#chihuahua #rescue-dog

Pet Updates: Progress, Experiments, and Winter Energy

It’s been a stretch of small updates, experiments, and learning curves — the kind of weeks that don’t feel dramatic, but definitely add up.

Stanley: Chews, Snow, and Big Feelings 🐶
I’m still on the hunt for safe, long-lasting chews for Stanley. The coffee wood “bone” is… fine. He likes it, but it does create small fragments, so it’s strictly a supervised-only chew. The pig ear was a bigger success — it didn’t last forever, but it lasted a few days, which feels like a win. I’ve heard good things about olive wood, so that may be next.

No idea what happened to this bone – disappeared very quickly!

Stanley is also not a fan of snow, but he’s learning to sprint outside, do his business, and come right back in. He will still choose to poop in his crate if he gets the chance, but the good news is that he’s not having accidents in the house.

Rubber mat in the snow has definitely been helpful

I do still have a BarkPotty set up in the garage. At the moment, Stanley’s approach is to sniff it carefully… then sit on it. He clearly doesn’t understand the potty part yet, but we’ll see if that changes with time.

Missing agility last week because of the snow left him a bit stir-crazy, so I’m exploring options like small dog playdates with the right dog and owner. It might be a little unconventional, but it could be great if I find the right match.

Puck: A Dental and a Whole New Cat 🐱
Puck had his dental and did great — though he ended up needing five teeth removed. The anesthesia hit him hard the first night, but by the next day he was back to normal… maybe even better than before. He’s been purring, snuggling, and clearly more comfortable, which makes me think those teeth may have been bothering him for quite a while. I’m just grateful he’s feeling good now.

Catlink Update: Two Boxes, Two Happy Cats 🐱
The open-top Catlink litter box experiment continues at my son’s house. It took a couple of weeks, but his cats are finally using it consistently.
Interestingly, one cat prefers the closed automatic box, while the other uses the open-top version, so he now has two automatic boxes and two happy cats. The open box isn’t self-cleaning as well as hoped yet, so he’s experimenting with different litters and adjusting the cleaning delay to give clumps more time to dry. If anyone has any ideas to help the cleaning process, let me know.

Hector & The Dragon: Very On Brand 🦜🦎
Hector is thriving — happily destroying boxes and whistling away. I showed her the snow from the warmth of inside, and she was completely unimpressed. I’ve also started toweling her for snuggles, and I think she actually enjoys it. Getting her more comfortable with handling feels like a good goal.

The dragon is doing well too and has been in and out of brumation, which is unusual for some dragons but very typical for her. She’ll disappear for a few days, then reappear, and repeat that cycle all winter.

Sitters, Boarding, and Trust 🏡

I’m also on the hunt for a new house/pet sitter — someone to check on the cats, Hector, and the dragon when we travel. I really like the woman I’ve used before, but she’s expensive, and I’m wondering if there’s someone else I’d feel just as good about at a lower cost. I reached out to a couple of recommendations today, and one of them may also offer in-home dog boarding, which I’m exploring as another option.

None of this feels dramatic — just steady care, adjustments, and paying attention. That’s kind of how most good pet care looks.

I’d love to hear from you:

What are you doing to keep your pets active?
Have you found a safe, long-lasting dog chew you trust?
How do you find a kennel or pet sitter you truly feel good about?
Share your tips in the comments — I’m always learning.

A Scary Saturday Night (and a Very Good Outcome)

Saturday night was not how I planned to spend the weekend.

Earlier that morning, I gave Stanley his Sentinel heartworm pill — one that had originally been prescribed for our old dog, Cali. I had checked with our vet ahead of time and was told there was no reason to throw the medication away as long as it wasn’t expired and Stanley had reached the appropriate weight range. I believed he had.

At first, everything seemed fine. But by dinnertime, Stanley wouldn’t eat and was unusually quiet. A couple of hours later, when we got home after being out, it was clear something was very wrong.

