Wiggle Worm
Grace started to stir at 5:30 AM. When I went to her door, she made no sound, but from all appearances, had awakened earlier and was ready to start her day. I took her downstairs. Grace had waited nearly 10 hours since her last potty break. She promptly attended to that matter and prepared for the circuit. I needed to make a deposit at the doggie waste station along the way, so it seemed like an opportune time to encircle the courtyard.
Being rewarded with a treat and “good come” at each corner, Grace executed the “Grace come” circuit with ease. We then quickly returned to the apartment. We could not expect sunrise for at least an hour, and the continuing soggy weather would delay the apparent daylight even later. With cage time coming when we go to church later in the morning, I did not feel I should force the issue of more sleep.
Grace wanted to play, but not just play—play with me. I tried most of her toys and chews. They each worked for a short time, but then gave way to the “wiggle worm.” If you every spent time with young children, you know the syndrome. They must have something active to do. After nothing worked, I considered taking her back outside for a sniff and explore session, but I really wanted to wait until dawn for that. Instead, I opted to try the balcony. That worked. Grace contentedly curled up on the lounge chair at my feet.
Fascination
By 7:00 light began filtering through the clouds. By 7:10, morning had arrived. Grace and I heard and watched a man walking his dogs. I concluded we too should begin our active day with a nice long exploring session. I got up and helped Grace down from the chair. While I prepared Grace’s outdoor things, Grace playfully tossed something that looked like a ball around the room. You may recall yesterday Grace first demonstrated her tossing ability with a chunk of tar she found outside.
I still hadn’t figured out the composition of her current fascination. I moved closer to examine what looked like a wad of thin cardboard about the size of a plum. That stop Walmart on the way home from picking up Grace from the breeder, I picked up a small rawhide chew bone. This variety contains a knot at two ends to roughly emulate the shape of a small bone. Other dogs I had really did not do much with those chews, but obviously Grace has different preferences.
Grace did not have the rawhide chew bone. She had a knot from one of the ends of the chew bone. Where the other piece of it went remains a mystery. Someone told Betsy that these ends can end up getting caught in a dog’s throat. Betsy took it from Grace and gave her a rawhide chip-shaped chew instead. That made an abrupt end to Grace’s latest fun.
Morning Jaunt
Betsy said she wanted to take Grace out, but we had to wait for her to get ready. In the process, Grace gleefully grabbed Betsy’s fancy (pricey) tennis shoe. Then Grace tried to play with Betsy’s socks as she put them on. I gave Betsy the bag of treats for Grace. Grace promptly tore a hole in the bag. After I transferred the treats to a new bag, at 7:52, they went out the door. They returned in 15 minutes.
Grace needed more outside time than that before being caged, so I took her back out and brought along the tennis and soccer balls. She relieved herself again. We then played fetch. While she likes both toys, the soccer ball is her favorite. By 8:45, I had to return to get ready for church. I left about 9 AM. Betsy would meet me at the assisted living facility in a little over an hour.
Cage Time
While she got ready, she put Grace in her cage for about 10 minutes before she left. When we returned at noon, Grace lay contentedly in her cage. We opened the door to let her out but made no fuss over to prevent good being associated with exiting the cage. We took her out snapped some photos, and returned.
After Betsy fed Grace, we tried to give Grace something to keep her occupied, but she needed more stimulation. I tried taking her out on the balcony, but failed to calm her down. She tried digging in Betsy’s small planters. Finally, I let her in again. Grace went to the door. I immediately put her leash on her and took her outside. We did some exploring and greeted Jack. After we spent twenty minutes outside, we returned for my lunch.
A Meal in Peace
I put her special bone in the cage along with her and latched the door. We had to endure about 15 minutes of whining and barking before she settled down for a nap. We then sat down for our own peaceful lunch. When we finished, I checked and found Grace awake. I opened the door to her cage. She walked straight to her room and lay down. Betsy made over her there, so Grace got up and moved to the outside door. Betsy took her out at 2:25.
At 3:00, I took Grace out. We visited with Jack, explored all over the grounds (including the dumpster area), checked out what’s cookin’ at the outdoor grill, and played a lot of leash tug. Around 4:30, Betsy came down the stairs and said she was going across the street to pick up her car. I told her Grace could come. It worked out well. Betsy took her inside to visit with the residents and personnel. Grace tried to go for the resident dog’s food but this time Betsy held her back.
