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Bonnie the Collie
Join us as young collie, Bonnie, grows up.
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Sunday, November 15th 2009
7:34 AM (6 days, 16h, 34min ago)
Herding Sheep (with video)
I have a friend who takes her dog to a ranch where are lots of sheep. The woman who lives at the ranch teaches dogs to herd sheep just for fun. Some of the dogs become very skilled at herding sheep and they compete in herding trials where there are prizes for the best sheep herders.
Some dogs are good at swimming and some are good at hunting. Collies and some other dogs are naturally good at herding sheep. Long ago, these dogs helped farmers to work the sheep on their farms. Many collies, shelties, corgis, German shepherds, border collies, and other herding breeds still have the natural ability to herd. Some people take sheep herding lessons and practice the same as anything else they would want to learn. Herding sheep is good exercise for the dogs and great fun.
Yesterday I took Bonnie to the ranch where my friend goes. I paid $25.00 to let Bonnie herd sheep for about fifteen minutes. It was fun to see that Bonnie has the natural ability work with the sheep. Rick went in with Bonnie to make sure she was safe while I shot the video. After viewing the video, be sure to see our herding page where Trouper and our friend, Sunny do some herding, too.
You can see by the photos that it gets very dusty and dirty. So when we finished, we took Bonnie to the dog wash, and gave her a bath. Bonnie lives in the house with us, so we like her to be clean. She feels better, too, when her skin and coat are clean. She knows she'll get more hugs.
Now Bonnie was squeaky clean again and all the sheep dust went down the drain. It was time for a good brushing and blow dry before going home. Bonnie had a very exciting day!
Some dogs are good at swimming and some are good at hunting. Collies and some other dogs are naturally good at herding sheep. Long ago, these dogs helped farmers to work the sheep on their farms. Many collies, shelties, corgis, German shepherds, border collies, and other herding breeds still have the natural ability to herd. Some people take sheep herding lessons and practice the same as anything else they would want to learn. Herding sheep is good exercise for the dogs and great fun.
Yesterday I took Bonnie to the ranch where my friend goes. I paid $25.00 to let Bonnie herd sheep for about fifteen minutes. It was fun to see that Bonnie has the natural ability work with the sheep. Rick went in with Bonnie to make sure she was safe while I shot the video. After viewing the video, be sure to see our herding page where Trouper and our friend, Sunny do some herding, too.
You can see by the photos that it gets very dusty and dirty. So when we finished, we took Bonnie to the dog wash, and gave her a bath. Bonnie lives in the house with us, so we like her to be clean. She feels better, too, when her skin and coat are clean. She knows she'll get more hugs.
Now Bonnie was squeaky clean again and all the sheep dust went down the drain. It was time for a good brushing and blow dry before going home. Bonnie had a very exciting day!
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Tuesday, November 10th 2009
4:09 PM (11 days, 7h, 59min ago)
The Best Ever!
In an earlier blog I wrote about Bonnie's pulling on the leash when we walk. She has made progress with the method of training I'm using (loose leash, walk; tight leash, stop), but it's taking a while and I expect that it will take a while longer. I worry about the leash pulling so tight against Bonnie's throat and neck. So yesterday, I purchased a product that claims to help dogs who pull too much. It's called the Easy Walk Harness, made by Premier. Petco, PetSmart, and Amazon.com all carry this harness.
This harness is different from others in that it hooks to Bonnie's leash at her chest, rather than on top of her back. It's hard to imagine, but when Bonnie pulls on the leash, she feels a slight pressure at her chest, keeping her from lunging forward.
I was amazed that this leash worked immediately. For two days now, Bonnie has walked without pulling me forward. This leash is the best ever. If your dog has an average pulling problem, I would recommend this leash. For severe pulling, the Gentle Leader Head Collar is being used with lots of success. Gotta go, Bonnie and I are going for a walk!
This harness is different from others in that it hooks to Bonnie's leash at her chest, rather than on top of her back. It's hard to imagine, but when Bonnie pulls on the leash, she feels a slight pressure at her chest, keeping her from lunging forward.
