I Love Puppy Training!

I love love LOVE puppy training!

I love going in and chatting with the other puppy parents as they ask questions like, "Does Zuzu get distracted easily if there are other dogs around and forget how to sit?" uh...yeah. "Is she always so calm and sweet and well behaved?". Hahahaha....no!  "Does she try to chew on everything, even people?" Yeah, again.  "Does she come when you call her?" If she wants to, or if there's something in it for her, sure.

Then I love it when everyone else answers the same way!

I love when we get to demonstrate what we've been practicing and Zuzu shows off and performs perfectly for me! (okay, it happened once, but I can still brag a little, can't I?)

I love when we ask Helena, the trainer, a question and she has an answer that is simple, and makes sense, yet makes us feel brilliant for asking it, not like the doggy-parent morons we all really are! And then she tells us we are all doing great and our puppies are so good and we all grin like silly people. If we had tails, they'd be wagging!!

And then Helena will teach us all a new trick. And it works like magic! And we all feel brilliant and proud once again.  This week it was Down. Like lay down, but you don't say lay.  You have them come, then sit, then you let them sniff the treat as you bring it to the floor, then when they're laying down, you say, "good down," and let them eat the treat. It can be used for getting off stuff too, but with a different tone. "Get Down!" is much more serious.  We're not perfect with that one yet, but praise and treats and the understanding of the word down is helping.

We also learned loose leash walking, which means when you're out for a leisurely walk, your dog should be near you, without pulling. We've been working on that one a lot since the training, and I'll work on it a lot more as the week goes on. It would be easier to do if Zuzu didn't want to sniff every blade of grass, twig, leaf, crack in the sidewalk.... do I need to continue? That's what the park us for. I walk you to the park, then I will follow you around the park.  She actually tried to stop and sniff an intersection this morning. It was at a four way stop, but still not a good habit to get into.

But, when we go to puppy class next week, my sweet little Zuzu will perform it perfectly for her new friends and audience, and I'll smile as proudly as if my puppy just discovered the cure for cancer!

I love puppy training!!

Hiccup Saturday

It's so funny how puppy training moves forward so quickly, then the dreaded hiccup occurs!

Zuzu was getting so much better with the biting before Saturday. She still wanted something to chew on about 90% of her awake time, but she was getting better with understanding that approved chewable items were not my clothes, the furniture, or people parts. Now I'm not saying that she stopped trying daily to chew those things, but she was starting to have an understanding that we didn't like it. And, considering the fact that my living room and bedroom and backyard now have more toys strewn about than the home of any first time parent, we had plenty of handy distractions for her.

Then came Saturday.

Jim decided to take the girls snowboarding, so they were out the door by 3:30 am and Zu and I had the day to ourselves.  The morning went really well. We slept, we played, we walked, and we went to the park to play with and sniff the other dogs.

In the afternoon, about the time the girls would normally be getting home from school if it was a weekday, Zuzu woke up with a little demon in her!  If there was something she wasn't allowed to chew, she was on it. If I said, 'uh uh', it meant chew harder and faster. If I tried to distract her with a toy or rawhide, she would take the distraction, throw it out of her way, and chew some more on the forbidden item.

Then she decided that I was what she wanted to chew. Ouch! Puppy teeth are so sharp! I yelped like a pup and she would stop, look up at me, and nip again, just not as hard. That would have worked if she didn't have a mouth full of tiny needles!

When I would try to move away, she would bite and hold onto my pant leg. When I pried her teeth off, she would chase me down, wagging her tail and growling, like I was something she was trying to herd. Once when I turned away, which 'always' works...haha...she jumped up and nipped me squarely on the ass!  Really, dog?!!

We then went for a short walk, where she still didn't listen, but at least wasn't nipping, then she went in her crate & I took myself out for Chinese, just so I could breath for a bit.

The rest of the evening was better, but not perfect.  Daddy and the girls got home about 10pm, and she greeted all of them happily, though trying to chew fingers.

On Sunday she woke up, we were all there, and she had a fantastic day. She even laid on the floor and cuddled with Tressa while Jim and I were out for a bit last night. This morning, when she crawled on my lap, she actually had a chew toy and didn't try to nip me once.  It was so sweet!

Dang hiccups!

Lap Dog

Zuzu thinks she's a lap dog!

