good dog

I don't know if it's a sign of good parenting, dumb luck or she's smart, but Bongo walks like a dream on a leash.  Really.  This 10 month young, 75 pounds of energy and fur took to walking on a leash as if she was born for it.  

Simon worked with her for 30 minutes about two months ago on how a dog should walk on a leash.  Bongo has been out at least a dozen times since then and has not forgotten her manners.  

Last week we took her around the Back Bay in Portland.  She just kept walking next to us; the entire three and a half miles.  Never missed a step.  

She has a very proud walk.  Her tail is up (wagging/swaying) and ears are back.  

My favorite thing she does while walking is look up at you.   You look down at her, and she'll look up as if to say, "Is this right?".

Yes, Bongo, you're a good dog.

And then there were 4

We are back down to a four animal household (3 dogs, 1 cat).

Click here to read the tribute I wrote about Bucket on one of my other blogs.

amusing

This is one of the first Bongo/Fannie interactions.

see what I mean

Bongo's growth stages

10/14/07: the day she came home

11/15/07

2/26/08: 6 months

6 months young

Bongo is six months old today.  I can hardly believe it.

She's amazing.  Always happy and very affectionate.  Almost as tall as Sunny and weighs at least 60 pounds.

Her crate training wasn't even training.  The first night we put her in there she didn't make a peep.  I checked on her a few times because I thought it just couldn't be that easy.  But it really was!

She tends to pal around with Sunny the most.  They can spend 20 minutes playing tug-of-war with just about any toy.

Gozer and Bucket also play with Bongo.  I don't know if her relentless persistence wore them down or they really just wanted to play; maybe a little of both.  

One of the silliest games she plays we call uber-tag.  She runs a loop in our family room and will run by or jump over each dog and use the sofa as a turnaround platform.   

She still tries, almost daily and without success, to get Fannie the cat to play with her.

Bongo is definitely finding her own way in our household and it's fun to see what she'll do next.

the latest

Hmmm....

That's what Bongo looks like today. Somehow our puppy has turned into a little dog.

Bongo went to the vet last Monday and weighed in at 17 pounds, 3 ounces. That means she gained six and a half pounds in three weeks. Thank goodness that growth rate will not continue in that proportion.

Her puppy teeth are still very sharp.

This is why we call them "shark teeth".

Sunny and Bongo have started to play together and it's fun to watch them.

Potty training is going well; only a few accidents in the last couple of weeks. She does whine when she needs to go out. The other day I was upstairs and heard her crying downstairs and when I went to check on her, she was sitting by the door. She just needed someone to let her out. What a smart girl! ;)

This week we're working on her crate training.

introducing...

BONGO!!



Yup, that's her name.

Plucked out of thin air after many attempts to decide what she looks like.

Updated pictures coming soon.

life with puppy

"What was I thinking?"


This is the statement I have muttered to myself at least ten times since the puppy's arrival on Sunday. Usually it's when a sharp little tooth sinks into my skin. Or when she's chewing on my hair.


The good news is that I have said aloud at least 50 times, "She's great and I'm glad we adopted her".


The Three Graces seem to accept that this tiny creature is here to stay. But they haven't engaged in playing with her. I didn't think Gozer would, on account of not being able to see the pup, but I thought Sunny might chase her around a bit. Bucket never really played with Sunny or Gozer, so I didn't have any expectations with the puppy. Time will tell.


The cat seems to be doing okay, she understands that apparently the little thing is here to stay.