A blog post by Josiah, the very cool, pre-teen Yorkie puppy
I’m 20 weeks old! Can you believe it? I’m a very grownup puppy now. Miss Janet says I’m actually a pre-teen puppy. Wow! I get to enjoy more time playing and running on my own terms. Of course, Miss Janet is close by. But I love my new feeling of freedom.
My Fun Playpen
Miss Janet got me a playpen where I love running around and playing. When I go into my playpen, a couple of my favorite toys are waiting for me. Miss Janet rotates the toys each day, so it’s always a surprise which toys will be in there. That makes it fun! When I get tired, I stretch out and chill. Miss Janet says it is my very own space.
And here’s the best part. I get to run free in the living room now (supervised) in between my chill times. Miss Janet can roll up the side doorway of the playpen so I can go in and out. I can go in if I want to feel safe. Or I can grab a toy and go back out and play with the toy in the living room. It’s so cool!
Chill Time with My Tether Leash
Miss Janet also got me a tether leash that she attaches to a sturdy table leg. A big thanks to my aunt (Beauregard’s mom) for that idea. It’s a way for me to enjoy chill time without staying in my crate.
Miss Janet gets to sit at her desk and work, knowing I’m secure and calm. I get to sit right near her, but I feel a lot freer than staying in my crate. And if I want to go into my crate, I can walk in with my tether.
I get rewarded with a yummy treat when I settle down on the floor. The other day I fell asleep for an hour stretched out on the floor! I was confused when I woke up because the tether chill time is new. But I got a nice treat for being a calm and grownup puppy.
My Grownup Pup Bed
I also have my very own dog bed on the couch now. It’s big and soft and fluffy, and it looks super cool. Miss Janet keeps some of my favorite chew toys there.
In the evening, I get into my dog bed and pounce on my chew toys. I have a blast. I’ve even done somersaults in my dog bed. It’s funny to be upside down. I can stretch all different ways at once.
Sometimes, I roll off my dog bed onto the couch. Miss Janet puts me back in my dog bed. She says it’s my own unique place to sit. I start to get sleepy and soon, I’m snoozing in my dog bed till it’s bedtime for real.
Miss Janet lets me sit in my dog bed on the couch only when she is next to me. She has to keep me from rolling or jumping down from the couch. I’m a Yorkie, so I love to jump! But because I’m a small-breed dog, it’s not healthy for me to jump off furniture at my age.
I may be a pre-teen puppy, but I am still growing. Jumping from furniture could hurt my growth. I sure don’t want that to happen. I want to grow to my full and healthy size. So, I’m content to sit in my dog bed next to Miss Janet. She puts my playpen in front of the couch, and that helps secure me from rolling off. It feels very cozy.
You might wonder why my dog bed is on the couch and not on the floor. We Yorkies like to sit up high, so we can see everything that’s going on. You just have to make sure we don’t decide to jump down on our own. Just be our personal elevator and lower us to the ground, please.
Those are some of the fun changes, as I start to get a little more of what Miss Janet calls safe freedom. I love being a pre-teen puppy. I feel very cool. Every day is a fun, new adventure. Now, if I could just finish my teething, I’d be all set!
Paw pats and tail wags,
Josiah
The Inquisitive Yorkie 