I was amazed that this leash worked immediately. For two days now, Bonnie has walked without pulling me forward. This leash is the best ever. If your dog has an average pulling problem, I would recommend this leash. For severe pulling, the Gentle Leader Head Collar is being used with lots of success. Gotta go, Bonnie and I are going for a walk!
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Monday, November 9th 2009
7:51 PM (12 days, 4h, 16min ago)
She's a Star!
Last month, at the end of our puppy class, Bonnie was tested to see if she could pass the American Kennel Club's Star Puppy Test. The letters in the word STAR stand for Socialization,
Training,
Activity, and
Responsibility. The test is made up of twenty items: owner behaviors, puppy behaviors, and early obedience behaviors.
The Owner behaviors are:
1. Maintains puppy’s health (vaccines, exams, appears healthy)
2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge
3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan
4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC Approved CGC Evaluator
5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up after puppy
6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for puppy-collar tag, etc.
The Puppy behaviors are:
7. Free of aggression toward people during at least 6 weeks of class
8. Free of aggression toward other puppies in class
9. Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice
10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size)
11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy
The beginning obedience behaviors that the puppy can do are:
12. Allows (in any position) petting by a person other than the owner
13. Grooming-Allows owner handling and brief exam (ears, feet)
14. Walks on a Leash-Follows owner on lead in a straight line (15 steps)
15. Walks by other people-Walks on leash past other people 5-ft away
16. Sits on command-Owner may use a food lure
17. Down on command-Owner may use a food lure
18. Comes to owner from 5-ft when name is called
19. Reaction to Distractions-distractions are presented 15-ft away
20. Stay on leash with another person (owner walks 10 steps and returns)
Well, we have good news. Bonnie and I passed all parts of the test! We're very excited. Today we received Bonnie's new certificate in the mail. Isn't it beautiful? We will also be getting a special medal soon. When it arrives, I'll post it on the blog.
Now that Bonnie is a star, she thinks she can lay around all day and not work too hard. Soon I'll tell her that we'll be taking another class. Bonnie has a lot more to learn and we'll do it together. For now, though, Bonnie, can take a day off and be the true star that she is.
The Owner behaviors are:
1. Maintains puppy’s health (vaccines, exams, appears healthy)
2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge
3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan
4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC Approved CGC Evaluator
5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up after puppy
6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for puppy-collar tag, etc.
The Puppy behaviors are:
7. Free of aggression toward people during at least 6 weeks of class
8. Free of aggression toward other puppies in class
9. Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice
10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size)
11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy
The beginning obedience behaviors that the puppy can do are:
12. Allows (in any position) petting by a person other than the owner
13. Grooming-Allows owner handling and brief exam (ears, feet)
14. Walks on a Leash-Follows owner on lead in a straight line (15 steps)
15. Walks by other people-Walks on leash past other people 5-ft away
16. Sits on command-Owner may use a food lure
17. Down on command-Owner may use a food lure
18. Comes to owner from 5-ft when name is called
19. Reaction to Distractions-distractions are presented 15-ft away
20. Stay on leash with another person (owner walks 10 steps and returns)
Well, we have good news. Bonnie and I passed all parts of the test! We're very excited. Today we received Bonnie's new certificate in the mail. Isn't it beautiful? We will also be getting a special medal soon. When it arrives, I'll post it on the blog.
Now that Bonnie is a star, she thinks she can lay around all day and not work too hard. Soon I'll tell her that we'll be taking another class. Bonnie has a lot more to learn and we'll do it together. For now, though, Bonnie, can take a day off and be the true star that she is.
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Friday, November 6th 2009
5:17 PM (15 days, 6h, 51min ago)
Adjustments
A puppy is a puppy for at least a year and sometimes they act like a puppy for almost two years. Chances are good that sometime during this period, changes will have to be made in the life of your puppy. It may be that your family has to take a trip, or that your puppy will get sick, or that your parents remodel their home, or that you break your arm. For me, a broken wrist has caused me to change a few things.
