Who says you need a swimming pool to learn how to swim? The last couple of days, our puppies have been practicing their water skills in the backyard. Miss M realized that she could poop in the pouring rain. Mr. C realized he could still chase squirrels through the water. Mr. M decided he could still hunt sticks in the water. I'm not sure why, but Miss B has always like peeing in water. She's been peeing in the water at the beach since the first time we took her there when she and Mr. C were little- before we even thought about getting more puppies. So for her, this was just a smaller, quieter beach to pee in. She is also starting to realize that when she stands close to us under the umbrella, she doesn't get wet. Miss M wasn't really sure about all of the water at first. She loves playing in the water hose, but this isn't quite the same thing. Everything must smell different because her nose was going 100 mph smelling the air. Mr. C was very interested in the water and in whether or not he could drink it. We were amazed at how glassy the water was. The ground is so saturated from the rain we've gotten over the past few weeks, that it just sat there and didn't soak in right away. We had water flowing through the yard like a river at one point. Then it just stayed. We were really glad we didn't have to go anywhere during the worst of it. Needless to say, our rubber boots have been getting a lot of use.
This Saturday was for the birds. Literally. Every year, night herons try to nest in the big oak tree in our front yard. I wouldn't really mind because they are kind of cool, but their poop... For the past three years or so we haven't had any nests in our tree, which was a good thing because I got really tired of coming out to my car in the morning only to find bits and pieces of frogs, crabs, snakes, cockroaches, etc, in the driveway and on the car. This year, we ended up with a nest, but it is over the neighbor's yard instead of being over a driveway. So...this morning, we took the puppies out for a potty break and Dad said that one of the big birds was in the yard and that the puppies were interested in it. About that time, I looked out to see Miss B running toward the back fence, where there was a baby bird standing there looking back at her. All of the puppies went running toward the invader to see what it was doing. The bird took off through the garden box. The puppies did not appreciate this at all. If they aren't allowed in the garden box, then there is no way they could allow this bird to run around in the garden. They ended up in the back corner, with the bird near the fence and all of the puppies barking and growling at it. From a healthy distance of course. Even little Miss M had her hackles up and was barking at it. This thing had to be dangerous. It was squawking and flapping its big wings. I mean seriously. How could it not be dangerous? Just look at the wild hair and eyes. I think they were all secretly relieved when Mom picked up Mr. M and told everyone to go inside. This thing was scary. And it was big. These are not small birds. The baby in our yard was 14 to 16 inches tall.
After we got the puppies inside, we got the camera and took some pictures of it. We are pretty sure it either fell out of the nest or failed miserably at flying lessons. We are not actually even sure how it got into the back yard. The nest is in the front yard. When we went outside a little later, it tried to climb the chain length fence in the back and got its head stuck in one of the openings. It was flailing around and we were afraid it would hang itself, so we used some grilling gloves (they were the thickest gloves we had) and gently lifted it up so that it could get its head unstuck. We put it on the top of the fence, hoping it would fly off. A few hours later when we took the dogs out again, the bird was still there. Then it started pouring rain. We thought for sure that the bird would have gone back home, but when we went back out to check, it was still there. With it on the fence, the puppies didn't pay much attention to it. They knew it was there and would go to where it was sitting and stand up on their hind legs to try to smell it, then they would get bored with it and go play. We tried calling the wildlife rescue center, but they were already closed. When the evening came and we saw the bird was still there, we decided to put it at the base of the tree under the nest in hopes that the parents would feed it. We aren't really even sure if it came from that nest, but it definitely wouldn't last long just sitting on the fence. We think that it was just scared and didn't know where to go. If it's still there tomorrow, we will call the wildlife people. Our puppies have to be the fastest puppies ever. Whenever we go outside, they all do their business or find something fun like a stick and chill out. Then, out of nowhere... Zooooooom. And it's on. Once one puppy starts running, they all join in the fun. If one wants to run and nobody else is paying attention, the runner runs over and bumps into