It’s only been six months, but already I can’t remember a time we didn’t have Mollie…nor can I imagine life without two dogs again! If you follow my Instagram Stories, then you’ve seen this little munchkin’s antics and major growth in the few months since we brought her home!
Here’s the difference a few months makes! She was 12-pounds when we rescued her at 3-months, and now she’s 9-months-old and topping the scales close to 35-pounds!! Which isn’t all that big, but considering we were expecting her to max out at 20-pounds, it’s kind of a shocker!
But don’t tell her she’s not a lap dog! If you’re sitting, then she’s going to be spread out across your lap, chest, feet…whatever she can get close to. She loves to snuggle, and wants to be touching at all times. And that includes everyone in the family…even Maggie!
Mollie makes us laugh constantly, and is so full of love that she’s captured all our hearts. It’s been amazing to watch the kids become completely attached to her, and the joy she brings. My son loves to take her to the park to chase balls, and Little Miss swaddles her like a baby…and Mollie has the most agreeable temperament about all of it.
She and Maggie are so completely opposite in their personalities, but have formed their own friendship (that Maggie totally dominates, by the way).Ā Maggie was 2-years old when we got her, and was easy from the start…house trained, no chewing, no jumping, sleeps in her bed, barks like a maniac at the UPS man.
Having a puppy brought a few more challenges, and caught us a little off-guard! Ha!
Housetraining
In the early weeks, we took her outside almost every hour so she’d get used to going potty outside, and would know where we expected her to go. Then we started taking her out between any transition during the day. For instance: Wake, potty, eat, potty, play, potty, nap, potty, etc. We also never let her out of our sight in the house, which required some very clever blockades!
Once she was a little older, we hung bells on the back door and showed her how to bump them with her paw or nose, and immediately took her outside. It only took about a day for her to learn, and now she whacks the bells with serious attitude! I think she does it just to see us come running. #whostrainingwhom
We had a few accidents in the early weeks, but most were our fault for not taking her out, or letting her wander unsupervised. We did have an upset tummy episode on the shag rug, but we shall never speak of it. #riprug
Chewing
We make sure to keep a steady flow of toys for her to play with and chew on, and didn’t have any issues with her chewing. Until recently.
Apparently the downside of creating a very snuggly, loving, dependent, attached dog…is separation anxiety. And Mollie likes to take her anxiety out on favorite throw pillows, and even brand new chairs. #ripbeautifulnewchairs Did I mention she leapt over the baby gate to get to said pillows and chair?
So down came the gate, and we were forced to close the door (she sleeps in the Laundry Room at night and when we’re gone). But then she started chewing on the mudroom bench and shredding her bed, towel, whatever we left in there for her! #ripmudroombench
After a lot of research, we realized she needed a small, contained area to feel safe, and to keep from hurting herself or getting into mischief…so last month we brought home a crate. I expected a long adjustment period (for her and us!), but she sauntered right in, laid down, and fell asleep!
Now we’re able to sleep or leave, and know that she’s completely safe. And I won’t have to mourn another item in my house!
Managing the Pet Hair
Having two dogs is comparable to having two kids…it’s so much fun to watch them play and have a built-in friend! But just as two kids means double the laundry, having two dogs means double the pet hair! And this mama doesn’t do pet hair.
It took about a month of daily Swiffering, sweeping the stairs, and hauling the vacuum out for the rugs and sofa before I started looking for a better option. Since the hair seems to be a never-ending cycle, I decided on a robot-style vacuum that could run daily. And honestly, a good one was hard to find!
We tried two well-known models, at pretty steep price tags, but had so many issues with both, we were forced to send them back. Then after a ton of online research, and reading countless reviews, we ordered this Eufy Robo Vac, a completely new-to-me brand, from eBay. And honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, especially considering it was less than half the price of the other models!
Cordless Hand-Held Power VacĀ (also here)
But now I’m completely obsessed with this little guy, and literally get excited every time he runs!
Eufy Robo Vac 11 with Boost IQĀ | Dining Room details
He glides easily over our dark floors, flat-weave rugs, and under furniture (even the beds!). It has several settings, but my favorite is ‘Perimeter,’ where it hugs the baseboards of the entire house! (Why does so much dust gather there?!)Ā Often times I’ll prep a room and enclose the Eufy in that single space for awhile, and it’s amazing what it picks up!!
Unlike the other models which were constantly getting stuck, the Eufy only has one trouble-spot in our house…the heavy rope fringe of the Kitchen runner. When that happens, it beeps a few times, then shuts off. It has programming available, but I’m such a nut for this thing, I like to run it while I’m home and awake so I can see the results (and help it when he gets trapped).Ā Once he’s done, or the filter is full, he just routes back to the charger and goes to sleep!
