Discoveries

Reilly has discovered the swimming pool.  And my camera is dead as a doornail.  I did think to take pictures, but I can't.

We were coming back from feeding the sheep this morning when he stopped at Jake's kiddy pool.  He went to get a drink.  Then he stepped into it with his front feet.   It took him a moment to get his back feet in too, but he managed.  Then he started playing with the water.  He likes water.  As soon as he can take the added exercise, we'll take him to one of the lakes around here to play.

This morning we got up at about 5:45, and Reilly had not yet pooped in his room, so I let him outside.  He immediately started hunting crickets, so I let him go and started taking care of a bunch of packages were mailing today.  After a bit of hunting and finally going poo outside, Reilly was ready to come in.  A few minutes later, we were ready to go out to feed.  He didn't want to go back out.  I made him anyway.  Teething puppies, no mater how sleepy, should not be left unattended.  Unless I wanted to re-gate his room, which I did not.   So, he had to go back out.  Once there, he decided he was going to go feed with us.  And take a dip in the pool on the way back.

I love the layout of our little farm.  Everything is so close.  Even with "limited exercise", this is manageable.  The barn is fifty feet from the house.  The farthest sheep shed, which is the one in current use, is twice that.  That's it.  No long trudges anywhere.  No hills; we're flat as a pancake here.  So he strolls along with me at my slow pace, and when he comes inside again, he's ready for his midday nap to commence.  Except today he was scheduled for a bath.  Since he was already wet from the pool, it was the logical time to do it.  Got him all scrubbed up and flea-free, and he slept good for hours.

He's definitely figured out how to get me to open the door for him...if he's on the outside and I'm on the inside.  A good solid bark does it.  He may be getting the idea that the can also get my attention indoors.  Every whine he makes has me jumping up asking if he wants to go outside.  Twice today he was heading for the door as soon as I started to get up.  Maybe he did it on purpose; who knows?  But he did have three accidents today.  The first one, he kinda caught himself and stopped and went to the door.  The others he snuck off to do, and made no apology for.  Still, one step forward and one step back gets you there. 

Murphy is still being wonderfully patient with him and his throat-gnawing tendencies.  Murphy is sporting lots of tiny scabs under his chin and down his throat from someones little puppy teeth.  And he's never offered to snap, growl, or discipline that puppy in any way.  Hopefully Reilly will grow out of throat-gnawing.

Did not get to the pet store today.  We need to go to Raleigh tomorrow, so will see what's up there as far as dog chewy toys.  Perhaps well find just the right thing.  But he'll have to stay in the mudroom while we're gone, to protect his digestive system from the wood bits that want to jump down his throat. 

I brought one of the French angora rabbits inside to groom today, and she had to sit in the travel cage for quite a while.  Reilly smelled her over good once, then lost interest.  He does the same thing with the poultry, the cat, everything.  He's easily called off whatever is holding his interest.  Except crickets.  Sigh.

Martha, his breeder, called today to give me more breed-specific info on mastiff growth issues to share with my vet.  Vet requested.  My vets well understand that each breed is different, and that breeders often have an insight into the breed that vets cannot.  And I'm lucky to have both good vets and a good breeder.  And that they're all willing to share information and help each other out for the puppy.  So we'll take info when we go on Thursday coming. 

I'll charge the camera up.

Meg and Reilly