Weekly Update - Week 6

Sad pupper is sad

If you haven't figured out by now, this blog is mainly for me to keep track of what we're doing, the process that we're going through.  I'm trying to include other things so that other people going through a similar thing with their dogs will get some utility out of it, but that is really not the primary aim.  That said, the last weekly update post was too long.  I'm going to stop combining the discussion pieces with the weekly updates.

In addition to our behavior mod and agility work, Ida and I also worked on rear-foot targeting, and I'm trying to put singing (howling) on cue.

In non-Ida related news, poor Snowball had to have a tooth extracted on Tuesday because it developed a resorptive lesion.  They are rare in dogs - I guess he's just lucky. He's had two teeth removed due to the lesions before, and there is a strong correlation between on tooth developing the lesions and subsequent teeth, so it's something we'll be dealing with for the rest of his life.

This last week Ida and I... 

"Rear foot targeting is stupid"

.... did agility drills inside because it was gross outside. I am also getting over a cold that started late last week, which means early in bed, and not wanting to go outside in the cold!

.... played tug/fetch in the cul-de-sac (once the street had dried out) at night.  The darkness added some difficulty, as it was harder to see the things that were far away and making noise (there were a bunch of kids out playing street hockey). Several neighbors drove in/out of the cul-de-sac while we were playing.  We also walked several feet past the electrical box.  Ida was uncomfortable, but still listening to commands and taking cheese.

... still didn't drive anywhere except to agility class.

... started videoing agility runs.

I noticed...

... there was less shaking in the car this week without the thundershirt.  I think part of the recent shaking has been from being in a cold car, however.

This next week I plan to...

... pick-up some calming chews to see if they help in the car.  (I know, I've been saying this for weeks, but it's actually on my to-do list for tomorrow).3

... make a list of Dreams and Goals for each of my dogs and myself.  It'll be in an upcoming blog post - stay tuned!