As for the stairs and furniture, this hand-vac is crazy-powerful and holds its charge long enough to vacuum the entire house and cars! I just haven’t figured out how to get this one to run on its own. Oh yes I have, it’s called kid’s chore! š
But seriously, these are the dream team of vacuums, and have solved our double-duty pet hair issue! And clean house means happy mama…and therefore, happy puppies!
Just for fun, let’s see how much this little Sumo-puppy has changed already…three-months…
Five months…
And nine-months! And from the size of her paws, she might not be done growing!
We’re crazy dog people now, aren’t we?! I’m kind of okay with that. And while I can never imagine having just one dog again, I draw the line at two!! And as long as I steer clear of the shelters and puppies, we should be fine.
What’s the pet count in your house? Do you have tips for managing the pet hair? If you’re in the market, eBay is having a huge Spring Cleaning Event, with up to 50% off top brands, plus free shipping! See my tips for shopping eBay in this post.
[Shop Our Puppy Essentials]
*Photos by the darling and talented Mary Summers. This post is created in collaboration with eBay, but all opinions, product selection, and crazy dog obsessions are my own. Thank you for supporting Hi Sugarplum sponsors!*
Awww, Maggie and Mollie are adorable! Those eyes as well ā¤ļø It’s so nice for the family to grow up with pets – I wish I had a puppy friend during my childhood, too!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Your timing is perfect! We go pick up our new pup from the shelter on Friday! Itās going to be like having another baby!
MY GOSH! I wasn’t prepared to attend 3 funerals this morning, but this was such a cute post!
So cute!!!! On a side note, I love those palm print curtain, the striped rug, and that print on the wall!!! So, so fun!
We have 4 dogs! We have a roomba, a central vac (the vacuum my husband likes and uses) and also a dyson animal vacuum (the one I like and use). I LOVE the dyson animal vacuum! Itās amazing!
We have two shedding dogs as well! We have a big mutt that looks very similar to your Maggie, and a fat pug. Both shed like crazy! The solution for our pug is to shave him every few weeks. I do it myself, and it has pretty much eliminated his shedding! Our mutt doesn’t look as cute shaved (and she’s much bigger), so I use the Furminator brush on her when I shave our pug. It helps SO much! It removes the thick undercoat of fur that leaves lovely “hair bunnies” all over the house! You should try it on both dogs!
I have two Cocker Spaniels and they’re the best partners. I adopted them a year apart, and both were around 3 years old…now they’re 14! Beau is mischievous and Sasha is my good girl. Sasha has been blind since I adopted her, but that has never stopped her from loving life. I can’t imagine either of them without the other. Two [old] dogs means double vet bills, but that’s okay! I fully intend to have two dogs in my family for the rest of my life, and I’d love to have another blind one too.
Where did you get the cute tshirt with the yellow stripes on the sleeve?
Her eyes are amazing & I’m so happy to hear she’s become a seamless part of your family!
4 rescue pups here-oh, what’s another one! Like some parents w/kids, the last one was totally unplanned. They all get along beautifully and work in a unit.
I LUV the first photo w/all the gold accents. LUV the palm leaf and wood blinds-perfect!
LUV, LUV, LUV that you referred to the Eufy vac as a male!!!!!! Yes.
Can’t wait to check out your vacuum pics.
Don’t feel bad, my pup chewed up my favorite loafers I found in Italy, like they were rawhide strips, other pup pulled my fave shearling coat off the rack and chewed it up. Sigh.
What a great post, SP. Thanx!
They are both just such sweeties! My Dutch is a shedding machine and somehow we have managed to keep him off our new couch but everywhere else is full of hair. And the crate is the best way to help them feel secure….glad she adjusted easily. I had a dog once with separation anxiety and she was too old when we finally got the crate….it would not contain her and she literally dug up carpet once trying to get out of a bedroom and then honestly chewed through a door. It was nuts!
Shelly | The Queen in Between
We were always a 2 dog household too……until a third made it into our lives. #facepalm He was going to be put down because he’s deaf, so what was I supposed to do? It’s crazy with 3, but we love them all dearly. I also have a robot vacuum that I have programmed to run in the middle of the night, but the biggest game-changer for me was investing in the Dyson cordless stick vacuum. I whip that puppy (ha) out every day and do a quick pick up of dog hair and I’m done in no time! Your furry duo is quite the cute pair!
