#( is it cc ??? can he eat her ?? to be one forever after she is gone from this mortal plain and he goes on without her ??? h

[dullweapons]

“ … does this mean you’re okay with me cannibalizing you when it’s time for you to leave me , @regnantlight ? ” to him it’s very romantic — to everyone else it’s quite possibly the scariest thing they could hear out of their fiancé .

[redraven393]

catching up with Philza QSMP Vod. where:

the federation had ruined an old man's front lawn

Rycharlison is adrugdealer

forever took an opportunity and "marries" Philza

immediately met with his wife

the federation send an anarchist an invitation to become a president

Tallulah will rather eat a lime than an avocado or potato

Philza guess Ramon's password

Tallulah's father may or may not be real

Hide and seek in an awesome map Holly shit

the 4th wall has been broken so many times in Philza's Minecraft stream that the admins just let it be broken.

both dad and son thought that the other hid in the same place

the Brazilian are here! :D

there are so many screaming

Tallulah finds him yayyyy

hello Rycharlison

aww there gonna play music

PIG STEPPPP

HESNAMEISPHILZAMINECRAFTANDHEISQUITE OLD-

"my son is DEAD" omg Max

PHILZA OMG u didn't need to describe it

PAYthe SERVER Quackity

Pac and Mike are so cool

BIG LOVE TO MIKE AND PAC

omg Philza is spreading the 4th wall break

the file is so big omg, paper ASMR

"Are you gonna be a president" Sir he is an Anarchist

Max the sound system-the microphone

awww Supportive Philza, opp

Bye MAX

aww the Kids are playing the Guitar

it's nice when the cc are doing lore the admins are still acting like kids

AWWW TALLULAH TEACHING RICHA A SONG THAT WILL TEACH HER

Tallulah BIRTHDAY OMG

yey go stuff that girl with candy

Chayanne is really making plenty of use of his interest in cooking

THE BEES

CATERING LETS GOOO

omg Richa thinks that Will is like Hatsune Miku

Bye guys

is sweet to know that Philza is telling about Will to everyone

OMG Philza the Brazillian magnet

the eggs hear Will's songs too

oh? what do you have Richa

is that a llama

ohhh

omg

Forever is so obsessed with this friend of his omg

HYDRATE BEFORE DIEDRATE

wait the Brazilians are all gone

oh shit

oh no this is like that time with the trio

PARANOIA

Trauma Phil

a Square??

GATINHO and GUAPITO is here

the old man witnesses a shameless PDA

Tallulah is dancing in the background

opp Tallulah not here

the fish is drowning

hey Cellbit

Yay invitations for everyone!!!!

omg

no one believes Wilbur exists

Cellbit nooo

OMG

Chayanne is cooking for the WEDDING

LETS GOOOOO

LET HIM COOK

Cellbit nooo

Cellbit supports Creative Freedom

omg Phil's right Quackity will pull that type of stunt

Cellbit nooo

Richa has never taken a bath wtf???

oh shit he running

yeah show him your dad's picture

omg photoshopped

Forever and Roier is here!!!

omg Forever is gaslighting Holly shit

A Mouth!?

Chayanne is busy planning the catering

Professional Cheft Chayanne LETS GOOOOO

past life Philza omg

Philza is not having it

yeah Richa hit him in the head

your PLAN?????

oh well fair enough

Gaslight vs Guilt trip

omg that is a whole ass restaurant menu

BAGHEERA

yey french

tour pog???

oh shit a BAND??

the band is playing at the WEDDING???

they are so cuteeeeeee

nice home, it sweet that everyone try to make space for the kids in their home

why Cellbit is keeps killing other player

omg Baghera sound so scared that Phill would steal from her the poor lady

nice Megalovania mix it takes me back to 2018

the girls are so talented on music omg

hehe secret

holly shit a bucket full of honey

scary noises

THANKYOU BAHERAA

ohh candy apple

Chayanne professional chef bag

Tallulah is the best

Bagheraa nooo

oh thank god she believe Will is real

Will would have to socialize so much after he came back.

WhOOO THE KIDS FIRST PERFORMANCE

ROCK EGGS

Tallulah is following her old man foot step

bye Bagheraa

oh no the flowers

the Federation building is heighten Phil's property value

ohhh the kids are visiting the build

don't stand on the grass kids

walk on grass anyway

wtf????

what is that???

it is a pretty building

what is going on with the train station??? it was fixed

so they can leave now??

it looks brand new?

fancy train, but bumbpy ride

wat?

AWWW the RACON

aw god no VENUSSS

another venus gone

its okay Tallulah

that is so fuk

oh dragon magic

lol the flies is sitting the trains

lol Chayanne try to catch the bees but got stung

aww Tallulah babby dont be sad

eyy the bois are here

glad they could make Tallulah cheer up

looks like the happy couple happy with the menu

bye boisss

Max is going to get food lmao

it's nice to live near everything but it could also could be dangerous

Tallulah's and will's house really feels like a nice little fantasy corner

yay the kids are now able to get out

sleepy timesss

ohh an album

EGGJOY or RADIO EGG

lol the Wedding photo

Great Album Tallulah

Dragon Story POG

is it Mumza????

you guys will absolutely outlive me

CRY

oh is the Admins asking advice for the Dragon designs???/

if the kids get their wings i hope they also give the bird designed CC wings too

Tallulah pls he's an old man you can't make him run so much

Whooo birthdayyyy

AWWW thank you Tallulah

why is Foolish drowning?

oh god

lol Foolish

omg they were trying to give richa a bath

77777

yeah secur the party old man

kinda sadge

BYE PHIILLL

[justalads]

c!niki and c!wilbur enjoyers. pspspspspspsps

alright guys so last night i rewatched pretty much all of the pogtopia arc. and this isn’t meant to be a big, important analysis post (it’s kind of incomprehensible), because my brain is fried from, you know. rewatching pretty much all of pogtopia. but i do have some stuff i’d like to say.

(this also just became a niki meta sorry i love her. i really just got emo about her during the second half of this and it got long. i have a lot of feelings about her and wilbur’s friendship.)

it’s a pretty general conclusion that wilbur’s real “downfall” began on october 8th, during the stream “who are you go away”. of course, his spiral and the process of him losing faith had begun much earlier, more around the end of the first war or during the election. but the big switch, so to say, was definitely here, when as wilbur walks back from schlatt’s announcement, he asks tommy if they’re the bad guys.

this entire scene was so interesting to me. wilbur here is a man who has lost hope, someone who is backed into a corner morally and has nothing left. he points out that they can never really reclaim l’manburg without forever tainting it, and that schlatt knows this. the entire half an hour or so before, schlatt has been taunting wilbur about losing that power. the emphasis of the festival on “democracy” is so clearly a barb thrown at wilbur, and it works.

wilbur’s “nothing left to lose” in this vod is a mirror to niki’s “you know what they say about a woman who has nothing left to lose”. this will not be the first time they mirror each other.

basically, wilbur’s angry. when schlatt announced the festival, wilbur realized that maybe it wasn’t a terrible thing. so once he worked around into the mindset of “we’re the bad guys”, he was able to justify saying he was going to blow up the nation with no remorse. he wants chaos! he wants no survivors!

does he do it? god no.

during the streams leading up to november 16th, wilbur is consistently scared. he goes back and forth on it, and makes multiple “conditions” that determine whether he’s going to do it or not, almost begging someone to stop him. he whispers to himself that he’s scared, that his hands are shaking, that he’s not sure if it’s the right thing to do. because despite what he says about “not caring about any of them”, the instant niki is threatened after tubbo’s death, wilbur walks up to schlatt and tells him that if he’s going to kill anyone it should be him. later, when quackity and tommy talk him down from pressing the button, he can’t press it because they’re there and he can’t bring himself to kill them as well.

but he has no problems with putting his own life at risk. he refuses to wear armor half the time, and actively places himself in harm’s way to save others. he still cares about everyone else, as much as he says he doesn’t. even when he does cause harm to others, during november 16th, he immediately begs phil to kill him. “look, they all want you to.” he can’t live with what he’s done, and how he’s hurt people, but he couldn’t allow manburg to continue.

the man is terrified and angry and he can’t win. and even as he tries to stuff himself into the mind of someone who doesn’t care, he cannot. when he finally does, he cannot live with being that person.

but the reason i rewatched this arc was to see niki’s point of view, especially after her statements during her last stream. i genuinely think that wilbur’s only betrayal of her was pressing the button, because he betrayed everyone. they might have known he was going to do it, but they had faith he wouldn’t.

wilbur cared a lot about niki. her life under schlatt was awful, wilbur hated that she was suffering, and the scene where wilbur plants himself directly in the center of the festival and tells schlatt to kill him instead hits pretty hard. he has the argument with schlatt, and then turns to niki and tells her to run. he then hits people and sprints away, trying to give her time to escape.

this is also when he asks her to join pogtopia, because now that schlatt has said he’d kill her, it’s a safer place for her.

so the man did care about her. niki is angry at the memory of him that she has. it’s been twisted by time and her own grief and paranoia.

in rewatching pogtopia, i realized that a lot of people hate the memory of wilbur. not him, and what he did. they think he didn’t care. and to quote hamilton (apologies):

“history obliteratesit paints me in all my mistakes”

does niki have a right to be mad at him? absolutely. he caused direct harm to her by blowing up l’manburg, once it was reclaimed. but she’s wrong that he never cared.

