Progress

Izzy has been a really good puppy.  I think I've decided that a puppy is harder than a baby.  Likely (or hopefully) it's shorter lived, but I do think it's harder!  Born with teeth and instincts and rambunctiousness, and an instant need to be trained.

The first week Trev was gone, I felt myself feeling very overwhelmed with all the potty training and routine establishing.  It's starting to settle here.  She uses her potty bells and took to them almost immediately.  In fact, we've been very impressed about her willingness to learn and the pace she's picking things up at.  We average about one accident a day still and usually it's our fault.  

While Trev was gone, we got a book called My Smart Puppy.  Amazing.  The reviews on this book didn't lie!  It also came with a DVD, which Trev and I watched together the first night he was home so we could start establishing certain commands and make that effort to use the same commands between all people.  The next morning I started putting some of the 'training games' to work.  She learned to sit and lie down on command in a span of about 10 minutes and I'm not even exaggerating.  She now sits for her food.  We've been working on teaching the boys how to work with her too, and she's taking to that fairly well.  We heard that it can be a very smart breed with the poodle dad - and here's to hoping it continues to go just as well. Little by little I am going to start reintroducing the carpets back into my home and hope that the potty training holds!  I am so proud of Izzy and now that things are starting to settle, I'm starting to calm as well - which means I can enjoy her that much more!

If you are wondering if these two boys have fallen in love with this little girl...wonder no more!