March 2022

Day 18, March 1, 2022

Unfortunately, today’s wake-up call came earlier at 5:45am. Arg!

I listened to the dog-alarm for about 10 minutes (there’s no snooze button), then wearily pulled myself out of bed and dragged myself to the kitchen. I noticed Gracie’s pee pads had been heavily used during the night. And she seemed so proud. And so happy to see me – wagging her tail a zillion times a minute and smiling. (Note, I really do think she’s smiling because if English speaking people can see a smile in punctuation – e.g. : ) – then I believe I can see a smile on an excited puppy’s face!)

By the way, I wasn’t smiling.

I was so tired, instead of taking Gracie outside first thing in the morning, I cleaned up the pee pad mess first. As I was removing the soiled pads and disinfecting the floor, Gracie trotted to the other side of the room and peed directly on the tile floor.

I cleaned up the second mess, and thankfully Gracie quieted down enough to allow me to go back to bed for an hour, I was relieved to get some sleep, but unfortunately, I think it threw our schedule off for the entire morning. For example, Gracie didn’t get breakfast until 8:30am (she usually has it around 7am), Then I’d take her out for potty breaks, only to have them be “false alarms.” When she came back inside, she would immediately relieve herself. During playtime, she would sneak over, grab her pee pad, and race around the room with it. When I would yell “NO, NO, NO” and pull it from her, she’d tighten her grip on it. At one point, this mêlée made me so mad, that I removed her pee pads entirely from the floor – only to have her promptly wee-wee again directly on the tile.

Mom, please let Barb Sullivan know I appreciate her suggestion to perhaps remove some of Gracie’s toys so she can enjoy them later. I have done that (but not the pee pads). I enjoyed reading her note. And I’m SO, SO envious of Jim vacationing in Florida.

Day 19, March 2, 2022

What sensible human would take an 11-week-old, not-yet-housebroken puppy on a 4-hour car ride to see their 93-year-old mother to stay in a tiny apartment for 3 days?

NO ONE, OF COURSE!

But Gracie and I are leaving tomorrow morning to see you, Mom. So, today I’m in the process of making the lists of things we need for this trip.

List for me:

Change of clothes
Underwear
PJs
Cell phone and charger
Hearing aids
CPAP
Medication
Toiletries
Sandwich

List for Gracie:

Collar
Leash
Crate
Blankets for crate bedding
Doggie gate
Puppy pee pads
Disinfecting wipes
Paper towels
Dog food
Dog food dish
Dog water dish
Dog treats
Favorite dog toys (dustpan and hand broom, empty plastic drinking bottles, horseshoe pad, empty Amazon boxes, KONG rubber toy, stuffed dog toys)
Heartbeat simulator and charger
Doggie calming vest
Chew sticks
Approx. 50 disposable plastic bags
Plastic garbage bags
Plastic spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice mixture
Plastic spray bottle with water
Doggie car seat cover
Harness and seat belt straps
Cooler with ice packs
Goat milk
Portable puppy training pad with artificial grass
Fresh cut grass fragrance oil
Portable water containers
Jug of water
Old towels
Old sheets
Old pillowcase cover
Carpet cleaner
Sticks for car ride

At age 66, I’m getting a sense of how new parents may feel.

Day 20, March 3, 2022

Gracie has learned how to hurl herself against the kitchen gate and knock it down. The gate is secured, once again, for now. But it has been a bit of a challenging morning preparing for our trip. Hopefully we’ll soon be on our way. Here’s a photo of Gracie while I’m racing around gathering the massive amount of stuff to take with us.

Day 24 (Tuesday, March 7)

Mom, thank you so much for your most generous hospitality during our visit of the past few days. It sure was an adventure!! Despite the difficulties – lots and lots of whining and barking, being forced awake at the crack of dawn, losing sleep, completely messing up the powder room, taking over your kitchen with dog paraphernalia, and the dog peeing on your rug – we had a thoroughly nice time anyway.

I am so very grateful for your patience. And I know Gracie’s a grateful puppy, too.

