I should have sent one home with Alicia to tempt Benji with. These came from the Zoom Room, in honor of National Dog Day. Pastries baked for canine consumption.
Oh, well, if they are still viable on Saturday, I can take them with for our possible play date with Carl. One is already gone, having been fed to Ember 1/4 at a time.
On Wednesday afternoon, I took Ember for her private session. I had their trainer hold her for the restrained recall first session. She did pretty well, I fumbled a few of the mechanics.
Later in the afternoon, when Alicia came over for our weekly visit (which we had skipped for two weeks due to the craziness of the start-up of the school year), I had Alicia do the same.
On Thursday morning, after I got home from my own personal training session, I figured I'd try the "solo" version of the restrained recall. I fumbled the long leash badly and ended the session with it mainly being "getting familiar with the equipment". I removed the long lead and we played ball chase, a little tug, etc., and did some straight recalls, without the restraint. She was plenty motivated.
As far as the training games are concerned, Ember is doing well! As far as getting bored and wanting to tear apart my house and furniture... eh, it varies. On Thursday morning, I had put up the baby gate in the upstairs hallway, but Ember just plowed it over.
Thursday, after plowing over the gate, she continued on the path of destruction.
Below is what she did on Thursday morning, photographed after she went into her den for puppy nap #1. This is after I cleaned it up a bit, removing the fragments of duct tape and carpet padding.
Sigh. Carpet is 25 1/2 years old, stained from prior pets, etc. I deferred doing anything about this scenario until after my trip to the trainer. When I got home, I put the gate back up when I went down to let Ember out after her puppy nap #1. We played our usual game of IYC with the banana bits she was going to get.
A little while later, she headed up and was whining at the gate. She pushed it. I heard it starting to slip, and I called her down to me. She came! She did not push the gate over!
We went outside and played. She got good and tired. She did not go back upstairs again while I fixed her salad and fed it to her. I cooked my broccoli and ate it topped with cottage cheese. She lay quietly. She did not go back upstairs while I cooked a half dozen eggs. Oh, we did go in and out off and on through this entire time period.
She went quietly into the big crate for puppy nap #2 on Thursday. In the quiet after she did, I decided to use the muddy mat from the back door that I had to remove from that spot, due to her chewing on it. I just put it over the top of that mess.
I am still madly in love with my puppy, regardless of the chaos. I can clearly see she's learning, and maturing, and making better decisions in some areas. She came charging up to me in the backyard, and instead of jumping up on me, dropped into a pretty sit! Love it!
Life is good. Keep on Sparking!
Yes, we love the fur babies through thick and thin, don't we.
ReplyDeleteHope it's a good Thursday for you in Emberville!
hugs
barb
1cd
Yes, we do. Ember almost made it through the whole of Thursday without a bitey episode. But she was not happy when I answered the phone and was paying more attention to it than to her, so, in the 3 p.m. hour, the first bite of the day. Had I not startled at it, I might have got away with "no new bandaids". As it, it was only two new bandaids.
DeleteShe was "pretty good" while I prepared ground turkey and macaroni for my supper (she got a share of the turkey, unspiced). I have changed the way I cook so that I can share with her. I don't brown the meat with the onions, for example, since onions are poisonous to dogs.
Hope you had a good Thursday, too!
Your statement, “I’m still madly in love with my puppy regardless of the chaos” says it all, Barb. Ember is your fur baby and you forgive her puppy destructions….doesn't mean you enjoy having your house shredded!! It is frustrating!! I went thru the same many decades ago and FINALLY the pup matured and gave up his destructive ways! Glad that you are encouraged by the progress you see! Karen (Eissa7)
ReplyDeleteIt helps when you've been through it before, and know that eventually, you'll have a good dog as a result. I remember my husband going ballistic when our first puppy chewed up the leg of an (admittedly cheap, we were newly-wed poor) end table. I remember having to greet the dog-of-my-heart outdoors when coming home from business trips because she would pee with excitement. I remember Carl, more recently, chewing up a wooden ornament I had inherited from my father. Yes, we forgive them, and heave a sigh of relief when they finally get past this stage. But having been through it, you know that they will.
DeleteI'm glad you are so forgiving! It also sounds as though next years projects are indoors!
ReplyDeleteBudget has to recover, and dog has to grow up / mellow out... so yes, next year's projects indoors.
DeleteHave a quiet evening.
ReplyDeleteYou, too, and a good night's sleep!
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