Niffy is home one week

He is SO wonderful!! I know I say that every time, but I just love him to pieces! He is really a cutie! I can see why you say he was a favorite for you! Anyway, we are getting along just great. He is doing good in every respect. He does NOT like his crate, but will settle down at night in it once we turn off the lights AND once Tory comes back into the bedroom. Tory has pretty much always liked to eat at night we are in bed, and she still does this (though, she IS starting to look interested in eating when she hears Niffy at it!). Well, he can hear her eating and whines and fusses till she is done and back in the room with all of us. Then he is quiet and stays great all night. First peep out of me in the morning, though, and he wants OUT!! He is a wild man in the morning. Running everywhere, jumping up, wanting attention! It is really pretty cute and he has learned that we go outside first thing. He has been very good about that. He is SO smart!

We haven't taken him to see our vet yet - no time - but intend to introduce them this week. His surgery looks GONE. He licks the area once in a while but it seems to be in good shape. He and Tory are loving having each other to play with and are still learning about how the other might like to play. He holds his own against her great size and weight! He is a scrapper but she is very gentle and never learned how to play HIS way before!! They seem to like one another and I am SO glad of that!

I would have to say his only 'bad' habit is the constant begging for food WHENEVER I am in the kitchen and during meal time! He begs so darn sweetly and cute, it is hard to deny him! I dropped a cherry tomato last night and before I could get it, he had it and it was devoured! You name it, he likes it - except lettuce! We are working on it though. I think that will be something we ALWAYS will be working on!!

Skip has been designing and thinking and drawing up ideas and contacting people when he is not working about getting something done about a fence. He wishes we could feel safe with one of those electronic fences, but I doubt that would be a good idea- not right now anyway. Niffy and I go to the mailbox every day and he loves it. He doesn't like the road and I don't let him get too close to it, but he loves walking up the long driveway and back. I try to take him out and let him potty and run and sniff things 4 or 5 times during the day (not always easy with my work!) and Skip and I take both he and Tory out at the same time right before bed. They run and play and rough-house. It is really cute to see them and it warms our heart to see how Tory is already changing. Slow, small steps for her but at least she is moving forward. He was a VERY good thing for her - and - us!

Do keep us posted on the food thing as you investigate that new stuff. Right now, we have him partly on Bill Jack and partly on the lamb and rice we give Tory, along with his chicken and whatever else he can manage to beg from me! He seems to be a bottomless pit where food is concerned - human food that is!

During the day after we play in the morning, I come to my office (I work 10 hour days) and he follows me, finds one of his favorite spots near my desk and lays there till I get up to leave my chair. He is right next to me then! The only room he will not follow me into is the bathroom - he must really hate having a bath!!

I have started brushing him when Skip brushes Tory. He isn't fond of it, but I think he will get use to it. We also go through a routine of wiping his and Tory's paws when they come in from outside - even when it is dry out. He is getting use to that as well. He almost seems ready to know it is expected of him.. I know nothing of training, but will try teaching him to sit and we work on COME now and then. I need to spend more time on it, but haven't had the heart this first week of getting to know one another. There are so many NOs around here and she DOES understand that word really well!

Anyway, all is well. We are all doing just great. We intend to go to Wally World next weekend - a camping trip but he will probably remember the last one enough for it not to be a big deal for him.

Well, it is about THAT time again! He is a handful when I need to take both dogs out. He doesn't want to be out of sight of me so I have had to put him in his crate after I take him out, so I can take Tory out. It takes me 20 minutes when I have to take both of them out! It is funny! I have taken them both at the same time and they do pretty good, but it makes me a bit uncomfortable to do that just yet, so I try not to. I think for only being with us for one week, and considering he is still pretty much a puppy at heart, he is doing just great!!! You just can't look at that little guy and NOT smile!