Weekend Update

Finn had his first day of obedience class with his trainer Nicole on Saturday.  We mostly learned how to walk politely on a leash (that woman has so much patience).  Walking a dog on a leash seems like a simple thing but you try getting a puppy to walk directly beside you the whole time.  Not easy.

Ideally, we want Finn to walk next to us, stop immediately and sit when we stop, and never pull.  This is going to take a lot of work.

Step one was teaching Finn what "sit" meant.  He's definitely getting the hang of it!

No words.

that's all.

Healthy

Finn had vet appointment #2 today with Dr. Tucker (who is really cute).  

The appointment went something like this:

In the waiting room, Finn barks crazily at every other dog (embarassing me), meanwhile a cat gives him the death stare the entire time from his little carrier (remind me to tell you about Finn's first encounter with a cat....still have a big scratch on my thumb from that one).

Finn then flirts with all the girls at the reception desk who just love him and always compare him to his brother Charlie who is also a patient there.

We get in the room, Finn gets weighed and has gained a WHOPPING 2 lbs!!  (don't say anything, he's sensitive about his weight).  He now weighs 8lbs.

He then peed on the floor, and then about 10 minutes later pooped on the floor.  That's my boy.

The last time Finn got his distemper shot, he acted like a maniac all night whining and crying and barking - so this time Dr. Tucker told us to give him 1/2 a dose of children's benadryl after he got his shot.

Now, Finn is OUT COLD.  Will keep benadryl on hand for times when he is devil dog!!

Clean bill of health for Finn......now he's just sleepin it off.  Next appointment, we talk about the big snip snip. 

Here's a video that has nothing to do with the vet but I thought was cute.

Salty Dog

Finn had his first trip to the beach. Activities included:

Running away from Matt while Matt tries to put him in the water

Getting muddy, sandy and salty

Eating sand

Continuously gagging (see above)

Overall, good time!

You guys expect me to go in that water? LATER!!!!

Bromance

Reunited and it feels so good...

you look familiar...

let me smell your butt to be sure...

BABY BRO!!!

i love you man.

Sneaky Sleeper

This looks like a good spot for a nap...

"IS THAT A BABY PUG????"

Finn's a local celeb now.  It took approx 1 hour to get him across the street and to the Salem Common because EVERYONE who walked by us stopped to talk to him / pet him / give him treats.

That's all well and good for the first 1/2 hour.  After the 75th person said "oh my god is that a baby pug??" I wanted to say, actually no, this is a cat.

Everyone has an opinion about Mr. Finn.  Especially the homeless folk.  "tap him on the nose if he's bad",  "don't pull on his leash like that", "does he want a b-i-s-q-u-i-t? (still not sure what that is or why he felt the need to spell it out)." 

When it got to be 10:00 a night and Finn still hadn't peed, because everyone was petting him, I got a little annoyed.  So then I just began ignoring everyone.  

One couple came up to us and said "OH MY GOD IS THAT FINN??"  Neither Matt or myself had ever met them before and we have no idea how they knew Finn.  

Good times.  Making lots of friends.

In other news, Finn had his first visit with his new teacher Nicole.  He prob. hates her since she put the smackdown on him,  made his crate about 8 inches smaller, and made us take out all his bedding.  Poor guy.

He walks awesome on his leash now which makes his morning drag more enjoyable for all involved.  I'm sure he appreciates not having road rash anymore.  And I don't get as many disapproving stares from passers-by.

He also spent his first day at his Nana's house where he pooped on the rug twice but that's ok. Nana's house is for misbehaving.

Here are a few new pics.

Gettin used to my leash.

Little guy on a big couch.

Please stop taking pictures of me.

Pug in a blanket.

Day 1 with Finn consisted of an hour ride to Hopkinton to pick him up from his reluctant-to-let-him-go owner.  The whole ride home, little Finn slept on my lap.  We brought him in the apartment and he calmly sniffed around his new home.

"What a great puppy!" we said to each other.   All Finn did was nap.  We would joke to him "Hey Finn, quiet down!"  We brought him over to my parent's house for my birthday dinner and he slept on the kitchen floor the entire time.

Finn....day one.

Fast forward two weeks:

Devil dog!!  Finn definitely feels comfy in his new home and occupies himself by constantly playing tug-o-war with our pant legs, attacking his crab chewy toy, and trying to eat my hair.

Things Finn is good at:

Eating pants

peeing on his wee wee pad and waiting for a treat

imitating a piglet with his snorts

sleeping in funny positions

drinking water from his bowl

barking at other dogs - even huge ones

giving kisses

Things Finn needs some work on:

walking on a leash....the minute he gets outside he lays down and won't budge

Not eating pants

Not pooping on the floor in hidden places

Being patient in his crate

Finn spends his days at work with Matt and they have become best buds.  Even though we are so exhausted and feel like we have a newborn baby (I'll wait for that for a long time, thanks!) we are so smitten with Finn.  Every morning when I wake up at 5:30 am and walk out to the living room, he is sitting up in his crate, head tilted to the side, waiting for me.  When I open up his little crate door I get kisses all over my face.  I watch the news while he bites my pj's, and then we go for a drag.  aka, i drag him down the street.

Then we come inside, snuggle up on the couch and finish the news.  Finn goes back in his crate while I get ready and then it's time for Matt to get up.

He is a lot of work, but he already feels like part of our family.  As I type this he is sleeping on my lap.  It makes the 3 am potty break worth it.

And even when I stepped in his pee yesterday, I wasn't too mad.  Who can really be mad at this face?