Haddie's Home

While we have been camping in the woods, my Beagle has been on a vacation with our dear friend and Breeder of Cora, and Haddie has been with a Puppy Sitter. We were dog-less for an entire week, and I must admit, it felt pretty good. No early rising to give bathroom breaks to the four legged's and breakfast in their bellies. No training of commands, no exercising a puppy, nor shhh'ing a Beagle who protects her territory after a few days. Just our family in the woods.

We cleaned up camp in 90 degree temps, arriving home to a very stuffy house. Unloading the car, and tossing up the house windows, I called Haddie's Puppy Sitter to see if she was still with them. I left her with a "perhaps" she'd be going into heat, and an advanced "I'm Sorry" if they had to make the two hour trek to get her into the professional kennel.

Yay - she held off and she was still under their care! The kids and I jumped back in the car to bring her back home. After driving our entire afternoon to get home, we were lucky this Puppy Sitter is only a ten minute drive from our house. In the twelve months of hosting Haddie, she has had a total of 3 different Puppy Sitters, and one extended kennel stay. With that record, she is a dog that is confident in leaving to experience new environments. That will prove to be in her benefit when she returns to CCI University.

This Puppy Sitter is not currently Puppy Raising. They have raised 5 pups with a high success rate. Their last pup was released last Fall with one of those eye brows raised questions of "Really"?!? They happily took her back home. It was perfect training for Haddie this past week ... to have a dog just a little older than she, a puppy her own size, breed, and same training expectations.

When we pulled up to their house to retrieve Haddie, she was in their front gated yard playing Frisbee with their dog. I had to do a double-take to find her Blue Collar; the dogs look identical. Haddie didn't go crazy when she saw us as I had anticipated, rather she was blissfully playing with her best buddy.

We watched from the other side of the low fence line - watching the two dogs take turns catching the Frisbee, allowing their friend to grab hold too, and run together side by side. I wish I had brought my camera - it was adorable and something new for me to see about Haddie.

All her "torture" of Cora was just love. Haddie does play so well with dogs, she just really needs Cora to rise to the occasion of play, and they too could be buddies. But my sweet Beagle is just a cuddle-bug and Princess; wanting more to chill out than get rambunctious. That's okay. Haddie will save it all for her time at CCI ~ at least I know that Haddie can and does play nice. Whew!

The recap of the week:

1) Haddie is a different dog when she has her cape and gentle leader on: she is all business and very focused. Yay - I'm glad that I have noticed the same thing about Haddie; and it matches their veteran Puppy Raising experience in observing pups. She had no issues being around all the children she met at their Church (which is the same Church we attend) during Vacation Bible School last week.

2) Without commands (at home on a Release) Haddie can get a little too fancy free with her attitude. Her excitement level can rise to pure puppy. Yep, and I find that hard to control. She is not annoying or wild, but a simple example, she can get a wild race up or down the stairs to get to where she wants to go ... versus walking slowly up and down the stairs to get to where she wants to go.

3) Haddie went nose to nose with their Cat and had no issues. She was respectful and the two got along just fine. I consider the week completely worth it just with that comment, because I don't have Cats and Haddie has never been off leash around any Cat. I am so happy to hear this report. I had been thinking it was a "little late" in her training to never have been exposed to a Cat off-leash, but I am so glad that she held her positive behavior and proved it as a no-biggie.

4). The Puppy Sitter has a Doggie Spa business out of her basement. When I walked in to drop off Haddie, I immediately thought of all the great training Haddie would experience if she just sat in her shop the entire week! On the days the Puppy Sitter took Haddie with her to work, Haddie stayed put and watched dogs go in and out with out a fuss, and with out seeking attention from the four legged, or two legged clients. Happy to hear!

5). And ... playtime. Lots of playtime with their COC puppy getting all her puppy wiggles out. Haddie has been invited back anytime to play with their dog. They have the perfect acreage of fenced grass yard for the dogs to get up high rates of speed. I might need to take them up on the invite if nothing else than to get pictures of the two pups together. I'm all about memories.

The upper 90's temperature has left both dogs in a heap of sleep and panting today. We got out their doggie pool in the back yard and they've had their share of being water logged to break up the heat. It's been nice to have our two furry friends back underfoot while I unpack and do our loads of laundry.

Tomorrow is a new day - time to get back in the business of more socializing for Haddie. I am seeing her remaining time with us as crunching closer to the end.

For now, we are happy that Haddie's Home.