Koda’s Corner Chat

Hi there. My name is Koda. I was born in November, and since then a lot of people came to see me and my brothers and sisters (there were five of us). When we had our six week birthday, we were ready to go to the people our Mom’s pack decided were right for us.

So. Saturday. In the morning, Mommy and Daddy came to get me. I didn’t really understand what was happening, everybody was hugging me and saying goodbye, and then Mommy scooped me up in her arms and we went out to this noisy thing I think they call a car.

I was scared, I didn’t like the car. It worried me. But very soon, we got to our home, and all of the pack (I think they call it “family” in human language) said hello to me. There was another dog called Savannah, she gave me a ball, and seemed friendly, but she doesn’t want to play with me. I don’t understand. Mommy thinks it’s because at six weeks I’m already twice Savannah’s size.

There’s also a cat, her name is Bits and she is NOT friendly. She’s as big as me and gives me VERY cold looks. I don’t think I’m going to be able to win her over, but I’m going to try.

All day we played, and mommy and daddy took turns taking me outside to go potty. They understood that as a puppy, I would probably have to go to the bathroom about every hour. The more times that I am able to potty outside, the quicker I will understand that this is where I am suppose to go. They wouldn’t let me play outside though, I guess I am just supposed to use the grass to go to the bathroom and not to run around on (aside from Koda’s Dad: You need to separate playtime with potty time right away so that your new puppy will go to the bathroom soon after going outside. Otherwise, you won’t be happy standing out in the rain while puppy decides he wants to play first). Apparently I was SUCH a good boy! I like being told I’m a good boy, it makes me happy. I love my new mommy and daddy, and I can tell they love me too. I even showed them my belly today, so they know I trust them now.

Then, after a loooong day, they put me into my bed. I didn’t like it much, I was all alone in there, so I got back at them by waking them every two hours all night long, for potty breaks. Apparently I have an amazing range of whines and howls. I know that they are just trying to limit my moving space because I generally will not go to the bathroom in the same place that I sleep. By doing this they will have an easier time potty training me. Also, it teaches me that I can hold my potty (but not very long, not yet anyway). That’s cool , I guess, but It’s my goal to make them cave and let me sleep with them. Wish me luck!

Wow. It’s been a whole week with my new Mommy and Daddy.  I’ve learned a lot!!

I learned how to go up these things they call stairs on my second day here, Mommy went up them, and I didn’t want to be left behind, I miss her so much when she goes away from me! I was so proud of myself and Mommy and Daddy praised me and patted and kissed  and hugged me lots and lots.  I really like that and it makes me want to do things they like even more!

I still needed to be carried DOWN the stairs, that was scary to me, and DOWN is much harder than UP.

I learned that when someone says “Out!” I should leave the kitchen.

I wasn’t being very good at coming when called, but once they made me go potty when I was leashed, I got the hang of it, and I now know that “come” or “come here” doesn’t mean that my fun is going to end. Once I’ve done my numbers, Mommy or Daddy run around with me (on leash) and we have a great time, but potty comes first.

I do hate it when they leave though, partly because I miss them so much, and I still don’t feel certain they’re coming back, and partly because they lock me in my crate, so I won’t get into trouble and pee or stuff. I guess they have to, but I don’t like it very much, and I whine and howl.

Yesterday though, I wanted to see Mommy so badly that I made myself learn how to go down the stairs, it was very scary, and I REALLY had to concentrate (Mommy says the little frowny wrinkles I make in my forehead when I do it are cute), but I did it! And I’ve done it lots since.

I’m having a lot of fun with the family, and the other dog is being a lot nicer to me now that she’s getting used to having me around. No luck with the cat yet though, but I’m being my most polite and charming. Except when I bark at her, but that’s only because I want to play. She’s weird.

They had to put up a thing they call a child gate to stop me barging through the door and going wherever I want, but I’m smarter than that – I figured out how to move it aside so I could still go. But when Mommy says “ah ah!!!” I usually listen.

This week has been fun, I’m really liking it here!

p.s.  Remember how I said I was going to try and make Mommy and Daddy cave and let me sleep with them? Well, on my third night here, they let me and I’ve been sleeping with them ever since. Howling to go potty every hour on the hour that second night seemed to really do the trick!

My Second Week!

It’s been busy! I sure can tell Mommy and Daddy are sleeping really well… maybe it’s because I’m snuggled up between them. I really like to sleep nose to nose with Mommy, or in her arms.

I’ve been getting really independent, letting Mommy and Daddy know I need to go potty by going downstairs and whining at the door… at least I do it some of the time, other times I forget. Daddy really wants me to find a way to vocalize that I need to go. I’m working on it, and I’ve had far fewer accidents this week than I did last week. Of course, Mommy and Daddy are really vigilant about taking me outside regularly, so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it too.