I had a Cavalier for 12 years - a dog whose sole purpose was to sit on the laps of British royalty and keep them warm in their drafty castles - and he NEVER sat in my lap. He didn't really fit, so he always just sat next to me.

Zuzu is already bigger than Snickers and her breed's purpose is to hang out and guard sheep. Outdoors. By herself.  But sit down on the floor and she turns into a proper Cavalier.  Right into my lap she crawls.

Now, you're probably wondering how she fits. Well, she doesn't!  Her lap sitting can be her bottom in my lap with her front hanging off or looking up at me, trying to bite my ear. Or, her front half might be in my lap, with her back half hanging off while she tries to gnaw on my arm.  Only once did I get her belly in my lap, with both ends hanging off (too hard for her to chew on me that way).

I am her personal, heated chair/chew toy.

Now if she would just stop the chewing, I'd stay on the floor longer to cuddle!

Zuzu is now officially a "California Girl"

Zuzu's first day at the beach!  It was lots and lots of fun, but she didn't really care for the water.

Cars and Dogs - written 2/22

I thought all dogs liked cars.  Cats, I know, hate cars, but dogs like them.

Why is Zuzu petrified of the car, the van, and even the garage? She loves when we go into the garage. She knows her food and treats come out of there. But ask her to go in and she will not. Even if the car is in the driveway or a parking lot, she wants nothing to do with it.

We've tried different things - sitting on someone's lap, sitting across the backseat with someone, even the crate. She seemed the best in the crate, because at least she didn't make herself sick like she has a couple of other times, but she did pee a little in her crate both to and from the beach. Even though she walked and peed both times before the 45 minute trip.

Since when does a dog pee in her crate?  I've never seen that before.  Hopefully, she'll grow out of it. 


In the meantime, we'll keep taking her on trips to places that she likes.  Maybe eventually, she'll figure out that the ride is worth it!

Moving

I hate moving. It's kind of ironic considering I've done it my whole life. I don't think I minded it so much as a kid. Mom and Dad took care of the hard stuff and I just went along for the ride. The only hard part was saying goodbye to friends, then it was just the excitement of the new.

It's different now. We have to decide where to live - do we rent or buy?  Where will the girls go to school? How will Jim get to work? Will I work and where? Where are the best dance classes and lacrosse teams? I get an upset stomach just thinking about it all.

Where does Zuzu fit into this?

She is my happy distraction. When we're playing or walking, by myself or with Jim, and thinking or talking about the move, she will inevitably do something that takes my mind off it and I go straight to her. Whether she's being super cute, or naughty, or just stopping to pee, she pulls my mind away from DC and straight to her.  When I'm researching homes and I see one for rent near walking trails or with a big fenced in yard, I smile at how fun it will be to have her there with me.

On top of it all, I know I don't have to look for a job, because my job - for now - is her!

My comfort in all of my moves has been my family. Knowing that no matter what's in store, we'll be facing it together. Now my family is even bigger!  She is such a blessing!!

So Many New Friends

Zuzu had a nice weekend.  The Sunday puppy class had six puppies in it.  Everything from a Mastiff to a Pug to a Lab, to tiny little colored cotton ball puffs of dogs.  Zuzu was the youngest in the class, but she did fairly well.  It was the same class we did on Saturday, so she already knew the drill.  That was both good and bad - when trainer Helena came around one dog at a time to work on 'sit', Zuzu went a little nuts and began barking, and sitting, and barking some more when HER treats were given out to other dogs.  She had to wait her turn, and she was fifth out of six dogs.  She nearly went insane!  When Helena finally got to her though, she shined and proved she could sit like a pro.  Tressa came with us this time too, so that she could practice the commands as well.

The rest of the weekend was nice and relaxing.  There was plenty of sunshine and plenty of walks in the different parks, meeting new dogs.  I think I've met more of my Mountain View neighbors in this past week than I've met in the seven months that we've lived here!  I feel like I should be carrying business cards for the EMDAA so that people can look up the Estrela on-line themselves.  Zuzu stops traffic and people, everywhere she walks!  No one can pass us by without stopping to chat and ask what kind of dog she is, and mention that she is the cutest, fluffiest thing they have ever seen!

Zuzu can tell time!

So, it's Saturday.  Do I have to get up to make the kids' lunches and get them off to school?  No.  The first thing I have is puppy class at 9am (see later blog post).

