Growing Like a Weed

Huh...for some reason my brain just said that like I was solving a Wheel of Fortune puzzle. Ha.

So the little 18 week old Little Miss is officially moved up into the next size collar. This one should last her a while, I think. Her little blue one is so tiny, now! I guess she could have worn it for a few more days, but depending on how her head is held, I think it was a little too tight. So now she's got her new one. Seems to me it's kind of clunky compared to her old one. It's got a nice buckle which clanks her ID tag. I'm also starting to think about getting her one of those really nice lazer-engraved ID tags. We'll see, I guess. Next, I'm hoping she'll grow a little bit and fit into her new harness a bit better. It's still too sloppy, but her old harness is getting to be much too small to last a whole lot longer.

Boy, does that animal like to wander. One minute, she's hanging out with me while I'm brushing the horses, the next, she's traipsing off over to the neighbor's property. And of course she doesn't come when called. At least today, she sort of did. Sort of. After a few minutes, I guess she finally decided to come back. It's so hard to deal with it. I know I shouldn't be mad at her because I don't want to discourage her when she comes back, but trying to teach her not to wander? *sigh* I don't want to keep her penned up or staked out or even on a leash attached to me 100% of the time. She usually just plays in the draw. But I guess I need to change some things. I can't have her wandering off over hill and dale chasing who knows what.

I also need to start working on SAR stuff with her. She's not really a fetch dog. I know she could work livestock, but I'm not sure I want to do that. I think she'd be great at SAR work. I just need to start working on it with her. Doing what I can anyway and seeing what classes or what not I can get into. Poor little thing is going to go absolutely crackerdog. Or just turn into a hole-digging coyote-wanna-be psychotic BC. Yes, that's right, I have heard her howl like a coyote. Thanks to our lovely coyote neighbors who come to visit her and howl all the time. I was out riding, on my way back home, and I heard what sounded like a coyote. We're pretty sure it was Bria. Odd dog.

One Point in Overawe

Forgive the obscure RPG reference (Deadlands, if anyone cares).

Bria has found her voice! I'm not sure if I'm thrilled or leary. Yes, she has barked at the horses before and at me if I go off riding without her, but the other day, she started barking at THINGS.

Now I have been trying to teach the wee doggie to "speak" for a while now without success. But she has been growing and becoming more sure of herself, so she talks a bit more. I managed to harness that with the clicker, and she will offer "speak" now when I ask for it.

I was clearing up after supper the other night, and I heard her barking. Not play bark, actual bark. (Funny how I have learned the difference in just two months.) So I went out to see what she saw. Couldn't see much of anything, but then I noticed a couple people walking on the road. So for actually barking at something she got a lot of praise. Of course, not too much later, I went out to play with her, let her off her line, and what does she do? Run out towards the road....which I figured out was where those walkers were, walking back. *sigh* So she had to go pester them and completely ignored recall. I have learned not to run after her when she runs towards the road (that just excites her more), so I was just walking quickly after her. Well, the walkers and the dog went behind the trees, and I heard the woman shriek. Oh great. At least the guy had enough sense to make himself look big and "scare" Bree back from them. Which I actually really appreciated because I don't want her running out at people like that much less going onto the road. I called her again, and she came to me, and I apologized to the walkers. Silly dog got a good earful as I was taking her back around the house.

Day before yesterday (Monday), I suppose it was, I was inside, and I heard Bria barking again. Not the play bark, but an attention-getting bark. I have made a habit of going out to see what she's barking at whenever I hear even a tiny non-play bark (this is to teach the dog that if she barks at something, someone will come out to see and then her job is done), so I went outside to see. Well, Grandma was down at the front of the property. *sigh* I guess at least the dog is showing me that she is aware. But then a little while later, she starts up with the barking again. Now Grandma was over in the orchard. *another sigh* Okay, well at least she's barking. Now I guess all I need to do is start asking her to "speak" when cars drive in. And continue to work on her not running out to the road.

