Tonight was school night! We did some shaping and clicker stuff tonight- I love being the "demo dog", it's my chance to show my smarts! I was working toward putting my feet in a laundry basket, and I was doing fine until the basket jumped out at me and scared me! Aaaahhhhh! It moved all on it's own, right at me- I swear I'd just barely set my foot on the edge of it..so scary! But I showed I was brave again! Once I was sure it was sitting still, I worked up the courage to come right back and start touching it again. Mom gave me a yummy "jackpot" of treats when I put my chin on the basket, and then we called it quits. It's kind of funny, making her wait for me to do something that she'll click for..sometimes I can REALLY make her wait, too! Hee hee wooo!
It was actually kind of neat: see, the other dogs in my class haven't worked with clicker training before, so I'm glad they got a chance to see that I can do it, and I hope they can too! So now this week we have "homework"- my mom has to teach me a new trick before class next week... I know I can learn whatever she comes up with, but I think her imagination might be a little limited... I already know how to shake paws, and of course sit and down and stand, and I know to "touch" my nose to her hand or a target, and to "look".... so now, what else??? Oh, and I almost know how to bow already, so we can't use that... any suggestions, anyone?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Shopping day
Today my mom was at that "work" place again. But when she came home, she took me shopping with her! I hopped right into my crate in the van, and kept her company all the way up the long, long road to the yummy food store, and then I got to go INSIDE! It's a little bit scary in there- I don't like the jangly bells on the door- but mmmmmmmmm...it smells sooooo gooood...the nice people who own the store bake scrumptious homemade doggie cookies in there, and they sell those, along with only healthy and natural kibbles and yummy frozen bones and meats... oh, I'm sorry, I'm drooling on the keyboard just THINKING about all the wonderful things in that place...
We poked around all over the store, my mom was looking for a couple things..and then I saw an ANIMAL! Right in the store!! It wasn't another dog. It wasn't one of those squirrels, but not much bigger... mom said it was a "kitty". I've never seen one before!! I thought about chasing it, but my mom told me not to. And then later, I spotted another one! It was sitting so still up on the counter, it took me awhile to realize it was real! But it didn't move, just quietly looked at me. And I felt strangely like this "kitty" was just nice, and though it didn't speak to me, clearly we were OK with each other. So I left the kitty alone, and minded my own business..besides, mom was ready to carry out some of those yummy things from the store, and I needed to go lead her out to the van, and make sure she put everything inside where it needed to go so it would all get home safe. Mom was so glad for my help, I got a cookie in my crate to eat on the way home!
We poked around all over the store, my mom was looking for a couple things..and then I saw an ANIMAL! Right in the store!! It wasn't another dog. It wasn't one of those squirrels, but not much bigger... mom said it was a "kitty". I've never seen one before!! I thought about chasing it, but my mom told me not to. And then later, I spotted another one! It was sitting so still up on the counter, it took me awhile to realize it was real! But it didn't move, just quietly looked at me. And I felt strangely like this "kitty" was just nice, and though it didn't speak to me, clearly we were OK with each other. So I left the kitty alone, and minded my own business..besides, mom was ready to carry out some of those yummy things from the store, and I needed to go lead her out to the van, and make sure she put everything inside where it needed to go so it would all get home safe. Mom was so glad for my help, I got a cookie in my crate to eat on the way home!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
ESCAPE!
I escaped today!!! I dug a hole right under the fence out behind the garage, at the back of the flower bed! Uncle Ash followed me too, so I knew I dug it good, 'cause he's BIG!
BUT: mom busted us immediately- She came running down the back stairs in her pajamas, she looked so funny all frantic!! She called us and opened the gate from our neighbor's back yard that goes back onto our own driveway, and Uncle Ash went right to her- he's so dumb! I thought about running the other way, but I thought maybe he was gonna get something good, and I do love my mom...so she took us across the driveway and put us back in the yard, and then we ran back to the hole, but she beat us there somehow.....weird...
So she called us all excited and raced us back to the back door, and she let us inside the house. We ran around and put muddy pawprints on the bed for a few minutes, and when she let us back outside, my hole was GONE! She fixed it somehow, there's a whole extra section of fencing there, I have no idea how she did that so fast. But she says I'm gonna have to be kept tied up outside now if she's not out there with me, until the whole fenceline can be made impervious again. Like that's gonna happen!? But it's not fair- she trusts Uncle Ash and Rhya to be loose but not me! Apparently this is all my old uncle Stony's fault...he taught me this neat digging trick last summer. I'd forgotten all about it, but then today there were squirrels! They were on the other side of that fence, just taunting me! They thought I couldn't get them, well I showed them, you should have seen them run for the trees when I got through that fence, HA!
