Things are starting to get a little normal around here and Juliette is getting very well adjusted. Last night, she slept a good seven hours in her crate before she woke up, then slept another hour in the morning. Then we played for awhile, and then we got up in bed and took a nice mid-morning nap.
Going to school today was hard, but I made it, and I was so happy to have my mom home the first little while, and then my dad shortly after I left, too. My parents said she clearly missed me a lot, but she was still very happy and played all night with them. It was nice to have them here and not have to worry, and coming home to see her was so exciting!
New on the list of things that Juliette is discovering the past day or two is her shadow. We had beautiful sun both yesterday and this morning, and she loves to pounce at her own shadow, or dig at mine! If I dangle something up to make a shadow too, she will run around pouncing after it for a long time.
She also loves to find things! Since we have quite a bit of snow in our yard, it's very easy for me to get the toes of my boots completely buried in the snow, and she loves to uncover the snow and find them!
Juliette is so, so smart. We have her learning the word sit already, and she does it after you ask a few times -- she's also been learning the hand signal for it, which is VERY impressive. She's also going after things like leaves in the yard less and responding even better to the word no.
Another great thing is that she's learning the routine. At the end of the night, I walk back and forth from my room bringing each of my things (my purse, my schoolbooks, etc.) and she follows me back and forth chasing me. We do the same with her favorite toys while I get her crate set up. This really tires her out. Then, I gate up my room and she plays with me on the floor for awhile, and then I work on homework or get online for a little while and let her chew and wear herself out a bit. Then, I get her up in my bed with me and she snuggles with me for awhile. Tonight, when she was done chewing her toy, she put her paws up on the edge of my bed looking like she wanted to get up and snuggle, and she did! I can tell she's getting close to be needing to go outside one last time when she's changing positions a lot and starts panting. We take her one last time, then she snuggles a little more and goes in the crate. She's sleeping next to me right now, and I'm just getting ready to put her in.
We're preparing for Snowmageddon here. We're supposed to get 2-4 inches tonight, and then another 10-16 over the course of Tuesday night and Wednesday. Luckily, I have plenty of food for her, we always have water on hand, and we have tons of extra blankets. The only thing that will change if for some reason our power DOES go out is that she would get to sleep the night with me in my bed the entire night to stay warm.
Otherwise, things are going great over here! :) We are all loving our little girl, and we are looking so forward to my little brother coming home this weekend to meet her. We all agree that she is just a little gem and we feel like we are the luckiest family! :)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
These boots were made for sleeping
Hello everyone!
So, night two with Juliette went pretty well. She was very, very tired last night, but she really didn't want to go to sleep and was really against the crate. But, after crying for about five or six minutes, she did eventually fall asleep and slept for a solid four hours. I got up with her for one quick potty trip and then she went right back to sleep in the crate for another four and a half hours. Overall, the night went very well.
Juliette really loves one particular pair of my winter boots that has drawstrings at the top to keep them tight. They're furry on the inside and have furry tassels, too. Juliette really thinks they are fun to play with, but when she stuck her head in them for the first time today, she realized how furry and fun they are! She then proceeded to take an hour and a half long nap cuddled up with them. It was so cute ... See for yourself!
Earlier this afternoon, we took Juliette to Petsmart for the first time. I got her all enrolled for her puppy socialization class and we got her several new things. She now has more toys than she could ever possibly need but is truly enjoying all of them. She was also the star of the store and had many adoring fans who pet her and fell in love with her! She also started being a little more vocal, especially when other dogs were in the store. It was incredibly fun to watch and she was by far getting the most attention of any pet in the store and behaving so, so well.
Tomorrow is my first day back at school since I've gotten Juliette. My Monday is the longest, so in someways, I'm really upset that I have to spend a lot of time away, but I'm also glad I get it out of the way right away! First thing in the morning I have a class out at Eastern from 9:30-10:45 a.m. I'll probably be home around 11:15 a.m., and I will get her out for lunch, playing, and going outside for a little while. Then I have to leave around 12:30 p.m. to go to Royal Oak for my class from 1-3:55 p.m. I'll probably get home around 4:15 p.m. for dinner, playing, and going outside for a little while, and then I leave for class at 5:20 p.m. for my last class, when I'll be home around 9 p.m. Luckily, my mom will be home all day, and my dad gets home around 4 p.m., so she won't spend much time in the crate at all.
