A Little Game of Tug of War!

Estevan has been in heaven since Donnie Boy's (Donnelly) arrival!  They play together, nap together, eat together, go out to potty together, bide for my attention together, try to sit on my lap together. . .you get the picture!  Maybe they remember each other from Tail Waggin Doggie Day Care.  Either way, they've become fast friends!  (But I do wonder, does one of them think they are the alpha, because Donnie is older but Estevan is bigger. . .hmmmm????)

Anyway, they started their own game of tug of war with one of the chew toys yesterday.  I thought it was so cute and pretty funny to watch and listen to. . .so of course, I ran to get my camera hoping to capture the action!  Their expressions, while in the heat of their game, were priceless!  

Just cuz you're bigger. . . .Grrrr. . .

They're really tuggin' hard here!

Ahhh. . .I finally have it for myself!!

WooHoo. . .SNOW!!!!

I'm going to guess that because our little guy comes from Alabama, that this was his first day in snow!  He LOVED it so much!  He was running and jumping and rolling in it!  Digging his face into it and eating it!!  He couldn't get enough!  He just wanted Abby to keep kicking up the snow so he could keep playing!  It was so fun to watch the two of them playing!

Just Another Day, Until Today!

Life with Estevan continues to be pretty enjoyable and entertaining! He's really come into his own at this point and we've got a pretty good routine going!  He's getting along with the cats even though they don't really like him, but they tolerate him.  He only chases them in the morning, which is his CRAZY ~ WooHoo. . .It's another day time!!!!!  I'm super happy to say NO accidents in the house. . .Thank You Estevan! xo.  So pretty much his days consist of eat, sleep, play, go for walks, try to lick the dirty dishes in the dish washer, snuggle. . .all things dog!!

He recently enjoyed his first sleep over!  He LOVED it!!  More kids for him to play with and get petted by!  He was in heaven!  The kids couldn't get enough of him and in return he snuggled up with them and watched a movie...it was so cute!!  

Here is another great tid bit.  Last weekend we had to go to IL for a surprise party.  I knew we were going to be gone at least 6 hours (which is the longest we've ever left him) and wouldn't be able to take him.  So before we left, we took him outside, got him set up in the back hallway (where he stays during the day when I have to leave), put up the baby gate and gave him a brand new bone.  We left and came back approximately 6 1/2 hours later and no accidents, no incidents, no nothing!  He was a perfect angel!  I was so proud of him!  

But today was probably the second most exciting day so far for Estevan.  Today we brought home Donnelly, a/k/a Donnie, for a short term visit!  He's another Fluffy Dog rescue in need of a home, and like Estevan, he is as sweet as can be.  I think I must be the Roy Rogers of dogs. . .
"I've never met a dog that I didn't like."  Anyway, I brought Donnie home, brought Estevan outside to meet him, because I heard that you are suppose to tell your dog another dog is coming home and then let them meet outside, as to not invade on the first dog's space.  So we did that and they were all crazy with each other!  No aggression, no growling, just jumping and wrestling. . .and several hours later. . .it hasn't stopped! lol  They follow each other around, running and jumping and then the next thing you know, they're laying down by each other taking a cat nap!  

So here is my final thought for tonight. . .these rescue dogs are so amazing!  They are so full of love and so happy that you have brought them home!  I couldn't be happier that we decided to become a foster family!  They make you fall in love the first time they come up to you and lick your cheek.  

This is the barrel Estevan likes to sit on when he's outside

Just lookin' cute

Estevan's sleepover buddy

Lookin' for a little sugar!! 

I ruff you! xo

Donnie and Estevan

My Abby and Estevan

Come on. . . just a little closer

Yeah. . .like that!  So cute!

Sweet little Donnie (Donnelly). . .also available for adoption!!

Just Livin' the Life!

So Estevan survived his first weekend sleep over with his cousin Maddie (my daughter's puggle).  Being taller, not older, proved to be beneficial (in Estevan's eyes!) lol.  But all in all they had a nice weekend together.  The girls took them on lots of walks together and they even got to play in the backyard together.  

