Misc puppy adventures

 

I was too busy at both the beach and class to take photos,
so you get this random extra from yesterday :)

So this is a combination of the last two posts really :).  In that Luxor went to the beach AND she went swimming :).  Yesterday I decided to take her to the beach again.  She was still unsure about the water but then two paddle boarders went in and she went in at least a few steps to see what they were doing.

Since it was a nice enough day, I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my pants, and went into the waves to see what she would do.

Step one - she had no issue coming to me when just her paws got wet but footing was solid.  However after a very short way, the sand drops steeply to about knee-deep on me.  This means swimming depth for Luxor.  BUT after only a couple feet, the sand is back at her easy walking depth for a decent while.  

She fell in once and didn’t love that, but didn’t panic.  Then she figured out if she swam just a bit she could stand and get all kinds of attention and treats, so that was fun and she did that a few times, swimming the gap each time.  

But then - my favourite part, she walked out deeper to where she had to swim again and swam parallel to the beach for a while (with me walking along side w the longline still attached of course!).  When she had enough she swam back to me where she could stand.  Then we went together back to the actual beach and did a bit of a run there.

After our swimming we went to the kids’ playground.  New footing, many children - several of which she got to meet, and - where there were no children - playground equipment!  Some of which was clearly built to accommodate parents supervising very small humans.  Or puppies ;).  She even started to go down a very small slide, but changed her mind at the last second and found the stairs.

The only thing she stressed at?  The only thing that got a mini bark?  A squirrel.  Completely traumatizing 😂 

Then today was a make-up puppy school day since I was out of town for her normal lesson on Wed.   Our first lesson was...  a bit wild.  Not gonna lie.  So wasn't sure how this would go but she was So Good.   She still isn't about to lie patiently at my side while all the instructions are given (I def took her bed away about 15 mins in so she didn't use it as a wrestle toy), but there was no jumping or barking or silliness.  But the part that really made me smile - we were doing 'response to name', but what they were actually trying to teach us was how to use the leash to get their attention if they're distracted.  So they had us work without the dog first (human instructor pretending to be dog), and then distracted the dog with a treat so that - theoretically - we would have to practice using the leash to regain their attention.   And the first time, I did.   I will acknowledge she did not spin and come instantly away from the treat.   But on the second time?   100% lol.  And then when we were practicing without the instructors, Every Time.   Not once did I need the leash, no matter what the distraction was (including a tug toy in her mouth).  Not ever using her name unless it's backed by a reward and a party is paying off.   lol when we meet people in public I tell them her name is Charlie - they can say that as often as they want without impacting our training.  At home we use PupPup, since that's how the breeder got the puppies attention.  At least twice I had instructors tell me to jackpot reward her because they were so impressed with how she responded to certain things.  So yeah, I'm pretty excited about that.   The not so great is the patience game - we work a LOT on this at home and it definitely has improved in public even since her last class, but has a way to go.  She did make one of the instructors laugh though when she was doing a sit at my side and saw a treat off to the side from the handler next to us.  She got the treat (less ideal) but did it by stretching *really* far and never actually broke the sit.   I love having a dog who knows how to negotiate ;-P.  Don't get me wrong - it's going to be a challenge at times.  But I appreciate the intelligence and it makes me laugh cause, well, I would've done the same ;-P

The FIVE hour drive home because I got stuck between the last place to get off the highway and where they closed it was, shall we say, less fun.  But puppy A - managed to hold her bladder the whole way, and B - got in a nap and was generally very well behaved.   So we're deeming that a win too and practice for the drive to the cottage in a few weeks.