Star Date: 15

Captain's log. Star date: 15
Today has been amazing. It started with a fantastic session with Blinking Cow Photography who is doing photos for the AARCS website of the girls. The Captain had the patience of a saint waiting for Stardust and Nova to come out of their shells. She did an amazing job! No bows, no flowers, just Stardust being her playful and happy go lucky self and Nova being her curious, calculating, reserved self, with the occasional peek into her super puppy playful side.
When I came back from running errands, (don't ask how or why) I put the dog bed in the pen and joined the pups. With a little coercing (food) I managed to get the girls on the bed with me. Nova stayed half on the bed and we played a game of "chew the captain's hand," which she took breaks from if I softly squealed. She let me touch her almost anywhere (I didn't try anywhere, but she didn't move at all for the places I did try). Of course I got barked at when I crawled out, but it's a start.
PS THERE ARE TINY BLADES OF GRASS IN MY SOD BOX, WHOOOHOOO!
I have washed all of the puppy toys - hard toys in dish soap with a rinse, soft toys in laundry detergent with several "spin/rinse cycles". The title of this photo is: Sometimes the puppies pee in the house and then drag their toys through it.

Star Date: 13

Captain's Log. Star Date: 13
A photographer is coming to take photos of the puppies for the AARCS website since their spay is soon and they will be going up for adoption!!!  In honor of that, here are some photos for the day.

Star date: 11

Captain's Log. Star date: 11
We have made absolutely outstanding progress over the past two days. Both the first officer and I have done many successful trades of food for allowing us to pet them.
I can usually manage to pet Nova's head prior to giving her food but she will duck as I do it. Stardust has a lot of "thumper" spots, although she is finding it hard to balance on 3 legs when her 4th gets going.
The puppies usually scatter when we walk around so I spent a good half an hour first standing, then stepping back and forth, then two steps, shuffling etc before giving puppies food. The video is about 20 minutes in. Notice how they will also come towards me?! Yippeeeeee!!!!!!!
After all the food, I headed down the stairs to the ship yard. It didn't take much coercing at all to get them to follow me. Stardust did all of her business in the shipyard (yay!!!!!!!) and Nova did half of hers.
Their personalities are really starting to come out. I'll share more later, but Nova is SMART. Tooooo smart. It took ages to get her in the pen for the evening.

Star date: 10

Captain's Log. Star Date: 10
We have made great progress today. Feeding the puppies we have worked on enticing them with food, beginning to pet them and then removing the food. This has gotten way easier now that we have found the "sweet spot" for pets. They will most of the time wait for you to finish and give them the food after, as opposed to back away.
We were joined by a crew member from another ship for a few hours. Nova parked her out of the control room, down the stairs, and out into the shipyard. It took cookies to get the crew back into the control room so we headed out onto the upper deck where I brushed her and waited for Nova to settle down. Stardust barked a bit, but only really when Nova got going hard. I managed to quarantine Nova in the kitchen and Stardust came out to sniff the crew's butt.
After that ordeal, the new crew member and I went to the park to let the puppies settle and give us a break. It was also nice to throw the chuckit (since I haven't had a dog since Maalek that really loved it).
Once I dropped the visiting crew member back at her own ship, we worked on more pets and even coming to see people (two paws on my legs for food) with another Officer.
There was quite the showdown over the pink kong. Apparently it is waaaay better than the blue one. I wish I could have got it on video, my appologies everyone.
We are not yet dedicating ourselves to doing all business in the ship yard. I am working on getting Nova and Stardust to follow me down the stairs. Until then, we are just happy for the respite from cleaning the control room.

Star Date: 9

Captain's log. Star Date: 9 We are working on getting the pups to the shipyard so next we can learn about doing our business in the shipyard ALL the time. They put up with lots of pets this morning for breakfast but have been tired and lazy for the rest of the day. The first officer bought the puppies these tasty alligator treats which they are 'maowing' down. They also played with their new toys, a koala and an elephant that the first office also bought them. They even squeak!

Star Date: 7

Crew's Log. Star date:7 There is something weird going on, on this ship. We were captured 7 days ago and were confused by the large aliens that took us. We were so terrified that it took a few days to realize that it was in fact nice and warm where we are. Clean bedding is fantastic and between the chicken and kibble, there is not much to complain about except maybe how we get food. Lately, we have had to scavenge down these things called "stairs" to the ship yard in order to find food. Our concerns now are as follows. The first officer has gone mad. She shows up in these things called "sunglasses" sometimes, and "coveralls" and likes to wave her hands in the air we heard mention of a thing called a "hat" which is apparently yet to come. The Captain is no better. She insisted on spending an hour whacking our noses and heads before giving us food. We were a little cautious at first but now we will only shy away a little, and tolerate her insanity since its really only a little tap and we know the food is coming. She tried touching our paws a few times too, and since we really don't mind it, it was nice.

