We have a goofball dog, (I wanted her name to be Geraldine, but that was voted down). Millie is the name that received the most family votes.
Poodles Taking Over the World
Like most of the dogs in the US these days… Millie is part poodle. She’s a mini-golden-doodle a/k/a whack-a-doodle!
She was the sweetest puppy.
Millie really did seem like a perfect name for her.
We did notice that she seemed to have quite a bit of energy. Each day that energy seemed to multiply. Basically, when she wasn’t sleeping, she was on the move!
This was a rare occasion with a young Millie settled enough to enjoy the sunbeam in the 3 season porch at our last house.
You can read more about that house and the whole house renovations HERE.
Have Dog, Will Travel
We’re not one of those families that takes our dog with us everywhere…
Although, she has enjoyed a pup-cup now and then through the drive-up.
And we do take Millie with us on vacation…
This is Nubble Light in York, Maine. You can see how much Millie is enjoying us enjoying the view.
We have traveled to Maine many times, HERE is a post from years ago highlighting some of my favorite houses in Maine.
A Model Pet
I have practiced my watercolor painting with her as a model.
Like an impressionist piece of art, this is my feeling Millie emits… colorful and a bit haphazard!
The title picture at the start of this post is one where I tried to paint her in her natural color.
Truth is, it wasn’t until Millie was almost 2 years old before she’d think about laying down unless she was in her kennel, (dog crate). She is by far the most active dog we’ve ever had. Like a young toddler in the house, I still cannot leave her unattended.
Now that she’s two, she does enjoy an occasional nap.
Especially on someone’s lap.
But she’s 35 pounds, so not an ideal ‘lap dog’.
Millie, Place
I have been training her to go to ‘place’. She’s pretty good about it too. Trick is to ALWAYS give her a treat after she goes there.
I had this big poofy bed/place for her, but it was too big for the townhouse. It felt gigantic in here.
You can read more about our new townhouse HERE.
Time for a New Bed
Millie didn’t love that big poof either. So, I decided it was time Millie got a new bed.
I wanted Millie’s new bed to be a little more contained and classic looking, since it is front and center in the townhouse.
This the new bed/place Millie has now!
It fits her size perfect. I love that the color and pattern blend into the furnishings.
I got her to love it by putting a treat in it and telling her to go to place, pointing at it. That was it. She instantly knew from that moment on this was her new place.
This new dog bed has a zip off washable cover and the inside pad is waterproof.
If Millie does have an accident in the house, I still swear by the product I wrote about in THIS post to clean it up with!!
But good to know I can easily wash this cover whether an accident or just to freshen it up.
I’m sure some dog expert will have great insight into Millie’s behavior. But wherever I set her place down, Millie thinks she needs the final say on its location.
I used to think I knew how to train a dog, but Millie removed any pride I had about that.
Geraldine?
This is Millie being Millie…
Though I now question if Geraldine would have been a more fitting name? ‘Millie’ sounds kind of sweet and soft, ‘Geraldine’ has some bark in it.
Daily Millie will wrestle with and move her bed around the townhouse.
Sometimes it’s just play…
Other times though, I swear she is thinking she wants it in a different spot, especially if I just moved it! Okay, so she’s not just a toddler, she’s definitely a toddler AND a teenager… always looking to get into something and always needs the last word.
So far, the bed is pretty tough and though I don’t let her chew on it, she definitely wrestles with it gripped in her teeth. Still looks brand new.
When she has the bed where she wants, she may or may not lay in/on it.
When she does,lay in or on it, she doesn’t seem to have a preference of one side over the other.
We do love our goofball Millie, and having a place for her to know to go to while we eat our meals, or someone comes to the door is good for her, (and everyone else).
Nighty-night
She really does take naps in it too.
Don’t be fooled by the sleeping dog…
As soon as I leave the room, if I don’t bring her with me, she’ll spring to life and jump up to the counter to try to lick something or grab a piece of mail or anything she can can possibly reach to toss it around the room and gobble up.
That’s Millie being Millie!
“Living with a dog is 90% following each other around, watching each other go potty, and wondering what the other has in their mouth.” Author Unknown
The Perfect Model
This is Millie, the perfect model.
Actually she’s waiting on place until I finish my apple. She knows I’ll save the last piece for her.
If you’re looking for a new bed for your pup, I highly recommend this classic styled dog bed. HERE is the affiliate shopping link it. This dog bed comes in many different colors and patterns. It is also available in different sizes. I got the medium size for Millie, and it fits her great.
Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you reading along.
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