Then last night, I was watching a movie, and I thought I heard a dog barking. Didn't think anything of it, of course, it's the country, dogs bark. Went back to my movie, but it continued, and I started to think...that sounds like Bria. Of course, it was 9:30 at this point, but I went and turned on the porch light and looked out. Didn't see anything, and I don't think it could have been a person or anything too big because what she was barking at seemed to be down by the horses, but the horses weren't doing anything in particular. I didn't go out to check for myself, of course. The thought this morning is it could have been a 'coon down there. Oh well. At least I got to see a really amazing shimmering gold moon. Something I'm not sure I've really seen before.

Happy 4 Months Old! (and happy fall!)

Bria is 4 months old today!! 17 weeks? by date, I believe. And boy is she growing! She will only have a few days or a week left in her puppy collar before she's ready to graduate to the next size. Her harness is really looking small on her, but she's not quite big enough to fit into her new raspberry one! So she will make do with the green one for a little while longer.

Little Miss is doing very well with her tricks. Nothing new really, but everything is still working correctly. She's learning fetch again....and with the exception of me teaching her a new game that gets a click and a treat and makes her not want to bring the ball back....she's doing well. She started bringing the ball most of the way, dropping it, and looking at something else, so I started asking her "Where's the Ball?" She will go find it and was usually bringing it back. Now that I have offered click and treat for "Where's the Ball?", she is dropping it and going to find it in hopes of more treats. *sigh* Silly dog.

I have also been working on leash with her. Got to dig a post hole the other day, and the dog was attached to my belt. And today, she was attached again while I did a bit of fall cleaning. She was doing better today about not pulling and just being patient, but when we got back into the orchard and main yard, there was too much to smell to not pull around on me. Oh well. I will keep working.

She has also seemed to take an interest in coyotes. Sarcastic "woo". I think they were down in the yard talking to her the other night. They sounded SO close, and I heard her yipping with them. Kind of scares me, but I know she is safe in her pen. This evening, I was out trying to get her to do her tricks and fetch a little (fetch didn't work, so went to tricks), and the coyotes were starting to sing, but were far away. I think there was something up in the front yard because she perked up and went to investigate. It scared me half to death, not being able to see what was there or hear anything. I managed to catch her before she got too far and lured her back to her pen for supper. Ah, country life.

Little Miss' Big Adventure

Yep, that's right. Little Miss Bria got to go on an adventure today! After she watched us finish up the hay and tie the tarps down (and help hold those pesky pieces of twine in our hands). Oh, and bound up and down the tarp and try to carry it off.

We loaded up in the car and headed over to Lake Lenore Caves. Hiked up the side of the cliffs to see the ancient caves the Indians used many many years ago. Bria was a hot dog, but she made it just fine. She even got a milkbone off some passing people! She was just carrying it, so I took it from her and carried it for her. Then the lucky dog got carried down the stairs...this was because she has a habit of skidding down stairs, and there was gravel on them and a guy waiting for us at the bottom. I didn't want to hold everyone up. She got several compliments. The guy at the bottom of the stairs said "pretty dog" and patted her on the head. I was amazed that she got around on the basalt rocks as well as she did. Paws seemed in good shape afterwards, too. No problems. And while she is still learning to walk on a loose leash, she at least was not pulling too hard or trying to wander off the trail.



Standing out at the mouth of the cave.



Close up



Lake Lenore Caves Trail Head

 Once we walked back to the car, we drove up the road a little ways to Deep Lake and walked down the trail. We went over our first bridge! No picture sadly. There was some neat lichen in the water there. We avoided the poison oak along the trail at doggy height. Once again, she handled herself very well. Pulled a little, but I used the experience to work on loose leash walking yet again. She was doing pretty well for a while. I was also quite excited to see her tracking when we got behind and out of sight. Put her nose down and worked her way up the trail without hesitation. The basalt rocks again were no problem for her. She even climbed up and down over some rocky areas where the trail split a little.



