No Longer a Puppy
I returned home to find a calm, sweet young dog in her cage. While she seemed happy to see me, it was no different than returning from a few hours away. She had just earned the right to lie on a sheet on the sofa. Although a little sheepish about it, she liked being there. What had changed in one week? I weighed her at 31 pounds. In line with that, her length and height increased between ten and twenty percent. I took her out at 10:00, and she did her business promptly. Her willingness to obey me without distraction showed a marked improvement. At 10:45, told her to go to bed and she complied promptly—though a bit reluctantly.
Monday
Betsy set the alarm for 6:30 AM. Grace would have slept much longer, but I took her outside. There she met Fraggle. They enjoyed a twenty-minute playtime together. We returned home at 7:30. A rawhide chip kept her occupied. At 7:50, she barked twice. She was telling us it was time for her breakfast. I cleaned her dish and fed her (one cup). She still acted hungry, so Betsy suggested loading up the Kong toy with a dog treat in the end to give her a little challenge. Grace blasted through that in a couple of minutes. At 8:00, she returned to the sofa, to catch up on her missed sleep.
At 10:10, it was time for Grace to go out. She did her business and went exploring behind the fence along the railroad tracks. We said “Hi” to Bella. I asked where “Baby” (the injured Pug) was. The owner said she had to put her down because of various infections. When I told Grace to “come,” she responded well, and we went inside. She needed more activity. The balcony did not do it for her. At 11:40, Grace went to the door. We took a quick walk. When we reached the far end of the courtyard, I remembered I had prepared a letter to mail. I left Grace in the shade, tying her to a tree, and giving her the “stay” command.
Grace waited patiently as I ran back to the apartment and returned with the letter. I then directed her to the mail area. She came with little coaxing. We returned back to the apartment at noon. I fed her (one cup) and locked her in her cage. I told her it was time for “bed.” I then left for my thirty-minute run. I found her resting peacefully when I returned. A few minutes after I opened the cage she came out and plopped down on the sofa. Her sleep positions included many that stretched her lithe body to its limits. At 1:30 she had enough napping. she moved to the balcony and lay on the lounge chair. Although her body says she has matured beyond puppy-hood, her voracious need to chew betrays her four-month age.
At 2:20, I tried playing “fetch” with her. She seemed to enjoy this, so I tried taking the tennis ball and flying disk outside. She really didn’t do much fetching. I walked her back inside. She barked at me as I ate a frozen pop. Obviously, she needed more stimulation. Perhaps she was hungry. I decided to work on commands. We started the new “heel” command and reviewed her others. Grace has remarkable intelligence and good desire to respond correctly. In just a fifteen-minute session, she demonstrated this.
I took Grace out at 4:30. She found Dakota and played with him for about twenty minutes. We returned at 5:15. I fed her (two-thirds cup) when we returned. She then went outside. At 5:40 she spotted Betsy returning home and barked. I let her in off of the balcony and then out to greet Betsy as reached our landing. After they greeted each other, Grace jumped back on her sofa.
At 6:00, Grace began barking (wanting more food). Then she started licking her food bowl. I loaded up the Kong toy with food (less than one-quarter cup). At 6:30, we sat down to eat. Grace then went to the door and barked. I took her outside for about fifteen minutes. When she returned, I cycled through her tricks and gave her small amounts of food as rewards (as always). She then went out on the balcony for about an hour. She barked to come in, tried her bed in her cage, but then moved back to her sofa.
At 9:30, I took her back outside one last time. We returned at 9:45. I directed her to “bed.” To my surprise, Grace’s water dish contained no water! I filled her dish. She drank about half a bowl. Perhaps all of the bowl licking a few hours earlier was Grace seeking water and not food. I felt bad that she was thirsty due to my oversight.
Tuesday
I awoke at 5:45 and remembered my watch alarm would ring at 6:30, so I got up and took care of the watch. When I returned to bed, I could hear Grace chewing on her deer antler. About ten minutes later, she started to whimper. I got up and took her outside. To my surprise, she did not relieve herself. Especially considering all of the water she drank right before bed, I had expected some urgency. Instead she allowed distractions to capture her attention. Perhaps it was the train releasing air that happens about the same time each morning. After sniffing around for a couple of minutes, she turned and started up the stairs.I directed her back to the grass. She then relieved her bladder.
