Izzy at Home

Izzy is home - finally. After a long wait, I went to pick her up Wednesday evening, July 9th, and we spent a few days just hanging out, potty training (her, not me!), chewing on sticks in the back yard (again, her, not me), and just having a grand old time getting up at 5:30 a.m. Riley has been an amazingly gentle big sister - we didn't expect her to be anything less - and this just reinforces our impression of Riley as a candidate for the Greatest Dog in the World. If there isn't an award like this, there should be.

When I initially brought Izzy home Wednesday night, she was petrified. By nature, she seems like a very cautious pup, but with Riley, she'll be able to explore her backyard and the house and our neighborhood and feel much more comfortable.

Izzy is also a very strong and resilient dog. She was trying to drag the mat that the full water bowl was on in the kitchen. Also, tumbles and spills don't phase her. She was leaping all around the backyard on the first day. Faceplants, tumbles, rolling around, getting swatted by or rolled over on by Riley, or falling into the pool - she took it all in stride.

We read Superpuppy by Daniel Pinkwater and The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Slete (which is New York somewhere) who have made a reputation for raising great German Shepherds. These books were pretty helpful in correcting some of the mistakes we made with Riley and her potty training.

And, at the end of all those periods of play, this is where she ends up. All zonked out.