A Word of Advice

If you know for a fact that you do not want a puppy, don't interact with puppies because you just might convince yourself that you can handle a puppy when what you really want is an adult dog. I love Howie to pieces and we've made great strides* this weekend on house training and crate training, but I am really looking forward to him growing up. And also I need a nap.

*House training: He had one small accident in the house this afternoon, but then one time I took him out and he refused to come in when I called him because he still needed to go. He went and came right with me when he was done.
*Crate training: He'll go into his crate when I say, "Howie. Crate." and point inside. Some of the time. But he still doesn't like to have the door closed and will cry and tear up the newspaper inside if it's closed, even if I'm right there in the room. It turns out, though, that the gate-type rig we'd made up of kitchen chairs to keep him in the bathroom at night isn't going to work because he can get out so Husbandguy is on a mission today to find a sturdy, inexpensive, non-house-damaging gate that Howie can't get over. He did okay in the bathroom last night. He cried some when we put him in and then he moved the chairs and got out almost right away, but HG put him back in and, after crying for a few more minutes, he settled down and we didn't hear him again until about 6:30 this morning.
*He still doesn't like walking on a leash. We're trying a collar instead of a harness.

He's a good dog. I still say he's smart. And stubborn, like my other kids. I am looking forward to getting past this initial stuff and to him being old enough (vaccinated enough) for puppy kindergarten so I can figure out what I'm doing! I wonder what our lives will be like, the puppy's and mine, when the girls go back to school. Easier, more restful, I hope.