It's been a little while since I've written. I haven't had too many car rides--just to training class and we had one walk at Woodlawn Lake last Friday. Diane and I only walked two times around the Lake because it started sprinkling. We haven't seen very much rain lately.
Mike thinks I'm entering adolescence because I've been nipping and trying to bite pants and ankles a lot lately. He thinks I'm trying to get my way. I demonstrated some of this behavior in class on Monday night. I just want to play, but these humans don't want to play the way I want to play.
Diane continues to take me on morning walks in the neighborhood. Mike takes me on short walks around the yard at night. This morning, Diane and I walked up Lura Lane past the International Bible Center. Diane doesn't like the house at the corner of Pearson & Faith because a pit bull that jumps high and pushes on the old boards of his fence barks and growls. There's also a gray poodle that lives there that usually gets out and follows us for a short distance.
Another dog that Diane doesn't like is a little black dog just a few houses away. This morning he was outside with two humans and a small brown and white dog on a leash. The black dog is Charlie, and we've never seen him on a leash and he follows us and tries to nip at me. He nipped at me about three times this morning. Diane is frustrated that his humans don't keep him on a leash or behind a fence.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Training class again and updates
On Saturday and Sunday mornings, Diane took me for a walk/work-out at Woodlawn Lake. On both days, we walked three times around the lake, which is about 3 miles. There were a lot more humans than dogs walking on the trail. We saw a boy both days walking with his brother. Both days, the boy said about me, "That's a cool dog!" On Sunday, when we started our walk, a man and a dog, that was a blue heeler, jogged past us. We only saw a couple other dogs during our walk.
This morning, Diane walked me in the neighborhood to Ingram Hills Park. When we were across the street from the park, we saw two solid black, sort of long-hair dogs, in the park by themselves. One was on top of a picnic table and the other was on the ground near the table. Diane decided to turn around and take an alternate route.
We had class again tonight. Mike came with Diane and me tonight. Gunther and Bruno who are Rottweilers were in class tonight. They had not been in class together before. Another dog, Honey, who is at least part Poodle, was also in class. She barked alot and I hadn't attended class with her before. All four of us are between five and six months old.
We learned that we are getting a new trainer for class. I met the new trainer at Happy Hour last week. She carries treats in her pouch. We went through a number of exercises tonight and class went longer than normal.
This morning, Diane walked me in the neighborhood to Ingram Hills Park. When we were across the street from the park, we saw two solid black, sort of long-hair dogs, in the park by themselves. One was on top of a picnic table and the other was on the ground near the table. Diane decided to turn around and take an alternate route.
We had class again tonight. Mike came with Diane and me tonight. Gunther and Bruno who are Rottweilers were in class tonight. They had not been in class together before. Another dog, Honey, who is at least part Poodle, was also in class. She barked alot and I hadn't attended class with her before. All four of us are between five and six months old.
We learned that we are getting a new trainer for class. I met the new trainer at Happy Hour last week. She carries treats in her pouch. We went through a number of exercises tonight and class went longer than normal.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Yappy Hour
I had such a full day that I'm posting twice!
This afternoon I helped Mike as he cut some branches in the yard. I helped him drag branches to the fence and he threw them over the fence for brush pickup. I didn't want to let go of the branches; once I have something in my mouth, I don't like to let go until I decide.
Tonight Mike and Diane took me to Yappy Hour at WineStyles at Inwood (located at Wurzbach & Bitters Roads). Yappy Hour was a fundraiser for Pet Pals of Texas, a nonprofit volunteer-organization that helps improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, the elderly, and terminally ill, by providing the pets they love with support services that allows them to stay together in a loving, healthy home.
Many dogs attended Yappy Hour with their humans. Mike figured there were about 30 dogs in attendance during the time we were there. There were dogs of all sizes--some were so small they could be held in a harness on their human's chest, and others were medium size like me, while others were large like Bruno the St. Bernard. Some dogs were festively dressed, while many of us received a bandana when we entered the store.
There were homemade treats for me and lots of treats and wine for humans. A singer named Brenna was singing. Mike said she was so professional that many of the humans thought that the vocals were recorded, rather than live, until they saw a live person singing.
I like family outings!
This afternoon I helped Mike as he cut some branches in the yard. I helped him drag branches to the fence and he threw them over the fence for brush pickup. I didn't want to let go of the branches; once I have something in my mouth, I don't like to let go until I decide.
Tonight Mike and Diane took me to Yappy Hour at WineStyles at Inwood (located at Wurzbach & Bitters Roads). Yappy Hour was a fundraiser for Pet Pals of Texas, a nonprofit volunteer-organization that helps improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, the elderly, and terminally ill, by providing the pets they love with support services that allows them to stay together in a loving, healthy home.
Many dogs attended Yappy Hour with their humans. Mike figured there were about 30 dogs in attendance during the time we were there. There were dogs of all sizes--some were so small they could be held in a harness on their human's chest, and others were medium size like me, while others were large like Bruno the St. Bernard. Some dogs were festively dressed, while many of us received a bandana when we entered the store.There were homemade treats for me and lots of treats and wine for humans. A singer named Brenna was singing. Mike said she was so professional that many of the humans thought that the vocals were recorded, rather than live, until they saw a live person singing.
I like family outings!
Updates
It's been a while since I've provided an update. It's been so hot and dry these last weeks!
Monday night, Diane took me to another training class. My classmate Gunther has really grown in the last few weeks! We worked on sit, down, stay. There's so many other things I'd rather look at and investigate when I'm expected to be still.