As you know, Mom, Gracie LOVED having a steady stream of people come to pamper her all weekend – you, Larry, Beth, Judy, Aunt Pat, Uncle Bill, Tom, Jan, Linda, Neil, Debbie, Sally, Jackie, Shirley, Debra, Joan, Dick, Norma, and Barbara. Aunt Pat and Uncle Bill, Mr. Farting Hippo is a very favorite toy! And you two wore Gracie out so I could catch a much-needed nap. Tom and Jan, it was especially fun to see you enjoy Gracie’s crazy antics! Linda, Beth, Judy, Debra, and Barbara, I am so glad you could meet Gracie and we could spend some time together. Linda, I love the picture below of you and Gracie! Judy, thank you for the new toys! Gracie is one spoiled pup! Beth, it was very thoughtful of you to bring me the present of the Woolite Pet Urine Eliminator with Enzyme Action carpet cleaner – which, maybe not surprisingly, I’ve used ALREADY! Debra, Gracie and I totally enjoyed taking a walk with you in the unseasonably 70-degree weather on Sunday. And, as you know, Gracie had a ball digging lots of holes in the front gardens of the Oaks! Barbara, I am very appreciative of your taking time out from your hectic day to meet Gracie and offer me several highly useful puppy pointers!

Mom, by the way, I have no sore throat and I am feeling much better today.

And now I think maybe we’ve had a breakthrough!

It seemed a little questionable to me to follow the 3rd-hand dog-training advice of Aunt Pat’s hairdresser’s teenage daughters. For car trips, the girls said they put their puppy in the crate with a blanket over it and they had no problems with the dogs’ crying. So, for Gracie’s and my 4-hour trip back yesterday, while dubious, I decided to try it. Lo and behold, Gracie was COMPLETELY QUIET FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP!!! It’s a miracle!!! It seemed like I was travelling with a completely different dog, or maybe I accidentally left her at the last rest stop. But, no, Gracie was in her crate the whole time, quiet as a mouse (even a live one).

After such a success, it occurred to me this idea might work for crate training at night. So, I moved the crate back to my bedroom, set up her bedding with the Heartbeat Simulator, and threw a blanket over the crate. At 9pm, right before I went to bed, I placed Gracie in the crate and – with a lot of trepidation – I latched the door and pulled the blanket over it. NO SOUND AT ALL CAME FROM GRACIE!! I slept soundly until Gracie let out a whimper around midnight. I got up and took her outside where she peed. When we came back in, I put her back in the crate and, once again, NO SOUND AT ALL CAME FROM GRACIE!! In fact, there was no sound from Gracie throughout the rest of the night!!! And no wakeup call came this morning!!!! I woke up at 7:15am, feeling rested, thinking I was in another dimension where people get sleep.

Aunt Pat, thank you, thank you, thank you for passing along this possibly life-changing, sage advice from two Gen Z-ers!!!

Day 25 (Wednesday, March 8)

The blanket over the crate technique worked again last night!!! Yippee!!!

Mom, please let Larry Butz know I appreciate his passing along the article “If You Have A Dog, Trainers Say These 30 Clever Things Will Genuinely Make Your Life Easier.” I was very anxious to see what secrets of ingenious canine expertise I might glean from this piece.

I now have $306.44 of new dog items in my Amazon cart.

I do think the article’s headline could be a little misleading and might better read “If You Have A Dog, Trainers Say These 30 Clever Things Will Genuinely Make Your Life Easier IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GET A PART-TIME JOB JUST TO AFFORD THEM.”

Day 26 (Thursday, March 9)

I heard not a single peep from Gracie last night as she rested in her blanket-covered crate for 9 continuous hours!

Today Gracie is 12 weeks old. She weighed in at 15.5 pounds at the vet on Tuesday. (She was 10.5 pounds four weeks ago.)

Gracie is constantly nipping and biting and continues to see her pee pads as serving a dual purpose. She’s been grabbing her pee pad, shredding it to bits, then often peeing on one of the tiny shreds (with lots of running overboard). This all happens within a nanosecond when I’m not looking.

She’s still the best mini golden noodle ever.

To clarify, from yesterday’s update, I didn’t actually purchase all those doggie items from Amazon. At this point I think, if anything, some dollars might be better invested in puppy training school. Looking into it.

