Run, Blaze, Run...

For the past several months, we thought that Blaze loses his mind when Thad comes home each day because he is excited to see him. After all, I can come home from shopping and you'd think I never left!

The drill each day is that Blaze and Diamond hear the garage door start to open, Blaze runs down the stairs and attacks Thad with barks and loves and jumps and kisses. He's tried ignoring the behavior, praising calmness, putting him in a "sit"...all with very minimal success. So we thought he should try coming in the front door. Same results.

Today, we discovered this is a diversionary tactic. Blaze wants out. He has been waiting for that perfect moment to catch Thad off guard in order to run past him at half the speed of sound. Today he did it.

Run, Blaze, run. See Thad run. See Thad yell: "Stop, Blaze, stop!" See Blaze look over his shoulder and keep running...right around the side of the building to the garage door and Thad's car. I put a leash on Diamond and took her out as "bait" (where there is Diamond, there is Blaze) to find out all of this. Blaze is sitting by the back car door of Thad's car...waiting.

I think he wanted to go to Doggy Day Care...or the off-leash dog park.

Note to self: Don't leave the car keys within Blaze's reach. Just in case.

Silly things my Corgis do...

This morning, I realize that these two little Corgis have some strange (and not-so-strange) habits and rituals!

Diamond has decided that two king size sheets, placed in a mushed-up pile next to her "real" doggy bed, make a much better place to sleep.

On mornings when it has been raining or she manages to get a little too wet from where the sprinklers ran overnight, I wrap her up in a towel and sit at the computer with her all wrapped up. I slowly dry her paws and belly. NOW she thinks this should happen each and every morning...even when it is dry. And only on the first walk of the day...no others. She wants to be wrapped up in a towel and sit on my lap at the computer.

But, before we go on said first walk of the morning, I have to sit on the ottoman and put on my shoes. While this happens, Diamond jumps up on the ottoman, stands on her back legs, and places both front paws on the top of my head. If she REALLY wants me to hurry, I get kisses on my neck in addition! But, again, this is ONLY on the first walk of the day!

Did I mention that Diamond likes rawhides? But only the ones that Blaze has pre-chewed for her...the soft, icky, sticky ones. And she usually wants them while he is still chewing them. But that's okay, because she is willing to give him her hard rawhide with very little wear. Isn't that a good trade? LOL!

Blaze has his own little habits. He figured out that Thad calls before he comes home. So, when the phone rings (and every time the phone rings), he barks at it and runs to me...just so I know to answer it. When I hang up, he runs to the garage door and sits. And sits. And sits. Sometimes I have to tell him that no one is coming right now. He rarely believes me.

Blaze has to have nighttime cuddles. It's our fault. When he was an "only puppy", we would put him in the bed for about 15 minutes before crating him for the night. If we miss those 15 minutes, he will sit in his crate and bark and cry. So, we go and get him, cuddle, put him back in the crate, and absolutely no noise do we hear. Spoiled puppy!

Lord, what was I thinking?!

In my no-so-infinite wisdom, I thought it would be a great idea to have Blaze neutered and Diamond spayed at the same time. We did it two days ago, on Monday. At this point, let me say that I AM glad that it is done. Once they are all healed and stitches removed, they can romp and play at Doggy Daycare and the off-leash park with abandon. Unfortunately for me, my little dream of show dogs is gone. I've resolved it with the fact that it is more important they they be happy puppies. Going to Doggy Daycare and interacting with other dogs makes them happy. I just don't think being a part of a dog show would have even stacked up!

On the other hand, I had expected that Diamond would have issues. She is such a rambunctious puppy, I thought that keeping her quiet would be as big a challenge as keeping her from chewing at her stitches. Blaze, on the other hand, would surely be a piece of cake.

NOT!

Diamond has been a breeze. No chewing. No whining. Quick healing. Sleeps most of the day.

Blaze. OMG! We've had to put a cone on him because of all of his frantic chewing at stitches, which he dearly hates. He wants to jump, but (of course) he can't. We have stairs...lots of them. Even taking them outside requires carrying them up and down stairs. Blaze, at nearly 25 pounds, is quite the handful (armful!). We have them crated at night. Blaze can't get comfortable with the cone on night. I got three hours of sleep the first night before giving up and staying up at 3 a.m. Last night was almost as bad...to bed at midnight, up at 3:30, and then up for good at 5 a.m. This morning, I was able to leave his cone off for a few hours while he slept (all 25 pounds of him) in my lap.

Diamond came up and joined him...nothing better than 40+ pounds of puppies sleeping in your lap at 5:30 in the morning.

I hope they feel better soon!

Best friends

It is really hard to tell sometimes, but Blaze and Diamond truly are best friends! We have two of these funky footballs...one red and one yellow. Both were purchased before Diamond came into our home. Blaze never really cared for them unless, of course, you threw one for him to bring back. Diamond, on the other hand, has adopted the red one. She sleeps on it, drools on it, chews gently on it, and squeaks the heck out of it. So NOW Blaze wants it. And he takes it, much to Diamond's dismay.

Five months old

It's official! Diamond is 5 months old. She has grown so very much since we got her 6 weeks ago...from just under 10 pounds to a perfect 16 pounds! Yes, I'm 5 months old she says. Leave me the heck alone...

A day in the sun

It's just too hot during a summer in Dallas for much outdoor play for two puppies. We even have to be cautious of where we walk them due to their indoor-puppy soft paw pads! They love sunbeams (reminds me of a cartoon when I was much younger...where a little baby would talk to Sunbeam and made it her friend). During the mornings, I open the blinds. Not long after, I'll find Blaze and Diamond laying in their own personal sun-spot.