We have a biter!

Yep, that’s right our sweet little innocent Melmann is a crazy man! He LOVES to bite and chew everything in sight! If he were calm he just wouldn’t fit into the Mead home so I guess I should have suspected him to be the way he is!

This week I had to travel for work so Monday morning was just awful leaving him. Thankfully, the week went by super quick for me due to my busy schedule at work so I was happy about that. BUT for dad… it was a different story. Haha. Josh had a busy week at work in Kansas City so he’d get home at 6pm and want to relax, but Melmann had a different idea for the evening. Between potty training, feeding, and watching his every move our evenings are no longer relaxing with a snuggling cat.
Although, when you want to get mad at him you look at his floppy ears and his tilted head you just start laughing.

He’s just too cute! He is a snuggler: (at least every once in awhile!)

So when I got home last night and noticed how none of his toys kept his attention (and I’m not ok with him talking off my arm while playing) I ran to PetsMart and picked up some toys. He LOVES them! Especially his “floppy moppy”:

I also got some puppy bones. The vet said the rawhides are not good for dogs so he suggested the hard bones that can bend. These are perfect! (Of course he is already on the biggest size of bone):
I’m not saying these toys have stopped him from chewing but man has it helped!

We are going to a vet appointment today for a checkup. It’s a free visit that the place gave us where we bought him. It’s just to make sure everything is going well. I’m anxious to see how much he weighs... we’ll see how true the “8 lbs” a week is!

On Sunday we are going to a pet training session. I found a guy in Olathe that does one-on-one training with the owners and pets. It’s just my husband and I with Melmann and the guy shows us how to make him listen and to show Melmann that we are the “leaders”. We aren’t supposed to bring treats, toys or any distractions so he can just focus on Melmann and him listening to us. We will see how well Melmann does on his first day of school!

Tonight we are having some friends over for dinner and then we are just enjoying down time in KC. I’m sure Melmann will control the weekend… dog park, etc.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Melmann, Melmann, Melmann

The title explains our weekend! Don’t get me wrong, we have been planning for about 3 years for our “baby”; just didn’t think it would be this weekend! Needless to say, it was a busy one!

Here’s Josh bringing him in for the first time:

Like most newborn dogs they are scared of steps and adventures until they are familiar with the surroundings. So usually owners carry them around and help them.. well it’s the same for Melmann except he’s already 30 lbs and his legs are so big I can’t even get them in one pick up, so it’s interesting taking him outside! We have: steps out to our garage, steps at our back door, steps to the basement, steps to the front door.. you get the picture. There are LOTS of steps for Melmann to be carried down! Hopefully this week he learns how to get down them or I’m going to be one tired mom.

Waiting on his tired mom to help him to the front yard:

If you would have asked me Saturday what his personality was I would say shy, quiet, sweet, cuddly and sleepy. But now… his personality is out going, hungry, playful, explorer, chewer, etc! After two nights in the Mead household and he has claimed it his. (aka he runs this household).

On Saturday night I spent the evening “puppy proofing” our house. For example, I walked into the living room for one second and he starts following me with the laundry room rug and the kitchen towel in his mouth behind me! I have no idea how he had the time to grab those items before I turned around, but he did! I walked away again for about 45 seconds and come back and he has my HUGE magazine holder in his mouth and magazines all over the entire living room! So it looks like I went from newborn to toddler in about 24 hours!

Don't even get me started about the fake tree (6 feet tall!) in the living room.. I can understand a sock or two getting stolen, but no not Melmann. He just steals the TREE in the living room and sits it in the middle of the room showing off his find. I would have paid money to see him doing that!

Although, he has these floppy HUGE ears and feet when you turn around and try to get mad you just start laughing at his tilted head looking at you like “Hi mom, I sorry (but not really)!” I will say though, he may be big but he’s still a lap dog. Loves to cuddle and be on your lap so he makes up for all the chewing.

Can't wait to see this same picture in 10 months from now, when he's a tad bit bigger :)

Being sweet after a long walk:

The best part about Melmann is his feet. Melmann will be a BIG boy. His daddy weighed 130 lbs and his grandpa weighed 150 so you can imagine what he’ll be. He is bigger for his age than any other 12 week old great dane too!

I know I'm obsessed but how cute are these HUGE paws on his tiny body:

I caught him sleeping like this on Sunday: (If this isn't Scooby Doo, i dont know what is!)

He has also found his “voice” (or should i call it roar!)… thanks to our poor cat, Kroeger. Kroeger has been the only child for the past year and isn’t fond of dogs so Melmann is just a disaster for him. Melmann walks right up to Kroeger and licks his entire body in one swipe while Kroeger is hissing and pawing him. Melmann just does it and walks away. It’s like he knows it’s his brother and just wants to mess with him! Hopefully over the next week they get use to each other... or we may have a very “interesting” family. Haha.

Here are the brothers meeting for the first time: (See the excitement on Kroeger’s face!)

Overall I think our house is now “ready” for a growing great dane. He’s estimated to gain about 8 pounds a week! We still have to get our electric fence installed in the backyard but that’s not until Monday, Oct 4th. (He has to be a bit older for training on it).

He has us completely wrapped around his little (big) paw and doesn’t even know it yet.

Life just can’t get much better for me. I just spent the weekend celebrating one year of marriage with my sweet husband and now I have my longtime wish of having a great dane! God is good!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!