#i feel like a rambunctious dog with too much energy i have to bite a pillow and shake it

[lillybean730]

trying to be normal but i keep envisioning tearing apart furniture with my teeth :/

[peachdues]

Hi hello yes I’m here to hear about Tengen’s FOUR kids!!!!!!! Was it one pregnancy for each wife and one of them got twins??? Tell me about themmmm (please if you want and have the energy to do so)

lmaooo so actually, your headcanon matches Sam’s — one kid with all three wives except one of them ends up with twins.

I think that’s viable — but I’m also imagining Tengen having one with each wife, but accidentally getting another one pregnant at the same time as the mother of the third child. So two wives being pregnant at the same time — which would be fucking hilarious because can you imagine the amount of stress that man would feel??

For their sake, I hope the two pregnant at the same time would be Makio and Suma, since Hinatsuru would provide the much needed calm and collectedness to the absolute hormone and stress-fueled anxious mess that would be Tengen x Makio x Suma. At the same time, Makio and Suma’s heightened hormones might lead to a house-wide emotional nuclear meltdown on more than one occasion.

Tbh, I see Tengen as someone who becomes even more high maintenance than his pregnant wives. Don’t get me wrong — he’s incredibly attentive and considerate during the pregnancies. But he’s also a fainting goat; he’s so stressed out trying to manage not one but two pregnancies while also dealing with two other kids (who are likely close in age and at that rambunctious stage where they think stressing Dad out is hilarious). He’s a hovering, nervous mother hen, and it doesn’t help that his wives are strong willed. I imagine him being beside himself because Suma has decided to climb up onto some taller surface to reach something she KNOWS Tengen will get for her, but she doesn’t want to be an inconvenience. So here he is, trying to help Hina with dinner, only to see Suma atop some tall, mildly rickety ladder and he has a fucking heart attack. Already her sense of balance is thrown off by the size of her stomach, but add an unstable ladder into the mix?? Poor man nearly drops dead.

Of course, while he’s rushing to help her down, Makio decides it’s the perfect time to get into a fight with the neighbor’s dog — you know, the one who keeps sneaking into the garden and trying to steal bites of food cooking atop the the outdoor fire pit as Hinatsuru has her back turned? Yeah. That one. Well, unfortunately for the dog, Hina happens to be making Makio’s favorite variation of grilled beef, and she is not about to let this mangy mutt steal from her. Too bad the dog also knows how to fight.

So imagine poor Tengen’s nerves when, just as he’s guiding Suma back down to steady ground, he hears screaming and snarling and barking while Hinatsuru is shouting Makio’s name. The former Sound Hashira doesn’t have time to appreciate the way his stomach falls out of his ass — he’s hightailing it out into the gardens, grabbing whatever makeshift weapon he can — an errant pan, an old training stick from his days in the Corps, anything.

Come to find his other equally pregnant wife in what can only be described as a tug of war with the neighbor’s poor dog. Said dog managed to snag a strip of meat off the cooking plate but not before Makio lunged for it, toppling the makeshift grill in the process and sending all of the family’s meal into the coals and dirt. But this last piece of beef is all she’s craved all day, and she’ll be damned if she loses to a stupid, flea-ridden bag of fur.

She loses anyway because both Hinatsuru and Tengen force her to drop her grip on the meat, and poor Makio has to watch as the dog scampers off, rapidly devouring her meal.

Anyways. That night, it’s Makio who is boo-hoo sobbing with big, fat tears because she feels terrible about having ruined dinner (and she didn’t get the meat she wanted, poor thing). Suma, as equally hormonal and a known sympathy crier, also bursts into tears the moment she witnesses Makio wailing, which in turn, awakens the two sleeping kids. Naturally, they don’t know why their moms are crying, so of course, they join in.

And you know what? It’s at that point Tengen joins in on the sob fest, because fuck it.

In conclusion: poor Hinatsuru.

[trashytoastboi]

Hi, I love your writing and I appreciate that you take time to share it with us! Could you do this prompt “your pretty sure that your roommates are a hero and a villain, but you don’t care because they both pay rent and are decent to be around. However, they have to put their differences aside and team up to save you after you get kidnapped. Also, remind them to lecture you because it took them a bit to realize you were actually kidnapped because your text message sounded sarcastic” with Hawks, Dabi, and a quirkless reader.

Heyya!🍀 thank you so much🥺 sorry this took so long and hope you enjoy~

(Gender Neutral)

Scenario: Hawks, Dabi with Quirkless! Reader – Work On Your Distress Signal

Word count: 1,270 words

💉Dabi💉 & 🦅Hawks🦅

It had been a while since {Name} had been searching for a decent set of roommates, when to their surprise they finally got two. Only to discover they were quite literally both on the same sides of a coin. A hero and a villain…what were the chances? Luckily they had decided to move in on the same day, this was also when {Name} witnessed their ‘first’ meeting to discover that they at the very least knew eachother. Which saved {Name} from those awkward introductions.

Everything went smoothly, both had moved in and they all current sat sharing their first dinner as roommates, however it was mostly just {Name} sitting in an awkward silence while Hawks ate his food and Dabi picked and prodded the food on his plate, occasionally taking a bite. Hawks smiles looking at Dabi “Looks like we meet again, you know what they say. Birds of a feather stick together.” He chuckles at his own pun, which helped to alleviate the awkwardness a bit. It was also thanks to Hawks that the conversation about quirks had come up. When Dabi was asked about his quirk, he simply gave a demonstration of little blue flames along with the comment “Perfect for making roast chicken” he stated while looking at Hawks. “What’s your quirk {Name}?” Hawks inquired since the conversation had yet to land on them. “Ah, I don’t have one. I’m quirkless.”

Dabi and Hawks looked at them, seeing someone quirkless was honestly surprising considering how rare it was. Thankfully no dinner was ever as awkward as that one. To their surprise, they are assured that every month the rent is paid in full amount, and the two of them actually proved to be good company. Not causing any unnecessary drama or raucous behaviour unless it was welcomed with the three of them getting rambunctious with a few drinks. {Name} does tend to act like a mediator, or at the very least a reason to behave when around Dabi and Hawks, since when given the chance the two of them go at it like cats and dogs. That was the usual and it created a nice sense of life and energy.

{Name} had just arrived home, noticing no one was there besides them, when their vision was replaced with the hazy black, feeling the fabric scratching against their face, they could tell it was a blindfold. Having their hands being bound behind their back before feeling themselves being lifted and thrown rather roughly into the back seat of a car “Well…this is far from pleasant.”

{Name} squirmed and twisted until finally slipping one hand free from the restraints digging their phone out of their pocket that the people were too careless to remove, {Name} lifts up the blindfold to see their screen before texting a message and sending it to their roommates. {Name} stares at their message, actually pretty amazed that they could type something that long without being noticed by their captors.

Dabi opened the door to see Hawks slumped over the table, dying from hunger “{Name} hasn’t made anything yet” he sulks, Dabi just groans with annoyance at Hawks deciding not to pay it any mind, lest he be sucked up into the Hawks hunger saga. Feeling the buzz in his pocket, he pulls out his phone and notices that Hawks had received a simultaneous message.

Tied up at the moment, I need saving from these people. If you could get me out as soon as possible that’d be great.

Dabi and Hawks look at the message. “Oh they’re at a social thing, I mean I get the sentiment but knowing {Name} it was probably some sort of obligation. We’ll just wait for them. So…Dabs, can ya cook?” Hawk jests, not exactly receiving a fond reaction from the scarred man. Dabi can’t help but think the same thing, knowing his own dislike of social functions and gatherings the message doesn’t seem too out of the ordinary. “Make yourself some cereal or something, I’m going to bed” he states, leaving a depressed Hawks at the table.

Begrudgingly Hawks chews his cereal “I will wait until {Name} gets back and demand food!”

The time tips well past two in the morning when Hawks wakes up, noticing that {Name} still has not arrived home “What if…”

Dabi wakes up to a loud noise as Hawks kicked in his door “Get up! I think {Name} was being serious!” Hawks exclaims while attempting to wake him. Dabi blinks his eyes, still caught in his sleep before decidedly turning the other way to fall back asleep and ignore the ruckus that Hawks was making. “OI!” Hawks yells before jumping on the bed and violently shaking Dabi

“Okay I get it!” Dabi spits out in annoyance as he pushed Hawks off of the bed, before standing and pulling on his coat. Slipping on his shoes and scratching his neck with a rather big yawn. “Let’s go”

{Name} strains against the rope that was currently binding them, feeling that uncomfortable bite from the roughness digging into their skin. Sighing over how long it had been since they sent that message, growing anxious that perhaps in their haste the had sent it to the wrong people? The entire situation never made sense in the first place, what was the end goal? Why did they get kidnapped? {Name} had been attempting to listen to anything that went on around them, trying to gather what little information they could from the hushed conversations that were passing in and out of earshot. Listening to those muffled words when as clear as day there was disarray and commotion, followed by the sound of running and yelling. “What the-?” the man closest to {Name} lost track of his words as there was the sound of a heavy thud hitting the floor. They felt the uncomfortable restraint of the ropes beginning to grow loose and suddenly gone all together. {Name} ripped off their blindfold looking at the feathers that rested on the chair, “Hawks!” they exclaimed happily, following the feathers lead.

Dabi soon comes into sight, with quite a lot of people surrounding him but no one daring to make the first move. {Name} was so relieved, looking at that self serving smirk, still acting aloof as ever. They greet him, with Dabi looking at the marks on their wrist from where the rope had been cutting into their skin, suddenly that smirk fades and is replaced with a frown. “I’m in a foul mood since I got woken up and all because you had to go and kidnap my roommate.” He pulls {Name} in close to him as the room fills with the brilliant burning blue light that, looking at everyone caught in the effect and noticing they’re all down for the count as Dabi pulls them along and out of the room, leaving {Name} to chuckle nervously not entirely knowing just how to process their ‘rescue.’

“Why is {Name} still walking!? Dabi you’re supposed to carry them like a princess. It completes the rescue!” Hawks shouts, making his way over to the two. “Shut up” Dabi mutters in response, seemingly much more grumpy when it came to seeing Hawks who was buzzing around {Name} inquiring if they are okay. “I’m fine, thank you” {Name} reassured him, “Next time you get kidnapped try not to sound so sarcastic when asking to be rescued” Dabi comments mostly likely referring to the text message.

“Sarcastic? But I told you exactly what happened!” {Name} protests, sighing and rubbing their eyes not having the energy to argue. “I just want to go to bed.”

[let-the-dream-begin]

A Place to Belong Chapter 29: Caitlin

Content warning: this chapter contains detailed descriptions of infant death.

Chapter 28

Read on AO3

December 3, 1749

Considering this was Jenny’s fifth pregnancy, the labor took considerably longer than Claire thought it would. Michael and Janet had taken a bit longer than expected, but they were twins, so that was understandable. Claire had been certain that any more children after those two would have been out in under an hour. 

So when the labor lasted well into the next day, Jenny was biting her tongue from slurring through every curse in the English and Gaelic languages.

“Ye swore, Claire, ye swore to me this one would be quick!”

“I know, Jenny, I’m sorry…sometimes it’s unpredictable even when someone has had as many as you have.” Claire dabbed at her forehead again.

“Ye’re sure the bairn is in the right position? That’s no’ the problem?”

“The baby isna breech, Mistress Murray,” the midwife assured. “Everything is perfectly normal. No blood, either. He’s just taking his time, is all.”

Jenny collapsed onto the pillows with a frustrated grunt. “If I knew it wasna going to get any easier I’d never have let Ian touch me again!”

“Now, now,” Claire chuckled. “You don’t mean that.”

“I think I know what I mean, Claire,” Jenny snapped.

Claire bit her tongue to keep from laughing again. “I’m sorry, you’re right. You’re the one in labor, not me.”

“That’s fer damned sure!” Jenny’s angry shouting dissolved into an anguished cry, and she blindly reached for Claire’s hand. “It’s coming! Now!”

They quickly moved her to the hay in front of the fireplace and positioned her properly.

All the rest happened much too quickly.

“He’s almost here, Mistress! Keep going!”

“Fine, Mistress Murray. One more push should do it!”

“Oh, thank Christ…”

Sure enough, a few minutes, much screaming, and one big push later, the baby was out.

“It’s a bonny wee lassie!” the midwife said.

“There, it’s over,” Claire said, wiping down her face again.

But something was not right.

The midwife cut the cord and whisked her away to be cleaned as Claire helped Jenny deliver the afterbirth. But aside from Jenny’s panting, there was not a sound to be heard. Claire went to the nightstand to get Jenny a glass of water, but by the time she returned, Jenny was already sitting straight up.

“She’s no’ crying…” Jenny pushed the glass away. “Why is she no’ crying?”

Claire rushed to the midwife’s side to check her breathing and pulse as she was wiped down. At first, Claire wasn't at all certain that she was alive; she had to feel around multiple different places to find her pulse. And she was so, impossibly small for a baby only a few weeks early. Claire’s heart sank when she finally found a pulse.

“Claire? What’s wrong?”

Her pulse was far slower than it should have been. And then she heard it: the slow, raspy breathing. The midwife paused her ministrations, seemingly realizing at the same time Claire did. She gave Claire a sad, knowing look.

This baby was not going to live very long.

“She’s breathing, Jenny…” Claire said, biting her lip. “But she…she’s weak.”

“She needs milk,” Jenny said curtly. “Give her to me.”

As the midwife finished up with the baby and swaddled her, Claire helped Jenny off the floor and back into the bed. By the time the midwife brought over the little bundle, Jenny had already untied her shift and freed one of her breasts. Jenny sighed with relief as the baby nestled in her arms, and the midwife shuffled about the room, cleaning up.

“Hello, wean,” Jenny whispered. “Come on, now, ye’ll be stronger when ye eat.”

Jenny held the baby to her breast, but she didn’t move. Claire watched helplessly, her vision blurring with tears.

“It’s alright, mo chridhe,” Jenny crooned, stroking her cheek with one finger. She began coaxing her in Gaelic, holding onto her breast, pushing the nipple right up against the baby’s lips, but she would not latch on.

After several seconds, Jenny’s calm melted away, and her head whipped up to look at Claire. “She willna eat. Why will she no’ eat?”

Claire wet her lips and swallowed thickly, wracking her brain for the right thing to say…

“Do something!” Jenny shouted, causing Claire to jump and a single tear to roll down her cheek.

“Take her! Help her!” Jenny held the little baby up, reaching for Claire.

Claire stepped slowly forward. She placed a hand on the baby’s chest, gently pushing her back down into Jenny’s cradling arms. “I…can’t, Jenny.”

Jenny’s frantic expression melted into horror, and she jerkily shook her head. “Ye…ye have to help her, Claire…ye have to…”

Claire put a hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “There’s nothing I can do. She’s just…too weak.”

Jenny looked down at the baby, and Claire watched as tears dropped from Jenny’s eyes and onto the little bundle.

“I’ll get Ian.”

“No.” Her head snapped up again. “I dinna want him to see her like this…it’ll break his heart…”

“He deserves to meet his daughter, Jenny,” Claire said gently. “And you need each other right now.”

Jenny’s mouth opened and closed as if to say something else, but instead her eyes fell back on the baby. She nodded wordlessly.

Claire breathed deeply, steeling herself before opening the door. After she shut it behind her, everything seemed to catch up with her, and she had to bite her lip to stifle the audible sob that bubbled up from her chest. She covered her mouth, and tears fell freely over the back of her hand. After a few seconds, she took another breath, wiped her eyes, and put on as neutral an expression as she could muster. As if in a daze, she made her way down the stairs and out the back door, praying not to run into any of the children.

She found Ian near the stables, pitching hay. He noticed her immediately, and his face lit up.

“Has the bairn arrived?” he called, setting the pitchfork against the wagon and walking to meet her where she stood.

“Yes,” Claire said flatly. “It’s a girl.”

“Another wee lass,” he said with a hearty laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. He finally got close enough to see the expression on Claire’s face, and his smile disappeared. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s…she’s very weak.”

“What do ye mean?”

“She won’t live very long,” Claire said, taking all of the strength within her to not completely shatter. “I’m…I’m so sorry, Ian.”

Panic suddenly etched itself into every one of his features. “Jenny?”

“She’s alright,” Claire said quickly. “She just…needs her husband now.”

His eyes averted her gaze, and he nodded. “I’ll, uh…go to her, then.”

Claire nodded silently, staring at the dirt between her feet as Ian disappeared into the house.

