Christmas With The Pups

While Dolly and Loki may not understand what Christmas is for, they knew SOMETHING was going on.

This was their first Christmas at home, so we opened their gifts after getting back from Mom's house on Christmas eve.

They LOVED Christmas!

Double Trouble!

These two are already best buddies and attached at the hip!

This picture shows their personalities so well! Dolly is silly and the center of attention, and Scout is calm and sweet!

Hey! Let's go play!

Scout is so happy to be home!

Dolly loves having a sister!

Greeting Dad when he got home from work!

Checking each other out!

Scout loves to play with tennis balls!

We think she looks like a kangaroo in this one!

Bye guys, gotta go play!

Dolly is Getting a Sister!

We just can't seem to stop adding to the family!

Yep, we did it again!

Thursday started like a normal day at work until Mom texted me and asked if we'd like another dog. 

(Of course we had talked about getting a "sibling" for Dolly, but it had always been pushed to the back of our minds as things got hectic.)

Anyways, a co worker of hers had found like gorgeous white German Shepherd in the median of Route 3 during rush hour. 

She was scared and skittish, with no tags or microchip. 

Mom's co worker brought it to a local vet and was hoping to get her adopted...

Were we interested?

I of course was, so I texted Chad.

He was in meetings all day, so I didn't hear from him until later in the afternoon. 

I figured he would shoot the idea down right away...

...but he didn't. He started asking questions...

....And we agreed to go meet her last night. We brought Dolly along, since the two would have to get along.

It went well, but we still had big questions that we talked over on the way home. 

What about the extra expenses? 

Do we have time and energy to train another dog?

How would Dolly do?

What about traveling?

We talked it over, and thought it over.

We even talked over names and narrowed it down to a few we liked and thought would suit her. 

The sad truth is that if we didn't take her, she would either be taken to animal control to grow old and pass away, or not even have the chance. 

That didn't sit well with either of is at all. 

We were getting ready to go to bed last night when Chad said, "I don't know if all of our questions will be answered but I do know I'm not ok with her missing out on life because we don't want to do a little work. We can take her."

I almost cried out of happiness and appreciation for his tender heart!

We called and made it official this morning!

Scout Rucker is joining our family Saturday!

Happy Birthday to Our Baby!

Our Dolly has been home for 6 months today!

We decided to make this her birthday since she was born approximately around this time!

She's three!

And she's mellowed considerably since March!

Of course she got presents (that she got to "open")

Her "cake"!

We have a very happy little lady tonight!

Three (and a half) Months at Home!

{So when we got Dolly, the original thought was to blog at one month home, two months, three months, 6, 9, one year, etc. As well as her (made up) birthday.

Well, its post #3 and I have failed. 

Life has been a tad busy (like normal) and posting kept getting pushed lower and lower on my seemingly never-ending task list.

So now I have a moment to breathe, and plan to update.}

We have not officially weighed her, but Mom and Dad were commenting about how she has gained weight since she's been home.

Muscle weight, though. not fat.

I never realized how scrawny she was when we brought her home.

She is still eating, but not with the same urgency as the first few weeks.

She is also staying outside instead of in the crate while we are at work.

(Please, dog-in-crate-advocates, don't attack!)

Dolly is well taken care of outside. 

She has her food and water, a cool place to relax under the deck, and Chad comes home every day during lunch to check on her.

We were apprehensive about leaving her out, but the neighbors are home all day and would notify us if anything was wrong.

More importantly, she is the happiest of campers being able to play and run and watch squirrels as she pleases.

Also notable this month, Dolly survived her first tornado at home...

All 50+ pounds of her may have been cowering and shaking in my lap, but whatever. She made it.

One funny thing we realized just this past week is that when she is in trouble, she gets in the bathtub.

This really makes no sense, but we know she did something bad, like "unfolding" a whole stack of clothes, when she gets in the tub and puts her head down.

We were talking about it last night, and I think I've figured out why.

