...: Marsh Chatter
14 weeks and Growing!
I've been asked to give another update about our puppy: Ziva the Australian Blue Heeler. She is growing fast. In the roughly 6 weeks since we welcomed her home, she has about doubled her weight and added significant height & length.
A growing little girl
Now in her 14th week she is an active young girl who wants to play, likes to run and likes to try to play with her housemates - however, the 4 kitties are still a bit wary of her, but they are beginning to warm up to her. Ollie the oldest and Ziva actually were sleeping on a rug together. But don't let that fool you - Ziva still gets a taste of his paw occasionally when she is just "annoying".
A calm moment - all innocent like!
Ziva was gifted with a puppy shower - by John's co-workers, who provided Ziva with a fine selection of play things and even a floor mattress. One - a squeaky "dachshund", which we named: Datzyuk has become one of her favorites to carry around and sleep with. Note: we named it after the Red Wings hockey player - Ziva "short" is Z - short for Zetterberg... are you getting the pattern yet.
Just one of her many toys - Squeaky Ball!
She even does a "handshake"... sometimes.
To show how big she is - the following two pictures can be compared to the earlier pictures of Ziva on our laps.
Much more of a "lapful" now.
What a Face. The little puppy that curled up and slept at about 4-5 weeks is no more.
Ziva is just starting to run off-leash in a private area nearby. We play frisbee with her - well we try to anyway, but she hasn't got the "release/drop" part down yet - so a bit of tugging and then ignoring gets the frisbee back. She barrels off after it, then trots back with it in her mouth. Occasionally, she trips and goes end-over-end --- which of course we laugh about. Ziva just gets back up and adjusts and starts trotting again.
Still a lot of fun! Next update will be later in the spring.
Ziva Update...
Ziva has been with us for about 3 weeks now and she will be 11 weeks old this Tuesday.
First Bath
Of course, a bit of toweling off was required
She has been learning very quickly - yet she still has periods where she "thinks" she is the alpha, around the house. Unfortunately for Ziva, she usually finds that the 4 inside kitties give her an adjustment... just to re-assert who was here first.
House training has been going well and has increased over the last couple of days when Shari embraced a technique she learned from my brother. Shari hung a bell on the back door and showed Ziva - twice - to ring it, to go do her duty. Much to the surprise of all - she did just that later in the day and did indeed "complete the transaction".
Walk-a-bouts
Ziva hasn't been fully broken of wanting to bite/nip at our hands - but she knows we are not happy with that activity and it has decreased significantly. She also has crated herself when she is tired - whoo hoo!
All in all - Ziva is showing us the smarts of the breed. Learning very quickly. Mostly having fun doing it. But... she is still a puppy and growing by the minute.