A Short List Of What Gets Reilly and Camille To Ring the Bell On the Backyard Door

1. When they want to bark at someone or something
2. When they want to go sit outside for fresh air
3. When they really have to "go potty"
4. When they (and especially Camille will) pretend that they have to go potty in order to go eat "bunny beans" and other "nasties" (and this despite that "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" has taken a friend's advice and told them that "Santa's watching" when they eat "nasties" and behave badly otherwise)
5. When they want attention (and especially Reilly rings the bell to get attention)
6. When they want to go "night nights" (As far as "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" knows, Reilly has done this while Camille has not picked up this trick. In the meantime, Reilly has picked up Camille's tricking trick.).
7. When they have to "go potty" for a second time in order to get another treat (and only Camille has deliberately held in her "peedy" to "go potty" twice and thus earn two treats, as far as "Auntie Nicole" knows.)

Incidentally, Reilly and "Momma" have another list—namely, a still-unfulfilled Hanukkah and Christmas list (Can't Reilly at least behave if "Momma"'s sake if not her own, "Momma" wonders? Besides, any of Reilly's misbehavior that is a reflection on "Momma" may get God to decide not to perform any miracles.)

#MemoryMonday and #MaltipooMonday: By This Point...

Reilly and Camille know that "the tall guy" is a family friend and the driving instructor of "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi". All that they care about, though, are the treats (one of which Camille is able to get) and attention (all of which Reilly still tries to block Camille from getting)—and, even though they get upset when "the tall guy" and "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" leave, they care about only when Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" will be back (They know that "the tall guy" has to go to his own home after the driving lesson, though especially Reilly is of course hopeful that anyone who gives her treats and attention can stay for as long as possible.).

Two weeks ago, however, was only of the second time that they met "the tall guy". Meanwhile, "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" stated that, "It's like they know [exactly who's at the door when the doorbell rings on the weekends at about 5-6:30]." So, they now have an expectation that he'll be there every weekend (and of course may notice if he isn't.

(As Reillly and Camille demonstrate, puppies are indeed creatures of routine, no matter whether they're pre-adult, adult, or senior puppies!)

When Reilly Went To A Pet-Friendly Hardware Store As a "Guinea Pig"—And Camille Couldn't Go

"Mom-Mom" and "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" were testing out Reilly as a "guinea pig" to see if she would be the kind of "'well-behaved'" pet that the hardware store allows. Needlessly to say, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" was upset that she couldn't go with Reilly while "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" would stay home with Camille this week and go with her next week, and Camille was upset about not being able to go with "Mimi". Both "Auntie Nicole" and Camille were also upset that Camille missed a positive car-ride experience.

Camille, meanwhile, just looked out the window waiting for them to come back, waited in between the kitchen and the hallway gate looking at the door, etc.—she wouldn't even let "Auntie Nicole" give her scritches more than once or get her harness and leash on her to go sit on the back porch with her. (Incidentally, "Auntie Nicole" knows how Camille feels in a different way and regarding a different matter, and she knows about waiting patiently and nonetheless frustratedly and confusedly—thus part of why she could sympathize with Camille, and called "Mimi" and "Mom-Mom" to let them know  how much Camille missed them.)

As for Reilly, "[s]he was an instant hit" with the store employees and customers, "Auntie Michelle" told "Momma"; and she apparently didn't even try to eat any stray wood pellets (which she tries to eat at home) or mulch that might've dropped!

Mostly Offbeat: Something That "Momma" Still Wants To Know

(Just not to embarrass anyone, by the way, "Momma" is going to use abbreviations and letters re certain places, etc.)

"Momma" still wants to know who is in the No-Ro area, though she thinks that she knows. Meanwhile, she's pretty sure that she knows who's in the Ph.-A.C. area. She wants to know for two reasons:

1. They seem to be Reilly's biggest fans.
2. She wants a clear answer re a certain matter for her and Reilly's sakes, especially as she is trying to be a better "Momma" to Reilly and feels impeded in being a better "Momma" partly by not having a clear answer.

Pets can be affected by matters like this, especially if the matters affect other matters that impede the pet owners; and Reilly is certainly affected by, e.g., "Momma"'s OCD/Anxiety flareups that not having a clear answer is affecting.

Update On Reilly Re Her Ear Infection

Reilly just had her left ear cleaned out and treated with a saline solution by "Mom-Mom". According to "Mom-Mom", the vet had told her to do that first should another infection occur. Meanwhile, "Momma" has yet to hear back from the vet.

As for Reilly, at least she's acting normally—including by barking like a klipeh, and thus setting off "Momma"'s myoclonus (which, incidentally, caused a trigger point to flare up yesterday). She also tried to shake out the saline solution, which is also normal for her. This, by the way, convinced Camille to want to go back inside and hide in her crate—she thought that "Mom-Mom" was going to clean out her ears next, and she also doesn't like getting her ears cleaned!

Thanksgiving Was Okay Until Reilly Got An Infection In Her Left Ear 😞

Poor Reilly's been through the ringer, as has her "Momma"; and "Momma"'s and Reilly's worries only increased when Reilly's Thanksgiving Night culminated in a left-ear infection (to which she as a Matrilineal Poodle is prone) 🙁. In this case, it's "the life of Reilly" like that old TV show in the Baby Boomer's Generation—the life of Reilly in not so good of a way.

At least "Momm.a" was able to leave a message for the vet's office, and (God willing) Reilly will have her ear checked in the morning or afternoon.

The pobrecita perrita was both taking her evening nap and feeling ear pain.

Mostly Offbeat: "Momma"'s Getting More Impatient & Anxious For Her and Reilly's Sakes

Even on days like Thanksgiving, "Momma" gets impatient and anxious for her and Reilly's sakes. Not having a clear answer regarding a certain person still keeps "Momma" and incredibly-patient Reilly up at night, and "Momma" having exacerbated mental-illness flareups both during the day and the night. Not much has changed since last year regarding what "Momma" and Reilly want for Hanukkah and Christmas.

זאת לא העונה הזאת לניסים?

(Zot lo ha'onah hazot l'nisim?)