Day 29

I really mean to go back and fill in the missing days but in the meantime...

We are approaching the one month mark and Sanity will be 4 months old on the 28th. At this point she is running with the big dogs, doing her level best to be the yard boss and not doing a half bad job at that. Any time I hear her shrill puppy bark I know I need to check out what is going on, because sure enough two of the older dogs will be doing something they shouldn't. Yes, I do believe I have a new yard boss in training here.

As for what else she is able to do, well at this point she is about 99% reliable on come. Sit is at about 50%, place is 99% at 6 feet, she is starting to stand on command and is actually holding still for 15 seconds. Her play retrieve is really coming along, although she is only good for 2 to 3 short 20' retrieves before she is off to do something else.

Acting as the demo puppy for the morning lessons seems to please her and she is most likely getting as much of her training in that manner as anything else. Leading to play sessions. In watching her very closely I really don't see any play at all. To me it appears as if each activity she engages in is very purposeful and all geared toward work. After watching how Wrap greets the day care dogs as they arrive, as of this morning darn if Sanity wasn't trying to do exactly the same thing. She really isn't tall enough nor does she have the physical presence to pull it off, but with Wrap as her back-up she sure is giving it her best attempt. Oh, and she is succeeding in that the other dogs, all much older, are starting to include her in their activities rather than telling her to "get lost".

She is not the least bit interested in playing with any of the other puppies in her age range. Seems to see them as "things good to practice on". Interesting how it is playing out. She sure does have a strong, dominate personality without being unpleasant or nasty or even overtly pushy about it. I had almost forgotten just how much that thing called "presence" is either there or it isn't. If there, it is apparent from the very beginning, it not then you will never be able to put it there. I just hope I can manage to be a good enough trainer to get her raised to adulthood without too many goofs.