“Maman?”

Fergus suddenly appeared from within the stable, pitchfork in hand. Claire slowly picked up her head to look at him. Fergus immediately set down the pitchfork and rushed to her side.

“The baby?” he asked gently, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Auntie Jenny?”

“Jenny is fine,” Claire assured him. She wet her lips again. “The baby is…she’s not going to make it.”

Without another word, Fergus pulled her into a strong embrace, and it was enough to make her fall apart. She could not allow herself to really cry in front of Jenny or Ian; it was their loss, not hers. She had to be strong for them. But to deliver four of their six children and lose one, to know so intimately the cacophony of little voices crying Auntie! and to know that there was one voice she’d never hear…it broke her heart.

And that pain…that pain that Jenny was feeling was all too familiar to her. It was a pain she would not wish on her worst enemy. To know that Jenny, her sister, her dearest friend, her very own pillar of strength had to endure the worst pain Claire had ever known shook her to her core.

She wept into Fergus’s shoulder, clinging to him for dear life. Somewhere through her veil of grief, she realized she couldn’t tuck his head under her chin anymore, that her face was buried into his shoulder instead of the other way around. When on earth had he gotten so tall…?

She lost track of how much time had passed; she didn’t realize when they’d started rocking back and forth. Claire finally came to her senses, swallowing the remainder of her tears. She pulled away from him so that she could look into his eyes, and she ran a hand through his curls.

“You are thinking of her, no?” Fergus said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Of Faith?”

Claire nodded, biting her lip as more tears threatened to resurface. “It’s a pain that…that never leaves you. Never.”

“Auntie Jenny is strong,” Fergus assured her.

“I know she is.” Claire nodded.

“It will be alright, Maman. We will grieve, but we will heal. Yes?”

Claire nodded, her vision blurring again. “I know, darling.” She caressed his face, painfully aware of the lack of boyishness in his features. “I love you, mon fils.”

“I love you, too.”

He hugged her again, briefly, and Claire’s heart suddenly leapt into her throat.

“Where is Brianna?”

“She is around front with the dogs. Mrs. Crook has been minding her and Kitty.”

Claire nodded. “I need to see her, to…to hold her right now.”

“I understand.”

Claire made her way around the house to the front yard, and she had to stop for a moment to collect herself when she caught sight of them. Brianna and Kitty were bundled head to toe to protect them from the December chill. They were positively squealing their heads off chasing after Jehu, the newest addition to the Murray clan of dogs. The first rat terrier, Luke, had passed away a few months ago, and the children were having a ball with Jehu’s never-ending puppy energy. Mrs. Crook was hanging laundry, and Maggie was sitting on the porch with Bran. Even in his youth, Bran had never been much for rambunctious play, but especially now, he was more than content to sit idle as Maggie pet him in long, gentle strokes.

The sound of her daughter’s laughter, accompanied by the laughter of her very best friend, her cousin, Claire’s little niece, was overwhelming. Claire steeled herself before walking closer, and Jehu immediately took note, sprinting toward her. The girls squealed again and darted after him. Claire smiled despite herself, stooping to pick up the little mongrel yapping at her feet.

“Ye caught him, Auntie!” Kitty giggled.

Claire handed him to her, and she shrieked in amusement as he lapped at her entire face.

“Take him to Maggie, would you Kitty?”

She nodded and began bounding back toward the porch, and Brianna started to follow.

“Brianna,” Claire called. “Stay here, please.”

Brianna whirled around. “In trouble, Mummy?”

“No, darling,” Claire assured her. She knelt in the grass and opened her arms. “Come here.”

Brianna obeyed, approaching her mother and allowing her to take her in her arms. Claire let out the breath she’d been holding, sighing shakily in relief. She held her daughter tightly, cradling her head into her chest, kissing the top of her head, breathing her in.

“Mummy sad?”

“Mummy just needed to hold you, sweetheart.” Claire stroked her hair. “Do you know that I love you? So very much?”

“Yes, Mummy.”

“I do. I love you so much, Brianna.” She cursed herself when her voice broke, and she held her tighter.

“Love you too, Mummy.”

Claire felt pangs of guilt radiate through her chest, knowing full well that as she sat here, cradling her living, breathing daughter, Jenny and Ian were clinging to a baby girl that was withering away in their arms. She was reminded of the horrible jealousy she’d felt when she and Jamie had arrived at Lallybroch right after losing Faith to see baby Katherine, healthy and beautiful. She was reminded of the intense pain of watching Jamie cradle that little baby, her throat burning, her mind screaming that it should have been their baby.

How wicked of her was it to be jealous back then? She had never said it out loud, not even to Jamie, but she’d been downright resentful of Jenny back then. She’d been able to bring three healthy, beautiful children into the world. Claire had tried for years, and when the Lord had finally seen fit to bless her with a child, her body had killed her. True, Maggie’s birth had been dangerous, but she still lived and breathed. No one could save Faith.

Even through that jealousy, that misplaced resentment, Claire would never wish any harm on those beautiful children, or any Murray children that came thereafter. Knowing that their newest daughter lay dying in her mother’s arms was enough to rip Claire’s heart out of her chest. Death and tragedy do not know faces or names; no one is spared, no one is safe. For Claire to have assumed all those years ago that her womb was cursed and Jenny’s was blessed had been grossly unfair. Those feelings had gradually faded away as her grief and anger gradually lessened, and she’d honestly forgotten about them. Until now. And now the guilt of ever allowing herself to think that way was making her stomach turn.

“Mistress.”

Claire almost jumped out of her skin. She looked up to see Mrs. Donnelly standing before them.

“I’ve been sent to fetch ye by Master Murray.”

Claire quickly wiped her eyes before releasing Brianna. “Go back to Kitty, love. And mind Mrs. Crook.”

Brianna nodded, and Claire stood up, watching as Brianna bounded back toward the front of the house.

“The Priest is here to Baptize the bairn before the Lord takes her,” Mrs. Donnelly said. “They want ye there.”

Claire nodded wordlessly and made her way toward the house, hearing and yet not being able to process Kitty and Maggie calling out to her as she stepped over Bran on the porch. She ascended the steps again, her feet feeling heavy as lead. She made her way to the Laird’s room and gently knocked on the door. It was Ian who answered, and Claire almost broke down and cried again at the sight of the heartbreak on his face.

“Come in, Claire.”

Claire entered the room, and Ian shut the door behind her. She locked eyes with Jenny, and she had to bite her tongue.

Strong, Beauchamp.

Father Gregor was standing over Jenny, his hand hovering over the baby in her arms, chanting in Latin, his eyes closed. He finished that particular prayer and opened his eyes upon hearing Claire’s entrance.

“The Godmother?” he asked gently.

Claire’s throat constricted.

“Aye,” Jenny answered for her. “Claire is Caitlin’s Godmother.”

Claire swallowed thickly, then put on a tiny smile. “Caitlin?”

“Aye. Caitlin Maisri Murray.” Jenny was staring at her adoringly, bouncing her gently.

“Beautiful,” Claire said reverently.

Father Gregor nodded. “Shall we begin?”

Ian sat in the bed beside Jenny, a strong, solid arm around her shoulders. Jenny gestured for Claire to sit in the chair beside the bed, right next to Jenny and baby Caitlin. Father Gregor spoke in gentle Latin, and Jenny and Ian responded in Latin when necessary. Claire was, admittedly, lost, but she understood enough to know what was happening at least, and whenever a particular chant was repetitive enough, she joined in after a few times.

At a particular point, Jenny gently nudged Claire, and she snapped to attention to see that Jenny was holding Caitlin out to her. Numbly, Claire reached out for her, cradling her close when she was placed in her arms. Claire stood, facing Father Gregor.

“Vis baptizari?”

Claire stared dumbly at the priest.

“Volo,” he whispered kindly.

“Volo,” Claire repeated, nodding. “Volo.”

Father Gregor nodded, and gestured for her to hold Caitlin over the bowl.

“Caitlin Maisri Murray.” He poured water over her head once.

“Ego te baptizo in nomine Patris.” Twice.

“Et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.” Three times.

“Deus omnipotens, Pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi, qui te regeneravit ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, quique dedit tibi remissionem omnium peccatorum, ipse te liniat Chrismate Salutis in eodem Christo Iesu Domino nostro in vitam aeternam.”

“Amen,” Jenny and Ian said behind her.

“Amen,” Claire repeated.

“Pax tibi,” Father Gregor said.

“Et cum spiritu tuo,” all three of them recited together this time. Despite Claire’s lack of practice of Catholicism, years of Church in her youth could not erase the reflexiveness of the standard call and response.

“Vade in pace et Dominus sit tecum. Amen.”

“Amen.”

Claire instinctively crossed herself, and she saw Jenny and Ian do the same from the corner of her eye.

“She will be in Christ’s embrace now,” Father Gregor said softly.

Claire pressed a brief kiss to Caitlin’s little forehead, unable to ignore the sound of her strangled, labored breathing. She placed her back in Jenny’s arms and sat back down in the chair beside her.

“Thank you,” she said to both Jenny and Ian. “I’m honored.”

“We thank ye as well,” Ian said.

Jenny was lost in adoring her baby for a moment, and Claire was lost in watching her.

“Will ye stay wi’ us, sister?” Jenny’s voice was thin and frail in a way that Claire had never heard before. “Until the Lord takes her?”

A tear slipped out of Claire’s eye and she nodded fervently, putting a hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “Of course.”

It was impossible to say how long they sat there, Jenny crooning to her daughter in Gaelic with Ian occasionally chiming in, Father Gregor chanting in Latin. It could have been hours and hours, days and days…but it was still not long enough.

Jenny pressed her face closer and closer to Caitlin’s as her breathing grew quieter and quieter, desperate to still be able to hear her very last breath. She rocked her gently, back and forth, pressing her closer and closer until Jenny was practically doubled over, their foreheads touching. Claire kept her hand on Jenny’s back, rubbing soothing circles. Ian brushed her hair back, kissed her temple, rocked with her, unable to let her go.

Claire would never forget the sound of the horrible silence that began the very second a little baby was no longer struggling to breathe.

Jenny did not stop rocking, but the sound of her sobbing was unmistakable.

“Requiem aeternam dona eis, domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescat in pace. Amen.”

“Amen,” Ian choked out.

Claire could not speak.

Father Gregor approached the bed and placed his hand atop Jenny’s head as she shook with the force of her tears.

“May God grant you comfort in this sorrowful time. Take comfort that your daughter is at peace, and the little time she had in this world was full of love beyond measure.”

Ian nodded. “Thank you, Father.”

“I’ll return tomorrow for a burial?”

“Aye. Thank ye.”

Claire covered her mouth with both of her hands, and Ian gathered Jenny in his arms, tucking her head under his chin. Silent tears trickled down Ian’s cheeks and disappeared into Jenny’s hair.

Claire stood as Father Gregor gathered his things, and she followed him out of the room; if she’d stayed she would have felt like she was intruding on something very private.

She closed the door behind them, and as she turned to keep walking, she was surprised to find that Father Gregor had stopped. She looked tearily up at him.

“Have courage, my child.” He touched her head as he had Jenny’s. “He is with you, all of you. Have faith.”

Claire felt her throat close up.

Have Faith.

Father Gregor smiled kindly once more before disappearing down the hall and down the steps.

Her back against the wall, Claire sank slowly to the floor, landing with a soft thud. She curled into herself, arms resting on her knees, face buried in her arms, and she wept.

Have Faith.

That word, that name hadn’t destroyed her so thoroughly in a very long time.

[etlunainmorte]

Part 3 - Nero

***

***

To your utter confusion, Nico was quiet all day. In fact, not a sound could be heard inside the house that one bright and sunny morning.

Sure, Nero taught her to do useful things. He even taught her how to behave properly in front of his friends and guests. Not to mention the many, many hours he spent with her in order to teach her what he proudly called, some "world - class skills".

Despite all that upbringing, Nico sure had a big mouth to show, and that boundless energy to boot. She's still as rambunctious as the rest of her kind. And most importantly, she's still trying her very best, on a daily basis, to bully that poor newspaper boy who was always dropping by your house.

Needless to say, you've been so accustomed to living with these two, and you're so used to their noises and their quirks.

However, to your utter confusion, Nico was quiet all day. In fact, not a sound could be heard inside the house that one bright and sunny morning.

Even her tiny traces could not be seen.

For a small and energetic dog such as Nico, she sure tried her very best to not slather you with her saliva that same morning. And that, nonetheless, bothered you.

"Nico!" You called for the third time that morning as you got out of bed. "Come here, girl!"

You've waited for, at least, three more minutes, and when she still didn't come to you on your fourth call, you instantly felt the stab of loneliness come back to haunt you. Nero, who typically doesn't start his day - to - day routine without having a hearty and healthy breakfast with you first, was nowhere to be found. As soon as your hand felt the emptiness of the side of the bed where he used to lie on, you felt the negative emotions come crashing down upon you once more. It hurt, feeling so heavy deep down inside. It hurt when you tried to hide it from your boyfriend and from your small group of friends. It hurt when you insisted to smile for them to show that you're okay.

It hurt even more to wake up without Nero beside you.

He's,... your everything. His funny antics in and out of the battlefield made you laugh out loud. His boyish smile and his mannerisms made you smile a lot. His sweetness and his caring attitude always made your day, heck, even your whole week.

And with him gone, it hurt. It hurt so,... so much,...

"WOOF!"

Your eyes widened and your mood perked up a bit when you heard the familiar bark, and when you turned around to face the dog, you were so surprised to see her.

Well, seeing her sitting and wagging her tail like that was normal for you.

What you did find surprising about her was the (F/C) - colored balloon tied on her yellow leash.

Wait a second,...

"WOOF!" Nico barked at you once more, as if trying to tell you to come to her, and when you did, she hastily stood up and went outside the room. You tried to chase her but, before you could even grab her leash, you noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor next to your feet. And on the paper were some words written using some crayons.

Good morning, beautiful! The words read. And the only name that came up on your head was his.

It was Nero, and he was clearly up to something.

You heard Nico's bark once more. You looked up just in time to see her disappear around the corner.

Then, you found another piece of paper on the ground where the dog went.

Have I told you that, the message read. You picked up the paper and looked in front of you.

There it is again, you thought. Another note.

You are amazing?

Have I told you that,

Your smile can cure cancer?

Did they know that,

Your eyes shine like a million diamonds in the sky?

You giggled at the messages. "Oh, come on, Nero! How cheesy can you get?"

Despite the overwhelming cheesiness, you went on picking up the notes that were left on the ground on your way outside the house.

Did they know that,

Your laugh sounds like church bells?

Have they told you,

That you are the best friend anyone could ask or?

Have they told you,

That you are the best girlfriend in the whole wide world?

Did you know,

That this is not the only surprise I have for you?

You read the words, then you read them again. You looked up, and saw none other than Nero standing not far from the old tree where the orphans used to play hide and seek on. Except that the children were nowhere to be found. Instead, Nico was there standing next to Nero, still barking excitedly.

And Nero? He was holding his uncle Dante's old acoustic guitar.

"Good job for bringing her here, Nico!" Nero said as he scratched the dog behind her ears and gave her some treats. "Here you go!"

You shook your head and smiled as you made your way towards him.

"Is it Valentine's already?" You joked, fully anticipating the surprise he has for you. "And I thought you'd never use - "

But, you were not given the chance to finish your sentence as your boyfriend cleared his throat and positioned his fingers on the strings of the old guitar. He started plucking on the strings for a few minutes, opened his mouth, and started singing.

"With every - hey!"

"What?"

"You are supposed to sit down, (Y/N)."

Nero gestured something with his pouty lips and noticed that he was pointing at the swing right in front of him. He wanted you to sit there as he played the guitar.

Feeling satisfied when you finally did what he wanted you to do, he shrugged his shoulders and breathed through his nose.

Then, he finally began singing.

With every appearance by you, blinding my eyes,

I can hardly remember the last time I felt like I do.

You're an angel disguised.

And you're lying real still,

But your heart beat is fast just like mine.

And the movie's long over,

That's three that have passed, one more's fine.

You admitted to yourself that Nero doesn't have the best singing voice in the world but, you, sitting on the swing as he serenaded you with one of your favorite songs as a couple,...

... it really felt like,...

Will you stay awake for me?

I don't wanna miss anything,

I don't wanna miss anything.

I will share the air I breathe.

I'll give you my heart on a string.

I just don't wanna miss anything.

