Redecorating Tips From Maeby, Day 2

Maeby is still not satisfied with the current floor covering options in our living room. She's clearly sending a message that she despises area rugs and that the brown rug with a swirl, which is too large for her to destroy reconfigure on her own, requires covering. We are now out of area rugs for her to "redecorate" with and I am growing concerned that her attention will turn in a more literary direction. I am going to go ahead and relocate L's prized collection of Calvin and Hobbes books from the bottom shelf now to avoid the Maeby sized area rug that could result from her touching those.

So, is it pure boredom or a clever scheme to have daily battles with her arch-nemesis, the vacuum? Who will bite the dust tomorrow? Thackery, Toqueville, or Walden? Stay tuned.

Redecorating with Maeby

 Maeby has moved into a new phase of her puppyhood where she likes to destroy things. Big things. Full of fluff, fiber, and wood chips. As an extra bonus, they're all things that make her throw-up later. So far the casualties include both of our kitchen floor mats, the molding on the front windowsill, and Max's favorite dog bed. Twice today we came home to disaster and the need to vacuum. I give you "redecorating" Maeby style:

No or Wrong?

We've been attending "Basic Respect" classes with both dogs for the last three weeks. They encourage us to distinguish between wrong choices the dogs make, which get corrected with a conversational "wrong," and behaviors that threaten the safety of themselves or others, which get corrected with an authoritative "no."

For the most part, our corrections are "wrong," except when Maeby decides to charge into the street to attack a bus, truck or bicycle. But after the muddy day we had yesterday, when I saw Maeby playing in the planter AGAIN this morning, I definitely used a "No!" And then I heard her playing with something that did not sound like a toy and I found her with my chocolate brown heel. Sigh. Wrong or no? I suppose there are those women in the world whose dog's safety would have been at risk for doing that to the toe of their shoe. Shoes aren't REALLY my thing, but I did like this pair, and I don't have very many fancy heel shoes. But I guess it was my fault for not paying attention.