He barely got up to greet us. I carried him upstairs and noticed he was wobbly, shaky, and clearly off balance. He was holding his ears strangely, staring at the couch but unable or unwilling to jump up. He wandered aimlessly, almost like he was drunk or disoriented, and still refused food.

My son and I did some quick research, and everything pointed to the same answer: vet immediately. Thankfully, I had just gotten pet insurance — and off to the emergency vet we went.

The ER Visit

Stanley was taken back right away. After an exam, we waited for about an hour while he sat wrapped in a blanket on my lap, unusually calm and quiet — too out of it to even be nervous.

When the vet came in, she told us his vitals were all normal. She asked detailed questions about what he might have gotten into, and the only unusual thing we could identify was the heartworm pill.

She walked us through our options:

Hospitalize him overnight with monitoring and bloodwork, or assume a medication reaction and treat him with subcutaneous fluids and an anti-nausea medication, then send him home if I was comfortable monitoring him.

Given that his vitals were stable and I could be with him all night, we chose treatment and brought him home. I didn’t want to leave him.

The Aftermath

Stanley slept curled up against me all night. I barely slept — waking up often to check on him — but he rested peacefully. The next morning, he was still quiet, but he did eat breakfast.

By Sunday night, he was acting like himself again: playful, alert, and eating normally.

I checked in with our regular vet and also contacted the heartworm medication manufacturer to report what happened. What makes this especially confusing is that the medication he reacted to did not contain the additional dewormer — that ingredient is actually in the medication he’s taken before without any issues. At this point, I’ve thrown out the remaining pills and won’t be using them again while we figure out the best path forward.

For now, I’m keeping a close eye on him and plan to take him to agility class tonight — with zero pressure. If he’s not feeling it, we’ll leave. Simple as that.

Stanley does seem to be a sensitive little guy; he’s had a moderate vaccine reaction in the past as well. I’m hopeful this was a one-time issue and that we were simply lucky. Planning to work with my vet to make sure we find a safe path forward.

Grateful for Pet Insurance

I’m really thankful for pet insurance in moments like this. I have a free plan through Nibbles, which I got when I signed up for their credit card, and it made the decision to go to the emergency vet feel a little less stressful.

Of course I would have taken Stanley no matter what, but removing the immediate financial pressure helped. I used the card to pay for the visit, and the next morning I received an email asking if I wanted to submit a claim — they automatically recognized the charge as a vet hospital. All I have to do is reply with the reason for the visit and they handle the rest.

I opted to include office visits in my coverage, so the cost should be covered or applied toward my deductible. I’m also reaching out to the heartworm medication manufacturer, since they sometimes reimburse expenses related to drug reactions.

Opinion: I’ve never used pet insurance before, but after seeing a friend go through spending a huge amount of money for leg surgery for her dog, I thought I would try it with Stanley. Pet insurance doesn’t change your decision to seek care — it just makes an already stressful situation easier to manage.

In Other (Much Lighter) News…

My son set up the new open-top litter box yesterday — the one I won from Catlink. It’s the Scooper Open-X. It looks like a great design! He wanted to try it first since he’s had ongoing litter box issues with Martin. I really like the look of it and I’m hopeful the open design will be appealing to Martin.

He said setup was very easy, and while it’s larger than a standard litter box, it doesn’t take up an unreasonable amount of space compared to other automatic options. I’ll share more once we see how Martin feels about it.
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Sometimes pet ownership is routines and progress… and sometimes it’s terrifying curveballs. I’m incredibly grateful that Stanley seems to be okay — and that we listened to our instincts when something felt wrong. Have you had a scary moment with your pet? Share in the comments….

New Year, Same Pets (With Big Plans) 🎉🐾

I hope Santa was good to all the pets!

As we roll into 2026, I’ve been thinking about what the new year might look like for our pets — not in a “new year, new you” way, but more of a small tweaks, steady progress kind of way.