Once back inside, Grace seemed to entertain herself for a while, but by six. we saw her standing at the door. This time Betsy took her out. She became more difficult. By seven o’clock, Grace wanted to go outside again. I took her outside and brought her back in at 7:15. Grace continued her antics. In desperation, Betsy put her in her cage. Grace protested for about fifteen minutes. Finally, she conked out.
Cage Progress
Around 5:30 AM, Betsy said she thought she heard Grace stirring. I waited. At 5:45, the whimpers came. We went outside. She did her business. I used the circuit exercise to make a deposit at the waste station. When we reached the end, Grace acted like she was not ready to go in yet. She headed out to the grass and went again. We used the “Grace come” command to make a second waste station deposit. Shortly thereafter, we returned.
I stopped off to use the bathroom. While I was preoccupied, Grace proceeded to grab the throw rug and drag it to the dining room. Grace entertained herself long enough for me to write a single short sentence. We played tug with the sock for a while. Grace started intentionally going for my hand. I stopped the game and turned away. Grace then picked up the sock and pulled it around in a circle to entice me to grab it.
Forbidden Fruit
Betsy then got up and lamented Grace not being the calm, sweet Borador puppy that she brought home three weeks ago. Betsy played sock/tug with her and ran into the same biting issue. Betsy had left her bedroom door open. When Betsy went to use the bathroom, Grace saw her chance. There were Betsy’s new Crocs (flip-flops) lying at the end of the bed. You may recall, I had to order Betsy a new pair because the little chewing machine had destroyed the old ones. Quick as lightening, Grace grabbed the delightful new chew toy and took it to her area by the balcony door. There’s something especially enticing about chewing on forbidden fruit.
Balcony Time
Betsy went back to bed at 6:40. Grace objected to Betsy’s shut door. I invited Grace to the balcony. With a little coaxing, she settled in lying between my legs on the lounge chair with me. At 62 degrees, wearing only shorts and a T-shirt, I could manage with the shared warmth of a calm puppy. Occasionally, I feel her soft, warm, moist tongue licking my feet. By 7:35, Grace had had about enough.
The steady rain and overcast skies, added a sense of gloom to the day. Grace needed to go out though, so I grabbed her collar and leash and whisked her out the door. We went for a short walk. After about ten minutes, she took off running back toward our place. We briskly climbed the stairs and returned. Grace continued antsy and barked enough to prompt a short timeout session for her. I cleaned her water and food dish, gave her fresh water, and then let her out, telling her that I loved her.
Cage Training Continued
At 8:00 I fed her in her locked cage. When she finished eating, She started her whining. I left the room until she settled down. Betsy got up for a few minutes and returned to bed. Then Grace went to the bedroom door and started barking. I picked her up and locked her back in the cage. When she made commotion in her cage, I left the room. After ten minutes of peace I returned to the chair beside her cage where she lay peacefully. I wanted her to wait without commotion before I let her out. She wanted to start up again. I ignored her. She calmed down. Then I let her out.
Grace acted like she would like to lie on the sofa. I stopped her. We need to cover one of the sofas, before we can allow her to do that. While working on the computer, I saw Grace at my side. She wanted to play. We played the fetch game. Betsy then joined us and settled in with the sock tug game.
At 9:10, I mentioned to Betsy that Grace looked like she was winding down. Betsy locked her in her cage and told her to go “Night, night.” Grace protested. I left the room. Grace quieted down. I returned. She remained quiet. Are you getting the idea that this process is a war of wills? I planned to let her out and take her outside with me to drop off the rent check at the front office, but Grace had settled in to nap mode.
The time for to take Grace for a walk had arrived. At 10:00 we went outside. Grace’s exploration eventually led to the office. We went inside, but the office was locked. Grace ventured to the main road perimeter of the complex. When we reached the far corner, she turned to explore her latest fascination—the dumpster area. There are so many great smells there and perhaps some morsel of garbage to scavenge.
Ousting the Demon
The rain intensified from a drizzle to a full rain. By 10:50 I decided to direct puppy home. When we returned, she was particularly rambunctious. First, she bit the paper towels that I used to wipe the rain from her. Then she chewed on a suitcase. Next she grabbed something in her mouth and refused to come. Once I corralled her in the main section of the house, she ran in the widest circuit she could find to avoid my catching her. I finally grabbed her and pulled a wire twist-tie from her mouth.