Bria on the rocks!


Tried to get her down to the water a few times. The first was at a very shallow spot with a nice rock footing. I put her in, but it only went up her feet a little ways. She stood there for a second or two, then said "that's enough!" and climbed back out. I went to take her down at another spot, but I saw a snake in the grass. I thought I saw a rattle on it's tail, but the rest of  the snake (hard to see in the grass) looked black with white stripes. I doubt it was a rattler, but I didn't want to get close enough to find out.

At the edge of the water, looking for the rock my dad threw in!

Considering the little steep place at the edge of the lake.

On down we went to about the end of the trail. Saw some kayakers coming back down the lake. Bria was really interested in them. They were upwind, so I think she caught their scent. Or maybe she just heard them. We chatted with them briefly as they went by, and the guy mentioned "cute dog". (Once back at the car, the gal wanted to meet Bree and we chatted about dogs for a minute. I really think it's cool how having a dog can open up conversations!)

Shot of Bria overlooking the middle part of Deep Lake

On our way back along the trail, I decided I wanted to wade in and see if Bree would be interested in swimming. Off come the shoes and socks and rolled up the pant legs. Waded out and set the dog in the water. She doggy paddled out a little, turned around, and went back to shore! I brought her out again.

Bria in the water!

Bria wanting OUT of the water

Held up for a picture opportunity!

So that was our adventure. Little pup was exhausted after walking all that way, and she curled up in the truck on the way home and snoozed. Didn't get carsick and didn't have an accident in the car. I'm quite pleased.

On a side note, Little Miss' ear is starting to stand straight up again. I'm not sure if she's just growing it out or what. It's quite funny! Just the very tip of her ear flops sometimes. I've been noticing over the past week or so, the flop has been less. Just half of her ear a week ago, then just the tip. The tip still flops a little when she's playing or running, but it's standing straight up again.

TGIF Once Again

Bria is growing like a weed. She's getting new teeth, and she is really starting to get heavier. Much to my embarrassment, she has no idea what "off" means around strangers. Oh well. Still working on it. She's been a good pup, though. Hasn't really been biting, even if she jumps up and around.

Did a bunch of hay yesterday, and the poor pup had to stay home! She wasn't pleased with me. She wanted to ride in the truck, too! And once again, she managed to jump up onto a bale stacked two high. I am impressed! Bree was also jumping up and down following my dad trying to get the hay bales moved and placed on my stack. While she was sort of in the way, she at least didn't get stepped on or make any of us trip.

Little Miss got zapped by the electric fence yesterday morning. She yelped and went running over to smack dab in the middle of the horse pen and just stared at me. I couldn't help myself. I had to laugh at her little confused expression. Then I felt bad for laughing. I swear she looked like I hurt her feelings! Then last night, it was dark, and I was going over to shut the lights down in the barn, and I managed to let the self-closing gate fly back in her face. Poor dog. I didn't realize she was behind me or following me. She wouldn't come to me through the gate after that. I felt really bad. She wasn't hurt, though, so all is well. And she seemed to forgive me...at least she came to her pen for supper.

I suppose that's it for now. May add more later.

All I Want for Christmas are My Two Front Teeth!

Been a few days, I know. My little netbook has finally died, I think, so it's a little harder to get posts done.

As the title suggests, Bree lost her two front teeth the other day! The 10th, I think. I noticed yesterday that her big dog teeth are already coming in, so I guess she won't have to wait for Christmas, lol.

Poor pup has been a little nutty lately. Not enough exercise or mental exercise! I've been off and about working and spending time with a friend who came to visit. I'm trying to remedy that now, of course. Since I'm taking the day off from moving hay, she's going to get lots of play time and training time. Right now, I'm working again on Play Dead (she is starting to offer it on her own), high five and high ten. Cutest thing. She even was calm enough the other night to show her tricks for my friend (her Auntie, lol).

She's getting so big! I can't believe it. She looks all leg right now, but she's getting pretty heavy, despite not eating much right now.