On Tuesday night there was "Happy Hour" at the store where my training classes are held. More dogs than normal were at the store. Mike took me to the store and Diane met us there. While Mike was waiting, we saw my classmate Hercules. Mike also saw a woman who had two small female Australian Red Heeler pups that she had rescued. They were practically all white, like snowballs, because that's how we are born. Our breed resulted from cross-breeding the wild native Dingo, Bull Terrier, Dalmatian, blue merle Collies and the Kelpie. Our white color at birth comes from our Dalmatian heritage. We develop our color as we mature. Despite our multi-breed background, we have been considered a pure breed since 1893. We also had our photo taken. Those are Mike's and Diane's hands on me.
Diane and I have been walking in our neighborhood in the morning. Since I've seen it before, sometimes I get reluctant. But then other times I practically want to run. Diane likes it when I lope at loose leash pace.
There has been a large golden dog coming near my yard the past few days. I like to try to play with him, but the fence is in the way. Yesterday I crawled under the fence and followed the golden dog for a while. It was sort of bewildering to be outside the fence and not on a leash. Our neighbor called to me, I ran toward her, and she put me back inside the yard. Mike has fortified the fence so that I'm not supposed to be able to get out of the yard.
This morning I got to ride in the car. We went to O.P. Schnabel Park and walked a few of the trails. It was interesting to smell all the new and different odors along the trail. We saw three other dogs and their humans, and a few other humans.
Monday night, Diane took me to another training class. My classmate Gunther has really grown in the last few weeks! We worked on sit, down, stay. There's so many other things I'd rather look at and investigate when I'm expected to be still.
On Tuesday night there was "Happy Hour" at the store where my training classes are held. More dogs than normal were at the store. Mike took me to the store and Diane met us there. While Mike was waiting, we saw my classmate Hercules. Mike also saw a woman who had two small female Australian Red Heeler pups that she had rescued. They were practically all white, like snowballs, because that's how we are born. Our breed resulted from cross-breeding the wild native Dingo, Bull Terrier, Dalmatian, blue merle Collies and the Kelpie. Our white color at birth comes from our Dalmatian heritage. We develop our color as we mature. Despite our multi-breed background, we have been considered a pure breed since 1893. We also had our photo taken. Those are Mike's and Diane's hands on me.
Diane and I have been walking in our neighborhood in the morning. Since I've seen it before, sometimes I get reluctant. But then other times I practically want to run. Diane likes it when I lope at loose leash pace.
There has been a large golden dog coming near my yard the past few days. I like to try to play with him, but the fence is in the way. Yesterday I crawled under the fence and followed the golden dog for a while. It was sort of bewildering to be outside the fence and not on a leash. Our neighbor called to me, I ran toward her, and she put me back inside the yard. Mike has fortified the fence so that I'm not supposed to be able to get out of the yard.
This morning I got to ride in the car. We went to O.P. Schnabel Park and walked a few of the trails. It was interesting to smell all the new and different odors along the trail. We saw three other dogs and their humans, and a few other humans.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Training Update
I don't have any new photos at the moment, but I have a few updates about my "training."
I really like nipping at heels and the back of Diane's pants, so Friday evening, Diane and Mike took me to see the training instructor. Diane said I jump up on her too much. We went outside the store and walked around in the alley next to the store. I guess Susie was trying to get me excited so I would "mis-behave" but I'm not that dumb! I jumped a little, but now we're mostly into a routine where if I sit and lie down, I'll get a treat. I don't mind lying down--it takes a lot less energy. I liked riding in the car to the store and back home.
On Sunday morning when Diane was walking with me in the neighborhood, we walked down one of the streets we usually walk, but the golden dog at the end of the street who doesn't live behind a fence like most of us do, and who often barks at me, was lying motionless in the middle of street in front of her humans' place. Diane thinks she had probably been hit by a vehicle. I was sort of curious, but didn't want to investigate too much. We walked a few different streets and we got a number of dogs who were behind their fences, barking, which is exciting.
Tonight we went back to the store for another class. Gunther wasn't in class with Hercules and me, but another dog similar to Gunther, named Bruno, was in our class. Bruno is younger than I am, but is already larger than I am. Bruno and I had already learned about lying down to get a treat, so we did "push ups" while Hercules got exposed to the concept. Then we walked back and forth down one of the aisles--it's fun to sniff the bags and stuff along the aisle, but it got sort of boring after while. There's so much else I'd like to explore. Then we were tied to the wall while Susie dropped stuff in front of us. We were supposed to look at our humans when they said "drop it" and then we'd get a treat.
I really like nipping at heels and the back of Diane's pants, so Friday evening, Diane and Mike took me to see the training instructor. Diane said I jump up on her too much. We went outside the store and walked around in the alley next to the store. I guess Susie was trying to get me excited so I would "mis-behave" but I'm not that dumb! I jumped a little, but now we're mostly into a routine where if I sit and lie down, I'll get a treat. I don't mind lying down--it takes a lot less energy. I liked riding in the car to the store and back home.
On Sunday morning when Diane was walking with me in the neighborhood, we walked down one of the streets we usually walk, but the golden dog at the end of the street who doesn't live behind a fence like most of us do, and who often barks at me, was lying motionless in the middle of street in front of her humans' place. Diane thinks she had probably been hit by a vehicle. I was sort of curious, but didn't want to investigate too much. We walked a few different streets and we got a number of dogs who were behind their fences, barking, which is exciting.
Tonight we went back to the store for another class. Gunther wasn't in class with Hercules and me, but another dog similar to Gunther, named Bruno, was in our class. Bruno is younger than I am, but is already larger than I am. Bruno and I had already learned about lying down to get a treat, so we did "push ups" while Hercules got exposed to the concept. Then we walked back and forth down one of the aisles--it's fun to sniff the bags and stuff along the aisle, but it got sort of boring after while. There's so much else I'd like to explore. Then we were tied to the wall while Susie dropped stuff in front of us. We were supposed to look at our humans when they said "drop it" and then we'd get a treat.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