The demons within her had not finished. Next she grabbed my tennis shoe and pulled the same wild running trick. Doggies that act like animals, live in cages. We need her to learn that. Despite our desire to make the cage a fun place where good things happen, enough is enough. I locked her in her cage.
The next war involved teaching her to remain quiet while in her cage with us present. My chair sits just two feet from Grace’s cage. As soon as she starts up her noise, I would leave the room. When she became quiet, I would return. She seemed to get the message after three tries and I was about ready to release her when Betsy returned. Perhaps, she felt she could make more headway with her.
We went through the little entry/exit dance three more times. She certainly did not enjoy the process, but she finally relented and settled down. I opened the cage and let her out. At noon, Betsy fed her. Shortly thereafter, Betsy shut the door behind her in the master suite. Grace started acting up. I put her back in the cage. When she settled down, I let her out. I then ate my lunch. As I went to get my vitamins in the master bath, Grace insisted upon moving into the master bedroom. I blocked her every try. Finally, she started barking. That earned her another trip to the cage.
Exploring
Now, at least she’s quiet, and I can sit there in the chair next to her. As she lay peacefully, I opened the door to the cage. She noticed but decided to stay inside. After about ten minutes, Grace came out. At 1 PM we headed outside for exploring. Grace made the rounds. Each day she extends her horizons. This time, she went beyond the far corner to the adjacent woods. From there, we crossed the road to Cary Christian Academy. We again visited the exciting trash area. We coursed through out-of-the-way narrow passages dodging mud puddles. I feel I’m quickly learning each square inch of this development.
The two-hour exploring marathon included an encounter with Bella. Apparently Bella wanted to play ball. Grace wanted to play chase with her, but Bella did not seem interested. I tried to take Grace for a session of chase with me around the courtyard. I started running, but she didn’t follow. I came back and tagged her. That lit her fire. She tore off after me. Unfortunately she insisted on grabbing my shorts and then nipping at my legs.
Betsy bought some more chew sticks during the last shopping trip to Petco. These have a “chicken basted” flavor. They captured her interest for a solid twenty minutes. Grace stood up with her front paws on the sofa where Betsy sat. Betsy tried to get her to be a lap dog. That worked for about five minutes. I made myself a sandwich with peanut butter. Grace smelled it. Betsy has used peanut butter in her Kong toy. I should have figured that out. Instead, Betsy locked her in her cage. There she fell asleep until almost supper time.
Starting Over
When Grace awoke, I let her out. The smell of hamburger sauteing was too much for her. Then it happened. I had just commented on how well Grace had been doing in remaining free from accidents in the house. It had only been an hour and a half since we came in from our walk marathon. I saw Grace squat down. I clapped my hands, called Grace’s name, and grabbed her. Immediately, I took her out, and indeed she needed to relieve herself. I had left treats in the house. Grace would not respond to “come” as she should. I picked her up and locked her back in her cage.
At about 5:00, Betsy gave Grace her supper. When she finished, Grace started barking. I left the room for about ten minutes. She saw me return. Dinner would not be for about 15 minutes. Grace had settled down, so I let her out. She rested on the carpet for a few minuted, but smells from the trash can overwhelmed her. She stood up to get into the trash. I told her “down,” but she didn’t respond. I immediately picked her up and locked her in the cage again.
This time she made no barking nor whimpering. She knew she deserved it. After five minutes, I opened the cage door, but she appeared to either be asleep, unaware, or pouting. Whatever the cause, she did not emerge from her cage. Betsy consoled her, and after a few minutes Grace came out again from her cage.
While we were eating we saw Grace go to the kitchen. She came out dragging a white bath towel that Betsy stuffed under the laundry room door to keep laundry odor from coming into the house. She had a good time with it for a while, treating it like some captured prey. Betsy took Grace and a ball outside at 6:10. They played soccer in the courtyard. They returned a half-hour later. She entertained herself for about a half an hour before following Betsy into the office.