whoever is supposed to be chasing him/ her. Miss M's favorite way to start a zoomie is to pick up a stick or a rock and then go up to the other puppies and move her head away to show them that she has something and they can't have it. Then she takes off running and they follow. In this clip, Mr. C and Miss M nip Mr. M as if to say, "Tag. You're it." Then he takes off running. At some point, they all stop, so he rams Mr. C to get it going again. It's just a normal play break in the backyard. Some days, it's just too pretty to stay home. We tried talking ourselves into just playing in the yard and being lazy, but the puppies were enjoying being outside too much. The only thing keeping us from staying outside longer were the mosquitoes. The puppies took turns chasing each other around the yard, playing keep-away with a rock they found. Then they all just plopped down to bask in the sun for a while. Finally, Miss S brought up the elephant in the room. "Can't we just go to the beach?" She had a point. Besides, who could say no to a face like this? So after the puppies took a short nap, we all piled into the car, and off we went- except for the cats of course. I don't think the cats would really enjoy the beach that much. Plus, they don't travel well, and Mom was not in the mood to have to clean out a poopy car kennel... So, the cats stayed home. We all had a really good time. There were plenty of people during some parts of the walk. Our puppies just kept walking, and didn't try to frantically go over and say hi. There were even other dogs, some making quite a bit of noise, but with a little bit of coaxing, they just kept on walking and didn't pay much attention to the other dogs. Their training really has made a difference. We can't wait to start the next set of classes. Seriously, though. How could you not go to the beach on a day like this? We've been playing around with the video function on the camera. So, here is a short video of the puppies walking on the beach. Okay, seriously. How can puppies grow so fast?! Just yesterday Miss M weighed like 12 pounds and could run under the dining room chairs. Now, she's almost as tall as the big puppies and can keep up with them in the yard. Our little baby girl is growing up. She is a quick learner too. Because we feed the puppies in their crates, they sometimes leave a little food in their bowls for later, knowing that the other puppies can't get to it. Miss M figured out that she can go to her crate and bark and I'll let her in. Then she can eat a little bit of it and I will let her back out when she's ready. She likes this system. I like it too because she's going in her crate quicker now when I tell her to go into her crate. Such a cutie! The last couple of days have been really nice- no rain at all. Today, the sun even came out. I don't understand the weather this year, but I'm not complaining. Some years by the end of April, we are already having temperatures in the 90's every day. Last night though, it got down into the low 50's, and the high today was only in the mid-70's. If the weather would stay like this year round, it would be perfect. The puppies have been loving it. They've been able to go outside more, and we have been letting them play longer because it is so enjoyable outside. Pit bulls are so remarkable. Their agility is amazing- they can turn on a dime. I'm still not sure how they can fly through the yard at top speed without running into things. We discovered yesterday, that they really like playing ball with us. We had gotten them a soccer ball to play with, and they chased it around a little before chewing it to pieces. We had gotten them a cheap rubber ball a while back, but they hadn't seemed too interested in it until we brought it into the yard yesterday. Dad and I kicked it back and forth across the yard to each other, and they went nuts and got super excited. Every time we would kick it, they would chase it, bump it with their noses, paw at it. It was a great game until Miss B popped it accidentally. I think we are going to have to find a more durable ball for playing in the yard. On a different topic, I think our yard decided to make wine. We have a tree that I think may be a mulberry tree of some sort. With the storms last week, tons of berries were blown into the yard. The rain made a berry soup, which is now fermenting. Every time we walk into the middle of the yard, we get hit with a blast of berry nastiness. When the berries first fell, the puppies were very interested in them. Now that they have turned into berry shots, the puppies steer clear of the middle of the yard. The next few pictures show the extent of our berry yard still. The cats are totally grooved in to life with the puppies. They have also really warmed up to the cat-tree/ scratching post. They have decided that the scratching post is the best place to nap because there are two levels. The puppies can reach the lower level, but they don't mess with the kitties if they are on the tree. Of course, just like the puppies, they prefer napping on our bed...
