Bailey and Friends

[Bailey's Mom]

Can you imagine if someone started following this at about page 9??!! What must they think???
Well-Bob screwed (sorry) up the Bailey/box success. He came back upstairs with her and told me it was 12:20 and that she would not stay in her box. So-we found a sweater online for her and then went downstairs to try going to bed. She is so cold much of the time....we NEED that sweater!! (Bob and Ryan are going out soon to look again.)
So....since she was shivering, I put her next to me in the bed for a few minutes. Bob asked if I was going to keep her there and I told him I was just trying to get her settled. He said she needed to be in the cage.........but she has never even met the cage. We've only been home two days! (not even that quite yet.) So I put her in her box. She did not lie down. She just kept looking around. And then it started,....the crying. So I pulled her up again and just figured for now...she'd stay there. Bob kept insisting she go into the cage, so he put her in there. I thought I heard crying before. This little teacup size pooch can get a real painful sounding cry going. I couldn't take it. I brought her back upstairs and we dozed in the recliner and watched tv (sort of) for the rest of the night. Needless to say, we can't keep doing that.
Today she has met and wowed over more people. Right now she is bushed because she's been on the go since 7AM. I need to read the crate training article and figure out what to do with this. I could get a bigger box...........but I think she'd still cry. Maybe it will work if I go to bed when Bob goes to bed.
She is still the cutest thing in the world. You should see her little tail wag. She can really get it going. Palmer never wagged his tail much.....so it was a special occasion when he did. She is doing it every time she sees me come into a room.
I am now going to try to copy over to the pc, the video pictures and video. Look for more pictures soon........
-Susan

[addy]

Well, Susan I got to hold a four month old puppy today, a bichon shih tzu mix and I have to say it was heaven, I could not put him down so I can only imagine how you feel about Bailey as she is Your baby.

You must be totally in seventh heaven. (where is seventh heaven anyway?)

I think Sas is going to tell you to start that crate training as Little Miss is going to wrap you around her finger pretty quick

Will you tell the story about the sign in the yard? Please, oh please, we would love a bed time story. We promise to be good.

Dang it Carroll, your breathing on everyone again!!!!!! Will you just OPEN YOUR EYES?

Love,
Addy

[Bailey's Mom]

Oh you are soooooo demanding!!
Here are pictureS.
Okay-After dinner I will tell you a bedtime story.....but it's going to be out of order of the trip......and I do not have any pictures yet........but, okay.
Seventh heaven is at the top of the ladder....and I am indeed there.
Carrol-are the eyes working yet?

love
susan

[Bailey's Mom]

It was a dark and stormy morn'. We got an early start not sure we could make it the rest of the distance in one day. The GPS was lying to us and telling us it was 2 hours longer than we knew it was. The rain continued most of the way home and when it wasn't raining it was very gray. We got to about 10 minutes from home and the skies cleared up and the sun came out.
Bob knew nothing about the celebratory plans. I was driving at this point and we turned left to go down to our cul-de-sac. I of course was looking to see what was there. We had agreed (my neighbors and I) not to use crepe paper if it was raining....because it would bleed. I had given them the two flamingos and four rolls of crepe paper right before we left. As we pulled up to the house, Bob said...."Oh...look" - and there it was. Two pink storks, one with a diaper hanging from its beak. A balloon was attached to one of the "storks." There was crepe paper all along the railing that goes up to the front porch, on our lamppost and on our mailbox. The balloon said "Welcome home Bailey (to DE), 3/27/11." Then there was this cloth hanging from the mailbox. I could not tell what that was as the wind had blown it so it had folded. After we got out of the car, the neighbors came out and ooooed and ahhhhhed about Bailey. I then went to the mailbox and pulled out the white cloth. The neighbor had blown up the picture of Bailey with the red bow and had put it on a pillow case. It all just looked magnificent. The sun stayed out for the rest of the day and the decorations (minus the crepe paper) are still up. I have asked for copies of the pictures and I expect I'll get them tomorrow.

It was very, very special and exciting and seems to lose something in the telling. Bailey has been inspecting the balloon. They took pictures once they were finished and then when we arrived home.

I don't know what will happen with bedding arrangements tonight. I may have to go upstairs to sleep. I just hate to hear Bailey cry so mournfully.

We go to see our vet in the AM and get the usual checkup and any shots that are needed.

On all of our trip days, except for the last two, we had cloudless skies and gorgeous weather. Most of the rain occurred the last night we stayed at a motel. It has been chilly but sunny ever since it came back out.

Bob and Ryan were able to get a really cute sweater for Bailey. She isn't real keen on it-she is trying to bite it! They also picked up a harness......thank you Sas. I had tried the first day or two to walk her on a slip collar. She does not like that at all and digs her four paws into the ground. I was already uncomfortable with using that leash as she was just being dragged along. We have not tried the harness yet, but it is a brilliant red and will look wonderful with her coat. While Ryan is here we are concentrating on getting pictures and videos.....and on spending time with Bailey.

Now----nitey nite little ones. You've had a busy day with new pictures and a new story. Let's all try to get some sleep tonight!!
Love,
Bailey's Mom

[labblab]

I don't know what will happen with bedding arrangements tonight. I may have to go upstairs to sleep. I just hate to hear Bailey cry so mournfully.

Oh Susan, I love hearing about the "Welcome Home" decorations and all the antics of Baby Bailey!! Her pics are absolutely adorable -- she looks like such a love bug...

