Mum and I have had a busy month, doing some Christmas shopping and making a bunch of fleece blankets for people. Actually Mum does all the making and I try to supervise by getting up close while she is working on them, and trying to test them out. Mum just doesn’t seem to appreciate my efforts to help. I have been extra cuddly to Dad and check up on him a lot because he has been hobbling around on crutches after knee surgery. He still has lots of pain but I comfort him when I hear him moan or yelp. I had some extra training from my little grand-human who stayed with us for a whole week. She is only 4 years old but she loves to train me and give me treats and I love to cuddle up with her and give her hugs when we lay together on the floor. Mum and I signed up for “Sexier than a Squirrel” which is an online course where we get to play 25 different games over 25 days, and whenever we want to after that. The course will help me to stay more engaged with Mum and less interested in other stuff in the environment like squirrels, other dogs, skunks, etc.. Mum has noticed that my engagement has already improved. She was so proud of me the other day in a lineup at a store where a security guard was talking to me, saying how lovely I am, making clucky noises and even calling my name, but I just held my sit beside Mum and checked in with her repeatedly. We are doing some fun homework from our online puppy classes also. I really like the body handling one, where I get to eat kibbles out of Mum’s hand while she is holding my paws and tapping my toenails with the clippers. This makes it easier for me to sit quietly while I have my pawdicures. Another fun exercise is Mum tossing kibbles onto my bed or onto two of my snuffle mats, and all I have to do to earn the kibbles it to look into Mum’s eyes!! Then we did an exercise relating to boundaries – Mum spread out my mat on top of my bed, then treated me just for looking at it, then for approaching it, then for hitting it with my paw, and finally it was party time when I lay down on it. Since I love my bed anyway, I think this exercise was meant more for Mum to practice her shaping skills than it was for me, but hey! I’m happy to help!! The most recent homework has been to practice dressing in my Cape. We did more shaping here also. Mum and I went to the dentist this month. Mum and Dad’s dentist really like me, and Mum says she wouldn’t dare to show up at the dentist’s without me. Mum is so proud of me holding my down for the whole appointment.
Well folks, have fun preparing for Christmas, such as it is. I sure hope people will behave, stay home, socially distance and wear their masks so we can maybe see some of our loved ones at Christmas time.
Submitted By: Puppy raiser Nola Chanroux
Well folks, have fun preparing for Christmas, such as it is. I sure hope people will behave, stay home, socially distance and wear their masks so we can maybe see some of our loved ones at Christmas time.
Submitted By: Puppy raiser Nola Chanroux
