looks like we're back to some three dog nights....

I sure do like this dog...

and naturally, Bailee does not. She is continually trying to pick fights with Diesel...which he won't engage in and she's otherwise acting out. Peeing in the bed, peeing in her crate and just this morning I caught her trying to pee in the hallway. Suffice it to say, I think she's jealous and in her very most evil, domineering bitch way, she's laying down the law. Well, two can play at that game and starting Friday, she's starting Boot Camp. I'd try it during the week, but since it will mean sleeping in HER crate, I'd rather not listen to her scream on nights I have to get up for work. I adore my little sparky girl, but she can NOT think she runs this house. That's my job.

I have to say, I am so very glad she's not any bigger than she is, all her attitude and spark would be dangerous in a larger dog...and I'm not even talking Bullmastiff sized large. ugh She put the "tense" in INtense. Which, is part of why I just had to have her.

It's always something. If not for these bulldogs, how bored would I be? I'd do a hell of a lot less laundry, that's for damn sure.

Deeder Pics

I realized, we've had Diesel just a bit over a month now. It seems soooo much longer as he's fit in perfectly and he's made SO MUCH PROGRESS. When he gets really wound up, which happens less and less, I am able to get him grounded and focused, so that he isn't jumping and grabbing at my appendages. At feeding time, despite being in a veritable frenzy, as soon as I say OK, he runs to his crate and waits until the girl's bowls are down and his is served. He is learning to sit on command and even to a down (though that takes some cookies, usually). He's become my shadow and follows me from room to room and has appointed himself guardian of the ottoman, I usually prop my feet up on.

Despite whatever may have happened to him, before he was surrendered to CBRR and made it to our home, I'm convinced he knew the kind of care and love a puppy deserves. It's just a matter of connecting with the calm within him and showing that he can get the love he craves, without being a lunatic. I bet that, like Bailee, he was the cutest puppy ever.

What a crappy way to start a Friday...

So, I woke up around 3am Friday morning, needing to use the bathroom. The protocol for this has become, not only do I go potty, but I get Bailee up and make her go outside too. Diesel of course, can't stay asleep, when there's even a HINT of excitement, so he has to go out too. As I looked at the clock, through my have open eyes, I realized I was going to be getting up in less than two hours, so heck, I may as well get my aleve fix in, before my pool session. So I take one, bobble the second pill and it winds up right on Diesel's tongue...before I could stop him, grab the pill or otherwise get the TOXIN away...it's down his gullet, with no chance of retrieval and I'm out of hydrogen peroxide...plus, the universe only knows where the hell my turkey baster is. SO, I call the emergency vet, explain my situation, Diesel's weight (about 62 pounds....8 more to go buddy boy) and they won't tell me if I need to worry about this doseage or if I can relax and he'll be fine, unless I go to the vet. All the while, I'm starting to get more and more worried about my Sunshine Boy, who is just smiling and grinning that his Mommy is up and paying attention to him. I'm feeling like the worst dog owner on the planet and I'm starting to realize...I've really gotten attached to this sweetie boy. Well, we go to the E-vet, and as we're waiting for the vet, He hops up on the bench next to me and leans into me...the tech came to take him to the puking zone and he leaned a little closer and didn't really want to go without me...he looked back a few times and I told him he'd be just fine.

Of course, he was just fine. None the worse for the wear and we went back home and got about 45 minutes of sleep before I had to head to work. Yes, I skipped the gym, but my little monster was ok. I was more than slightly pissed with the Emergency Vet Service though. After they brought Deese back to me, the vet tells me the doseage wasn't enough to harm Diesel at all and that he would have been just fine...It was all I could do to not come unglued, especially when they handed me a bill for 250 bucks...WHAT THE F)I!&*&^@!*&T#IU!

More discoveries...

Diesel loves to take a bath. He hops right in, stands still and lets you lather him all up. He shakes once or twice, (not too badly) and won't even try to jump out, until you tell him "OK". The towel dry is his favorite and he just melts right into you while you dry him off.

Most of Saturday, I spent waiting for the call to go pick up a rescue from the airport. I volunteered to pick him up and drive as far as Pendleton, OR, if I had to. That would have been about an 8 or 9 hour drive. Fortunately, things worked out even better than expected and I only had to spend about two hours driving, etc.

While I waited I was reading and sitting in my chair with my feet on the ottoman. Diesel spent most of that time on my lap. Bailee, of course, got jealous...she is a princess after all...so I had to hold her on my lap like a baby. Then Phoebe wanted in on the action and got on the ottoman. It was a FULL lap, lemme tell ya!

Right now, Diesel is wedged between the sofa arm and my lap, with his tongue sticking out almost totally asleep. His jumping and biting seems to have really decreased; he still jumps like a maniac when I come home and he's greeting me or if we're playing ball in the backyard. The mouthing only seems to happen if he gets bored, or feels like he needs more attention...though he oftentimes will go for my hand or part of my arm. He gets really excited when it's time to play, but even that is getting more controlled, as we keep playing and working on "the rules".

He is learning to sit for treats and almost always managed to keep his butt on the floor while waiting for his cookie. He also has the distinct honor of being the ONLY dog I've owned that will do a down, without giving me lip. Diesel will do anything for a cookie. He is such a good, good boy.

Brindles RULE!

Diesel loves Aaron...or whatever it was he was eating.