Crisis! It is vacation - everybody is home!

First week with the whole gang – we had planned a cabin vacation prior to getting a puppy, so husband and kids are all home this week. Due to arctic weather in Norway – well – we just stayed at home. Which can be quite the challenge sometimes!

Here she is with her favourite daytime sleeping mate - Ryan from K-Kids!

For those of you who do not have kids know that even though you love them with all your hearth, they seem to want to test your boundaries all the time. And with a puppy that is another chapter!

Lexi is getting house warm, she plays a lot, pees less than in week 8 and poops on somewhat regular basis. She also has learned to go outside, so those small walks around the street bares some brown fruits sometimes, and we squeal and praise her like its gold.

We also found out we did a dumb thing letting her play bite us the first week, so now we have to stop that. But she is such a sweet little thing. You cannot help but love that little ball of fur. Just look at her!

So now, if she doesn’t stop the play biting, we get into the baby pen and act as boring trees – playtime is over if she bites and doesn’t stop. She takes direction when it comes to objects as well. We never hide them from her, we just say “TSCH” and give her something else to bite on. It actually works most of the time.

The cat(A Siberian breed) is also causing such a tense situation in the house. A lot of work to be done here. but sometimes it is ok.

My husband is doing an excellent job socializing her – and except for young dogs, she behaves herself masterly when surrounded by grown up dogs. Takes being ignored like a champ.

Hubby is also starting to use treats to train her – we bought some chicken bits. She has developed an acquired taste for them. Which is very good since she hasn’t been eating all that much – full on bully sticks and other goodies. We bought Brit Care puppy feed, and it’s not popular at all compared to boiled chicken, chicken treats, lamb ears, minced meat that fall on the floor amongst other things.

She has also been socializing with other breeds – while I have been walking her she met quite a few of the surrounding dogs – here is a quick recount of her experience.

A Samojed called Aikio – he was quite the barker. This was actually last week, but I recount it this week. He was very eager, not that old. 2.5 years and puppy behaviour and interested in Lexi. The owners walk him with a leash around their waist and a harness – together with a baby in harness it is not the easiest way to discipline him. And they are sled dogs. Well, Lexi was overwhelmed, the barking left her sitting and just watching him act out. She wasn’t that interested in playing with him. He also spun around the owner and ended up stuck and hurting. Not the best first introduction. Lexi was a good girl.

During my husband’s walk she met another neighbour, Saga, who is a bearded collie. He said it went well the first time, next times Lexi barked. Then she is not allowed to greet. So Lexi was a good girl, then a bit too eager girl.
She also meets the next door neighbour quite often, he is a teenager and a bit too sniffy for a puppy. He is a good boy though, learning not to pull, so if he doesn’t pull and Lexi doesn’t bark, they are allowed to greet. He is a Lasa Apso named Milo.

Lexi also meets Piffi quite frequently – a stubborn street mix who is in our extended family. She is expertly ignoring puppy behaviour, and Lexi is such a good girl with her. She is our “prime socializing” doggo.
Here Piffi is ignoring Lexi masterfully!

She also meets a fellow Finnish Lapphund named Alva – she is a youngster and full of puppy energy still. Barks and bites. Hubby has quite the handful handling them when the turn themselves on – there is no off switch.

Today she met Nero, the big sweet Rottweiler, perfect meeting, she didn’t bark in the end and they played in his garden. Such a big boye. And so good. I instantly fell in love with him. He tolerated her nipping by raising his big head very high, and they played chase the puppy for quite some time.

In Norway we do not have designated play pens for dogs. Which is quite sad. But there is a forest 25 min of driving that allows for loose dogs. Named expertly “dogforest” – her first visit today with the eldest kid and hubby was a success. She met all kinds of breeds and played around with a wonderful puppy German Sheperd.

Our vacation has been run by a pup and the weather – my husband looks forward to next week when he has a real vacation at work. Head boiling with four little ones to please.

Until week 10!

Thank you for reading.