At 8:30, Betsy took Grace outside. After a long walk, they returned at 8:50. Betsy left Grace with me, while she went down to breakfast. Grace whimpered. She needed stimulation. I pulled out her tennis ball. We played fetch. She acted frustrated. We played “fetch and tug” as I packed.
Betsy returned from breakfast at 9:20, and I left. This time, she didn’t miss me, but still wanted Betsy to play with her. She did not like it when Betsy took a shower. Eventually, she gave up and just relaxed.
Heading Out
As we left the hotel at 10:15, Grace took notice of the breakfast area. She would have loved to make a trip in there too, but the sign restricted pets from that area. We checked out The Oaks nursing home. Grace and I went for a walk while we waited for Betsy to inquire about vacancies. Grace wanted to take me to the farthest reaches of the estate. I wanted to stay withing sight of the car. When Betsy returned. Grace brought a choice twig with her for chewing.
Visit with Momma
At 11:00. we stopped by and visited Betsy’s mom. Betsy lowered Momma’s bed so Grace could easily jump up and greet her. Momma said she loved Grace. Grace made it clear that she loved her too. Momma said she wanted one of Grace’s puppies. The only possibility there might be to send one to the facility where Momma lives. We will have to keep that in mind.
Grace jumped up on the leather recliner next and balled up for a nap. Ten minutes later, a caregiver came in to prepare Momma for dinner. Grace and I headed outside. On the way out, we met some residents and staff who asked if Grace could do tricks. I had no treats, but Grace showed them sit, paw, down, tummy, and roll.
On the way out of the facility, we met a nice young lady who was taking a young stroke victim to church with her. The young lady could not help noticing Grace’s charm and beauty. I told her about my nephew who had a similar problem, and who now has cancer. We prayed for these young people and said “Good-bye.” Grace behaved as we detained her. We then went for a short walk.
At noon, Mamma went to the dining room. Grace and I stood on the hallway outside the dining room as Betsy said “Good-bye” to her mom. Then Betsy came out to hold Grace’s leash as I went in to say “Good-bye.” We walked to the car, opened the trunk, removed her bowls and fed ther there. We then went to Tore’s place to say good-bye to Betsy’s dad.
Good-Bye Raymond
We met Raymond as he walked to lunch. We went inside with him. After he sat down at the table, Grace gave him the royal welcome. Raymond commented that thanks to Grace, he does not need to wash his face today. While Betsy and her dad talked, Grace went outside to do more sniffing. After about twenty minutes, we said our good-byes to Raymond and set off on our trip.
Black Mountain Stop
At 1:00, we stopped off at Black Mountain to check out the town. After driving around, we stopped and got gas. The station had a Subway store in it so we split a tuna sandwich. We decided to eat it in the car. Grace was in the back seat but placed her feet on the console to check out the exciting smell. We could have eaten inside the store but this turned out to be an interesting experiment.
We first tried to divert her attention with a dental chew. That failed miserably. The next trick did work. As we ate our sandwiches, I would drop a teaspoon of her dog food on the floor behind the driver’s seat. That diverted Grace’s attention from the food we were eating and gave her something better for her. Despite the pain, we did finish our sandwiches and Grace enjoyed the treats.
Back to the Road
We pulled out at 1:45. Grace stayed propped up with her front feet on the console, looking intently out the front window as we drove on the Interstate. Normally, once we reach about 45 miles per hour, Grace settles down into napping mode. After ten minutes Grace lay back on the seat with her head on a pillow and slept.
Wendy’s Stop
At 3:45, we stopped at Wendy’s to get a couple of drinks. Grace went outside. She really wanted to scavange some fast food, but the grounds were clean. After a quick potty break, we continued with our trip. She slept until we picked up Betsy’s car at her place of work. Grace stayed with me sitting in the passenger’s seat.
Home At Last
As we approached home around 6:00, Grace’s excitement grew. When we returned to the apartment complex, she perked up and watched intently. When we parked, I let Grace out of the car. She was thrilled to be home and excited that Tucker and Izabel were there to greet her. She was so happy to be home, I thought she would wag her tail off. The temperature in the upper sixties had attracted people outside to the courtyard.
