The Fair

Being relatively new around here, we really wanted to check out the fair.  I debated weather or not to take Dante, and after talking it over with my mom decided to.  I mean, you get in for free until 2pm, so if Dante needs to leave in 5 minutes, you're not out anything.  And really, if they let you in for free how many people can there really be?  Yeah, we were right.  It was pretty small - so not like NC's.  I told my mom as we were leaving, "If we didn't bring Dante, this would not have been worth coming to."  Apparently, there is another Fair that is much bigger and nicer that was a month or two ago.  But I digress.

It was perfect for Dante.  Just enough with the new sights and smells, but hardly any people to over-stimulate him.

 

But anyways, human-standard dinkyness (is that a word?) can still be a lot to take in for a puppy.  But Dante did really well.  We stopped every little bit to sit and let him take it in, and practice commands on different surfaces. 

First day without the boot! After 3 months! And I can start walking him again! Can you tell I'm happy?

 We only stayed about 45 minutes, and it was just enough to expose Dante, but short enough not to "lose" him and to end on a good note.  

See, really no people.  At least we know that this will be perfect for all of my future pups!

If Dante behaved as well at home as he does in public, he'd be set!  ;-)  But in all seriousness, I am so thankful that this pup handles his outings fantastically!

Wordless Wednesdays: Friends?

The crate.  Before Dante came my mom and I spent a lot of time trying to find one that would work.  the one that we ended up with is nice and sturdy and has a door on three sides or it.  Yeah, it sounds like a good idea - you don't have to worry about where you put it and where it will fit as much because it can be accessed from the short or long sides.  Typically, we only use the door on the short side (right of this photo).  

The other day, I was working with Dante on his "kennel" command and using all sides of it.  I must not have latched the doors, but just let them swing shut.  Well, later that day another member of my family put Dante in his kennel, latched his normal door and shut my bedroom door.  You probably figured out what happened, right?  Yeah.  This has happened once before, but my bedroom door was not shut, so Dante came running out three minutes later.  Not this time.  He was in there for an hour-and-a-half.  By himself.  Unsupervised.  Thankfully there wasn't much that he could get into unless he jumped on the bed, and nothing was out of place (even the trash was untouched).  He was just laying in the middle of the floor asleep when we found him.  Moral of the story: don't buy a crate with so many doors unless you are SURE all but one will be inaccessible.  But still, even though we hit a rough spot in his behavior, there still are days that I have faith that he'll make it in this service dog gig!

9 Months!

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months.  Yup, that pretty much sums him up :-)

Happy nine months Dante!

Success!

 Over the last couple weeks (or months), Dante started having trouble with the "jump" command.  If he decided to attempt to "jump" at all, he would always "army crawl" and wait to lift his back legs until the last possible minute.  A few days ago I decided to give him a running start to jump into the car and viola!  he did it perfectly.  So, over the last couple days every time I told him "car" I would allow him to start a few steps away.  

Today we were out and I saw this flower bed and thought we'd give his new technique a try.  He "jumped" perfectly the first time I asked without me having to be over excited and encouraging.  He even "sat" and did a "let's go" walking on it!  *Throws Dante a puppy party*  And this is the narrowest surface I have ever asked him to "jump" on!  Yay for little big successes! :-)

Sunshine and Roses

I wish I could start this post by saying that I have been insanely busy and just do not ever have time to blog, but that's not entirely true.  I have been busy, but most of it is chalked up to just not feeling like writing.  I guess it's about time I get over it and start again.  I don't want to write because I "have to," I want to do it because I want to, and I just haven't felt like it lately.  But anyways.

I will spare you all of the "catching up" that I could do, and just start from now.  

I don't know how to put it delicately, but Dante has pretty much been a pain in the neck lately.  I know it's just his age, but man does this pup have an attitude!  I do love Dante, but right now he's pretty hard to like. He has spent a considerable amount of time in his crate lately.  And I am thankful for my awesome mother who has taken him for me more than once so I could get a break from him.  I think it's one of those times when you're like "if I could just get a couple days away from you, I'd like you a heck of a lot better when you get back!" 

I don't want to make this blog a place for venting or complaining, but puppy raising is not all sunshine and roses.  And it's the truth so I don't want to keep it out either.  

The one thing that I have noticed is that it is only at home that he is so bad.  He has great manners almost all the time when out in public, but when we get home he heads South.  I think it is maybe because he does not have the same level of expectation for behavior at home then when out.  No, I don't let him get away with stealing things and being a maniac, but he usually is loose and free to do pretty much what he wants: play with toys, sleep, etc.  But he's not "controlled" by me.  Or at least he doesn't think so.  So he will get really sassy and think he doesn't have to listen to what I (or anyone in the house) tells him to do.  Today he spent a good part of the day on-leash (gentle leader and  all).  he was a little better, but man, does he put up a fight when he's not in the mood to listen.  

Patience, patience, Hannah.  This too shall pass. . .

Wordless Wednesdays: Randomness

I have the best life EVER!

B&N

Then ONLY way he plays with the Frisbee

NOT funny.

I know you have ice.  I heard it. Look how good I'm being!

Homemade treats. THIS is how I got him to bring socks to me

He found a stray pillow.  Spoiled rotten?  No, just loved ;-)

Unimpressed at the indoor pool

Being perfect out to eat

Photo Shoot!

I have been wanting to get some pictures with my moms really nice Nikon camera, because I haven't gotten any of Dante with it yet.  So, a few weeks ago we had a mini photo shoot.  I am by no means a photographer, but some of these came out better than any I have thus far. So, here are my favorites . . .

. . . And then here are the more - ummm - typical Dante shots:

Forever my little goof.  But I must say that I love these just as much because they do show his personality.  And this is just the way I love him!