(an interesting note: wilbur only blows it up after techno starts fighting people outside. he hears it, and says “look, they’re fighting”. he didn’t re-initiate the conflict of the country. the fact that even after peace was won people were fighting just gave evidence to his belief that the entire country was corrupted.)

niki has been hurt a lot, and wilbur has things to answer for. but we as the audience know that her statements are just her perception. she is a character who acts on perceptions. the entire stream was in black and white. during doomsday, upon seeing wilbur log on (as ghostbur), niki has a panic attack and destroys her bakery, trying to rid herself of the pain of the memories. her lines during this stream are chilling, whispered repetitions that are a mirror of wilbur’s end.

(paraphrased, it was long and confusing but there are a few bits and this was the essence of it)

“wilbur is gone. this isn’t happening. he is dead. l’manburg is gone.”“it is real, i am real, he is real and he is dead.”“l’manburg is gone, i am real, i am l’manburg”.

(god. dude i could spend Months analyzing this one stream alone. there’s so much here.)

doesn’t that sound a bit like “my unfinished symphony”? wilbur and niki both attach their own self to the nation they fought for, and can see it as an extension of themself. they both destroy parts of it in acts of fear, attempting to save everyone else from what they’ve made.

what i pulled away from niki’s stream is that she’s not healing. i remember the chamber she locks herself in at night. i remember her refusal to eat. i remember how she was so angry at tommy, and she later realized that anger was misguided. niki genuinely believes that wilbur did not care about her, and that’s not surprising: when he died, she denied the fact that he was gone. she represses the things that she can’t handle, same as lots of other people. it is easier for her to pin her hurt on wilbur, because she needs somewhere to pin it. people feel more in control if they’re angry, not sad.

the song cc!niki said was for her character really emphasizes this. it’s a coping mechanism.

but even condemning wilbur won’t help, because she will still never get closure. niki cares about what others think of her, and so she can’t move on from someone hurting her. she can’t move on because she thinks he hated her. she is angry that he is back, but it is an opportunity for her to heal. she couldn’t heal when he was gone. she’s not the only one with a negative perception of wilbur, after all. he has one too. the two of them really need to talk.

i want niki to be healthy and safe. i want to see her heal so badly, and i do think it will happen. after wilbur died, his betrayal of her stayed with her, and it eventually became her memory of the betrayal that she hated, not the thing itself. it’s been months since it happened. niki wants to find an outlet for her hurt, because she wants to feel better. there’s a pattern i noticed: she only gets mad at people once she hasn’t seen the person themself for a while. and once she sees them and talks to them, and realizes that they care about her and don’t want to hurt her, she stops blaming them for it. she only hates her perception of them. example one? tommy.

man was in exile for a long time, and when he came back he “brought” fighting. that’s how niki saw it. but the fact that after she spent time with tommy (trying to kill him but. details, details) she forgave him because she saw it wasn’t his fault is a really good sign.

i genuinely think that speaking to wilbur will help niki, and it will also help wilbur. after all, they both hate wilbur. the entire perception of wilbur as some heartless, crazy manipulator needs to be shattered for both of their sakes. they both buy into it.

i want niki to know that others care about her, and that she has places she can feel safe. she hates that wilbur is invading the syndicate, because she’s scared of his memory hurting her. i don’t think wilbur will hurt her on purpose, because even though he sees himself as awful, he doesn’t hate her. he never did. usually, with people who have hurt someone else, i want them as far away from the person they hurt as possible. if wilbur does hurt niki i’ll probably cry. but again, it’s not him that hated her, or really him that hurt her in the way she thinks he did. when wilbur was dead, niki didn’t get any better. her memory of him festered and made her feel worse. that’s also why niki killing wilbur or hurting him somehow wouldn’t help her heal. i want wilbur to explain that he didn’t hate her. is wilbur even close to self aware enough to help niki? nah. this is going to take a Long time, and it’s going to hurt.

last thing i swear lol

during niki’s stream, she says that wilbur manipulated her. again, i watched pogtopia last night, and i’ve watched the rest of season one recently as well. i genuinely don’t see it. but i do think i know why she said it.

during season one, wilbur doesn’t manipulate niki. he doesn’t have a chance to later, he’s dead. so then, what is she talking about? of course it’s a perception, same as a lot of her other claims. i think she’s talking about how she cared for l’manburg.

niki joined the server as wilbur’s friend, to join his nation. she grew to care for l’manburg. she devoted herself to it, same as he did. but doomsday showed us that she hates that. in niki’s eyes, l’manburg only brought pain for people, and because she ties herself to it, she hates that she ever cared about it. she can’t allow herself to care for it, because it was used to hurt. so how does she cope with knowing that she once did? she pretends she didn’t.

if she can convince herself that it was wilbur who convinced her to care about l’manburg, she can avoid blaming herself for her own pain. and yeah, she shouldn’t blame herself for it. it’s not her fault. the entire situation is tragic and a little hopeless and once again really makes me hope that she recovers. l’manburg was ruined for her by others. schlatt, techno, dream, wilbur. again another place where she and wilbur are similar: they convince themselves they never cared about l’manburg because of the hurt it caused.

to summarize: wilbur’s going to get a shock soon. don’t know when, but probably the prison visit. something is going to shake his perception, the story is hurtling towards that. once he is able to take responsibility for what he did, and feel safe (because a lot of what he does now is out of fear of being alone or useless), then he and niki need to talk. niki needs something to get her out of her own head. she’s spiraling too. they are essential to each other’s recovery because of how much they meant (and mean) to each other.

anyways i miss early season one niki i liked it when she was happy :(

~ Lad 2

[sapphire-innit]

I'm not gonna apologize for there being a break because this is a hobby and I do this at my own pace lol. THAT SAID, let's hop back in!

Vod: Tommy's Exile Is Coming To A Close (rp) oh man here's the drowning again. At least Ranboo and Niki are greeting him in chat that's cute

of COURSE its raining lol, very Moody

...don't like that Tommy is actually looking forward to Dream visiting. The gaslighting is really setting in. He's not eating enough either

Tommy's always moving around, he's such an active character, so it REALLY hits when he freezes, even just for a moment or two. Yes this is in response to the funny Lazerbeam lava death comment that somehow turned very sad very quickly lol

He's very openly talking about his death too. And his skin is even worse I think, hes got SUCH bags under his eyes.. and ALSO THIS IS STILL HIM TALKING ABOUT HOW TO SEX 3 afdfd

Chat: "This is so sad and so funny at the same time" I saw that smirk cc!Tommy, you know exactly what you are doing!! LOL he broke face for juuuust a second cause that's EXACTLY the tone he's going for

I am a bit .. concerned about HTS3, because so far every time hes tried to write things down, its hmm. Been revealing to say the least

...I'm still nervous about when Dream is gonna log on, even while he's going on about the 'thinking palace'. Its... impressive how much I actually dread that, and how well they've conditioned me to expect it

adfsfdsfds Ranboo how did I laugh at that '''joke''' omg. Tommy was so happy to get mail though :( and yeah like I thought every time he tries to write things it gets sad. It's a really good storytelling device: cc!Tommy is using it to be more explicit and I think that's pretty clever actually

I can't help but wonder how carefully coordinated these exile streams are, especially this deep into the arc. Like, did cc!Tommy go on the discord before this and tell them to not visit today? Obviously Dream visits are coordinated, but I'm just a bit curious about the back end of things

"Visit Techno? no no, what would Dream think" >:(

"I wanna go and see someone, I wanna go somewhere, I wanna meet people. You know now and then it just re hits me that I actually, I actually just can't, can I" ;-;

He's self-soothing and it hurts

"My time with Tubbo has come and gone" "He chose against it" excuse me, just CRYING FOREVER NOW ;-; ;-; ;-;

...it really is disturbingly like a suicide note isn't it, with all this talk of it being his final thing to do

The days when he's not visited really set in the depression don't they? cc!Tommys still good at balancing the tone so it doesn't get too sad but SHEESH

Tommy's gotten pretty good at building actually, like he's not perfect or anything but the thinking palace looks pretty good for what it is

Its actually been half the stream without Dream thank fuck

...he's thinking about it, about going into the nether portal. GOD I'm so worried and upset because I DON'T want to see what Dream would do if he broke his exile, even knowing he wouldn't kill him most likely.

