Day 75

Just for the heck of it I up and decided to combine the place command with both sit and hold. I also chose to use the stool as the place. This meant Sanity really had to concentrate on what she was doing. First I gave the place command and waited while she figured out how to get up on the stool and then I gave the sit command. Again, I had to wait while she figured out how to maintain her balance on the stool and then sit. Next came the hold.



The first time I had her hold for only 15 seconds, then I took the dumbbell back and released her from the place/sit. The next time I had her hold for 30 seconds. That was harder and we had to do it three different times. Finally, once she was balanced and comfortable I had her hold the dumbbell for a full minute. I was able to move 3 feet away while she was doing this. When the time was up I stepped in, took the dumbbell and released her. It was then that I heard applause. Looking toward the street I discovered I had drawn quite a nice little audience.

Just across the street from the end of my driveway is a main cable pole, or at least that is what I think it must be. It is not uncommon for me to look out and see several large cable company trucks and up to a dozen or so men all swarming around that one pole. That was where the applause was coming from. Those guys are always one of my best audiences and my best distractions. I just love 'em.

Afternoon found us headed out on a shopping trip. First to the pet store to buy a new collar for her. The old one was on the last hole and really too tight. So she has gone from wearing a size 12 when she first got here to wearing a size 14 and as of today a size 16. This will be the last of the little puppy buckle collars. Next it was on to a glasses store so I could shop for new frames. Sanity was oh, so serious and mannerly. I wasn't. So mannerly, that it. Seems this "store" felt they had the right to insist I give them my name, phone number, address and email address before they would sell me frames for cash. I told them that information was none of their business and took my business elsewhere.

The last stop was at the opticians where I guess I just should have gone to begin with since it was where I planned on going after I bought the frames. It turned out he had just the frames I was looking for and at less than half the cost of the other place. Again, Sanity managed to handle all but one of the commands as if she had been doing it all her life. We need lots more work and place and under. I have to add that the optician got quite a chuckle over why I needed new glasses so soon. The eaten pair was only a year old. SIGH, I did remember to say my middle name is stupid, didn't I?

Early evening I had a visitor. A real visitor, not a client cum visitor and we were sitting in the living room chatting when I decided it would be the perfect time to test the place/sit/hold routine. Sanity appeared to think I had taken leave of my senses. Why on earth would I ever want her to do this "thing" in the living room? My response was, "cause I said so and besides which it is good mental discipline."

I got such a mournful look from her. Then ears, pointing east and west, she carefully climbed onto the stool, balanced herself, sat and accepting the dumbbell held it firmly in her mouth. Much praise, I took the dumbbell, released her and promised her that the "day was done". And so it was.