5 Months 3 Weeks

It's been a while since Bosco's blog has been updated. He's grown so much and is around 40 pounds now. Since the last time I updated the blog, Bosco has learned to roll-over and is currently working on ringing a jingle bell every time he wants to go out for potty. Unfortunately the jingle bell isn't the loudest bell in the world and doesn't quite fit the bill in a three-storey house, so we're going to have to find something a little more audible.

Since the last update, Bosco's taken a trip over to the Winter Woofstock at the Exhibition Place. It was a great time for him, meeting so many other dogs including other Boxers from the Boxer Rescue Club of Ontario.

He's also experienced some a little bit of snowfall in the past couple of weeks. I do hope he gets used to it and stops trying to eat the snow though. I'm worried it's too cold for his little innards to handle.

The little guy is also pretty obedient since his baby days. He'll sit quietly and stare at you if he wants something, and I've just found that I can get him to stop doing whatever it is he shouldn't be doing simply by shouting "Hey!" and giving him my personal death glare. It's so cute to see him look up at you and start licking whatever it was he was biting as if to say "I was just licking it, see?"

I can't wait to see what he'll be like in a few more months. He still has that baby look in his eyes.

4 Wonths 1 Week

Bosco is getting better and better with his walks. I don't know if it's the fact that he's getting used to the idea of walking by my side or if it's his new harness that we're using (as per doctor's orders re: his Kennel Cough). It could even be that there are fewer tempting leaves on the ground than there were last month.

He's also managed to learn that sitting by the front door means am opportunity to go potty in a reasonable amount of time. We are planning to get a bell attached to the door so that he can audibly notify us of his required excretion times.

He seems to have finally gotten over the Kennel Cough and should be ready for off-leash park action very soon! I also heard through the grapevine that Fido is holding a casting call for Boxers for their next commercial. We're planning on getting in on that action since he's so adorable, although that could just be my parental bias speaking.

Bosco also had his first shower in about a month. His first time showing in a bathtub as he'll no longer fit in the laundry room basin. It was a bit of a struggle as he was a little scared, but we managed yo get through it unscathed. Hopefully he'll get used to it. Sooner or later he'll be 80 lbs and dirtier than a cheap prostitute, and he'll just overpower us all...

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4 months 2 days

Woke up this morning to hear reports of Bosco coughing and vomiting since 7 am. Heard him cough and it was painful to hear. I decided to take him for a walk and he spit up some white foam about 4 times. At first I thought it was vomit, but I realized the way he was spitting it up supplementary to threw cough was different from the usual ate-something-bad head-pump vomit. $60 later the vet advised me that Bosco was suffering from the infamous Kennel Cough. Apparently it virus lies dormant in the unsuspecting puppy about 2 weeks prior to the symptoms and is highly contagious to other dogs. So poor Bosco baby has to avoid all canine contact until his cough clears up.

Apart from that Bosco's been the same little guy. I'm starting to gain confidence in the girlfriend's and my respective training prowesses as we keep hearing about how well behaved he is from other people. We also managed to get him to learn to speak on command in about 15 minutes. I'm so proud of him because the speak command was one of those personal goals for me as it would be the only intimidating thing about his little baby face.

He's 30 pounds now and as sad as I am to see him grow out of his baby body, I'm excited to see him as a big healthy adult with the mind of a child.

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15 Weeks 4 Days

Bosco is barking at the top of his lungs in his crate as we speak. We decided to go Blitzkrieg on his bedtime separation anxiety and just let him bark himself to sleep tonight. As with any responsible owner I can't help but feel a little guilty for doing it, but it's for the greater good. It seems like some days he's great at sleeping alone and most days he can't stand it. We're so lucky to have such understanding and tolerant neighbors.

Apart from that he's doing well in his training endeavors, learning how to play dead and shake hands.

Fall time apparently is not a great season for him as he constantly chases after errant leaves on his walks. He has come leaps and bounds in his walking behavior though, consistently moving our changing directions when physically prompted.

