this puppy run megan does about 3:30 every day is delightful- she jogs from the barn to the house with 7 chaos pups paddling along as fast as they can go behind her.
i think time has come to deviate from that pattern and stop in the grassy area for a call by name cheese break.. so we get the behave in a group yet come when called instilled in their heads.
things are never simple--- that means megan should clear away the small area mary( the mamouth donkey) uses as a rest room..--
she only goes in 3 places on the farm-- and the dogs know it-- when mary wanders over to one of these places a dog often follows her with great expectations of a fresh salad course. -- or as they say in winter--- poopcicles
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puppies--- these pups--- and adults for that matter ---do not enjoy any rough housing-
Saturday a person was here who trains dogs commercially in the area-- i told him they didn't like rough play- and he was one of those people who wanted to prove me wrong and gave yellow a rough head shake-- yellow backed away confused with hurt feelings...
he was a case... i asked him not to put his fingers near mary's mouth- and he immediately said "i know all about horses" - and stuck his fingers in her very powerful lips---while i am standing there saying "don't do that - we don't want to encourage her". he had no idea what i was saying.
i saw it yesterday clearly defined.
crimson has been openly friendly with everyone--
yesterday - time to feed--- megan called her toward the barn and she jumped to run to her--- someone else took that enthusiasm for wanting to play roughly- and made one of those gottch moves at which point crimson ran back to the tea tent and would not run past him to get to the barn.. it was a simple thing most dogs would react positively to that fun game--- not so with 99% of the danes i have known.
also tug of war is a megan and my project. a confused 180 pound dog who is confused about when to pull and when to let go could make for a lot of bruises
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so i repeat myself--
these pups are not to play the typical gottcha-- charge and attack -- football stance type game--- and get ready for me to explode if i see anyone trying to prove me wrong.
there is a definite line between that gottcha "attack" stance and playing tag with a toy in the pup's mouth--- the toy in the mouth- they understand-- they do not understand why anyone would attack them without the doggie language that precedes it .
I tried this morning with chaos-- 2 empty water bottles walking toward her banging them together and then jostling her head with them-- and she clearly did not understand-- and slink ed away
eventually these dogs have to learn to be bored - try it with bailey and she will just look at you" you must be nuts"
in their formative stage we do not want to confuse them-- a confused dog can not learn.
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today will be lift and carry day
it is supposed to rain the rest of the week.. got to get the walls up
in preparation i have put on my back brace ( aka tight blue jeans)
my knee is better--- i bought that glucosimine-condroitne stuff fido recommended-- must be very powerful-- it is sitting on the counter and my knee is better- i didn't even have to take any.
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large excitement yesterday
bob was screwing the second floor down and spilled his soda- AND IT RAN TO THE EDGE AND DOWN TO AN EXIT HOLE... i was thrilled.
mind you the floor is so tipped it does make you dizzy until you get used to it.. but that is a good thing. it works.
and home depot gave us 30 feet of flooring yesterday-- in a roll--- 12 feet wide--- the building is 10' wide that will be fun...
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our concentration is crimson and charlie--- and we can pull teal into work mode as we start thru the batch of pups.
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carrie (chloe's mom) gave me a new chick supplier ideal poultry in texas-- for future reference--- next spring
We are definitely in the category of blessed to have one of the Amazing Dogs from the Farm. We take particular interest in “Pistol” since her offspring will make Chloe a grandma and we love seeing Karma a beautiful dog who adores Jim and has many of Chloe’s charming quirks. And I will also add, as I ramble on, that Chloe will not go outside in the rain unless -- she is going to explode. I have spent many times out in the rain with her trying to explain that she really ought to pee. Sometimes she gives in because I look so silly standing there getting drenched so she gives me a little “pity pee” but she can seriously go 24 hours waiting for a dry spell – it’s amazing.
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and spot and allison
Spot was great on our trip! She had no problems at all with the planes or TSA. Going down, the crew was really nice and moved our seats to the bulkhead which was in business class, so we all had lots of room. Going home, we wereon a smaller plane with a much less accomodating crew so they wouldn't let us have the bulkhead. She said it was an emergency exit row which I don't believe, but whatever. Anyway, there was a broken seat in one of the rows, so I sat in the seat that was working and Spot went under the seats in front of us. It took a little coaxing to get her to go under there but she did and didn't move the whole flight (luckily it was only an hour) until landing. She doesn't like the landings as she gets thrown/pulled forward but she's fine with take-offs.
and so it goes
also my sister arrives today--from colorado-- she will have her own car so will probably be self sufficient---