After 1 week and 2 days, I would say that the kitties are all pretty used to Estevan now.  They share the same couch at nap time and even eat at the same time.  Not hearing nearly the amount of hissing!


I also think he's getting pretty used to his daily routine.  A few things to work on, but he's so smart and eager to please, I have all the confidence in the world that is going to be the most amazing pet for a very lucky family! 

I was a little nervous about how he would react to us bringing in a giant Christmas tree this past Sunday. . .dogs + trees!  But he's been great!  No peeing on the tree, no trying to eat the tree just curious about the ornaments that he can touch with his nose when he's being nosey.  He hasn't been a perfect angel, but pretty darn close!

One last story, just to brag about his good nature!  I found a headband today, with antlers on it, while putting up Christmas decorations and of course, I had to put them on him to see how cute he looked.  Darned if he didn't keep them on for quite a few seconds before knocking them off.  So of course I'm thinking 'Photo Op'.  I've posted a couple for you!  He just sat there with the girls patiently letting me take a good 10 pictures!  He's such a good boy!!! 

Estevan getting a toy from his basket!

Just looking cute!

Abby, Estevan and  Kathryn

How cute is this!!!

Are we done yet???

Estevan's Christmas stocking

Taking a nap after a long day of being a puppy!

"Mom, stop taking pictures of me so I can sleep!!"

It's been a busy couple of days!!

A puppy is so much like a baby in that every day they do or learn something new!  It's only been a few days since I last posted but in those few days, Estevan has experienced several FIRSTS; He celebrated his first Thanksgiving, found his voice, started teething, can now fly up AND down the stairs, has become more tolerable to the kitties, met his cousin Maddie (my daughter's puggle) and met a new friend, Zoot (a yellow lab).  He's also getting better, everyday, on his leash when he goes on his walks, but snuggling is still his favorite. . .and he's so good at it!  

As for commands, he's totally mastered "sit".  I can either say it or signal it and he does it!  (I'm so impressed!)  Now I'm trying to teach him the command "potty" and/or "potty fast".  This is more for me than Estevan, as winter is coming and I don't want to stand out there and wait for him! lol  We're also working on "come", and again, he is surprisingly good at following that command as well!  Consistency is definitely key with this little guy!

Potty training is going pretty good.  Only a couple of tinkle accidents since he arrived last Sunday!  I think that's pretty darn good!

Now, as a mom and grandma, this also impressed me (I know, can you tell I'm a fan of this amazing little pup!!), when small kids have come over, he hasn't ambushed them and knocked them down and acted all crazy!  He's really been such a good boy when he meets new people.  My friends have all fallen in love with him!  HOWEVER, if you ask Maddie about their first meeting, I think she may have an all together different take on that!  Estevan was like "WooHOO!! Another dog for me to play with. . .let's play, come on lets run, can I sniff you?"  Giddy with excitement!  Maddie was like "what the heck is going on?  Who is this???"

And no lie. . .Like my children, Estevan now poses for me when I get my camera!  Not always. . .but most of the time!!  He kills me!

One last thing. . .he's still sleeping with us.  I probably shouldn't have started that, but I did.  Anyway!  He's still accident free all night and waits till the morning to go out to do his thing.  He just lays there pretty quietly in the morning until Jay or I get up.  But like this morning, when we could all sleep in, he was getting a little bit antsy and kept sliding up closer and closer  to us until finally Jay could feel his breath on his neck and when he turned to look, there was Estevan laying with his head on Jay's pillow!  To funny!!!

I like it out here! 

Enjoying some outside time

Dancing with Abby

Just watching stuff outside

Eating at the same time as Clay. . .we're making progress!

Meeting cousin Maddie

Maddie still trying to figure out who this is? 

Estevan wanting to be friends. . .Maddie wondering WTH?

Awww. . .FINALLY!  Cousins are the best!

Getting to Know You!

