Random pics from over the months....

Since moving from California, it's been taking some getting used to living here in Pennsylvania. Specifically the weather. It goes from being hot as h - e - double hockey sticks to incredibly cold so we don't want to pee outside and put up a fuss about getting our feet cold and wet.

Summer time



Mom opened a doggie boutique!


Fall



Mabel's 1st birthday and wearing puppy clothes


First snow = No fun.

Mabel takes a dip

Another video from the summer!
Mabel takes a dip from Alycia on Vimeo.

Mabels first ice cube

Sorry for the unacceptably long blogging break. Mom's been neglecting this blog but here's a funny video of Mabel's first experience with an ice cube from the summer time.
Mabel's first ice cube from Alycia on Vimeo.

Life lately

The dogs have been loving the yard at Brian's house and Mabel is getting better at bringing the ball back. Monty used to like to play fetch but he feels like he doesn't even have a chance with Mabel because she's faster and more aggressive than him with it, so he tends to stay behind on my lap. We'll have to take him out separately so he can get his time in, poor guy. But they are good at staying in the yard. I was afraid they'd run off but they seem to want to stick near us. Having unfenced space like this for the dogs is all new to us too, so I felt like a helicopter dog mom at first. Now that I know how they are handling it, I can relax bit.

Do you like the cheesy 90s song I used? Hehe :)

Couch potatoes

The sun shines directly in the windows from 4-6:30 and the pups enjoy every second of it.

Making Mabel dance with her ball

I love how Mabel holds the ball in her mouth. She looks so cute. More than I can say about myself haha

Video: Monty, Mabel and a laser beam

Puppy naps

Mabel just passed her doggie daycare evaluation and now they are sunbathing on the deck. It's been GORGEOUS here the last few days. It's around 72 degrees and perfect. Every time the wind blows, a bunch of those sweet gum tree seed-pod thingys come flying off the tree pelting the little sleeping angels but they don't seem to mind too much ;) I freakin hate that tree though. In the fall the leaves pile up on the deck. The winter brings the stupid seed pods and the spring brings yellow pollen.

Sleepy faces in the sun

The sun has the power to make even the craziest of pups melt like butter.

The mouth game

All morning long the pups mouth each others faces in one way or another. Mabel loves Monty's vampire fangs hehe!

Dog days - Some recent pics

It's been pretty low key around here lately. I would love to take the dogs out on a walk but it's such a nightmare walking them both at the same time. I get practically torn in two and it's quite challenging to hold onto both leashes at the same time as picking up dog doo. When one stops to pee, the other keeps walking which results in me jerking the one who stopped to pee. Not cool! Monty doesn't even do his #2 when she's around. I bring treats but as soon as they eat them it's forgotten. So for now, if I'm alone, I walk them separately. It's overwhelming and frustrating. I'm hoping some training classes will help. Thankfully it's not freezing cold because it means two walks outside for me!

In the toy box



Monty makes the letter M



Blogger in training



Dog pile!

About Mabel

What kind of dog is Mabel?
Mabel is a purebred boston terrier.

Where did you get her from?
Mabel is from a breeder in California that has been raising boston terriers for over 20 years. They are very knowledgeable and sweet people who are dedicated to bettering the breed. If you would like to learn which breeder I used, please feel free to email me. 

Do you have any tips for raising a brand new puppy?
Yes! I would highly recommend crate training. Not only does this help with the potty training process, but it gives them a safe place to stay when you have to leave your home to go out. It keeps them out of trouble and also makes them feel comfortable. But you have to introduce them to crate in the right way so they won't be scared or hate it. Click here to learn how.

Also, you have to be very consistent with potty training. We live in a third floor apartment and we got a roll of sod from Home Depot to use on the patio instead of pee pads. This gave Mabel some consistency with grass = potty and made the transition from potty training on the patio to going outside on walks much easier.

And finally, don't get angry if they have an accident inside. This will cause them to be afraid of you and they may try to hide their accidents. I'd rather she did it in front of me so I can quickly move her to the right place and address the problem immediately. 

What are some of the things she loves?
Mabel loves playing with Monty, meeting new people, and chewing on tennis balls.

What are some of the things she dislikes?
Mabel gets mad when I pick her up and she's in the middle of something. She makes this annoyed growl at me like a typical girl who would talk back lol. She also hates when we leave her in the crate to go out somewhere without her. 

I want to get a puppy dog. Do you have any advice?
Do your research! Know what kind of health problems are prone to certain breeds so you know what to expect, because more than likely you will have to deal with health problems in purebreds. I would recommend checking out a rescue first before pursuing a breeder. And know that getting a new puppy, supplies, and all their health checks, shots, spaying and neutering will easily cost well over $1500.