Dior at 4 months is full of energy and curiosity but is generally chill at home. She likes to engage with her people by leaning up against them for a hind end massage or bringing a toy and asking to play tug of war. Dior supervises what housework I happen to be doing and lies under my feet if I’m working at my desk. She can get easily ramped up if certain things are happening and we have been working on calm dog plus extra quiet times to keep the bucket from getting full. We have carefully explained that the vacuum, the broom and the feather rake are friends, not enemies and she now watches instead of rushing them.
Leash attack issues are being worked on and we can now do a 15-minute sniff walk ending with 5 minute heel walk with rarely an issue. Thank goodness because physically Dior is getting to be a big girl, now at 37 lbs. She can no longer do a lap-sit cuddle on the floor and has resigned herself to getting her body as close as she can to mine. If I am working at the kitchen counter she loves to snuggle in between the cupboard and my legs.
Out and about, she would still prefer to sit in the front seat rather than laying down in the passenger seat foot well. Getting from the car to wherever we’re headed is still a challenge with Dior coming off heel to sniff and try to eat things off the ground. Once in our destination (except a pet store), she almost always has lovely behaviour.
Her young pup challenges are a small thing compared to the loveliness of her developing personality.
Submitted by: Heather DeVries