Stanley’s 2026 Goals 🐶
Stanley has a busy year ahead. The plan includes: More classes, starting with agility next week, Ongoing general manners and obedience work, More nose work, which he truly loves
And maybe — eventually — working toward his Canine Good Citizen.

While I do consider him housebroken at this point, there’s still one thing I’d really like to solve: the occasional pooping in his crate. Switching from blankets to crate pads (on a trainer’s advice) has helped, but we’re not all the way there yet.

I’m also toying with the idea of giving him an indoor potty option. I know how much he absolutely hates the cold, and winter isn’t doing either of us any favors. TBD.

Cats: A New Litter Box Experiment 🐱
The cats are doing well overall. My son is currently testing out a new open-top automatic litter box I won from Catlink — and I’m very curious to see how this goes.

The real question: will Martin (our occasional couch offender) prefer the open-top setup and have fewer “accidents”? Fingers crossed. If he approves, it could be a game changer.

Hector D. Byrd: Still Unwrapping 🎁🦜
Hector D. Byrd is doing just fine. She’s still slowly opening one of her Christmas presents — very on brand for her. New things take time, and she likes to move at her own pace. Honestly, same.

That’s where we’re starting 2026: plans in place, expectations realistic, and everyone mostly doing okay.

I’d love to know —
Do you set goals or plans for your pets in the new year, or do you just let things unfold?

Here’s to another year of learning, adjusting, and doing the best we can for the animals who run our lives. 🐾✨

Poor Stanley!

Stanley’s Favorite New Spot – ON His Crate!

Poor Stanley gave me quite the scare this week. He woke me up at 5am with a persistent cough, and it didn’t let up throughout the day. Even though he was eating and still had moments of playfulness, he seemed a bit more lethargic than usual — and it was heartbreaking to see him try to play, only to start coughing mid-pounce.

I brought him to the vet that afternoon. Thankfully, his lungs sounded clear, he had no fever, and everything else checked out fine. The vet suspected his throat might just be irritated — maybe from something he inhaled or chewed on — and sent us home with Sucralfate to help soothe the inflammation.

But today, the cough is still lingering.

So we’re starting him on antibiotics, just in case there’s a low-grade infection hiding under the surface. Fingers crossed this clears things up quickly. I hate seeing him so uncomfortable — especially when all he wants to do is have a little fun.

Here’s hoping for restful nights and a quiet, happy pup very soon. 💛

Cooler Weather, Agility Adventures, and a Healthy Flock

Life’s been busy as usual around here, and Stanley is definitely not a fan of the shift in seasons. The cooler weather has him frustrated and confused—he wants to go outside and soak up the sun, only to discover it’s cold. So he asks to go out… then immediately back in… then out again. All. Day. Long.

Potty Progress
Despite the weather struggles, Stanley has been doing great with potty training! We’ve had a couple of poops on the potty pad in his crate, but they weren’t surprises—they happened on days when our schedule was off and I only had time for a quick walk before leaving him alone. Overall? No random accidents in the house. I’ll take it as a win!

Dog Fitness Class: Wrapping Up
Stanley is finishing up his dog fitness class this week. It’s been fine—not amazing, but helpful. He’s learned how to:

Step onto a platform with front feet
Shift to just back feet
Back up over the platform
Sit, lie down, spin both ways, and pivot with his front feet on the board
Not groundbreaking, but a solid foundation!

Puppy Agility: A New Favorite

Now for the exciting part—we started puppy agility, and Stanley LOVES it. He was brave with the tunnels from day one, and he’s completely obsessed with the jumps. The class just started but runs for several more weeks, and I’m really excited to see how he grows with it.We even have agility jumps and weave poles set up at home now! I’m hoping indoor agility sessions will help burn off some of that endless puppy energy this winter when walks are short and the backyard is freezing.