This is a handmade rope that's about four feet long. It was a reward for finishing puppy classes, given to us from the trainers of the class. Bonnie loves it. We play tug with it and she chews on it. She chases it and she flops it around.
Since I broke my wrist and hurt myself in a few other places, I can't play tug with Bonnie as much as I did. So here's what I did. I tied one end of the rope to Bonnie's dog crate.
The crate is very heavy, so there's no way Bonnie can drag it when she pulls. Now, while I sit in a chair, Bonnie can play tug all she wants! She still gets the activity, exercise, and fun while I hurry up and heal.
There are so many ways to adjust to changes in your puppy's life. It just takes a little creativity to make the little guy happy.
Oh, by the way, one of the adjustments I've had to make is to write fewer and shorter blogs just for a while. Keyboarding with one hand is very slow. So if you want an easy way to know when this blog is updated, just add your email to where it says, 'Subscribe to Journal' on the right side of this page. You will receive an email when I update. Your email will not be used for anything else. See you soon!
This is a handmade rope that's about four feet long. It was a reward for finishing puppy classes, given to us from the trainers of the class. Bonnie loves it. We play tug with it and she chews on it. She chases it and she flops it around.
Since I broke my wrist and hurt myself in a few other places, I can't play tug with Bonnie as much as I did. So here's what I did. I tied one end of the rope to Bonnie's dog crate.
The crate is very heavy, so there's no way Bonnie can drag it when she pulls. Now, while I sit in a chair, Bonnie can play tug all she wants! She still gets the activity, exercise, and fun while I hurry up and heal.
There are so many ways to adjust to changes in your puppy's life. It just takes a little creativity to make the little guy happy.
Oh, by the way, one of the adjustments I've had to make is to write fewer and shorter blogs just for a while. Keyboarding with one hand is very slow. So if you want an easy way to know when this blog is updated, just add your email to where it says, 'Subscribe to Journal' on the right side of this page. You will receive an email when I update. Your email will not be used for anything else. See you soon!
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Tuesday, November 3rd 2009
7:31 PM (18 days, 4h, 36min ago)
Changes
Raising a puppy is all about activity. Lots of activity - running, jumping, walking, wrestling, pulling and so much more. So imagine what my first thought was when I fell down the other day and broke my wrist. How am I going to handle a six-month-old puppy with only one hand? This could be interesting.
First, I want to say that Bonnie was not involved in my mishap. She was on the other side of the yard. At the moment I fell, though, she ran like lightning to my side. I was relieved to see that she had strong Lassie tendencies to come help me.
I turns out that I was wrong. Bonnie thought it was playtime! Here I am, lying on the ground and Bonnie is jumping all over me and barking wildly. This was funny to me, but not fun. I was hurting pretty bad. Finally, I was able to coax her off me and get to a doctor where he gave me a lovely purple cast.
Playtime, exercise, and training time is going to be a little different now. The need to learn manners has become more important than ever now that I have to protect my injured arm. So far, Bonnie has not bothered the cast. I was afraid she might think it was a big purple stick.
The manners of most importance for Bonnie to learn and practice now are sit, wait, no jumping up, off, and leave it. These were all commands we were working on anyway, but we'll concentrate more on them now. Playtime may be a little more gentle, and walks will be shorter, but I'll still give Bonnie the same amount of time I always have. Maybe if I spend lots of time with her, she really will save me next time.
First, I want to say that Bonnie was not involved in my mishap. She was on the other side of the yard. At the moment I fell, though, she ran like lightning to my side. I was relieved to see that she had strong Lassie tendencies to come help me.
I turns out that I was wrong. Bonnie thought it was playtime! Here I am, lying on the ground and Bonnie is jumping all over me and barking wildly. This was funny to me, but not fun. I was hurting pretty bad. Finally, I was able to coax her off me and get to a doctor where he gave me a lovely purple cast.
Playtime, exercise, and training time is going to be a little different now. The need to learn manners has become more important than ever now that I have to protect my injured arm. So far, Bonnie has not bothered the cast. I was afraid she might think it was a big purple stick.