Somehow, at 6am, even though my alarm didn't go off, Zuzu knew what time it was.  I woke up to her licking my hand and nuzzling it with her nose.  I opened one eye to look at her, and she actually looked at me, looked at the clock on my nightstand, and looked back at me, wagging her tail.  Really?!!  I understand that she would wake up hungry at the same time, but how the heck did she connect it with the clock?

My puppy is brilliant!  Too bad that means I will never sleep in again.  :P

Best Dog in the Class!

Okay, only dog in the class.

Zuzu began her 6 week puppy training class today and she did amazing!  We worked on "sit" and "watch me" and she got both right away with the trainer and with Jim and me.  The only problem was that no one else showed up, so there were no distractions.

The trainer, Helena, recommended that we come again tomorrow because lots of puppies are signed up for tomorrow morning's class.  We'll do church tonight, and then go meet puppies tomorrow.

Stay tuned to see if she is, actually, the best dog in the class.  :)

Rainy Days and Puppies

My Zuzu is so sad.  For two days it has been pouring rain outside.

For some reason, in the mind of a puppy, hanging out inside is nowhere near as fun as hanging out outside. She couldn't even care less that it's cold and wet out there and warm and dry in here.

We've been on some nice, very long, wet walks, but all of her other outside trips have been quick in-and-outs on a leash.

She dries quickly enough that I might have let her play outside in the rain if it hadn't been for the mud bath she gave herself the first morning! It took a team of two, plus three big towels, a vacuum, and a mop to clean up that fun!

So, as with all of us spoiled 'Californians', she is spending her day pouting, waiting for our sunshine to return.

(Shhhh....don't tell her, but the weatherman said we're almost through with our 'winter storm' and the sun will be back tomorrow!)

Smartest Dog EVER!

Zuzu continues to grow, continues to amuse me, and continues to amaze me! I think she is the smartest dog I have ever met.  (Just don't confuse that with 'most obedient'!)

Here are some things that she has recently learned:

- She can now jump onto and run across any furniture in the house other than our bed, which is still a little too high. It started with an enthusiastic, "Zuzu! Come!" from Jim. She barreled around a corner and through the kitchen at top speed and raced across the family room, jumping straight up onto his lap and into his arms in his big chair! I think she even surprised herself!

- She has learned to ring the bell to go outside and has not peed on a dog bed/floor/mat/crate in over a week....typing with fingers crossed here!

- She has learned how to 'greet and sniff' other neighborhood dogs.

- She has learned how to play fetch, though she does not always choose to.

- She has learned that I almost always have treats in my pocket and she is trying hard to learn how to earn them.

- She knows the meaning of the word "no". Refer back to bullet on "fetching" to see how she can easily choose to follow her own will.

- She knows her name, and that normally good things follow it. As soon as she hears 'Zu', her ears are perked up and her head is cocked, waiting for what is next.  If it's not to her liking, she goes right back to whatever was previously amusing her.

- She has learned that Darby only plays if she's playing nicely, so now she is always sweet to Darby. (Maybe I should have Darby help train her.)

- She knows the rest of us have more patience and will tolerate a certain level of crazy-puppy, so she's a little more crazy with us.

- She knows the light blue bag has her favorite rawhides and she can get a new one every evening if she starts to chew on the couch or coffee table.

- She has learned that the gardeners come every other Tuesday, but if she barks from the patio they won't steal the house, and she will be let inside where she can quietly guard from inside the glass door.

Puppy class starts on Saturday - I can't wait to see what she can learn there!

Zuzu and the Blimp

For some reason, Silicon Valley seems to be the home of the Farmers Insurance blimp. Any day that it's nice out (all but maybe 2 weeks out of the year), if you look up in the sky for long enough, you'll find the blimp.

Yesterday, the blimp decided to come say hi to Zuzu.

It was about 1pm in the afternoon and we were hanging in the backyard with our relax completely on. I was reading on the chaise, soaking up some California rays, and she was napping in her favorite shady spot. All of a sudden, she springs up and looks like she's ready to attack the sky!

I hadn't even noticed the motor until then, but I looked up, and the blimp was heading right towards our backyard. Sure enough, it began to hover directly over us! Zuzu was going CRAZY! She did not like that blimp.

I don't know how well blimp drivers can see the ground, but it must have been designated 'torture a furry puppy day', because the blimp then proceeded to make a weird 3 point turn over our backyard to start heading north.