"Why did I do this, why did I make it harder for people to come visit me" !!! ahhhh realization of self-destructive tenancies fuck, and just after he almost visited L'manburg tooooo

"I'm going to revamp this, why did I do this???" *Immediately stares into the lava for SEVERAL seconds* f u c k

"Chat what is Tubbo's favorite block" Aaaaaaaaaaaa

:( :( Ranboo IMMEDIATELY willing to help WE STAN A TOMMY STAN

the fuckign GHASTS I'M!! what a tone switch!!! TOMMY WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE A BOW I MEAN I KNOW WHY BUT STILL afdfdf

those fucking jumps in the path scare me and now there's a HOLE IN THE PATH this is so fucking DANGEROUS afdsfssdf someone is totally gonna fall in that

awww cc!Wilbur watching the stream even when hes away thats so sweet <3

"...and Ill put cobblestone in the middle and everyone will come see me!" does this feel like Bargaining to anyone else? Just me? alright...

"And then we fight, we fight for everything we have left" ;u;

NIKI!!!!!!

this is gonna go so poorly!!! I hate it!!! (also don't talk over her tho pls)

is Ranboo also in the chat? Ranboo & Niki friendship underrated for sure lol

"How have you been" "................good" you can see the decision to Lie omg adfsdf

ah actually getting a fire res potion BEFORE falling into lava, one can Hope

lol Ranboo and Niki having so much trouble getting back to spawn RIP them, FUNDY why did you take them so far away and then LEAVE

"how can I be with other people and still be so alone" oof yeah thats the true bitch about what Dream's doing isn't it :(

adsfsdfsf accidentally almost getting himself banned from Twitch ALSO HOLY SHIT TOMMYYYY DON'T JUMP LIKE THAT OMG

also who the heck was chanting "do a flip" in chat holy shit what is this thirst for blood

lol asking RANBOO of all people for hot takes adfsafdf

ohnoooo almost twitch ban NUMBER 2 aadfdfws

also who the fuck was spamming nsfw copy pasta in his chat adfsfd

LOL what is the drug conversation Niki is trying to do???? What is happening???? FUNDY WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM

"I feel too old to be in this conversation" MOOD NIKI, MOOD lmaooo I love you

adfdf Tommy how can you even be mean to Niki, shes so sweet and sounds so upset about it lol

do I even WANT to know what the Dream twitter drama was????

LOL always laugh when a cc bails out of a joke lmao its so funny to me for some reason

SHES RIGHT AND SHE SHOULD SAY IT!!!!!!!! BEST HOT TAKE, REDDIT SUCKS LMAOOO ABSOLUTELY CORRECT

he keeps almost spleefing Ranboo adfdsfs

aww lol he actually is being careful after being told off lmao ohnooooo "That was worse than the time Wilbur shouted at me for being in his office. It's like being told off by the quiet teacher" NIKI IS SO DISTRESSED omg adfdsfdswfds

I think cc!Tommy did not realize the power that he wields....

OH NIKI'S SKIN IS SO CUTE!!!!

"Just a really long cross, Jesus was tall!" omg Ranboo that was actually clever

lol and now Jack is here ! nice

"Do a flip" CHAT WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

[gaemichwi]

Barians: HC Masterlist

This is literally just a collection of headcanons I tend to reach for when writing the Barians, with a focus on the ones I used while writing the nothing is forever series on Ao3.

The Cat

The Barians adopted a cat because Alit wanted to. They named it Alcor, but no one actually calls her that. She likes Vector best because his body heat is perfect for snuggles.

In nothing is forever, Ally leads Vector on goose chases all around the Kamishiro mansion, which is how he gets to know about the different, varying rooms that the mansion has. It’s also how he finds the library he ends up moving into during of what can be salvaged.

Generally, Alit takes care of Ally, but Vector is the one who feeds her and plays with her the most.

The Community Centre/Gym

All of the Barians save for Vector go to the community centre, which is basically just a gym with a swimming pool and a spa, along with some other facilities. Here’s what they all do there:

Mizael does yoga and has a collection of leggings and sports bras as well as a fancy expensive personal yoga mat that he brings to every class because he refuses to use something someone else has sweated on. He also likes the treadmills for cardio.

Alit and Gilag generally stick to the kind of regime a body-builder would have, and love pushing themselves on the weights. Sometimes, when Alit is going through it, he pushes himself a bit too hard and is known to injure himself, so Gilag keeps an eye on him whenever he’s having a bad week. They have protein shakes and love trying new recipes at home with their fancy expensive blender (yes they splurged on a Vitamix).

Merag sometimes joins Mizael for yoga, but generally likes going for the spa treatments the track for running. She also likes lounging by the pool in her bikini, reading romance novels and drinking smoothies.

Nasch only goes when Yuuma and co. drag him out, but he’s known to get weirdly competitive over squash and tennis, anything that involves a racket.

Durbe literally just uses the elliptical, breaks a sweat five minutes in, and goes to find Mizael who is too busy meditating to give a shit that he wants to go home.

When Vector finally starts going with everyone, I imagine he’d like the pool a lot and just sitting on the edge letting his feet and calves dip in. He refuses to do anything like water aerobics and gets dragged into doing HIIT exercises with Alit who only wants to help him get his muscles back after being sedentary for so long. He does yoga with Mizael sometimes but hates it because he’s too fidgety to stay in some of the positions for that long (though he did like the one class where they were in constant movement between poses, not that he’ll admit it).

Clothes and Fashion

The Barians (save for Nasch and Merag) aren’t exactly aware of this era’s gender customs (and also don’t care about them) when it comes to clothes, so they kinda just buy whatever they think is comfortable/looks good.

For example, Mizael buys sports bras and leggings for exercise, not because they’re functional but because he thinks they look better on him than t-shirts and shorts. For that matter, Mizael also owns at least one dress and a maxi skirt, because he wore a skirt for centuries as a Barian Lord and, quite frankly, isn’t about to stop now.

Vector would also own skirts if he ever actually went shopping or wore anything other than hoodies and sweats. He’s kinda the definition of a NEET, and has stopped looking after himself for the most part. If he went shopping, he’d definitely buy a sarong for the beach to wear over swim trunks.

Alit found out that crop tops exist and immediately bought ten to show off his hard-earned abs. Most of his clothes are athleisure, shorts and tees and sweats and tracksuits that are super comfy for working out and playing soccer. He also owns those tank tops where armholes are super exaggerated because “side-abs are good abs too.”

Gilag can’t find much that fits him, so everything is either too baggy or too tight. He has The Hulk Problem, and generally doesn’t buy expensive things because he’s afraid they’ll just rip or tear anyway. He also owns one crop top because Alit thought it’d be cool to match at the gym. They’re really cute when they wear them together, but everyone thinks they’re lame as hell.

Durbe literally dresses the same as he always does, and has a collection of scarves because he is literally always cold for some reason. Sweater vests also became a staple. He really embodies the old-school idea of “nerd.”

We already know how Nasch and Merag dress so nothing new there. Nasch is still a try-hard. Rio is cute as hell.

Interactions

Merag and Mizael share beauty tips. Mizael insists on keeping his hair long and dying it blonde, so Merag introduced him to good haircare to keep it hydrated and soft and healthy. Mizael also wears some makeup (mostly mascara to look more awake and CC cream to look healthier), which he picked up from Rio. They watch beauty guru YouTube drama together and increasingly complicated braiding tutorials.

Vector also knows how to makeup because in his depression, he’s 100% gone down the YouTube hole of related videos. Because of this, he’s a master at winged liner (he stole Merag’s to practice).

