Someday......

A few of you have asked "Why the gentle leader on Fred?"  Well........let me explain.

(Gloria's face there looks like King Julienne from Madagascar!)

With Fred just turning two and having the manners of something out of a thriller movie, our grandkids are afraid of him.  Lets face it puppies just want to play.  They jump, bite and scratch and trying to tell a two and four year old they're just playing....yeah...let's just say that didn't work.  I want them all to eventually see that Freddie can be a great friend and dogs are not scary.  So in the beginning, we gated him off from the kids that were scared.  Then we moved to having him on a leader and leash to get them used to having him around and him not get so excited. The gentle leader actually calms Freddie down.  Now we do it in steps. First the leader and leash while we hold him. Then we let him roam about with the leash and leader on. Next we take the leash off and if he's really good we remove the gentle leader.  But I do have to say this has only happened a few times so far. It may not be the best system but it's working for us.

This is what we want.

This is what we get! 

When your little and this face is running at you, let's face it you cry!

Having Gloria has been a big help with the grandkids because she is so calm. Freddie is slowly getting there. He's getting older and so are the grandkids.

Last Friday he actually laid under the lilac bush and didn't bother the grandkids while they played in the water.  He had the leader on and it was super hot out which helped, but he still did good.  Someday, hopefully, he will be completely gentle leader free!

For now.............baby steps!!

Fred and Emma

It's no secret that it hasn't been easy with our grandbabies and the dogs.  We've always had a dog, but for some reason the grandkids have been afraid.  Getting through Fred's puppy period with the grandkids has been a challenge. They didn't understand that Fred just wants to play and Fred didn't understand why they wanted nothing to do with him.  So most of the time when the grandkids were over we would gate Fred off in the hallway or kitchen.  You can see an older post about it here.

Funny thing is it's mainly the boys who are afraid.  We now have three grandsons, Mitch, Cameron and Jaron and one granddaughter, Emma.  Emma is the brave one.  She has always tried to pet Fred and Gloria.  We thought a good way to get them used to each other was to leash Fred when they were here so she could see him but we still had control.  Next all we had to do was leave the gentle leader on him and he would behave.

Now when I babysit Emma, Fred will actually behave himself without the leader on.  All I have to do is show him the gentle leader and he will behave.  So yes, our Freddie is growing up!  It helps that the grandbabies are getting a little bigger too!   So here are some "eureka" moments from babysitting Emma yesterday.  Proof that Emma and Fred have officially become friends!

Giving Fred a belly rub.

Trying to decide if she should let him see Diego or not.

Deciding it's okay.

Changing her mind.  (typical girl heehee!)

You know your friends when the dog sticks his tongue in your ear!

                                                          "Come on Grandma!"
Do you think Emma was getting a little tired of me snapping pictures? BOL!

                                                          "Being good is exhausting!"

Monday Mischief - Competition

Freddie had some competition for his Monday Mischief spot this week.  He was his little bugger of a self all weekend that's for sure. After the wind blew a bunch of paper and garbage into our yard,

Fred of course decided he needed to shred it all. Then in the house after I changed the ink in our printer, Freddie stole the box and started chewing it, but all of a sudden little miss quiet goody two shoes Gloria started barking, stole the box from Freddie and actually had fun ripping it apart.

"Look at me Momma!"  "I'm girls gone wild!"

Freddie was stunned at this new development in Gloria's behaviour.
"What the f@#&?"

He was getting a little annoyed with me either being in the kitchen or on the computer.

"Momma, I think it's "Freddie" time now."
"If you don't come and spend some quality time with me, I will not be responsible for my actions."
And a few minutes later, he came out of our computer room with the waste basket.

"I gave you fair warning!"

"Nom, nom, nom......"


But Sunday, the real mischief maker competition came when we babysat our grandchildren.

Our grandson Cameron turned out to be the real mischief maker making faces at his grandma through the front screen door! (What kid hasn't squished his face up against the window!)

"What?......That's it?.....That's all the kids got?"
"Geesh!"

If you really want to get into some mischief of your own creating awesome scrapbook pictures, pop over to my daughters blog Yee Wittle Things.  She's hosting a giveaway for My Memories Suite software.  It's amazing what you can do with your pictures!

P.S. - We just found out this morning from Oskar that our friend Remington had been terribly sick all weekend! We are so glad his medicine from the vet finally worked for him and he is feeling better today.  You and Beth rest up buddy!

Our Prize!

The calendar we won from Sugar The Golden Retriever's giveaway back the end of January finally came! It's a Maui Humane Society calendar where Sugar was 8th in the Runners Up for the People's Choice.

They had the 10 Runner Ups pictured in the middle of the calendar.
Since I was babysitting my grandbaby Emma I thought I have her point out Sugar.

Emma just wanted to keep pointing to the kitty cat beside Sugar. But after several attempts, I finally got her to point to Sugar.

"There!" "Are you happy now Grandma!"

What a great picture. I really think Sugar would have made a great June or July!

Along with the calendar were two new collars from Sugar's Paw House for Fred and Gloria.

Gloria was so excited because she'll finally have something girlie! Thanks again Sugar!

Fred did great with Emma and it was the first time he has been off his lead while grandkids were here.

He only tried jumping up once.
Progress!