Today was a beach day if there ever were one, but with weather this nice on a Saturday, there is no way that the beach was not crowded. So we decided that today wouldn't be the best time to go. Instead we played in the yard, and then in the house, and then in the yard again. Miss M loves to sit in the sun and chew on sticks, which is what she did every chance she got. Usually what happens is that she finds a stick and goes away from the others to lay in the sun. Then, one of the others realizes that she has a stick and takes it. That is then followed by a game of chase through the yard involving all of them. Lately, the puppies have been trying to scratch the dirt/ mud and then eat things out of it. We aren't really sure what they are trying to eat, but we try to keep them from doing it as much as possible. After playing, napping and then playing some more, we went out to run some errands. While we were out, we decided to stop at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants for dinner. We had never been there on a Saturday evening before, but apparently, Saturday is where it's at. There was a live band and a lady making balloon things. Dad bought Mom a little turtle bracelet from the balloon lady, which she wore for the rest of the time there. We were wondering what the puppies would think of the turtle bracelet and showed it to them after letting them out for a potty break. They all wanted to play with her, and we tried to keep her just out of reach of pointy parts. Shortly after Miss M jumped up to check out the turtle, her foot got caught in a cargo pocket on Mom's pants. When Mom reached down to get her foot loose so that she didn't hurt it, Miss M took the opportunity to grab the turtle. Unfortunately, Miss turtle suffered substantial injuries. Apparently, thin balloons are no match for puppy teeth. She lost a nose, but will will forever be remembered with a nose. On an unrelated note, last time we went to Trader Joe's, we discovered that they make a Nacho Cheese tortilla chip (i.e. Trader Joe's version of Dorritos). They are really yummy. I haven't had Dorritos in a while, but these taste just like I remember Dorritos tasting. Because they are Trader Joe's store brand, they are non-GMO. On top of that, they are less than $2 per bag, which is cheaper that Dorritos, which are most definitely GMO.
We are very picky about what we feed the puppies. The obviously dangerous foods like grapes, raisins and onions are completely off limits. We did however give the puppies a few of the yummy chips- not too many because Mom likes them too much to share very many of them- and they loved them. They practiced their very best sit and watch me skills for chips. We've decided that our cats are a little off. We're pretty sure that Kitty S thinks she's a dog. They both follow us around like the puppies do- at least when the puppies are not all in the same room with them. They are getting more and more relaxed though and part of the time, the puppies don't even pay any attention to them anymore- which is excellent. The kitties have started bringing us presents some mornings. Grandma and Grandpa have cats that spend part of the time inside and part outside. When they bring presents, it's usually in the form of something dead- like a squirrel or a bird or a bug. Our cats are inside all of the time, and thankfully, there isn't much to hunt inside. This is Texas, so we do get the occasional tree roach, which we call cockroaches. They are horrible! They are about 2-3 inches long and fly! Mom isn't scared of spiders or snakes or any of the usual offenders, but cockroaches.... That's a different story all together. Anyway, the cats have killed a couple of those. Luckily, the puppies chase them too, so Dad has a chance to get them before Mom comes across them unexpectedly. Anyway, back to the cats bringing us presents. Since there isn't much to hunt, they bring us dog toys instead. We try to put the dog toys in their toy box most evenings, but lately, we have been waking up to toys just outside our bedroom door in the morning. The puppies don't mind, and immediately pick up the toys and carry them back to the kitchen, where they get dropped in favor of checking out kitties instead. Yesterday, the puppies were playing inside ( it rained again so playing outside wasn't an option) and Kitty S went to sleep on the edge of the dining room table. Mr. M was playing and then noticed the cat. He got