Alit and Gilag are obviously besties, hands down no different from canon they’re just supportive bros who do lots together. Though Alit has broken off a lot since becoming human, like joining the school’s soccer team and having had at least two girlfriends and a billion crushes.

Gilag and Vector are friends. Tentatively. Gilag likes cooking and always cooks for the whole household, but makes a special effort to make sure Vector’s eating properly by always making food he likes or food that’s easy on the stomach. They watch cartoons together and don’t talk a lot, but they’re very comfortable around each other. Gilag sings along to theme songs and Sanagi songs and Vector doesn’t judge him. Gilag’s also the only one who knows where the secret library in the mansion is because Vector trusts him enough for that. Gilag’s like, the one person Vector is incapable of being snarky or angry at.

Mizael used to have a crush on Durbe but got over it when he realized he’d always be the second choice next to Nasch. Nasch is gay for Yuuma so Durbe is perpetually alone. Of course, I always pair Vector up with either Merag or Mizael, but I’m staying away from including it in the nothing is forever series just because I hate the “depression is cured by relationship” trope and don’t want to fall into that.

Rio thinks Alit’s a hottie but sees him as more of a little brother than anything else. She’s like, his number one hype-woman and always talks him up to the girls he likes because she likes seeing how happy he is in relationships. She truly believes he’ll find The One.

[theresnosafeharbor4myships]

Can you name two moments from Caryl and two from MSR that completely broke your heart and made you cry ugly? 💔 (Hey hey from Lucy-the-satanic-anon)

Lucy! (I’m a tad late answering this, but life has been crazy this week!) 

Wow, these are the least Lucified questions you’ve sent me,even though you made me think of tragic moments. I accept. (ha! I enjoy your little satanic game, even as my heart slivers when reading your questions.)

I’m not sure if you’re asking about moments that includeboth of them or not. My original thoughts for Caryl were 1. when Daryl foundMerle’s walker and had to put him down and 2. when Carol just stopped fightingand gave up, ready to die, when the savior wanted to shoot her (again) and killher. But I think you’re asking about the moments of them as a couple. 

So withthat in mind, we have: 1. the post-Terminus reunion hug to end all OTP hugsbecause my OTP is bestest and just look at all they’ve gone through and beenthrough and still they manage to save one another and find one another andaudience and strangers be damned he runs straight into her arms and she letshim even though she’s been told no one would want her around and he can’t getenough of her being there and she’s smile-crying and holding on for dear lifeand there’s hip thrusting and gazing and they don’t care one iota that thereare voyeurs because they’re just so HOME. I cry. And 2. after Carol and Maggieescape from the savior compound, having killed them all, Daryl pulls her asideand asks if she’s okay. And for the first time in forever—and probably for thefirst time in decades—she’s honest and says no. You can tell how much thiscosts her, to admit that she can’t stand the weight of the world and what she’sbeen through and what she’s done and what she realizes she’s capable ofanymore. And Daryl, sweet-and-gentle-when-he-wants-to-be Daryl, not only tipsher chin like the leading man of a rom-com, but gruffs out, “C’mere,” and thenpulls her into a hug because he’s likely just that. damn. shook. that sheadmitted she’s not okay. Slice my heart up and serve it on a platter!

MSR…sheesh, let me count the ways….picking 2 is like askingme to never eat sushi again. Cruel and unusual. But fine…these are the first 2that came to mind: 1. The scene just after Melissa dies. Scully stares at theempty hospital bed, an omen of all that she’s lost (and unfortunately all thatshe WILL lose), heart-sick and so dang sad and despondent. Mulder’s comfort ofher is just so simple and sweet. He grasps her hand, and you can seeeee theregret and empathy on his face. He liked and appreciated Melissa, both assomeone who spoke hard truths to him and as Scully’s family. The hug is barelyeven seen before the camera fades, but the presence of someone who loves youafter the loss of life cannot be overstated, and Scully lets herself becomforted. I realize there are very few people who would choose this scene, but…it holds a special place for me because I’ve had to grieve alone, and….it’s a travesty. : (    And 2. “You’re my…1 in 5 billion.” My heavens, he’s so besotted anddesperate for her to know how much she means to him, and yet he’s never allowed(eff you, CC) to say the 3 words. Mulder’s desperate in this episode for Scullyto believe him, and she. just. won’t. He’s tried in multiple fashions to gether to believe he’s not actually crazy (yet again), and he realizes the onlyway to do it is to come clean, to confess something that’s so deep in his bonesit’s become part of his DNA. He needs her to believe him. He needs HER. I thinkDavid said Scully is Mulder’s human credential, and nothing else says that likethe conversation that leads to this admission. She alone is his person. I remember seeing this ep for the first time, and my heart caught in my throat when he said this. One can only dream of being held in such high regards. : (

(Wow, look at me be all melancholy with my msr answers haha) These weren’t half-bad, Lucy! Hope you’re warm wherever you are 

[shiisiln]

The Pirate’s Life For Me

Finally, I’ve gotten the last of my request fics done. A big apology to @princeasimdiya12 for taking SO long to finish it. ^_^”

It took me a while to beat the idea into shape in my head, but it’s been a real joy to work on. Little Seto and Joey just interact so well, and Mokuba is, of course, majorly adorable.

The title is taken from The Mountain Goats song Jenny, because it’s a song about escape, and finding something you need in someone else. And maybe you’re not doing the smart, responsible think, but maybe it’s what you need to do to stay alive.

(Trigger warning for heavily implied child abuse, homeless orphans, and just general children-in-realistically-dangerous-situations.)

900 cc's of raw, whining power No outstanding warrants for my arrest Hi diddle dee dee, goddamn The pirate's life for me

Joey dropped the garbage bag he was carrying and stared.

The boy currently hanging half-in, half-out of the dumpster behind Joey’s apartment building stared back, his eyes wide and round.

The two of them watched each other for a long moment, silent and tense.

Joey’s heart beat frantically as he waited, wondering what the heck this kid was doing, and what he was going to DO once one of them broke the silence and made a move.

He was wearing a blue vest over a white shirt, and brown pants; all of which looked dirty and worn. His browning hair was sticking up in places like he hadn’t bothered to comb it since he woke up, and his big, surprised eyes were a shocking shade of blue.

Joey was sure he’d never seen him around the apartment complex before; what kind of weirdo went around diving into other people’s dumpsters?

The dumpster boy was the first to move, sliding back to his feet on solid ground. He walked slowly backwards, his eyes trained on Joey’s face and his knees bent, like he was waiting for the perfect moment to run but also bracing for an attack.

Or TO attack. Joey reached for the garbage bag again, suddenly feeling the need for something to use as a weapon.

There was a sudden, sharp huff of breath, and Joey realized that Dumpster Boy wasn’t alone. there was another, smaller boy crouching behind him, reaching up to grab the hem of his shirt. His long black hair was wild and unruly around his face, revealing only two wide, blue eyes that stared nervously up at Joey.

He looks like he’s Serenity’s age, Joey thought, and emotion welled up in his heart.

What were they doing out on their own like this? And digging through the trash- were they homeless kids, looking for food?

They looked just about ready to run, and Joey was struck with a sudden, frantic desire to help them.

“Wait,” he said, and both boys froze, staring at him nervously. “J-just wait here, I’ll bring you some food from inside!”

He raced off, hoping desperately that they wouldn’t run away while he was gone. They both looked so scared- and so skinny, they obviously hadn’t had a good meal in forever.

He snuck back into his apartment as quietly as he could, praying that his dad wouldn’t wake up and catch him. He’d be furious if he knew Joey was feeding some kids outside like they were stray cats.

He grabbed a couple packets of instant noodles, some chips, and an old apple he’d found at the back of his fridge, stuffing them into a grocery bag.

There was a noise from the sitting room and he froze, staring over his shoulder. He stayed like that for a long time, waiting to see if it was his father waking up.

Dad was… he wasn’t a bad guy or anything. But he was a mean drunk, and he yelled at Joey a lot. Joey was sure that if he could make himself smaller and quieter, he’d stop, but he never quite managed it. He was too loud, too big, to rambunctious by nature.

He didn’t really mind. He missed his mom a lot, but it was better for her to be with Serenity. Dad had been even meaner to her than he was to Joey.  

And Joey would take any kind of punishment from his dad to keep him from being mean to Serenity anymore.

Finally, he figured it had been long enough that he could relax, and he tiptoed back out. As soon as he shut the door behind him, as gently and quietly as possible, he raced down the hallway and out the fire escape, the stairs rattling under his feet as he pounded down them.