Cat Update: Martin’s Doing Great
In other happy news, my son’s cat Martin seems to be over the hump with his urinary issues—knock on wood! Since my son added a second litter box, Martin has been consistently using it without problems. They had three boxes for a while, but the two cats were just using two of them anyway, so scaling back to two has worked well. I’m so relieved for my son—and for Martin!

Hector’s Vet Check & Diet Update
Our sweet African Grey, Hector, had her regular vet check-up last week, and I’m thrilled to report she’s doing great! She loves the vet and is such a good girl for him. She even made me laugh out loud in the car—when I put her in, she said, “We go where?” She’s never strung those words together before!

At the vet’s office, she asked “What?!” at exactly the right moment, and we all cracked up. Her weight is steady, and overall health is great. Because she’s now 32 years old, the vet wants to continue seeing her every six months to monitor her closely—birds are prey animals and often hide illness, so frequent check-ups help us stay proactive.
The vet is keeping her on her “special” diet:
Low-carb, aside from her Zupreem Fruit Blend pellets
Limited nuts
Mostly vegetables, including:
Dried veggie mixes from Texas Naturals and Avian Naturals
Mixed with frozen veggies, baby food, and canned pumpkin,(favorite!)

It’s a little extra effort, but worth it to keep her feeling her best. Both Texas Naturals and Avian Naturals have great dried veggie mixes to add some variety to Hector’s diet while still keeping food prep really simple.

The Dragon Update: Craving Variety
Our bearded dragon has been doing well overall. The other day, I caught her trying to eat a GIANT Dubia roach that was crawling in her tank. It was way too big, so I’ve ordered her a fresh batch of smaller feeders. Lately, she’s only been eating mealworms and some veggies, so I wanted to spice up her options. I’ve got Hornworms, Dubia roaches, and Calci-worms (black soldier fly larvae) on the way. Fingers crossed that a little variety gets her excited about mealtime again!

Regarding the giant Dubia in her tank… her tank is bioactive, meaning it is full of insects, isopods, springtails, meal worms, and yes some Dubia that have escaped the food dish. The insects basically live unseen, but they keep the soil healthy, the plants thriving, and the tank clean. Old veggies that the dragon doesn’t want feed the insects, it’s a great, thriving little ecosystem.

That’s the latest from our little zoo—cool weather, agility gear, chatty parrots, picky dragons, and one very confused sun-loving puppy. 🐾🦜🦎

Stanley’s Dental Adventure, Bark Box #5, a Lake Day, and a Busy Pet Momma Summer

It’s been a full week in the Pet Momma household, and I have lots to share—starting with Stanley’s latest vet visit.

Stanley Had His Puppy Teeth Removed

Despite all the chewing and tug games, Stanley wasn’t losing his puppy teeth on his own. After talking with the vet, we decided it was best to have them removed. He had four baby teeth pulled yesterday, and I was honestly a wreck dropping him off. The drive didn’t help—an accident had the vet’s road completely blocked, and I nearly turned around to reschedule. Just as I was giving up, traffic cleared, and we made it.

The procedure went smoothly, and the vet staff was amazing. They even told me the vet was walking around post-op with Stanley wrapped in a blanket—yes, I melted. He was groggy last night but bounced back this morning like nothing happened. Keeping him quiet? Not even remotely happening.

Small hiccup today: I accidentally gave him a second dose of his pain medication (meant to be once daily). It was near his food, and I wasn’t thinking. I looked it up and it seems he’ll be fine, but I’m watching him closely just in case.

Stanley Discovers Cheese

We don’t usually feed Stanley human food, but I’ve made an exception for American cheese—it turns out, he loves it. And more importantly, it’s the perfect vehicle for sneaking in pills. He took his pain med wrapped in cheese with zero fuss. Victory.