She knows that it makes me VERY happy when she doesn't put up a fuss at bathtime (she gets bathed weekly in the tub) and she gets lots of "good girl" encouragement and a nice belly rub out of the deal. 

So naturally, when she is in trouble, she wants to get back in our good graces as soon as possible, even if it means the "dreaded" bath time.

(well, either that or she had no other place to run away to!)

Happy 3 months home sweet puppy, we love you!

2 Months at Home!

Dolly has been home for two months now!

It's easy to track that time, because it is exactly one week after we moved in.

She has made some big improvements!

The one I am most proud of is that she doesn't hoard her food anymore.

For the first month or so, whenever we would feed her, she would gobble it down quickly and be protective over the food bowl.

She would also go hide and eat her treats or bones whenever we gave them to her.

Not anymore though.

I never anticipated food hoarding in a dog.

I know it's a common occurrence in children when they get adopted, but I didn't expect it with her.

So now I am glad that she doesn't do that anymore.

I think it means she realizes this is her home now and she will get consistently fed.

She also will jump into the tub at bath time instead of being picked up and forced in by Chad.

She still tries to escape before she's all done, but I will take the fact that I don't need to have help to bathe her as an improvement.

Dolly had her first sleepover at Gramps and Bella's last Saturday night.

We went out of town overnight for a wedding, and Chad and I both had separation anxiety over leaving her!

Mom's rule is that unless its an emergency, her grandkids can't sleepover until they sleep through the night.

Dolly did wonderfully though, and when I went to pick her up on Sunday I was sure she would come running and be clingy because she missed us.

I was wrong.

And a little hurt!

She would have been completely happy to stay there longer.

When I went to get her, she sniffed and licked me once, and then went back to playing. Ouch.

Anyways, the day before Easter she also had her first trip to the "puppy spa" (which is what we called Petsmart grooming center).

She got her teeth, ears, and nose cleaned; as well as her nails clipped.

The groomer said she had very good teeth for being a rescue dog. That made me VERY happy.

....and then she said she was worried that she may have an ear infection.

Seriously?

Even my dog-child has ear issues like the ones that run in the family!

She was groomed just in time for family pictures on Easter.

I give her a C- for behavior during that.

But I think it was just because she was excited to be around the whole family.

And she got her first Easter basket!

Yes. The dog got an Easter basket.

Get over it.

She really just needed some new toys and treats so I gave them to her on Easter.

Overall, she seems to be very happy at home, and we LOVE having her there.

Even when she wakes me up ten minutes before my alarm goes off.

Even when she chews on things she shouldn't.

Even when she follows right on our heels if a storm is coming. (we call her the Four-Legged Forecaster. and for the record, she's WAY more accurate than the weatherman.)

We love you, "Puppy Dowwy"!

Dolly's First Easter

1 Month Home Photos

I got out the camera today to take a few photos of Dolly

(and to learn a little more about how to use the camera)

She's surprisingly photogenic!

Sitting in her favorite spot in the yard.

She knows the "sit" command very well!

Pretty girl

Playing with the ball. This is something new she has discovered in the past week and a half!

Sitting with her first toy! We got this for her on the day we adopted her and it is VERY well loved!

(This is my attempt at being artistic and getting a photo from one of the trees in the yard)

One Month Home!

Dolly has been home exactly one month today!

In the past month she has:

• ... learned 3 commands (sit, lay, and shake)
• ... had only 2 accidents in the house (both of which were in the past week)
• ... still not figured out how to sit still for pictures
• ... had 5 baths (and is starting to warm up to them a little more)
• ... torn up 3 socks and countless dryer sheets (without eating them!)
• ... chewed up 4 shoes
• ... met both sets of "grandparents" and both "cousins"
• ... gone to Bella and Gramps' house once 
• ... taken 2 car rides
• and last but most definitely not least, she has given and received countless hugs and kisses, and has never stopped wagging her little bob tail!

She loves snuggle time with Chad! 

Thank you again to 4 Paws 4 Rescue in Fenton, MO for giving us our Dolly-girl!