When we returned, Betsy greeted her and gave Grace her morning loving. Grace then went out to the balcony. She came in about 6:30 and wanted something. I figured out she wanted to play tug. We did that for about ten minutes. At 7:00, she sat at the door, wanting to go outside. Normally, when we go outside first thing in the morning she also relieves her bowels. This time she did not, necessitating this extra trip. After cleanup and a trip to the waste station, Grace proceeded to explore mode. She met Rhino and tried to play. He was at first afraid and then unwilling to play, despite Graces many advances and assurances to him.
Ticking Time Bomb
Betsy had told me that while I was away last week she and Grace met a new little puppy. We saw it yesterday, but this morning, I met him. His name is Baxter. He’s a nine-week-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. As Betsy observed, Grace discerned the dog was a puppy and made motherly moves toward it. This reminded me that the vet said Grace will have her first heat at around six months. Because of Grace’s particular development, he had recommended that she not be spade until after the first heat—otherwise she could be at risk for bladder infections the rest of her life. With dogs everywhere here, it feels like a ticking time bomb waiting for this big event. If we’re still here, when it happens, I’m expecting a very challenging three weeks.
Given, Grace’s nature, beauty, and quality, I think it might be nice to breed her once if we had a worthy Borador sire available. I’m sure she’d love mothering a litter and her puppies would make ideal pets for people who have the time and space for an active dog. While we’re not interested in getting into breeding, we would entertain the idea of mating her once at her second heat and giving her puppies to worthy candidates. If you have or know of a potential sire, please contact me. Also, please do not bother preaching to us about the shelters being full. We’re talking about quality dogs. We tried the shelters first. The dogs in shelters cannot hold a candle to Grace.
Off
We returned home a little before 8:00. I fed her (one cup). She went out on the balcony for a short while, and then returned to her sofa. At 9:30, I took her out briefly. She greeted Bella and did more sniffing. I’m able to guide her direction fairly well now. I let her know the direction for heading home, and she followed. I quickly readied myself for voting. Grace smelled the treats. She started to climb to get them. I told her “Off,” and she complied. When I finished up getting ready, I called her to her cage with “Bed,” gave her a treat, and locked her up. I left the house at 10:00.
Little Monster
At 10:30, I returned to pick her up. I wanted to take her with me on my visit to see Mom at Sunrise Assisted Living. Their little monster named Pepper attacked Grace last week and scarred her nose. I’ve seen Grace interact with Pepper before. Grace makes all of the right moves to say she is no threat and Pepper just snarls. I wanted to make sure Grace did not fear Pepper and Pepper didn’t try any more of her violent behavior on her. I put on Grace’s harness rather than her collar to maximize my control over her.
I took the car to save time. Grace approached the building without any problem. Once we entered the building though, Grace put on the breaks. Pepper sat there ready to greet her. I gave Pepper a look that I meant business and encouraged Grace to come—keeping my body between me and Pepper. The receptionist grabbed Pepper. Pepper did not dare try anything. I signed in, and we were on our way. As usual, Grace, though nervous, navigated the elevator with ease.
Pepper does not have free access to the third floor, but Grace does not know that (other than perhaps via scent). Grace greeted Mom with her usual exuberance and kisses, but remained troubled throughout the visit. At various times during the visit, Grace would jump up to lick Mom on the face. One time Grace pawed Mom’s arm. The action created a scratch that ended up in a wound. Grace’s nails are actually fairly dull, but Mom’s skin is paper thin. We had a nursing aid repair the wound and finished our visit.
When we reached the first floor lobby, we again encountered Pepper. This time Pepper stood her ground and Grace required a bit less tugging to move to the entrance. Hopefully, a few more days of this and Grace’s fears will be allayed and Pepper will know not to mess with me or Grace.