Your hand automatically went to your chest, clutching it as your heart twitched with the emotions that you tried really hard to hide from him, of all people. You wanted so much to throw yourself at him. How you wanted to cry your heart out and shout at the top of your lungs until you have no more tears left to cry. You wanted so badly to just let your emotions take over your system as Nero sang the song for you.

But, then again, you can't. You don't want to.

And how could you? Not when Nero clearly tried his best to surprise you like this?

Of course, he noticed everything! From your tired, bloodshot eyes, to the huge, dark bags under them. To your ever declining appetite, to the way you must've trembled when you tried to suppress the sobs every night.

He,... noticed everything.

You don't want to give in to your emotions but, then again, how could you not?

I'm trying real hard not to shake, I'm biting my tongue.

But I'm feeling alive and with every breathe that I take,

I feel like I've won, you're my key to survival.

And if it's a hero you want I can save you, just stay here.

Your whispers are priceless,

Your presence is too so please stay here.

Nero's smile did not vanish and his voice did not waver as you finally allowed your shoulders to slump, and your emotions to take over you.

With one hand on your mouth, and your eyes slightly closed, the tears,... finally came flowing out,...

Will you stay awake for me?

I don't wanna miss anything,

I don't wanna miss anything.

I will share the air I breathe.

I'll give you my heart on a string.

I just don't wanna miss anything.

Say my name. I just want to hear you.

Say my name. So I know it's true.

You're changing me. You're changing me.

You showed me how to live.

So just say. So just say,...

That you'll stay awake for me.

I don't wanna miss anything,

I don't wanna miss anything.

I will share the air I breathe.

I'll give you my heart on a string.

I just don't wanna miss anything.

With a few more skillful plucks of the guitar strings, the song finally ended.

And you? You're still crying, yes.

But, at the same time, you were giggling like crazy.

The tears were still falling, yes.

But, at the same time, somehow,...

... you no longer felt sad.

And this made Nero chuckle as he scratched the back of his head.

"That good you cried?" He asked.

"What,... did I just see?" You playfully questioned with a smile as you wiped your tears with the sleeves of your knitted sweater.

"Ah, I was practicing for the Red Grave Charity Concert." He told you. But, of course, you knew that was a lie. "So, what do you think?"

You sat up straight, inhaled through your nose and exaggeratedly breathed out. "I think it's too cheesy."

"Cheesy?!"

"Yes!" You declared at the top of your lungs. Then, you stood up, went towards him and placed your arms around his neck. "And I love it so much."

And before Nero could even complain, you peppered his face and his soft lips with little kisses that made him laugh. He pulled you closer and wrapped you in his arms, not wanting to let you go.

"I should really put up a band next time." He said as he smiled beneath your kisses.

"I won't allow it."

"Why not?!"

"Because you'll get too many fangirls!"

"Aren't you just being jealous?"

"So, what if I' am?"

"HEY, ASSHOLE!"

The two of you looked just in time to see the all - too familiar Devil May Cry Fortuna branch van screeching and careening towards you and only stopping when it was only mere inches away from you, effectively scaring the dog away.

"Hey! Have you still not learned how to drive? You're gonna get us killed!" Nero screamed as the Artisan's head popped out of the window. "And you scared Nico away!"

"If I hear the name of that mongrel again, I swear I'd cook her in a steel pot together with that electric chicken!" The real, human Nico scolded, and when she saw how close you and Nero were, her face contorted in utter disgust. "And, eww! Flirtin' so early on in the morning? Get in the car already! We're so damn late for the Charity concert!"

"Alright! Shut up already! And don't talk about my Nico like that! She's still smarter than you!"

***

❤ You can find Part 1 here. ❤

💙 And Part 2 here. 💙

***

💙💙💙

***

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Tiny Bubbles

When Bucky walked into the back yard, beer in hand after a long day, all he could hear was a glorious cacophony of kids laughing and pop music. It was a glorious, clear, early September day. Just after school. 

He could smell charcoal burning and fresh grass cut. It was home. The only thing that was missing was you. But as he cuddled the three scruffy, sweaty, moppets that ran shrieking and laughing across the grass he saw you. A cold cider in hand laying out fixings for dinner. Salad, Angel food cake, chips... All this after your own long day. 

“Are these your hellions?” he asked, kissing you tenderly and pinching your hip. “The question is, Are they yours?” you tease taking a drink of your cider. He laughed and cuddled you for a second, watching the kids in the yard. 

Three beautiful, kids. Ages 7, 4, and 2. Two girls, his oldest and a little boy. His youngest. Kids and a wife Bucky never thought he would have. A Friday afternoon under endless blue sky. 

Even if he’s tired after a long day. Even if his shoulder aches and his knees hurt. Watching you chase the kids, laughing and hugging them to you while Bucky takes over the grill, he smiles a little. The bubbles floating through the air make it look like a dream. He feels like he’s watching through a bottle of soda pop and christ alive is it pretty. You’re pretty. Hair tied back with a pretty scarf. Paint speckles your hands and chalk is still stuck under your nails. 

The kids sound half-feral. Rambunctious and loud. But this is playtime. And in the Barnes house, play time is sacred. They run wild in the yard. Running, Jumping, Climbing, Screaming. They guess. They test. And then when it doesn’t work they do it again. You didn’t spend the first part of your career doing Art Therapy with troubled kids for nothing. Play is how kids learn, you’d told him. Years ago when he’d come to see you at work and he’d walked in on the most intense game of “The floor is lava” he’d ever seen.  Big kids. Thugs and druggies. Angry punks and quietly furious psychos. All leaping on furniture and diving onto rugs while DMX blasted in the background. And you were at the center of it all.  Laughing. Just like now. 

He wanted this afternoon to last forever. But as you herded kids to the table, helping him to fix plates and handing him another beer, he couldn’t wait for bedtime. After their tummies were full and they’d had baths and bedtime stories. 

When he had you all to himself for a little bit. The look you give him as you wink at him over your bottle of cider before diving to keep Tommy’s plate on the table as Tilde and Tess decide to switch places, tells him that’s what you were waiting on too. 

When you pull Tommy into your lap, rocking him gently and humming softly as the girls race across the yard. One last burst of energy before the sun sinks too low and Bucky hauls them into the house, one over either shoulder to put them in the tub. Bucky puts his arm around you.

“You did good, kid,” he says fondly, kissing your head. “Hmm?” you ask smiling sleepily. Three bottles of cider and a long day down and you’re comfortably relaxed. “You made some beautiful babies,” he said kissing you softly, savoring the taste of the cider clinging to your lips. “You helped,” you say modestly. Bucky laughs quietly, careful not to wake the toddler dozing against your chest as he strokes curls the same shade as yours. “All I did was make sure you had spicy mustard for your egg rolls and McDonald’s coke,” he chuckles, “You did the hard work.” You snort and kiss his jaw before standing slowly. “I think, Old man, it’s time for you to get your girls. It’s getting to be bed time.” He nods and stretches, “Baths tonight?” he asks. You laugh, “Nah. We’ll just hose them off tomorrow. Nat and Steve are coming over tomorrow for a while... and cold weather’s coming. It’ll be the last weekend they can play in the sprinkler.” Bucky nods, “And leave you and Nat time to drunk bake while Steve and I ride herd on the kids.”

You grin at him and he swats you on the bottom as you pad into the house with Tommy in your arms still. Bucky chases the girls down laughing and carries them into the house and you smile at his deep baritone singing “You are my sunshine” to the giggling little girls on his shoulders. “Mama, I’s not sleepy,” Tommy protests as you help him into his jammies, “I know baby,” you say smiling, “But see, the sun is tired. So we have to go to bed so the sun can sleep.” It’s the same story you’ve told all of them. An appeal to the logic of childhood. And soo far, it’s worked. He’s nodding off even as he protests, so you cuddle a little more, listening to Bucky reading to the girls. 

It’s their routine. Ever since Tilde was just home from the hospital. One of his favorite things. Even when Tess was still in your belly. He loved reading to his girls. His princesses. He read to the girls and you took care of Tommy. The only time he was still was when he was sleepy. And you took full advantage of it. But as Bucky wound the girls down and made sure night lights were on and Monsters were banished, you laid Tommy down and kissed his cheek. 

You could hear Bucky on the stairs, humming to himself and you smile. The music he’s playing on the record player is big band. Something he only did when the demons of his past were at rest. Something he never did until Tilde. You’d come home one day, not long after coming back to work, to find him bouncing her gently, dancing with her. Telling her she was the prettiest thing. That it wasn’t him her first boyfriend was gonna be scared of because her mama was much scarier. You’d cried. Just thinking about it made you want to cry even now as he pulled you against his chest. He smiled, resting his cheek on your hair. You smelled like home. You felt like home. Even after a decade and three kids. The warmth you radiate sinks into his core like it has from the moment your hand brushed his as you reached for the same book at the library. “Bucky?” you ask.

“Yeah, doll face?” he drawls, dipping you back gently. “You still looking for an excuse to add on to the house?” you ask, teasing. He smiles and kisses you softly, “Why, you got an idea?” You smile and press into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck, “One or two,” you muse. “Well shit, doll, lay it on me,” he says, smudging sloppy kisses against your jaw as his hands look for the hem of your shirt. “A library might be nice,” you muse, melting into his touch with a soft sigh. He doesn’t so much agree as murmur wordlessly, kissing down your throat. He knows exactly what he’s doing to you. After 10 years together he knows which buttons to press like he knows how to clean and load a rifle. Metal fingers graze your belly and you shiver, biting back a giggle. That one spot. He always finds it. Always. Even if he doesn’t mean to. He grins at you and you can’t even pretend to scowl. Yelping quietly as he picks you up to put you on his lap. On the couch. “Shh,” he teases, “You’ll wake the kids.” You snort. Unless it was storming they were all fairly sound sleepers. As long as you stuck to the routine. You straddle him easily, pulling his shirt over his head easily, lavishing kisses of your own on him now that you have his “stuck”. He relaxes into your attentions easily, fingers kneading your hips and bottom lovingly. You were a little wider there after three kids, but Bucky wasn’t complaining. The extra softness was comfortable and, as he murmured in your ear when you fussed about it, “It’s just more cushion for the pushin’, baby doll.” Usually in a tone of voice that made you blush scarlet. But you weren’t fussing today as you reached down to stroke his prick.

“What’s your other idea, kid?” he asked, panting slightly as his head rolls back. You smile, mischief in your eyes, “What about another bedroom?” you ask. Buckys head rolls back up slowly and he cups your face in his hands, eyes widening slightly, “Like a guest room?” he asks. You kiss him slowly and shrug, “Or a nursery,” you tease. Bucky laughs and swats your bottom affectionately, “I dunno kid,” he says smiling, “we’ve got three ragamuffins upstairs. One more might give me a heart attack.” You pout prettily and he kisses your nose, “Oh no,” he pleads playfully, “I can’t say no to that face. Not with you or the kids.” You intensify the puppy dog pout and he finds the waist of your jeans, unbuttoning them slowly. “Do you really want another baby, kid?” he asks, smiling. It’s a stupid question. Of course, you do. You’d grown up in a family of seven. The oldest of seven. Poor as hell but he’d never seen a Christmas happier than when he came home with you to meet them all. “Everyone would have someone to play with then,” you say teasing, making Bucky swat you again playfully. “Hmm, I should have known the baby fever was flaring up again,” he rumbled, sucking a soft mark into your collar bone, “But I think we can cure it.” You gasp softly and he grins, “Best not do it here, though,” he says, “Might really wake them up.” You can’t help it. You giggle as he throws you over his shoulder. His feet are quiet and swift on the stairs, despite your added weight on his shoulder. But now that he has a mission. Now that he has marching orders, he’s going to be a good soldier and get to work. 

Baby Fever is serious business in the Barnes house, almost as serious as playtime and tiny bubbles. 

Tags:  @lancsnerd​ @stevieang​ @golddaggers​ @blameitonthecauseway​ @qxeen-of-hearts​ @process-pending​ @xmarveled​ @etherealwaifgoddess @beautybyfire

[boydeviil]

{   LORENZO   ZURZOLO   ,   CIS   MALE   ,   HE   /   HIM   }   way   out   here   in   the   ozarks   ,   i’d   never   expect   to   find   PARKER   MURPHY   ,   the   TWENTY   year   old   PART   TIME   BARTENDER   /   STUDENT   at   the   SILK   AND   SATIN   /   COMMUNITY   COLLEGE   .   on   the   afternoon   of   september   4th   ,   HE   was   WITH   FRIENDS   AT   CRESCENT   INK   but   i’m   not   sure   i   believe   a   word   they   say   .

hm   ...   f   -   finally   ?   hi   i’m   bailey   &   i’m   kind   of   a   piece   of   garbage   ,   but   i   mean   well   uwu   .   this   is   very   bare   minimum   as   much   as   it   pains   me   ,   someone   who   writes   like   novels   if   not   stopped   ,   but   i   really   wanted   to   get   it   out   so   sacrifices   had   to   be   made   (   i   ..   say   this   as   if   i   still   didn’t   go   over   1k   lmao   anywsgdfhdhnf   )

PINTEREST   /   primarily   blood   tw   ,   minor   smoking   +   food/drink   tw   .   also   ,   mentions   of   death   ,   blood   ,   very   briefly   food   ,   smoking   &   underage   drinking   in   intro   !!   nothing   too   descriptive   ,   but   still   there

—   ASSOCIATED   AESTHETICS   .

blood   -   stained   teeth   cracked   wide   in   a   mirthful   grin   as   loud   laughter   rings   out   .   fake   id   cards   tucked   neatly   in   a   shoe   box   ,   ready   to   replace   each   other   after   confiscation   .   holding   up   cigarettes   to   angel   statues   .   sneaking   alcohol   in   between   bible   pages   ,   in   coke   cans   ,   anywhere   .   blood   under   your   nails   but   you   aren’t   sure   where   it   came   from   .   nihilistic   tendencies   as   a   coping   mechanism   .

—   ASSOCIATED   TROPES   .

it   amused   me   .   honor   among   thieves   .   cool   people   rebel   against   authority   .   clandestine   chemistry   .   troubled   ,   but   cute   .

