Monthly Archives: December 2008

The household is settling quite a bit, and Miss Pflouff is gaining more freedom. I set up an x-pen at the base of the basement stairs to keep her downstairs, but more and more I’m leaving that open now. We have a dog door, and she is using it reliably to go outside, both to potty and to play. She’s sleeping through the night most nights now. If she needs to go out, she’ll whine and sit up. Otherwise, she’ll toddle into her crate, crash immediately, and emerge sometime around 7:15.

Aslan is adjusting well, though part of that is careful observation on my part. If I give them new bones or new toys, I separate the dogs, and I’m careful to remove the bones/toys prior to feeding or sending Pflouff out to potty. I’m also careful with space, because that can be one of Aslan’s triggers. I’ve found that he’s better in the morning, but by evening, he’s starting to get tired of her. (You’d think he was a crotchety old dog!) I give him a break then and close her in the basement with me.

The three dogs have been playing together really well. Pax, as much as I love him, lets puppies treat him like a chew toy. He’s way too permissive, so I have to intervene and redirect. Pflouff is far more respectful of Aslan. He’s AWESOME with her when they play, but when enough is enough, he draws a strict line — and she doesn’t push it. Good!

All three dogs are sleeping the whole night in the bedroom. Pflouff sleeps in a giant crate next to my bed. Pax and Aslan sleep on the bed. (Both can come and go as they wish, though in reality, it’s only Aslan who does so.) Aslan has been completely fine with my moving Pflouff in and out of the room during potty breaks.

Pflouff’s crate is WAY too big, and it’s really in the way. I’d like to get rid of it, but that poses a different problem. There is NO WAY we can let a third dog of that size on the bed. So we have to phase the crate out in a way that she chooses to sleep in the bedroom without getting on the bed. And, we have to do all this without Aslan getting protective. Eventual goal is for her to be able to sleep anywhere she wants (except on the bed), just like Pax and Aslan do.

Other update… The reason you haven’t seen more pictures of her is that she broke my camera. I ordered a new one today though, so eventually there will be more Pflouff pictures.