Day 99

Here's what Sanity looked like last night, all dressed up as a bag lady and begging for treats.



Well today was nail day and Sanity is now six months old. So many changes in such a short space of time. From the little puppy who was only interested in checking out her new environment that very first day to a rather serious youngster who has a mind like a sponge. The speed with which she soaks up new information just helps to remind me that most of my human students are ill-equipped to keep up with the mental needs of a growing pup.

Back to nail day. Sanity waits at the gate for instructions to move out of the yard. She waits for me to shut and then fumble with the lock and finally manage to get the padlock in place and locked. She walks with me to the car and then patiently waits for me to unlock it, open the back door, and finally tell her "get in the car". All this is done without a leash and only an occasional reminder tap on her ecollar.

When we arrive at the nail salon, she waits in the car until I clip the leash on her collar and invite her out of the car. A single heel command puts her in heel position and then we head for the door to the salon. Today the cold weather had me walking very slowly. This meant that Sanity had to continually adjust and then re-adjust her position in order to stay even close to heel. Basically, it is a case of Sanity taking 4 steps and then stopping to wait for me and then taking 4 steps only to have to stop and wait once again. She does this will grace, good will and much patience. At the door to the shop, she backs away to make room for me to open the door and then waits for me to tell her she may enter. Once inside I head straight for my seat and Sanity moves to her rug all without so much as a single word from me. Leash removed she waits, mostly sleeping or at least dozing while I get my nails done and then after a good stretch steps up so the leash can be put back on for the trip to the car.

Her newest thing is to sit facing backward, chin resting on the back of the back seat watching out the window as the world goes passed. Once she gets the retrieve to a useful stage it is going to be really difficult to remember that she is still a pup.