Slept Through the Night!

Normally, the final pit stop of the day is around 7:30 or 8:00pm, then the dogs are crated for the night. Airlie will usually want/need to go out again sometime around 10:00 or 10:30, depending on when DH and I turn off the TV. Even if she's sleeping, she'll get up when I get up for my own final potty break, ready to go out.

Last night it was 10:45 and she was still sound asleep. DH even got up and sat by her crate, petting her. She didn't want to get up! So, we left her. It's the first time she's gone a full 12 hours without emptying her bladder! She's 9 months old now, so she's right on course for that sort of thing, though I never really expect it until they are at least a full year old. The rule of thumb is that they can be expected to "hold it" for one hour per month they are old, plus an additional hour. 9 months old + 10 hours, and so on... It's just a generalization. Some puppies need more frequent potty breaks while others can hold it for longer periods from a very young age. It depends on the dog. Still, this is the adage I have always followed and it has always served me well. That way you don't expect too much from your pup, or overburden them. We've known for a long time that she's always shown signs of being mature for her age in most areas (in others she's very much still a puppy and we always have to keep that fact at the front of our minds).

Against my wishes, DH has been leaving her loose in the house for the 10 minutes or so that he goes out running in the mornings. Then there was the time he left her uncrated when he was leaving to run and errand and I was on my way home from work. In his mind "it was only going to be 30 minutes..." What he didn't know was that I had planned to run errands of my own after work and did NOT intend to come straight home- though rushing straight home is exactly what I did when he informed me of the inconsiderate thing he'd done. No errands for me that day. Didn't even get to use my coupon for free eggs before it expired. *grumble, grumble, grumble some more*  She did fine, of course, it's not like there's anything she can hurt. We don't have any furniture and the floor is tile. Still, I was kinda wishing she would have at least chewed up the cord to the power supply for his laptop.

Saturday our neighbors had a barbecue, and since we were going to be right across the street, we just left all 3 of the dogs in the house. I checked on them twice, at about 90-minute intervals. Airlie managed that without incident. In a few short months DH will go back to work, and Airlie will be a year old and ready to be left uncrated while I'm at work in the mornings.

A Little Under the Weather

Woke mommy up at 6am with diarrhea. Seem to be running a bit of fever today. Not enough to slow me down much, maybe I'm a little bit subdued... I haven't been anywhere but in the house and in my own backyard, so it has to be something I ate out in the yard- or maybe too much of that elk antler all at once. Kansas and I made short work of it this past week. Mom bought 3 of them, but, of course, we took turns gnawing down the smallest one.

Nobody else is feeling icky, so Mom thinks it will pass soon.