Betsy did not want to have to deal with her and put her out of the room. Grace then proceeded to the master suite door barked and tried to get in. That’s where we’re storing the treats now, and she knows it. She even tried to turn the door knob today. That earned her a trip back to the cage. When she barked, I left the room. She fell asleep around 7:30 and went down for the night.
Early Start Tuesday
Grace stirred some around 2 AM. I couldn’t tell if she was awake or asleep. At around 5 AM, slight whimpering started. I took her out at 5:10. We did the circuit to make a deposit at the waste station. I lay with her on the floor, giving her her towel and rawhide chew stick as biting options while I rubbed her tummy. Betsy came in around 6 AM and played with her. Betsy loaded the Kong toy, which kept Grace occupied for about a half an hour while Betsy adjusted the cage to give Grace more room.
The day seems more comfortable—humid and warm. At 6:50, Grace and I went to the patio lounge chair. A few minutes later, Betsy came by to water plants. The action enticed Grace to follow. When Betsy finished, she encouraged Grace back on the chair with me. When Betsy went to the kitchen sink, Grace heard the sound of pans, which resembles that of her dish. Grace got up and moved inside. When Betsy went to the bedroom and closed the door, Grace returned to the balcony. When Betsy returned to tidy up her cage, Grace again joined her.
Betsy took outside at about 7:15. they met up with Isabella, a similar dog just a little larger than Grace, and had some play time. Betsy asked me to throw down the tennis ball for a little courtyard fetch. Then came Bella, for a little more doggie play. But Grace seemed most interested in doing the leash tug game. Tucker, Isabella’s brother, showed up next, but they kept their distance. Betsy practiced “sit” and “stay” commands as a large dog passed by about 50 feet away. As rain drifted in, Betsy and Grace returned at 7:45.
Betsy had a big bag of dog food in the master bedroom visible from the balcony. When Betsy opened the window, that was too much for Grace, especially as it was also breakfast time. Betsy removed the bag of food and fed her breakfast at 7:50. Grace returned to the balcony and stretched out on the lounge chair for a nap at 8:00. Grace had a vet appointment at 10:10. Betsy took Grace, now sleeping under the lounge chair, from the balcony at 9:50.
Trip to the Vet
The vet gave Grace a clean bill of health. She weighed in at 20 pounds, seven ounces. They returned at 11:45. Betsy saw Grace tear the furniture tag from the ottoman and then race around a loop in the apartment ten times. She darted too quickly for Betsy to catch her—around the dining room table, across the living room, and through the fun tunnel formed by the sofa and chair. I returned home a half hour later and took Grace out for the afternoon.
New Toy
We explored all of the usual places, said “Hi” to Jack, were intimidated by a car on a trailer, and had a good time lapping up water and rolling around in low-lying grass. Grace experienced the extreme delight of capturing her first prey—a grasshopper. She wasn’t familiar with that animal but was quick enough to disable it and then have the fun of chasing after it over and over. I’ve seen cats do this, but never a dog. She would gently pick it up in her mouth, carry it five yards away, and then toss it up in the air. She would paw it to make it move, pick it ups with her mouth and throw it again.
Courtyard
We were in the courtyard when Betsy offered to throw down a tennis ball. That distracted Grace from the grasshopper. She chased after it a few times before tiring of the game. Betsy headed on to the grocery store. Then Bella showed up. Grace did her usual jumping on Bella’s head while Bella put up with it. Bella fetched the ball once before tiring of it. After Bella left, we hung out in the shade by the outdoor grill. Grace had been eating dirt and grass. Before long she threw up. We lounged around that area for a while and then came back inside at 3:20.
Bath Time
Grace is a very sleek, clean looking dog. Even after rolling around in the mud for a couple of hours, she did not look bad. Still I knew she could use a bath. I took her from the front door directly to the bathtub. I had not given Grace a bath before. She did not seem to fear the water running, but did have a big fear of lying down in the water. Even after adjusting the temperature, I could not allay her aversion to lying down. we finished the bath with her standing and whining. After draining the water, I toweled her off first in the tub, before wrapping her and taking her to the bathroom floor for a final pat down.
Grace grabbed the leash and ran her indoor obstacle course around three times. I made myself a sandwich. Because the sandwich included peanut butter, Grace got the idea it might be for her. This time though, she didn’t press the issue. Betsy returned from the store at about 4:20. Grace tried to investigate bags before we put them up. Then, she would wander into the refrigerator as we opened it to forage for food. She took one paper bag and tore it up. By then, her energy reserve had waned.
