Prim is catching on

I can't believe how difficult I am finding it to write in this blog. Time just keeps on getting ahead of me.

We were able to take Prim to the airport 2 more times over the holidays. She's also started her puppy classes and we are taking her all kinds of places whenever we go out. She's still all trembly when she 1st gets somewhere but she settles in really nicely after a few minutes. My trainer was really impressed with her. She didn't pay much attention to me during class. She was too busy taking in all the dogs and people. She didn't want to interact with any of them but she was sure interested in them  My trainer did notice that she sat every time I asked her to, though.

On Saturday, my vet offered a free potty training class led by another trainer in the area. I had met her several years ago when I was looking for an agility instructor. It didn't work out for us but I do know she is good. I ended up being the only one that showed up. As she pointed out, often times people don't  value something that is free:-( I went to the class for socialization purposes and Prim did well. The trainer was happy with what she saw. Prim wasn't panicked. No whale eyes or yawning, only a couple of lip licks and calmed down very quickly. She was able to take treats and actually fell asleep in my lap while the trainer and I were talking.

One thing she did recommend was using sweet treats for potty training. I remembered that when I was training Brinkley, I used sweet potato puffs that I made myself. I have a batch in the freezer so I got a few out and have been using them when she potties outside.  She also told me to take her out on a leash and not to let her loose until she potties. Well, I'm pretty bad about remembering the leash but I am noticing that she will pee, even a little, most times when I take her out so I'm thinking she likes the pumpkin and is trying to earn them.

I got really excited the other day. I finally got a "down" out of her. It's really difficult to teach down to a small dog. She got sit really easily and we haven't had any trouble with that one. I tried a different method of luring it. INstead of taking the treat down and then a bit forward I took it down and then back towards her. It only took a couple to tries to get it. A lot of times she gives me a play bow just before she downs. I think it is so cute. She'll also do a little pop up before she downs as well. I just adore watching her come up with this stuff but really do have to be a bit more consistant with criteria.

I also think she's getting the idea that she can cause the click. We're working on hand touches. She got that one really quickly but her attention span is... well, she is a little puppy:-) Sometimes when I put my hand out, she'll start throwing sits and downs instead of the hand touch. Guess we've worked on the sits and downs more but it's still so rewarding. Haven't started putting verbal cues on anything yet. She does know sit and down hand cues though.

Come is not "coming along" much. She is not the kind of puppy that wants or needs to be attached to me at the hip. Far more independent  I've tried getting family to help me work with some come games but she ignores them too. I'm not going to get too anxious about it. We'll just keep working on it. I am treating her any time she comes to me when we are out in the yard whether I call her or not. Building value for being with me.

She gets her 4th series of shots on Wednesday. I am ready for that to be behind us. Can't wait for her to be able to be put town out in public.

I fell in love with her as a baby and I am finding her joy and energy so much more fun than I had imagined. Yes, I am challenged but she is so funny and takes so much enjoyment out of most everything (except going out in public) that it's infectious. And, the baring is much less since her mother has gone to her possible adoptive home:-)