He wasn't ready…

Sebastian has been sleeping outside his crate at night with us in the bedroom for a couple of weeks now. He’s been doing really well, and he hasn't chewed up anything. We thought it might also be time for him to try staying outside the crate during the day, so we tried it this afternoon. He was not ready. We had him in the bedroom with Abby. We had picked up everything off the floor. Unfortunately, he decided to chew on the door trim. He had actual chew toys, but I guess they weren't what he wanted. We're worried he's going to outgrow his crate before we can let him be out of it again. I guess we’ll buy a larger crate if need be.

Puppy update a few weeks down the road

We've had Sebastian almost a month and a half now. Here's updates:

• We're now giving him 5 mg of prednisone once per day, not twice, and it seems to still be fairly affective at stopping the itching. He's still itchy, though, so we may end up having to take him to the vet anyway. Sebastian is also way less manic and ravenous. Usually. He gets super annoying around bed time or when he's tired.
• We've started him on one pill of fish oil per day. Hoping that might help with the itching too.
• He's finally losing his puppy teeth. He's very bitey still.
• He's pretty well house trained at this point. Messes are rare.
• He really likes squeaky toys.
• Oscar tolerates him much better, but I still wouldn't call them buddies. There are brief moments when I think it looks like Oscar wants to love on Sebastian or play with him, but it doesn't last long, and usually ends with Oscar hissing and/or swiping at Sebastian.
• Abby and Sebastian have finally started to play some in the evenings. They never play outside, though, which is weird. And most of the time Abby doesn't want anything to do with Sebastian; it's just sometimes at night when she gets a wild hair and decides it's play time.
• He sleeps really well at night. He's great in the crate. :D
• The diarrhea cleared up after a week or two when we first got him.
• We messed up and didn't continue his deworming meds like we were supposed to, so now he has worms again, and we're treating all the animals this time. Ugh. They'll all get a second dose in two weeks. And we'll continue treatment as directed this time.
• He's learning his tricks pretty well (sit, up, down, spin). He might be pretty smart!

Puppy Update

Quick bits:

• Sebastian seems to have come to us already crate trained. Yay!
• He's not house trained. Several messes, but he might be slowly starting to get it.
• He's very very itchy. We've tried benadryl with no luck. Oatmeal baths didn't help much either. So we're trying prednisone (5mg twice per day at the moment). It helps with the itching, but the Sebastian is very thirsty, VERY hungry, and is pretty manic ALL THE TIME.
• Abby doesn't like him much. She's not aggressive towards him, but she also doesn't want him messing with her. So, of course, he's constantly trying to get all up in her business. He wants to play. She does not.
• Oscar isn't a fan, but Sebastian is VERY curious about him.
• Sebastian came to us with diarrhea, probably due to a combination of intestinal parasites, changes in food, and stress. 

Five Months Old

Ellie Stats: 5 months old

• She's still chasing her tail.
• Spent the night outside her crate for the first time. She did great and didn’t tear up anything!

Home Alone

Ellie Stats: 19 weeks old, 12 weeks with us

Travis and I went out of town on vacation to Washington D.C. Virgil and Janice (my parents) are babysitting the dogs and cat. Ellie got under the deck and wouldn’t come out. She growled at Virgil when he tried to reach her to pull her out. They dug out a little area hoping she would come out on her own, but still no luck. After a while they decide to get Travis’ bath robe and use it to coax her out thinking the familiar smell will make her feel better. It worked! She sniffed it a lot and soon came out from under the deck very easily on her own. For the rest of our vacation, Virgil keeps Travis’ robe next to Ellie’s crate.

Ellie Loves Her Crate

Ellie Stats: 13 weeks old, 6 weeks with us

• Ellie runs to her crate now, particularly when food is involved.

Itchy Puppy

• Ellie has gotten really good about going in her crate. Barely using the leash to guide her in any more.
• Started giving Ellie allergy pills for all the itching. Seems to help during the night.

Week Three with Ellie

Ellie Stats: 10 weeks old, 3 weeks with us, 25 lbs.

• Ellie hasn’t messed up in the house at all in the past two days! Yay!
• Ellie gets in her crate (while leashed) with hardly any prodding! Yay again!

Ellie's 2nd Week

Ellie Stats: 9 weeks old, 25 lbs.

• Ellie and Samson officially play tonight for the first time.
• Oscar is warming up to her as well. He jumped at her in his box, but she didn’t know what to think of it.
• Ellie is also beginning to scratch at the door when she needs to go out; she’s inconsistent at best.
• Ellie is getting much better with the crate. She does not usually whine while she’s in it, and waits quietly (though not always patiently) to be let out.
• Barked back at Samson before backing down from his food.