We returned home a little before noon. After Grace sniffed around her yard for a short while we went up to the apartment. It was almost noon, so I fed her lunch (one cup). I turned on the Dremel before filing her dish and turned it off after I gave her her food. The noise is frightening to her, so I’m trying to associate it with something pleasant. After lunch, I needed to take a letter to the mailbox. I considered locking Grace in her cage but decided instead to take her with me. The trip went very smoothly. She started out the direction that I needed to go. I directed her to the mailbox area and mailed the letter. I then directed her back to the apartment. She would have preferred to stay outside, but she came with little opposition.
Stretch Cunningham
After we returned, Grace proceeded to her sofa for a nice afternoon nap. I mentioned to Betsy, she really likes to stretch out on the sofa. Perhaps the stretching helps her to grow. It seems to.
At 3:15, suddenly wanted me to take her outside. She needed it too. We made one waste deposit, and then five minutes later she had a very loose stool. We made it back at 4:00. I told Grace to go into her cage. She went in. I then noticed her water bowl could use a bit of refilling. I fetched the pitcher and opened the cage door. Grace immediately came out. After I finished pouring. I told her to get back in—which she did. I locked her in, said good-bye, and went out for my thirty-minute run. When I returned, I let her out.
Grace seemed to need activity. I played fetch with her. With Grace, the game of fetch means fetch and tug. After we did that for a while, I started telling her to “drop it.” She did it after a few tries. By 4:55, she let me know it was time for supper. I gave her supper (two-thirds cup). Grace inhaled the food and came back for more. I gave her some tricks to do and rewarded her with more food.
Minor Setback
At 5:15, to my shock, Grace squatted down in front of me and the balcony door. She gave me no warning other than being agitated. I immediately stopped her and took her outside. I will count this as her first “accident” in weeks although I could locate only a few drops. When she went outside, she relieved herself, but showed no indication of urgency or a full bladder. I really cannot explain this and thought we were past this stage. It’s disappointing, but we’ll have to press on.
Bully Treat
Betsy had done a lot of research and found some “bully sticks” to be the ultimate chew treat. Grace took an interest in them immediately and stayed occupied with one until it was time to go to puppy class.
Big Puppy Class
We left at 6:22. When we arrived, the class had already started. Grace seemed very excited seeing all of those new dogs, and Betsy was determined not to follow the instructions of the teacher. Betsy also lacked ability (or will) to get Grace’s full attention. I ended up taking Grace through a series of commands in a path around the room. Betsy did the “stay” and come exercise with her.
During play time, Grace was thrilled. Betsy and some of the clueless pet owners did not understand Grace’s play. They convinced her that Grace might kill their precious little dog. Keep in mind there was not one yelp from any dog while it was interacting with Grace. Grace starts with showing her belly, yet some pet owners said that Grace was making dominant moves that forced a pack of dogs to subdue her. Grace likes to run and wrestle. Dogs use their mouths to grab one another as we use our hands. The ignorance you witness in these settings is distressing.
The trainer had some small stuffed toys. Grace grabbed one and started running, trying to encourage some other dogs to chase her. She had some success, but not as much as she would have had with dogs who know how to play and enjoy doing it. Then Grace grabbed a toy designed for tugging. One dog joined her in that game. Despite the lack of dog-play intelligence, Grace enjoyed the playtime immensely and got a lot of exercise from it.
When we returned home at 7:30, Grace lay down on her sofa and napped. At 9:30, I took her out to relieve herself. We returned at 9:45. Grace got back up on the sofa while I prepared myself for bed. At 10:00, I pulled Grace off of the sofa and directed her to her cage. She complied and I locked her in her cage.
Wednesday
Grace started chewing on her antler at about 6:15. Betsy got up at 6:20 and took Grace out. They returned fifteen minutes later. Betsy gave her the bully stick which captivated Grace’s attention. At 7:00, Betsy took the bully stick from her, put it on the balcony, loaded the Kong toy, and gave it to Grace. That worked for about two minutes. Grace acted agitated. I opened the balcony door and invited her out. She promptly snatched her bully stick and brought it back inside.
Betsy fed Grace at 7:15. That took the edge off the need for bully stick. After inhaling her breakfast, Grace acted like she wanted to play. I played fetch and tug with her for about ten minutes. I also practiced “drop it,” but she didn’t do nearly as well with that as the previous day we tried. Grace looks at me and whines when she’s bored. At 7:35, I tried the balcony again. This time, she went. I quickly pulled the bully stick and put it up without her notice. She curled up on the lounge chair—perched to watch the action below.
At 7:53, Grace put her paw on the window. She wanted back inside. I let her in. She immediately came in and jumped up on her sofa. At 9:20, Grace got up. She found a paper towel I had used to clean my keyboard and promptly shredded it. I opened the door to the balcony and she went out. It’s about 40 degrees out, and after about five minutes Grace, asked to come in. I offered her a rawhide chip and her bone. She opted for her sock. Then abandoned her sock in favor of the bone.
By 9:45, it was clear that Grace needed to go outside. Betsy had ordered another harness. This one has the connection to the leash at the chest, rather than at the shoulder. It came in the mail yesterday with the bully sticks. She asked me to try it. After some difficulty, I figured it out, and we proceeded outside. As winter approaches, every foray outside requires more messing around. Now I need a heavy coat and a warm hat.
Grace explored, covering the grounds. At one point she found something that really seemed to interest her. I told her to drop it, but she held firm. I was concerned that it was a piece of concrete. Instead it looked like a safe bone. That consumed her interest until she consumed it. When we returned at about 10:40, Grace drank some water. She went out on the balcony while I refilled the dish, but by the time I had finished, she wanted back in. Perhaps she expected more food, but at 11:00, I thought it too early. To satisfy Grace’s obvious need to chew, I gave her the bully stick.
The chew-fest proceeded until 11:35. Grace had enough of bully for the moment. I opened the door to the patio. She went out. I shut the door. She immediately asked to come in. I resolved not to feed her until noon. I offered her bully, but she declined. Sunshine now streamed though the balcony door window panes. She went back to the balcony door. I let her out. This time, she stayed out.
Play Time
I held her off for lunch for fifteen minutes by playing “sock tug and fetch” with her. I noticed some blood stains on the sock, indicating that she lost a baby tooth. At noon I turned on the Dremel, cleaned her food bowl, fed her, turned off the Dremel, and locked her in her cage. When I started my run, Kevin asked where Grace was. I told him she was at home, but I would get her. I went back upstairs, unlocked Grace and took her downstairs. At 12:10, Grace spotted Dakota. I unsnapped her leash, and she was off to the races. They went at it for twenty-five minutes before Kevin had to call it quits.
I brought Grace back home and put her back in her cage—leaving a second time for my run. I returned at 1:05 and unlocked Grace’s cage. She just lay there until 1:35. Then she went out on the balcony. At 2:00, she came back in and returned to the sofa where she conked out. By 3:45, she was getting bored. I took her outside for a fifteen-minute walk. When she returned, I tried to get her to go to the balcony, but that didn’t last long. I finally relented and fed her (two-thirds cup) at 4:15. She wanted more, so I went through her commands, rewarding her with more food.
Grace then went out on the balcony for about 20 minutes. She spotted Luna (the Chihuahua below us). I quickly put in her harness and took her down to meet the little dog and brought Grace back. She started eating her harness, so I removed it. She then joined me on the sofa. At 5:10, we went down to meet Dakota. On the way we saw Fraggle and played with her. Then Dakota came by and joined in. At about 5:30, Fraggle went in and Grace and Dakota went at it. That continued until about 5:55 when we headed back home.
We went out at 6:40 and locked Grace in her cage. When we returned at 8:30, Grace was asleep. I opened her cage door and a few minutes later she awoke and came out. She went to the door, so I took her out. We spotted Sammie and asked if we could play. Sammie’s owner wanted to exercise her, so he loved to have Grace there to inspire some running around. They played for about twenty minutes. About five minutes later, I took Grace back to the apartment. She jumped back on her sofa and relaxed, while we prepared for bed.
She had settled in on the sofa by 9:30. The lights were out, and Grace had found her spot for the night. I tried commands to get her to come, but she wouldn’t budge. I pulled her off one end of the sofa, she circled around the ottoman, and got back up on the other end. I pulled her back down and pointed her to her cage. She finally complied.
Progress and Setback
We practiced “heel” for the first time with Sammie. Grace did great. On the troublesome side, I noticed today that sometimes she ignored my commands. The problem occurred when she was either playing with other dogs or running after people with groceries.
Thursday
Grace got up at 6:25. Betsy let her out and gave her a loving morning greeting. I took her out. She played first with Rumba, then with Fraggle, and finally with Dakota, giving her about 45 minutes of morning play time. We returned at 7:15. She tried the balcony for a few minutes but finally settled in for a nap on the sofa. At 8:50, she got up and lay in the sun by the patio door. As she stretched out, I rubbed her tummy. She’s getting a little more interested in tummy rubs but has not yet caught the fever.
I let her out on the patio, where she stayed for about five minutes, before asking to come in to get a drink. Then she asked to go back out. While it’s sunny and calm, it’s also just 38 degrees. With her short-hair coat I’ve been wondering at what temperature she will start shivering. I haven’t seen it yet.
At 9:10, Grace came in very insistent. I took her out. We did lots of exploring. I started working on “come” when she gets distracted. We returned at 10:00. I let her out on the balcony. She had made herself comfortable out on the lounge chair. I felt really bad, but I had to lock her in her cage. I opened the door and told her to come inside. She obeyed. When I motioned for her to go in her cage, she turned and went outside again. Then she tried to run the other way inside. Finally, she gave up, and I locked her inside, leaving around 10:15.
Boyfriend
At 11:50, I returned and fed her (one cup). At 12:10, we headed down to meet Dakota. Grace said “Hi” to him through the rails of his patio. His owner said he would meet us out back. They played a lot of “tug” with the rope toy but also did some chasing and wrestling. The session, though spirited, was not as robust as the two they had yesterday. We left Dakota around 1:00 and returned upstairs at 1:10. The inviting, warm sunshine, and pleasant breeze made it hard for Grace to leave as she relished the feeling of rolling in the freshly mowed turf. I had things to do though, so I enticed her with treats.
She came in and parked herself on the cool bathroom floor until about 1:45. After a brief move to the dining room carpet, she passed out on her sofa. By 3:00, she was ready for more action. I opened the door to the balcony, which brought the warm breezes inside. That didn’t do it for Grace. She started that whining and chopping of her jaws. I wish I understood the meaning of that better.
The trash needed taken out, and the mail should be ready, so I took her at 3:15. After we emptied the trash, Grace wanted to just plop down in the shady grass. I had to work with her to get her going again. On the way to the mailbox, we met Bella. They said “Hi,” and then we moved on to get the mail. The mail was more than an armful and Grace was in no mood to come. I started to wonder whether I should have left Grace home. Eventually, we made it back up at 3:45.
Evening Rendezvous
I opened the balcony door. Grace took her sock and walked out on her own. After a few minutes she started barking. Since the only activity was from the neighbor children on the balcony below ours, I have to assume that most be the reason. She then brought in one of her prized sticks and commenced chewing. At 5:05, we headed out to meet with Dakota. At 5:15. we connected and started playing. They had a good time wrestling, rough-housing, and chasing each other. At 6:45, we had to stop. Grace reluctantly came in, lured by treats.
I left for an hour. When I returned, I heard a bark that sounded like Grace’s but could not see her. Betsy said she was out on the balcony and spotted me either parking or coming up the walk. When I came in, she was there at the door to greet me. We ate, while Grace worked on her bully stick. After about thirty minutes, Betsy put the bully stick up. Grace moved to the sofa.
At 9:00, it was time for Grace’s last trip out. We finished after about fifteen minutes. She did a great “stay” as I went to the waste station to get a bag, did the clean-up, deposited the waste, and returned to her. She also came back inside well. Betsy put her in her cage and locked the door. Grace didn’t want to go, but she went anyway.
Friday
Grace told us it’s time to start our day at 6:39. Betsy got up and gave her affection. At 6:50, I took her out. Unlike the bonanza yesterday, we found no playmates or even dogs this time. We returned at 7:00. I’m noticing in general her stools are most formed and normal first thing in the morning. Later in the day, they typically come out formed, but less so. This may be either from the extra processing time the intestines have to remove moisture, or less grass and other junk going into her gut at the end of the day.
She made the silent bark, which indicated to me she wanted her breakfast. Betsy fed her (one cup) at 7:10. After breakfast, she curled up on her sofa for a little nap. At 8:05, Grace finished her nap and busied herself on the floor with her toys. At 8:10, despite the 37 degree temperature, Grace asked to go out on the balcony and proceeded out. At 8:15, after looking over the landscape below, Grace put her paw on the door glass pane to indicate she wanted back in. I opened the door, and she brought her favorite piece of wood inside for some serious chewing.
At 8:25, Grace went back to the balcony for a minute and came back in. She seemed antsy—not knowing what to do with herself. I consoled and petted her, but it didn’t help much. I tried sitting on her sofa with her, but she jumped off and returned to favorite wooden chewing stick. At 8:38, she heard some noises. That prompted her to go back out on the balcony. A minute later she returned to her chewing stick inside. That didn’t satisfy. She came up on the sofa and wanted to bite or scratch me. I told her no. She moved to the ottoman. She returned to the sofa and calmed down a bit, taking a permitted towel to satisfy her chewing need.
Shredding
A junk phone call at 9:14 disturbed her nap. She got up and asked to go to the balcony. That lasted until 9:22, when she again asked to come in. She continued here agitated demeanor and started chewing on her wood again. At 9:24, she took the wood to the door. I put it on the balcony and let her out again. At 9:30, she was ready to come in. I played sock with her for ten minutes. Then she found a business card to shred.
People on-line seem concerned as to whether or not Borador puppies are nippy. My judgment is that nippy is the wrong word. They are very mouthy. They must chew, chew, chew. After she finished with the business card, at 9:40 I gave her a small shipping box to shred. That worked until 10:00. Then Grace insisted upon going outside. Out we went, exploring for about an hour. By 11:00, we returned back home so I could go running. At 11:15, I ordered Grace to “bed.” She did not go. Instead she went farther away. Then I said “come” and she came and proceeded into her cage. I locked the door and went running.
When I returned at 11:45, Grace lay patiently waiting for me. I opened the door and she returned to her sofa. I got the feeling that she was trying to tell me it would have been fine just to leave her on the sofa while I went running. At 12:07, Dakota’s owner called to let us know he was ready to play. we met for thirty minutes. The play lacked energy but increased in passion. As we returned, we spotted Luna running in the court yard. I asked Luna’s owner if it was okay for Grace to play with her and she said, “Yes.” Grace proceeded to play tag with Luna for about five minutes.
After we returned, Grace tried the sofa for about 30 minutes, but then retreated to the bathroom floor behind the door where it is the darkest. I suppose if she could have gotten under the bed she would have gone there. Anyway, she’s conked out there—recharging her energy stores. I try to turn on the dishwasher at this time to add white noise and further incentive for Grace to drop off into a nap.
By 2:20, nap time was over. She went to the balcony for ten minutes. Despite the 63 degree temperature and full sunshine, Grace wanted back inside at 2:30. I reminded her of the box project that she had not completed. She proceeded back to work on it. As her interest waned, I opened the patio door. Somehow, that increased her interest in the box-shredding project.
More Playtime
By 3:00, the call of the wild beckoned. I figured we could pick up the mail on the way, so off we went. After attending to Grace’s elimination needs, we got the mail and moved on to the vacant lot on the corner. I saw a young man playing with the long-haired medium sized dog with the bad teeth. Finally, Grace spotted him and very slowly approached. She would sit and watch, move closer and repeat. Finally, she made her move, did her usual belly-up posture telling the other dog she is no threat, and promptly stole the stick. They had a chance to play chase for about five minutes before they gave up on that game. After rolling around in the dirt, Grace decided to move on.
