A Post: Containing A Brief Update On Ava

Ava at 9 weeks

Ava is now 12 weeks old. She now looks and acts like a rather small dog instead of a baby puppy. Yesterday I saw her roll in a scent for the first time instead of just sniffing it. Today I saw her lick her privates (just what we've been waiting for). She is completely responsive to the world around her.

Ava at 11 weeks

I feel the past couple of weeks consisted of just steady progress. There was what I'm guessing is the usual frustration at ‘regressions’ in housetraining, crate training etc. Whether it’s an accident on the floor or nipping me so that I’m unable to restrain her, the incidents always leave me wondering if she’s ‘regressing’ on that particular goal or if she ever learnt it in the first place.

I still don’t have an answer to that question, but I’d imagine that the more relevant view on the matter would be that her senses and awareness are growing and developing every day, so something she may have adapted to or not even noticed at all (being carried in the bag at 9 weeks old, for example) is now (less than a week later) something she notices and may not be okay with. But it is frustrating – I can’t deny that.

Lapdog practice is super important

I just spent the time getting her used to routines involved in living with humans (toileting, leash), basic manners (come, sit, drop), exposing her to home things (broom, vacuum) and taking her out in my bag whenever I could to habituate to the world, since she still couldn’t be out on the ground. She was happy and calm on those occasions, which was great for us!

When she will let me pop her in the bag for an outing, we can have a great time!