Zuzu did not stop barking and growling and trying to chase it until it was clearly on the other side of our tall skinny bushes and out of our backyard.

I had been sitting on the porch step by the house watching everything. As soon as she cleared our backyard of the blimp, she very proudly pranced up to me, then turned around and sat on my feet, looking in the direction of where the blimp had floated off to.

She had saved me and our home from a giant and terrifying monster, and she was going to guard and protect my feet from any further intrusion!

Good dog!

I love my puppy!

Have I mentioned how much I love my puppy lately? I really really love my puppy!

She's not a perfect puppy. She is demanding and stubborn and sometimes quite ornery. If she wants something, she wants it NOW and does not take no for an answer. Sometimes she'll accept an alternate suggestion, but never a no. No just means she's not trying hard enough.  And sometimes the alternative is seen as 'in addition to'.  It is possible for her to fit a rawhide AND a table leg in her mouth at the same time!

But, when she sees me step outside, the glee that her whole body shows just melts me!  When I sit down next to her and she tries to crawl into my lap even though she already doesn't fit, but she stays and looks up at me with her soft puppy eyes I feel so much love inside of me. When we have our quiet time and I get to brush her, when she listens and comes for a treat, when we play fetch with her rope, when her butt turns into a funny floor magnet at meal time, trying so hard to remember to sit first (sit..wiggle closer...sit harder...wag wag, oops...sit even harder!) all of the other antics just disappear. So what if my flower garden is just a memory? She's prettier than flowers on any day!

I love my puppy!

My Two Year Old

Anyone remember when your children were about two years old and they would do almost anything to get your attention? Good, bad, and anything in between? You had to learn to ignore the bad so as not to encourage it, but sometimes it was just so freakin' cute that it was hard to ignore.

I was standing at the sink this morning, peeling hard boiled eggs for the girls' breakfast, when Zuzu decided she wanted me. She stood behind me barking, and I started to scold her. She had already been out, and had just been fed her breakfast and didn't want to go back outside yet. The more I told her 'Quiet' the more she barked, so it was time to ignore her.

I turned around and continued to peel, with my back to her. Bark! Bark! Pause. Bark! Pause. Bark? Pause. Bruhwuh?! Pause.

Then the gentle tugging on the bottom of my pajama leg began. Bruhwuhwuhwuh....tug tug tug.

Progress to the soft ankle nibble. Mruhmrrrrmrrrr!

Then the closer....she jumped up, put her paws on my butt, and started thumping them on my bottom! Patt patt patt pattity patt.

If she had been two, that would have been the equivalent of the temper tantrum turning into, "Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?"

Then she finally laid down quietly behind me. It was all I could do not to burst out into giggles!

Meeting Uncle Bob

Yesterday we had a very special visitor from Burke, Virginia - my brother Bob!  He's TDY in Monterey this week and had to drive through Mountain View on the way to the Bay, so he stopped by to say hi and to meet Zuzu.

She was on her very best behavior.  Probably because she had been a little monster all morning before church for Jim and had already gotten all of her evil energy out.  Did I mention how much that made me smile that Jim had to chase her around the yard during her morning antics, instead of me this time?  ;)

Bob only stayed for about an hour, so he missed her next running rampage that began around 4pm.  Parker, Darby's boyfriend, was here to see that though.  He had only seen her sleepy before, so it was actually fun for him to see her awake and a little wild.

Someday she will find her "medium" speed instead of being all stop and go!

Dog and Cat

Zuzu and I were heading to the kitchen this morning to make my coffee when we rounded the corner of the hall and right around the corner was.....THE CAT!

They were standing there face to face, in complete shock!  They even touched noses.  Then Zuzu wagged her tail and did a little hop, making Koshka back up and hiss (but not run away).  Zuzu gave a bark...another little hiss....pause.  They really didn't know what to do!

I told Zuzu to come help with my coffee and she happily came into the kitchen to get out of the situation.

I'm starting to think this co-existing thing is actually going to work!  Mild anxiety, tempered by lots of curiosity, is pretty good for this stage of the game.

Lazy Saturday

It's hard to see, but Zuzu is sleeping under the white table near Tressa in the shade.  Other than a little playing and a couple walks, this pretty much summed up our day yesterday!