Dinner Time
She curled up in a ball in the dining room and drifted off to sleep. We ate dinner at 5:30. While Grace did not get into particular trouble, she could have. Betsy loaded up the Kong toy, put it in her cage, and locked the door so we could eat in peace. When Grace finished emptying the food from the toy, Grace protested a little but settled down fairly quickly. When we finished eating, we opened the door to the cage and she came out.
Grace went back to work on shredding the shopping bag. As we loaded the dishwasher, her nose led her to another possible source for foraging. Then, from around the corner the smell of fried fish on a paper towel in the trash can invited her investigation. Up went the waste basket on the kitchen counter. At six o’clock, I took Grace out to relieve herself. She did so promptly. I hooked her leash to a bench and told her to “stay” while I went to make a deposit at the pet waste station. She really understands that routine and stays without protest.
Home Alone
Getting her back inside proved a greater challenge. Without treats to lure her, I could not convince her to comply with my direction to return upstairs. We would be leaving in a few minutes, so I carried her up the first flight of stairs. She climbed the two half flights herself to return at 6:15. At 6L35, we put Grace and her special bone in her cage locked her door.
We returned home at 9 PM. Grace lay peacefully awake, awaiting our return. I opened the cage door. Betsy took her downstairs for the last time before bed. Betsy returned in about ten minutes and locked her back in her cage. We tried to keep the lights off. We left the bone in the crate. Grace worked on it persistently. Within fifteen minutes, she had finished her work and presumably fallen asleep.
Midweek Begins
Wednesday, Grace awoke at 4:50. The heavy moisture of the previous few days gave way to a pleasant, warm (mid seventies), peacefully overcast, beach-like morning. I took her out, made the circuit including a stop at the pet waste station, and returned back upstairs. I used a treat and the command “Grace down” with an outstretched arm on her mat in her cage. Grace is familiar with that routine and followed easily. Betsy then rubbed her tummy to calm her and shut the cage door again. Grace made one or two sounds of protest but then settled down.
By 6:10, Grace let us know a new day approached. I took her back outside for another round of elimination and a bit of exploring. We returned at 6:50 and light started to fill the sky, marking a new day. From there, we proceeded to the balcony where Grace lay contentedly beneath my bent legs that support my laptop. From that position, Grace can easily survey the courtyard and pool area, or just drift off for a little nap.
Getting Antsy
By 7:30, Grace had started to become antsy. She barked three times on the balcony. At that point, I realized that she needed either more activity, breakfast, or both. While I cleaned out her dish, Grace, trying to be ornery, grabbed her first bed, and dragged it from her room to the living room and removed all padding that lined it. Since we’ve transitioned her to the cage, which sits in the living room. Betsy fed her at 8:00. With all padding now removed from the old litter box tray, Grace lay next to me inside the plastic try, chewing on the sides.
By 8:30, the new day beckoned. Betsy took Grace out to pick up the mail. When they returned, Betsy gave Grace a bath. We brought her out to the balcony and dried her off. Since then, she simply relaxed on the lounge chair with me. At 11:00, I needed to get ready for a luncheon appointment. Grace had the option to stay on the lounge or come in. She followed me to the shower. I shut her in with me. She whined but tolerated it.
Out for Lunch
After getting dressed, I whisked her downstairs to do her business and brought her into her cage. I fed her lunch a few minutes early, threw in her special bone, and latched her cage shut. She seemed to understand the routine and didn’t protest. We returned at 2:15. She sat content in her cage.
I took Grace out for some exercise. Before long, she met up with Sammie and Bella (both Labs) and had a lot of fun playing with them. Grace and Bella also played “fetch” and burned a lot of energy. Grace also stopped by and said hello to Jack. By 3:00, Grace needed a drink and quickly proceeded back upstairs. Before we left for lunch, I had given Grace just a half of a cup of food. Betsy gave her another half to make up for the small portion I had given her. For an hour, she (Grace not Betsy) entertained herself with rawhide chews and a paper bag. By 4:00, she was ready to go outside again. Betsy took her out and returned her to the apartment within ten minutes.
