A blog post by Josiah, the growing-up Yorkie puppy
Right after Christmas, Miss Janet and I went to stay for a week with my doodle friend, Beauregard, on his farm. Beauregard is like a big brother to me. The last time I stayed with him, I was a very young puppy. I’ve grown up a lot since then, so lots of things were different. Let me tell you about my visit!
Last time, Miss Janet brought my chill-time crate as my daytime relaxing space. This time, I got to hang out in Beauregard’s gigantic crate. It was so spacious with plenty of room for my comfy bed, my food, water, and toys. I felt like a prince! It had really high ceilings and a great window view of the farm, so I could watch all the birds, rodent-squirrels, and other animals. Beauregard was very generous to give me his crate; he hung out on the couch or in his giant dog bed.
Beauregard loves to sleep in the guest bed overnight when we visit. But last time, he had to sleep in his crate. I was too young, and his presence kept me up all night, which kept Miss Janet up all night. With apologies, she told Beauregard he had to stay in his crate.
But this time, I was old enough to sleep calmly through the night. Miss Janet covered the front of my crate, turned on our fan from home, and invited Beauregard to return to the guest room. It worked! We all slept through the night, and Beauregard was glad to be with us again. I’m thrilled to be such a grownup puppy that Beauregard could stay with us, and Miss Janet could get that sleep she loves so much.
Here’s another thing that was different this time: On our previous visit, I was a little uncertain about the front porch steps. On this visit, I went up and down like a pro. It’s amazing how much I’ve grown since my first visit.
I followed Beauregard through the field on our walks. Everywhere he went, I went. I loved chasing after him and trying to figure out which way he would run next.
Beauregard was different too. Before, he would let me do whatever I wanted. I could climb on him and nudge him. He knew I was a baby, so he was gentle.
This time, he was still gentle with me, but he didn’t let me do whatever I wanted. He took on a different role. He became my mentor.
When I did something that wasn’t appropriate, like grabbing his face with my nails, he gently pressed down on my ear and held me still. He was trying to teach me appropriate social behavior.
Even though it wasn’t as fun—I still just want to jump all over him—I was honored that he was willing to teach me and be patient with my learning. He is a good big brother and mentor.
I try to be a good student. I don’t always succeed—I’m a puppy, after all. But I’m also very smart and a good learner. I just get puppy-excited sometimes. Beauregard may shrug and sigh, but Miss Janet told me he acted out when he was a puppy too. Shhh, don’t tell him I know about that.
Beauregard’s farm is different in winter than it was in the warm autumn days of my first visit. The cold front monster came back from his vacation and blew ferociously. It was so cold.
One morning, we couldn’t get out because a tall plant on the front porch blew over and blocked the door. That created a lot of excitement for Beauregard and me, watching Miss Janet move the fallen plant. Tree branches were down all over the yard. Beauregard and I checked out every single one.
The field was filled with all kinds of animal smells. They are the same animals that walk our meadow at home—we live nearby. But they are having different conversations and experiences and moving in different ways. I learned a lot about them just by smelling. My Yorkie nose is fine-tuned to pick up scents and get lots of information from every sniff.
After each outdoor walk, Miss Janet let me sniff around the living room and kitchen. I made lap after lap, carefully mapping the territory with my sensitive nose. I could tell a lot about the history of the place, who came and went, and how they interacted.
I spent a good amount of time smelling Beauregard’s bed. I learned his age, his diet, and his mood just by sniffing. My nose confirmed what my eyes and ears already told me: Beauregard is a very calm and peaceful dog. He provides a good balance for my hyperactivity.
The first night, the moon was hidden behind the clouds and the field was dark. Miss Janet doesn’t like the dark, so she was trembling a little. I was very alert because I picked up on her concerns.
There were strange noises coming from the field, so we didn’t stay outside long that night. She found out later the deer were still rutting, so they made weird noises. That made both of us feel better because the deer are harmless.
The next night, and for the rest of our visit, we had a full moon. The field was beautiful and bright at night. We could see the deer and other small, harmless creatures. I would love to have chased all of them, but Miss Janet wouldn’t let me run off in the dark. She probably knows best.
On New Year’s Eve, things exploded in the air all around us. Miss Janet said we were okay; people just like to celebrate the new year by blowing things up. It was way too loud for me. But it didn’t last too long. I wasn’t afraid because Beauregard wasn’t afraid. If he wasn’t worried, I wasn’t going to be. By morning, things had settled back to peace and quiet.
When we came home from Beauregard’s farm, I took a really long nap. For several days. I bet he did too. I’m glad to be home, but I can’t wait to visit him again. Happy new year, my friends!
Snuggles and kisses,
Josiah
The Inquisitive Yorkie 