September was the month of FIRSTS: Kiyoko’s First Birthday on the 19th, the start of her first heat, and her first time at a sitter’s house overnight!
The month started off normal enough with five different walks on wooded trails, with six different dog friends: Jeff, PADS Buzz, Millie, Norma, ex-PADS Doppler, and Lucy. One walk was with my grandson Heath and his dog Jeff, where Heath rode his push bike. All was good until Heath got so far ahead of us that we lost sight of him, and we had to run to catch up with him! I might need to put a leash on this two-year-old!
Kiyoko attended only one PADS in-person class this month, due to her upcoming heat. Who knew that this would be our last class for over a month? We practiced a leash technique to use when your dog is pulling toward another dog or toy, where you walk your hands up the leash and turn into the dog. We also practiced heel and side on our perch pots and against a wall.
Kiyoko saw a herd of goats for the first time at DeMille’s Farm Market. She wasn’t too sure about them at first and greeted them with an awkward downward dog, but they didn’t seem very interested in her, so all was good.
But alas, halfway through the month, everything changed when Kiyoko’s heat started just as we were going to go to a PADS event at SunPeaks. Kiyoko was immediately adorned with “fancy pants”, which were really a pair of boys’ boxers worn in reverse with her tail sticking out the fly. She had to stay home that day and was substituted by my grandpup, Jeff.
Even her walks changed to only solo walks, practicing only loose leash walking and seeking places where we didn’t encounter many other dogs, especially male dogs. One day, we took Heath to ride his bike around the cemetery. It was very quiet; nobody bothered us, not even a ghost! On other walks, she practiced her perch at the Pileated Woods Trail, walked along the quieter end of the waterfront trail (see yawn picture), and checked out the waterfall at Syphon Creek Falls.
Another first for Kiyoko this month was staying at a sitter’s house for 3 nights at the home of PADS raisers Lynne and Garry, who are also her sponsors at Predator Ridge. She settled in nicely, was on her best behaviour, and Lynne said that she was a LOVELY dog! So nice to hear this from others.
While in heat, Kiyoko spent more quiet time at home, catching up on her sleep. She also practiced crate training during the day when we had to step out of the house for a few hours here and there.
We are all looking forward to the end of her 30-day heat and returning to our usual routines.
Submitted by: Chris Buitinga