The two boys were, miraculously, still there when he got back. They seemed to be arguing with each other in whispers, and they both looked up like startled deer when he arrived.

He gave them a wide grin. “See? I got this for you!” he said, holding up the grocery bag.

Dumpster boy narrowed his eyes at him, obviously suspicious. His hands were clenched at his sides, and he seemed about ready to take a swing at Joey if he got too close.

But then the little one tugged on his sleeve. Looking down at the boy’s big, pleading eyes, the expression on Dumpster Boy’s face softened, and he sighed heavily.

“Not here,” he said, and motioned for Joey to follow him down the alley.

He did, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction at getting them to trust him enough for this.

~

“I'm Joey,” he said enthusiastically. “What are your names?

“I’m Mokuba,” the little kid said, crumbling a handful of instant noodles in his chubby hand and stuffing them into his mouth. “And this is my big brother, Seto.”

Dumpster boy continued to watch Joey closely,  his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. He didn’t speak but he ate voraciously, as though afraid that the food was going to get up and run away from him.

Joey noticed he wasn’t quite eating the equal half Mokuba had insisted he take, however; he kept surreptitiously pushing bits and pieces over to his younger brother. Mokuba was so caught up in talking with Joey that he didn’t notice.

He’s a good big brother, Joey thought with approval.

“What are you doing out here?” Joey asked, gesturing around at the crumbling, abandoned bar they were sitting in the middle of.

He’d gotten a little creeped out as they led him down alleys and side-streets to get here, worried in the back of his mind that they were a couple of junior serial killers and he was their next victim.

But as soon as they sat down behind the bar and attacked their food with the kind of ferocity that only came with hunger, he became sure that they were just a couple of kids who had seriously needed his help.

“We ran away from the orphanage,” Mokuba said.

Seto gave him a Look. “Don’t say that!” he hissed.

“Why not?” Mokuba asked. “We did.”

“We don’t know if we can trust this kid of not,” Seto said.

“Hey!” Joey said, incredulously. “I gave you all this food, didn’t I?”

“Yeah!” Mokuba said. “Joey’s good Seto, don’t worry. You won’t tell on us, will you?” he turned back to Joey, his eyes wide and trusting.

Joey smiled. “Of course not. I’m no tattletale.”

Seto didn’t look convinced, but he settled down and kept eating, so Joey decided to ignore him for the moment.

“Why did you run away?” Joey asked Mokuba. “If you were at the orphanage, you knew you didn’t have anywhere else to go, right?”

“They kept trying to split us up,” Mokuba said, and looked sadly down at his lap.

Joey swallowed, anger and sadness welling up inside of him. He knew how that felt, all too painfully close.

“Seto- they kept saying how special he is,” Mokuba continued. “And I’m… I’m not, so they didn’t want me.”

“They were wrong.”

Joey was a little shocked to hear Seto speak up, after keeping quiet for so long. His voice was low but firm, and as he spoke, he pressed the last of his potato chips into Mokuba’s hands.

“You’re as special as me, Mokie,” he said. “Those people were just stupid.”

That make Mokuba smile. “You’re right, they were pretty stupid,” he said, and ate the chips.

“So you just… live here now?” Joey asked.

“Yup!” Mokuba said. “It gets kind of cold at night, but it’s better than being split up.”

“But how do you eat?” Joey asked. “And aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

“We don’t need school. Seto’s a genius,” Mokuba said proudly. “And food- well…”

There was an awkward moment of silence as they both looked towards Seto.

He scowled at Joey. “Don’t give me that look. There’s no shame in digging through the trash for food if your only other option is starving.”

“That sounds gross,” Joey said.

“It’s not going to be like this forever,” Seto said, his voice cold and determined. “There’s a chess tournament going on next month that I plan to enter. The prize money is one hundred thousand yen.”

Joey couldn’t  contain his gasp of awe at hearing such a large number.”Are you serious?”

“I told you, my brother’s a genius!” Mokuba said. “He can beat any adult at chess. Or any game. He’s amazing.”

Joey would believe that when he saw proof, but he didn’t want to upset Mokuba by saying it outloud.  “But wait- will they even let a kid like you in?”

“They’ll have to,” Seto said grimly. “I’ll make them”

Joey had to choke back a fit of laughter at the idea of this tiny, scrawny ten-year-old facing down the judges and demanding that they allow him into the tournament.

But then Seto turned his piercing, icy eyes towards him, and the laughter died in his mouth.

There was no trace of hesitation on his face; this was the look of someone who had been forced into a corner, and intended to fight their way out.

Joey couldn’t help but admire that.

He sat up straight. “You know what? I’m gonna help you.”

The two brothers stared up at him; Seto shocked and scowling, Mokuba hopeful.

“Really?” Mokuba asked.

At the same time, Seto asked, “Why?”

Joey shrugged. “Just cause I’m a nice guy. Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to look a gift horse in the mouth?”

That was a bald-faced lie, of course- it was because when he looked at the two of them, he couldn’t stop thinking about Serenity. His heart ached when he thought about what he would have done in their situation; being separated from his sister was horrible, but at least he knew she was safe and happy with Mom, and he’d get to see her again someday.

If he’d been forced to see her left behind at an orphanage, with no idea if she’d be taken care of or whether he’d ever see her again…

Well, he probably would have done exactly what Seto had done.

Seto crossed his arms. “And why exactly should we trust you?”

“Why wouldn’t you trust me?” Joey asked. “Don’t I look trustworthy?”

“Don’t ask questions you’re not gonna like the answers to,” Seto said dryly.

“Hey!” Joey shouted.

Mokuba rolled his eyes. “Seto, stop being rude.”

“I’m not being rude, I’m being careful,” Seto insisted.

Joey sighed. “Well, if you’re not interested, you don’t have to take me up on it. All I was gonna do was sneak you food anyway; it’s your loss if you don’t wanna get in on that.”

He stood up to leave dramatically, but Mokuba bolted forward and before Joey knew what had happened, he was being held in place by a viselike grip around his waist.

“Don’t go!” he pleaded, looking up at Joey with big puppydog eyes. “Seto didn’t mean it. Please.”

Joey’s heart melted, and he smiled and patted Mokuba on the head. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t gonna let your grouchy brother scare me off.”

He looked up at Seto and raised his eyebrows. “So? You gonna make your kid brother cry because you don’t wanna trust me?”

Seto stared at him for a long, tense moment, his arms folded and his eyebrows drawn down into a tight scowl. Then he sighed heavily, and dropped his hands to his sides. “Fine. But if you let anyone else know you’re here, I’ll kill you. Got it?”

“Duly noted,” Joey said, then let out a pained ‘Oof!” as Mokuba’s arms squeezed around his waist.

“Thank you!” Mokuba said enthusiastically, grinning up at him.

Joey couldn’t help but grin back, his heart swelling at the kid’s affection. “No prob, little man. Hey, how about I get you guys hamburgers tomorrow?”

“Hamburgers!” Mokuba crowed, as Seto rubbed his temple in irritation.

Joey had no idea how he was gonna afford something like that. He’d probably have to steal money from his dad, and he’d get the butt-whooping of his life if he was caught.

But somehow, seeing Mokuba’s smile made it feel completely worth it.

~

Joey woke bolt upright at the stroke of midnight to the sound of something cracking off the window.

He fought his way out of the covers and crawled over to stare out, wondering blearily what could have made that noise.

A terrible, shivery fear lit up his spine; was it some kind of ghost or demon?

After a moment wrestling with his own fear, he stood up to peer out through the window- and was shocked to see the faint silhouette of Seto on the street below, waving up at him.

Ever since that day at the abandoned bar, Joey had been helping the orphaned brothers out. He couldn’t do much, but he smuggled them snacks after school, and occasionally leftovers from the rare occasions his dad actually cooked.

He’d also given them some blankets, because it was going to get cold soon, and he’d leant Mokuba his gameboy, feeling sorry for the poor kid, having to sit around all day while his brother searched for food and money in the streets.

On weekdays and evenings after school he’d come and basically babysit Mokuba while Seto prepared for the upcoming chess tournament. Joey couldn’t help but admire how quickly Seto read the thick textbooks he’d swiped from the local shopping center, and the seemingly inexhaustible fountain of knowledge he could recite off from the top of his head at any moment.

