It is like Christmas around here....! Every day I have been receiving a package of some sort. I get home, and it is sitting there with my name on it- looking all pretty.

What are in these packages, you ask? DOGGIE START-UP STUFF!

I told you I was going through a dog nesting phase. I wasn't kidding. Yesterday I got his crate in the mail. Now mind you- the only other dog I had was Dakota. He was a lab, with a HUGE crate.

I set up Bruce's crate- and just had to laugh. It fits dogs up to 12 pounds (which is the "max" the Brussels are supposed to get. He is a small one though, so maybe he will have a growth spurt and be too big for the cage. We shall see.)

What we decided to do is give Bruce the full run of the kitchen during the day. I made a small

"layout" of my kitchen so its easier to understand. We are putting the baby gate at the entrance of the kitchen and placing the crate (where he will sleep at night) along with a toy box/ bed/ food and water bowl and puppy pads. Our kitchen is TEENY TINY, so this is enough space for him du

ring the day.. but not too much.

I have to get that "icky icky do not chew" spray for the bar stools for our tall kitchen bar. That is really the ONLY thing in the kitchen that could possibly be chewed on. I have puppy proofed the apartment.

Right now, all I have is the crate. The puppy pads and puppy bed are on their way (tracking said "in transit") so I am really looking forward to getting those!

Here is the crate. See how teeny tiny that is?

Basically- I have been doing research nonstop. My plan is to enroll him into puppy kindergarten and then have him to go to classes with me until he is pretty well trained. I am also doing the at home clicker training! I have watched a bunch of videos and done some reading. Also, I got this "puppy plus clicker training" starter kit.

According to what I've read- I now have a list (in order) of what I want to work on with Bruce.

CLICKER TRAINING TO DOS:

1. Charge the clicker- make him understand that clicker = treat.
2. Teaching him to "leave it" (GREAT video! The person who does the kikopup training is awesome)
3. Teaching him to like his little room- so he doesn't get upset when we leave. (Again, a kikopup video)
4. Teaching Bruce his name
5. Teaching him sit/ lay down
6. Teaching Bruce not to bite or jump up

Those are the key ones I want to work on, and then from there- I will develop my list!!!