Betsy stayed with Grace as I unloaded the car. When they returned inside, Betsy fed her supper (three-quarter cup). I finished unloading at 6:45, I took Grace out exploring. The landscapers had applied new mulch and pine straw. Grace found the new smells very exciting. We found Jack but he was not interested in playing. We came home at 7:30. Grace rested peacefully on the dining room floor. She then got up and played tug and fetch. Dr. Grace performed a partial lobotomy before going out on the balcony.
She fell fast asleep until 9:00. When she came in, she jumped up on the sofa. Rather than let her settle in, I took her out one last time to relieve herself. We returned about five minutes later. Grace then jumped up into bed to go to sleep for the night.
Monday
The alarm sounded at 6:40. We were all asleep at the time. I got up and dressed, but Grace was in no hurry to go outside. Finally at 7:00, we went out. While we met up with Taz, the meeting resulted in no play. Taz seemed very aloof. Later, Grace met with Fraggle. They played for about ten minutes before her owner had to take her inside.
Home Alone
I left for a meeting at 8:40. Grace was out on the lounge chair and rather than call her in, I propped open the door to allow her access to both the balcony and house. I returned at 11:00. Grace had been chewing on sticks while I was away. She wanted to play tug and fetch with sock toy. We played off and on for about a half hour. Dr. Grace performed a half lobotomy on rag doll at 11:30. She went back out to the lounge chair at 11:55.
Park Play
I fed her lunch (one half cup). At 12:15, we went outside looking for playmates. None surfaced. We went back upstairs. I grabbed my wallet and keys and we headed off to the park. We ran my normal two and a half miles. Grace followed, meandering, running deep into the field and then darting ahead of me. I love to watch her run so effortlessly, with such speed.
On the last lap, she went to the other side of the nearly four-foot-high cow fence. I tried to direct her to run parallel to me along the fence to the entrance. Instead, she just leaped over it. While the ground was higher from where she started, it was still remarkable to me that she made it. I tried enticing her to fetch the flying disk, but that did not really interest her. We went home at 1:15. I called Grace up the stairs and into the apartment without a leash. I suppose I can register that as a milestone, since we never did that before.
Fraggle and Ride
She went out on the balcony while I fixed and ate some brunch. At 2:05, Fraggle came over. We raced downstairs to play for ten minutes. I had to drive to a meeting at 2:30, so we got in the car and left. After the meeting, we went to my lot. We were there for about an hour. Grace met up with the neighbor’s dog and this time he got up enough courage to play with her. Grace and he played chase. Grace also explored as we checked out possible home sites and landscape issues.
Fraggle 2
We returned home at 5:10 and contacted Fraggle. At 5:20, we went downstairs to play with Fraggle. They played until 6:10. Grace came back in and collapsed on the dining room floor. At 7:00, Betsy gave her a thick dental chew. That lasted until 7:30. Grace then went back out to the balcony and slept until 8:00. At 8:20, she started on a bully stick. At 8:40, she went to bed, but at 9:15, I got her out of bed for her last trip outside.
We met Lady, Brantley, and Cato. Grace and Lady played chase for about five minutes. At 9:40, we returned home and Grace went back to bed.
Tuesday
The alarm clock sounded at 6:45. I took Grace outside at 7:00. We met up with Olive. Grace was very gentle with her and Olive was very cute in her interactions with Grace, often using one paw to touch her. A squirrel showed up in the courtyard. Grace spotted it, took off after it and nearly caught it before the squirrel squeezed under the fence.
Lot Meeting
At 8:10, we returned home. I fed her breakfast (one cup). At 8:20, Grace went out on the balcony. She returned inside ten minutes later. We played tug and fetch with an old sock. At 8:45, we left to meet a builder out at my land. He brought his dog with him. His dog is old and not interested in playing. Grace understood and just was cordial with the old dog.
Home Alone
We returned home at 10:30. Grace settled in on the living room chair. I told her “Bye-bye.” She understood. I stopped by the office to check on the service call we made for the washing machine. They told me he was coming in ten minutes. I returned and found Grace where I had left her. I told her “Bye-bye” and gave her a treat. The repair man finally showed up about thirty minutes later. Grace got up to and walked up to him but made no sounds. When he left at 11:45, Grace again got up and walked hear him but made no sounds. She then lay on the floor by the balcony doors.