(But it did piss him off that Seto had won every single training match they’d had together, even with Mokuba (who Joey also hadn't managed to beat,) hanging over his shoulder and giving him tips. One of these days, Joey vowed to beat Seto at some game, ANY game, and he’d laugh in his face when he managed it.)

But Seto had never approached his apartment complex after that first day. Instead he insisted that Joey come to them, probably worried what would happen if the police or concerned neighbors saw him talking to Joey for too long.

If he was here, something must be seriously wrong. The first thing Joey could think of was something happening to Mokuba, and that thought chilled him so bad he woke all the way up.

He waved back at Seto, indicating he’d be right down, and rushed to get dressed before sneaking out of his room to the fire escape. His sneakers had barely hit the pavement before Seto jogged up to him, his usual scowl even deeper and scowlier than usual.

“Why'd you have to wake me up?” Joey complained, trying not to show how freaked out he was. “And if that window got broken, dad would-”

“We're leaving, “ Seto blurted out.

Joey blinked slowly. “...What?”

“Mokuba and I,” Seto clarified. “We’re leaving today.”

“What?! Why?” Joey demanded.

“People have been snooping around the bar,” Seto said. “I think someone saw us last night. So we’re leaving before they can find us and take us back to the orphanage.”

“But-” Joey found himself at a loss for words; this was all happening too fast.

“Just be quiet and listen,” Seto snapped. Then he took a deep breath, and said, “Come with us.”

Joey opened his mouth, but no words came out. He just stared at Seto, shocked.

Seto rubbed the back of his neck. “Trust me, I hate admitting this, but… I can’t take care of Mokuba on my own. There’s not- I hate leaving him on his own, in case something happens. But it’s usually too dangerous to take him along with me when I got to find food or money. I need someone else to look after him.”

“And you- you want me to do that?” Joey asked. He had to admit, it was a real surprise; Seto had met every attempt at making friends with suspicion and sarcasm. Every time he so much looked at him, Joey got the distinct feeling that he was wishing he had never appeared in his and his brother’s life.

Why was he asking for his help now?

“There’s no one else to ask!” Seto snapped. He looked mad, he looked- he looked like he was on the brink of tears. He looked desperate, his hands shaking and the dark circles beneath his eyes even more prominent than usual. “I hate this. I hate that I can’t do it on my own, but- but Mokuba… if something happens to him because I can’t take care of him, then I’ll just- I’ll-”

Joey stepped forward and put his hands on Seto’s shoulders. Dimly, he realized that this was the first time he’d ever actually touched the other boy, but he was more focused on other things. “Ok, I'll do it.”

Seto blinked up at him, surprised. “... Really?”

“Of course! “ Joey said. “Just give me a few minutes-I need to pack some supplies before dad can wake up. I'll bring food, and some more blankets, and-”

“Wait, wait.” Seto interrupted him, pushing him back a little. “Are you sure? It’s not going to be easy.”

“I'm sure,” Joey said.

“You'll go hungry. And winter is coming soon,” Seto warned him. “And sometimes- sometimes I have to steal stuff to keep us fed. Are you willing to do that?”

Joey shrugged. “It's what we gotta do.”

Seto eyed him, frowning, for a long, quiet moment. Then finally, he asked, “Why do you even care about us?”

Joey didn’t even hesitate on his answer. “Because I know what it’s like to get your family split up. And I’d do anything to keep that from happening to you.”

The other boy looked shocked. Then, after a moment, his expression softened and became more vulnerable than Joey had ever seen him look before. “...I’m sorry.”

Joey sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. “My sister… she needs surgery for her eyes. That’s why Mom and Dad broke up. But if I can  join the gaming circuit with you, I’ll be able to pay for her operation, and we can live together again.”

Seto watched him for another long moment then smikred. “That’s pretty ambitious of you, monkey. If you can make ten bucks off a game of go-fish, I’ll be shocked.”

“Hey!” Joey yelped, shaking his fist. “You wanna say that again?”

“Shhh, Joey, your dad!” Seto hushed him.

“Whoops, sorry.” Joey just squeezed his arm.  “C’mon, help me get stuff out of the fire escape. Dad’s passed out on the couch next to some empty bottles, we should be able to sneak plenty of supplies out before he can notice.”

Seto climbed up after him. As they reached the top of the fire escape stairs, he tugged gently on Joey’s sleeve.

When Joey turned around, he had his arms folded and was scowling off to into the distance

“Listen closely,” he said. “Because I’m never going to say this again. … Thank you.”

Joey blinked at him a couple of times, then grabbed his hand, smirking back at him. “You’re welcome, dumpster boy.”

“Excuse me, what did you just say?” Seto hissed in outrage, but Joey disappeared back into the apartment, swallowing his gleeful laughter as he went.

[centralparkpawsblog]

Your Puppy’s First Year: What to Expect

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/31K6h5pHMjL.jpg

The day I brought Daisy home is one of my most treasured memories. I had picked her out at four weeks old and was over the moon the day I was able to pick her up.

So, when the day finally came to pick Daisy up, I thought I was 100% prepared for a puppy.

Oh, how I was wrong!

I had thought that, between my experiences with our family dogs and my work as a vet tech and dog trainer, raising a puppy would be a breeze.

The reality of raising a puppy on your own as an adult and having a family dog as a kid is quite different.

Additionally, having worked with dogs for a few hours a day is not the same as living with them around the clock.

Daisy and Me

I will say it was a very eye-opening experience.

I love Daisy; she will always be my special heart dog.

Puppy training tool? Nope! Chew toy!

But even after her passing, I still vividly remember the tiny terror she once was!

Daisy was like most other puppies, except she was far more energetic and tenacious. Also, Daisy didn’t always respond to training as I would have liked or expected.

For example, when I tried to use a shaker can, instead of finding it startling she grabbed it from me and ran around with it.

Another thing that surprised me was when I did the puppy yelp when she bit me. Instead of it making her stop biting me she just bit me harder.

I went through a lot of band-aids Daisy’s first year!

Picking up Your Puppy

When the exciting day comes to pick up your puppy, be sure to pack the following:

Traveling crate and bed or blanket for crate

Leash and collar

Towels

Bottle of water

Poop bags – Depending on how long your drive is

Water bowl – Depending on how long your trip is

Treats

The drive home with your new puppy is likely their first car ride.

Some (not all) puppies will get car sick.

So, it’s good to have towels and water to on-hand help clean up the car and your puppy.

Also, if your puppy seems oddly anxious once you get on the road, they may need to go to the bathroom. Excitement tends to make puppies need to go to the bathroom.

Day 1

Don’t worry, we’re not going through all 365 days.

But the first day is noteworthy enough to have its own section.

When arriving home, the very first thing you should do is let your puppy go to the bathroom. It’s the best time to start your puppy’s housetraining.

Remember to always have treats on hand when outside so you can reward your puppy every time they go to the bathroom.

Once you get your puppy inside, you may be tempted to let them explore, and that’s great, but keep them on a leash.

Remember my earlier comment on excitement and needing to go to the bathroom?

Once your puppy has settled down, you can let them off-leash in a confined area where you can supervise them.

Allowing your puppy too much freedom can lead to them chewing on inappropriate items or having random accidents.

Throughout the first day and the months to follow, you will want to work consistently on both housetraining (see below for housetraining tips) and crate training.

Also, it is important to introduce them to their kennel throughout the day by tossing fun treats inside; this will encourage your puppy to explore their crate.

By randomly bringing your puppy to their crate it will help bedtime go smoother.

After a fun day with your new puppy, everyone will be ready for bed.

Puppy training treats cover a multitude of training situations

However, even an exhausted puppy will cry in their crate.

Remember, it’s likely this is the first time your puppy will have slept alone without their mom or littermates.

The first night of crate training can be a challenge; okay, well, maybe the first few nights.

Below are a few tips to help bedtime go easier:

Place the crate in your bedroom

Provide proper bedding

Be sure your puppy goes to the bathroom before bed

Be sure your puppy had enough to eat at dinnertime, but not too close to bedtime

Place the crate in a quiet, dark area

Though it is essential to allow your puppy to figure things out on their own, if their crying is excessive, you should bring them outside again.

Puppies have a terrible habit of monkeying around outside when they should be doing their business.

Puppy Stages

Puppies experience several different learning stages.

It is vital to know each stage and what to expect to ensure your puppy’s mental and emotional needs are being appropriately met.

Because this is such a critical subject, it has been written in greater depth in another article: Puppy Development Stages.

