She's a week shy of 8 months old and still leash bound. She's still pooping in the house if we aren't careful (a result of a lack of freedom outside). 15 feet of black woven cotton tether her to me every time she goes outside. Unless, of course, she happens to escape and makes a bee line for the fence that is supposed to keep her separate from the cow and the horse. I've been talking to the old hooved girls and asking if they wouldn't mind helping me out a bit. "Just a quick kick to scare her home, please? Don't break anything...knock a tooth out if you must...but just please help me keep her wanting to stay home." They are too busy being annoyed and presenting pup with the broad view of their south ends. As if that will make her go away.
Inspite of class after class and even having a private trainer come out to the house, she's determined to create bad work. She needs to work. I have TONS I want to do with her to satiate her desire, her high-intesity NEED to have a job. But I am limited in that until we can get over a few hurdles.
It's almost embarassing. I think of myself as "not one of those people who let's their dog get away with anything" and so to have a dog that does what she does is challenging. We have the trainer coming out again soon. She's going to guide us in the responsible, effective use of a remote citronella collar. She is confident that it will work wonders and i am hopeful that she is right.
I've grown to love this dog so much. She has the brightest eyes of all! She knows exactly which garden beds are a no-paw zone and she loves to sit next to me - within the confines of the fenced in garden - and pick strawberries with her dainty little snout. She's fascinated with the bucket that i keep my vine clips in that hold up the cucumbers to the fence where little mushrooms grow. She drinks from the bird bath somehow, intuitively...midboggling to me...knowing exactly how much weight she can put on her paws to not knock it to the ground.
I can tell that she's going to be one of the best dogs ever - she and my Sadie Lou. In the meantime it's about patience. It's about sitting in the open field below while she sniffs and jumps and dances around me. I shiver as a cold summer rain storm rolls in and the dusk light washes everything is a vivid smokey gray. The only thing between me and being totally in love with this perfect moment is that leash. Patience. Patience.
and i have said i can't wait to get a border collie when i get there. may reconsider! that has always been my dog of choice, but knew i couldn't raise one here. hmmm.....patience! xo
Posted by: carlanda williamson | July 18, 2012 at 08:18 AM
Oh mama--you do have the best dog ever!! She'll learn the rules, faster than any other dog, and then never forget them. She will learn focus. And she will, I'm sure, eventually learn about hooves...
My Sandy is going on 9 years and is my very first dog. Oh, we've had other dogs, but they've been the kid's. She's all mine. She's helping me train the little rat dog (who may be about 10 months old) that was shoved through our front door into Brent's arms almost 2 months ago. She'll play with him (where the other two don't bother) but she's firm in her discipline, which he seems to understand. He pales in intelligence next to her but he makes it up with moments of sickly cuteness.
Good job, mama, for loving her. I am so excited to hear the rest of the story!!
Posted by: Robin Nowak | July 18, 2012 at 09:19 AM
Tinta and I are almost at 7 months and in the city, so she is leashed all the time. My arm muscles are growing by the second. She is a Spanish Water Dog, also a herder, all energy and smart. My older one, Sienna, is not always the calming, focusing influence that I wish for. I too send out requests to the Universe for PATIENCE. I also send it out for patience for the neighbors who occasionally are the brunt of her nuttiness. Keep up reporting. I am working on "Don't Eat the Rug!" it may be my newest mantra.
Posted by: jordi | July 18, 2012 at 10:33 AM
i love dog stories! i was the one that just rolled my eyes over the years at my "crazy" friends and their dogs, well all 4 of my kids grew up and moved out, how it happened i do not know but i now have 6 dogs that give me more attention and love than anyone and yes i am definately one of those "crazy" dog owners! i am the family joke now because of how i talk to them and about them, but i do not care and neither do my little grandkids who also love them, and of course i really love my husband for "getting the dog thing". p.s. 30 yrs of being a homehealth rn, i wish i had known about the dog thing as i encountered so many lonely older folks, i would have been giving all my patients dogs! aloha angi in hana
Posted by: angela eharis | July 19, 2012 at 04:11 PM
What a sweet faced dog! Can you try bribing family members to tire her out? Maybe she's a dog who loves to be dog tired/all worn out. What a bright determined little dog she looks like!
Posted by: Annette | July 19, 2012 at 09:20 PM