A Big First Month

Well, a lot has happened in my first month with Mama. I've learned to walk nicely on a leash. I've learned that cars are FUN!! I've learned that training means TREATS not hits. I've made three dog friends. Well, one dog friend named Daisy, one dog acquaintance named Roxy who was really good friends with my predecessor Merlin, but is tiny and I'm only allowed to walk with her and not play with her, and one dog named Buddy who tolerated me because our mamas are friends but when I went to say hi to him when his mama wasn't outside he gave me the stink-eye and went inside. I met some people named Grandma and Grandpa. I thought Grandma was great (and she said she really liked me) but I mostly ignored Grandpa. I learned that the feed store hands out cookies, but that Mama won't go inside just to get cookies, but she will allow me to sometimes go to the feeding dock for one. I've learned that crates are BORING places that you have to spend your day when you can't be trusted not to eat the house. I've learned to open the back gate, but I now know that Mama isn't as proud of this accomplishment as I am. And I've learned that when Mama says "Blah blah blah blah HIKE?" it means that we are going to have a great time.

I met Merlin's favorite vet who thought that I was a great dog, but agreed that there is something not right with my hip. She told Mama that she should make sure I take lots of walks and stay thin and take some joint supplements and we will worry about the hip when we need to worry about the hip. Mama says it is a good thing she already has a stroller and lifting harness as I may be needing them earlier than most dogs my size.

I think the most exciting thing is DAISY! Oh my she is wonderful. She is a boxer beagle mix and about 1/2 my size. She lives next to the park and we play run along the fence together. I didn't really care where I walked each morning until I met Daisy then after that I insist that we go to the park each morning. Sometimes she isn't out, but sometimes she is and oh boy is that fun! Last Saturday she wasn't out but her mama came out and said she was out walking with her boy. Mama and I continued on our walk and we met up with Daisy coming back from hers. We got to wrestle while wearing our leashes which was much more fun than running along the fence. Then, just as Mama was saying, "Well that's enough we should be heading home." Daisy slipped her harness and ran and ran around the park coming back to wrestle with me after each lap. Daisy's boy couldn't catch her. Mama couldn't let go of my leash to catch her because she knew that there'd be two out of control loose dogs if she did that. Daisy's dad and second boy came and tried to catch her, but they couldn't either. Then Mama said, "She'll follow Zorro, so I'm going to walk him back to your yard and we'll lure her into your yard with him." and that is what we did. I think it was mean to catch her like that, but it did let me know where Daisy's gate was. Mama had forgotten about my skill with gates. So today when we took our walk, Daisy was out in her yard and we played run along the fence for a little bit and then I thought we should go play Run Wild in the Park so I took off and ran to Daisy's gate. I was just unlocking it when Mama caught me. She took me back to the running side of the fence and I ran a little longer and then I ran back to the gate, but Mama caught me again. She said I am NOT allowed to let Daisy out of her yard and then she made me go home. Daisy and I were both very sad and we barked and whined until we couldn't see each other anymore.

Can we go see Daisy?

Oh and my confidence is really improved! Mama is glad I'm not scared of my own shadow anymore, but she says maybe I've gone a bit too far the other way. I have started demanding attention and sassing when she has food that I think I should have and, even though I know what she means when she says, "Spit!" I've decided it should mean "close your mouth and pretend you didn't pick anything up." Also I have started marking occasionally on our walks and I even lift my leg sometimes! Mama says I can keep doing that, but the honeymoon is over and now we need to start working on something called "manners".