The wee monster has taken a liking to running up and down the road. I have to watch her really carefully. And now I need to work on her recall again. It's broken. Oh well. Not that big of a deal.

Bria has also been helping me with hay. I have 7.5 ton of hay to move on my own with just my truck. I took her with me down the road the other day. She was just loose in the truck, and while I was working, she just curled up on the passenger's seat and snoozed. I took some pictures on my cell phone (which I can't get off right now) of her sleeping and of my hay stack. I was going to title them "What I did" and "What she did".

I also took her out with me when I went to load hay on a trailer the other day. She got to sit in the back of my truck since I took the canopy off. She was quite content. The gal I bought the hay from also had a border collie and mentioned he was good with pups. So I let Bree out. I have never heard that dog bark or growl so much. Timid and shy, my boot! Goofy dog was acting ferocious. Didn't do anything bad and still acted a bit timid, but wow. She followed me over to the hay stack, and she was hopping up and down over everything. The big dog scared her a little, so she climbed on up the big 30' trailer with me. She took up lookout at the front, watching that big, scary dog from her perch. A little later, the gal went back to the house with her dog, and Bria wanted to follow. She ran down the length of the trailer and hopped off. Started following a little, and I didn't see what happened, but soon enough, she comes running back from them and jumps up on a bale stacked two high like her life depended on it! I can see why these animals are good at agility!

On a slightly random note, I think this dog may be one to be somewhat protective of me. I've noticed that if I'm in the horse paddock and the horses act up, she gets really worked up and barks and growls and such. And the other day, my friend and I were hanging out on the horses in the paddock and the dog went after Dundee like I have never seen! Maybe she is just acting out or it's some sort of separation anxiety, but I'd like to think she is trying to be protective. In any case, she had to come up and ride so she would quit bothering him.

I think Bria may be dealing with a bit of separation anxiety. She is fine if I put her in her pen or leave her tied outside and I go in the house. However, if I put her in her pen or tie her and walk away and/or out of sight, she gets nuts. Barks hysterically. She was roaming a little too much for my taste the other day, so I tied her up and went back to the horses. Boy. She was not a happy camper. I didn't leave her there by herself for long, but I waited for her to calm down a little before I went to get her. Silly pup.

Here's a little video of my super traveler on horseback!

Soggy Doggy

Well, it's been raining for a couple days. Means I don't play with the dog a whole lot, but she does get out to play in the draw...which has been overflowing with water lately! My favorite thing I've seen her do is to walk across the "bridge". So I still haven't gotten my actual bridge slash teeter-totter out over the draw, but I do still have the small board out there. The dog walks across it! Every time! It's hilarious. I haven't even gone across it for a while, but she still uses it. I guess she learned really quick that she doesn't get her paws very wet. I just get a kick out of it.

Silly dog has also started "helping" me pick the horse pen. Of course, the apples she picks up don't get into the wheelbarrow. Ew.

Bree got her first "free" ride in the truck this evening. Well, two actually. Once into town for errands and once to get hay. She did remarkably well. Tried to climb in my lap for a bit, but when I pushed her back onto the passenger's seat, she just laid down with her paws and little head on the center console (which is just about the same height as the seat and wide enough to reach from seat to seat) and stared at me out of the tops of her eyes. Cutest thing ever. I was very happy. She even got a doggy treat from the gas station attendant. Not that it will teach her to bark at strangers or strangers coming up to the truck, but oh well. She got into her kennel when I went into the store and was patient and quiet until I got back. Let her up into the passenger's seat again, and she just curled right up. She found she could put her front two feet on the center console and have a better view as well as be closer to me, so she rode that way for a ways to get home.

Also had her with me to pick up the first of many loads of hay this evening. I was messing around out there for 45 minutes, and she just curled up on the passenger's seat and went to sleep. Didn't bother my purse, didn't tear up the truck interior, didn't get anxious...didn't have an accident! All of which I am very grateful for. Now all we need to work on is recall and barking at strangers/submissive behavior. Oh well. I guess I can live with her. LOL She's a good little dog.

