Two Week At Home Has Been Fabulous!

Archer and Ziggy: Our human, Jules, had this grand idea that he’d type out our story on a regular basis. We think he’s crazy to be foolish enough to think we’d give him time to do so. Maybe one day we won’t keep Jules so busy.

We’ve both grown so much in the last two weeks. We’ve each gained close to three pounds. Jules and Andrew wish they had measured our height when we got home because we’ve also gotten quite a bit taller but they have no idea how much taller. All they know is that we can no longer both fall asleep on one lap.

And we can no longer crawl through areas in which we once could slide through like a hot knife through butter.

Plus, when we both have to go to the washroom, it is really difficult for one person to carry both of us up and down nine steps.

It’s really good exercise for Jules and Andrew, but it’s becoming unsafe.

In about another week, we should be tall enough to be able to do stairs on our own. Slowly, Jules and Andrew are teaching us how to do stairs. It’s a little scary.

Ziggy: Scary doesn’t even begin to describe it. I’m braver than Archer when it comes to jumping from heights. I fly off of furniture without even thinking.

Archer: Ziggy is crazy. He thinks he is Superman, or something.

Ziggy: Archer! I was talking. Be quiet!

As I was saying, I’m braver than Archer in this area. I always see Kayla going up and down the stairs. One day, I got it into my head that I was big enough to go down the stairs like a big boy. So Jules put me in my walking harness and leash and let me try. I did the top step no problem. When I tried another step, I tumbled two steps. I wasn’t hurt. But, I became glued to the third step and it took all of Jules’ strength to reassure me that he wouldn’t have me walk any more steps and all he wanted to do was pick me up and take me to safety.

Archer: I’m brave walking up the stairs. I can now do three steps before I get too scared and need to be carried the rest of the way. Heights. I don’t like them.

Where Ziggy is braver when it comes to flying off of object, I’m braver when it comes to playing with our big sister, Kayla. It took just over a week for me to convince her that she wasn’t going to hurt me when we play rough. Now, we spend hours a day barking at each other and chasing each other around the living room.

Ziggy: At first, I would hid under the coffee table or couch when they played. They just got too noisy and scary. But now, I know Kayla won’t hurt me and I try to get her to chase me, too. I just need to stop submitting as soon as she turns her attention to me. That doesn’t make for good chasing.

Archer and Ziggy: Speaking of Kayla, she is finally getting more comfortable letting us sleep with her. We are learning that we can’t chew on her while we fall asleep.

Archer: She is more willing to let me sleep with her than she is willing to let Ziggy sleep with her.

Ziggy: Which is so unfair! Especially since it is Archer who chews on her the most!

Archer: Ziggy, you want to know what is unfair? That time Kayla finally allowed me to sleep with my chin on her behind and you came along and ruined it! I was finally gaining her trust and you just couldn’t leave us alone.

Archer and Ziggy: We love going for walks around the house. It’s such great fun and a lot of work! After going around the house a few times, running up and down hills, we crash for a good three to four-hour nap.

At first, when Jules would bring out our harness and leash, we thought it was just another thing to chew on. We would fight him when he would try to wrap these things around us. But now, we have learned that when they come out, it means fun is about to be had.

Archer: I still chew on the leashes because I chew on everything. But, I now let Jules put on my harness without any fuss. I really want to chase Kayla and Ziggy around the property.

Speaking of chewing, I’m teething really bad. I don’t know why teething isn’t bothering Ziggy. But it really bother me, causing me to cry when I’m trying to fall asleep. I need something to chew on while I fall asleep. Jules and Andrew try to give me one of my great teething toys. Sometimes, I prefer to gnaw on their hands. I get too rough and have sliced Jules’ hand. I really need to learn how to suppress my bite when gnawing on humans and Ziggy. I don’t like it when they remove things from me and redirect when I take it too far. It hurts my feelings. I don’t mean to hurt anyone, honest. I just get really carried away.

Ziggy: Tell me about it! But, I’m a drama king. I’ll cry like Archer is hurting me, even when Archer’s mouth isn’t anywhere near me. This has lead Jules and Andrew to sometimes ignore when Archer is getting too carried away because they are never sure if it’s my fake ARCHER IS HURTING ME cry, or if he is really hurting me.

I should probably stop crying wolf.

Archer and Ziggy: House training is going very well. Most of the time, we are good about giving clear signals that we need to go out.

Archer: I started to whine at doors within 24 hours of being home.

Ziggy: I haven’t figured out the whining at a door thing yet. Jules and Andrew have to watch my body language.

Archer and Ziggy: We still don’t have complete control over our bladders. Sometimes, we can wait 30 minutes after a nap before going out. Other times, we have to go so bad, we just spill out bladder.

We’ll stop as soon as our names are called and finish outside. Then, we get some freeze-dried liver, which we love. So, we have good incentive to go outside.

We have also learned to do the following on command: sit, lay down, off, and high five. It is taking us no time to learn new commands because we will do anything for treats. It doesn’t even have to be something special like liver; we will do anything for even a piece of kibble.

Though, a cable cord had to be sacrificed in the process of learning “off.”

And, really important, we are getting closer to sleeping through the night. We are up to six hours of sleep during the night before our bladders wake us up. Soon, Jules and Andrew will be able to go to sleep together again, instead of taking care of us in shifts.

Speaking of sleep, we love sleeping together. We were sleeping together in our medium kennel but we’ve gotten so big, we can no longer sleep comfortably together in it. So, we are sleeping in Kayla’s big kennel until Jules and Andrew buy another medium kennel. Because we sleep better together, we will probably still sleep together in the big kennel, but the two medium kennels will be used for meal times and other times when we both need to be in a kennel but separately.

Or Andrew and Jules will buy another big kennel so Kayla can have her own kennel again, which will still allow for separate spaces when needed. They are going to spend the next two weeks thinking about the best solution for our rapidly growing bodies and changing needs.

Aside form sleeping together, another thing we love to do is wake up the other from naps. We chew and chew and chew on each other’s face.

We are also excellent diggers! Soon, Jules and Andrew will have to move our outdoor 100 square foot pen because we are digging our way to freedom at the corners.

Archer: There is also something living in the couch. One day, I will get it!

Lots more has happened. But, I think you get a good idea of how our first two weeks at home have gone. There are a lot of new photos of us sleeping together, and individually as Archer and Ziggy. We move way too much to be able to get good pictures while we are awake. That is why there is also a lot of video.

Hopefully, soon, Andrew will create the next YouTube video compilation of our first two weeks at home.