—   QUICK   STORY   .

prideful   and   stubborn   ,   thinking   yourself   on   top   of   the   world   for   no   good   reason   .   from   a   young   age   ,   you   believed   that   you   could   be   untouchable   if   you   put   your   mind   to   it   .   always   the   rambunctious   boy   on   the   playground   ,   spinning   tales   to   your   classmates   and   creating   schemes   which   landed   you   on   the   dreaded   timeout   wall   ,   everyone   either   flocked   to   you   or   steered   clear   .   understandable   ,   you   would   think   as   you   grew   up   .   you   were   an   acquired   taste   ,   and   that’s   something   you   took   satisfaction   in   .   your   mom   soon   found   scolding   only   spurred   you   on   more   ;   negative   attention   is   still   attention   ,   a   terrible   mindset   to   have   ,   but   what   you   adapted   .   tough   love   is   evident   in   your   posture   ,   the   way   you   speak   ,   it’s   what   you   know   .   what   many   thought   to   be   a   boyish   phase   didn’t   change   as   you   got   older   .   if   anything   ,   it   got   worse   .   your   schemes   elevated   ,   all   for   the   risk   .   all   eyes   on   you   .   it’s   like   a   heightened   middle   child   syndrome   ,   some   could   say   .   you   aren’t   sure   if   you   can   disagree   or   not   ,   but   you   would   sooner   bite   your   tongue   and   swallow   the   blood   than   admit   it   .   the   more   phone   calls   to   your   mom   ,   the   more   frustrated   with   you   she   became   .   understandable   ,   you   think   again   .   however   ,   you   didn’t   stop   .   like   always   ,   it   grew   with   you   ;   a   scab   you   couldn’t   quit   picking   ,   an   aching   tooth   you   kept   prodding   with   your   tongue   ,   bruises   you   kept   pressing   fingers   against   in   order   to   see   if   they   still   hurt   .   you   never   learned   .   not   how   they   wanted   you   to   ,   at   least   .

on   your   thirteenth   birthday   you   got   a   chemistry   set   —   your   mom   wasn’t   sure   if   it   was   worth   it   at   first   ,   knowing   you   spent   more   school   hours   in   suspension   than   in   a   classroom   ,   yet   the   way   your   eyes   lit   up   told   her   it   was   the   best   purchase   she   made   .   little   did   she   know   you   would   catch   small   fires   from   mixing   things   together   ,   because   you   were   bored   or   because   you   wanted   to   see   what   would   happen   ,   even   if   you   had   an   idea   of   the   possible   destruction   .   but   ,   despite   all   the   clashing   ,   your   mom   loved   you   .   you   know   she   did   or   else   she   wouldn’t   have   dealt   with   you   like   this   .   only   a   mother’s   love   could   adore   such   a   nightmare   like   you   .   as   a   teenager   ,   you   gained   a   more   notorious   reputation   .   in   and   out   of   the   local   police   station   ,   mostly   for   juvenile   crimes   ,   but   constantly   skating   on   thin   ice   .   we   all   die   one   day   ,   you   would   say   with   a   laugh   ,   let’s   have   interesting   stories   for   when   we’re   six   feet   under   .   despite   your   failings   ,   purposeful   or   not   ,   you   maintained   well   enough   grades   in   school   ;   specifically   in   sciences   .   chemistry   really   was   the   love   of   your   life   ,   next   to   unbridled   mischief   of   course   .

taking   a   break   year   after   high   school   graduation   ,   you   found   a   job   as   a   bartender   at   the   local   strip   club   .   it   wasn’t   what   you   wanted   to   do   for   the   rest   of   your   life   ,   though   it   was   good   to   pass   time   .   you   eventually   enrolled   in   the   community   college   for   chemistry   ,   but   it   still   left   you   feeling   restless   and   unfulfilled   ,   wanting   more   than   this   small   town   life   .   maybe   you   paid   too   much   attention   to   the   legacy   your   grandfather   left   (   perhaps   another   bad   mentality   of   yours   )   ,   or   simply   you   were   reading   too   many   comics   and   watching   too   many   crime   films   .   but   the   wild   idea   of   pharmaceutical   chemistry   for   an   ,   admittedly   ,   less   than   savory   gain   had   worked   its   way   into   your   head   a   few   times   .   no   one   knows   exactly   what   you   get   up   to   when   you   shut   them   out   to   mess   around   with   chemicals   ,   however   would   anyone   be   surprised   if   you   went   completely   off   the   rails   ?   the   answer   came   sooner   than   you   expected   ,   just   not   in   the   way   any   imagined   .

you   had   an   argument   with   your   mom   again   .   you   slammed   your   bedroom   door   like   a   child   ,   causing   your   out   -   grown   signs   to   rattle   at   the   impact   ,   angry   and   hurt   by   the   stinging   words   thrown   back   at   you   …   yet   again   too   prideful   and   stubborn   to   say   it   .   she   loves   you   ,   you   reminded   yourself   .   she   wants   what’s   best   for   you   .   and   the   bullshit   you   kept   pulling   ?   not   it   .   if   she   wasn’t   so   well   liked   ,   you   were   almost   certain   you’d   been   kicked   from   college   before   finishing   .   you   didn’t   mean   it   ,   you   didn’t   mean   what   you   said   —   you   never   do   ,   do   you   ?   words   come   out   hot   and   hastily   before   your   brain   can   stop   them   .   sometimes   you   can   blame   the   booze   you   stole   ,   most   times   you   can’t   .   when   she   turned   up   ,   dead   ,   you   felt   sick   and   violently   so   .   your   nihilism   turned   itself   up   in   order   to   protect   you   .   we   all   die   one   day   ,   your   own   words   echo   back   in   your   head   .   it’s   maddening   ,   and   you   just   have   to   cope   . 

how   do   you   cope   ?   you   aren’t   sure   .

—   QUICK   FACTS   /   HEADCANONS   .

place   of   birth   :   veritas   ,   missouri date   of   birth   :   august   8th   ,   1957 astrology   :   leo   sun   ,   sagittarius   moon   ,   gemini   rising   ,   aries   midheaven

positives   :   confident   ,   innovative   ,   steadfast   ,   fun   -   loving negatives   :   impish   ,   discontented   ,   boisterous   ,   intense

mbti   :   entp enneagram   :   type   8

romantic   orientation   :   demi   -   biromantic sexual   orientation   :   bisexual

dog   person   !!   would   absolutely   get   tackled   by   a   police   dog   and   be   like   omg   what’s   their   name

has   an   eyebrow   scar   cause   that’s   cool   ,   right   ?

favorite   flavor   combo   is   cherry   &   vanilla   ,   but   mint   &   chocolate   is   close

honestly   that   one   kid   in   class   who   makes   the   teacher   go   “   i’ll   wait   ”

a   nightmare   luv   …   but   he’s   trying   to   keep   his   vibe   …   acts   like   he   doesn’t   care   ,   actually   cares   a   lot

uhhh   i   project   this   onto   so   many   of   my   characters   ,   i’ll   admit   it   .   but   like   ,   he   has   gotten   a   nosebleed   after   stepping   into   church   before   jdfhbjdhnf

big   “   god   has   a   lot   to   answer   for   ”   energy

[razorblade180]

Lasting Embers pt16: Flowers of the sand

[Atlas military airship]

*tap tap tap tap tap tap tap......*

Illia:*Flying the ship*.............

*tap tap tap ta-*

Illia:Sienna if you don’t sit still right I swear.....

Sienna:*stops tapping her chain on the metal wall* S...sorry ma’am..... *ears fold down, puts her hands in her lap*

Illia:Sigh, thank you. *focuses on the radar*

*creeeeaaaaaakkkkk!*

Sienna:........*fidgeting in her seat*

Illia:Sienna!!!

Sienna:Can you blame me!!!? I’m currently sitting in airship hoping that somehow we’ll make it back home before I find my home up in flames by crazy cult leaders. Who have a head start on us by the way!

Illia:Relax, we’re flying the personal airship of the Schnee family. There’s no aircraft that can fly faster.

Sienna:Yet it’s still gonna take hours to get home. *slouching in her seat*

Illia:Hmph, if I didn’t know any better I’d think that you believe your foster mom couldn’t handle a few lowlives.

Sienna:Just because she’s a maiden doesn’t make her invincible. Besides, odds are she won’t be the only one fighting...

Illia:Jael will be fine; I mean she’s 15 and pretty talented. I’ve seen her keep you on your toes and you’re six years older than her.

Sienna:*mumbles* excuse me for not having a semblance or anything. I’d be amazing too if I could do the things she does.

Illia:*pokes her side* Stop moping, you are amazing too. You are our youngest Sinister Shadow to be recruited after all; also I can I think I’m pretty and I don’t have a semblance.

Sienna:*small smile* Thank you ma’am. It’s just not all cult members are exactly normal. *gestures to her eyes and hands* and they’re in menagerie of places.

Illia:*watching the sunset* We should be there a little after dark and hopefully they’ll be in the desert at the end of dusk. Grimm tend to get more rambunctious at night; I don’t they can control them if this is just some splinter group.

Sienna:That’s a dangerous assumption....

Illia:I know...*biting her lip* we’ll just have to cross our fingers for the time being; and hope if someone encounters them that they know where to stab.

Sienna:Sigh.....*crossing her fingers* hell of a first mission. (Please let it end on a high note)

[Desert Oasis]

*Jael wearing a black kimono with a dark red sash that matches her long hair. An ice box on her left while a fishing pole and tackle box are on her right*

Jacquelyn:Awww I haven’t seen you wear that in awhile. You look lovely.

Jael:*tying her shoes* I got a feeling your opinion might be little biased.

Jacquelyn:Maybe a tiny bit; I guess you’re going into town?

Jael:I gotta return the fishing gear to Deloris. Not to mention *shakes a pill bottle with one capsule rattling inside* refill.....

Jacquelyn:That prescription seemed like it didn’t last as long. You sure you’re okay; maybe we should up the dosage or-

Jael:*standing up* Mom.....I’m fine, honest. I got a little more worked up this month more than usual is all.

Jacquelyn:.....*rubs her child’s slightly pale face, robbed of its usual peach color from the sun* Maybe I should tag along; you know how the grimm out here love digging tunnels.

Jael:Hmph, I think the white fangs and I have finally realized the pecking order around here. I’ll be back before it gets too late.

*walking out the door with the fishing pole and a bucket hat for her horns; ice and tackle box float behind her*

Jacquelyn:If you happen to see Blake then thank for the clothes she gave you.

Jael:I know, I know. Don’t wait up for me. *closes the door*

Jacquelyn:Pfft, like that’s gonna happen. *looks to her left* Oh geez....

*opens the door*

Jacquelyn:Aren’t you forgetting something!?

Jael:*turns around* Hmm? Oh yeah....

Jacquelyn:*Tossing her a katana and sheath similar to her father’s

*both items slow down mid air and float down to her side*

Jael:Thanks mom *bows slightly and continues walking*

Jacquelyn:*shaking her head* (Hopefully she won’t need it, but better safe then sorry)

[Desert, about an hour into the walk]

Jael:*watching the sunset completely* (Beautiful as usual. I wonder if sis is watching right now) *looks down to see the lively sea port as usual*

*festival lanterns and people filling the streets ahead*

Jael:Guess another festival is happening. Wish I could-

*a small sand mound circling around her*

Jael:Ah, I was wondering when you would show up. *grabs a giant catfish from the ice box*

*A dingo like grimm Jumps our the sand. One eye missing and battle scars on the bone platting around it’s face*

Jael:What brings you around here Alpha? Can’t be me; I’m in a good mood for once...

Alpha:*snarling and bearing its fangs*

Jael:Apparently you are not though. Don’t let it be the reason you don’t make it back to your pack though; sit...

Alpha:*sits like a proper dog, yet still snarls*

Jael:*tosses him the fish that promptly gets eaten* your table manners are about the same. *slowly reaches under his chin to rub it*

Alpha:*snarls calm down a little*

Jael:Good boy, now get out of here before someone finds another reason to avoid me.

Alpha: *points his nose back towards the desert, west of her house. Snarls intensify before diving back into the sand*

Jael:.......*looking in that direction* what has you riled up? Maybe I should-

*pill bottle floats in her face*

Jael:Sigh *grabs it* first things first, meds. *continues her walk*

[Faunus Pharmacy]

Jael:*walks in taking off her hat* Deloris I’m here with your stuff. You in here or do I have to talk with your parents? Please don’t let me have to speak to your parents. *walking down an isle* Dory, you in he-

*A young woman with tough pale blue skin and gills on her neck, face down on the counter sleeping. A life gaurd whistle next to her*

Jael:*Walks up shaking her head* And they say sharks don’t sleep.....Dory wake up, you have a customer. *shaking her*

Dory:Zzzzzzz

Jael:Unbelievable......you asked for this. *grabs the whistle.*

*a small purple orb forming near the mouth piece as she takes a deep breath*

Jael:(A one and a two and a-) *a hand covers her mouth immediately* ........

Dory:*raising her head to reveal sleepy gray eyes* Last time you did that I heard ringing for a week. Why night scream like a normal person?

Jael:Have enough energy to work two jobs. *smiles* good to see you as always.

Dory:Of course it is; you look nice by the way. Showing off your curves I see; I thought you’d be wearing- of course....

Jael:*opens the kimono slightly to reveal Blake’s old V1 clothes* What? They’re comfy and form fitting.

Dory:That top is telling a different story. Looks a size too small; you sure you’re part goat and not cow?

Jael:*red* I should hit you in your nose.

Dory:You want your hand that close to my teeth?

Jael:You mean your baby shark teeth that you still have? Yes

Dory:*snorts* Screw you dude. Hmmm? *spotting gossiping customers*

Jael:*turns around to see them flinch a little and promptly leave*........where they staring at me?

Dory:I mean.....yeah probably. Don’t let it get to you.

Jael:Whatever....*puts on her hat again*

Dory:There’s no way they know about, you know *makes horns with her fingers* I mean besides my parents and I, civilians aren’t allowed to know.

Jael:You’re right but when you live apart from everyone and a few higher up don’t like because they know, rumors run rapid. *clenching her sleeve*

Dory:At least you have the Belladonnas, Mr. Wukong and couple others watching over you.

Jael:I don’t care about being watched if no one is going to listen. What I want is....*takes a breath*......it doesn’t matter.

Dory:......So, any reason you’re here? Don’t get wrong it’s nice to see you, but it’s kinda late.

Jael:.....*points to the floating items around her* you’re joking right? Your fishing gear; also I need my pills.

Dory:Shut up I’m half asleep. You think you put the pole back on the wrack like gravity intended to before you started messing with it. *search for pills*

Jael:*putting it away* You’re just jealous that messing with gravity is cooler than breathing underwater.

Dory:Say that when you’re stranded at sea. I have looked through the F section three times now and can’t find your pills.

Jael:*whispering* Taurus......

Dory:Duh...sorry about that. *tosses her a new bottle* I’m surprised you’re already out; everything okay?

Jael:It will be *taking the final pill from the last bottle* now I can probably sprint home if I wanted.

Dory:Let’s not increase your heart rate for no reason okay?

Jael:Eh, if I’m gonna be a huntress then I gotta test me limits right. *walking away* Later, there’s fish for you in the ice box.

Dory:*opens it to see several huge bass* You’re worth your weight in gold Jael.

Jael:You calling me fat? I’m keeping your whistle by the way. *holding it*

Dory:You can keep the tackle box too; dad won’t notice one missing.

Jael:Cool *grabbing it* night Dory...

Dory:You should invite me fishing sometime. I’d love to see your home.

Jael:You’d eat all the fish off the line.

Dory:*watching her walk away* I’d be trying to eat something alright....

Jael:*blushing* Night Dory!!!! *leaves*

Dory:Hehe (she so wants me)

Jael:(I swear, talks about staying calm one minute and tries getting me worked up the next. Maybe she’s the one who needs meds)

*moon completely out*

Jael:Already this dark huh? Guess I should head back. But first.....*walks in the direction the Alpha pointed to* let’s see what got the old fur ball so grumpy.

•

*Three people roaming the desert in gray cloaks the one on the left a slim frame with gloves on his hands marked with an H. The right one marked with an C and has black veins on her arms; while the middle one was blessed with solid frame as black veins crawl up his arm and pulse around his eyes. The letter M on his hood*

H:How much longer are we gonna trudge in the sand!? My feet feel like they’re getting burned to the bone.

C:Stop your bitching and keeping walking. If it was easy to travel in the desert then it would be a poor hiding spot. Besides *snaps his fingers*

*several wild grimm pop out of the sand, including alpha*

M:It’s why we have scouts to take care of the heavy lifting. Find me the maiden... *eyes glow read*

Alpha:*remains still while the others reluctantly move slowly*

C:Did you not hear us you mutts? *eyes and hand glow* he said-

“Yeah they don’t take orders well...”

HCM:*look ahead*

Jael:*standing on a sand dune* They take orders from the Alpha and he only responds to strongest authority around. Well, or fish.

H:...I’m sorry, who the hell are you? *juggling two machetes*

Jael:Well from the looks of it*pats her life*

Alpha:*backing up to her side while the others remain*

Jael:Apparently I’m the strongest one here.

M:Is that so? *folding his arms* very amusing. A young woman in the wilderness alone that’s so strong a grimm dares not risk harming. I can only think of one person who can be that peculiar. Tell me.....are you the winter maiden?

*moonlight illuminating the vast terrain, shifting sands from a calm wind blows constantly*

Jael:.....In the flesh

M:If that’s the case, die........

[tortoiseshelltea]

Tonight, my sweet angel girl crossed the rainbow bridge. She was only nine years old. I wanted to take a moment to share her story with this group, who I know appreciate how special all Schnugs are.

In 2010 I was 17 and my parents had just gotten divorced. Our dog, a collie-cocker spaniel mix, had passed away a year before. I was worried about my dad being lonely, so I convinced him to get a dog. He had me tag along with him to pick one out from our local animal shelter.

When we got there, my dad gravitated towards calm dogs who were a few years old. But as my he went off to look at a lab mix, I spotted one tiny, rambunctious puppy almost throwing herself against the walls of her pen because she had so much energy. I got a little closer, and that puppy wouldn’t stop licking me as long as I was within tongue’s reach. I plopped myself down in front of her pen and told my dad, “we aren’t leaving here without this puppy”.

It took some convincing. My dad wasn’t sure he was ready to take on the raising of an energetic 6-week-old puppy. I promised to help every day after school, but even then he wasn’t convinced. However, when the volunteer staff member told us her birthday- August 27th, the same as his- he knew it was a sign, and agreed to take the tiny puppy home with him. I was ecstatic!

Sophie immediately decided my dad was the love of her life. Any time she was not barking at people across the street, or running and leaping off of the couch, she was trotting along at his heels, with her nose permanently pressed to the back of his knee. Sometimes he grumbled, but anyone who knew him knew how devoted he was to Sophie, and she to him.