Taught the dog something else today. She's got High Five down pat now...which is just cute. Well, tonight I made her High Ten! Not reliable at all, but really funny. She really wants to learn and figure out what I'm asking her to do! It's really fun to work with her now.

Survival of the Fittest

We survived the invasion! Of family, that is. Had 13 people out to the farm for the weekend which was great for the dog! Seemed like she had someone playing with her dawn till dusk. She was hyper of course and overstimulated, but she did quite well from what I saw. Didn't hear of her biting anyone. The only "bad" thing I heard about was the dog catching the youngest cousin's ponytail and not letting go!

Bria got to go down to the lake on Saturday. She didn't go in the water or go in the kayak (I didn't trust her to sit still), but she got to meet a lot of new people at the house we were at. Appeared to get passed around to a lot of people. She behaved very well. I think she was already a little tired, so she was less exuberant. I think she made a good impression. She even sat with me quietly while a few of us talked. And the spoiled little thing got bites of steak from the cousins!

In other news, I think Fetch may have backslid a little. She got a bit confused with several people calling her back. But I'll work on that. I didn't ask her to do much as I didn't want to be ignored by the dog in all the fuss. Actually, I kind of avoided being around the dog for the most part. At least through the "worst" of it. No idea if it helped anything or not, but maybe I didn't add to her confusion at least. She still knows all her tricks and even showed off a little. And today after everyone had left, I sat down with her and did her tricks. She taught me High Five in 5 seconds! I was floored. I had put my hand up mostly flat like I was expecting a high five for some reason or another, and she tapped my palm with her paw! I was ecstatic! Click and treat. Hold up hand, "High Five", and she did it again! She's doing it quite reliably! I'm quite happy. Same with Roll Over. 90% does it on her own without any help. Good dog!

In other other news she's decided to eat dry dog food again. Made my life easier to just throw some kibble her way in the insanity of meal times.

So I suppose that's about it for now. I have a few pictures of the wee monster.

My first attempt at anything scrapbook related! The dog was cut out with a machine, the rest was just creativity on my part!

Roll Over

I mentioned the Little Miss learned Roll Over in about 30 seconds the other morning? Well, she's now definitely figured out what I want! This evening she was rolling over on her own albeit excited and silly! I'm so proud of her. I think I need to work on training when she's a little less hyper. Silly girl.

In other news, Bree is 90% dependable on the whistled recall. I'm very happy with it. She comes a-runnin'! I am also noticing just how much she enjoys working and playing with me. It makes me very happy to be her person.

Bria has also learned to Stay in a way. She will come up on the porch with me and Stay at the door until I come back from inside. She gets big praise for that and usually a treat. I'm quite pleased.

There was a little bit of an accident today. I have a little gate down by the horse paddock. It has a spring on it, so it closes on its own. I went through it today and wasn't paying attention. A second later, poor little Bria is screaming like she's been attacked. Well, she was. By the gate. Poor dog. I felt so bad. But she seems to have forgiven me.

On a different note, she is growing! Her second puppy collar is just a tiny bit too big. When she outgrows her first collar, she'll be big enough for the next. Then when she's a bit closer to adult size, I can get her a raspberry-colored collar to match her leash. I'm excited for that!

One Month!

I have had Miss Bria for exactly one month today! And I think she's growing. She's about grown out of her puppy collar. I will have to see if she's anywhere near big enough for the slightly bigger collar I have waiting.

Worked on Roll Over some more. By this evening, she is starting to offer it without having to physically suggest the movement. That makes me excited! I'm not sure I will add anything else right now, but I'm sure I can add more soon. She'll be ready, I'm sure.

She's not wanting to eat still in the morning, so I think I will need to get more canned food so she doesn't get skinny. I noticed she has a few new teeth, so I guess I should spoil her for a bit.