Opening Doors
At 4:15, I went back out on the balcony. A few minutes later, Grace noticed me there and barked at the door. I opened the door and she joined me for a couple minutes. Then she barked. She needed more outside time. We went out and cruised the grounds until 5:35. Grace had the chance to socialize with two dogs, watch rush-hour traffic on the main road and watch a move-in in progress. By 5:30, supper time had arrived and Grace knew it. As I prepared her food she used her mouth to turn the door knob. She unlatched it but didn’t realize what she did. As she lay against the door, I saw it open. I gave Grace her food in her in her cage and latched the door. After a few minutes, I let her out she again joined me on the balcony lounge chair.
At 5:45 Betsy came by and opened he balcony door. Grace decided to join her. At 6:30, Grace came to the balcony door and barked. I opened it and let her out. She joined me again on the lounge chair. It looks like Grace has mastered the technique of barking at the door to let us know she wants to pass through.
At 7:10, I took Grace out. She had a lot of energy. She brought a rawhide chew with her. Outside, she’d toss it in the air and pounce on it, chew it, and repeat. She also ran after other dogs out for their walks. We returned at 8:15. She was very active inside but stayed within the rules. Betsy locked her in her cage at 8:45. Grace made no protest.
Thursday
I awoke well before Grace. By 6:10, I got up and checked the cage. Wednesday night we moved Grace’s old bet (a litter box with padding inserted) into her cage. She was curled up in there asleep. My stirring awakened her. By the time I returned, Grace had moved from her bed to a towel we placed on the cage floor. I took her out, made a deposit at the waste station, and continued to complete the walking circuit quickly. We returned to the apartment at 6:25 and went to the balcony.
Baby Steps
Grace has learned many things this past few weeks. She just learned another. She used to move down the stairs with her two front paws contacting each step together. With much greater stair confidence and motor skill, she now descends and scales steps as we do—just one front or back alternating contact with successive steps. This makes her rate of climb and descent potentially twice as fast. We really need to be on our toes now, especially when going down.
While Grace does not respond completely to the leash—mainly at this point because she prefers not to—she definitely does understand the queues much better. If she quickens her pace, she adjusts to not move too fast as the leash tightens. If I follow her lead and start running, she will often run faster. A slight side tug also much more frequently produces the desired effect of steering her in the desired direction.
Daybreak
The morning felt pleasant but a little less warm than yesterday (about three degrees) with a temperature of 69 degrees and a little less humid. By seven o’clock light again filled the sky. A new day had dawned. Grace sat at my feet observing intently people starting off to school and work as well as those walking their dogs. As sunlight streamed over the horizon and under the clouds for a few seconds, the loblolly pines above the buildings glowed a bright yellow green. As quickly as it appeared the light show vanished.
At 7:30, Grace started getting antsy again and started barking. I took her outside. There she saw Bella and played with her for a few minutes before her owner needed to leave. We did some exploring, bursts of running, and leash tug. Breakfast time had arrived. I don’t know if Grace knew that or not, but she climbed the stairs in a hurry.
After breakfast, I returned to the patio, leaving the door open. Grace delayed. Within a few minutes she pulled something out of the trash. I took it from her and put the trash can up on the kitchen counter. Grace then proceeded to reach up to the kitchen counter. At that point, I locked her in her cage for a few minutes. She protested a little and then settled down. A few minutes later, I released her and she decided to join me back on the lounge chair.
Stay Test
Betsy stopped by around 9:30 and asked me to transfer photos from the cameras to her computer. I do backups when I do transfers. In order to do the job, I needed to grab some drives. I figured this would be a good opportunity to use the “stay” command. I told her “stay,” went inside the house and got the hard drives for the transfer. Grace could watch through the balcony door window. When I returned, she had not moved from her position on the lounge chair. The command worked perfectly. After transferring photos from my camera, I needed to go back inside and grab Betsy’s camera. This task led me to leave her line of sight. Again, Grace stayed on the lounge chair.
While I went inside to work on Betsy’s computer, she took Grace out for a short break and returned. The transfer work took a bit longer than I anticipated. I went out around 10:45 and returned at 12:10. Betsy had taken Grace out at 11:00 and fed her around noon. I left for my run at 12:30. Betsy took Grace out with her while I ran. Upon returning at 1:00, I took Grace out for major exploring. We came back to the apartment around 2:30. Grace slept while Betsy and I looked at pictures.