Bark Box #5: Mostly Hits, One Miss

We got Box #5 of 6 from Bark Box, and it came with a great mix:

A slice of pizza 🍕
A crinkly purple octopus 🐙 (adorable!)
A long snake 🐍
Two extras I ordered: tomatoes on the vine and onion rings

Stanley loved most of it, especially the octopus. But I’m disappointed in the onion rings—unlike what I expected, it’s a single toy with three attached rings in a container. I thought they’d be individual tossable rings, which would’ve been way more fun and better sized for Stan.

Lake Day Success!

Last weekend, Stanley had his first visit to the lake with family, and he did great! He met four other dogs, ranging in size from his own tiny self up to 75 pounds. He also met lots of new people, including a toddler and two young girls. He was off-leash but stayed close, friendly, and curious.

He even had his first little swim—got gently dunked in the water and paddled safely back to shore. The only mishap? He got a paw caught in one of the stairs while climbing out of the lake and panicked. Luckily, he trusted me to help him out, and we avoided full-on meltdown. He slept like a rock on the ride home.

Not quite where Stanley is supposed to go!

Other Pet Updates

Hector (our African Grey) has been extra sweet and chatty lately. I think she’s craving attention with our summer routines all over the place.
I was briefly worried about our bearded dragon—she’d been sluggish and not eating much, but today she perked up and ate well. Hoping that continues.

Trying a New Pet Sitter

I’m heading out of town next week and will be using a new pet sitter. Fingers crossed it goes smoothly. She seems great, and she knows how to reach me if anything comes up.

Between Stanley’s dental drama, toy testing, first swim, and managing a multi-pet household, it’s been a very Pet Momma summer. 🐾

Stanley, Bark Boxes, and Summer Schedules

I’m traveling this week, and Stanley is staying with my daughter. I always worry he might be a little high-maintenance, but it sounds like she’s enjoying the extra snuggles. When I first got Stanley, I promised myself I wouldn’t baby him and that I’d stay committed to training. I’ve stuck with some of that… but let’s be honest — I’ve definitely babied him too.

He’s a smart little guy, but I really need to get tougher about not letting him get away with things — especially this habit he has of pooping in his crate instead of outside. I have no idea why that’s still happening, but it’s something I need to figure out.

He Loves Being Outside and Doesn’t Mind the Heat

Stanley Recently Spent the Night at a Kennel and Hid in the Corner of the Outside Pen so he Wouldn’t have to go Inside.

On the health front, Stanley’s Giardia seems to be clearing up, which is a relief. Just before I left town, I got a message from the vet saying they’d like to test another stool sample, so I’ll take care of that once I’m back. I know Giardia can be really stubborn, and I’m hoping that the second round of meds we just finished has finally done the trick.

With summer being so unpredictable, our routine’s been all over the place. I’d really like to get us back into a training class this fall. The structure is good for both of us and helps keep us consistent.

On a lighter note, Stanley’s new Bark Box is on the way! I’ll be sure to share an update once it arrives. Last month’s box ended up being a bigger hit than I expected — especially the “Orange Soda” toy, which he ignored at first but eventually warmed up to. The cheeseburger was the clear favorite, but honestly, he’s gotten good at playing with all of them.

This week I’m in Philadelphia and was hoping to visit the zoo, but with this heat wave, I might have to save it for another trip. Walking around in 95° humidity doesn’t sound like much fun for me or the animals.

Puck and Bean decided to Pose for a Photo. Both are Doing Well!

Stanley Graduates… Sort Of

Manners Class: ✔️ Potty Training: 😬
Stanley wrapped up his “Manners” class like a champ — but the diploma hasn’t magically stopped the occasional surprise poop on the living room floor. Some mornings, we do the “in and out” dance over and over, only for him to sneak away and do his business where he definitely shouldn’t. It’s a good thing he’s so snuggly and cute.

Small Wins (and Nighttime Poop Hunts)
Last night, though, he ran to the door to go out during playtime. Huge win! He did his business like a pro. The only challenge? Trying to locate dog poop in the dark — basically a blindfolded Easter egg hunt, minus the chocolate.

