July 10, 2003
8:00 a.m.
You don't appreciate what you have until you experience the alternative.
This morning, I spent a half-hour coaxing, imploring, asking and ultimately, food luring, my neighbours' dog to me to get her out of the street and back into her own backyard. Imagine my surprise when I found her running around in the road, eating garbage. Imagine my frustration when she wouldn't come when called, sit, stay or come close enough for me to even grab her collar.
And imagine my chagrin when I knocked on my neighbours' door and realised that they WERE NOT EVEN HOME - they left their dog alone out in the yard. The pup got out through a hole in a flimsy web fence - thank goodness she stayed in the immediate area. I reinforced the fence with a large piece of drywall that I found in storage and nailed it into place. The neighbours were still were not back when I checked again, so I left a note.
Anyways, the main point of this post is that I'm so grateful for Dusty's level of obedience. Last week in High Park, I called her back as she was chasing a squirrel and she gracefully made a U-turn, ran back to me and sat at my feet, waiting for her reward. When I put her in a sit-stay, she *stays*. She walks nicely on a leash. She leaves stuff when I tell her to.
Reading back in this training journal, I realise how far we've come. It's been hard work. It's been frustrating.
But it's worth it - I mean really, *really* worth it.
6:00 p.m.
Rainy days are perfect for staying inside and sorting through books. Puppy quickly demonstrated her intelligence by retreating inside her crate - better to avoid falling books! She doesn't often go in her crate to sleep during the day, but today she was there for hours.