Dog Harness Fitting
When at last we came in, I noticed a package at the door. It contained a Petco dog harness from UPS. It seemed okay but not the greatest fit and not as adjustable as I had hoped. Betsy checked on-line for tracking on the other harness that she ordered. It said that one was out for delivery via USPS.
At 3:30, I took Grace down to get the mail. She responded well to my directions without much stopping and no treats. Once we made it to the mailbox, I gave her a treat. We did more exploring that included sitting at the curb and intently watching rush hour traffic for about five minutes. We also went to the courtyard to play some tag and chase. After a half an hour we returned home and went back to the balcony. This time, Grace preferred to lie on the balcony floor and work on a rawhide chew stick rather than come up on the chair with me. The second harness did come. We fitted it on Grace. I liked it, but Betsy wasn’t sure.
At 5:00 Betsy fed her. Shortly afterwards, she fell fast asleep next to my chair in the dining room. Unlike many nights, we had a peaceful dinner with no antics from Grace. She awoke at 6:45. I took her out. She played with Sammie and another neighbor dog. She discovered a small toad. I suppose she got a taste of the toad’s defensive excretion, because she refrained from mouthing it. She pawed it a while to watch it hop and then moved on to something else.
We played with a flying disc for the first time. She seemed to enjoy it, but did not catch it in the air. She liked the fact that she could grip it tightly in her mouth and play tug with me. Betsy came out and played more with the disc. By 7:15 darkness had fallen, and we returned back to the apartment. Grace had reached the point of not knowing what to do with herself. Betsy put her to bed in her cage and locked the door. Grace got into her padded litter box, curled up and went to sleep.
Friday
Grace started stirring around 5:20. I got up, dressed, and took her downstairs. As we routinely do now, we did the circuit with a waste deposit along the way. We returned inside within twenty minutes. We would have returned sooner, but Grace decided to hang out a while on the stair landing midway between the second and third floors.
Booby Trap
Very cold water can harm and even kill a dog. For drinking and cooking, we use filtered tap water and store it in the refrigerator. We keep a pitcher out at room temperature for refilling Grace’s water bowl. Betsy likes to keep food, toys, and water supplies on top of Grace’s cage. I filled Grace’s pitcher and put it up there against my better judgment. Within two minutes, Grace pulled a sheet, draped over one side of the cage to make it feel more cozy and den-like. You can guess the result. Grace tugged on the sheet,. and a full pitcher cold of water came down on Grace, the sheet, a floor mat and the carpet.
This reminded me of the old booby trap that balances a bucket of water above the door.. The first person who walks through the door gets drenched. The water was actually not the object that captured her attention though. Betsy had stored a bag of dog food up there also. Despite the fact that she had stored it in a zippered plastic bag, Grace still could smell it. It served as too tempting an attraction for her to restrain herself.
After soaking up the water, I refilled the pitcher and placed it on the kitchen counter. I moved her food bag back to the kitchen cabinet. In the mean time, Grace curled up in the corner to take a nap. Normally, we go out on the balcony at this time, but perhaps the dousing with cold water calmed her down enough to tolerate the relative inactivity of the indoors.
Waiting for Breakfast
At about 7:15, we went out on the balcony. While walking his dog, a gentleman looked up and commented on how elegant Grace looked with her sleek black coat. He asked about her gender, age, and name. He said Princess Grace is a fitting name. I asked about his dog. It’s an eight year old yorkipoo—also a very intelligent mix. He had to move on, but hopefully we’ll meet downstairs for a little doggie play sometime soon.
At 7:48, Grace let me know it was breakfast time. I took her inside and prepared her water dish. Betsy got up to say “Hi” to Grace but couldn’t find her. I told her, “Look behind you.” There stood Grace, inches from her, looking up while wagging her tail. I gave Grace her breakfast at 8:00 and took her out on the balcony for a few minutes while Betsy dressed and started a load of laundry in the washing machine. At 8:15, Betsy opened the door to the balcony and called Grace to her. Off they went for the morning walk.
Betsy returned at 9:15. She met a big fluffy dog named Jericho. Betsy had a long conversation with the owner who is also chemically sensitive. While they stood talking, Grace waited patiently—chewing through the inch-wide nylon leash that constrained her. I took her out at 9:30. Grace stopped by to greet Jack. We met and Betsy as she walked to the trash. We explored and played with the flying disc. At 11:20, we returned home. From there, I went running, and Grace went beddy-bye.
