A day in the life with Mia the American Bully (Bully Pit) puppy. Mia's thirteenth week—19 weeks old, 37 pounds, 16 inches from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (the withers).
19 weeks old (4 1/2 months)
Every time Mia is headed inside the house she casually grabs something to bring with her, usually a stick or leaf. Just when you think she didn't snatch something up to bring with her this time you realize there is some small piece of something in her mouth that she did indeed scoop up. Mia, I don't want the great outdoors inside my house! Drop that leaf before you come in.
When Mia is on her way outside she will often grab a toy to take with her. If she is headed out to do her business she will drop the toy as soon as she steps out onto the porch, but she feels the need to bring it with her.
Mia decided the big green snake toy must go with her on her way out to do her business, so naturally she dropped it on the porch after she walked out the door. Later the same day Bruno was walking inside after doing his business but when the door opened for him to come in he paused, turned and looked at the big green snake toy, and picked it up. He carried it inside the house and dropped it onto the floor right inside the door and proceeded to the dog bed for his late morning nap. He was not in a playful toy mood, so he was not getting the toy to play. He had looked at it the way a person might look at a sink full of dishes before they wash them. He simply decided it belonged in the house. Good boy Bruno! I didn't know you had it in you to do something like that!
Hey, what are you two clowns doing? I spy double trouble over here!
Apparently there's something down there. It's not a very big tunnel. Maybe it’s a snake or a rat?
Mia, your nose is all brown.
I don't think whatever is down there is going to come out to see you.
Oh I see, you are going to try and dig your way to it. Hmmmm, that hole could get very big.
Mia likes to watch as I scoop the kibble into the dishes. She is very curious about everything. I am not sure what Bruno was looking at. He is staring down into the basement.
Mia, leave it. Don't even think about pouncing on Sugar.
Good girl, Mia
Mia asks the goats if they want to play. When she is told to "Leave it" she decides to try and eat a rock instead.
As we walk by a storefront Mia is curious about the automatic doors that keep opening and closing. We pause to let her take it all in. There are so many new things to see and Mia learns to explore her world with good manners. Our walks while she is a puppy are more about learning good behavior and socializing than exercise. Stopping when I stop. Going when I go. Heeling on the leash. Getting used to cars driving by, people, noises, other dogs, cats, squirrels etc. There's so much to see, yet just like a child on a class trip, she must respect her surroundings and follow the rules.
We are also working on not being a trash picker.
I sit on the ground and Mia backs up against my leg to sit and watch where she feels safest. No one talks. We just sit and watch the cars and loud trucks go by. When Mia's focus goes from watching the cars to licking my face and playing with Bruno and Spencer I decide it's time to move on in our walk.
When we pass the front of a steakhouse Mia stops and starts to sniff the air. There's steak out there somewhere!
Mia, you are more daring than your brothers ever were. Get off that grate before your paw slips through the hole. I picked her up and place her down on the pavement.
Grass too? Now you're a grass eater? Have you been watching the horses? Stop that! You're going to make yourself throw up!
Mia! Spit that out!
A minute ago I had to make you spit out one of those goose droppings. Don't even think about eating that one!
Mia, what do you have now? I Reached my hand into her wet mouth. A Lego. Where did you get that? Hmmmmm, I think you snuck into the off limits family room. No you cannot have it back. Stop giving me those puppy eyes.
A few minutes later Mia walked right into the room in front of me sniffing around as if she was looking for another Lego piece. "Hey! Get out of there!" Mia ran out and sat down looking at me right outside the door with a curious look on her face. “You little stinker.” Did you just forget the rule or were you just testing? There's your reminder.
Raising a Puppy: A day in the life with Mia the Blue-Nose American Bully