I’m sad to report, the “wind” has gone out of Mr. Hippo sails from Gracie’s repeated biting, so I am no longer hearing the singing sounds of flatulence all day long. (At least from Mr. Hippo.)

Day 27, March 10, 2022

Tina was coming over this afternoon to see Gracie (and me, too, I think). Because we were expecting company, this morning I got the broom out of the closet so I could sweep up all of the tiny pee pad shreds scattered over the kitchen floor. Gracie thought it was great fun to play with the broom while I was sweeping. However, it made the job far more difficult, and it took way longer than I expected. When I finally finished, Gracie still wouldn’t let go of the broom, so I decided to just leave it on the floor for her. Later, I noticed she had dragged both the big broom and the little broom to her doggie bed, and I snapped the picture below.

I sure wish I could funnel some of her fascination with brooms and endless doggie energy into Gracie using the brooms properly for cleaning up after herself. I wonder if they teach that in puppy training school.

Gracie gets beyond excited when Tina is here. They have a wonderful time together. Tina spoils the heck out of her, and I love it!

Day 28, March 11, 2022

It’s snowing today, March 12! They’re calling it a “Bomb Cyclone” with heavy snow and wind. Sitting by my kitchen window, in the comfort and warmth, it’s been so picturesque to observe the large flakes swirl and fall, and to see the landscape become coated in a fresh blanket of white.

The serenity sure is fleeting, however, when housebreaking a puppy! Just preparing to take Gracie outside is a whole process in itself: I take off my shoes, put on my boots, put on my coat, put on my hat, check to make sure I have my keys and disposable plastic bags and phone in my pockets, put the leash on Gracie, lift her over the gate, put on my gloves, carefully watch Gracie while descending the stairs to make sure she doesn’t trip, and double-check to make sure there’s a towel at the door to use for drying Gracie when we come back inside. And we get to repeat going outside into the FREEZING COLD at least 10 times a day!! Frequently, I’ll forget something and most often it’s remembering to put at least one clean disposable plastic bag in my pocket (for the doggie doo-doo). If I do forget, we inevitably have to turn around midway in our walk in the FREEZING COLD to come back home and get one then go back outside again in the FREEZING COLD to find the dog poo (sometimes retracing our steps to the next block to find it), pick it up, and carry it home. (Not my favorite thing, either, to regularly carry a stinking bag of dog poo home. It reminds me of a Seinfeld joke when he asks, “If aliens come to Earth, and they see dogs with humans behind them carrying their poop, who are they going to think is REALLY in charge on our planet?”)

Gracie, of course LOVES the snow. I, on the other hand, CAN”T WAIT FOR WARMER WEATHER!!

Day 29, March 12, 2022

A special note to Karen Kohler…

As per your suggestion, I put a plastic bottle inside of an old sock and gave it to Gracie. Now it’s a brand-new form of entertainment for her!! She LOVES it! She’s enjoyed chewing it, dragging it, swinging it, tugging it, and flinging it across the room. One caveat, in case you try this at home, I quickly learned it’s a good idea to TIE the sock, too, so the bottle doesn’t go flying through the air and hit bystanders. Oh, yes, – and it’s also a good idea to use an EMPTY plastic water bottle, too.

Day 30, March 13, 2022

Below is a shot I took of Gracie halfway in her doggie bed. I honestly don’t know how she can feel comfortable! Note there are a few pee pads shreds in her bed.

Gracie continues her terrible habit of chewing up her pee pads into shreds. She will usually grab the pee pad when I’m not looking then shred it to pieces. As a result, I frequently have to remove the pee pad from the floor. But subsequently (again when I’m not looking, of course), she pees directly on the floor.

So, today I consulted my trusty friend Google to research why this happens and what to do. I was happy to find an article, “Why does my dog eat pee pads?” by Dan, that might offer some insight. The column began, “Tearing up a pee pad certainly gets your attention, but it’s negative attention. To your dog, just like a child, no attention is often better than no attention at all.”

Huh? This statement seemed rather questionable. Probably wasn’t exactly what Dan intended to say. Realizing the double-negative was likely a typo (which as you know, typos occur so RARELY in website articles), I decided to read on.