And they gave me my first bath… I did not like that at all! I think I can get to like it, but the first time, it was so new, the running water was so noisy, and I was cold when the water wasn’t being poured on me. I stood there like a good boy, growling and grunting and shaking. I sure did like the towel drying after though! Like being cuddled with a big cloth! It wasn’t so bad at all, I’ll get used to it. And Mommy really likes the way I smell much better after a bath!

I also figured out how to break out of the room downstairs, I figured out how to move the big heavy box that holds the gate in place and get out. Daddy was watching me do this and I heard him say to Mommy that I sure am not a stupid puppy. I was really proud of myself for doing it, and in a strange way, even though Mommy ran and got me before I even made the stairs (wow she sure can move fast sometimes), I think they were proud of me too.

We had snow the other day, I am a real snow hound, and it makes Mommy laugh when I bounce around with snow on my nose.

Yesterday, she got really mad at me, I wasn’t listening, my pack is putting stuff in these things they call boxes, getting ready to go somewhere else, to “move”. So there are all kinds of interesting things all around for me to explore and carry around in my mouth, to move… hey…. so THAT’S what they mean. See… I’m just trying to be helpful!

Anyway, Mommy got mad, and took me down to my crate and put me in. She spoke to me in a very stern voice, didn’t yell, but I could tell she meant business. And she left! Just for a little while, but it scared me. I mean, daddy does it to me… but Mommy?! Wow, I must have been bad. So, I was a very good boy for the rest of the day. I clung to Mommy just like I did when I first got here. I guess I’m not as grown up as I think I am, huh?

Oh, you know what else? Mommy took me for a ride in her car too! I really wasn’t sure about it at all, and the first turn around the block, I buried my head in her lap. The second turn, I whimpered once, and then just lay on the seat. The she stopped the car, petted me for awhile, I almost fell asleep. Then we went around the block again, and after a potty break, back inside the house for lots of praise and cuddling. She was really good about petting me and talking to me all the while that we drove, so I felt safe. Later when she and Daddy went up the street to get food, I sat in Daddy’s lap while we drove there. And waited in the car while they went in the store. They were back in a minute and home we went. I think I’m getting the hang of this car thing! I understand that it doesn’t mean I’m going to live somewhere else. Mommy was worried about that, since my first car ride was when I came to live with them, and was taken away from Mama.

It’s fun living here, even though I don’t get to do all the things I want to do - they keep taking me out of rooms that I manage to wander into, and keep ordering me out of the kitchen, which I think is REALLY unfair, there are so many interesting smells there! Daddy is funny too, he plays with me just like he’s a dog too - Mommy laughs at him when he’s bounding around on hands and knees and we’re wrestling and barking at each other.

I’m also learning not to bite Mommy’s hands (note from Mommy: It’s really sweet when he does it, breaks my heart to have to cure him of it, but it won’t be so cute when he’s 8 months old and weighs 80 pounds like his Papa). Whenever I start gnawing on her hands, she takes her hand out of my mouth, taps me on my nose and yells “OW”, and ignores me for a little bit. Since I don’t like being ignored by her, I’m getting the message. Of course, right after that, she always gives me a toy to chew on, so I’m learning that my toys are for chewing on, not people’s hands.

I’m learning a lot, there always seems to be something new to explore! I’ll tell you more next week!

I weigh 31 pounds!!!

I’m excited because mommy and daddy are excited. I went to a man they call “the vet” this Saturday and got examined, and got my temperature taken, weighed, and my vaccinations (I’d also gone when I was 6 weeks old, but that was before I came to live with Mommy and Daddy). The vet said that I am healthy, and I could tell that that made mommy and daddy happy!

I’m pretty much potty trained at this point, I go to the door when I need to go outside and either mommy or daddy take me outside to do my numbers. I learned to do that, because every time I did it right, I’d get a treat and a lot of praise when we came back inside.

I’m still on puppy food, I don’t get any human food as treats anymore, because when I do, I get diarrhea, or at least I get very gassy. It’s a shame because I really love the carrots that mommy eats. (note from mom - he absolutely loves his veggies, and it’s a shame he can’t have them, but puppies can have very tender tummies, and it’s a good idea to feed them ONLY puppy food, and the same brand at that, because of it).

I love to play catch, and run around, and mommy laughs at my antics a lot. I love to hear her laugh!

There are things I do that make mommy and daddy unhappy, I still bite too much, and I’m jumping up on people, and I’m going into the garbage still, or stealing slippers and stuffed toys and stuff like that from people’s rooms.

(another note from mom - training is still ongoing in these areas, consistency is key, especially when you have a dog as strong willed as Koda lol… he loves to please, but is nonetheless stubborn).

The other dog here (my sister) and I play a lot. Now she’s not scared of me anymore, and usually starts our fun. Since I learned to cover my teeth with my gums, we play a lot. I understand now that she is smaller than me, so I’m gentle with her.

Still no luck with the cat. But you know, that’s my fault. She just sits around, and wants to be left alone. I want to play though, and my sister and I chased her all over the house the other day. No one was very happy with me OR my sister after that one. I still think the cat is weird.

There’s still so much to learn, and so many fun times!