She had a great next 7 years, including being in my dad’s second wedding, herding his grandchildren, eating a lot of peanut butter and popcorn, and generally living the best life a dog can. Some of the personality quirks she developed as she grew included “singing” when she wasn’t paid enough attention, grumbling and yipping to join in on human conversations, jumping in the air and doing twirls for treats at dinner time, and getting very jealous whenever my dad and stepmom got too close to each other.

In April 2018, my dad passed away suddenly from lung cancer that he’d only been diagnosed with in February. It was the worst loss of my life, but even worse for Sophie. She had chewed her skin raw, shut in the bedroom while the EMTs went to load my dad onto the ambulance. She wasn’t herself for the next 6 months.

After my dad passed, she came to live with me and my boyfriend. I’d only just moved out of my dad’s house a few months before. Although she was happy to be with me and eventually adjusted, we could tell she was missing my dad for a long time. But she found the strength to carry on loving me, and even had room in her little doggie heart for her new Papa, my boyfriend, who adored and doted on her.

In August of 2018, just after what would have been my dad’s birthday (and Sophie’s 8th), I was walking Sophie in my neighborhood when a pitbull from across the street ran out of the door his owner had left open and attacked her. It was the scariest experience of my life. Thankfully with the help of my neighbors we were able to remove Sophie from the grip of that monster and rush her to the animal hospital. She had several bite wounds and a dislocated hip, which required surgery, but even after that, she was never nervous around big dogs or pits. She had so much love in her heart that I don’t think there was any room for fear.

The days came and went and after a while Sophie had bonded to me the same way she’d had to my dad- or at least almost. She would follow me around the house with her nose pressed to the back of knee, cry if I went outside without her, wiggle her way into my lap every time I sat on the couch, and nap on my bed with me. She always knew when I was upset, sometimes before I did, and she’d come over and give me puppy kisses and whine until I petted her and calmed down. There’s no way I would have been able to heal from my dad’s passing without her.

Sophie got to do some stuff with me that she hadn’t with my dad, like going to the beach, or going to restaurants. She wasn’t always well behaved, but she was always memorable, and I was glad to give her new experiences and fun.

Our little family- me, Sophie, my boyfriend, and my bearded dragon- lived in our tiny cottage happily for 2 years. It was the first time I’d felt like I had a family since my dad passed.

Last Sunday morning, when Sophie went to get out of bed, she began yelping and shaking in pain. I was at a loss as to what to do to help her, so I did my best to nurse her all day and keep her calm until we could get to the vet. Once we did, he said she’d hurt her back and prescribed an NSAID and gabapentin, as well as laser therapy. I assumed that was that, and that she’d heal with no real issue.

But I was wrong. She began to have no appetite (for the first time EVER), repeated diarrhea, and couldn’t get comfortable no matter where she was. I talked on the phone with the vet and we agreed to wait a few days to see if she adjusted to the meds, which we thought were causing the side effects, and by Friday she seemed to be perking up. We had a great day on Easter Sunday, where she followed me all

over the house, barked at the neighbor dogs, and begged for treats all day. I thought the worst was behind us and was looking forward to her feeling more like herself.

But on Monday, she could barely move and was panting in obvious pain. I frantically called the vet and brought her in. He took one look at her and was extremely concerned and took bloodwork and Xrays right away. About 10 minutes later, he confirmed that she had cancer of the spleen, which had swollen and put pressure on her back (causing her original injury), and that she was now experiencing organ failure. We were both shocked- she had been in to the vet for a laser treatment on Friday and had seemed perfectly healthy. She had been totally asymptomatic right up until the end... just like my dad.

The vet was closing in 30 minutes, and I was given the choice to either take her to the Veterinary ER where they would remove her spleen and start her on chemotherapy, which had a low chance of success and make her miserable... or to let her go that night. The vet was certain she wouldn’t last the night and that she was in a lot of pain.

On April 13th at 5:30, I made the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make, and said goodbye to my sweet angel girl with her Papa at my side. I held her and sang to her as she passed into peace.

I don’t know how I’m going to ever recover from this. Sophie was my baby, my best friend, my little familiar, my living reminder of my father’s love. I will never love another dog the way I loved Sophie- because there will never be another dog like her.

[centralparkpawsblog]

How to Calm Down an Excited Puppy

https://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Why-is-my-puppy-hyper-overexcited-rambunctious-ball-of-energy-causes.jpg I love puppies!

I love their little puppy tummies, their soft little paws, even their puppy breath.

I could watch puppies play and tumble for hours and never get bored. I think that puppies are one of life’s greatest joys, but also one of life’s greatest challenges!

When Daisy was a puppy, she was tiny and cute and one heck of a ball of energy!

Being that I had taught several puppy classes and obedience classes, I was under the misguided impression that I was all set to take on this challenge.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

I used to walk Daisy four times a day, and that wasn’t enough to calm her down.

Eventually, I was able to get her into daycare, which was an amazing transformation. Though she was still energetic, it took off quite a bit of the excess energy.

Raising an extremely high energy headstrong puppy alone was both an eye-opening and humbling experience.

It didn’t take long for me to realize I had my work cut out for me.

Ultimately, if your puppy has too much energy, they will be fluffy balls of terror that chew, bark, and bite.

Why Is My Puppy so Hyper?

There are a few common reasons a puppy might be hyper:

Breed

Lack of exercise

Lack of mental stimulation

Overstimulation by distractions

Some breeds are more hyper than other breeds.

For example, a Jack Russell terrier is likely to be more energetic than a Newfoundland puppy.

Though, the breed of dog is not a rule, but instead more of a guide.

My family’s first Golden Retriever, Gracie, was a calm, easy to train puppy whereas my mom’s second Golden, Gussie, was a wild and crazy ball of energy.

If your puppy is crated during the day when you are at work, it is normal for your puppy to have a lot of energy to burn off when you get home.

Likely, your puppy will have been sleeping all day in your absence, so now that they are rested, they are all set to party!

Bored puppies are not that much different than bored children. They tend to find their own way to entertain themselves, which usually leads to them getting themselves into trouble.

Capacitors almost at full charge. Hyperactivity imminent!

Also, if your puppy has too much stimulation, say kids running in and out or you have company over, puppies will often feed off the fun energy and become over stimulated, which can look like a hyper puppy.

All puppies have their hyper moments and we need to help them find ways to burn off that excess energy in more productive and less destructive ways.

How to Calm Down a Hyper Puppy

First and foremost, you need to make sure your puppy is getting enough exercise.

If you have a puppy that has not had a way to release some of that puppy energy it is near impossible to work with them constructively.

Exercise

The amount of exercise a puppy is getting or not getting impacts your dog’s level of energy.

Exercising puppies is a complicated task. Not enough exercise and your puppy is a demon, and too much exercise can cause significant health issues.

There aren’t any set rules or formulas for how much exercise a puppy requires.

The breed is a significant factor in deciding the amount and type of exercise your puppy should get.

Larger dogs may seem like they can go for long walks, but too much exercise has been linked with orthopedic disease[1]. Short, low impact exercise sessions are the best.

Also, keep the exercise fun and change it up from time to time to avoid boredom.

Some great ways to exercise puppies are:

Walks (Mix it up by going to different areas, making time to allow your puppy to explore and smell things they encounter on the walk)

Fetch

Swimming (Take this slow; not all dogs like the water or know how to swim)

As your puppy grows, the exercise sessions can become longer and fewer.

Also, as they become bigger and stronger, you can change the type of exercise by adding things like agility training or running.

Mental stimulation

Don’t let your puppy’s silly manner fool you into thinking that they don’t require mental stimulation.

Mental stimulation is essential to your puppy’s mental development.

The breed of dog impacts the amount of mental stimulation a puppy needs.

Breeds like Border Collies, German Shepherds, and Dobermans require more mental stimulation than other breeds.

But just like exercise, all dogs need some form of mental stimulation to keep their brains engaged.

Bored puppies can get themselves into a lot of trouble, but mental stimulation like training can help drain excess energy and help promote calm behaviors[2].

Here are some excellent ways to keep your puppy’s mind sharp:

Training

Both classroom and in-home training are effective ways to keep your puppy’s brain working.

Puzzle Toys

These toys involve your dog finding a way to access food.

Also, many puzzle toys take some time, which will give you a few minutes to get things done.

Hide and Seek

A simple and fun game that will provide exercise and mental stimulation.

Ask someone to hold or distract your puppy while you go and hide nearby.

Call your puppy randomly (like a game of Marco Polo) to keep them focused.

When the puppy finds you be sure to shower them with happy praise, but do not jump out and scare your puppy.

Remember to start with easy hiding places. This will keep your puppy from losing interest.

As your puppy catches onto the game you can hide further away from their starting point and in more challenging locations.

Find It

This is similar to hide and seek, but instead of you, they find an object or treat.

Again, start out easy.

Show them the object, place a blanket over it in front of them, then say find it.

Gradually you can increase the difficulty of where you hide the object, just make sure that is always somewhere they can reach; you don’t want to teach bad behaviors like jumping on tables.

Settle

Another way to help your puppy to settle down is to teach the “settle” command.

Yes, you can train a puppy to chill out on command!

Settle is extremely helpful when you have a high stimulation situation, such as when someone comes to the door or you have guests, but it can also be used out in public to get your dog to rest calmly on restaurant patios and such.

Settle Training Necessities

To train settle, you will need:

Clicker – These will mark the behavior you want from your puppy.

Recommendation: NewNewStar Pet Training Clicker

Small High-Value Training Treats – Soft treats work best since they are easy for puppies to consume quickly.

Recommendations: Cloud Star Tricky Trainers, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats, or Buckley Trainers

Treat Tote – Helps to keep your clothes clean and makes it easy to access treats.

Recommendation: Chuckit! Treat Tote

Bed or Mat – You can use a towel, rug, or bed.

Patience and a Quiet Area – Puppies get distracted easily, so the quieter an area is, the better chance of success you will have

How to Train Settle

First, if you have never used a clicker for training you will need to “load” the clicker.

You do this by clicking the clicker then immediately give your dog a treat. You will repeat this twenty times in a row.

Be sure that you are not clicking directly into your puppy’s ear. This is supposed to be positive and will teach your puppy that when they hear the noise, they will receive a treat.

Second, place the mat or bed on the floor.

When your puppy walks over onto the mat, even with one paw, click and toss the treat nearby, but not on the mat.

When your puppy comes back to the mat you will repeat this.

Do not put words to this.

Do not cue your puppy to go to the mat; just sit next to it and wait quietly.

Puppies tend to learn faster when they are able to figure it out for themselves.

Do not provide praise outside of the treat. This is a calming technique and the stimulus of your touch or voice can set your puppy into an excited mindset.

Eventually, once your puppy is consistent about coming to the mat, wait to treat until they are completely on the mat.

Then, progress to when they are laying on the mat.

When your puppy is reliably going to the mat and laying down, you can add the vocal command “settle.”

You can say “good settle” after you click and treat.

Once your puppy goes to the mat and lays down, slowly lengthen the time in between when you give treats.

Stimulation Removal

Sometimes puppies are overly stimulated and skip taking naps; this combination is a sure recipe for a demon puppy.

Imagine a child with too much sugar, but without a nap.

Essentially, puppies can get that way also.

Often, removing the puppy to a quiet area can help bring your puppy’s energy down.

You can put them in their crate with a filled Kong in a quiet room; this will help your puppy settle down.

Tips for Calming Down a Puppy

Stay calm. Your excitement will feed your puppy’s excitement.

Quiet, dark rooms can help reduce stimulus and aid your puppy in relaxing.

Make sure your puppy is getting enough exercise. Remember, a tired puppy is a well behaved puppy.

There will always be times your puppy will act silly and crazy, and that’s okay some of the time.

But a puppy left in an excited state of mind for too long can cause issues for the puppy as they develop socially and emotionally[3].

Remember, patience is key.

New puppies can be overwhelming to dog parents; it’s not that much different than bringing home a baby.

There will be a lack of sleep, a lot of messes to clean up, and a lot of crying, but with patience and positive training any challenge can be overcome.

Puppies don’t stay puppies for long, so enjoy this time while you have it.

FAQs

How Do You Calm a Puppy Down at Night?

Proper exercise, full tummy, empty bladder, and a quiet, dark room with the family nearby will help calm a peppy at night.

Often puppies are separated from their family at bedtime which can be a little scary for them, so if possible, move the crate to your bedroom.

This will make your puppy feel safe and relaxed.

When (At What Age) Do Puppies Calm Down?

It varies from dog to dog, but most dogs tend to calm down between 18 – 24 months of age.

Resources

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/puppies-how-much-exercise/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24568110

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Understanding-Sensory-Overstumulation-in-Dogs

The post How to Calm Down an Excited Puppy appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from https://www.centralparkpaws.net/dog-training-tips/calm-down-excited-puppy/

[artificialqueens]

Undone, Chapter 10 (Bitney) - Stephanie/Veronica

A/N: Welcome to Chapter 10 of UNDONE, our slow-burn Bitney lesbian AU. Here’s a link to the previous chapters. This is a repost from AO3/RGF - once we’re caught up, new chapters will go up.

Summary: Bianca opens up to Courtney about the baby blues.

TW: This story deals with themes of emotional abuse, and since that can be subtle, we’re going to keep a general TW on all of the chapters, even when it seems like it doesn’t apply.

***

On Monday morning, Bianca arrives on set early to try and knock out some work before the craziness begins. She opens the trailer door to find Courtney twirling on a stool. A hand flies to her chest.

“Good morning!” sings Courtney.

“Fuck you. You scared the shit out of me,” Bianca sighs dramatically.

“Sorry,” Courtney laughs, standing up and walking over to help with Bianca’s multiple bags.

“It’s okay. What are you doing here so early anyway? Aren't you supposed to be at CrossFit or SoulCycle or whatever your bougie ass is into this week?”

“Class was cancelled today, so I did a sunrise run instead.”

“Of course you did,” Bianca scoffs, rolling her eyes. Courtney grins, eyeing her up and down. “What?”

“Nothing, you just look…” Courtney takes Bianca by the hand and spins her around, admiring what looked like a new outfit, but especially her five inch Louboutins. “You look like you made daddy very happy this weekend.”

“Fuck you, cunt. I’ve already told you, that’s not how my marriage works. My friend Latrice bought me these.”

“Late birthday present?”

“No, she just knows that I like pretty things when I’m stressed. And that I’d never buy these for myself.”

“Stressed? About what?”

Bianca lifts Dede out of her carrier, turning away slightly.

“Nothing, nevermind.”

After a long beat, Courtney offers, “Alright.” She knows by now how much Bianca hates being pressured to talk. So she lets the older girl deposit Dede into her arms and pick up a clipboard.

Courtney watches her for a few moments, making notes on her clipboard and then picking up a dress from the rack and sitting down decisively at her sewing machine.

“So, uh, my friends loved you.”

“Oh. Cool. Yeah, they were fun.”

“And we’re planning to do brunch at the Abbey on Sunday. Think you might wanna come? We just kind of chill and day drink.”

Bianca looks slightly uncomfortable at this proposition, and so Courtney quickly adds, “You won’t be the only straight person! Like, it’s the Abbey, which is the straightest gay bar around. So...if that’s what you’re thinking, then-”

“No, I’m not...I don’t care about that.” Bianca smiles, and for the first time that morning, Courtney can see the light in her eyes. “Thank you. It sounds fun, I just...I have to go to my friend’s baby shower on Sunday. So...I guess I’ll be day drinking, too. God willing. Because lord knows I can’t handle those things sober.”

Courtney laughs.

“Well...okay, I guess, rain check?”

“Sure thing.”

“Also…”

“Yes?” Bianca asks.

Courtney tilts her head, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“Tell your friend that she’s got good taste. ‘Cause you look insanely hot today.”

Bianca opens her mouth to spit out a snarky comment, but nothing comes out. She feels like her cheeks are on fire. After a few moments, she lands on a lame, “Shut up,” before looking down at her sewing machine.

***

Later, Bianca is buttoning Courtney into her dress when she notices something amiss. She frowns, walking over to her desk and pulling out a binder. She heaves an aggrieved sigh.

“Something wrong?”

“Yeah, I just...Jamie!” Bianca bellows.

When Jamie appears in the doorway, leaning against the frame, brushing the brown hair out of her eyes, Courtney nearly laughs. She remembers how the petite girl used to run around, leaping with fear at the sound of Bianca’s voice. Now it appears that she’s realized her boss is all bark and no bite.

