Training never ends

Let me be clear:  I am teetotal.  So why is there a Busch beer can I'm snapping a photo of?  I can hear you guessing "Ember" and "litter".  You are right.  On Sunday morning's walk, this hu-mom made a misjudgment about which distraction to avoid, and I got dragged to the curb so she could collect this mostly empty beer can!

Visions floated in my head of "how much dregs in the bottom will make my dog tipsy?"  As is, she carried it all the way back to our own yard. I wasn't going to fight her for it three blocks from home, where she picked it up.  When she's carrying a prize, it sort of inoculates her against other distractions, too, so there is a benefit to choosing one's battles.

I got it away from her, snapped its photo (you can see that her teeth are still effective can punch tools), and put it in the recycle bin.  Sigh.  I wish people didn't litter.  I wish I had seen it ahead of time and got her across the street before she spotted it.  I wish her training were stronger on this issue.  As they say, "Train the dog in front of you", as opposed to the dog you wish/dream you had.

Ember let me have some human time while she napped in her crate for an hour or so on Sunday.  Then she napped on the couch, after a round of retrieves off the back deck.

Work continues on Ember's latest branch project.  

On Monday she went to an extra day in daycare, so the carpenter bee treatment could begin.

Monday late afternoon and into the evening, we got rain!  Ember went out in it for her "last call" and I took the video of the streaming runoff.  Ember stuck close to the house, to be under the eaves.  Fortunately, the catch basin runoff solution does allow for the drainage to happen overnight, and at least the puddles did not remain into Tuesday.

Tuesday is trainer day for me, daycare for Ember, and we each did our own regular Tuesday thing.  It also happened to be the day I had scheduled for Ember's groom.  I went and got my own haircut, to match.

I picked up my soft-furred, nice-smelling, bandana'd pup at the usual time, and we came home to the lawn mowers (Tuesday is their regular day, too).

Ember stories without photos:  First, Monday morning, she counter surfed a pint tub of blueberries!  You may remember that I spilled such a tub last week, fumbling as I got it out of the fridge.  This time, it was closed.  Ember did not break it open, just carried it in her "soft retriever mouth" around the house until I convinced her it was "not for puppy, Mommy's" and traded her for a treat.  The blueberries were unharmed, and could easily be rinsed and used, and I was just impressed by how gently she carried that tub!

The second is from Tuesday morning drop off at day care.  I mentioned as we walked in that she would get to see Tony today.  Tony is her groomer.  The daycare worker took the leash, but Ember laid down politely looking toward the grooming wing of the building.  Again, reflecting on it, I was impressed.  I at first thought another dog must be coming in that door, but not so!  I revised my theory to her anticipating seeing Tony!

Dogs are smart critters.  

Sad news, my older sister's kitty Ginger had to go across the rainbow bridge on Tuesday.  This photo from six years ago, when Ginger could not resist shredding my running hat's pompom.  I was visiting and had just put my coat and hat on the couch.  Sis and I laughed, and we took a "shame on you" photo of kitty and damage.

Our pets are so much a part of our lives, especially as we become empty nesters.  They are a reason to get up and someone to talk with as our days progress.

Life is good.  Cherish it and keep Sparking!