So Big!

My little girl is growing up so fast.

Stella seems to be advancing by leaps and bounds lately -- some figurative, some literal -- especially in the past week. Not only has she pretty much doubled in weight since we got her, she's learning new things all the time.

This past weekend was especially exciting for her. Since about a week after she came home with us, she'd been suffering from a potentially contagious cough, so we hadn't been able to socialize her with other dogs or take her to obedience school. Furthermore, because of the latter, we hadn't been able to socialize her with many people, either. But after the vet gave her a clean bill of health a few weeks ago, we decided it was time for puppy classes. We start in two weeks.

I made the arrangements for the class over the phone and was told that I could pick up the receipt at the store, so on Wednesday night when I got home from work, I asked my husband if he wanted to go there with me and bring Stella along. I thought it would be good for her to see the place and also to go out somewhere besides the vet's office. It was her first errand, and she did very well. She definitely has some things to learn when greeting people (we have, so far, been unable to break her of her jumping-up habit), but she did just fine with the other dogs, and once she calmed down a bit, she was even able to sit for a treat.

By the way, she was a total rock star, too. Everyone who saw her commented on how cute she was. I mentioned to the store employees that that happens at the vet's office, too (every time they take her in the back room to weigh her or give her a shot or something, I can hear all the vet techs going, "Stella! Oh, Stella, you're so cute!"). The employees told me that's how they are with all dogs, but I didn't see any other dogs getting the red carpet treatment while we were there. I think Stella's just the best. If the attention she's received to date is any indication, I have a feeling my little peanut girl will be the prom queen at puppy school.

On Thursday, Stella went on another outing -- over the river and through the woods to my in-laws' house. She met my sister-in-law's chihuahua, Rosa, and while the two didn't exactly hit it off (Stella wanted to sniff and say hello, but Rosa -- one of the few dogs in this world smaller than Stel -- was a bit nervous), I think she did alright. She also met two of my brother-in-law's kids, ages five and six, and she patiently allowed them to pet her and scratch her behind the ears. I had a brief moment of panic when she took a flying leap into my brother-in-law's lap (a lap in which he was holding his six-month-old baby) and then walked across it to say hello to his wife, but otherwise, she did just fine.

Side note: It really creeped me out on Thanksgiving when people called Stella our "daughter." I adore her, but that doesn't change the fact that she is a dog, not a human child.

But the most exciting milestone of the weekend came the night my husband and I decided not to take her out for a middle-of-the-night potty break. We tried once before, but she woke us up at 5:30, whining to be let out. This time, however, she made it all the way through. I was so proud of her. I think she was proud, too, because as soon as she came back in, she went straight to the bedroom door, pushed it open and jumped up onto the bed and my sleeping husband to tell him the good news.

I wonder if "leave puppy parents alone while they are sleeping" is on the obedience school syllabus. I'm kind of hoping so, because although it was funny when it happened to my husband, I'm not so sure I'd think the same thing if it had been me.