Tonight, we are having my friend Maggie over and she is the first of my friends to meet Juliette! :) I'm very excited to see her interact with someone else!
:) That's all for now!
So, night two with Juliette went pretty well. She was very, very tired last night, but she really didn't want to go to sleep and was really against the crate. But, after crying for about five or six minutes, she did eventually fall asleep and slept for a solid four hours. I got up with her for one quick potty trip and then she went right back to sleep in the crate for another four and a half hours. Overall, the night went very well.
Juliette really loves one particular pair of my winter boots that has drawstrings at the top to keep them tight. They're furry on the inside and have furry tassels, too. Juliette really thinks they are fun to play with, but when she stuck her head in them for the first time today, she realized how furry and fun they are! She then proceeded to take an hour and a half long nap cuddled up with them. It was so cute ... See for yourself!
Earlier this afternoon, we took Juliette to Petsmart for the first time. I got her all enrolled for her puppy socialization class and we got her several new things. She now has more toys than she could ever possibly need but is truly enjoying all of them. She was also the star of the store and had many adoring fans who pet her and fell in love with her! She also started being a little more vocal, especially when other dogs were in the store. It was incredibly fun to watch and she was by far getting the most attention of any pet in the store and behaving so, so well.
Tomorrow is my first day back at school since I've gotten Juliette. My Monday is the longest, so in someways, I'm really upset that I have to spend a lot of time away, but I'm also glad I get it out of the way right away! First thing in the morning I have a class out at Eastern from 9:30-10:45 a.m. I'll probably be home around 11:15 a.m., and I will get her out for lunch, playing, and going outside for a little while. Then I have to leave around 12:30 p.m. to go to Royal Oak for my class from 1-3:55 p.m. I'll probably get home around 4:15 p.m. for dinner, playing, and going outside for a little while, and then I leave for class at 5:20 p.m. for my last class, when I'll be home around 9 p.m. Luckily, my mom will be home all day, and my dad gets home around 4 p.m., so she won't spend much time in the crate at all.
Tonight, we are having my friend Maggie over and she is the first of my friends to meet Juliette! :) I'm very excited to see her interact with someone else!
:) That's all for now!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Through the looking glass
Today was our first full day with Miss Juliette and it went pretty well. We had a little whining with the crate issues, but it wasn't too bad, and in the end, I did get her to sleep a solid five hours.
Most of today was dedicated to Juliette, playing with her, and figuring out what she likes and what makes he curious.
Today, Juliette discovered our full length mirror, and also that she could see her reflection in the cabinet of our TV stand since it's made of glass, and in the reflection of the oven door. She has been exploring these all day and just trying to figure them out. It's incredibly cute! She also discovered she likes to take newspapers when people are reading them, and at one point, she found a circular for Kohl's which she brought right to me -- yep, she's definitely my dog. She also really likes socks.
Juliette is already fitting in so well with our family. She's gotten very attached. For example, my dad left for a couple hours this afternoon and she definitely noticed. She searched all over the house for him. But, she was a very lucky girl, because when my dad came home, he'd picked up a couple more toys for her. He got her a really cool, soft plush bone with sort of a corduroy material, and then two ropes of floss/rope tuggy material to it and a bright green dinosaur which makes a low sort of rattling noise that she just love.
Juliette is very smart. She has already learned the commands sit and the word no. However, there are a few things that "no" doesn't seem to work for -- i.e., plants or branches in the yard, one specific set of cords behind my mom's arm chair in the living room. But, she goes to the door to let me (or whomever is closest) know she's got to go outside. She's doing great on the leash and she is extremely patient and great at communicating. She's also found some of her favorite places to nap and picked up on certain games she likes to play with.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Petsmart with my mom and dad to pick up a few things and get her registered for her first set of puppy classes which start in late February. Maggie, one of my best friends, is coming to meet her tomorrow.
As of now, I just got Juliette in her crate. She whined for about 5-10 minutes but now seems to be settled in, so I'm going to take this opportunity to get some sleep! :)
Most of today was dedicated to Juliette, playing with her, and figuring out what she likes and what makes he curious.