Gut Check: Literally
I’ve noticed it sometimes takes him a while to go, and his poop has been runny (fun stuff). After two rounds of Giardia treatment, I think his tummy’s still recovering. I started him on a probiotic to help get things back in balance. Early signs are promising!

Getting spoiled with breakfast outdoors in the beautiful weather

Retail Therapy and Teething Troubles
We skipped the dog park because of rain and hit the pet store instead. Stanley proudly picked out some new chew toys. He’s still holding onto some stubborn baby teeth, so I’m hoping all the chewing helps those little guys move along before he turns into a land shark.

Dealership Dog Star
Stanley tagged along to the car dealership this morning. He handled loud garage noises, traffic, and new people like a pro — minus one overly enthusiastic nip. Still, it was a great outing, and I was proud of how well he adjusted to the chaos.

New Trick: Crawl!
We’re working on a new trick: “crawl.” It’s as ridiculous and adorable as it sounds. Stanley seems to love trick training — and I’m hoping to get him into an agility class this fall if I can find one that fits our schedule.

BarkBox BBQ Bonanza
Stanley’s latest BarkBox was a big hit! This month’s BBQ theme came packed with adorable summer toys — but his absolute favorite is the burger. It’s crinkly, squeaky, and checks all his favorite boxes.

The popsicles are super cute too, and he’s been having fun with those.

The orange soda? I thought it was adorable, but Stanley apparently disagrees — that one’s been left untouched in the toy pile. Maybe he’s more of a water guy.

Rain, Rain, Go Away…
Of course, more rain is in the forecast, and Stanley isn’t thrilled. He acts like wet grass is an act of betrayal. Here’s hoping we can keep the house training on track despite soggy paws and puppy drama.

If anyone has any small dog housebreaking tips, please share! What’s your dog’s favorite toy?

Teenage Stanley: Training Frustrations, Big Wins, and Baby Steps

🎓 Training Class… Kinda?
We’re in the middle of our “teen manners” training class, and honestly… not loving it. I signed up hoping to work on practical basics like:

Down
Off
Leave it
Stay
Leash walking

Instead, the class is mostly about understanding the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence in dogs and how to redirect their energy. That’s helpful in theory, and I do see how some of it applies to Stanley, but it’s not what I was really hoping for. That said, I’m sticking with it and focusing on the parts that matter most for us.

⬇️ The Elusive “Down”
My biggest struggle? Teaching “down.”
Stanley just doesn’t lie down naturally unless he’s in a lap or curled up in his crate. Luring him with a treat doesn’t work well because he’s so small — he just stretches his head down and grabs it without dropping his body.

Definitely a work in progress, and I might check in with our trainer again to see if she has other strategies. For now, we’re just doing what we can.

🐶 Playgroup, Visitors, and… Marking?

We’ve got another series of small dog playgroup scheduled next month, and while I’m holding off on signing up for another class until fall, I’m toying with the idea of agility — I think Stanley would love it once we nail down the basics.

Last weekend, Stanley came with me to visit my dad and his two Portuguese Water Dogs. Despite the size difference, Stanley played really well, especially with the one-year-old pup. I was so proud of him!

Less exciting? He peed on a couple of dog beds and a chair while we were there. I’m guessing it was marking behavior triggered by the other dogs. Definitely something we need to work on before our next house guest moment.

He also spent a few hours at my daughter’s apartment recently when I went out for the evening. He played hard, had a blast, and eventually crashed in their laps for a nap. He did have one small accident — he peed on a towel that was on the floor — but my daughter took the blame for that one. She realized afterward that he’d been sniffing around and probably thought the towel was a potty pad. All things considered, not too bad!

🚪 A Potty Training Breakthrough!
Big news: Stanley has started going to the door and barking to go out! It feels like a huge leap forward.

This morning’s routine looked like this:

Out first thing → Pee ✅
Breakfast → Done
Then? He barked at the door, ran out, and pooped right away.
We’re finally finding our rhythm at home, and he seems to be really settling into the routine.

