I'm 3 years old today!

Hi It's Sunshine! Mom and Dad haven't killed me yet!  Feb 21st is the last time I had a potty accident and I even earned freedom for car rides. No more getting shoved in a teeny crate (at least for now) I can stand up and sniffs out the window and then dig a nest and sleep on car rides. I even sometimes hold it when we see scary people on our way outside. 

Here are some pictures of my celebration today! 


Daddy wishing me Happy birfthday


I was so excited I lost my head!


Then I got birfthday bellies


Mommy made us gelaties just for me! It had vanilla ice cream, passion fruit water ice, and rainbow sprinkles. we were going to go to Brewsters for ice cream but it got tooo cold outside


It tasted the best!






I think Rainy has more sprinkles than me!



Then.... they told me there were pig ears!

I will sit and give a paw for a piggy ear! They are my favoritest thing to eat!


I was even allowed to eat it on the big bed!


They said something about changing the sheets tonight. Not sure why, the crumbs just add yummy flavoring. 

I'm not completely growed up yet. I still love to chew on stuff. Not the food stuff, but the plastic stuffs! I got to nibble a bit on some Tupperware today while Mom and Dad were shopping.  Yummy stuff! Almost as good as that piggy ear.

I think I'm ready for our hotel stay. Not sure what that is but Mommy promised pig ears and string cheese! 

I'm famous

Sunshine here! Mom has been telling us all about this greyhound walk we are going to have at MY park tomorrow! We are so excited. Rainy and I have gotten our nails done, then we were furminated outside and brushed down with a super soft goat brush (no idea y that brush has toof marks) and we were sprayed with a coat conditioner! Ick. Mom says Rainy needs another bath. Glad it's not me. That bathroom is evil! We are going to see zillions of new houndies tomorrow so I have to go get my beauty sleep on my memory foam bed. Love my crate....

Someone....

has been eating the kitty poop! Judging from Sunshine's God Awful breath we have the culprit! Rainy is much too sophisticated to ever dream of eating poop. We already have the litter blocked off with a board, and the boxes turned in towards each other, but it's no match to a puppy with a craving! So today i am on the search for a self cleaning litterbox and puppy breath mints.  We can just wave those hundreds of dollars away.

On the fear front Sunshine has been do perfectly! I haven't had to drag her anywhere in at least a week. No potty accidents in 13 days.  She's been a perfect lil angel! Well expect for normal puppy badness.  Not sure if it's the prozac kicking in or Jackie Weaver working with us and reading Sunshine the riot act. personally I think Jackie is helping more than the meds since she creates instant change, but I'm not taking her off the drugs for a long time.

I'm been attacking Sunshine while she's on the bed.  Making funny gowly noises and shaking her around and blowing raspberries on her belly. A pups gotta get used to bizarre things! She just looks at me like I'm crazy, gives a big sigh, flops down, and goes to sleep. She would be such a good kid's dog as soon as she got over being scared of them.

Last Saturday we went to a Meet and Greet at Concord pet. They are so nice and the manager is really excited to have us bring the hounds in. We could only set up a very small Xpen for the dogs to go into so Rainy had to stay on leash and work the crowds.

As soon as we got there some kids descended upon us and poor Sunshine just froze in place while they petted her and tried top shove cookies in her mouth. She was good though and didn't have any potty accidents out of fear. I figure throwing her to the sharks once in a while isn't a bad thing. The kids didn't hurt her in any way and she needs to figure out that strangers are fun.

Meanwhile the kids were hanging/hugging/petting Rainy and she loved it! There was even a little toddler that petted Rainy's butt while Mom was checking out at the register. Didn't phase Rainy a bit, but the Mom saw it and told the kid "No... remember we only pet the head where the dog can see us."  Glad some parents are teaching their kids dog manners!

Rainy was even started catching on when I pointed her towards someone who just walked in the door. Usually she's pretty reserved with strangers until they initiate contact with her, but she did a good job walking up and begging for attention form the strangers. Usually she just stands there and whines pitifully until they pet her and ask what's wrong. The girls even got to meet a very polite adorable puppy!