The manners of most importance for Bonnie to learn and practice now are sit, wait, no jumping up, off, and leave it. These were all commands we were working on anyway, but we'll concentrate more on them now. Playtime may be a little more gentle, and walks will be shorter, but I'll still give Bonnie the same amount of time I always have. Maybe if I spend lots of time with her, she really will save me next time.
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Monday, November 2nd 2009
7:54 PM (19 days, 4h, 14min ago)
Special Day
Bonnie celebrated a special day today. She turned six months old! Do you remember how small she was two months ago? Here she is, at four months of age, on our special sofa for dogs:
Now look at her! Isn't she getting pretty?
Bonnie's grown up in many different ways. She's physically bigger and she's learned many new things. She's learned to sit, shake hands, lie down, and turn around. She can wait, come, and walk on a leash. She's housebroken and sleeps all night long. She can ride in the car without getting sick and she is not afraid to stay home or in the yard alone. She's friendly to other dogs and people she doesn't know. All this and only six months old!
Although she's learned a lot of things, she has so much more to achieve. The next six months are going to be very exciting. Stay tuned!
Happy six month birthday, Bonnie!
Now look at her! Isn't she getting pretty?
Bonnie's grown up in many different ways. She's physically bigger and she's learned many new things. She's learned to sit, shake hands, lie down, and turn around. She can wait, come, and walk on a leash. She's housebroken and sleeps all night long. She can ride in the car without getting sick and she is not afraid to stay home or in the yard alone. She's friendly to other dogs and people she doesn't know. All this and only six months old!
Although she's learned a lot of things, she has so much more to achieve. The next six months are going to be very exciting. Stay tuned!
Happy six month birthday, Bonnie!
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Saturday, October 31st 2009
4:30 PM (21 days, 8h, 38min ago)
Happy Halloween!
Bonnie and our family would like to wish everyone a very happy Halloween! It's OK for you to be scared, but don't let anyone frighten your dogs. Protect them and keep them safe. Five-month-old Bonnie will be in the house away from the trick-or-treaters this year. Next year she might be old enough to understand about masks and costumes a little bit better.
Here is Bonnie in the Pumpkin patch.
And here is Bonnie's vampire impression!
Here is Bonnie in the Pumpkin patch.
And here is Bonnie's vampire impression!
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Wednesday, October 28th 2009
8:45 PM (24 days, 4h, 22min ago)
Playtime
Puppies need to play - a lot! Bonnie is going to be a puppy for a long time. She's a very active little girl. She can play with me or other people. She can use toys to play. And she can play with other dogs. I'm working hard to give Bonnie opportunities to play with other dogs, but it's not always easy to find dogs than can play. Luckily, my brother has a new dog named Lexi. He and his wife rescued Lexi a few months ago. Lexi is about a year old, so she still needs lots of playtime, too. When dogs play with each other, they usually get lots of exercise.
Here's Lexi!
So Lexi came over last weekend to play with Bonnie. First, they chased each other around the yard.
They began to jump and tumble. Are all of their legs off the ground in this picture?
Bonnie tried to be the boss most of the time. What is she doing here? I think she was trying to ride Lexi!
They wrestled for a long time and even after they became tired, they still wanted to be close to each other.
During playtime it was important for my brother and I to watch their level of excitement. Every few minutes we stopped the play and helped the dogs calm down before we let them play again. It's a good thing to teach puppies to calm themselves down. I'm careful to let them play again after the calm period. That way they are rewarded for their good behavior.
It was a fun day for Bonnie and Lexi and we'll all do it again soon. Playtime with exercise helps a puppy to be happy, healthy, and tired. And a tired puppy is a good puppy.
Here's Lexi!
So Lexi came over last weekend to play with Bonnie. First, they chased each other around the yard.
They began to jump and tumble. Are all of their legs off the ground in this picture?
Bonnie tried to be the boss most of the time. What is she doing here? I think she was trying to ride Lexi!