The couple of lines that you wrote about the sleeping arrangements caught my eye, however. I don't want to act like Miss-Know-It-All, because I surely don't. But from what you wrote, I am worrying a bit that you might be thinking about leaving Bailey confined in the crate all night, downstairs and away from your hearing. I don't know what schedule you've set up for taking her out during the night to pee. But at her age, I would be very surprised if she can reliably make it throughout the night. And the very last thing that you want to do is set things up so that she relieves herself in her crate. Because in that way, you are forcing her to override her natural instincts and you run the risk of setting up persistent housetraining problems that are very difficult to resolve. At this early age and early stage of adapting to your household, if you are confining her in her crate at night, I really do encourage you to keep her within your hearing so that you can respond to any restlessness that might indicate the need for a potty break. I'm afraid I don't have a solution to the crying, since all of my three always conked out shortly after heading into their crates. If you don't respond to her crying, how long does she keep it up?

Marianne

[addy]

what a wonderful homecoming and I could easily picture it in my mind. thank you for telling it. how sweet of your neighbors

the joy and essence of puppy!!!!!! I was so smitten with that puppy yesterday. He is being fostered by my friend but brings her so much joy she is going to keep him. She fostered the mom and watched him be born.

I am sure you will figure out the crate or box thing. I bet Bailey looks beautiful in red, it would be her color.

Have a wonderful puppy day!!!!!!!

Love ya,
Addy

[Squirt's Mom]

I brought her back upstairs and we dozed in the recliner and watched tv (sort of) for the rest of the night. Needless to say, we can't keep doing that.

Oh Susan, what wonderful stories! The above line made me throw my head back and howl, however. Oh, what sweet memories!

When I got Squirt she was only 5 weeks old and very, very tiny - she fit, head to tip of tail in my hand. I was terrified of sleeping on the bed with her for fear of smothering or crushing her. The floor was out - she could get smashed too easy. And, like you, the crying from her box was more than my heart could stand. Soooooo, we ended up sleeping in a recliner together nite after nite.....for four months! It wasn't until then that I felt comfortable enough with her current size to put her in the bed with me at last....and crate training as her bed was, well, much too late to attempt, for both of us. She has never slept anywhere but with me unless she was in the hospital....and then I didn't sleep. In fact, those first four months of her life, she went everywhere I went. She was small enough to drop in the pockets of many of my clothes and I made sure to wear those clothes. When she outgrew the pockets was a sad day for both of us. But she still accompanies me every where it is possible for her to go.

Those early days and months in the recliner are such sweet memories and bonded Squirt and I so very deeply. I don't advocate this approach but I wouldn't change a thing for us! Of course, my husband worked nights; Bob may notice you are not in the bed!

Hugs,
Leslie

[Bichonluver3]

"I bet Bailey looks beautiful in red, it would be her color."
Addy, of course she looks good in red - I HAVE RED HAIR!!!!!
Mom, couldn't you have picked a non-crying baby? We can't sleep!

" I'm afraid I don't have a solution to the crying,"
Forget what Marianne says.........put Bailey in the basement... Oh I forgot we are in the basement... oh, I mean the non-basement

On second thought, what the heck, let's just have everyone move into your room

Thanks for posting the story of the homecoming but any one who has been following this thread knows the REAL story.

Love ya' Mom & Bailey xxxooo

PS Keep the pictures and stories coming. We are awaiting the next installment. Sigh, they grow up so quickly...........

[addy]

Addy, of course she looks good in red - I HAVE RED HAIR!!!!!

for real Carrol cause I do too, for real!!!!! Though it has faded as I have gotten older

I bet Susan is having the best puppy day ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snuggles with Bailey, playing in the yard with Bailey, eating with Bailey, sleeping with Bailey

I'm getting mighty jealous.

I am going to go look to see if there is a pix of Bailey in her sweater.

Love ya,
Addy

[Bailey's Mom]

The couple of lines that you wrote about the sleeping arrangements caught my eye, however. I don't want to act like Miss-Know-It-All, because I surely don't. But from what you wrote, I am worrying a bit that you might be thinking about leaving Bailey confined in the crate all night, Good golly gosh! I would never do that.downstairs and away from your hearing. I don't know what schedule you've set up for taking her out during the night to pee. She goes out to pee when I have to get up to pee.....and with my swollen feet, that's about every two hours. She has only had one pee that was in the house....and it was a surprise! She's so tiny, you have a hard time telling when/if she has squatted! If you don't respond to her crying, how long does she keep it up?

Marianne

Last night we all went to bed at the same time. I played a little with Bailey, Bob went to sleep and after another 10 minutes I put her "in her box." She stayed there and I kept my hand on her for about 10 minutes, then all was okey dokey. Two hours later I had to get up to pee and before I closed the bathroom door she was crying. Bob saw she got out of the box and went to get her. One of us (I don't remember which) took her out. Putting her back into her box no longer worked, so I placed her in the cage. Then the crying started. Not as loud and mournful as the night before, but bothersome. The cage was not near the bed, so I brought it to my side very close. I didn't take her out when I did this. I turned out the light and spent 20 minutes hanging over the edge of the bed with my fingers through the holes. For a bit she came up to my hand and I could rub her little head. Then we went to sleep. I know I had to go pee again, but I don't remember how that went. (I am sooooo tired!) Then in another two hours, I had to get up again. By this time it was almost time to get up as we had an early morning visit with the vet to have her check her out. Once I went back to bed I played with her and gave her some of her kibble. (I probably shouldn't do that there, but at the moment, the way she will eat most is if I hand her one kibble at a time.)

On to next note............