quiet and went over to sniff her and make sure she was still okay. As soon as she moved a little, he went back to playing with the other puppies. We are constantly amazed at how sweet the puppies are with each other, the cats and us. Miss S got fussed at the other day and went and laid down on the floor in the kitchen- sad at having gotten in trouble. Miss M went over to try and get Miss S to play. When Miss S didn't act interested in playing at all, Miss M got a very concerned look on her face and started licking Miss S as if to tell her everything was going to be okay. She licked her muzzle and then went about cleaning her ears. She did the same thing to Mr. C when she found him napping in the dining room. They are such sweet dogs! The more we get to know them, the more I wonder how anyone could believe all of the negative hype surrounding the breed. This is the reason they couldn't play outside yesterday. The entire yard pretty much looked like this. I was surprised they didn't have a ton of accidents in the house. I mean seriously, I wouldn't want to potty in that! Today, the yard is still a swamp. It isn't raining anymore, but it will be a while before everything dries out. I really wonder if this is any indication of how summer will be. Some years, it rains a lot in the spring and then turns into a desert for like 5 months with little or no rain. Some years, it rains in the spring and then again in the summer too. I guess we will see. For now, though, we have been playing inside. When the kitties sleep or play on the dining room table, Mr. C likes to stay right beside them, and chills out on the rug underneath the table. Mr. M decided it was time for a cuddle. When Miss B saw that he was getting cuddles, she didn't want to be left out and came to get cuddles too. Mom of course loves it when the puppies want to cuddle and was happy to oblige. With the yard as wet as it is, we can't always take the puppies out together because they will run around in the mud and get dirty when they are feeling playful. Dad took the puppies out a couple at a time this afternoon, and the ones that were inside paid really close attention to what was going on outside. As an aside here, we kept wondering why the glass kept getting all smudged up on the lower part. This explains that mystery.
With all of the rain from last week, our backyard has turned into a very scary place. The humidity is so high that even though it stopped raining a while back, the yard has still not dried out all the way. Your guess is as good as mine as to what the green sludge is in the picture above. Notice the mud slick in our usual hammock hanging area in the picture below. I'm thinking now wouldn't be the best time to use the hammock. We've been having to play with the puppies inside instead of outside for obvious reasons. We are hoping that the yard will soon dry out so that we can play outside again without having to worry about the puppies drinking anything that might make them glow in the dark. I'm not sure what it is about mud that makes them want to dig and eat things out of the ground- which is really scary. The funny thing is that puppies lick each other's nether regions, and I'm okay with that. But licking the mud in our backyard.... Now that's some nasty stuff. At least I know what goes into the puppies normally. So when they lick each other, at least I know they are licking other healthy puppies. The mud on the other hand... Who knows what's gone in there over the years. I know for a fact that the jerk behind us sprays his yard with heavy chemicals against weeds and mosquitoes, chemicals which I'm sure run into our yard when it rains.
I don't really have any cool new pictures of the puppies, but here's one of Miss M getting reassurance from Dad when she met the kitties for the first time. They were scary... Lately, our weather forecast seems more like instructions on a shampoo bottle than actual weather. Lather, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse... Our backyard is an absolute lake. The puppies don't even want to go outside when it's time for a potty break. Sometimes we even carry Miss B and Miss M out to the potty spot. As much as Miss B likes running around and getting dirty, even she has her limits, and our yard is already well beyond said limits. So, lately, we've just been playing in the house- with toys and with the cats. (Unfortunately, it has been too chilly and wet for the beach too!)