They wrestled for a long time and even after they became tired, they still wanted to be close to each other.
During playtime it was important for my brother and I to watch their level of excitement. Every few minutes we stopped the play and helped the dogs calm down before we let them play again. It's a good thing to teach puppies to calm themselves down. I'm careful to let them play again after the calm period. That way they are rewarded for their good behavior.
It was a fun day for Bonnie and Lexi and we'll all do it again soon. Playtime with exercise helps a puppy to be happy, healthy, and tired. And a tired puppy is a good puppy.
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Monday, October 26th 2009
1:04 PM (26 days, 12h, 4min ago)
Halloween Carnival
Here's Bonnie and her friend, Sunny, a nine year old collie. Yesterday we took both dogs to a Canine Carnival just for Halloween. There were hundreds of dogs there, many with costumes because they were competing in a costume contest. We didn't enter the contest. We just wanted to watch everyone else. Both Sunny and Bonnie wore comfortable scarves around their necks.
Bonnie likes to cross her paws when she lies down. I think she looks very cute. Of course, Sunny looks very handsome, too.
At the carnival, there were treats, games, and special activities for the dogs. One of the games was 'dunking for hot dogs'. It's kind of like 'bobbing for apples'. Bonnie put her face in a bucket of water, just to retrieve a hot dog that was floating there. She succeeded and was rewarded with a tasty hot dog!
I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the zany costumes we saw at the carnival. Here they are:
This Great Dane/English Mastiff was as big as a horse so the owner dressed him up like one. Yes, that's a saddle on his back!
This dog was dressed like a camel.
I don't know who these two were dressed as, but they were very cute in their little stroller.
Can you see the three little pigs in this picture?
We had so much fun. It was the perfect socialization for Bonnie: lots of dogs and people, new sounds, sights, and surfaces. It was a great day.
If you're thinking about dressing your dog for Halloween, think carefully first. Dogs were not meant to wear clothing. Have your parents help you to make sure that the clothes are safe and comfortable for your dog. Many dogs don't like to wear clothes or costumes. Be respectful of your dog's feelings. If she seems upset, or takes the clothes off, let her wear her natural fur coat instead of a costume.
For more information on how to have a safe Halloween with your dog, visit this Halloween page.
Bonnie likes to cross her paws when she lies down. I think she looks very cute. Of course, Sunny looks very handsome, too.
At the carnival, there were treats, games, and special activities for the dogs. One of the games was 'dunking for hot dogs'. It's kind of like 'bobbing for apples'. Bonnie put her face in a bucket of water, just to retrieve a hot dog that was floating there. She succeeded and was rewarded with a tasty hot dog!
I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the zany costumes we saw at the carnival. Here they are:
This Great Dane/English Mastiff was as big as a horse so the owner dressed him up like one. Yes, that's a saddle on his back!
This dog was dressed like a camel.
I don't know who these two were dressed as, but they were very cute in their little stroller.
Can you see the three little pigs in this picture?
We had so much fun. It was the perfect socialization for Bonnie: lots of dogs and people, new sounds, sights, and surfaces. It was a great day.
If you're thinking about dressing your dog for Halloween, think carefully first. Dogs were not meant to wear clothing. Have your parents help you to make sure that the clothes are safe and comfortable for your dog. Many dogs don't like to wear clothes or costumes. Be respectful of your dog's feelings. If she seems upset, or takes the clothes off, let her wear her natural fur coat instead of a costume.
For more information on how to have a safe Halloween with your dog, visit this Halloween page.
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Saturday, October 24th 2009
9:09 AM (28 days, 15h, 59min ago)
A Trip to the Dog Wash
Here it is: Dog Beach Dog Wash. This is where we take Bonnie to get all cleaned up. It's called a do-it-yourself dog wash. This is not a place where someone else washes your dog. At this place we get to wash Bonnie ourselves. And that can be a lot of fun.