The Wagon

When the girls got home from school yesterday, I figured we would take advantage of the fact that it was gorgeous out and there was no ballet or lacrosse to head off to, and homework could wait. We were all hanging out in the backyard with music playing (some funky Indy rock that Darby listens too), and playing with Zuzu.

I decided that it was time to pull out Jim's big utility wagon. Zuzu had no idea what to think! As I pulled it out, she bounded all around it and barked at the big, black monster!

Once I had it in the middle of the yard, I backed away so that she could sniff it, but no way was that going to happen. Bark! Bark! Bark!

We played in and around it for a while, pulling it around the yard and sitting in it, then left it alone.

I was sitting on the patio when Zuzu finally went up to it, but what does she do? Sniff it? No. Try to get in it? No. She goes right up to the big handle, grabs it with her teeth, and tried to pull it with all her might, just like I was doing! She didn't get it to move, but it was awesome watching her try! She's such a big girl!

I can't wait to see the antics she tries when she's truly a big strong dog!

Naptime

Monster

I finally saw her monster! Puppies are WORK. Gasp!

It all began with the living room. She did NOT want to stay in the living room yesterday afternoon. She didn't want to be outside, and I didn't want to crate her since she had gone potty, so we were in the living room. She's been there before, but decided that she didn't want to be confined. So, she started to nip at me and my shirt, and my pants. I didn't like it, so I pulled away and even yelped. What great fun that was! I could not figure out how to make it stop, even when I tried to talk calmly and settle her down. She said 'No Way! Game on!' She did eventually calm down, but for the rest of the evening if I settled down near her, she immediately started to play nip, then she started to do it to Jim too. What had I done?

I was quite upset, so when she was resting, I went back to my books. I discovered a few things...

One - I tend to overanalyze everything (okay - I actually already knew that about myself.)

Two - Just because she's as big as a full size Snickers doesn't mean she understands as much.  She really is just a tiny baby and everything is sleep eat potty play.

Three - She wants attention and any attention is fun. If I'm trying hard not to get nipped, she'll try harder to nip.

Today, we tried something different. When I went to pet her and she jumped up and nipped, instead of staying down and trying to calm her, I stopped petting immediately and stood up and looked away. So, she bit my jammies. I walked away. Later, the same thing. This went on most of the morning until one time I sat on the patio next to her in the shade (why do dogs prefer shade over sun?) and started petting her. She started to put her teeth on my finger, I relaxed to stand up, she stopped and rested her head in the crook of my arm and curled up around me.  So sweet! She even came to join me in the sun when I moved because I got too cold.

I know it's not fixed yet, but one small success made me feel so good! We will keep working on it.

Now, if only I knew what to do about the rose bush that she ripped out of the ground and carried away like a trophy! :)

Zuzu's playtime

Night Three

We had a GREAT night last night! An interesting evening, but a great night. Jim played and wrestled with Zuzu all evening. Of course, he played a little too long and she tinkled on her bed in the family room. Then, on her way to bed she was walking through the kitchen when she squatted again. The lesson here for the parents? Don't let your puppy back in the house if you weren't outside to watch her pee! We're pretty hard people to train, but we're getting there slowly! :)

She went to bed about 10:30, and barely even whimpered in her crate. Then she didn't wake up until almost 1:30, when I walked her in the back yard.  Then she slept until 5:30! She went back in her crate until I got back from taking Darby to school at 7:00, and didn't even fuss!

She had extra energy this morning, so we went on a longer walk and even ran part of the way home (about a block). She loves running! She continued her run around the back yard for about 15 minutes while I sat and watched. Yeah yeah...I know I should run more too, but I don't get naps like she does. That's my excuse anyway!

Day Three

I decided having a new puppy is kind of like being a first time parent of a newborn (if a newborn could already run, chewed on everything it saw, and didn't wear diapers).  But, it's way more fun. It's all a matter of balancing supervision with day to day life.  And you have to be ready to giggle your butt off for most of the day!

Zuzu is hilarious! She plays hard and is super clumsy with her giant paws, and she sleeps even harder. Whoever said 'let sleeping dogs lie' obviously was not referring to puppies. You can do anything you want to a sleeping puppy, and all they'll do is occasionally squint at you through sleepy eyes. Zuzu slept through the first half of her vet exam yesterday, to include having her temperature taken!