I fed her lunch (one-half cup) at noon. At 12:10, I left to visit Mom. I told her “Bye-bye.” She understood as she lay on the floor. I returned at 1:20. Grace lay peacefully on her sofa. I praised her and gave her a treat (as always). I prepared and ate some brunch.
Fraggle Play
The phone rang at 1:55. Grace perked up her head and ears. Could it be a call for Fraggle play? Yes! I quickly put on her harness and collar, prepared a bowl of water, and directed her downstairs. Early in the session, little Olive joined in. While at only eight weeks of age she couldn’t do much, she did join in enthusiastically and the bigger dogs toned things down with her.
Home Alone
They played until 3:45 when Fraggle had to go. We came back upstairs. I loaded some MP3 files into my player. I had considered taking Grace to the park, but she lay by the balcony door looking fairly tired. I decided to go for my run alone. At 4:00, I went running and said “Bye-bye” to a tired Grace. She was fine with that. When I returned at 4:30, she was back on the chair, and I rewarded her.
Supper
Betsy asked me to vacuum some areas where Grace frequented. When I turned on the vacuum cleaner, Grace retreated to the office. When I finished vacuuming, Grace jumped up on the bed. I spent fifteen minutes checking her for fleas but found none. At 5:15, Grace came out of the bedroom and let me know it was time for her supper. I gave her three-quarter cup. She then looked at me expectantly. We did tricks for treats. She did well, making a little progress.
Sundowning
When we finished, Grace grabbed a new bully stick and began some serious work on it. Betsy returned home at 6:10 and greeted Grace. Grace began her sundowning. She brought tiny toy to Betsy for fetch. She went out to the balcony. She brought me rag doll for tug and fetch. She took a chew chip and tossed it around the room playfully. At 7:15 I decided to take her out to break her anxiety. On the way back, we met up with Olive. They played gently for about five minutes.
We returned at 7:30. Grace went to bed about 8:00. She came out about 8:45. I took her out for the last time at 8:50. We returned at 9:05. She curled up on her sofa to go to sleep. By the time I was ready for bed, she had moved to the bed. There we all went to sleep.
Wednesday
The alarm clock sounded at 6:45. Grace was in no hurry to go out. We finally made it out at 7:10. It was wet and misty out. We met Taz, but she wasn’t interested in playing today. Grace did her usual heightened sniffing routine, paying particular interest to the new pine straw. Her keen interest and meandering grew me weary. We met Betsy as she left for work and went upstairs. She told me the washing machine still has a problem.
Short Early Outing
We returned at 8:15. I fed Grace breakfast (one cup). She finished quickly and wanted more so I told her to sit and gave her a bit more as a treat. She occupied herself while I cleaned up the kitchen. At 9:00, I took her downstairs to the office to report the problem with the washing machine. On the way back we met Buster. He actually did play chase with Grace for a few minutes. They were on the wet pavement of the parking lot, so the surface was far from ideal for extended play.
All Business
At 9:15, we returned home. Grace curled up on the ottoman for about an hour. Dr. Grace then performed a quarter lobotomy on rag doll. Afterward, the Grace Wood Chipping Service worked about fifteen minutes on a piece of timber. After checking out the gloomy day from the balcony, she proceeded to the bed to nap there.
Calling Grace
The phone rang at noon. The call came from the vet office. They just wanted to know how she was doing. I told them fine, except from some hair scraped off jumping over a four foot fence. They said if it looks infected, just put some Neosporin on it. The call roused Grace. I fed her lunch (one half cup). Grace settled in the office for a couple hours.
Soggy Park Run
At 2:30, I took Grace to the park. The wet grounds reduced the fun of the run, but we made it. I did find the hole in the fence that permitted her to get to the other side two days ago. I also measured the fence height at forty-four inches. Two teens came by the entrance with skateboards. I leashed Grace when we were close to them. I used the “heel” command successfully one time as we approached them and Grace was thinking about running after them.
When we returned home at 3:15, we saw Jack. Grace played chase with him for a few minutes. We made it inside a 3:30. Grace went back to the office to take a nap in peace. At 4:40, Grace emerged to lie on the living room floor. She found some sticks and commenced chewing. At 4:50, Grace had enough napping and waiting for action. We played tug and fetch with rag doll until 5:00. I fed her supper (three-quarter cup). Surprisingly, she retreated back to the office to look out the window.