Dan then suggested. “The simplest method is to use duct tape to attach the pee pad to the floor.” AH HA! NOW, maybe we’re on to something! Why didn’t I think of that? Duct tape is the universal solution to a multitude of fix-it problems! So, I’m going to close for now to go duct tape a doggie pee pad to my kitchen floor. I have high hopes Dan has given me the answer! I will fill you in on the outcome tomorrow!

Day 31, March 14, 2022

Here are the results of the duct-tape-pee-pad experiment. I think the picture sequence below pretty much tells the story. As you can see, it failed miserably.

5:45pm, Monday March 14, 2022:

5:50pm, Monday March 14, 2022:

In this last photo, Gracie managed to duct tape herself to the pee pad.

Day 33 (Wed.), March 16, 2022

I appreciate the various suggestions on what I might try next to housebreak Gracie using pee pads, such as:

“Give Gracie a roll of duct tape to play with.” (I assume the idea is to redirect her attention away from the duct tape holding down the pee pad.)

“Just duct tape Gracie’s mouth closed.” (Has some obvious disadvantages.)

“Don’t use pee pads.” (Hmmm…)

However sound this (mis)guidance may be, I am 1) abandoning the duct tape and 2) simply not ready to give up using pee pads because I have made a LIFETIME INVESTMENT into having a massive stockpile of them. So, I am attempting a different approach for now.

Sometimes Gracie sort of gives me hints she has to “go” such as:

She walks around in circles sniffing the ground.

She squats into a urinating position. (This is a BIG hint.)

She gets a certain “look” on her face that says, “I’m about to urinate on your floor.” (I can’t explain it, but it is there sometimes. But I haven’t yet learned to distinguish it from the look that says “I’m really cute and I’m kidding you because I’m NOT about to urinate on your floor.”

So, when one or more these “hints” occurs, I quickly run across the kitchen, grab a pee pad and place it under her. If she has to “go”, she’ll use the pee pad. If she doesn’t have to “go” she’ll chew up the pee pad.

This approach still has a few kinks in it to work through (e.g., requiring my attention 12 hours a day, still losing 50% of pee pads to shredding, my understanding nuances of dog facial expressions, always having a pee pad within arm’s reach, moving at the speed of light).

Not sure why I didn’t find this advice on Google.

JUST as I finished writing that last sentence, I looked up and saw Gracie peeing on my kitchen floor.

Day 34, March 17, 2022

While I wrestle with housebreaking Gracie, she’s now learned how to get over the kitchen gate. The fun just doesn’t stop!

Day 37 (Sunday, March 20)

I’ve had a very enjoyable weekend with friends. Tomorrow I’ll send highlights and more pictures.

Wilson Farm Park near me in Chesterbrook has a ballfield enclosed with fencing. As per Tina’s suggestion, Gracie and I went there today so I could take her off of her leash and have her expend some of that excess energy chasing sticks and exploring the field. It was fun for me, too, except for finding Gracie with an occasional mouthful of deer droppings. I suppose for Gracie, though, that made it pretty much perfect.

Day 38 (Monday, March 21)

Jules came for a brief stay over this past weekend. It was a great visit!! Tina and Michael joined us on Friday and on Saturday. So, Gracie was SMOTHERED with attention, was TOTALLY spoiled and she, of course LOVED IT! Below are pictures and highlights…

Jules arrived at my place on Friday about mid-afternoon with Sam and Pat. Jules, Sam, Pat, as well as Tina and Michael were here for dinner. We had a DELIGHTFUL time! I didn’t realize what a dog lover Pat is! She got down on the kitchen floor and tumbled with Gracie, Sam and Pat also brought Gracie a giant rawhide chew stick which Gracie enjoys chewing for – literally – hours. It is now counted among her most favorite toys (along with the bottle in a sock, chew rings from Jules, Mr. Hippo, Mr. Moose, the broom and dustpan, empty toilet paper rolls, empty Amazon boxes, empty water bottles, sticks, and pee pads). The picture below shows Gracie in an Amazon box and she’s chewing the giant chew stick given to her by Sam and Pat. (The Amazon box didn’t make it through the weekend because Gracie completely destroyed it. The chew stick is still intact!)