We have been taking our dogs to this place for fifteen years. It's always clean and there are lots of well-behaved dogs getting their baths, too. There are six bathtubs that are raised so that dog owners can stand and wash their dogs. Can you see the large steps that dogs use to climb into the tubs? Bonnie wasn't quite ready for those yet, so we had to help her into the tub.
Warm water comes out of the sprayer and there is shampoo to wash the dogs. There are lots of towels provided, too.
The dog wash sells supplies like treats, clippers, leashes, collars, and of course, lots of toys for dogs of all sizes.
Here's Bonnie in the tub. She doesn't look so big now that she's all wet. She has a little strap around her neck so that she doesn't wiggle or try to jump out. You can see that there's a mat in the tub to keep her from slipping.
Over the last month or so, I had introduced Bonnie to the sound and feel of my hair dryer at home. I would just turn it on and off a few times in the morning so she would be familiar with it. In this picture, I'm using the hair dryer and a brush to finish grooming Bonnie.
Just some finishing touches and Bonnie is ready to go. When she's finished, the cashier will give her three cookies for being such a good girl!
Now that she's home and squeaky clean, Bonnie feels great! I let her outside and look what fun she had with her pumpkin toy. She was happy to be clean!
Keeping Bonnie clean and healthy will help her live a long, happy, and active life. And that's exactly what we want for Bonnie.
We have been taking our dogs to this place for fifteen years. It's always clean and there are lots of well-behaved dogs getting their baths, too. There are six bathtubs that are raised so that dog owners can stand and wash their dogs. Can you see the large steps that dogs use to climb into the tubs? Bonnie wasn't quite ready for those yet, so we had to help her into the tub.
Warm water comes out of the sprayer and there is shampoo to wash the dogs. There are lots of towels provided, too.
The dog wash sells supplies like treats, clippers, leashes, collars, and of course, lots of toys for dogs of all sizes.
Here's Bonnie in the tub. She doesn't look so big now that she's all wet. She has a little strap around her neck so that she doesn't wiggle or try to jump out. You can see that there's a mat in the tub to keep her from slipping.
Over the last month or so, I had introduced Bonnie to the sound and feel of my hair dryer at home. I would just turn it on and off a few times in the morning so she would be familiar with it. In this picture, I'm using the hair dryer and a brush to finish grooming Bonnie.
Just some finishing touches and Bonnie is ready to go. When she's finished, the cashier will give her three cookies for being such a good girl!
Now that she's home and squeaky clean, Bonnie feels great! I let her outside and look what fun she had with her pumpkin toy. She was happy to be clean!
Keeping Bonnie clean and healthy will help her live a long, happy, and active life. And that's exactly what we want for Bonnie.
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Thursday, October 22nd 2009
9:16 PM (30 days, 3h, 51min ago)
Bonnie Learns 'Down' (with video)
Now that Bonnie is five and a half months old, I'm beginning to expect more from her. She is taller and weighs more and is starting to look like a real dog. But many times during the day I'm reminded of how young she still is. Bonnie is very active and gets bored easily. I have to come up with things for her to do all day long, especially because we don't have another dog. Luckily, there are times when she can entertain herself by chewing on a bone or playing with a toy.
When Bonnie and I were taking the puppy class, I began short training sessions with her at home. I wanted to be sure she learned things in time for the next class. Because of this, Bonnie is used to a little training each day. It's kind of like homework, only Bonnie thinks we're playing games. Learning is always more fun when you're playing a game, right?
Last week we worked on the command, 'down'. I want Bonnie to learn this because if she's wild or we have company, I can have her lie down and control her behavior. Another reason is that we can take her places and she will be well-behaved around others. Here she is outside our umbrella tent at a park near the beach. Notice that she is wearing her leash.
Some dogs have a hard time learning down, but if you keep it fun and only do a little bit each day, your dog will learn it. Here's Bonnie when she first started learning. She was very silly!
Bonnie and I made a short video for you and we tried to add a special bit of fun during the lesson. Check it out.
When Bonnie and I were taking the puppy class, I began short training sessions with her at home. I wanted to be sure she learned things in time for the next class. Because of this, Bonnie is used to a little training each day. It's kind of like homework, only Bonnie thinks we're playing games. Learning is always more fun when you're playing a game, right?
