The Eddie Report – 2.0
Five and half months ago, this little bundle of joy welcomed me into his life.
Kinda hard to believe.
Oh the memories of training a new born puppy. And not that the training has stopped but I am super excited that we can start taking morning walks around the neighborhood, (well at least for a few days) while we are enjoying our ‘fake’ Fall season. Down right chilly in the mornings when we get up, but the heat is returning. And I am okay with that, maybe one last pool day will happen!
Anywho, last night as I sat and watched Eddie sleep, yes that never gets old, I remembered all the new puppy ‘work’, and yes I say work because it really is.
Constant monitoring his every move. I hate to say it but I actually dropped him a couple of times. All puppies are so flopsy because their bones, joints and muscles are still forming. And knowing that made me feel even more upset.
Eddie came home during our wettest Spring that I can remember and drying the poor baby off every time we came back inside was like an hourly exercise in patience.  Thinking I had him all wrapped up in the towel and yet he managed to slip out. Scared him and me.
And now, he stands there tall and upright as I dry his little but long legs from the morning dew.
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I got use to living with Riley and he did not follow my every move. Bring home a new puppy and don’t forget to look down before taking a step. Even getting up from the sofa or chair. So small and he was tucked in,  right below me.
And sometimes I was literally moving just a smidge in the kitchen side by side and yep, there he was. So quiet, so small and a few times he yelp.
I usually am barefoot in the house but have summer house shoes and when I wear them, I am definitely more conscious to look down.
And man oh man are puppies fast.
Drop a dryer sheet and look how fast he is under a chair chopping on it. Oh he even thinks he can outsmart me and get under the bed with it.
NOT!
And now almost 6 months old and he can still fit under some chairs and the bed but not for long. He can no longer run under them, he knows he has to crawl to get there. Ha!
And don’t try to kick one of his toys out of the way. Because before you know, his baby teeth and a toe collided. Where did he come from?
Just stock up on bandages and neosporin.
Of course one day I was wearing my house shoes and yep, I did the same thing and his little nose and the bottom of my shoe collided.
This time, I was like …… girl stop kicking his toys, don’t be lazy, bend down to grab it and remember you have a baby nearby!
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Oh and when it’s shower time. I would move his sleeping crate into my bathroom. His sleeping crate was all I had at first so it got moved around, a lot. After a while, I would forgo moving the crate and just brought in a couple of his toys and closed the bathroom doors. And now ……. since he is house trained he will sometimes brings a toy with him or will lay (usually sleeping) nearby but is not confined.
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Eddie still sleeps a lot. I already know his nap and play cycles.  There are still times that I choose to keep the music playing softly and never have a problem keeping the TV off so he can sleep without interruptions. Although he is keenly aware of outside noises so I found that sometimes it helps to have music playing during the mornings which I love!
The ice maker, washer/dryer and the likes he is pretty much use to. Of course sometimes the ice maker startles me. Thankfully I can turn it off at times.
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Okay, now a big one!
Even though we have a fenced in backyard. I leashed Eddie whenever we went outside. Yep, even when he was getting potty trained and we were going out every few hours morning and night. (Patience and Consistency) Of course he buck it at first. But only a few times. He got use to it and learned how to walk being leashed and do his business and we roamed around together. Plus he is so light and little and the darn hawks flying above could have scooped him right up. Hey, when the Ring camera recorded a hawk flying with a rabbit or cat in its claws, that was enough evidence for me.
Our backyard is not large at all but it’s new and big to a puppy. Plus, it’s much easier to stop him from eating …… everything. Oh he still will chop on a pebble or weed but at least now I can open his mouth and pull it out without experiencing any pain or bleeding. At first he would actually growl and fight with me, as if defending his catch. I almost would be scared and yet remembering he doesn’t know any better. (Bandages, neosporin and discipline) That was my daily mantra for 4 months. Plus it rained for days when Eddie came home, no need to have a wet scared little puppy unsure of his surroundings. They don’t know their name, they definitely don’t know commands so why spend your time yelling at a new puppy for not coming when he doesn’t know the words yet. Being leashed was safer and created a more calmer environment then him hearing me yell or get anxious or even mad.
So yeah, now I can open the back door, (Eddie not leashed) and ask him to wait to give me time to slip on my flip flops and he waits and we walk out to the yard together. He will many times walk back to the door with my command but is still easily distracted so more training is definitely needed. And yes, sometimes he still wears his leash. I think it has made him such a good little boy on his first neighborhood walk. He is excited at first and then walks calmly.
Oh, he growled at a walker yesterday the first time we passed each other but recognize him the next time we crossed paths.
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Crate training and bell training work in my opinion.  Crate training – Of course his first couple of nights when we were going to bed, he whined and barked. I just reminded him, it’s okay and he is a such a good boy and after a couple of nights he knew he wasn’t going to whine or bark his way out of the crate. I also kept a salt lamp on so it wasn’t totally dark in our room.
Cut to now …… Eddie goes into his crate every nite many times before I am ready to end the day so sometimes I will make him go outside one last time. When we return he will either walk right back into his crate or will wait next to my bed which is my signal he wants to sleep with me. Now I know, having a dog in your bed is so debatable …… you do you! I will tell you that I am absolutely sure that if Eddie wasn’t house trained, he would not be sleeping in my bed. And you know what, he sleeps in his crate more than with me, his choice. And it works for me. and no more salt lamp. He is more comfortable, confident and content as time goes on.
Eddie has a larger crate, his townhouse, which I use whenever he is left alone. Cameras can see him and we all know puppies need to chew so he has plenty of toys.  I am happy to say, he does not chew on furniture or the likes but that took a whole lot of training and monitoring too.
Bell training – I am convinced because it worked for Riley and now for Eddie. Of course knowing his needs like after meal time and waking up from his siestas are key too.
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Now it’s kinda crazy that even at five months Eddie already has a sense of when it’s time to eat?  He lets me know when it’s time for his 3 square, everyday. Unbelievable!
Well, I could go on and on and on (and I kinda have) Ha!
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I can’t wait to see all the new things he learns and the memories we will make.
Am I a little protective of my sweet little Eddie …… you bet.
He continues to bring love and joy into our home. Life isn’t perfect but Eddie is!
I love drinking wine and being with Eddie.
I love watching football while Eddie sleeps.
I love showing Eddie our world.
Eddie makes me laugh, melts my heart and shows me what’s important in life.
Whether you have a Scottie, a Corgi, a mixed breed or a different pet all together;  love them, teach them and your life will be better.
Woof Woof.