The weather turned out to be beautiful – sunny and warm all weekend. The picture below (clockwise from left – me, Tina, Michael, Jules holding camera, Gracie in center) was taken in Wilson Farm Park. It is nearly impossible to get a good group shot because Gracie wiggles around so much and absolutely CANNOT hold still for even a nanosecond. This was probably somewhere around “take” 12?

The park includes a volleyball court with a sandy surface. Gracie LOVES to dig in the sand! In this photo, she’s sitting in a hole she dug and maybe you can see the sand on her face.

Over the weekend, Tina took (approximately) a quadrillion photos and videos and introduced me to video editing. This provided great fun for us! I haven’t mastered getting these videos to transfer properly between devices, so I can’t yet include them here. (I’ll send them after I figure it out.) When we “loop” the video from the photo below, Gracie is squirming around at lighting speed and appears almost as a blur like in the Tasmanian devil cartoon. All of us spent a good chunk of Saturday evening “looping” videos and laughing HYSTERICALLY at the ones with Gracie. Some of us were laughing so hard we cried. You’d never believe we are all adults.

A couple of other highlights….

Jules says I don’t say “no” forcefully enough to Gracie so I’m working on this.

I HAVE A NEW DULUXE GATE FOR GRACIE! More about that in another update.

While I had my guests over the weekend, Gracie got worms. (Uninvited guests. Not exactly a “highlight.”) More

Day 39 (Tuesday, March 22)

Except for hanging pictures, plunging the toilet, and changing the filters in my hearing aids, I have virtually NO natural “handy” ability around the house. * So, I engaged my three friends, Jules, Tina, and Michael, to help me set up the so called EASY-TO-INSTALL baby gate in my kitchen doorway. Easy-to-install? Ha! (In my defense, it seems to me when a product claims to be “easy-to-install” the directions make AN EXORBITANT NUMBER of crucial assumptions such as: already having all the required tools needed for assembly, your measurements WERE ABSOLUTELY EXACT prior to purchasing the product, you actually MADE measurements prior to purchasing, you can read 2 point type, the author speaks some English, and you don’t have a puppy biting your hair when you are laying on the floor trying to tighten a screw.)

After several hours and a few setbacks, we had success! Of course, UNTIL Gracie managed to squeeze her head between the wall and the first spindle rod. Then we had to improvise to further prevent dog head injuries. (They neglected to include instructions in the directions for this safety hazard.) We ended up jury-rigging a solution by cable-tying to the gate an unused portion of the gate and a piece of a picture frame. (Finally, my picture hanging experience actually came in handy.) By the way, we had the duct tape within easy reach, too, just in case.

I so appreciate the aid of my friends to help me get this all erected!

* My lack of talent here is in VERY sharp contrast to the superb fix-it abilities of my two brothers. Regrettably, I missed that gene.

Day 40 (Wednesday, March 23)

Potty training is getting better though still a work in progress. I have not used pee pads for Gracie for several days now, and we’ve had no accidents (crossing my fingers as I write this). I do try to take Gracie out at least 10 times a day. This is exhausting, but it seems to be effective. Assuming this routine continues, I still have the problem with my massive stockpile of pee pads. Looking at the bright side, it might not be a wasted investment – maybe I’ll be able to use them for myself one day.

I am trying to train Gracie in the “Hanging Bell Potty Training Method.” This is a method whereby, according to WikiHow, “You can save time, energy, and stress by teaching your dog to use a bell when it needs to go outside to use the bathroom.” Sounds great! And I understand many dog parents are having great success with it and going on to enjoy their happy lives in harmonious contentment with their canine.

So, I bought two sets of bells recently. I hung one set by the kitchen gate and the other set on the inside of the front door. Each time we’ve been getting ready to go outside for Gracie to “go,” I’ve been ringing the bells. In theory, this SHOULD teach your dog to associate the bells with going “potty.” Then, subsequently IN THEORY, the dog learns to ring the bells when it needs to “go.” I am finding, however, in Gracie-land, she rings the bells every time she wants to go out – WHETHER SHE HAS TO “GO” OR NOT. Gracie has learned to “fake it” just so she can get outside. THEREFORE, it is ME who is responding like Pavlov’s dogs to those @*)# bells and the dog IS TRAINING ME to jump to her every whim.

