R.I.P. , Tigger

There was a day when we thought we were so accomplished. The puppies were so good weren't they? We followed all of the doggy training rules, didn't we? Just look how quickly they learned to potty outside. Did they chew the furniture? No. Did they stay in the yard? Pretty much. Never mind that it had taken a few months to get to this point. The dog whisperer had nothing on us. Or so we thought.

Once a neighborhood dog came for some unannounced visits several days in a row, Bella and Thea (hereafter referred to as Duo of Destruction) discovered they could do the same. They wandered further and further, staying out longer and longer, eventually outright refusing to come when we called. Could this be the teen phase in doggy training? Okay. Leashes it is... 'till they learned to chew through them. Hmmm. That's not all they learned to chew. While shoes on the rug were generally safe, anything off rug was fair game. Seth's (NEW) floppy left shoe is proof. So is the rug no longer padding their kennel. Did I see teeth marks on the corner of the coffee table? Oh no they didn't. (Oh YES they did!) Nothing on the porch is safe either, as the dismembered decorational scarecrow could tell you. That is if he had a mouth left. Or a head.

Then there is Tigger, Poor, poor Tigger. Once a comfort for two tiny pups, nervous in their new home, he was loved, cherished, cuddled, adored. The loving and cherishing got a little bit more violent as time went on, until that fateful afternoon we followed a curious trail of orange fuzz-n-cotton to what was left of him.

Time to get back on top of things in this puppy training game. Got some good tips? Please leave 'em. We're trying everything to get the Duo of Destruction back to just Thea and Bella. Until then, rest in pieces, Tigger, rest in pieces.