The Buffy Chronicles ~ A Puggle's Tail

Goodbye, Buffy

2008-04-03T15:14:00.001-05:00

Today, we very sadly said goodbye to Buffy Puggle the pugglicious dog with plenty of personality. She really brightened our lives and was a good pal. We all will miss her terribly.

It is rather unbelievable to us still. Today she chased after the mailman as he was driving by and was hit by his vehicle and killed instantly. We are glad she suffered no pain but are still in shock over the loss of our dear friend, Buffy.

Buffy's First Snow Day!

2008-01-31T19:45:00.001-06:00

Buff the Magic Puggle

2008-01-20T08:37:00.000-06:00

Okay, feeling silly and creative, we made up a song for Buffy.

Sung to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon":

Buff the magic puggle
lived in the trees
and frolicked in the Ozark mists
in a land called the Valley!

Just smile and nod. :)

Staying Warm

2008-01-12T07:58:00.000-06:00

Buffy's favorite place is on her bed in front of the wood burning stove. Who can blame her?

I think in this picture, she looks particularly regal. Princess Buffy!

Buffy buries a bone in our bed!

2008-01-11T22:05:00.001-06:00

2008-01-04T17:11:00.000-06:00

Well, Buffy is now just days away from 5 months of age. She did amazingly well with the Christmas tree. She didn't attack it at all, but she did enjoy sleeping under it on the little red blanket. We were very surprised... and pleased.

She does very well with getting appropriate toys to chew or play with. She's learned everything quickly and with just a little repetition and praise.

She seems to be pretty well housebroken. We achieved this and overcame the cold-weather backslide by offering her a treat each time she went outside, did her business, and came back to the door. Now, she seems intent on training us to give her treats on demand! She'll go over to the shelf where the treat can is stored and try to get it down. Or, she'll get our attention and when we follow her she'll go to the treats. Sometimes, she'll go outside, walk around a bit then come back in... just for a treat. Hey, we're just happy she's not having accidents in the house!

She is big enough to actually go in and play with Layla now and the two of them continue to be quite entertaining.

She's settled down a bit, but in the evening she still has an energetic time of play. One of her favorite games is "Buffy Bed Troll". I've got to get that on tape and show it. It's a lot of fun to play with her. She'll steal something and run under the bed with it. Then, she'll hide there and growl or snip playfully as we try to get the item. She'll stick her nose from under the end of the bed to watch us and see which side we are going to. Then, she'll go to the other side, run out and run around as if saying, "you can't catch me" all the while.

Burying Bones

2007-12-28T07:25:00.000-06:00

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

2007-12-20T16:50:00.000-06:00

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

2007-12-04T11:05:00.001-06:00

Buffy is at a stage of exponential growth

2007-12-04T09:59:00.000-06:00

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.

Buffy and Layla

2007-11-17T17:30:00.000-06:00

One of our outside dogs is an Anatolian Shepherd, a stock dog. She is huge! A beautiful dog with a sweet disposition, Layla is the guardian for Gertie, the nanny goat, and our chickens.

Layla adores Buffy... and the feeling appears to be mutual. On our morning walks around the yard, Buffy always visits Layla. Responding with her adorable howl, "aroooo," Layla appears to love the visits. Due to the fact that Buffy and Layla seem completely unaware of their respective sizes... we keep them apart for now. The few times they have played together, Layla has sent Buffy a few feet across the yard with a gentle swipe of her paw. Both of them looked a little stunned.

For now, they enjoy playing through the fence and when Buffy gets bigger we'll let them romp. Of course, no matter how big Buffy grows... Layla will always tower over her.

Meet Buffy!

2007-11-17T10:09:00.001-06:00

Buffy is going through the "chewy" stage that puppies experience as they cut a mouthful of teeth. She's not too picky about what she chews on... if nothing else is available she'll chew herself! She likes to chew on her own ears and "thumbs"... yes, I know they are called dew claws.

Meet Buffy!

2007-11-17T09:28:00.000-06:00

Buffy Puggle was born on 8/8/07 and adopted into our family on 10/10/07. She has quickly established herself as a member of our household.

When we first brought her home, she was timid, quiet and snuggly... earning her the nickname "snuggle puggle". We were amazed that she did not cry that first night, but rather seemed content curled up on her bed next to ours... she has now moved into our bed most nights. But, that's okay because she's a very good foot warmer on a chilly evening.

Fortunately, house training has come easily and she is learning commands quite well. We'll chronicle some of her training progress throughout this blog.

Buffy, like most puggles, is full of personality and is quite entertaining. Her daily antics can be pretty amusing at times... or, at least we think so.