Today, Juliette discovered our full length mirror, and also that she could see her reflection in the cabinet of our TV stand since it's made of glass, and in the reflection of the oven door. She has been exploring these all day and just trying to figure them out. It's incredibly cute! She also discovered she likes to take newspapers when people are reading them, and at one point, she found a circular for Kohl's which she brought right to me -- yep, she's definitely my dog. She also really likes socks.
Juliette is already fitting in so well with our family. She's gotten very attached. For example, my dad left for a couple hours this afternoon and she definitely noticed. She searched all over the house for him. But, she was a very lucky girl, because when my dad came home, he'd picked up a couple more toys for her. He got her a really cool, soft plush bone with sort of a corduroy material, and then two ropes of floss/rope tuggy material to it and a bright green dinosaur which makes a low sort of rattling noise that she just love.
Juliette is very smart. She has already learned the commands sit and the word no. However, there are a few things that "no" doesn't seem to work for -- i.e., plants or branches in the yard, one specific set of cords behind my mom's arm chair in the living room. But, she goes to the door to let me (or whomever is closest) know she's got to go outside. She's doing great on the leash and she is extremely patient and great at communicating. She's also found some of her favorite places to nap and picked up on certain games she likes to play with.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Petsmart with my mom and dad to pick up a few things and get her registered for her first set of puppy classes which start in late February. Maggie, one of my best friends, is coming to meet her tomorrow.
As of now, I just got Juliette in her crate. She whined for about 5-10 minutes but now seems to be settled in, so I'm going to take this opportunity to get some sleep! :)
Our very first night ...
Hi everyone!
So, as most of you know, tonight (January 28, 2011) I brought my new puppy Juliette home. I was so lucky and blessed to receive her from the parents of one of my sorority sisters. Juliette is an almost ten week old Golden Retriever puppy. She is adorable and, in my opinion, incredibly smart. She's happy, incredibly social, very curious and a quick learner.
I made the decision to adopt Juliette in December, about three weeks after we had to put our family dog, Daisy, to sleep. Daisy hadn't been sick that we knew, so it came as a shock. But she was almost fifteen and lived a very full, happy, long life with us. I was hit very hard by it immediately because as many of you know, I've had a nice helping of surgeries over the past two or three years and Daisy was my constant companion. Without her, healing might've been much different and slower. I was very, very lonely, and even though I was still mourning, I started the search for my first dog and decided that a Golden Retriever was the best fit for me, given how smart they are and their natural good nature. When I turned to my sorority sister Emily for help, she let me know her dad's dog had just had a litter of AKC registered Golden Retrievers a few days before we had to have Daisy put to sleep. Emily and I had just recently gotten back in touch, and I felt like it was meant to be.
Juliette's name comes from the name Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts. I spent every summer from the time I was little until I was well into my teenage years at Girl Scout camps that were my second home. Neither of them had any names that seemed fitting for this little girl dog and then Juliette came to me, and it seemed appropriate, especially since I have ever intention to make sure Juliette loves to be outdoors and go everywhere with me. Another strange irony was that in looking up Juliette Gordon Low to make sure that I had the spelling correct, I realized something that I know I learned back in my scouting days, but had forgotten -- Juliette went by the nickname "Daisy" amongst her friends. This was another reason I felt like it was meant to be.
I have been counting down for weeks now, and I honestly can't believe she's finally here. I feel like I'm living in a dream! My parents are so excited to have her here too, and my little brother is excited to come home next weekend. Juliette will also be meeting several of her many aunts this week and next. She is a very loved puppy.
One of the cool things is that Emily is also taking one of the puppies, as is a friend of mine from high school, and Emily's parents are definitely keeping one. She'll remain pretty close to her siblings throughout her life and I'm very excited to see how they grow and change in comparison to each other.
For now, everything is clear here on our front. After a lot of playing, several potty trips, a snack and some snuggling, she is now in her crate. My big sister Kim suggested the concept of me having her up in bed to cuddle last thing at night and first thing in the morning, that way, she learns when is good to be in bed with me and that I can ask her to come up. Juliette will eventually be quite big, and I've got a twin bed for now. Kim did this with her puppy Riley, and it worked well for her. She slept soundly for about 45 minutes before she woke up and whined a bit, but settled down quickly. She is now sleeping again, but I'm not crazy enough to think it won't happen again. She has a very snuggly bed in her crate, a soft stuffed moose toy to cuddle with and a Nylabone to chew. I also have a toy that has been used by she and her siblings in the crate with her, so it has a familiar smell. I've put a blanket over the top, and she is okay for now!
