Patience is not an attribute I have

He is getting into everything and ‘talking’ all the time.
The other day he gave a little yelp and spit out a baby tooth. Does this mean he is growing up?
I have the feeling the worst is yet to come. He isn’t quite at that ‘teenage’ age just yet.
It takes three years for a giant breed to develop.
Patience is the absolute key along with constant training.
Baxter will be starting classes at Paws N Effect in Hamden next month. The first of a long succession of classes to make him perhaps a Therapy Dog.
We will keep our fingers crossed on that one.
Housebreaking is coming along ‘okay.’
There are still those accidents or if he has too much water it’s like he has no idea he is supposed to do that outside.
Patience right?

Baxter, the Great Dane, grew again

He grew again.
I find myself saying that a lot these days.
And with the growth spurts come moments of pure chaos.
Out of nowhere Baxter will decide he needs to conquer whatever. A sofa, hallway or who knows what.
He will come bounding and leap through the air with the greatest of ease. And fall sideways, front first … And always get up from the configuration and move on to the next adventure.
I honestly can see some of the growth spurts.
His nose will look different. And if you get up close and personal with it you might notice there is more distance between the eyes or between the eyes and the mouth. Both directions.
Or I might notice that his rear end is higher than his front end.
As always every day with the little guy is an adventure. That tires me out.
The end of the next week we will get a new weight on Baxter. I bet he has gained a few pounds.

Demon dog has arrived

Every day it seems; brings a new challenge. It must be very hard being a puppy – especially a giant breed which takes three years to mature instead of one.
Moment by moment I can see him grow.
For instance, I can look at him and see that his nose grew. Or all of a sudden his feet or legs, which we are calling limbs (of a tree) got bigger.
He is now definitely taller than Chester the Airedale.
Yesterday we had workmen here. So I took advantage of the situation and took the two of them to the kennel for daycare. Certainly a good way for Baxter to get used to being boarded. And all counts said he was well adjusted. Content, going in and out the doggie door to his private patio.
Of course he came home and fell right to sleep.
Today he is acting like a demon dog. Getting into everything. Bouncing and bouncing.
Today he decided the couch in the family room was his. He has never even wanted to get on the couch until now.
Then he decided it was time to shred. He took a magazine off a counter surface and began prancing around. When I saw it he immediately began to shred it.
I could go on and on.
Bottom line -I am enjoying every puppy moment with him. The days are short compared to his adult years.

The jowls are growing – oh my!

Yep, the reason every door knob in the house has a hand towel has begun. The slobber-producers are getting bigger every day.
And so is the soon to be cavernous mouth.
Have you ever noticed how big dogs seem to lose things inside their mouths.
I mean all of a sudden your canine is chewing on something – and he hasn’t moved in at least half an hour. Where did it come from! It was simply lost inside that huge mouth.
In about a week Baxter will be 4 months old. We will have had him just under half his lifetime. Ii doesn’t seem that long.
Knock on wood housetraining is coming along a little better. He seems to be able to hold ‘it’ longer.
I was at Pet Supplies Plus and bought one of those door bells you hang from the door knob. It’s only been a day and so far I am holding his paw to it. At least he doesn’t pull back.
Chester and Baxter are buds and can spend hours talking and rough housing. It is wonderful to see Chester enjoying his new brother.

Already a new collar

Today was a pivotal day for me.
Baxter needed a bigger collar. All of a sudden his collar wouldn’t expand anymore.
I had already decided the peace sign theme was going to be continued. Now it can continue until his neck reaches 24 inches. Will it really get that big? Oh my.
Potty training is still a difficult challenge.
Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t.
It is truly a challenge with these really hot and humid days. He needs to drink more but then there are the consequences…

New uses for white vinegar

Yesterday I took Baxter to the kennel, Larkin’s Run in Durham, so when we board him it won’t be new to him.
I left him there for about an hour-and-a-half. They said he was wonderful; had immediately gone through to the patio side and was a well-adjusted and happy puppy.
Of course I beamed as if this was a personal compliment.
However all those happy thoughts I was having about this wonderful puppy vanished once we got into the Jeep.
Once in the backseat of the Jeep Baxter started to lean on the middle armrest, something he has never done. I thought he just wanted to be close to me. Nope, he was going to the bathroom!
Fortunately not much had a chance to come out and I had a towel to mop it up. And once home the white vinegar worked its magic on the carpet.

Puppyhood and Baxter

We are at about 5 weeks and counting having Baxter. We really have made some progress with his house manners but boy is there still a long way to go.
For instance today. The weather has been hot and sticky. So we have made sure to increase Baxter’s water intake. We have also been careful to take him outside more often. But it hasn’t been enough. Sometimes he will just get up and take a step or two and start to pee.
Any suggestions on a way to get him to do that? All the time!
Today was another first for Baxter. He went walking with Chester and his buds at the Racebrook Tract. And then came home and crashed for about three hours. He couldn’t wait to lay down. Me either I admit.
It was definitely a positive experience. He will become very socialized with other animals this way.
I was at TY Maxx this afternoon and they have an animal section. What a find for only $7.99. A larger bowl with a really good gripping bottom.
Baxter has a tendency to slide his bowl around while eating. He even has a dycuem mat under it to prevent the sliding. This will be a big help.‘