TO MY FOREVER FAMILY... WHERE ARE YOU?

These are all the things you should know about me, TRISTAN, on November 29:

• 
  I sleep through the night in a playpen beside my foster-humans' bed. If they stay up too late, I climb the stairs by myself and wait for them to come up and put me to bed.
• 
  During the day I will nap by myself in my special place beside the couch.
• 
  I ""Go Pee!" and "Go Poop!" on command.
• 
  I walk on a leash unless I don't feel like it.
• 
  I like to lick the cat's face. I am starting to think the cat is a dog.
• 
  I sit for treats as long as my bum will stay on the floor when I'm excited. Check out my video with dog-trainer Megan!
• 
  Today, I started learning the "Leave it!" command.
• 
  I am learning to have short naps in that scary crate - today I was brave enough to go in and lay down all by myself!
  

Below are all kinds of pictures of me, so you can see how smart I am and how much fun I am to have around. I am trying hard to be good and to learn all kinds of new things, because I know I'm getting ready for my forever family!

I hope my forever family comes soon. I can tell that my foster-humans are starting to love me, and the longer I stay, the sadder they will be when it's time for me to leave!

Tristan

AWWWWWW...

Tristan is learning to sleep in the crate. He actually went in by himself today. One baby step at a time!

He is also learning the command "leave it!"

I don't think he's going to be very tall - squat and solid, that's my guess.

AN APPETITE FOR LITERATURE

Here is Tristan under the coffee table... fast asleep among the books. He loves to chew on books!

"So many words!" he says. "I just can't get enough of them!"

EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

When they're sleeping next to each other, you can see how small Tristan is. And notice Ginny's tongue hanging out! Those play sessions are just exhausting for an old lady of two years!

DINING WITH JACK

This is Jack's first meal with Tristan. We tried having Jack eat his supper in a different place, but he wouldn't eat! He just kept coming back to where his food dish is supposed to be, so we gave in. Obviously, Tristan doesn't mind!

TRISTAN SITS!

DOGGIE WARS

Tristan is learning how to hold his own with foster-mama Ginny. Tonight they raced around the dining room table for quite some time - and Tristan had the advantage because he can fit under all the chairs!

Believe it or not, Tristan is learning to sit and lay down! He should have it completely figured out within the next two days - he is a very smart puppy! I think it's all the vitamins he's getting - paper vitamins, shoe vitamins, plant vitamins, chair vitamins and wicker basket vitamins.

POOPIE NEWS!

Good news for Tristan's adoptive family when they come along. I don't think Tristan knows he isn't supposed to pee or poo in the house, but he does know that when he's outside, it's time to go!

Twice today, he actually went to the door - not in a definitive way, but kind of a tentative "hmmm... I wonder if I'm supposed to go outside for something..." and both times, he performed like a champion as soon as he hit the grass.

Don't worry, I won't take pictures of that!

TA DAAAA!

There's a solution for every problem! Tristan can't come into contact with other doggies (or other doggies' doo) because his immunizations aren't complete. There are hardly any places in the world where other dogs haven't been, so here is Tristan in his "This-is-weird-but-at-least-I-get-to-leave-the-house!" pack.

I can't tell if he likes it or not. When I took him to the school to pick up Megan, he kept his "stuffed toy" look on the whole way.

You can tell Iggy (lower right) thinks it's the stupidest thing ever invented!

"ARE YOU MADE OF FABRIC?"

Jack the cat says hello. But he isn't very interested in Tristan, because he much prefers silk to fur.

IT'S HARD TO GO POO WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING...

Ginny is teaching Tristan the fine art of being bowled over.

TRISTAN AT WORK

This is where Tristan is happiest. Hard at work chewing the little wooden zipper tag on my coat while I compute. I think he's building a coffee table.

NIGHT #2 - AND NOT A PEEP!