The kitties are doing very well. They even follow us into the living room now when they know the puppies are in their crates. Kitty P has decided that she likes sleeping on laps or beside Mom on the couch. We have progressed to the point of not needing the middle grate to keep the puppies out of the hallway. They are still very excited that the cats are here. Mr. M really doesn't understand why Kitty S doesn't like him taking her leg in his mouth like he does with Miss M. Isn't that the way you are supposed to play with little puppies? He doesn't bite down. He just takes her leg gently in his mouth- like Mr. C always played with him when he was little. So why doesn't the cat like it? Miss M doesn't understand why Kitty P won't play with her when she squats down with her butt in the air and barks lightly. When she does that with the big puppies, they always play with her. She is beginning to wonder if the cats speak puppy. Maybe it's just a language barrier. Much of the time though, as soon as there is food or something interesting involved, the puppies completely ignore the kitties and go about their business, which is huge progress! Mr. C is so relaxed around the kitties now that if one of them is laying in the hall or just in some random spot on the floor, he will walk over, smell her and then lay down beside her and just chill. The puppies all really like the kitties, and the cats are starting to warm up to them too- though they would never admit that to their kitty friends. Happy Valentine's Day from the puppy house. The weather here was beautiful again today. It would have been a perfect day to go to the beach, but Mardi Gras is happening again this weekend, and we didn't want to deal with the crowds- especially the drunken ones. The puppies have never seen anyone drunk, and I don't see any reason to start now. So instead, we got out the hammock to enjoy the weather in the backyard. We decided to try putting the puppies into the hammock too to see how they would handle rocking. They got bored and didn't stay long, but the motion didn't bother any of them. They may just make good sailing dogs yet. Miss B is allergic to anything that requires her to be still for more than 10 seconds. So, she wasn't content to sit in the hammock. She was very interested in whether or not she could chew on it at first. Once it was hanging for a few minutes and they were told not to chew on it, the puppies left it alone and went about their business digging and playing in the yard. Mr. M liked the attention, but didn't really want to be still for very long either. Unlike Miss B however, he waited patiently for Mom to help him down instead of just bouncing out. Miss S thought Dad was a great cushion and was content to sit in the hammock for a few minutes. Well, she was content to sit there until the other puppies started playing an exciting game of chase and she felt like she was missing out. Little Miss M had her turn in the hammock before Mom got the camera out. Dad got plenty of kisses, and then she wanted down to go play again. Sitting still is just so hard! I'm pretty sure that Mr. C is close to 80 pounds now, and Dad wasn't sure he wanted to be Mr. C's pillow. Mom was worried that his nails might break some of the hammock strings, and he didn't really look like he wanted to get into the hammock. The others had jumped up to look inside, but he just looked at it from a distance. So Mr. C just stood watch by the hammock. We thought it was pretty funny that while we were both sitting in the hammock, all of the puppies just stayed close by. Occasionally they would run a zoomie around the yard, but they would come right back and play close by the hammock where we were. I think that's one of the qualities I like most about pitbulls- the tendency to want to be wherever you are. The funny thing is that they can totally outrun us now, but don't even try to get away from us too much. Even if they slip out the front door, they just go straight to one of us if we are outside, or straight to our car. Last time we went to the beach, Mr. C and Mr. M's leashes got wrapped around our legs while we were letting them dig. I let go of what I thought was Mr. M's leash while I held onto the harness to untangle him. I had accidentally let go of Mr. C's leash instead. So for a minute or so while I thought I was still holding onto both puppies, Mr. C was completely loose on the beach. He realized it and moved over about three feet or so (probably to get out of the way of the sand flying from Miss M's digging activities), but he just stood there. I handed Mr. M's leash to Dad and walked over to Mr. C. He didn't go anywhere. He just looked down at his leash on the ground and looked up at me as if to say, "I think you dropped that." I picked it up and we all continued on our walk. I like it that they tend to stay where we are, and I love it when they follow me around the house when I'm doing something. Apparently next week, we are going to pretend that we actually have a winter for a couple of days. So for now, we are just going to keep enjoying the current weather. The hammock may find itself in our plans again tomorrow...
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AuthorFirst time pitbull owners who found two pitbull puppies abandoned on the side of the road and decided to adopt them...And then loved them so much, they decided to get two wonderful mastiffs. Archives
March 2024
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