Juliette is a very fast learned. I have an adjustable leash that I'm using for right now until I take her to the store tomorrow and make sure I get a collar that fits well. She already ducks her head right into the collar part of it and goes outside to go to the bathroom without issue. We have a very big front and back yard, and there is all kinds of fresh untouched snow, so she's loved eating the snow and playing in all of it. We've had a lot of fun!
I'm going to lay down and watch some TV for now, and hopefully I will get to sleep a little. Tomorrow, we'll be headed over to Petsmart to get her a collar and leash, and probably a few more toys.
I'll try to keep posting so that everyone can see what's going on! :)
So, as most of you know, tonight (January 28, 2011) I brought my new puppy Juliette home. I was so lucky and blessed to receive her from the parents of one of my sorority sisters. Juliette is an almost ten week old Golden Retriever puppy. She is adorable and, in my opinion, incredibly smart. She's happy, incredibly social, very curious and a quick learner.
I made the decision to adopt Juliette in December, about three weeks after we had to put our family dog, Daisy, to sleep. Daisy hadn't been sick that we knew, so it came as a shock. But she was almost fifteen and lived a very full, happy, long life with us. I was hit very hard by it immediately because as many of you know, I've had a nice helping of surgeries over the past two or three years and Daisy was my constant companion. Without her, healing might've been much different and slower. I was very, very lonely, and even though I was still mourning, I started the search for my first dog and decided that a Golden Retriever was the best fit for me, given how smart they are and their natural good nature. When I turned to my sorority sister Emily for help, she let me know her dad's dog had just had a litter of AKC registered Golden Retrievers a few days before we had to have Daisy put to sleep. Emily and I had just recently gotten back in touch, and I felt like it was meant to be.
Juliette's name comes from the name Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts. I spent every summer from the time I was little until I was well into my teenage years at Girl Scout camps that were my second home. Neither of them had any names that seemed fitting for this little girl dog and then Juliette came to me, and it seemed appropriate, especially since I have ever intention to make sure Juliette loves to be outdoors and go everywhere with me. Another strange irony was that in looking up Juliette Gordon Low to make sure that I had the spelling correct, I realized something that I know I learned back in my scouting days, but had forgotten -- Juliette went by the nickname "Daisy" amongst her friends. This was another reason I felt like it was meant to be.
I have been counting down for weeks now, and I honestly can't believe she's finally here. I feel like I'm living in a dream! My parents are so excited to have her here too, and my little brother is excited to come home next weekend. Juliette will also be meeting several of her many aunts this week and next. She is a very loved puppy.
One of the cool things is that Emily is also taking one of the puppies, as is a friend of mine from high school, and Emily's parents are definitely keeping one. She'll remain pretty close to her siblings throughout her life and I'm very excited to see how they grow and change in comparison to each other.
For now, everything is clear here on our front. After a lot of playing, several potty trips, a snack and some snuggling, she is now in her crate. My big sister Kim suggested the concept of me having her up in bed to cuddle last thing at night and first thing in the morning, that way, she learns when is good to be in bed with me and that I can ask her to come up. Juliette will eventually be quite big, and I've got a twin bed for now. Kim did this with her puppy Riley, and it worked well for her. She slept soundly for about 45 minutes before she woke up and whined a bit, but settled down quickly. She is now sleeping again, but I'm not crazy enough to think it won't happen again. She has a very snuggly bed in her crate, a soft stuffed moose toy to cuddle with and a Nylabone to chew. I also have a toy that has been used by she and her siblings in the crate with her, so it has a familiar smell. I've put a blanket over the top, and she is okay for now!
Juliette is a very fast learned. I have an adjustable leash that I'm using for right now until I take her to the store tomorrow and make sure I get a collar that fits well. She already ducks her head right into the collar part of it and goes outside to go to the bathroom without issue. We have a very big front and back yard, and there is all kinds of fresh untouched snow, so she's loved eating the snow and playing in all of it. We've had a lot of fun!
I'm going to lay down and watch some TV for now, and hopefully I will get to sleep a little. Tomorrow, we'll be headed over to Petsmart to get her a collar and leash, and probably a few more toys.
I'll try to keep posting so that everyone can see what's going on! :)
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