Last week we worked on the command, 'down'. I want Bonnie to learn this because if she's wild or we have company, I can have her lie down and control her behavior. Another reason is that we can take her places and she will be well-behaved around others. Here she is outside our umbrella tent at a park near the beach. Notice that she is wearing her leash.
Some dogs have a hard time learning down, but if you keep it fun and only do a little bit each day, your dog will learn it. Here's Bonnie when she first started learning. She was very silly!
Bonnie and I made a short video for you and we tried to add a special bit of fun during the lesson. Check it out.
View Entry
Tuesday, October 20th 2009
12:00 AM (33 days, 1h, 8min ago)
A Handful of Bonnie
It's hard to believe that this sweet face was a handful today. There haven't been too many days like this, so I'm pretty lucky. But today, Bonnie asserted her independence all day long.
What did she do? Well, for one, she barked...a lot! For another she used her mouth to touch things, including me. Now her baby teeth are pretty much gone, but those permanent teeth can hurt, too. She also did some wild running around the house. Those were the biggest problems today and most days it's not too bad. But I was feeling under the weather and that makes it harder to keep Bonnie busy and be patient with her.
Of course, there were a few things I did to keep her from going overboard with her behavior. I played lots of games with her, not as a reward, but to redirect her to acceptable activities. I gave her ice and toys to chew. I gave her a ball filled with treats for her to roll around. I walked her twice in the neighborhood. I worked on some of her training. When her behavior got out of hand I showed her what to do instead.
If her poor behavior continued, she had a time-out. One time-out was in the backyard, and one was in the crate. I didn't use them as punishment. I calmly put her outside or in the crate for a short time to let her calm down.
I survived the day and now, at midnight, she's finally asleep and looking as sweet as can be. It was a rough day and that was hard. In the land of puppies, there will be a few of these days - or many. It's normal. The key is to stay calm, and be kind and compassionate for what she's going through. Patience is important on these days.
I know that Bonnie loves me and that she's still got many things to learn. She looks to me for guidance and I'll continue to help her through puppyhood. She'll survive and so will I, a day at a time.
Ahhhh, finally a sleeping Bonnie. Isn't she an angel?
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Sunday, October 18th 2009
10:18 AM (34 days, 14h, 50min ago)
Pulling on Leashes (with video)
It's not always easy to walk a puppy. Puppies like to run, pull, bounce around, and investigate everything. Bonnie has days like this. When she was very young, she walked very nicely because she wanted to stay close to me. But now that she's five months old, she's becoming more independent. She has been pulling ahead to the end of the leash and trying to go places as fast as she can.
In a previous blog, I said that pulling on the leash was just plain bad manners. If I let Bonnie pull on the leash, she will learn that if she pulls, I'll follow her. Well, I don't want to follow her. I want us to walk together. It's my job to teach her not to pull.
The method I'm using is simple to understand, but not always easy to do. Here it is: Bonnie pulls (leash tightens)...I stop. Leash loosens...we walk.
If Bonnie pulls on her leash making it tight, I stop immediately. I just stop. Eventually, she'll turn around to see what's going on. If she doesn't, I may call her or make a noise to help her take a step toward me. As soon as she does that, her leash loosens and I start walking again. Leash tightens, I stop. Leash loosens, we walk.
In the photo below, Bonnie's leash is tight. So we stopped and waited until the leash was sagging a little bit.
In this picture, Bonnie's leash is loose. We can keep walking.
Some days, in the beginning, my walk with Bonnie took a very long time. Sometimes we didn't get where we wanted to go. But soon, Bonnie caught on. She now knows that she can't get anywhere while pulling. But she still pulls because she forgets. So until she grows up, I'll have to remind her. We get where we want to go these days - it just takes a little longer sometimes.
Check out the short video I have showing this method of training Bonnie not to pull on her leash.
