It's been awhile since I've bloged. Work has been crazy (boss is in town...and I'm sure I don't have to tell you how that has been...serious cramp in my internet time...hehe), and I've just been plain lazy! Oh, we've still been training, but it's just the same old stuff, and it really seems kind of boring to just post that day after day.
We did have obedience class last night, though. We worked on 'sit' with a hand signal and loose leash walking. Frankie has the 'sit' down cold. The loose leash walking is about 80% there, so that's what we'll concentrate on this week. She's fine until there's a distraction, then she hits the end of the leash. She doesn't pull too bad, and if I stop or try to get her attention she comes back fine, but the trick is getting her not to hit the end of the leash in the first place.
I felt bad for my classmates. All of their dogs are pullers. We got to go out into the store and pick an aisle to practice on. Frankie was a rock star, but I kept hearing comments like, 'this is impossible' and, 'why couldn't we have gotten a litttler dog' (from the boys with the Malamute). The instructor stressed that the collar or harness is to be considered as 'the thing that holds your dogs identification' and is not to be pulled on at all by humans. After everyone left class it seems as if that lesson went right out the window.
In other news, we finally put up our tree Monday! Yep...here in the Pacific NW where evergreen trees are a dime a dozen, we have an artificial one. I like to blame it on the allergies, and three cats and a dog. I'd rather have an artificial one than have a real one and get it pottied on by the animals. Anyway, it looks very festive. I got a screamin' deal on it, too. A pre-lit 7ft. tree for $15 at Target's after Christmas sale. Whoo!!!
That's all for now!
Ellen & Frankie
