Ellie is a Growing Girl

Ellie is getting bigger by the day. When we first took her to the vet for a checkup, she weighed in at 13.5 lbs. On our scale at home, she's up to 15.5 lbs -- just a week later. How is this happening so fast? I'd like to think that our scale is off and that I weigh 2 lbs. less. However, this is how you weigh a squirmy puppy:

1) Step on scale and weigh yourself.

2) Pick up squirmy puppy.

3) Step on scale and weigh yourself with puppy.

4) Subtract weight in Step 1 from weight in Step 3.

No mistake. Her paws have gotten much bigger, and she's gotten longer. So, what does Ellie eat? She loves Canidae dry dog food. We've been giving her about 1.5 to 2 cups per day. This seems like a lot, but growing puppies are like teenagers. They want to eat and sleep all the time. When she plays, she zooms around like a racecar. I can't help laughing when I see her zoom past me with a chew toy, trip over her big puppy feet, and roll over and over.

She also has a secret obsession. One she doesn't talk about at parties. She loves bully sticks. It's no secret that these chew sticks have become the tantalizing chew of choice for many dogs. When we first met Ellie, she had one in her paws and was gnawing at it quietly. What a cute puppy.

Now, we know the terrible truth. She can't get enough of them. These bully sticks are not rawhide. They are ... well, they are from a part of the bull that no one talks about, unless you are a manufacturer of bully sticks who is making a fortune on these things. They can be found at any pet store. They are sometimes loose in large bins. Sometimes, they come in a five-pack or six-pack. These packs cost as much as a pack of cigarettes. Or, if you want to go really wild, you can buy a three- or four-foot bully stick. Are they stretched to this extraordinary length? I'm afraid to ask. You can also buy the expensive and long-lasting braided bully sticks.

Ellie also loves peanut butter and Old Mother Hubbard's puppy bones. She eats much of her kibble from Kong toys while she is in her crate. When I stuff her Kong with kibble and peanut butter, she instantly runs into her crate and waits for me to give it to her. She is one smart puppy.