In a previous blog, I said that pulling on the leash was just plain bad manners. If I let Bonnie pull on the leash, she will learn that if she pulls, I'll follow her. Well, I don't want to follow her. I want us to walk together. It's my job to teach her not to pull.
The method I'm using is simple to understand, but not always easy to do. Here it is: Bonnie pulls (leash tightens)...I stop. Leash loosens...we walk.
If Bonnie pulls on her leash making it tight, I stop immediately. I just stop. Eventually, she'll turn around to see what's going on. If she doesn't, I may call her or make a noise to help her take a step toward me. As soon as she does that, her leash loosens and I start walking again. Leash tightens, I stop. Leash loosens, we walk.
In the photo below, Bonnie's leash is tight. So we stopped and waited until the leash was sagging a little bit.
In this picture, Bonnie's leash is loose. We can keep walking.
Some days, in the beginning, my walk with Bonnie took a very long time. Sometimes we didn't get where we wanted to go. But soon, Bonnie caught on. She now knows that she can't get anywhere while pulling. But she still pulls because she forgets. So until she grows up, I'll have to remind her. We get where we want to go these days - it just takes a little longer sometimes.
Check out the short video I have showing this method of training Bonnie not to pull on her leash.
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Friday, October 16th 2009
9:11 PM (36 days, 3h, 57min ago)
Creating Fun Times (with video)
It's a challenge to keep life interesting for a puppy when there are no other dogs in the house. Bonnie is our only dog and I'm always trying to find fun things for her to do. Dogs can get bored sitting out in the yard by themselves. In the house, dogs can get into all kinds of trouble if they're bored. We go to parks and we take Bonnie all over town, but there is still a lot of time when she is home and I want her to have fun things to do here.
Getting into the shoes and socks is an indication that a dog needs something more appropriate to do.
One thing that Bonnie has always enjoyed is the water from sprinklers and hoses. If I turn on the sprayer, she runs and jumps in it, just like young a young child running through a sprinkler. It's good exercise and it uses stored up energy. Bonnie even loves to get dried off with a towel afterward. I have a lot of fun watching her play, too!
Take a look at the a video of Bonnie playing in the water. Have fun watching!
Getting into the shoes and socks is an indication that a dog needs something more appropriate to do.
One thing that Bonnie has always enjoyed is the water from sprinklers and hoses. If I turn on the sprayer, she runs and jumps in it, just like young a young child running through a sprinkler. It's good exercise and it uses stored up energy. Bonnie even loves to get dried off with a towel afterward. I have a lot of fun watching her play, too!
Take a look at the a video of Bonnie playing in the water. Have fun watching!
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Tuesday, October 13th 2009
7:17 AM (39 days, 17h, 50min ago)
What happened at Puppy Class?
So you might be asking what Bonnie learned at Puppy Class. Well she learned lots of things! Many of them were learned at a puppy level, which means she can do it at class or at my house, but she may not be able to behave as well in other places yet. For instance, Bonnie can walk on a loose leash when we walk at home, but at the park or when we see other dogs, she pulls as hard as she can. Walking without pulling is something we'll be working on for a long time.
OK, so here's what Bonnie started learning at her puppy class: sit, down, come, go to bed (go to a mat), watch me (pay attention), be gentle (take food gently), leave it (don't touch) and wait. She also practiced calming herself down, playing with other puppies politely, and meeting new people and their dogs.
Getting along with other people and their dogs is the biggest reason to take a puppy class. Another is that a well-behaved dog can go places with you. And that's a wonderful thing.
Even though I know how to train dogs, I always learn new things when I take classes. Is there a training class near you?
OK, so here's what Bonnie started learning at her puppy class: sit, down, come, go to bed (go to a mat), watch me (pay attention), be gentle (take food gently), leave it (don't touch) and wait. She also practiced calming herself down, playing with other puppies politely, and meeting new people and their dogs.
Getting along with other people and their dogs is the biggest reason to take a puppy class. Another is that a well-behaved dog can go places with you. And that's a wonderful thing.
Even though I know how to train dogs, I always learn new things when I take classes. Is there a training class near you?