Betsy returned around 6:15. The Grace Shredding Company was hard at work reducing shopping bags to pieces suitable for recycling. I took her outside at 6:20. Her playmate, Fraggle, had just come out. They played for about ten minutes before I had to return home and prepare to leave for church. I told Grace “Bye-bye.” She understood she would be home alone as we left at 6:45.
When we returned at 8:45, Grace lay asleep on the bed. She got up to greet us. I took her outside for one last time before bed. We met Jack again, but they didn’t play. At 9:00, we returned. As I prepared for bed, Grace resumed with her shedding job. At 10:00, I went to bed and Grace joined me.
Thursday
Around 6:00 or 6:30, Grace began quietly bathing and primping herself. By 7:00, she sat up. Although the alarm clock had not sounded, she knew it was time to get up. I took her outside. First she met Baxter for a sniffing and tail wagging session. Later, Dakota emerged. They had do restrict play to the leash version because normal play in the drizzly, wet weather would have soiled Dakota’s coat in short order.
Morning Walk
Grace spent a lot of time exploring between the back fence and the railroad tracks. She first retrieved a wooden stake and brought it to the courtyard. Later she went back and returned with an empty drink bottle. As she came back to the courtyard, she met Jack. They played chase. Grace is now faster and more agile than Jack, but he uses his bark to intimidate her. She then slows down, backs off, and lets him catch her.
Grace’s Coat
We returned inside at 8:40. I fed her breakfast (one cup). After eating, Grace jumped up on the ottoman and proceeded to attend to her coat. Her coat is another amazing feature of Grace. It sheds water, keeping her warm and dry. I’ve never seen her shiver. It requires little care. After a few minutes of primping and drying off, Grace curled up on her sofa for a nap.
Home Alone
I left to go to the doctor at 9:45. I told Grace “Bye-bye.” At 12:10, I returned. Grace was sleeping in the bed. I fed her (one-half cup) and quickly took her outside. I left at 12:25 to visit Mom. When I returned at 2:30, I noticed that the Grace Shedding Company had dune further work on the grocery bags and Dr. Grace had performed another half-lobotomy on Rag Doll. In addition she had played with a hard foam exercise cylinder, making some dents in it with her teeth. She did not know that was off-limits. It looked and felt like a toy or a log. I told her “No” and put it up.
Afternoon Fraggle
We had received a phone message that Fraggle wanted to play twenty minutes earlier. I took her down. They played until 3:40. The young man who cares for Fraggle said his knuckles were getting numb. We went inside. The weather was a mess. I gave Grace a quick shower. She did very well. After drying her with a towel, I praised her and gave her a treat.
Siesta
She then curled up on the ottoman before moving to the sofa. In low light, she disappears on the sofa—especially with her eyes shut. At 4:50, she was getting ready to eat. I told her to wait. At 5:00, I had to refill the smaller dog food bag that we keep under the kitchen sink. To do that, I go into the storage room (master bedroom). With the door open to the master suite, she went to the edge of her allowed area and stopped. That’s pretty good considering her love of dog food.
Sundown Time
I fed her supper (three-quarter cup). After she ate she came back expectantly. I did tricks for treats with her. She improved today with the tricks and even a bit with the difficult “fetch Kong” and “fetch ball” task. I need to claim another milestone, but do not know precisely when she learned this one. She may have understood this weeks earlier. If I point, she understands to look that direction. I use this to direct her to the correct object.
Afterward, she wanted to play tug and fetch. She started with the ball but soon changed to Rag Doll. After about five minutes of that, she retreated to the office to watch out the window. At 5:45, she returned to the living room. She brought me Tiny Bear. She fetched it once. After being distracted by a noise, she grabbed a tennis ball and played with it. She brought it back to the toy box area, grabbed a choice stick, and began chewing on it.
By 6:45, I took Grace outside. The weather was a mess. It was rainy, windy and cold. Grace seemed unbothered by the weather. After a half hour, I had enough and led her home. By then, Betsy had returned. Betsy asked me if Grace had been fed. I assured her that she had. Grace exhibited her characteristic listlessness. She asked to go in and out the balcony door about four or five ties. At 8:15, Grace finally gave up and went to bed.