Tristan has figured out, in no uncertain terms, where he's going to sleep. He snuggled in by our feet while we watched 24, and stayed there all evening. At 11:30, we put him in the crate - using the "organic door" method. Every time he tried to get out, he encountered an open palm that he just couldn't push past. When he laid down, the same hand stroked him. He fell asleep in about 20 minutes. Yaay! We just left him with the door open.

I came to check on him five minutes later... and he was fast asleep by the couch. So that's where he stayed, only waking up at 5 to go pee, and even then back to sleep until 6. What a good boy! We'll just have to take the crate training a bit slower, because he really doesn't like to be penned in. Right now, he's beside me (and I mean right beside me, so he can see me!) in a playpen, and he thinks that's unacceptable. But he is starting to settle now and I think he'll have a nap soon. In this picture, he says, "Let me out right now, or the sheep gets it!"

As for playing, Tristan is really coming out of his shell. He and Ginny have been trying to figure out how to get a game of doggy-tag underway, in spite of their great difference in size. More pictures later - for now, I have to see if I can work while puppy sleeps (yes! He's just zonked out in the playpen!) I would take a picture, but I don't want to wake him up with the flash.

SHEEP DOG

Yes, I can chew the leg off this sheep, but only if I don't have to get up!

LAZY L'IL PUPPY

Just like a human who ate too much and can only lie around clicking remote buttons... after he eats, Tristan is happiest on his back!

ZZZZZZ....

A relaxed and happy Tristan.

PUPPY HEAVEN

Here is Tristan falling asleep to a three-kid massage - "This is more like it!" is what he must be thinking after his first night in a crate.

Book of Puppy Training:
"Tether your puppy, and let him sleep on a blanket beside your bed. He may whine a bit during the night. Just reach out and give him a scratch to reassure him. If he becomes really anxious, take him out to eliminate, and then place him back on the blanket.

Book of Tristan: "Tether your puppy and let him sleep on a blanket beside your bed. He may go in circles and tangle himself up, and then frantically try to chew through the tether."
or
"Put your puppy in the crate, which should be braced against the couch with just enough space to get your arm in, so you can give him a scratch when he fusses. Fall asleep so that wiley coyote-pup can sneak out and try to scramble up on the couch."
or
"Put your puppy in the crate and lock the door. Put a clock beside him to tick-tock like his mommy's heart. He may squeal at 120 decibals. Adult dog may join in, bouncing up and down and poking you with her nose because there is a puppy crying and you are doing nothing. Have patience. Give puppy a "shhh" now and then to let him know you're there, and take him out to pee every two or three hours. And relax... the first night is always the busiest."

SOCIALIZING

As soon as he settled in, Megan's friends came to visit, and - even though it looks as though Megan won't share - everyone got a chance to hold him and feed him some kibble.

He didn't pee on anyone! What a good boy!

TRISTAN - Baby #1

And here he is - the newest pack member! When Tristan arrived, he was motionless (and expressionless) for all of ten minutes. And then his little tail began to wag, and we offered him some kibble. He loves food!

Now, 2 1/2 hours later, he has been happily accepted by Ginny and Jack, ignored by Iggy and snuggled by the neighbors. He even went pee outside on the 5th trip out. No accidents so far, and he's gone in and out of his crate a few times without any worries.

A sweet little fellah! It's hard to see it in the pictures, but he even has that little sharpei wrinkle running down his nose. It will be hard to say goodbye when he gets adopted, but between now and then we'll enjoy his company.

Packing Up!

Well, our first new foster baby is in the works - an 8-week old possibly Sharpei mix, and he arrives on Saturday. Already I'm worried that he'll be adopted before I'm ready to let him go. I'll post pictures soon! I know he'll be adopted before Megan is ready to let him go!

Here is the existing junior pack, from left to right:

1) Ginny, the Lab-Border Collie cross

2) Megan, the Human-Holy Terror cross

3) Jack, the Cat who likes fabric Way Too Much

4) Iggy, the Keeshonden who would sell his soul for a piece of fish

In about a week, we should have some new pack members. The adventure begins!