So far, the “Hanging Bell Potty Training Method.” appears to save time, energy, and stress FOR GRACIE and has had the opposite effect on me.

Day 41 (Thursday, March 24)

I forgot to mention yesterday, March 23, was National Puppy Day! It’s a day to bring awareness to puppies, celebrate them, and – clearly – for all pet retail stores across the country to cash in on huge sales of puppy paraphernalia. EVERY day since February 12 I have been acutely aware I now own a puppy, Though I didn’t shell over more money to Jeff Bezos (I’m sure I’ve already single-handedly increased Amazon’s stock price). I did take Gracie to the park and spent lots of time throwing tennis balls for her to chase. I gave her plenty of extra hugs, too.

Well, we had a housebreaking accident today. But I blame myself. While Gracie was gated in the kitchen this afternoon, I left for 3 hours to go to my painting class. I didn’t leave a pee pad on the floor – it would have been fruitless, anyway, since Gracie now considers pee pads to be toys for shredding. Sometime during the period of time I was away today, she peed on the floor. In her defense, she might’ve spent all 3 hours ringing the hanging bells, but of course that would have been futile, too.

Day 42 (Friday, March 25)

This is a slight sidetrack, but I just have to vent some steam.

I had an appointment this afternoon with my foot doctor at the Foot and Ankle Institute, scheduled several weeks ago. Because the appointment was in the city, I planned my day around it, including Gracie’s activities. At noon, I took the train to Philadelphia for my 1:30 pm appointment. When I arrived, the receptionist told me my doctor WASN’T THERE TODAY. I said I hadn’t been notified (even though they had my cell number). The receptionist apologized and said I SHOULD have been contacted. (You think??) I asked her if I could see another doctor and she said my doctor, WHO WASN’T THERE, was the ONLY doctor who could treat my condition. My condition? A plantar wart! Now the Foot and Ankle Institute is, reportedly, a HIGHLY professional institution crawling with physicians and interns who SPECIALIZE SPECIFICALLY IN PODIATRY! That’s all-JUST foot stuff, right???? I guess I was in complete shock and probably as brainless as the receptionist was, since I simply settled for making another appointment in two weeks and walking away, rather than putting up a fuss.

I might chalk all of this up to a one-time coordination snafu, but it is the SECOND TIME THIS WEEK I went to a previously scheduled doctor appointment and the doctor WASN’T THERE and the appointment was cancelled. That time my appointment was with an oral surgeon to check a spot in my mouth. Again, I said I hadn’t been notified (even though they had my cell number). And, again, the receptionist apologized and said I SHOULD have been contacted. (You think??)

Honestly, I’m kind of miffed. Is this a new norm?? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! But I’ll stop this narrative before I stick my warted foot into my mouth with the spot. And this is all probably too much information anyway.

At least I came home after 3 and half hours to a wagging tail and NO ACCIDENTS! I think the day is still salvageable!

Day 43, March 26, 2022

We’re having a low-key weekend. The weather is more winter-like, with cold temps. It hailed yesterday while Gracie and I were in the park. Today we’re seeing snow flurries. So, most activity today is inside – with Gracie chasing tennis balls up and down the stairs and, in the kitchen.

You never know where a tennis ball is going to land….

Day 44, March 27, 2022

It’s been another bone-chillingly cold day here again with a weather report predicting “LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS AND SQUALLS THROUGH THIS EVENING…” Temperatures today never made it above freezing. Factoring in the wind chill, it feels like in the teens. I thought we are supposed to be in spring!!

So, Gracie and I are continuing with primarily indoor activities such as chasing tennis balls on the stairs. Gracie has learned to stand at the top of the steps and knock the ball down the steps, go down to get it, and bring it back up. It’s a nice little self-contained cycle that keeps her busy for at least a few minutes.

However, I did find this activity has to be carefully supervised. When I turned my head, Gracie slipped into my bedroom and peed on the carpet. THEN, she ran down the stairs and RANG THE BELLS. Bathroom – bell ring association made! Just the order of things was messed up.