Off to shop for kitty litter robots

and we are battling the fear again...

Ever since I took Sunshine to her first Meet and Greet her fear of strangers and the hallway/lobby have gotten worse. She is horrible about getting her coat and leash on! She drops into dead weight and you have to try to lift/prop her up to her a coat on and haul her off the bed with the leash and physically haul her out of the door, down the hallways, through the lobby, etc. She's much better about coming back inside of course! Not sure if her thyroid meds are a bit off, but I raised them a bit to see if that would help and it hasn't. We also started using essential oils and that hasn't help with the issue either.

So today I made her face her fear and stand in the lobby with me for 30 minutes. I'm the worst Mommy ever! We had drooling, insane panting, shaking, whining, cowering, etc.  All while Rainy enjoyed extra ear rubs.  After 30 minutes she relaxed a little bit and we went back to the Apt where she crashed in an exhausted heap for a good sleep.

Ever time we went out for a potty walk today we went and hung out in the lobby for a bit after we got back. She got worse about waking up the hallway to the lobby but she got better about standing in the lobby. No more stress panting. So I guess we might be moving in the right direction.

Also discovered the front hook on her harness. Makes it perfect to yank her up the hallway. I hope with this no nonsense approach of hauling her up the hallway and into the lobby she will get better.

Tomorrow I think I'm going to feed both pups in the hallway to see if that will help Sunshine. Rainy will most likely have no problems eating out there so she will be good moral support.

We've also been playing easter egg hunt out int eh hallway where I slowly get her to creep out the door to get tossed treats before Rainy eats them all.

If anyone has any suggestions I welcome them! If it doesn't get better we might just have to put her back on daily anxiety medication.  I was trying to avoid that but I just want her to relax and be happy. Inside she's still a high energy crazy happy dog who doesn't walk anywhere.... She bounces! No issues with us or inside the Apt just the scary world outside.

Oh and I used a squawker to get her to come to the door for coat/leash up time. Mommy can be smart too!


Sunshine sleeping in a sunbeam


Rainy laying on the wet freshly shampooed rugs


Sunshine trying to help me put away laundry. It's so tiring as you can see...


I vant to suck your blood!


Having Mom and Dad work from home today is exhausting! everyone has to nap after emptying the toy box


Rainy wants to know why it's so cold outside


Sunshine says we need a bigger couch! So comfy


Their pretty leather collars came in the mail! These will be great for meet and greets!









And my word of wisdom for today!

If you feed your dogs raw you should always supervise feeding time and make sure they eat it all right then! We've been finding rotting chicken all over the place today... Hidden in our covers on OUR bed, hidden in the crate, hidden in the couch, hidden in the other crate... Compliments of Miss Sunshine! oh yes it has been fun! Rainy sniffs the pieces out but has no interest in the chicken, which forces Sunshine to find a new hiding spot which is when we are able to grab the pieces


This is what blankets look like with stinky chicken in them

Here in this house...

Here in this house... I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks
of the other dogs 'out there'. I can sleep soundly, assured that when I
wake my world will not have changed. I will never know hunger, or the fear of
not knowing if I'll eat. I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from
the heat. I will feel the sun's heat, and the rain's coolness, and be
allowed to smell all that can reach my nose. My fur will shine, and never
be dirty or matted.

Here in this house... There will be an effort to communicate with
me on my level. I will be talked to and, even if I don't understand, I
can enjoy the warmth of the words. I will be given a name so that I
may know who I am among many. My name will be used in joy, and I will
love the sound of it!

Here in this house... I will never be a substitute for anything I am
not. I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves. I
will be loved because I am who I am, not someone's idea of who I
should be. I will never suffer for someone's anger, impatience, or
stupidity. I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved
by all. If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my
teacher for blame.

Here in this house... I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch...
knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.
If I am ill, I will be doctored. If scared, I will be calmed. If sad,
I will be cheered. No matter what I look like, I will be considered
beautiful and known to be of value. I will never be cast out because
I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough. My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought.

Here in this house... I will belong. I will be home.