But then I got tied up. That's no fun. Mom says it's for my own good though- she was really scared I'd get out to the front yard and into the street, and I guess that could be bad. And when I'm tied up, I still have a huge section of yard to play in, and I can get to the kennel doorway where I like to sleep, and also up on the porch under the roof where it's cool and shady- I just can't get out to the back section of the yard. So I guess it's not really all that bad, it just keeps me closer to the house.
We had fun later though: Rhya and I did some harness work, practicing our pulling skills in the yard. I LOVE when the harnesses come out, it means I'm going to get to flex my powerful muscles! I get so excited and leap around, and I can hardly stand still for the harness to get put on! Mom was really surprised today though- she'd been noticing that my mom Rhya's harness was getting a little snug on me, but it was the smallest one in the house...well today she tried old Uncle Stony's harness on me, and IT FIT! It fit me almost as good as it ever fit HIM! Stony was MAD though, he HATES being retired...but he said later that if anyone's going to wear his harness, he's glad it's me. We mostly get along, but he's really grouchy, you have to always watch your step around him. Anyway, after a few pulls and lots of praise and reward, mom turned me & Rhya loose and played with us in the yard- mostly kicking a ball around and encouraging us in our games of chase and tag- we ran and ran and ran...until finally we just couldn't run anymore!
what a great day! I hope we have another one just like it tomorrow!
BUT: mom busted us immediately- She came running down the back stairs in her pajamas, she looked so funny all frantic!! She called us and opened the gate from our neighbor's back yard that goes back onto our own driveway, and Uncle Ash went right to her- he's so dumb! I thought about running the other way, but I thought maybe he was gonna get something good, and I do love my mom...so she took us across the driveway and put us back in the yard, and then we ran back to the hole, but she beat us there somehow.....weird...
So she called us all excited and raced us back to the back door, and she let us inside the house. We ran around and put muddy pawprints on the bed for a few minutes, and when she let us back outside, my hole was GONE! She fixed it somehow, there's a whole extra section of fencing there, I have no idea how she did that so fast. But she says I'm gonna have to be kept tied up outside now if she's not out there with me, until the whole fenceline can be made impervious again. Like that's gonna happen!? But it's not fair- she trusts Uncle Ash and Rhya to be loose but not me! Apparently this is all my old uncle Stony's fault...he taught me this neat digging trick last summer. I'd forgotten all about it, but then today there were squirrels! They were on the other side of that fence, just taunting me! They thought I couldn't get them, well I showed them, you should have seen them run for the trees when I got through that fence, HA!
But then I got tied up. That's no fun. Mom says it's for my own good though- she was really scared I'd get out to the front yard and into the street, and I guess that could be bad. And when I'm tied up, I still have a huge section of yard to play in, and I can get to the kennel doorway where I like to sleep, and also up on the porch under the roof where it's cool and shady- I just can't get out to the back section of the yard. So I guess it's not really all that bad, it just keeps me closer to the house.
We had fun later though: Rhya and I did some harness work, practicing our pulling skills in the yard. I LOVE when the harnesses come out, it means I'm going to get to flex my powerful muscles! I get so excited and leap around, and I can hardly stand still for the harness to get put on! Mom was really surprised today though- she'd been noticing that my mom Rhya's harness was getting a little snug on me, but it was the smallest one in the house...well today she tried old Uncle Stony's harness on me, and IT FIT! It fit me almost as good as it ever fit HIM! Stony was MAD though, he HATES being retired...but he said later that if anyone's going to wear his harness, he's glad it's me. We mostly get along, but he's really grouchy, you have to always watch your step around him. Anyway, after a few pulls and lots of praise and reward, mom turned me & Rhya loose and played with us in the yard- mostly kicking a ball around and encouraging us in our games of chase and tag- we ran and ran and ran...until finally we just couldn't run anymore!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Mom has to get schooled too!
Hi-
Last night, my dog-mom Rhya went to school. I guess she's been going to school for a few years now- I'm a little surprised that no one thinks she's learned everything yet..I mean, I think she's pretty smart? I'll have to ask her about this...hang on...
.
.
OK, I think I get it. It's not that Rhya has lots and lots to learn, but from what she says, her school now is more about she and our mom working together better, and staying in practice at that. And that they learn things from each other a lot, just from trying to run agility courses different ways. Rhya says her class is loads of fun too, she's usually so excited when she first gets there, that she says she can't help but to "wooo Woooo Woooo" for almost half the class!