Around 1:00, Grace finally revived enough to get up and walk around. Betsy fed her. After a few minutes, Grace conked out again. I took her back outside at 2:00. She explored, said “Hi” again to Jack and snoozed on the bare earth in the shade. I had some things I needed to attend to before 5:00, so I led Grace to come in. She responded fairly well without my having to resort to any treats. Betsy gave her dinner. After eating Grace rested peacefully
Betsy bought some more harnesses and took Grace out to try one of them. Someone has set up loud “music” causing a major disturbance in our apartment complex. It blasts through the walls and has Grace scared. Betsy took her out at 6:30. They had to go to the far side of the building where structures and distance helped reduce the noise somewhat. Inside the apartment she has moved to the farthest points from the noise. Betsy took Grace outside one last time. It ended up being a quick trip out and back. Betsy put Grace to bed at 8:30 PM.
Saturday
In the middle of the night, after Betsy got up, I could hear Grace stirring. Although awake, she caused no disturbance. After a short while, the sounds from movements stopped. I awoke at 6:10 to more movement sounds from Grace. Betsy and I each got up, but Betsy wanted to take her down. Last night Betsy studied possible ill effects of exercise on a Labrador Retriever puppy’s joints. Some writers claimed a possible link between hip dysplasia and early over-exercise.
The genetic hip dysplasia problem exists in both Labrador Retriever and Border Collie breeds, so the fact that Grace has that mix may not save her. In order to err on the side of caution, Betsy wants to protect Grace from any exercise that might harm her until she gets further assurances from the vet. She carried Grace up and down the steps. Grace did her business promptly for her as Grace does for me. They deposited the waste at the station, and Grace was ready to finish the circuit, but Betsy was uncomfortable doing it in the dark, so they reversed and went back.
I took Grace out at 11:00 and used the new harness. Grace immediately started trying to bite the part that attaches to the leash. That would take her very little effort to chew through it. Instead of using that end as part of the leash, I found the leash could attach to a central connector on the top of the harness. I then wrapped the lead from the harness through the various straps to keep it out of the way.
Playtime
During our travels we met and played with the tiny Chihuahua, Jack, Cato (a Lab, Golden Retriever mix), Tucker and Isabella. Lunch time started calling Grace, so I led her upstairs. Betsy fed her at noon and I gave her clean water. She needed something to keep her occupied, so Betsy gave her the special bone.
Rest
At 12:30, Grace stood at the door. She just came in shortly before, but rather than risk an accident, I took her out. We came back within 15 minutes. At that point, Grace was content to rest as long as either I or Betsy were in the room. At 3:00, Grace went to the door to the master suite (where we keep her food and treats). Betsy loaded up a Kong toy to give her something to keep her busy.
At 3:30, Grace went to the outside door. I put the new harness on her while Betsy prepared herself to go outside. They returned at 4:00. Grace settled in and curled up for a nap in the dining room as Betsy prepared dinner. After Betsy fed Grace, she again snoozed as we ate dinner peacefully. At 5:30, Grace wanted to go outside again. Betsy took her out. There they met Cato again for a little play time. Then Betsy threw the tennis ball for Grace to fetch. After a half an hour, they returned to the apartment.
Difficult Time
Next Grace became especially listless. She would bark to join me on the balcony. A few minutes later, she would turn around and bark again to come inside or maybe just bark for no discernible reason. It’s like she’s bored and wants us to solve it. The problem is, we cannot spend all of our time exploring with her or playing with her.
Betsy took her out at 6:45 for about fifteen minutes. When they returned, I worked on “stay” command to give her some mental stimulation. Next, we assembled a bed rail in the (forbidden) bedroom. Since we could watch Grace, we let her come in while we worked. Soon started working on one of those furniture tags. I left the room and told Grace to come. When she did, I rewarded her with a treat. We shut the bedroom door and finished the project.
Betsy then vacuumed the living room. The noise bothered Grace, so she retreated with me to the balcony lounge chair. Betsy finished the vacuuming at 8:30. She called Grace inside, put her in her cage, and locked the door. Grace understands that means it’s time to go to bed.