He's about 25 lbs. now too, just over double what he was at 7 weeks. His final booster shot is coming this Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to getting some obedience classes in as well as some off-leash parking.

Looks like Bosco finally gave up on the barking for the time being as I'm typing this. Crossing my fingers and toes...

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13 Weeks

Bosco grows a little more everyday. Especially if I've been at work and miss him for 10 hours at a time.

He's definitely making progress in his behavior. Playful hand biting has gone down exponentially in the last few weeks and he's inflicting less choking on himself during walks (which thankfully rules out any auto-asphyxia erotica theories that were abound).

We've since acquired a couple of ball related toys as I delightfully discovered his affinity for soccer balls too big for him to bite. He's also starting to grasp the rules of the house although he's effortlessly gliding up and down stairs now, which adds a whole other dimension concern as we're trying to curb any potential for hip dysplasia later on in his years.

His quick pre-meal training sessions are also proving fruitful as he's now learned to sit, lie down, sit back up, and shake paws. It seems as if he only does these things consistently if he knows he'll get food for it, but my heart is put at ease just knowing that he's capable of learning these things and that the girlfriend and I are capable of teaching these things.

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12 Weeks 1 Day

So Bosco has officially been in our home for one month.

Last night he slept in his crate alone for the first time and apparently he didn't make a peep. Right now however the little guy is barking his head off. I don't know what the difference between last night and tonight is. I just hope it's growing pains.

We've switched back to the collar for his walks after much debate. The girlfriend feels we can control him better and he'll learn to follow our lead quicker, but I'm concerned that he'll cause irreparable damage to his trachea because he becomes so driven when he sees somewhere he wants to go. It's funny because it may seem like I'm the softie, but when he acts out, I'm more ruthless and punitive whereas the girlfriend is secretly petting him as I hold his head and scold him.

He's come a long way from when he was a small pup. He's about 20 lbs and can walk up and down stairs now. He's also becoming more brazen in his antics at night. I'll call them "night terrors" since he terrorizes the family at night. Little baby Osama. Puppy Jihad.

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Needless Worry for the Needle

[gf's log] Today is an eventful day for Bosco, he is 11 weeks old and received his second vaccination. I was quite nervous for Bosco the whole morning, not sure if he fed off this energy because he was particularly more nippy than usual for a morning. I tried to tire him out with a walk and playing "catch" (I say this half-heartedly because he's still more keen on keeping his slipper to himself rather than bringing it back after I throw it) so he wouldn't nippy and hyper at the vet.

Upon arrival at the vet's, he was quite happy to get out of the car and sniff the post-rain ground to the vet's door. Being his usual Bosco self he wagged his little bum at everyone and every dog in the office, almost lunging over the counter to greet the people behind the reception area. He hasn't quite picked up that not everyone or every dog wants to necessarily play or be near him when he sees them.

Case in point: Treinte, a 14-month old recently neutered dalmatian was quite annoyed with Bosco's eagerness to sniff around his absent balls. His owner, a very nice older gentleman tells me he's been ball-less for about a week and is not dealing well, he's been scratching the area around his stitches to the point of bleeding and biting just about everything and everyone. "Poor thing" I think as I pet the top part of his head--the only part of his head not covered by a muzzle or the cone :( ... I wonder if Bosco will have the same issues later if and when we neuter him? As I think this I look over at Bosco who is trying to worm his way out of my bf's mom's arms so he can a piece of action with Treinte.

We get called in and Bosco is put on the stainless steel table, licking away at it, not knowing the terror that is about to take place. He plays around with the vet and her assistant and almost falls the table before she buckles him down for a quick physical check up. He looks healthy and happy she says and begins feeding him tons of treats, Bosco's tail wags away, she pulls out the needle from behind, tail still wagging...licking, eating, sniffing...and in it went at the back of his neck. His tail stops wagging for two steamboats and begins again once it's all over.

*Sigh of relief* Thanks goodness he takes after the bf and is easily distracted by food. Vet trauma averted, he leaves still quite happy and ready to play some more with the other vet assistants and dogs waiting in the clinic.