Peaceful playtime with Will and Emma

The pups have now discovered how wonderful the soil in my potted plants tastes! I have just a few houseplants, most of them are very large and are on the floor, in plain view and easy access. I’ve been pushing my luck, I guess, since they have not paid attention until now. We had said only the day before that the plants need to be moved upstairs out of sight, but I had not done it yet. I guess we should have done it when we thought about it! It would have saved me a little upset.

I had both pups out of their playpens, and was playing with them happily in the family room. As she sometimes does, Emma ran off to the living room, but didn’t come back right away like she usually does. They were both on their leashes, and I should have grabbed hers before she took off, but didn’t think she would be long, since they both love their together-time. Suspicious, I took Will by the leash to investigate. I found Emma happily helping herself to the soil in the big pot of coleus cuttings I had set on the floor - her favorite new snack! I told her "Leave it" but to no avail. She would have nothing of it, and kept feasting. When I got close enough, I put my foot on her leash so she wouldn’t run off again, but she turned and ran anyway.

Then all hell broke loose! Her fourteen pounds of body weight was enough to flip me up off my feet, and before I knew it, I was trying to save myself from landing on the pups as they both scrambled at the sound of my scream. With my feet flailing, I landed on my side on the stool that was beside the plant, and luckily not on the pups. They both climbed all over me as I tried to rescue myself from further injury by tooth and claw, and got myself to my feet again. The poor pups didn't really know what happened, and must have thought it was all part of the game. Needless to say, that ended the play session, and now all the potted plants that were on the floor have been moved to one of the bedrooms upstairs, safely out of sight and temptation. I now have a nice bruise on my ribs to remind that puppy-proofing the house is something I need to do as soon as I realized they are tempted by something, not after a disaster happens!