For those of you who aren't used to having us "Mals" around, that's how we mostly talk. We have LOTS to say, but we rarely bark- I don't think my old uncle Stony CAN bark, actually. We say everything in wooos, and growls, and howls, and mumbles. That's fun too!
Rhya talks so much though that she makes some of her classmates bark- they're excited right al0ng with her!
Can I just say? I'm glad my dog-mom IS smart, I was a little worried about what might happen as I got older!
Last night, my dog-mom Rhya went to school. I guess she's been going to school for a few years now- I'm a little surprised that no one thinks she's learned everything yet..I mean, I think she's pretty smart? I'll have to ask her about this...hang on...
.
.
OK, I think I get it. It's not that Rhya has lots and lots to learn, but from what she says, her school now is more about she and our mom working together better, and staying in practice at that. And that they learn things from each other a lot, just from trying to run agility courses different ways. Rhya says her class is loads of fun too, she's usually so excited when she first gets there, that she says she can't help but to "wooo Woooo Woooo" for almost half the class!
For those of you who aren't used to having us "Mals" around, that's how we mostly talk. We have LOTS to say, but we rarely bark- I don't think my old uncle Stony CAN bark, actually. We say everything in wooos, and growls, and howls, and mumbles. That's fun too!
Rhya talks so much though that she makes some of her classmates bark- they're excited right al0ng with her!
Can I just say? I'm glad my dog-mom IS smart, I was a little worried about what might happen as I got older!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Going to School
OK, so last night we got to go to Agility class! I LOVE agility class- I like doing pretty much anything, but going to school is great! We have so much fun...
Last night, I made mom really happy- I started getting the idea to drive ahead to the next obstacle without needing to turn back to mom to make sure she was coming along. It's easy, I'm not sure why this was a problem- I think she just wasn't telling me that's what she wanted.
And then I REALLY made her happy: I took the Aframe hard and fast, but remembered (well, she might've reminded me, but I could'a done it on my own) to get into a 2 on -2 off contact position..and then I STAYED there while she got a short lead-out to the next jump! Mom was so proud - if she's this happy when I do something so simple, I don't know what I'm going to do with her when I show her how to do something harder...
Mom did say something about needing to remember that I'm still learning, and she needs to give me clearer direction...she's used to running my dog-mom, Rhya, and Rhya likes it best when mom is quiet and understated. I bet I'll get there too someday, but I think she needs to work a little harder for a while!
Mom's training me differently, she says, than she's trained dogs before- she's always very positive, but I guess she's letting me make choices to learn without always just telling me or showing me what she wants...whatever it is that's different, it sure is FUN! I love figuring out what I can do to make her click the clicky-thing.
Last night, I made mom really happy- I started getting the idea to drive ahead to the next obstacle without needing to turn back to mom to make sure she was coming along. It's easy, I'm not sure why this was a problem- I think she just wasn't telling me that's what she wanted.
And then I REALLY made her happy: I took the Aframe hard and fast, but remembered (well, she might've reminded me, but I could'a done it on my own) to get into a 2 on -2 off contact position..and then I STAYED there while she got a short lead-out to the next jump! Mom was so proud - if she's this happy when I do something so simple, I don't know what I'm going to do with her when I show her how to do something harder...
Mom did say something about needing to remember that I'm still learning, and she needs to give me clearer direction...she's used to running my dog-mom, Rhya, and Rhya likes it best when mom is quiet and understated. I bet I'll get there too someday, but I think she needs to work a little harder for a while!
Mom's training me differently, she says, than she's trained dogs before- she's always very positive, but I guess she's letting me make choices to learn without always just telling me or showing me what she wants...whatever it is that's different, it sure is FUN! I love figuring out what I can do to make her click the clicky-thing.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Where to start?
Well...it's late tonight: and I'm tired, so I don't have much to write tonight. I'll think of more tomorrow. See, my mom's been sick (the human one), and do you know how exhausting it is making sure she gets up, takes her medicines, drinks enough water, etc...?? And who has to lie on the pillows next to her head and take care of all this?? Yeah, ME. The youngest! Probably because I'm the smartest....shhhh, don't tell the others I said that...
So anyway- I'm tired, so I'm going out for one last pee, and then crawling into bed. Good night!
So anyway- I'm tired, so I'm going out for one last pee, and then crawling into bed. Good night!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