Snow Storm
At 9:35, we received a call telling us that Fraggle wanted to play. By then the rain had turned to snow. Show is sort of an event around here. Adults as well as children came out to enjoy the unusual weather. Although snow was something new for Grace, she was more interested in playing with Fraggle and the people outside. Some teenage boys made snowballs from snow settling on cars. Grace ran to one of them, grabbed the snowball from his hand, and proudly pranced around with her snowball trophy in her mouth. She used the snowball to attract Fraggle’s attention.
We returned home at 10:00. Shortly thereafter, we all went to bed.
Friday
Snowy Morning
The alarm clock sounded at 6:10. We got up to see the ground covered with snow and the parking lot and sidewalks coated with ice and water. Snow-covered cars lined the parking lot. I took Grace out at 6:40. It was interesting watching her gingerly step on the crusty, white surface that formerly was familiar turf. She performed her usual sniffing and squatted noticeably higher as she relieved her bladder. We proceeded to my car to prepare it for Betsy’s departure.
Car Care
Grace got in. The white blanket that covered the windows raised her concern. As the defrost system slowly opened small portals of visibility, she strained to see any friends in view. After fifteen minutes, we had clean, clear windows and could proceed with our morning walk. The blanket of snow and ice and the lack of people braving the elements made the still morning feel peaceful and quiet.
Morning Play
We met up with Brantley out back. They played for about ten minutes. They both showed a liking for eating fresh snow. The two dogs from the neighboring townhouses came by. Grace went down and played with the caramel-colored one, darting in and out of the woods. While Grace tried to lure him to chase her more, he seemed to be stuck on some other game. As we headed away from the area, there came Dakota. His owner immediately took him back inside to prevent his big white dog from wrestling with Grace in the mud.
At about 8:00, we headed home. Then Fraggle showed up. Grace and Fraggle did their usual rough-house, wrestling, and chasing routine. After about a half hour new neighbors below came out with their two little dogs. Then Ellie came out. Jack also joined the party. Six dogs playing together on the grounds her seems like a record. After a while Ellie and Jack left. Then the two little dogs also went back inside.
Close Call
Grace and Fraggle returned to their usual routine, taunting one another with a stick to encourage more chasing. Then at the back of the lot, Cato walked by. Fraggle and Grace darted out to meet him. I called Grace, but she didn’t respond. As they ran, a car also approached them. At the last minute the car stopped and a catastrophe was averted. This emphasized the need to get a better grip on teaching Grace to come immediately when called. I would say that is a critical need in Grace’s training. While I will focus on it more, I feel that I need some professional guidance along this line.
Dakota
Next, Dakota came to play. The three dogs went at it for about fifteen minutes. Then Dakota had to leave. Grace and Fraggle played a little more but were winding down. At 10:00, we returned home. I fed Grace breakfast (one cup). Grace then curled up on the ottoman to rest. Later she went to the office for a while before lying in the sun by the patio doors.
Bye-Bye
At 11:30, I left Grace alone. When I returned at 12:20, Grace was lying on the floor by the balcony doors, right where I had left her. At noon, I fed her lunch (one-half cup).
Pit Bull Run
At 1:40, Fraggle called. We went down to play. I made Grace wait and sit before letting her go. I also called her back repeatedly during play and made her sit and sometimes stay before resuming play. One dog passed by and Fraggle took off after it. I was able to keep Grace from doing the same. However, when I didn’t notice a pit bull walking by, they both tore after him. The pit bull owner restrained his dog as we came and got ours. I decided I need to sign up for more classes. We went inside at 3>00.
Sign Up for Classes and A Big Letdown
At 3:45, we went for a ride. At 4:10, we stopped at PetCo to speak with Elliot. I explained I needed help with training Grace to respond without distraction. It’s a matter of her physical well being. I wanted to show Elliot Grace’s current capability. We went inside a fenced area inside the store. Grace acted like she didn’t understand the simplest of her commands. She wouldn’t do sit. After a half hour, she settled down and at least did most of her commands. He suggested Grace enroll in intermediate group classes.