“What’s up?”

“The buttons on this dress...you used ivory. Farrah’s are black.”

“Oh...I thought the ivory looked good,” Jamie says.

“That’s not the point! They have to match! She’s a fucking double. It has to be an exact duplicate!” Bianca throws up her hands.

“Oh...shit.”

“Yeah, shit is right.”

“Do you want me to fix it?” Jamie asks.

“No time, I’ll do it. But you need to pay more attention. This is the kind of continuity that makes a difference.”

“Sure. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just do better next time,” Bianca replies, helping Courtney out of the dress.

“Right.” Jamie stands awkwardly for a moment, then asks, “Um...do you guys want anything from crafty?”

“I would love a piece of fruit,” Courtney says.

“Yeah, grab me a bag of SunChips.”

“Sure thing!”

“Thank you Jamie!” Courtney calls as she heads out, then says to Bianca, “You know, just because there’s a picture of grains on the bag, doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

“Noted, Dr. Hamilton,” Bianca replies with an exaggerated eye roll.

Courtney giggles, watching Bianca walk straight to the shelves and, after consulting the polaroid in her hand, reach up to grab the plastic box with the correct buttons. Her shirt rides up and Courtney’s eyes widen.

“Bianca Del Rio.”

“What?”

“What is that?!” Courtney’s expression is pure delight as she steps forward, gesturing to a mark on Bianca’s hip, a mark partially obscured by her jeans.

“Oh. That.” Bianca shifts uncomfortably. “Just a permanent reminder of how stupid I was when I was 18.”

“Awww,” Courtney giggles. “I bet you were adorable.”

“Yeah, real adorable. Stumbling through the French Quarter, drunk off my ass, deciding to scar myself for life on a goddamn dare. I mean, I guess it could have been worse - my friend DJ got Spongebob on his ass. Try explaining that one.”

“Oh my god,” Courtney asks. She peers down at the Asian characters on Bianca’s hip, then coyly inquires, “So...what does it mean?”

Bianca shakes her head.

“No. I will not give you the satisfaction of knowing about the clichés on my mind when I was an idiot teenager.”

“Tell me!”

After a resigned sigh, Bianca admits, “Fine. It means…” she cringes visibly. “It means ‘dream big.’”

They lock eyes, and Courtney smiles.

“That’s beautiful.”

“Oh, fuck off-“ Bianca stops abruptly as Courtney drops to her knees. She presses a quick kiss to Bianca’s hip, right over the offending tattoo. Bianca inhales sharply, the feeling of her lips lingering as goosebumps prickle her arms. “What are you-”

“I’m supporting the clichés of your youth,” she explains with a flutter of lashes.

Bianca clears her throat, backing up with the plastic box of buttons, nearly stumbling in her heels. Courtney tucks her feet beneath her, stomach twisting with the fear that she’d pushed it too far. But then after a moment, Bianca begins to chuckle drily, shaking her head.

“You’re a dumb slut,” she proclaims, sitting down at the sewing machine and picking up her Starbucks cup.

“How very dare you,” Courtney grins, standing up and adding, “I’m not dumb in the slightest.”

Bianca snorts with laughter, nearly spitting out her coffee.

***

“Oh my god,” Bianca groans, falling into bed, hurling the sequined dress she’d just taken off across the room.

Jared chuckles, sliding in beside her.

“Thanks for being such a good sport tonight. I know those work cocktail parties are your least favorite thing.”

“I just hate small talk so much. It’s fucking exhausting. And I’m already exhausted. And those sequins scratched the fuck out of my skin, and-” she stops talking as Jared leans over, pressing a tender kiss to her bare shoulder, right where her skin is the most irritated.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Jared murmurs, and Bianca relaxes slightly.

“Plus those drinks were really weak,” she adds, running her fingers through Jared’s hair. “I’m barely buzzed.”

He laughs.

“Sounds excruciating.”

“It is. I’m much less hateful when I’m drunk. As you know.”

“Alcohol does bring out your inner charm,” Jared agrees, nuzzling her neck.

“Plus I have to work tomorrow, and it’s really cool that Beth is letting me design pieces, but that’s in addition to my job, and so…” she sighs. “Sorry if I was a bitch all night.”

“Nah, you were a delight. Per usual.”

Bianca laughs, rolling her eyes.

“Oh yeah, that’s me.” She leans back, eyes falling closed, then opens them again quickly, giving Jared a light shove. “Hey!”

“What?”

“You said that you had a surprise for me!”

“I did?” Jared bats his eyes, watching her mouth form a pout. “Ohhh, yeah. I did.”

“Okay, well, cough it up, sir.”

Jared heaves himself up from the bed. A minute later, just outside the door, he shouts, “Cover your eyes! No peeking!”

When he removes Bianca’s hands from her eyes and gestures to the foot of the bed, she gasps. She’d been expecting jewelry or maybe tickets to a show. But what she sees is a small, antique cradle.

“It was my dad’s. And mine,” Jared explains. “I had my mom send it.”

Bianca nods, moving closer to inspect the rich wood, running her fingers along the side. She takes ahold of one of the handles and rocks it slightly.

“I know that things with Dr. Silverman didn’t go like we’d hoped. But I know that we’ll get there. And when we do...he’s gonna need a place to sleep.”

Bianca wraps her arms around Jared’s neck, too overcome to speak. 

“Are you okay?”

“Mmmhmm…”

“Wanna practice for Game Day?”

Bianca pulls back, looking him straight in the eye, a smirk growing on her face.

“Your sense of romance is truly extraordinary...”

***

Bianca tries not to stare. Tries not to seethe with envy. She’s well aware that being envious of her neighbor struggling to strap in a car seat while her son sings incoherently in her face is...well, crazy.

He’s about two, with mop of curly dark hair and big brown eyes. Bianca has seen them many times since moving into the building - him and his exasperated parents, who generally fail to keep up with his boundless energy. She’s seen him grow from a wailing baby into a rambunctious bruiser with chubby legs, who carries a green plastic bucket at all times as he careens down hallways and grabs at the potted plants in the lobby.

She doesn’t know his name, but she knows that he loves dogs. He shrieks delightedly every time he spots her walking Sammy and Dede, reaching for their tails while one of his parents lifts him up and gives a lecture he probably doesn’t understand that begins with “no touch!”

And every time Bianca sees him pull his mom’s curly hair, or burrow into his dad’s neck, or giggle infectiously at something that he alone finds hilarious, her heart feels like it’s breaking.

She leans on the frame of her car door, chest constricting, a tickle in her throat. It’s not fair that the mere sight of this little imp gives her physical pain. It’s not fair that, once again, she’s been told by a doctor that there’s no medical reason preventing her from getting pregnant.

It’s not fair that every month is another failure.

She swallows hard and gets into her car, giving Sammy and Dede a few extra kisses before turning the key, pressing the heels of her hands against her cheekbones to relieve the pressure without destroying her makeup.

***

Bianca seems far away today. Courtney holds her tongue, aware of how violently she reacted last time she was pushed. In the chaos of the morning, she almost got away with faking it. But at lunch, Courtney can’t help noticing just how distant she is. How, in the quiet moments, her eyes grow dark and her hands grip the edge of the bench, knuckles white. But then, a second later, she blinks it away and she’s back to sparring with Adore, trading loving insults and unsolicited wardrobe advice.

Courtney would almost believe that she’s fine, except that she’s not making any eye contact, and hasn’t all day, and two of her normally perfect nails are bitten down to the quick.

So later, after Courtney returns her costume to Jamie and gets dressed, she takes the chance of poking her head through the curtain to say goodnight. Bianca is standing in front of a whiteboard, marker in her hand, staring vacantly at it. Her eyes look glassy and her shoulders sag. Courtney looks down, feeling like she’s invaded a deeply personal moment. She knocks gently on the wall and Bianca’s head snaps up.

“Hey. Um...got a minute?” Courtney bites her lip, hoping that Bianca doesn’t feel as assaulted as she looks by the intrusion.

“Sure.” Bianca turns to her, straightening her back and blinking a few times. Courtney immediately clocks the fake smile that flashes across her face. “What’s up?”

“Uh, well...sorry, I was just coming in to say goodnight but...are you okay? I’m sorry, I know you hate this question and I promise that if you tell me to fuck off, I’ll get out of your hair, but I just-”

Bianca sinks down into her chair, shaking her head.

“Do I really look that bad?”

Courtney leans her head against the wall, a sympathetic smile on her face.

“Do you want me to lie?” she asks.

“Kind of,” Bianca replies softly.

After a beat, Courtney says, “I wouldn’t say bad. I would say...not exactly yourself.”

Bianca heaves a sigh like she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“Wanna share?”

“It’s literally so...I dunno, Court, I feel like such an asshole even bringing it up. It’s such a trivial...bullshit thing, a dumb personal problem, and I just, you’re not gonna give a fuck, and-���

“How about, for like...two minutes, you pretend like I give a giant fuck about you and your trivial bullshit problems?” Courtney walks forward, dragging the stool over to sit by her. “We can call it a thought experiment.”

Bianca chuckles slightly, then looks up at Courtney, eyes melancholy, lips pressed together.

“Come on. Spill it,” Courtney says.

“I don’t know where to start.”

“How about ‘today I’m concerned with…?’”

Bianca shuts her eyes. “I’m concerned with the idea that I might never get pregnant. I...we’ve been trying for over a year, and I’ve been to four doctors, including a specialist, and we’ve taken every test, and...fuck!”

Courtney takes her hand, wanting to ask more questions but keeping her mouth shut.

“They all say the same thing. I’m fine. Jared’s fine. Keep trying! But I just...for how long? How long until someone takes me seriously that there’s an actual problem? What if they’re missing something? Or what if…”

Bianca sniffles, shaking her head and looking tearily up at Courtney once again, the raw emotion making her throat hurt.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. I come from a family of 6, I have a shit ton of cousins, my sisters have been popping out kids for years. And, I was the one who wanted to wait, you know? I mean maybe...maybe if I’d been trying when I was younger, like he wanted, I’d…” Her breath hitches.

“Bianca, there’s no way that this is about your age. You’re barely 30, and people have kids well into their 40s-”

“Other people. What if my time has run out?”

“B…” Courtney squeezes her hand, wishing she could think of something, anything, to comfort her.

“I told you it was stupid.” Bianca looks down.

“It’s not stupid. Not at all.”

Bianca swallows down a lump in her throat.

“I think maybe...it just seems like you’re putting an awful lot of pressure on yourself,” Courtney says, thumb rubbing the back of Bianca’s hand.

“You sound like my doctor.”

“At the risk of sounding annoyingly New Agey-”

“Oh god…”

Courtney smiles and squeezes her hand again.

“You’re already a mum, Bianca. I mean, look at you...you’re generous and protective and strong and smart and everything a mum should be. You are a mum, you just haven’t met your baby yet.”

“You...are right,” Bianca says slowly, taking a deep breath. “That was really, really annoyingly New Agey.”

“Sorry,” Courtney laughs.

Bianca smiles, wiping her eyes.

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m such a whiny bitch today. That was...sorry.” She stands, walking over to the shelf and reaching up for a plastic box of buttons.

Courtney watches her for a moment, then jumps up and wraps her arms around Bianca’s waist in a tight embrace from behind, face buried in her hair. Bianca is stiff at first, but then allows herself to relax, leaning her head back, resting her hands lightly on Courtney’s wrists.

“Thanks,” Bianca says hoarsely.

“Anytime,” Courtney replies, holding on as long as she dares, and then slowly loosening her arms.  

***

“Good morning, babe...” Courtney murmurs, wrapping her arms around Bianca.

“Ughh, five more minutes…” she groans.

Courtney giggles softly, trailing kisses up the back of her neck.

“You’re gonna be late…”

“I’ll skip breakfast,” Bianca grumbles, sighing and pressing her body back against Courtney’s. “You smell good.”

“That’s because I’ve already gone for a jog and showered. Unlike you.”

“Alright, alright, alright!” Bianca turns around, huffing indignantly, pushing Courtney onto her back and pinning her arms above her head. “I’m up. Happy?”

Courtney smiles up at her, lashes fluttering.

“Thrilled.”

Bianca rolls her eyes and starts to climb out of bed, and Courtney catches her arm, pulling her back.

“Five more minutes,” she says, watching Bianca’s face break into a grin, dimples deep in her cheeks.

Courtney’s eyes fall closed as Bianca captures her lips in a kiss.

BANG!

Courtney sits up, alarmed, heart pounding. She can hear muffled noises down the hall. She rubs her eyes, fear and confusion and a strange sense of loss swirling around in her chest.

“Hello?”

“‘M sorry,” calls out a weak, slightly slurred voice.

“Adore?”

A few moments later, Adore pushes open her bedroom door. Her eyes are glassy and her hair is a mess. Clothes half off - Courtney assumes that she’d been shedding them as she stumbled down the hall to the guest room.

“Hi babyyy,” she says. “Sorry for waking you. I found...” She pauses to hiccup, then continues, “the extra key, in your...thing.”

Courtney nods, holding back laughter at her friend’s drunken baby voice.

“I’m sorry,” Adore repeats, and Courtney shakes her head.

“It’s okay, drunky-pants. Wanna cuddle?”

A wide grin spreads across Adore’s face as she climbs onto the bed, under the covers that Courtney holds open.

Courtney wraps her arms around Adore’s body, snuggling against the warmth of her skin. Relief washes over her, and she lets out a deep, contented sigh.

“G’night baby. Love you.”

“I love you too, Adore.” Courtney murmurs, squeezing her tight.

[lame-canadian]

TLDR; People need to realize when they’re adopting shelter dogs for the sake of giving the dog a better life, versus when they’re adopting dogs to tell people “he’s a rescue” and be showered with praise about what a great fucking service they’re doing.

Honestly, why do some people adopt dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking love dogs. I work at a vet clinic, if I didn’t love dogs that would be weird. But some people don’t deserve dogs, and seem to just get them to say “look at me, I have a dog”. It’s fucked and I hate them.

Why, you may ask (or not. I’m just writing this for me. No one probably cares). Like I said, I work in a vet clinic, just a small little thing with one tiny, quiet-natured vet and her husband taking care of most things. There are 4 employees including me, 4 girls who are in school for various things and who only have knowledge in what our lovely vet has taught us. We are in no way vet-techs or vets ourselves; just kids with a love of animals looking for extra cash. Emphasis on love for animals. So, getting to my point. The husband (we’ll call him B) has this cute little doberman mix puppy. He’s a rescue, and is about 7 months old and is named Chevy. Chevy’s a good pup, and he stays at the clinic. Like, all the time. I have never seen B take him home once, and neither have the other girls, even on the days we’re closed. He just sits in that tiny clinic, in a small 8x8 foot area all day and night. But that’s only when the clinic is closed. When it’s open, he’s in the way. So he’s confined to a much smaller, maybe 6x6 foot area. And when he gets really rambunctious, he’s confined to the cat boarding room which he pretty much only has room to lie down. It’s fucked. 

Besides not being given room to move, his playtime consists of 2 or 3 walks if he’s lucky or we’re not busy, for about 10 minutes at a time. 10. Minutes. FOR A FUCKING DOBERMAN PUPPY. So, obviously, he’s full of energy all the time, and is not trained at all. He jumps on us girls, because we need to pass him frequently for supplies and extra meds. And he’s getting to be really fucking big. We can handle the jumping, but now he’s started biting. And not like well-adjusted puppies who are a little mouthy and gently put your arm in their mouth for attention or gently playing, he fucking BITES. Not hard enough to break skin (yet), so according to B it’s just “playful and harmless”, but hard enough that I have raised welts on my arms after a shift. He will also grab our arms and pull them down to his level as if he’s grabbing and wrestling with a chew toy, not an actual feeling being. He’s also loud as hell, which is a problem in such a small clinic when surgeries are happening. It’s stressful as it is for both patients and us without a stressed out, bored puppy barking. I’ve brought this up with B pretty much every time he has bitten me, and ask B to take Chevy out when surgeries are on, but he insists on staying in case Doc needs help. Like, dude. I know I’ve only been here a month, but I know how to monitor a surgery and how to pass things to Doc. 