🐕 Big Wins (and BarkBox Joy)
Stanley continues to be obsessed with fetch and BarkBox toys — I think we’ve officially found our favorites. He’s still enjoying the Ollie food, but honestly, the frozen format is more trouble than it’s worth. The food container and scoop were nice, but I won’t keep it going.

His Embark DNA test is currently being processed, and I’m so excited to get those results back. I can’t wait to learn more about our mystery mutt!

🏡 Trusting Him Off-Leash (A Little)
Another HUGE step: I’ve started letting Stanley off-leash in our yard. So far, he runs around, does his business, and then comes straight back to the door. I don’t fully trust him yet — if something scared him, I’m afraid he’d bolt — but we’re making steady progress. Baby steps!

💬 Got Tips?
We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much to learn. If anyone has tips for teaching “down” to a tiny dog — or managing marking in new places — I’d love to hear them. Drop a comment and let’s share the wisdom! And if you have a treat that your dog LOVES, let me know. Stanley is super picky about his treats.

Stanley Update + BarkBox Review: Tiny Dog, Big Opinions

🐾 Housebreaking Progress (and Setbacks)

Stanley is doing pretty well overall — some days I’m convinced he’s completely housebroken, and then, out of nowhere, he’ll have an accident. It’s a journey.

He’s still not a fan of the outdoors. If it’s over 65° and sunny, he loves it and doesn’t want to come back in. But anything cooler, rainy, or even slightly cloudy? No thank you. Even with little jackets, he’ll turn around and bolt right back up the stairs to the door.

For now, we’re still using puppy pads in the house. Thankfully, he mostly uses them consistently.

🎓 Starting Dog Training Class

We start “Teenage Manners” class tomorrow! Fingers crossed he’s not the only tiny dog — it’d be nice for him to have a little buddy. He also starts Small Dog Playgroup next week, so we’ll see how that goes.

Some of the things I’m hoping to work on in class:

Better potty training habits
Reducing nipping
Food aggression
Chasing the cats
And I still can’t figure out how to teach him “lie down” — he’s so small it’s tough to lure him with a treat!

🐶 Evening Play & Snuggles

Stanley is a total love. He still gets crated during our dinner to prevent chaos with the cats, but once we’re done eating, we let him out and he gets super playful.

We sit on the floor and play fetch, and the cats even seem to enjoy the action. After that, Stanley crashes — we all move to the couch, and he curls up in someone’s lap and snoozes. It’s honestly my favorite time of day.

📦 BarkBox Review: 10/10, No Notes

I mentioned in a previous post that I ordered some BarkBox toys, and this week, Stanley got two boxes!

I saw an ad with some adorable toys that were only available to subscribers, so I signed up for a 6-month subscription. Let’s be real — 6 months’ worth of toys will probably last Stanley a lifetime. I opened the extra box of toys I picked out myself, and I have to say: these toys are awesome.

They’re: adorable, well made, and full of variety — squeakers, crinkles, textures, etc.

Stanley prefers plush toys, so that’s what I went with, and he genuinely loves every single one. His current favorite is a fried chicken bucket toy — it makes crinkly sounds, and he loves to chew it and carry it around. I need to get a better picture of him with his whole head in the bucket (which happens a lot).

The Chicken Bucket!

This sloth is almost as big as Stanley, but he loves it!

He also thinks the box that everything came in is pretty great!

The second box is our official BarkBox, which includes themed toys and treats. I got a bonus offer when signing up, so our first box has double toys and treats — can’t wait to open it this weekend, or as soon as I clean out the dog toy box and make room!

📣 Got Class Tips?
We’ll see how Stanley does in manners class this weekend — here’s hoping he doesn’t try to boss around the big dogs. 😅

If you’ve got any dog training class stories or tips for tiny dogs, I’d love to hear them! Let’s swap some puppy tales in the comments.