Eblo

Martini Update

I realize I'm LONG overdue on posting a Martini update. I'm a bad dad. As you can tell by the photos, she's totally unloved. She's ugly, and her momma dresses her funny.

Actually, she's great. I was taking her to work with me and leaving her crated in my car (though she did sneak into my office during a few thunderstorms), but that's when it was cool enough for her to handle. This week, just past 15 weeks of age, I started leaving her at home, crated, during the day. She makes it about 9 hours without messing her crate. After some initial potty-training difficulties due to a urinary tract infection, she's really come around and is like a big dog.

This past weekend, we were up in Wisconsin visiting my family and their 5 labs (plus one they're pet-sitting), including their 6 month old yellow lab, Gunner. Martini took the trip just fine, sleeping 4.5 hours straight, even though she'd been crated all day already. When we got up there at 2:30 a.m., she was like a spark plug of pent up energy. She and Gunner played for a good half hour. We finally got her settled down for bed, but she was up at 6:00 for more play. I think she finally laid down some time after noon.

My parents' house is sporting dog paradise. A toy poodle might not be happy there, but labs think they've died and gone to doggy heaven. There's a lake to swim in, trails to walk, other dogs to play with, and no need for leashes or fences. Martini waded right in the water with no hesitation. She got a crash course in swimming when one of the big dogs knocked her off the edge of the pier. She immediately tried climbing out, so it wasn't much of a swim, but she was definitely in the deep end. After that, I tried coaxing her into the deep water starting from the shoreline. She wasn't scared of the water after her slip, thankfully, but she also didn't seem to see much point in going in past her shoulders when the dummy I was throwing for her was obviously going to drift right to her.

It was kind of sad to make her come home. I think she misses her playmate. People up there wanted to steal her from us, and these are people with high standards for dogs, so I think we have a winner. I didn't take the digital camera, so pictures will be delayed until the film can be developed and scanned. What year is it?

Anyway, there's a LOT more to tell about Martini since we brought her home 8 weeks ago. Toys from her aunts, play dates with Harold, trips to the vet, silly sleeping poses, etc. Unfortunately, I've been too busy walking, chasing, and entertaining her to write much about her.

At least there's the pictures.

Posted by oblivion at June 2, 2004 10:12 PM | Technorati Tags: