One Full Week and All's Well...

I just realized I haven't d'blogged (blogged about my dog) since Wednesday. That's a record for me.

Sadly, I also don't have any new pictures of my Ms. Zada...but maybe in the next couple of days I'll get some more. I don't really have a very good backdrop in my yard - since the snow's all dirty and trampled from where her zip-line is. That's where black & white images are nice - they hide some of that :)

She's doing well, settling into a routine more and more. She's MUCH better on the leash/Halti now, only pulls when we're in a new place or if she sees another dog. Today, we met several dogs - on the parkway and one in a park - and she has improved SO MUCH since I got her. She was "aggressive" towards the last 2 dogs we met, i.e., she was growling at them, but I was letting her know that wasn't acceptable. Plus, she'd never met 2 dogs at once before...at least, not with me, so I understand why she was nervous.

Oh, and she knows a command! "Sit." I didn't make her do it; just when she comes into the mudroom from outside, I don't unclip the cord from her collar until she sits down. So, I started saying "sit" every time she was already on her way down...then I'd scratch under her collar (she LOVES this) 'til I could get the clasp undone. 2 birds with one stone - she's calm while I'm unclipping her and she gets rewarded for having done something that I asked of her. Bingo.

I now ask her to sit before I put her food down, too - that'll keep her from rushing in while I'm bending over and jumping or whatnot...also makes her calm down before she eats. Let me tell you, she definitely doesn't mind working for food!

Right now, she's chilling outside on her cord while I'm in here typing away...sometimes she wants to go out and just hang out...sometimes not, but I check on her every 10 minutes and mostly she just lays on the steps and watches what's going on. She's pretty calm for a 4-month-old.

Also, she's very good with chewing on "approved" chew toys. Mostly. Sometimes it's hard for her to understand that not only am I off-limits, but my accoutrements are, as well :) She especially enjoys snuggling up to me on the floor and then oops, all of a sudden my moccasin shoelace is miraculously in her mouth...huh. She also tried chewing on my toilet lid the other day. I mean, I told her "no" but geez, I'd rather have her try that than my kitchen table/chairs/sofa/computer cords/clothes, etc.

My computer has become a very expensive radio. See, the PC is in my spare room/den/"office" and that's "her room" as well. Where she came from, there was a radio playing (country music, of COURSE) all day/night so since I listen to music while typing/surfing I just decided to leave it on for her. Wow. Maybe I'm humanizing her, but c'mon, I like to listen to music, and it can't hurt...

One more thing before I sign off...I haven't seen much of Parker since I got this pup. He's been busy, and so have I...but the kicker was yesterday on my way home from work when I was talking to him on the phone and he was mentioning that it seems like I'm busy with this puppy all the time...then he says, "It's like I'm dating a single mom."

All I could do was laugh and agree :)