Obviously, she doesn’t quite have the hang of the hanging bells yet.

Day 45, March 28, 2022

Because I promised to enlighten you in a future update about Gracie getting worms, here it is. (If you have a weak stomach, you might want to skip this entry.)

I’ll make it short. Gracie had worms. It was gross. I called the vet. To prescribe the right medication, they wanted careful detail on EXACTLY what the worms looked like. Suffice it to say, I probably won’t be eating angel hair pasta anytime soon.

The medication worked. No more worms.

‘Nuff said.

Day 46, March 29, 2022

Gracie and I had a very fun afternoon yesterday. Tina and Michael came over and we all celebrated Tina’s birthday. Of course, Gracie was beside herself with excitement to see Michael and Tina. She received lots and lots of attention.

A birthday shot of Tina…

Gracie smothering Tina with kisses…

Tina captured Gracie in a series of video clips. I’ve attempted to attach several of them (listed below). Hope you are able to view!

SLO-MO.MOV: Gracie was thrilled to demonstrate her ball chasing on the steps to Michael and Tina. In this clip, see Gracie’s performance in slow motion.

WONDER DOG.MOV: THE AMAZING GRAVITY-DEFYING GRACIE!!

Pawing Partners.mov: Michael mirroring Gracie’s frantic pawing at the gate.

Of course, these clips promoted we humans into endless moments of hysterical laughter!!

Day 47, March 30, 2022

Yesterday I received a box from Jules with several gifts for Gracie (Nylabone Chew Sticks and Greenies Dental Treats) and a GREAT combination present for me: a small dispenser to clip to a leash for holding doggie bags, along with an accompanying backload supply of doggie doo-doo bags. And the dispenser is also A FLASHLIGHT for making it a breeze to locate piles of poop during nighttime potty excursions! This present will no doubt become an INDISPENSABLE item (or dispensable, depending on how you look at it) in my ever-growing collection of dog paraphernalia.

It occurs to me that the kind of gifts I now tend to get really excited about is a little pitiful.

This morning in Wilson Farm Park, Gracie and I met a couple who have two dogs. One of the dogs, Finn, is an 8-month-old springer spaniel – a beautiful dog. The other dog, Hudson, is a 2-year-old poodle mix (a fellow noodle!). The couple and I walked all the dogs to an enclosed basketball court. Once inside we took the dogs off their leashes. The dogs had a GRAND time! Gracie was thrilled and especially enjoyed racing with Finn all over the court. The couple and I enjoyed watching the dogs and, as they played, we conversed, sharing each of our dog’s behaviors, training, personality, and idiosyncrasies. We let the dogs run for a while until they all were tuckered out; then we went our separate ways. Once again, after spending nearly an hour with them, I realize I have no idea the name of either one of the couple or where they live, nor do I know ONE THING about either of them (except they have dogs). And they never asked anything about me. But I can pretty much tell you anything you want to know about Finn or Hudson! More and more, this really does seem to me to be normal behavior for “dog people.”

Day 48, March 31, 2022

I was sitting in the kitchen with Gracie this morning when she nudged my hand and gave me that “I have to go” look. Since we had just been outside about 15 minutes earlier for a bathroom break, I was suspicious that she might be giving me a false alarm. But when I asked her, “Outside?” she jumped with (what looked to me like) a happy face. These indications sure seemed to me to be doggie potty signals so, despite my suspicions, I put on her leash and took her out the door. And there standing on the sidewalk in front of my house, were my neighbor, Vickie, and her shih tzu, Bowie! I think Gracie somehow “sensed” they were there, even though I was oblivious. Gracie clearly didn’t need a bathroom break at the time. Instead, she wanted to play with Bowie!

I talked about this phenomenon with Vickie, and she nodded her head in understanding. She said Bowie had suddenly stopped their walk this morning in front of my house and insisted on waiting there until we came out a few minutes later. Vickie also told me about some other instances when Bowie seemed to have that heightened awareness – presumably from a canine’s far greater powers of the senses, particularly hearing and smell.

Remarkable!