Our Newest Family Member

As some of you already know, we recently got a new puppy.  Her name is Bella, and she is a blue heeler and lab mix (although the vet says she doesn't really see much lab in her).  We had gone back and forth on whether or not to get a dog, and after my brother sent me some pics of her, we decided it was time. 

After bringing Bella home, we quickly realized that we had forgotten just how much work having a puppy could be!  It is really like having a baby all over again at times! 
Potty training is going pretty well so far. She pees on the floor from time to time, but for the most part, does a great job of going outside. One tip that the vet gave us was to give her the treat immediately after she does her business instead of waiting to get inside.  Then, she knows that she is being rewarded for pottying outside.  
The first couple of nights were pretty rough. We put her in a crate to sleep at night, but she whined a lot, and we didn't get much sleep!  We expected this in the beginning, but it was still hard to adjust. A friend of my mom suggested putting a sheet over her crate at night, so we gave it a try. WOW!!  She now goes right in her crate and lays down and sleeps almost all night without whining unless she needs to go outside.  The early morning wake-up calls,  usually around 6:00 am, are taking some getting used to, but I've seen some pretty sunrises! : )
We also learned from reading articles on the internet that heelers are known for nipping at ankles as part of their herding instinct.  This, and the fact that she's a puppy and they chew on EVERYTHING, is taking some getting used to, but she is quickly learning what "no" means.  Another great tip I found was to use a spray bottle to spray them when they are doing something wrong, and this has really helped a lot.  
Both of our girls are scared of all dogs, and we were hoping that getting a puppy would help calm their anxiety around dogs.  They are STILL scared of Bella even though she is so little, but hopefully, with time, that will get better!  

Overall, I would have to say adding Bella to the family was a great idea. She is a very loving and affectionate puppy, and I think she is beginning to fit right in.