Don’t get me wrong. Chevy is a great dog, he’s just not in the right environment. Like, stop being a fucking prick and give your dog to someone else. You’re obviously incapable of caring for him, and obviously don’t actually care for him for that matter. I’ve offered to take him to the park conveniently located 5 seconds away during my lunch breaks, but apparently it will “confuse him and he’ll forget who the alpha is”. Fuck off.  And yes, I’ve asked why they keep him there. Ready for this shit? They have a 5 year old kid, and are worried Chevy is going to hurt her. Like???? If you payed attention to him and took him on longer walks where he can run around and tire himself out, I can almost guarantee there wouldn’t be any problem with behavioural stuff. He’s a smart dog. You’re an idiot owner.  

If anyone has gotten this far, thanks. Any advice? This is a great job so I don’t really want to leave unless it becomes too much, and I love Doc. She’s amazing. But Chevy needs to be controlled in a positive environment where he can get his energy out. So any tactful advice that could possibly get B to consider re-homing/properly training Chevy would be A+.

[abdelodev]

17 Things You Should Know Before Getting A Puppy

Puppies are absolutely adorable; there's no doubt. But they are TOUGH work. More than most people probably expect. There's so much to prepare for, including mentally for yourself. Here are some things you should keep in mind before welcoming a new furry member into your family:

1. Crate training will be brutal, but you have to get through the first week. Puppies have grown up with their littermates and their mom — so putting them alone in a crate will be a huge adjustment.

They're going to cry, whine, make you feel like a bad dog parent — but you have to let them do it. They will tire themselves out eventually after about 15 minutes. Just be consistent and don't give in!

Pro tip: Try covering the crate with a blanket — if your puppy can't see you, they won't yelp as much.

2. Puppies get up to pee in the middle of the night every two to three hours, so prepare for some sleepless nights.

A common practice is to put the crate in your room at first so you can easily take them out or bring them to their potty area.

3. But for some good news, they sleep roughly 18 to 20 hours a day.

Puppies can be SO rambunctious, so those naps upon naps can be a solace for humans.

4. To get your puppy more comfortable with the crate, feed them their meals in there. You can also throw in a Kong at night as their treat, add an old shirt with your scent on it, and a blanket with their mother's scent if you have that available.

A Kong is a chew toy that you can fill with treats and freeze. It will keep them occupied and busy! You can fill it with peanut butter, Greek yogurt, meat, fruits, etc.

5. Keep your puppy on a very consistent schedule. It's KEY to potty training.

They will need to be taken out VERY often. Every time they go to the bathroom, they should be outside 10–15 minutes later.

6. Teething is VERY REAL. They will eat your furniture, your clothes, your toes, your calves, and anything that moves. Puppies are basically mini land sharks, and it can freakin' hurt.

Teething will get better as time goes on, but it is totally normal if your dog is a chomper. Don't think you're doing something wrong.

If you're wondering how to curb puppy biting, try Zak George videos!

7. Scolding your puppy will not help. Positive reinforcement is typically the trainer-preferred method.

Your puppy does something you like? Give them a treat. Your puppy pees on the floor? Don't say a word, and clean it up with spray. Your puppy bites your hands? Redirect with a toy and treat. Yelling at them will only make them scared of you.

8. Puppies need TLC just like human babies do. Brush their teeth, clean their ears, cut their nails, give them baths, etc.

Grooming is so important! Your vet can advise more on this as well.

9. Sidewalks and streets can be SCORCHING hot in the summer for dogs. If you walked on asphalt without shoes, you can guess it would burn your feet. The same happens with puppies.

Walk them on the grass and in the shade as much as possible. You can also try booties or paw wax to protect their pads.

10. There are several types of collars, harnesses, and leashes. Do your research on what's good for your pup!

Personally, I like a back clip harness because it's easy to use, my dog is comfortable, and she doesn't really pull the leash. But if your dog DOES pull the leash, a front clip harness might be better. Some dogs need a gentle lead. Some dogs are fine with just a collar. You can read the different types of harnesses and collars here to evaluate what's best for your pup.

11. Puppies need to exert their energy, but they also need mental stimulation. This could be done with training, puzzles, working for their food, etc.

12. Puppyhood lasts eight months, and this is when they absorb the most information. Train them consistently, every single day.

Have one 10- to 15-minute training session focused specifically on something, and you can do mini training sessions throughout the day.

13. Experts advise against letting puppies go outside on the ground in public places until they have had all of their vaccinations, at around 16 weeks. Every owner needs to be cautious and do their research.

As soon as you get your puppy, take them to the vet, who will recommend a timeline for their shots. You can read about parvo and preventive measures here.

14. However, your puppy should also be well socialized within the first three months of life, or you could face issues down the road.

They need to be socialized with people, other dogs, sights, sounds, and smells. Puppies should meet five new people per week (and with coronavirus, this can be a bit tough — so wear a mask!). It's also good to make sure your puppy meets people of all genders, races, heights, etc.

15. If you're curious as to how big your puppy will get, a common method is to double their weight at four months and add 5–10 pounds.

This isn't completely accurate and more of a guide, especially since some puppies might have a growth spurt later in puppyhood.

16. Puppies will make mistakes, they will annoy you, and they will infuriate you. Remember that they are babies. They will learn, but you have to be patient!

Puppies are not easy. Taking on the responsibility of raising a dog from 8 weeks of age is just that — a responsibility. They are not programmed to understand everything you say. You have to take it slow and be patient. They will get there!

17. Puppies grow SO fast. Too fast. Cherish this time, take a million photos, and enjoy it.

Puppyhood will be over before you know it.

Do you love lists? Absolutely hate ’em? Think you can do a better job? Well, good news! BuzzFeed has a brand-new game out at Target where you and your friends can compete to come up with the absolute funniest, weirdest, cutest, or grossest list humanly possible. Buy it now for $19.99!

[luckydoogs]

Dog Exercise :  Swimming,  Hiking...

Age-appropriate exercise is one of the principles of my training program. It’s important for dogs in so many ways—it reduces unwanted behaviors such as digging and chewing, helps them sleep better at night, keeps their weight in check, and increases mobility as they get older. However, each dog can handle a different amount of exercise, so talk to your vet about what’s ideal for yours.

If your dog has a lot of energy, you’ll almost certainly want to schedule at least twenty minutes to an hour of exercise daily. So what kind of exercise? The critical thing is that the form of exercise you choose should involve you. It turns out that exercising together is an indicator that you’ll get the physical activity you need. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that people who have dogs have as much as 77 percent higher odds of getting enough physical activity as compared with those who don’t have dogs.5 Of course, fetch is an excellent option, which I explain how to teach on this page, chapter 4. A lot of people also like running with their dogs. Always start slowly; don’t try to accomplish a 5K right off the bat. Instead, gradually add distance and increase speed to make sure your dog can handle it. Bring along extra water to help your dog stay hydrated, and, if it’s particularly hot or cold out, make accommodations to protect him from the elements. If your dog can tolerate longer distances and it seems you’re holding him back from running faster, you can also ride your bike and have him run alongside you. (Discretion is certainly advised here. You’ll need to pay attention to your dog, the road, traffic, and any potential distractions. Ideally, practice this in very low-traffic areas such as dead-end streets, and hold the leash but never tie it to your bike.) Again, double-check with your vet when you can start running with your dog—some experts advise that you wait until the dog is full-grown. Of course, if running isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other activities, many of which I explain in this chapter.

Swim Lessons

“We have a pool in our backyard, and I’m afraid my dog is going to fall in. Will he know how to swim, or do I have to teach him?”

Most dogs instinctively know how to swim; however, this is one area where breed stereotypes (which normally drive me crazy!) ring true for the most part. Some dogs instantly love water and jump right in; others can swim but need a little coaching and possibly encouragement. Some breeds should probably avoid the water altogether—for instance, dogs with heavy chests compared to their hind legs, such as Bulldogs, can sink right to the bottom. Brachycephalic breeds—those with pushed-in faces, such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and Boston Terriers—also usually have trouble swimming. Keep in mind that while some small breeds can swim, they’ll tire pretty quickly. The same goes for puppies. Regardless of the type of dog you have and whether or not he’s a natural Michael Phelps, it’s important to remember that any dog can drown in a pool. That’s why it’s crucial to take safety precautions, such as installing a pool fence or a motion detector system. Don’t get me wrong—swimming is an excellent, low-impact way to exercise your dog, and I encourage it for most dogs. Here’s what to do to ensure safe, happy swimming:

Consider getting a life vest for your dog for extra protection, at least until you’re comfortable that your dog knows how to swim and get out of the pool. Also, if your dog can’t swim, a vest can allow him to enjoy pool time with his family.

 Never just toss your dog into the pool to see what happens. That’ll likely terrify him and create a negative association with the pool (let alone the fact that it can be dangerous). Your goal should be making the experience as positive as possible. Get into the pool yourself and let your pet run around the perimeter. Entice him closer to the pool by offering treats or toys.

If at any point you think your dog is overly anxious, take a break. However, if you think he’s doing fine, then let him stand briefly on the first step in the pool and see how he does. If he jumps out, that’s okay. Try again in a few minutes. If he does great, then reward him and gradually increase the time he spends in the pool. For instance, let him swim a few laps, but always stand right next to him to offer to support the second he needs it. You want him to always feel safe. 

At first, you’ll have to help your dog get out of the pool by either guiding him to the steps or lifting him out if need be. However, it’s important to make sure he learns to do it on his own. So after your dog is comfortable swimming and coming to you while in the water, you should be able to guide him to the pool steps by calling to him just like you do on land. Repeat this often to make sure he understands where the steps are located. 

Once your dog is done swimming for the day, rinse him off with regular water to wash out any chlorine left on his coat.

Hiking

“Hiking is a big part of my lifestyle. Is it okay to take my dog with me on hikes?”

Absolutely. Hiking is one of the best forms of exercise your dog can do—it stimulates him physically, of course, but with the myriad of sights, smells, and sounds, he’ll be mentally engaged as well. That’s why most dogs love this activity. However, make sure you take the following safety precautions:

Bring plenty of water for your dog and a small bowl. Don’t let your dog drink from any puddles, lakes, ponds, or other bodies of water— they could contain parasites and other contaminants. Also, if you’re hiking long enough that you need to bring snacks for yourself, bring along some food or treats for your dog as well. You may even want to feed him half his daily meal beforehand and then give him the rest halfway through the hike.

Let your dog off-leash only if you are very certain he’ll come when called regardless of any distractions (trust me, there will be plenty of those!). Also, double-check that the area you’re hiking in permits dogs to wander off-leash. Of course, keeping your dog on a leash can help you navigate him away from any dangers such as poison ivy, broken glass, or other animals you might encounter. 

Sure you’re in nature, but you still need to always pick up after your dog. Your fellow hikers will appreciate it! Bring poop bags. 

As always, make sure your dog is up to date with his vaccinations, microchipped, and wearing identification tags. 

Bring along a first aid kit in case your dog gets any bites, scrapes, or other injuries during the hike. (You should have one for yourself, anyway!)

After your hike, check your dog for fleas and ticks, as well as any critters, burrs, or other “extras” he might have brought back from his adventure.

Dog Parks

“There’s a dog park near my house that I was thinking of going to this weekend. Is it worth my time?”

Dog parks are a big wild card. While I’m happy they’re available to dogs who do well in this setting, the cons to going to one can outweigh the pros for many dogs. The problem is that you often get a lot of dogs with too much energy in one place. Add to that the fact that many dogs are not immediately accepting of new dogs, and before you know it you’ve got scuffles breaking out left and right. Also, too many people rely on dog parks for exercising and socializing their dogs. This is where most people go wrong. Your dog’s primary exercise should be done with you, not with other dogs that he doesn’t know. However, if you want to give the dog park experience a shot, first make sure that your dog is good with other dogs by introducing him to several other dogs in non–dog park situations. If this goes well, consider going to the dog park in off-peak hours. I don’t like to see groups of more than three or four dogs playing at a time unless the dogs regularly play together and always get along. Also, I strongly advise exercising your dog before going to the dog park so he’ll be a little more subdued and relaxed. In my experience, lack of exercise is the most significant contributor to most fights between dogs. Monitor your dog closely, and if you notice him or other dogs getting too rambunctious, break up the play session.

Service Dogs

“Recently in a restaurant I saw a woman with a dog wearing a service vest. What is that, and is it something I should get for my dog so he can come into restaurants with me, too?”

Not, unless you need a service dog. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities, such as “guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.”6 The organization considers these dogs working animals, not pets. A person with one of these dogs can enter places the general public can go, even places where dogs are not normally allowed, such as restaurants, movie theaters, and hospitals. The problem is, it’s very difficult to regulate which dogs are true service dogs and which ones aren’t. The ADA stipulates that staff at, say, a restaurant, store, or doctor’s office can only ask if the dog is a service animal required because of a disability and, if so, the nature of the animal’s particular task or work. Many companies have sadly capitalized on such loose regulations—they’ll send a certification and “service” vest over the Internet to just about anybody, usually for a considerable fee. You may be wondering, “What’s the harm in faking it so that my dog can accompany me anywhere?” Unfortunately, it hurts those who do need such dogs. Legitimate service dogs are highly and specifically trained and have a certain temperament that makes them ideal for the job; however, many fake service dogs are not well trained and may behave badly. They might start barking in a restaurant or jumping on people, giving service dogs, in general, a bad rap. “Every time illegitimate service dogs behave badly, the public is more likely to discriminate against legitimate service dogs,” says Paul Mundell, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence. “When a person with a disability relies on a highly trained assistance dog, being denied the right to access public places with their dog will ultimately limit that person’s ability to lead an independent life.” Bottom line: If you truly qualify for a service dog, by all means, look into getting one. Otherwise, don’t take advantage of a service that’s meant for people who require it.

Extracurricular Activities

“My dog is a bundle of energy, and I’d love to do some activities with him outside of basic training. Any suggestions?”

Basic training and tricks can certainly satisfy a lot of dogs, but then there are those with so much energy that they constantly seem to be saying, “I’m not tired yet. Let’s do more!” Luckily, today there are many recreational options for dogs that can fulfill any need, ranging from herding and tracking to dog surfing and sled dog racing. For instance, I began my dog training career by competing and performing in Frisbee competitions, a really fun dog sport that requires a lot of creativity and originality. My high-energy dogs loved every minute of it. There are many opportunities out there, and you can find the right one for your dog no matter what his energy level is (yes, even if he’s a couch potato!). Do a little research online or ask your veterinarian, local dog clubs, shelters, or other friends with dogs for options. There are no single governing bodies for most dog sports; search for dedicated organizations and clubs in your area to learn more about what each activity has to offer. And be wary: when choosing one, unfortunately, you may encounter those who subscribe to outdated training styles. If these groups ever pressure you to use pain or discomfort to train your dog, keep searching. The advice in this book will get you much further when participating in the dog sports out there. Trust me, I’ve competed at the highest levels of dog Frisbee and done lots of exhibition agility, flyball, and other activities with my dogs over the years. Fun is key to dog sports! The following is a quick overview of some of the more popular activities you may want to consider. Check them out—you’ll be amazed by some of the things dogs can do!

AGILITY

In this sport, people direct their dogs through an obstacle course that can include maneuvers such as jumping hurdles, climbing up ramps, going through tunnels, and weaving in and out of poles. Teams are scored based on time and accuracy.

FLYBALL

Teams of four dogs compete against each other in this relay race. The dogs jump hurdles over a fifty-one-foot course, retrieve a ball from a spring-loaded box that they hit, and then return over the jumps.

FLYING DISC COMPETITION

This one is near and dear to my heart! In this activity, commonly referred to as dog Frisbee, a person throws a flying disc at various distances and/or in a choreographed sequence, ending up with the disc being caught by their dog. It can involve a lot of tricks, too—I loved to incorporate “back stall” and even “play dead” in some of the competitions I did with Venus. If you are active and creative and have a high-energy dog, you may want to get involved.

FREESTYLE

So you think you can dance? Or you think maybe your dog can? Consider this type of competition, in which a person and their dog perform choreographed routines set to music.

DOCK DIVING

This relatively new sport, also known as dock jumping, is becoming increasingly popular. Dogs jump off a dock into the water and compete for distance and height. Of course, your dog will have to be a very proficient swimmer to participate in this event.

THERAPY DOGS

Whether or not your dog is the active type, if he’s well behaved and friendly to strangers, he may be perfect for what’s known as animal-assisted therapy (not to be confused with service dogs). Dogs are trained to offer affection and comfort to people in hospitals, nursing homes, areas that have been affected by a disaster, and schools, or to people with learning disabilities, for example. Research has shown that interacting with an animal can not only lift one’s spirits and help reduce anxiety but also lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and have positive effects on a person’s mental and physical well-being in countless other ways.