What a difference a day (or two) makes!  Estevan continues to be his sweet natured self with the added bonus of him starting to feel familiar with his surroundings.  He is already going to the patio door when he has to go out and tinkle and when he comes in, he "sits" so he can get his treat!  It was only two days ago that we started teaching him that!. . .so smart!  I also think he's feeling right at home, as more of his puppy personality is showing!  Getting more playful with his toys (and trying to steal the stuffed animals out of the girls room). 

Estevan and I walked Abby half way to school again today.  I'm not sure who enjoys it more. . . Abby or Estevan!  He stops a lot to sniff, no doubt because almost every family in the neighborhood has a dog. . .so there's a lot to sniff!  

Here are a couple of my favorite things about Estevan; 
* He loves to snuggle!  
* When I walk past him, he literally sticks a paw out as if to stop me.  So when I kneel down to pet him, he gently puts his two front paws on my shoulders (not all jumpy and crazy!) and just wants to put his face by mine and have me scratch his head and ears and then, of course, he wants to lick me!  
* When the doorbell rang this afternoon, he didn't bark!  LOVE that!
* He's smart!
* He keeps trying to be friends with the cats! 
* He has a very calm and easy nature.

As for bedtime, he's won that battle.  He slept with us again last night!  I have to lift him onto the bed (because it's to tall) and last night before Jay could get his jammies on and get into bed, Estevan was on his side of the bed laying up by his pillows!  So I move him to the foot of the bed, go brush my teeth and when I come back. . .you guessed it, he's laying up by pillows!  Nice try little one!

No more doggie tennis balls!

This is Estevan drapped over my leg last night!

Can I wake her up?

Sure

Now this is more like it!

Estevan's First Night. . .

The beauty of a dog is their innate need to be with people, hence 'Man's Best Friend'.  Well that certainly held true for our puppy last night.  I let Estevan stay up stairs on Abby's bed while she read and until I was ready for bed.  When it was time, I went up and got him, carried him down stairs (not sure of the steps yet) and put him in his kennel.  And that's when the whining began.  But I was tough!  I thought, he's a baby in a new home, new surroundings. . .but he didn't stop!  He had more will power than I did! lol  So down I go.  I let him out and he licks me lots and lots of Thank Yous!!! I very reluctantly brought up into our room, because I still don't know if he's house broken or not, especially all night!  But he already knows now that I'm a softy!  He immediately got comfortable at the foot of our bed and was ready to go to sleep!  So to make a long story short..he slept with us all night, quietly and ACCIDENT FREE!  This morning he went down with Jay, went out side and did a #1 and a #2, came in and had some breakfast, tried to play with the cats (they aren't ready yet) and then we walked with Abby to school!  He is such a good puppy!!

Our first day with Estevan

So I'll start by saying that this is our first time fostering.  I'd been viewing Facebook posts of a friend, about her foster dogs, for over a year and I finally asked her about it and Voila. . .a few steps later, here we are, a foster family!  

Now prior to picking up Estevan, we had looked at the long list of dogs needing a foster family on Petfinder.com  There was just something about Estevan that the girls and I were drawn too. . .maybe it was his long white beard (in contrast to his black fur).  So today, was the day that we got to meet and bring him home.  When Lisa opened the playroom door, 3 precious dogs came running out, but it was Estevan that climbed right up onto Abby's lap and contently stayed there while she adoringly stroked his shiney, soft and wirey black fur.  Love at first sight for both!!

7 hours later, we couldn't be happier and I think Estevan is pretty happy too!  This is such a sweet dog.  I'm not sure if tonight was the first time he had his belly scratched or not, but he sure acted like it!  He has snuggled with each of us and licked each of us as if to say thank you for bringing me home!  

Not knowing if he was house broken or not, we decided to just take him out every half hour.  Every time we took him out he would tinkle a little bit and then come in.  Once inside the door, we'd say "sit"  and push his little bum down so he'd sit and then we'd give him a treat!  No lie, he is already learning to sit!  Such a smart puppy!!

So now it's bed time and the girls want Estevan to sleep with them!  Sorry girls. . .not tonight.  BUT, I guess I can let him stay up stairs with them while they read in bed.

It's a lucky family that adopts this sweet precious boy!  What a lover he is!!