We returned at 3:45. Grace didn’t bother to jump on the sofa this time. Instead, she simply sprawled out on the living room floor and conked out again. By 4:30 she had recovered and proceeded to work on her cardboard box again, but five minutes later, she reminded me to feed her supper. I gave her three fourths of a cup, but that didn’t fly. I worked on commands with her for some more food. The new trick we tried was “tummy.” I do not think she understands that one yet. She’s improving with “heel.” At 4:50, she went to the door and started whining. I told her to stop.
Friday Night Date
We left for Grace’s Friday night date with Dakota. On the way Grace stopped and played with Jack. When I spotted Dakota, I told Jack’s owner Grace had a date and had to go. Grace and Dakota played until 6:00. For part of that time Sammie came with his tennis ball—making it a threesome. Grace had gotten plenty of exercise for the day. I expected her to pass out, but instead she went out on the balcony lounge chair to watch the action below. At about 7:10, she finally curled up in a ball for another nap.
At 7:35, Grace asked to come inside and moved directly to her sofa. At 9:15, I took Grace out. We returned at 9:30, and I put her to bed.
Saturday
At 6:30, Grace let us know it’s time to get up. Betsy took her outside. When they returned at 6:50, Betsy fed her (one cup). Betsy mentioned after being away at work each day for a week, how Grace had grown and how she matured in her actions. I weighed Grace. Her weight remained unchanged at 31 pounds. That surprised us, but it may relate to the amount of exercise that she got this week.
Extended Play
Betsy gave Grace her bully stick, but Grace settled in to chew on one of her treasured thick sticks and continue shredding the cardboard box from yesterday. At 10:15, Grace could wait no longer. We went out. Grace explored in the woods and in the mud. Then, she got the mud off by wading in the water. We made a second pass looking for friends and found Fraggle. They played for an hour. We returned at 12:10. I fed her (one cup), and the tired young dog passed out.
At 2:00, I locked Grace in her cage in order to go running. On the way down, I met Jack and Bella. They wanted to play, so I went back upstairs, got Grace out of her cage and took her down. They had a nice time playing in the courtyard. We returned at 3:00, I locked Grace back in her cage, and went running. When I returned, Grace was there waiting patiently. I unlocked her and let her out on the balcony. She barked at about 4:10, and I let her in. By 4:20, I realized she wanted supper. I fed her (two-thirds of a cup). As usual, that was not enough.
Today, she did “heel” much better. It was pretty impressive actually. We went through all of her tricks. The new one is “tummy.” She does not understand that one yet. At 4:40, Grace wanted out again. I relented and took her out since the mail when I tried earlier still had not been delivered. We explored for a while. Then we met Jack again. The mail still had not been delivered. Grace and Jack played for about ten minutes.
Rub A Dub
We came in at about 5:10. Grace collapsed and fell asleep on the floor until 6:00. When she awoke we told her it was time for “bath.” She would not come into the bathroom, so Betsy carried her in and put her into the tub. Grace was agreeable, especially since we fed her a stream of treats through the process. When she finished, I watched for her to roll. When she did, I told her “good roll” and gave her a treat. After a few minutes, she asked to go out on the balcony. The 57 degree air temperature apparently was warm enough for her.
At 6:30, Grace asked to come in. I opened the door. She barked. Perhaps she did not like the dishwasher running. I told her “quiet.” She jumped up on her sofa and curled up in a ball. She’s getting more trustworthy. We can leave her on the sofa for twenty minutes with us being in other rooms and Grace does not get in trouble. Typically, she remains right there.
At 7:50, Betsy took Grace out. She complained that I messed up the Easy Walk harness. While I used it, I did not adjust it. Perhaps it’s adjusted incorrectly, but she walked out of it twice today. They returned at 7:55. Betsy complained that I messed up the harness. I didn’t. Betsy gave Grace a bully stick. She proceeded to give it her fully attention until bed time.
At 9:00, Betsy spotted Grace squatting. She caught her immediately, and I took her out. This near accident is the second breach in house training this week. When I returned, I lured her to her cage with a treat. She went happily. I locked her in her cage for the night.