Burying Bones

Buffy has a new behavior that is quite funny. We noticed it during the holidays when my mother-in-law brought her some dog bone treats. After receiving the bone, Buffy went to our bedroom and began whining. We went to see what she wanted and finally lifted her onto the bed. There she proceeded to dig in the covers and then bury her bone. She used her nose to gather the blankets and cover the bone in our bed. Later that evening, she dug the bone back up! Now, each time she's presented with a bone treat... she heads to our bed to bury it for later.

Look for video on this soon!

Buffy Puggle's Dog Bed

Buffy has proven to be a creature of modest comfort. She loves to be a lap dog, but more than that she loves my very soft robe. If I've discarded it on the end of my bed she will pull it down and curl up in it. If she's being particularly rambunctious, I can calm her by wearing the robe and holding her. At first we weren't sure if it was my scent on the robe or if it was its softness that attracted her. However, a freshly washed, Downy-scented robe still attracted Buffy. So, I set out to make her a bed with the same material as my robe (I really don't know what it's called... that really soft, semi-furry material).

A trip to the fabric store put the idea on hold... the material was $12 - $15 per yard! Yikes! Then, I happened to be in Wal-Mart looking for miscellaneous items when my daughter spotted a throw of the same material. The throw was selling for $5 and measured 2 yards! (How is this possible?) So, I bought an inexpensive standard sized bed pillow and the throw. I was bound to make Buffy's bed for her.

Now, mind you... I'm not much of a seamstress. Really. Sewing a straight line is a challenge for me. The genetic make-up required for such feats skipped a generation. But, I was certain I could sew sides together to make a pillow cover. I was a little concerned about fixing it where I could wash the cover and about any handstitching. So, I simply cut the back side longer than necessary (by about 3 inches), then cut it in half. I hemmed the middle ends of these pieces with a 1/2 inch hem. Then, I overlapped them, pinning them to the front section (with the right sides facing each other, to be turned out later). I sewed up all four sides, turned it inside-out and voila! Perfect luxury puggle bed... total cost $10. I used the velcro from the throw packaging and sewed it on the overlapping pieces on back to secure the closure... the color matched perfectly and the size was great. Oh, and there was enough fabric left over to make her a blanket and pillow. Or, I could have made her a cozy coat... but, remember, I don't sew very well and wasn't feeling quite that ambitious.

The result is, Buffy loves her new bed. In fact, she loves it so much that sometimes we have to rouse her to go for a walk or go out and play. She curls up on it every chance she gets.

Buffy Puggle Chasing Her Tail

Buffy is at a stage of exponential growth

Buffy is at a stage of exponential growth. I had to leave town for three days and when I return, she seems to have gained 5 pounds and grown an inch in all directions. She is still lap-sized.

We continue to work on teaching basic manners. She is house training well, although the winter cold has caused a bit of a back slide. She'll poke her nose outside and look back at us as if to say, "yeah, okay, you go pee out there... I'm staying here." She has a bit of an attitude about her that at times reminds me of a cat. Thankfully we have mostly wood and tile floors in our house. She comes when called, about 60% of the time. We reward her with treats when she does come and placing her in puppy time out (crate) when she is naughty and we have to chase her down. She is chewing less and when she bites while playing it is softer... but, we are working to eliminate the biting behavior completely. While her nips are part of puppy play, they can really hurt! It's also a dominance issue, so I've read. While she thinks she's queen of the house... she's learning she's only a princess.

Because she's had many baths to fight off fleas, we got her a sweater to wear outside. She's already just about outgrown it! Soon, I'll make her a doggie coat. I'm thinking fleece lined with a weather-proof exterior. I'm also thinking of putting a hood on it, because her long ears get very cold and I'm sure they'll be frozen when it snows or is icy out.

Puppies chew. I'll be glad when she outgrows this stage. We direct her to appropriate chew toys and she does well for the most part. However, there are times when she gets a mischievous look in her eye and goes after forbidden items... plants, etc. I'm a little nervous about decorating for Christmas and getting the tree up. I'm thinking this could be a nightmare! So many sparkly temptations for a puppy. And destruction happens quickly.

She is really entertainingly playful. She chases her tail, pounces on things (I really think she might be part cat) and loves to play chase in the yard. She's usually too fast for me to capture much on video... but I'll keep trying.