I (Nova) scavenged for food on the "stairs" and ended up in the ship yard, so I did my business. I was hand fed lots of kibble after that and the captain made a huge fuss, calling me "good puppy" and all that. The captain decided to show us the "toy basket" back in the control room. There were so many neat things to pull out and play with. See the photos below for the result.

*CONTEST* How many toys are in the photo below (with both puppies, the dog bed, pen, etc). Leave a comment!**

Star Date: 6

Captain's Log. Star date: 6.
Puppies are eating their breakfast off of the stairs but have yet to venture outside. Nova feels the need to bark at me excessively. I got them to the ship yard that evening by leaving a few pieces of kibble on each stair as I backed down. The first officer had already thrown chicken down the stairs and got them out once this evening. Both will wait until I let them out of their pen before going to the bathroom in the morning and after work. Progress!

Star Date: 5

Captain's Log. Star Date: 5
The First Officer can tentatively pet Stardust. Nova is a little leery. The First Officer plays with the puppies while I cook and clean. After our meal, the puppies were coerced down the stairs for the first time, with chicken and much patience. I could hear Nova barking in the yard while Stardust whined from the top. Soon, both pups were running up and down the stairs *cathunk*cathunk*. It is well past my bed time. I know this because both puppies slept, and are now playing on the dog bed.

Star Date: 4 - Regular Report

Captain's Log. Star date: 4 - Regular Report
Stardust and Nova were taken to sick bay for a regular check. Both have a clean bill of health. Many photos were taken of the evening play session as well as video.

Star Date: 4 - Special Report

Captains Log. Star date: 4 - Special Report
I am very sad to report that this morning we lost Cosmic to adenovirus. Rest in peace sweet puppy. Hopefully you enjoyed your few days in my home with your own bed and as much food and water as you wanted.

Star Date: 3

Captain's Log. Star date: 3
Cosmic is being really lethargic. The girls have started coming out of their shell. I left two crates in the pen since my attempt at a sod box yesterday resulted in a puppy laying in the sod box, and poop on the floor. I woke up to puppy pee ON TOP of one crate.
Cosmic is booked in at sick bay. I come home at lunch and separate him from the girls.
First Officer stays with the girls as Cosmic and I head to sick bay. We then transfer to another facility which can provide emergency care. I leave him there, in the capable hands of the crew and return to my ship.
The first officer has been reporting that Stardust and Nova are ok with people standing and walking around, and that they have started to play. Stardust chases her tail.

Star Date: 2

Captains Log. Star Date: 2
Puppies need to go to the ship yard to do their business. Unfortunately they can not be coerced out, they are having none of it. Cosmic is slowest, and picked up first. He is left in the yard under the supervision of the First Officer. Nova is caught and carried out, but Stardust attempts a bite when caught. Puppies huddle in the corner instead of doing their business. I came out and convinced them that they should return to the main deck of the ship.
After the First Officer and I return from our mission to get a plastic box, dirt, starter sod/mulch, new bedding and a few toys, we began again to work with the pups. I added dirt and mulch mix to the bin as the First Officer threw chicken to the puppies and around my work area. Stardust and Nova cautiously came to grab pieces, while Cosmic slept in a crate.
That evening, another officer and I had the puppies take chicken from our hands as they tentatively put one, then two paws on us. Cosmic slept the whole time. I picked him up once and he ate one tiny piece of chicken, then curled up in another crate.

Star Date: 1

Captains Log. Star Date: 1.
AARCS fosters from the ASNTF clinic are picked up. Puppies have just been put in the yard. Crate doors have been removed but there is no movement. Car is being parked and puppies are being left in the yard. There is still no sign of movement upon return. Doors are closed and puppies are moved inside.
Puppy crates are put in an xpen and lids removed. Puppies cower in corner together. Chicken and quiet talk are not enough to break the huddle. After backing up and tossing a few pieces of chicken in, the two skinny pups each take a bite.

The largest and fluffiest is the male. He is Cosmic. Yes we know that it is an adjective. He is mostly black but looks slightly lighter. The skinniest is female. Her ribs are showing. She is most curious but is cautious. She will peek up to look but not go anywhere. She is jet black with a tiny streak of white on her chest. The other female is black and has a brown scruff neck and head and a white dot on her chest. She is more bold and first to explore the chicken streaming into the pen. The girls are Nova and Stardust. Which shall be which? After further study lends to the jet black one being Nova, and the brown and black pup being Stardust.