We returned at 5:30. I fed Grace supper (three-quarter cup). Grace occupied herself until Betsy returned home. Grace started whining. Betsy gave her a dental chew. After she finished, she wanted more. I did tricks for treats. She could not understand “sit.” I kept working on her and by the end of the session she was doing her tricks. I do not know if Elliot’s attempts that use hand signals and a clicker confused her. Elliot said I need to start tapering off the treating. He also agreed that calling her back from play will help with training to beat the distraction.
At 7:00, Grace went to bed. She emerged at 8:30. Betsy took her out at 9:00. Grace played with Sammie for about ten minutes. They returned at 9:20. Grace returned to bed.
Saturday
At 7:20, Grace sat up in bed. I took her out at 7:30. The weather was clear and cold. We met Jack as he emerged. Grace and he played for about ten minutes. We returned home at 9:00. I fed her breakfast (one cup). Grace rested and we rubbed her tummy as Betsy and I talked. Dakota’s owner called at 10:15. Grace jumped down from the be in anticipation of a play session in response to the call.
Morning Play with Dakota
The trees blocked the warmth of the sun from much of the play area. Grace and Dakota did both chase and wrestling play. After about an hour or so, Sammie joined us. Sammie’s owner brought a large Kong pull toy. The extra dog and toy sparked more running and chasing. Grace was able to grab and tug the toy but was never able to take it from Dakota. I called Grace to come at random times during the play session. She responded fairly well.
Play with Olive
After finishing up with them at around noon, we met Olive. Olive reminded me of Grace when we brought her home, trying to play with larger dogs. Olive is both playful and fearless. Grace was gentle and careful to limit the intensity of play with Olive. As time moved on, Grace saw that Olive was okay with more running and wrestling and upped the intensity a bit. It won’t be long before Olive and Grace will be going at it like Fraggle and Grace.
Afternoon Outing
At 12:45, we returned. I fed Grace lunch (one-half cup). By now the temperature had risen to nearly 55 degrees. The sky was sunny and clear. We headed out to the park for a run. Grace followed effortlessly as I plodded through the two-and-a-half-mile trek. We finished up there at 1:40 and went to Woof Gang Bakery to buy a Kong pull/fetch toy. We stopped to get gas and a grocery item before returning home.
Resting at Home
At 2:00, I fixed and ate brunch while Grace collapsed on the dining room floor. After a couple hours Grace got up and started poking around various toys. She finally settled on a bully stick. Betsy pulled out the new Kong toy and played fetch with Grace for five minutes. Grace then moved back to her bully stick for some serious chewing. At 4:45, Grace went out on the balcony to search for friends.
At 5:10, she informed me it was time for supper. I fed her three-quarter cup. We then proceeded to tricks for treats. This time I limited the treats on the known commands and focused them on the new fetch work. Grace is catching on to the difference. I was able to throw the two object and reliably have her fetch the Kong first and then fetch the ball. I did not try mixing up the order yet. In all, the session was very encouraging.
Sundowning
At 5:35 Grace stood at the balcony door and barked. That’s unusual. I got up and let her out. A couple of minutes later, Grace came back in and presented me with Rag Doll. We played tug and fetch for a minute. She then asked to go back out on the balcony. Five minutes later she returned and went to the bed to take a nap.
As I sat down to eat, Grace emerged with a rather expression. I gave her a dental chew. At 6:50, I took her outside. We returned at 7:40. I gave her a quick shower. She wasn’t thrilled with the idea but tolerated it well. When we finished, Grace Shredding Company commenced work on a paper grocery bag briefly before moving to her new Kong tug and fetch toy. She made her characteristic biting the air. Grace was irritated behind her front legs. This was caused by the harness she wears.
Then I noticed the space heater was running in the living room with Grace facing it. When Betsy turned it off and moved it, Grace stopped the silent bark. Betsy then played tug and fetch with the new Kong tug and fetch toy for ten minutes. Grace entertained herself with a combination of shreddings and the new toy. She then took a nap stretched out on the dining room floor.
At 9:10, I took Grace out. We returned at 9:25. Betsy was vacuuming. Grace doesn’t like the noise. I told her it was time for bed. She made her way past the space heater and jumped into bed.