Crate Training Tips

Crate training can be a complicated process for some dogs, but with positive, consistent training, your puppy will learn that crate time isn’t a bad thing.

The Do’s and Don’t of Crate Training

Always:

Make crate time fun, but not exciting; this is a place that should be associated with calm behavior.

Always make sure your puppy has had enough exercise before putting them in the crate

Always bring your puppy out to go to the bathroom before putting them in their crate

Use treats or toys to lure your puppy in the crate

Always use a calm loving tone of voice when getting your puppy into their crate

Never:

Never hit the crate or yell at your puppy when they are crying in their crate

Never use the crate to punish your puppy for doing naughty things

Never force your puppy into their crate

Never slam the door shut on your puppy

Remember: Your puppy’s crate should be a safe place! Photo by Suzette Franck (CC BY 2.0)

Housetraining Tips

According to the AKC, the lack of housetraining is one of the top reasons dogs are dumped at shelters, which is why it is vital to start house training on day one[1].

Housetraining can be challenging for both the human and the puppy, but if you are patient, consistent, and persistent, you can quickly and easily housetrain your new pup.

Things to remember when housetraining your puppy:

Always watch for cues that your puppy needs to go outside. Some common signals are intense smelling of the floor, pacing, or sudden pause in play.

Bring your puppy outside frequently, after they wake up, after they eat, and after playing. In the beginning, you will be bringing them out about every two hours.

Praise and give high-value treats as soon as your puppy goes to the bathroom.

Put your pup on a strict eating, sleeping, and bathroom schedule. Keeping your puppy on a schedule will greatly reduce the number of accidents.

Take food and water away at least a half-hour before bed or kennel time.

If your puppy has an accident, don’t make a big deal about it. Just pick your puppy up and bring them out to finish their business.

If you bring your puppy outside and they don’t go to the bathroom, bring them back in and put them in their crate (not as a punishment) for 5-10 minutes, then bring them out again.

Puppies are easily distracted, so when you are outside and want them to go to the bathroom, do you best to keep them focused. After they’ve gone to the bathroom you can let them explore.

Try to bring your puppy to the same place in the yard each time.

Use a simple command to indicate what you are looking for, such as, “Do your business” or, “Go Potty.”

If your dog has an accident, be sure to clean the area thoroughly. Otherwise, your puppy may continue to go to the bathroom in that area.

Product Recommendations

Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator   Check Price

Puracy Natural Stain Remover   Check Price

Clorox Urine Remover   Check Price

Vansky Black Light   Check Price

Though the last product isn’t a stain remover, it does help locate urine spots and also ensures any urine spots have been thoroughly cleaned.

Housetraining and Negative Reinforcement

Puppies will have accidents during the training process, and it’s just part of the training.

Although housetraining can be frustrating, you never want to:

Discipline your puppy for an accident, including yelling at them

Rub their nose in the area they had the accident

Negative reinforcement training can prolong the housetraining process and teach your dog to fear you.

Studies have shown negative reinforcement training can cause significant long-term effects such as aggressive behavior, fearful behavior, and anxiety[2].

There is a common misconception that dogs urinate or have accidents because they are upset with their humans.

In actuality, if a dog has an accident, it is likely due to needing to go to the bathroom, anxiety, fear, or stress.

I am frequently asked how long does it take to housetrain a puppy, and unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to that.

Each dog is different, and the amount of time can vary much like the amount of time it takes to toilet train a child.

All dogs are individuals, so don’t expect your new puppy will housetrain the same as other dogs you’ve had.

80% of housetraining success is on the human, but the other 20% is all about your pup.

Daisy trained quickly, but because Sophie’s lack of proper training it took forever and she still has the occasional accident.

Stopping Unwanted Behaviors

As your puppy grows, he or she may start do engage in unwanted behaviors.

The most common are:

Chewing

Humping

Nipping, Biting, and Mouthing

Let’s look at why puppies do these and how you can train them to stop.

Chewing

Puppies chew for a wide variety of reasons ranging from teething, to anxiety, to being a normal dog behavior.

The reason your dog is chewing will help determine how to resolve destructive chewing.

Even with the most diligent puppy-proofing, puppies can still seem to find inappropriate items to chew on from table legs to couches.

Teething

Puppy teething is normal behavior.

When puppies are getting their new teeth in, they often chew on anything within reach. Chewing helps alleviate the discomfort of their new teeth coming in.

Providing appropriate chew toys will decrease the chance of your puppy chewing on things that are not theirs.

Specially designed teething toys that can be put in the freezer to help numb your puppy’s gums as they chew are perfect for any teething puppy.

According to the ASPCA, a puppy’s teething stage usually doesn’t go beyond six months of age[3].

Product Recommendations

PetStages Cool Teething Stick   Check Price

Nylabone Teething Puppy Chew   Check Price

Mushroom Cat Puppy Teething Ring   Check Price

Normal Chewing

Dogs of all ages chew.

It’s a normal behavior that helps to keep teeth clean and strengthen jaw muscles.

Ideas for good chew toy options are:

Benebone   Check Price

Pet Parents Elk Antlers   Check Price

Kathmandu’s Himalayan Yak Chew (Yes. they are safe for dogs)   Check Price

Anxiety Chewing

Even puppies can get anxious or scared, resulting in destructive chewing.

When Calvin was young, he had separation anxiety when not in a kennel ending in the loss of multiple couches and dog beds.

For more information on dealing with dogs with anxiety check out our article: Calming Essential Oils for Dogs with Anxiety

Humping

Many pet parents have witnessed their puppy mounting or humping another dog, object, or human.

Often, pet parents feel a bit embarrassed or bemused by this act.

Humping and mounting are healthy canine behaviors that are frequently practiced at a young age.

Though we see it as a sexual behavior, and it sometimes is, it can also be the result of overstimulation, stress, or dominance.

A squeaky ball makes for a good distraction

Oftentimes when displayed by young puppies, especially in front of newly arrived guests, it is a sign of being excited and not knowing what to do with all of their excited energy.

Sometimes, humping and mounting is an act to get attention[4]. Pet parents often react strongly to this unwanted behavior, and in a puppy’s mind, even negative attention is attention.

Even though this is a healthy dog behavior, unless you are planning on breeding your male dog when they reach the proper age, it is best to redirect your puppy when they start humping.

The reason why you should put an end to this behavior, besides the uncomfortable feeling it gives humans, is because it can lead to dog fights.

Also, humping is not an appropriate way for your dog to interact with guests.

To deter this behavior, it is best to use redirection techniques.

If a puppy is given too much attention when mounting, then there is a possibility that it will worsen the behavior instead of improving it.

Try grabbing a squeaker ball or other favorite toy.

If you know your dog does this behavior every time you have guests, try giving them a treat ball or chewy when your guests arrive.

Providing a positive distraction is usually all it takes to eliminate this behavior.

Nipping, Biting, or Mouthing

Puppies explore and investigate by mouthing or chewing on things, and sometimes those things are us.

Nipping, biting, and mouthing are healthy puppy behaviors.

When puppies are at play with one another, it will usually involve mouthing and biting one another. However, if play gets too rough you will hear one squeak.

Puppies know that when their sibling or friend yips it means that their roughhousing has gotten a little out of hand and it’s time to be gentler.

Puppies see humans, adult dogs, and other puppies all as possible playmates until they are told otherwise.

My mom’s puppy Gussie learned that her older Golden sister, Gracie, did not appreciate being nipped in the ankles.

Gracie told her quickly and effectively that biting her was not an acceptable way of behaving.

It never happened again.

Since we are not dogs, we need to do our best to figure out a way to set boundaries with our puppies.

It is essential to set these ground rules early and consistently from day one.

It may seem adorable and harmless when your tiny fluff ball is gnawing on a finger, but remember puppies grow fast, and those teeth will only get bigger and sharper.

One thing I always reminded students in my puppy class was if you don’t want your adult dog doing a specific behavior, then don’t allow your puppy to do it.

For example, if you don’t want your dog jumping on you when they’re 50 lbs. then don’t let them do it when they’re 8 lbs.

Many dogs are surrendered to rescue or left at shelters due to bad behavior, not aggressive behavior.

These dogs just had not been appropriately trained as puppies and are now too big and unruly for their families to keep, which is why it is critical to start training early.

Things to Do If Your Puppy Is Using You as a Chew Toy

Redirect the behavior.

Mimic a puppy yelp – This is a signal your puppy understands and it usually ends the biting quickly. At which point, you can redirect.