[rachelvalente]

Recent Amazon Finds

I’m constantly asking my friends about what they’re buying & loving from Amazon because there’s so many product offerings that it can feel overwhelming – and I’m always afraid that I’m missing out on something good!  Plus, there are so many third party sellers now, that it’s hard to sort out the good from the bad.  So I thought I’d share some of my own recent purchases with you today – with the exception of some dog toys & treats, this is everything I’ve bought over the last month that I’ve been impressed with.

Cropped Workout Top I was needing some more long-sleeved tops for the gym so I ordered this one and loved it so much that I went back & immediately bought more colors.  I went up a size and the fit is perfect – it’s just the right length for wearing with my high-waisted leggings & I like that it doesn’t shift around when I’m running.

Blue Light Blocking Glasses My beloved blue light glasses that I’ve had for years met an untimely death thanks to my rambunctious puppy.  So I ordered these as a replacement & was amazed by the quality for the price – they come in a hard case with a microfiber cleaning cloth + I think this tortoise wayfarer style is universally flattering.

Sleek 7 Day Pillbox With all the travel I’ve been doing over the last few months, I was getting pretty tired of putting all my supplements into baggies every time I packed.  This is the prettiest pillbox I’ve ever seen – it takes up minimal room in my luggage, there are dividers for each day and it’s just the right size for all my vitamins.  I bought the rose gold color, but it also comes in champagne or black.

Silicone Dish Washing Gloves In my last Amazon post, I mentioned how we switched the whole family over from traditional loofahs to this silicone style – these gloves are like the kitchen version of that!  Not only do they protect my nails while I’m washing dishes, but they make it so much easier to get plates & pans clean (compared to my old scrub brush).  I ordered a second pair to use for giving the dog a bath – total game changer!

Beach Waver Tool My daughter was begging me to order this for her after using it at a friends’ house – so, of course, I had to try it out for myself!  I probably wouldn’t do it every day, but it’s a fun way to create waves that are different than what I normally make.  I would say these are a little bit tighter (think mermaid/island hair) and I was impressed with how long the waves held up.  The other bonus: it’s much easier to use than a curling wand for those who feel intimidated by them.

Stainless Steel Odor Remover Bar I honestly don’t understand how this works, but it is like magic for getting rid of smells from fish, onion, garlic, you name it.  Simply rub your hands over the bar under running water for 30 seconds and all those scents will vanish.  Some of the reviews mentioned that they use it in their underarm area after working out, which has me intrigued!

Vitamin C Serum The vitamin C serum I was previously using got discontinued (hate it when that happens!), so after doing research and reading hundreds of reviews, I finally settled on this one to replace it with.  I’ve only been using for a couple weeks, but I feel like my dark spots are getting lighter & less noticeable.  This serum is 20% vitamin C and 5% hyaluronic acid, which really packs a punch.  I apply this in the morning & only need 3 drops to cover my entire face.

Stainless Steel Squeegee I didn’t think there was such a thing as a pretty squeegee, but this stainless steel style is so modern & sleek.  This works great in the shower and for cleaning windows or mirrors.  It comes in 4 different lengths and is also available in silver.

Stackable Acrylic Storage Container My collection of hair accessories has definitely grown over the last couple of years so I needed a way to keep them all corralled neatly.  This stackable storage tower is the perfect solution – you could actually use this for lots of different things (kids craft supplies, snacks, beauty products, etc.), but it’s just the right size for holding hair scarves, slips, scrunchies & headbands.

Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies I’ve been taking ACV gummies for a while but these are much better tasting than what I was using before.  They’re not the cheapest supplement in my arsenal, but it’s worth it to me to buy the best quality I can get.  For those who aren’t familiar with the benefits of ACV, it improves digestion, boosts your energy & can even help clear up your skin.

Croc Toiletry Bag Set When I travel, I use (and swear by) this makeup bag for all my cosmetics, but I was needing more bags to store my hair products & other toiletries in.  This chic croc set of pouches gives you so many size options – I’ve been keeping the smallest one in my purse and the other three go into my suitcase.  These also come in black, cognac, navy or red.

Scalloped Bikini I’m pretty excited about the fact that we will have an in-ground pool in our backyard starting in June, so we can go swimming anytime we want!  So I decided I needed to order a couple new suits for the summer and I found some great affordable options on Amazon.  This scalloped bikini has great coverage & is so flattering – I ordered based on the size chart & the fit is perfect (comes in 6 different colors).  I also ordered this colorblocked 2-piece in pink, which hasn’t arrived yet…but the reviews look promising!

Peanut Butter Protein Bars I’m always on the hunt for portable snack options that have clean ingredients and this one is a new favorite of mine.  The texture is a little crumbly at first bite, but it gets creamy as you eat it (these come in other flavors if you can’t do peanuts).  I like that it’s a smaller size than other protein bars + there’s only 2 grams of sugar.

Pearl Drop Earrings My love for pearls knows no bounds so when I came across these pretty earrings, I couldn’t help myself!  The size & weight of these makes them look so much more expensive than they are and they literally go with everything.

Adjustable Drawer Dividers I mentioned these last month, but I can’t say enough good things about how they have transformed my dresser and actually given me more space than I had before.  They’re ideal for long drawers where you want to fit a bunch of different things in an organized way.  And, because they’re adjustable, you can move them around as much as you need to.

Dainty Huggie Hoops Lately I’ve been wearing these 18k gold plated hoops in my second hole and I just love the look of them.  They don’t irritate my sensitive skin and they add just enough interest while still being subtle enough for everyday wear.

Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Cleanser I’ve been experimenting with lots of new skincare products lately and, while not all of them are worthy of sharing here, this one is definitely something I’ll be buying again.  It’s a really gentle exfoliant that produces a nice lather (a little goes a long way).  I was a little worried that the glycolic acid would irritate my skin, but I’ve been using it every other day with no issues.

Checkered Sunglass Travel Case This was definitely an impulse purchase, but I love it so much!  If you’re going on a warm weather vacation, this would be perfect for bringing along different pairs of sunglasses with you.  At Christmas when we flew back to Oregon, I packed a pair of mine and my husband’s in two of the slots and put some bracelets & rings in the other slots.  You could also stash this in your car so all your glasses are protected & in one spot.

Brown Sugar Container There’s nothing worse than going to bake and finding your brown sugar as hard as a rock.  This storage container has solved the problem – just soak the terra cotta disk in water, snap it into the airtight lid and it will keep your brown sugar soft!

Microfiber Bed Sheet Set After hearing so many people rave about these sheets, I finally caved & ordered some for our master bed.  Let’s just say, they definitely live up to the hype.  These are so much softer than the cotton sheets we’d been using previously + they’ve held up great after multiple washes – and you just can’t beat the price!

Paleo Pancake Mix I’ve been using this pancake mix for a while and just discovered that it’s actually cheaper on Amazon than at Target, where I usually buy it.  Even though the rest of my family isn’t paleo, they all prefer this grain-free mix over traditional pancakes (you can make waffles with it too).  I’ve tinkered around with the recipe and have found the best results when I add 1 egg, use half water & half almond milk, plus a dash of vanilla extract.  They come out fluffy & delicious every time!

Portable Phone Tripod I’ve been going through lots of family photos recently and found that we have so many of just the kids or of one of us with the kids…but so few of the 4 of us together.  When we’re on road trips or camping, it’s hard to get pictures of our whole family, so I decided it was time to invest in a tripod that we can take with us when we’re traveling.  This one is a great portable size, the legs are bendable (you can even wrap them around a pole or tree!) and it comes with a bluetooth remote.

Lifting Chin Mask I blame this purchase on Kathleen Jennings (who is great to follow for skincare tips & product reviews).  She shared an Instagram story showing before & after of her results using this mask and I immediately added it to my cart.  I’ve left it on for an hour and noticed a visible difference in the definition around & underneath my chin.  This isn’t something I would use every day, so I plan on saving for special occasions, date nights/girls nights or when I’m really needing a little extra lift.

The post Recent Amazon Finds appeared first on Penny Pincher Fashion.

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[buynewsoul]

Tips You Need to Know When Bringing a Puppy Home

The post Tips You Need to Know When Bringing a Puppy Home by Audrey Pavia appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Everything is new when you get a puppy. Behavior, training, medicine — everything has changed since the last time you had a puppy — or maybe a puppy and everything else is all new to you. Don’t worry. These tips will walk you through some of the basic situations you may encounter when bringing a puppy home.

Introducing your puppy to another puppy

Puppies are full of fun and energy. Although another puppy the same age may respond with play bows, wagging tails and lots of excitement, older dogs may find all that energy overwhelming. Photography © MisLis | Getty Images.

The first thing to consider when bringing a puppy home, might be introducing him to another puppy! If you want to introduce two puppies about the same age, you probably don’t have to worry about them getting along. If the pups are old enough to be on a leash, let them greet one another with humans holding their leashes.

You’ll most likely see a lot of excitement from both pups as they go almost instantly into play mode — play bows, low-wagging tails and squeals of excitement. If one puppy is considerably older than the other, keep a close eye on them as they interact off leash.

When my dog, Mookie, was 12 weeks old, I introduced him to 16-week-old Denali, a friend’s puppy. It didn’t take long for Mookie to become uncomfortable with Denali, who was twice his size. Denali wanted to wrestle, but although Mookie loved to play, he didn’t appreciate Denali’s wild puppy advances. It wasn’t long before we had to separate them.

How to introduce puppies to older dogs

As dogs mature, they can become less enthused about puppies. Playful adult dogs might appreciate the energy of a rambunctious puppy, but dogs who are mellow and don’t like to play can find a puppy to be extremely obnoxious. Gauge how your adult dog feels about puppies before you allow her unsupervised time with a pup. The way you introduce the two can help with your adult dog’s attitude.

You’ll need someone to help you with the introductions, because you want both your puppy and your adult dog on leash when they meet. Make the introduction on neutral ground — a place where neither dog has spent time and laid claim. Let the dogs approach each other slowly and allow them to sniff each other.

If the puppy starts trying to jump on the adult dog, don’t be surprised if the adult dog growls or snaps at the pup. This is an appropriate response considering the puppy is behaving rudely. Most pups don’t know the rules of dog etiquette and need to learn them. If your adult dog ceases the assertive behavior after the pup backs off, she’s most likely going to be fine being around a young dog.

If the puppy doesn’t do anything overt yet the adult dog becomes aggressive — growling, snarling, snapping or lunging assertively — end the introduction. Realize that your dog may be a “puppy hater.” Some adult dogs just don’t like puppies. Period. Never leave an adult dog unsupervised with a young puppy, particularly if the adult dog has shown aggression toward the pup.

Busting that energy when bringing a puppy home

Puppies are bundles of energy, and if they don’t get enough exercise, they can get pretty wild. That’s why one of the top things to know about bringing a puppy home is how to give him plenty of playtime. Here are some energy busters for puppies:

Toys: Find toys your puppy likes to run after, and throw them until your arm is sore.

Play dates: Recruit another puppy as a playmate, set up a time for them to play, and let the two of them chase each other until they drop.

Well-timed romps: Give your puppy lots of chances to tear around the yard with a case of the zoomies (especially before bedtime), training sessions and rides in the car. Never force your puppy to exercise, as it can cause trauma to developing joints and growth plates in the bones. That means no really long walks or jogging until he’s fully grown.

Dealing with boy and girl parts

It is important to know when to spay or neuter your puppy. Photography ©WilleeCole | Getty Images.

Male puppies are born with their testicles undescended, meaning that they are tucked inside their bodies and haven’t yet made an appearance. You can tell a male puppy’s gender by the tiny little sheath that houses his penis.

A female puppy has a little protuberance like the male does, but hers is closer to the base of her tail. The male’s sheath is located closer to his belly. When male puppies reach about 8 weeks of age, their testicles drop. This means they descend into the scrotum and are outwardly visible. Sometimes, it can take longer. And sometimes it doesn’t happen at all.

My dog, Mookie, was 6 months old, and only one of his testicles had dropped. By the time I had him neutered at 10 months, he was officially a monorchid: a dog with only one descended testicle. A dog with only one descended testicle — or no descended testicles, known as a cryptorchid — is still fertile and will exhibit all the behaviors of a male with two dropped testicles.

Further, the undescended testicle is prone to developing cancer later in the dog’s life. So, when Mookie was neutered, he didn’t undergo the usual procedure, which is the simple removal of the testicles from the scrotum. Instead, he had abdominal surgery to remove the testicle that never came to the surface.

Your puppy reaches sexual maturity around the age of 6 months, and this is the time to talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering. Bring those sex hormones to a screeching halt before they ramp up and start causing problems.

Fitting collars and harnesses

Don’t force your puppy to exercise, because he is still developing joints and growth plates in the bones. That means no really long walks for puppy, either. Photography ©cynoclub | Getty Images.

The first item to get when bringing a puppy home is a basic buckle collar. A collar holds identification tags to ensure your pup makes his way back if he gets lost. There are a vast array of buckle collars available. Nylon or cloth collars are most appropriate for puppies, who quickly outgrow them. Most have a plastic buckle clip and a way to lengthen and shorten the collar.

Start small and light when your pup is young. To determine the right size for your pup, use a cloth measuring tape to figure out the circumference in inches of his neck. Collars specify the length in inches in a range on the tag.

When you place the collar on your pup, allow two fingers’ width between the collar and his neck. Check the collar at least once a week to be certain it’s not getting tight as your puppy grows.

Dog harnesses come in a variety of colors and patterns and are usually made of nylon. They are for leash walking. Harnesses come with the leash attachment either on the front or back — or both. When fitting a harness to your puppy, use a cloth tape measure to check the size of your puppy’s neck and chest. Next, find out how much he weighs; many harnesses are labeled for a dog’s weight.

Once you’ve selected your harness, teach your puppy to enjoy putting it on. Have someone help you give your pup treats while you’re placing the harness on his body. Figure out how to put it on before you try to get it onto your dog.

Make the harness loose beforehand to make it easier to get on, then tighten it up afterward. If the harness is snug in places once you’ve put it on, lengthen whichever section is too tight. You want two fingers’ width between the harness and your dog’s body. The harness is too tight if your dog refuses to walk in it. If it’s too loose, your pup will slip out of it.

Handling tooth troubles

Puppies are all about their teeth. When puppies start switching from their baby teeth to adult dentition, a few problems can occur:

Too many teeth. Puppies are born with 28 deciduous (baby) teeth under the gum, which begin erupting at 2 weeks until they are all visible at 8 weeks. In most cases, at 12 weeks to 16 weeks, the baby teeth start to fall out and are replaced by 48 adult teeth.

In some cases, the baby teeth fail to fall out, and the puppy ends up with too many teeth in his mouth. Having extra teeth is bad because the adult teeth become crowded and may grow at weird angles. Food can also get caught between the teeth and cause gum disease. Puppies who have retained deciduous teeth by the age of 6 months should see a veterinarian to have them removed.

Broken teeth. Puppies like to chew on everything from socks to rocks. If your puppy gnaws on something hard, he can break a tooth. This includes chews and dog toys that are too firm and don’t “give” when the puppy bites down on them. (If you can’t bend it, it’s too hard for your puppy to chew.)

If a tooth breaks far enough down, the root canal could be exposed, with a huge potential for infection. When this happens, a veterinary dentist needs to fit your dog with a crown — the same kind you’d get if you had a cavity.

To keep your puppy’s teeth healthy give him soft toys and chews to gnaw on. Examine his mouth regularly, and contact your veterinarian right away if you see retained baby teeth or a broken tooth.

When it comes to watching out for your puppy, your veterinarian is your best friend. Keep your vet in the loop. She will guide you on how to protect your puppy from disease, accidents and his own silly behavior.

Thumbnail: Photography © anurakpong | Getty Images.

An award-winning writer and editor, Audrey Pavia is a former managing editor at Dog Fancy magazine and former senior editor of The AKC Gazette. She is the author of The Labrador Retriever Handbook (Barrons) and has written extensively on horses, as well as other pets. She shares her home in Norco, California, with two rescue dogs, Candy and Mookie. 

Editor’s note: This article appeared in Puppies, a special issue from Dogster magazine. Look for Puppies on a newsstand near you! 

Read more puppy facts on Dogster.com:

Do You Have Scared Puppy? What to Look For — and How to Help Him

How to Tell If a Puppy Is a Boy or a Girl

Finding the Right Puppy Gear

The post Tips You Need to Know When Bringing a Puppy Home by Audrey Pavia appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.