We have two rescue dogs as well. Both have crates – but that is a “four letter word” in our household so we call crates “dens” because that’s really what they are. They are the dogs’ refuge or retreat, their safe space and are never to be used as punishment. We cover one end with a light blanket so they have a dark space to nap. My younger dog is a power-chewer – and only 20 pounds of solid muscle. He was anywhere from 2-4 years old when we got him so we had to teach him what were “legal” toys to chew by replacing a shoe or pillow he seized with one of the toys – at that very moment. He destroys most Kong-brand toys and I won’t give my dogs rawhide or bully sticks. Right now they are fine with Nylabones and Benebones. Regarding pet hair, we run our Roomba daily and my son Swiffers the stairs that “Reginald the Roomba” cannot do. I would like to have three dogs but my husband is the stay-at-home-Dad and says two is the limit (but never back to only one again š
I confess I’m a crazy cat lady–two black and white cats who are twin brothers. I might have to purchase your little hand vacuum… Did you match your pretty shirt with the flowerpots on your front porch? Sunshine happy look!
That puppy is everything! I have a Bernese Mountain/Golden Retriever 125 pounds so my hair situation is outa control! I used to have a Roomba and LOVED it… but after about 5 months it started speaking German and wouldn’t hold a charge, so it went back. Then I bought the Dyson Animal which did not work well on hair??!! so it went back. I am going to look into the one you’re using. I love my Dyson hand held, but the charge only lasts long enough to do two rooms.
On another note, I have all white bedding and my dog sleeps on the bed and my life saver has been the Hurricane Fur Wizzard… it is amazing at getting the hair off my bedding every morning!
How long does Maggie put up with Mollie’s spazzy pup antics before she swats her? In the last picture she looks like she is SO over her baby sister!!
Have you thought of giving them their own Insta account? I’d follow for certain!!
Love this post! We adopted our rescue dog a year ago, and she’s just like Mollie – a love bug. She always wants to be held and she weighs 60 pounds. LOL Like Mollie, she’s shredded several pillows, one that was feather-filled, and we had to get the shop vac in the house to clean up the mess. So’s has our hearts though, and we wouldn’t trade her for anything!
May I ask where you found the pink flowering branches tbat are in your blue and white ginger jar? Iām looking for something very similar. Thank you!
Those are actually leftover from a photoshoot Better Homes and Gardens did at our old house!! I wish I knew where they found them so I could get more!! But they’re cherry blossoms.
Cassie, want to keep all things lovely and clean w/dogs in the house? Towels. So much easier to clean than rugs near the doors, crates, over the dog beds. When company is coming, just pull them up and stash them. Thinner towels are better as they don’t take forever to dry-keep the luxury towels for guests, etc. I use navy or black ones, or use color coordinated
to your space or room. Saves work, time, $.
My 2 cents! Thank me later.
Cassie, your dogs are adorable!! My full time job is sweeping and vacuuming dog hair!! I ordered the Eufy because of your post. If it works for your pups it will work for mine. Thanks for doing the research so the rest of us can just place an order! Have a great weekend.Look for to your next post š
LOL, definitely a full time job!! I hope you love the vacuum like we do!!!
I grew up (from age 5 to 15) with a Rottweiler. Not much hair but she was the destroyer of worlds! She had a particular hate for slippers and that one Zebra hand puppet that lived on my bedroom shelf when I was 5. She was also, probably the smartest dog that ever lived. When she was a puppy, we put her in a crate to contain her. She quickly figured out how to open it (yes, she would use her tongue and nose to slip and slide the lock) and proceeded with the destruction of all slippers. She was then put into the powder room on the main floor (this was 100 year old house btw). This lasted a day as by the time we came home from work/school, the neighbour had rushed to us to tell us something was going on in our house and there was a huge demolition type sound. We came in to see that it was just Miss rotty, who had completely tore the door and frame off the wall to get out of the bathroom (she was still just an 8 month old puppy at the time……albeit a very large and strong puppy). After destroying the door, she quickly went to my room, opened the door (yes……with the door handle), jumped on my bed to get to the shelf, brought down the zebra hand puppet in front of the entrance door and murdered the poor thing there so we would see its corpse as we got home. So it was determined that confinement was not an option. She quickly settled down after that, claiming the white leather couch as her own, I mourned the death of Alakazoo and slippers were permanently banned from the house. She past away of cancer when I was 15, breaking my heart in the process. We ended up adopting two chocolate labs a number of years later. Hair galore for sure. We lost our eldest a year ago at 14.8 years old (breaking my heart again) and the youngest is 12 now (still going strong). I haven’t had a dog “of my own” as an adult (these were family dogs at my moms) but I’m slowly convincing the boyfriend that in the next house we buy…….I wants me a puppy. I’m a huge dog person, I cannot imagine living my life without a dog in it. They’re the best thing in life š
Totally agree!! Dogs are the best, and so therapeutic!
I love your wooden dining chairs that you have with the white table. Can you tell me where you purchased those from? Thanks!
Those are World Market!!
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