Remove yourself from the situation. If your puppy is playing too rough, walk away from the puppy. Your puppy will eventually learn that roughhousing will end playtime.

Consistency. You need to remember that teeth on skin isn’t okay at any level. So, as soon as your puppy starts gnawing on you, correct the behavior.

Set up puppy playdates. A tired puppy is a well-behaved puppy. This also lets your dog do its play biting with another dog that enjoys that same style of interaction; plus, it will help with socialization and exercise.

Final Thoughts

Puppies are fun and adorable, and I love nothing more than their soft puppy toes, their silly behavior, and their stinky puppy breath, but puppies are not just sunshine and rainbows.

Puppies can be challenging, and they require a lot of time and patience.

If I could only use two words of advice for parents raising a puppy, they would be patience and consistency.

Without both, puppy training will be a nightmare for both of you.

Do your best to keep a positive attitude, even when faced with horrible puppy messes.

The more patient and consistent you are with your puppy, the faster your puppy will learn, and the two of you can move onto the next stage in your relationship.

Training is a must, but it also has the added benefit of creating a strong bond between the two of you.

You and your puppy are both going to make mistakes, but you can learn from them and move on. Getting a puppy is a beautiful, fun, and challenging journey and so worth every minute.

Resources

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/

https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/05/what-is-negative-reinforcement-in-dog.html

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/destructive-chewing

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/why-puppies-and-femal-dogs-hump-or-mount/

The post Your Puppy’s First Year: What to Expect appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from https://www.centralparkpaws.net/pet-care/puppy-first-year-expect-prepare/

[lifewiththeboyds]

Three Thoughts On My Ectopic Pregnancy: Fear, Dismay, and Lily

April 30, 2017

Part 1: Fear

My doctor called me on the afternoon of Easter eve and urged me to go to the ER that day. 

“I think you’re anemic and I’d like you to go to the ER. Do you think you can make that happen? Can you go today? I’ll call to let them know you’re coming.” 

So we got Oliver up (we had just laid him down for a nap) and went to the ER. 

We thought it’d be another blood test and some medication to take home. Turns out it was:

“Change into this gown.” “Here are two warm blankets.” Take a couple blood tests. Put “Thomas” on for Oliver. “Don’t eat or drink anything until we know what’s going on.” Call for a friend to watch Oliver. Be wheeled up to ultrasound (cry on the way, repeat truth on the way, see no baby on the ultrasound). Wait for Kyle to return from dropping off Oliver. Hear the news of an ectopic pregnancy from Kyle (via the doctor prior).

And then finally, the news: I had an ectopic pregnancy in my left fallopian tube that burst, rupturing my tube and causing internal bleeding. When did the pain start? Saturday. Saturday, a week ago, I had a sharp pain on my left side, and then more pain that wouldn’t go away Monday through Wednesday. I’ve been bleeding internally for a week. That is why my stomach is bloated, my underwear is spotted, my trips up the stairs cause me to be light-headed and out of breath. That is why I’ve felt nauseous and tired. Not a baby. Not a stomach bug.

They take me up for surgery. The Lord is faithful and I can remember the verse I memorized earlier in the year: The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Repeating that in my mind as I go through hospital halls and surgery prep and enter the operating room gives me such comfort and confidence. And no fear! I did not fear. I knew the Lord was with me and He was in control. My role was to trust Him.

In surgery, they remove 600 cc’s of blood from my abdomen, remove what is left of our baby, and remove my left tube. I rest in the hospital that night while Kyle goes home to be with Oliver, relieving another friend that has graciously taken watch of him. I feel cozy and pain free.

We wake up and it’s Easter and God is so good. White tulips, a slow trip home, and Easter basket opening while I watch from bed. Meals delivered. Texts sent. Prayers and remembering and thankfulness. God spared my life. He kept me alive (and really, functioning quite well) for a week. Praise be to God!

Part 2: Dismay

On a Saturday morning the week before Easter, I laid on our bed in pain. My left side was pinching in on itself and the pain was excruciating. Thinking it was my body’s way of working its cycle out after weaning Oliver, I took two Tylenol and continued with my Saturday: a bridal shower and then later, a spontaneous family trip to Discovery Park.

Two days later my pain was back. Like a side cramp when running that wouldn’t relax, I went through my life as usual for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Thinking I had a lingering stomach bug from the week prior, I canceled all my playdates, for fear that I would spread this painful bug. Wednesday night I took Ibuprofen and called the 24-hour nurse phone line that our insurance provides. Pain, shortness of breath, bloating. I didn’t mention the bleeding or the nausea. I thought my cycle was still working itself out and that the stomach bug was still in my gut. She was concerned about my shortness of breath and advised I go to urgent care. It was 10:30 p.m. I wasn’t dying (or so we thought at the time). Instead, we’d call my doctor for a same-day appointment in the morning. We prayed. I went to sleep.

The next morning, on Thursday, the doctor gave me the most exciting and surprising news: you’re pregnant! That must explain a lot. The bleeding, the bloated (huge!) stomach, the nausea, the tiredness. The everything. When you’re pregnant, every symptom happens to you. But I was concerned about my bleeding. I didn’t understand—how could I be pregnant if I was bleeding, and had been bleeding for so long? She ordered an additional blood test and told me to come back on Saturday for a comparison blood test.

Kyle picked me up, we gathered in our living room, and I told him the news through happy tears. What?! He was shocked. And thrilled. We later found out I was 6–7 weeks along.

Friday passed, and Saturday morning I went in for my follow-up blood test. Then the call that afternoon that led to surgery.

//

When I think back on the week of my pain, where I was daily losing more blood yet gaining it in my abdomen, it’s easy to think: how did we not know?! how could we have been so ignorant?! what were we thinking?! But the focus should not be on what we failed to do, but rather what the Lord saw fit to do for us, through His gracious, undeserved love. 

Instead of how did we not know?! The truth to remember is that God is all-knowing. Sovereign. Powerfully. Watchful. He goes ahead of you.

Instead of how could we have been so ignorant?! The truth to remember is that God is kind. Gracious. Gives good gifts. He is with you.

Instead of what were we thinking?! The truth to remember is that God is in control. Trustworthy. Strong. He gives peace beyond understanding.

Fear is not so much part of the equation now, but dismay has slipped in. My heart is quick to grow in dismay. How long will I be in pain...forever?! When will I feel normal again...never?! When can I pick up Oliver again...can’t?! It’s easy to forget the truth that The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. I am not out of this in-between spot yet—where dismay fights to win. But! I am finding some things that help.

Repeating truth, like above, helps. Separate, week-long visits from our moms helps. Praying and being prayed for helps. Remaining in the rhythm of daily devotionals helps. Meals from friends helps. Reaching for Psalm 33 at weak moments helps.

And time. Time helps.

Part 3: Lily

A few days after my surgery, I asked Kyle if we could name the baby. Did he think that was silly? He didn’t.

It’s an odd way to understand a pregnancy: yes, it was a fertilized egg (baby!), but no, it wasn’t in the uterus—so the baby had no chance for survival. I’m ashamed that for the first few days of processing this event, I wondered if I had actually lost a baby—or if it was somehow an almost baby. I realize now that I must extend grace to myself for my thoughts during that time, as I know God gives me endless grace always, and so of course He also gives me grace in trying times. And that I need to welcome and receive. I was just beginning grieving, just beginning recovery, just beginning “a second chance” of sorts, and perhaps I was hoping I didn’t really lose a baby because then it would be easier to cope. Though I had (and sometimes still have) so many questions, I am, however, confident on this series of events:

It did not exist. It came to be. It grew. It ceased to be.

Life begins at conception. So, a baby it is. A baby it was. A baby we lost.

I had an inkling this baby was a girl. And I didn’t want to remember this season of our lives—the heartache, the faithfulness of the Lord, the idea of her—as “that time I had an ectopic pregnancy.” So we named her.

Lily. Our Easter Lily. 

I’ve realized: a heart, if asked to lift a feather for the rest of its life, will always feel the weight. And so, my heart will always feel the weight of you, Lily.

You were anticipated. You were wanted. You were celebrated. You were prayed over. You were mourned for.

//

At my follow-up appointment after my surgery, we returned to the same OB/GYN office where I had gone for all of Oliver’s appointments. There is a donut shop nearby where I had always told Kyle we should stop and get a donut after our appointments. In all those visits for Oliver, we never did.

This time, we stopped. Donuts for Lily. A life celebrated.