Another unbelievable day. She’s not getting enough exercise/riproaring time. Nevertheless, she whimpers for only a few seconds when I put her in the crate. Sometimes I look in and she’s awake but quiet. How can a puppy be this good?
The collar problem is much better. As with most things about dog training, the problem is what she learned when I WASN’T thinking about it – thinking about housetraining, so that went MY way, NOT thinking about putting the collar on, so that went the OTHER way. Now that I’m thinking about it – asking her to come, to Park It, THEN slipping the collar over her head, then immediately taking her outside – the ducking and bucking have almost vanished.
She’s on the bed tonight chewing on my elbow when I realize we’ve been here for quite a while. I say “Wanna go outside?” and to my amazement she whips her head around, looks me in the eye, then starts down the stairs toward the door. At the door she sits, waiting for the collar. Good puppy!
Did human babies once have fur? What ancient instinct, what distant racial memory kicks in to produce the wonderful feeling inspired by a small, warm, fuzzy body under my chin?
No accidents today. I listen and she talks. A good day.