Her vet appointment went well, and everyone loved her. No one at PetSmart, on the way to the vet, could understand her breed though! A what? A Bernese Mountain Dog? (Yes, because either Estrela sounds just like Bernese, or I don't know the breed of my own pet.) A what? From where? Ohhh! A Portugese Water Dog! (Again, really?!) But hey, I did get a couple offers to babysit her from complete strangers. Mmm Hmmm.

Ok- things I have learned in the last 24+ hours:

- if your puppy had a pee pad in her puppy pen and you don't use them, you should remove all 'mats' from your home, BEFORE you have to wash all of them

- if you play with a puppy before the walk, not after, the walk goes much better

- you can't keep a puppy up late so they'll sleep through the night better...a puppy cannot be woken up if it doesn't want to and will stay awake as long as she wants

-  puppies can do forward rolls, and pounce on toys just like cats

-  after a puppy is wormed at the vet, you don’t have to panic and call the vet if you see worms in her stool that night.  That just means the worming worked.

After reading this, you probably think that Zuzu is my first dog.  She is not.  But, it does point out how either uninvolved I was when Snickers was a puppy, or how much I have forgotten!

Zuzu's 1st Day

Zuzu's Here!

She arrived at SFO on Sunday night, right on time. She was the most amazingly cute ball of fluff I have ever seen. We opened her crate in the dark, empty parking lot and she jumped right into my arms and covered my face with puppy kisses as Jim slipped her new collar and leash on. Tressa took her for a short walk, but she had done her business in the crate (poor puppy), so we piled into the van for the ride home. She laid on towels between Tressa and me, because we didn't want her to have to go back in the crate so soon. She spent the first half of the ride home cuddling with Tressa (after happily trying to eat her hair). The best part was the smile on Tressa's face as she looked from her new puppy to me and whispered, "Thank you!"

Zuzu cuddled with me for the second half of the trip, and when we were just about home, she looked up at me with her loving puppy eyes...and threw up in my lap! Luv ya, Mommy!! :)

Darby was waiting for us at home, and everyone had fun hugging and playing in the backyard for a bit. Then Zuzu had her 1st quick bath. She wasn't too thrilled, but Jim was quick. He loved that there was almost no hair in the drain hair catcher!

I fed Zuzu some dinner and we went to bed. I was a sucker and slept on the floor next to her crate until she calmed down each time. At 3:30, I just stayed down there and scratched her until the alarms went off at 6am.

As soon as the kids were off to school, Jim, Zuzu, and I went back to sleep. The phone rang almost an hour later. It was Nana, wanted to hear all about the puppy. I yawned through our five minute conversation, then got out of bed to officially start the day.

Zuzu LOVES our backyard and being outside! She loves the dirt, the trees, climbing under all of the bushes, and laying in the shade on the patio. There was so much new to discover, that she only sat still for short intervals. She even went for her 1st short walk.

When Darby got home, they played lots of tag and tug of war. By the time poor Tressa got home, Zuzu was all worn out!

She slept in her crate during Tressa's lacrosse practice. I never knew one dog could make as many pathetic crying barky noises as she did before she relaxed in the crate! She sounded like an entire kennel full of puppies and dogs! Darby let her out to play before we got home, and by the time we finished with dinner, Zuzu was done for the day. We had one pooped out puppy!

Last night went much better. She only went out 3 times and I slept in my bed instead of on the floor. Now if I could just convince her that time zones are real and just because it's morning in North Carolina does NOT mean it's morning in California!

She is much more calm this morning. We went on a little longer walk and she met one neighbor. She did a thorough inspection of the back yard and chewed on some trees. She played a little chase and a little tug of war and I tried to play soccer with her. She loved soccer, but my feet and ankles were way more fun to chase than the ball!  Now, she's laying at my feet on the patio, patiently waiting for 'what's next'.

Things I have learned:

- sometimes when I think I'm training her, she's really training me

- Estrela's are MUCH more persistent and stubborn than Cavaliers

- Estela's already come with their 'big girl barks' installed, but only use them if something really makes them nervous

- Estrellas look really fluffy, but their fur dries super fast

- Sometimes 'no' makes things more interesting, where ignoring can make it stop (like biting plastic furniture or chewing on rose bushes)

- cats are less interesting to Zuzu than pretty much everything else, which confuses the crud out of the cat

- and finally, if you’re going to raise a new puppy in January that loves the outdoors, it’s much better to live in California than in NY!