Thoughts from a First-Timer

It's amazing what you learn about people with a puppy by your side.  Most people are really nice and have good questions about the "seeing eye puppy," (surprisingly, I've only gotten that a few times) and I gladly tell them about service dogs and CCI!

But there are some people I will never understand.  I have met people, who, when I tell them Dante has to sit before being petted, start yelling "Sit, sit, sit!"  Thanks for your concern, but I am quite capable of getting my dog to sit.  I try to be a good ambassador of myself and CCI, but we have rules that pet dogs don't have to follow.  If he is having a hard time focusing, and is jumping up, he can't meet people.  Most understand, but some look at me like I just insulted them.  Don't get me wrong, I love to talk to people and let them meet Dante, but in the end, he is here to work for me.

We haven't been inside any public places, but even just walking, or in parking lots, etc., we get stares and surprised looks.  That doesn't bother me at all.  But I don't know if I'll ever get used to some of the comments.  Like the lady who drove by us: Yes, I know how cute my puppy is without you yelling it out your window as you drive by!  She didn't even sound sweet, like really yelling.  Or the grown man who was making kissing noises at him.  Really!?!?!?  What am I supposed to say to that?? 

Dante doing a great "sit" - and staying - in the Walmart parking lot.  (This 

is also his "goofy sit" with both legs off to one side)

My favorite comment I have heard thus far, wasn't even directed at me, it was just said by a passerby-er: "Look, ______, it's a super dog!"  Yes, Dante, you're going to be a super dog alright! 

Monday Ramlings

Jack is starting to accept tolerate Dante and will even get withing a foot or so, of him when he's eating (and distracted).

Progress is the word of the week! They'll be snuggled up together in no time...maybe!

Some of the not-so-fun moments this weekend included an entire day (like all stinking day) of torrential downpours, and standing for two-and-a-half hours in it (yeah, we still can't find any of our umbrellas), trying to get Dante to go #2.  Poor baby had to go so bad, but just couldn't in the rain.  I couldn't bring him in because I knew he couldn't hold it any longer.  We were both shivering, soaking wet (come to find out my "water-proof" jacket isn't so water proof), and Dante was covered in mud by the time we came in.  He got a bath and we were both so exhausted by the end of the day. 

Back to more positive things: I love looking down on this face when I cradle Dante:

He is getting so big.  Sigh, he's as long as my legs already.

No, it's not 75 degrees anymore, the warm weather only 

lasted two days.  I guess that's TN for you... 

This little guy can fall asleep in the most uncomfortable positions:

I know it's really blurry, but I finally got a picture of him "smiling"

REALLY????

Is it really possible that he can get this big in only three short weeks!?!?

 

I swear this cape is going to be a bandana by the time he's five months!

Any resemblance?

Around Town

 I have been trying to get Dante out to new places about every other day, so when my mom and sister said they were going to take her senior pictures, Dante and I decided to tag along.

We live in a really cute town, and this was the perfect opportunity for us to see it better and for Dante to explore as well.

They started at the library.  Since Dante is too young to take inside, we walked around some, but mostly just watched the world go by.

I loved the benches outside because Dante could lay under them and I could still see what he was licking doing.

 After the library, we headed into the historic part of town.  Dante got to practice his stairs, and I was amazed, yet again, that he went up and down open-backed stairs AND the very steep steps of an old train!

We got to hang out on the porch of an old log cabin:

Dante also got to experience the train up-close:

Of course he had to crash some pictures too! 

We were out for about an hour-and-a-half.  It was the longest I have ever taken Dante out, and to say he was tired is an understatement!   He was out cold within a few minutes of getting home.  "A tired puppy is a good puppy" - Mission accomplished! ;)

Wordless Wednesdays: Dante Vs. The Girl Scouts

Dante won

The Gentle Leader

In this post I mentioned how much Dante hates his gentle leader.  Well.  On Saturday afternoon, Dante and I had just come in from playing in the yard, he was pretty worked up, and I was trying to get him to "Hurry" before I crated him.   I put him in his X-pen in the living room and went to the kitchen to a get a cup of water.  I came back about 3/4 of a minute later and Dante had pawed off his gentle leader and was chewing on the nose strap.  Now, I have been leaving it on him all the time except when he is crated so that he would get used to it, and he hadn't tried to get it off in a couple days.  When I took it out of his mouth he had chewed all the way through it.

I couldn't put it back on him that way, and it is the only small one I have, so I just took the rest of it off.  I wish I didn't have to, because he was sooooo proud of himself for getting it off, and to top that, I took it off for him!  He went ballistic.  he was running around in circles and growling.  needless to say, Dante took some much needed crate time for the next hour-and-a-half.

I then had to drag out all my (mom's) sewing stuff and try to fix the thing in a "I-don't-care-how-this-thing-looks-because-it's-not-going-on-my-face" kind of mood.

 Dante is one lucky dog that I didn't have to use some hot pink thread, and found the exact color I needed. 

It really didn't turn out that bad, and you can hardly notice it.  I just wonder what CCI is going to think when I send it back.  ;)

(not a very good picture, but you get the idea)

Walking

When I take Dante for walks, I never know what to expect from him.  Sometimes he'll walk great, and sometimes he won't even leave our driveway for anything: praise, treats, toys; nothing.  Most of the time he will walk towards our house, but not away.  Other times we'll get down half our street, and he will refuse to budge in any direction. 

He has to stop to play in the leaves...

to check out the drains...

to lay down...

to watch the birds...

to try to paw off his gentle leader...

but 99% of the time, just for the sake of not wanting to go any further.

I have been watching him to see if he's afraid of anything, but he doesn't act like there's anything the matter.  He just doesn't want to move!

After taking him to a few places to walk, he does great in different settings, but he won't even come out of the driveway at home.

We have been playing a lot of "follow me," but as soon as we step on the sidewalk, he stops dead.  I was at a loss of what to do with him.  But today I was determined to take him on a walk.  I took Dante on the his 15 ft. leash (and Becca for back-up), and we started calling his name really excitedly, we had his favorite squeaky toy, and started jogging (and squeaking ferociously) down the sidewalk.  I'm sure the whole neighborhood thought we were maniacs, but he finally followed us!  We ran all the way down our street and then turned around, and he walked with us all the way back!

Now to see if he can do it tomorrow...