Monday started a fresh new week

Monday morning

Ember chewing on a "reject" chew stick, calmed down, inside the X-Pen while mom is on the couch outside of it.  This was after the morning "crazies".  Mom's still working on figuring out what's up and how to "manipulate the environment" to prevent "rehearsals of undesirable behaviors".

One of those undesirable behaviors I wrote about yesterday.  That would be her pushing around the (empty) big crate and chewing on its corners.  This included tipping it over onto its side.

Another would be going after the tall kitchen trash container.  I moved it.  This morning she went for the little wastebasket under the sink, when I had the door open.  She pulled it out by the plastic bag it was lined with.  Once I got it away from her, my prevention plan is not to have it lined with a plastic bag that she can reach for.  She hasn't (yet) figured out how to open the cupboard doors.  I figure it's only a matter of time.

On another front, I am bummed to find out I'm having trouble breaking myself of luring Ember in training.  I started out with luring, and it has continued to be an issue.  Habits die hard.

Ember is smart, and she sees me reaching for treats from the bag to be prepared to "reward quickly" since they tell me I have ONE SECOND to deliver a treat for good behavior to reinforce it.  I'm slower than that.  I'm even slower getting the treats loaded from my bag into my hand or fumbling with a pocket, if it's cool enough to have a jacket or sweatshirt on.  I have been breaking up the treats into small enough ones to use as training treats ahead of time and loading the bag during her puppy naps.

 

Don't wanna chase the toys.  Don't hafta chase the toys.  It is getting too warm to do that kind of thing, mom!

This is her current favorite spot in the backyard.  She herds her toys to it, and then decides which to chew on.

Monday afternoon

I headed over to the doctor's office to have a blood draw.  Thyroid check.  The pharmacy had been backordered a couple of refills ago with the generic I'd been using for several years, and it was a weekend.  I OK'd them to give me what they had on hand, and then was going to notify the doctor.  My most recent refill was the same stuff they gave me as a substitute.  I'm noticing more rapid hair loss again.  So, doc ordered me up a thyroid test.  Took very little time.

Tuesday morning

I got one of those "scathingly brilliant ideas" to try putting the tall trash can from the family room in the kitchen/dining room spot this morning, and let her knock it over, just to see what she would do when she found out it was "boring"?  Anyway, yes, we knocked it over, pulled out the plastic bag liner, and sniffed and investigated everything.  Eventually I did put it back behind the gate in the family room.

Important to me was that by diverting the attention to this trash bin, she did not push the empty big crate around inside the X-Pen.  Mornings are always a surprise package.  Each seems to have the feature of Ember testing how far she can reach:  up the side of the 'fridge, onto the counters, etc.  Gentle reminders of "where do our paws belong" do generally result in her dropping, but the value of what she's going after comes into play.  She does love to shred paper, and today it was a size chart for harnesses that she pulled off the 'fridge, and a "Save the date" announcement from a cousin who's getting married next year.  Thankfully, I had already captured the needed information from both.

Mornings work best when I am fully present and participating, interacting with Ember.  Giving her simple things to do to earn treats.  Insisting on her being polite while I deliver her "chow" to her feeding spot.  Reminding her that some things are "Mommy's" and some things are "puppy's".

As Susan Garrett says about her training, there's no guarantee you're going to get your dog to be an elite competition dog just because you signed up for her program.  But you will see improvement if you patiently and persistently follow it.

So now, I can sit down outside, wearing a sweatshirt, in the quiet of a sunrise time yard, and love my life.  Or at least, this morning I could.  

Ember keeps me in line of sight, and I keep her in line of sight, as well!

Life is good!  Spark on!