Life is Ruff: A Typical Day

It's been four weeks since we picked up Marlee, and we seem to have our routine down pretty well now.  A typical day for Marlee looks like the following:

• 4:15 a.m.     Wake up and let Marlee out to go potty
• 4:20 a.m.     Put Marlee back in the crate with the hope of getting more sleep
• 5:15 a.m.     Place pillow over head to muffle the sound of Marlee barking out of hunger
• 5:55 a.m.     Marlee finally stops barking
• 6:00 a.m.     Feed Marlee, but make sure to stay in the room or she might poop on the floor
• 6:15 a.m.     Take Marlee outside for a walk or some playtime and (hopefully) potty time
• 7:00 a.m.     Put Marlee back in the crate with her Kong and get ready for work
• 11:30 a.m.   Let Marlee out for another potty break and some play time
• 12:00 p.m.   Feed Marlee (avoid floor pooping...)
• 12:15 p.m.   More playtime outside, or inside if it is raining
• 1:00 p.m.     Put Marlee back in the crate for her afternoon nap
• 4:00 p.m.     Afternoon potty break and more play time
• 5:00 p.m.     Coax Marlee back in the crate with a toy or her Kong and listen to her wimper
• 6:00 p.m.     Feed Marlee again; still avoid floor pooping
• 6:15 p.m.     Play time and a walk, and hopefully potty time
• 7:00 p.m.     Crate time
• 8:00 p.m.     Play time and final potty break for the night (maybe a play date too)
• 9:00 p.m.     In the crate for the night.  Mild whimpering ensues for approximately 5 minutes

Marlee meets my parents' dog, Sydney.

Now, lucky for me, the barking in the morning has ceased after we had our initial battle of wills (a battle that I was going to win come hell or high water...although I'll admit there were times where I was ready to give up!).  The biggest challenge we are working on right now is how to determine what IS and what IS NOT a chew toy.  For example, this is an appropriate chew toy (which she has already demolished in only two weeks):

Marlee and her squeaker frisbee, which she has already destroyed!

And this is not an appropriate chew toy (although I will take a stick any day of the week over my pants or my fingers!):

Marlee capturing a stick on her walk.

Marlee likes to get into a lot of things in the house too.  Most of the time, she enjoys playing with an empty water bottle.  I think this might be her favorite toy because of the noise and because she can get her teeth around it in all sorts of ways!  But, she is also very curious and constantly exploring things like the dishwasher, oven, and washing machine.

Marlee helping with the laundry.

At the end of the day, all her annoying puppy habits seem worth it when she grabs her chew toy, curls up in my lap, and lets out her little puppy yawn.