Here are a couple of photos from our walks.
^ We found this
^ We passed these sheep. I couldn't see them from where
I was though so was confused when I heard bleating!
After Mon's walk with Molly's dad he told her I was "uncontrollable" when I encountered another dog! But I've mostly been well behaved for Molly since she's been walking me again.
On a few occasions Molly has successfully managed to distract me (with food) from other dogs we've seen on our walks. I wasn't able to be distracted on two occasions but that was because there was more than one dog & on the first occasion Molly wasn't quick enough with the food & on the second ocassion the 3 dogs came too close.
Over the last few days I've also shown Molly how much better I'm getting at greeting/playing with other dogs. I had a relatively calm greeting with a dog I'd met before (but not recently) as we were walking round the pond, wasn't too excited & followed Molly away without a fuss when she wanted us to move on. When we met the 3 dogs that came too close I got warned by one for being too bouncy & so then approached it again very calmly & we sniffed each other - whereas in the past I wouldn't have heeded the warning & would have bounced on it again. I played nicely with a couple of off-lead dogs who approached me (& who's owners couldn't recall them) on the playing fields.
I had a great time playing with another miniature schnauzer also on the playing fields & I mustn't have been too in her face because she kept returning to me to play more! And when I met another dog I know but who isn't a huge fan of me & our owners walked together for a bit I didn't bother her too much - I'd interact with her a bit & then either return to Molly or do my own thing before approaching her again. Molly has never seen me not be constantly full on with another dog before! So she was really impressed with all of the above behaviours.
Regarding other behaviour on walks, my recall is generally good if there are no major distractions. Although yesterday I reacted in a new way once when Molly called me - I just lay on the grass! I was tired! And she had to call me twice when I was smelling something exciting! I really impressed Molly though when I successfully recalled away from chasing a bird! And talking of birds, I did a fantastic "stay close" as we approached some ducks.
My "leave it" is also generally good, although Molly did once have to physically pull me away from a very exciting smell because I ignored her, oops! I surprised Molly on a couple of ocassions when I had a drink from the pond after she asked me "Do you want a drink?" She hasn't been able to get me to repeat this at home though so she doesn't know if that's related to my fussiness over where/what I drink from or if it was just a coincidence at the pond & I would have had a drink anyway.
We did some training in the house with "Where's Mouse?" yesterday which I was quite good at to say we hadn't done it for so long. I'm still a bit hit & miss with "up" & don't yet understand the word "off". If we do a command repeatedly then I understand what I'm supposed to do but then if Molly asks me to do something different I don't listen & just repeat the thing I got rewarded for doing last time!
I stayed at home alone on Tue for longer than I ever had before because Molly's mum had to work (but she came home to see me & walk me at lunch time) & Molly's dad had to take her to hosp. I was also left on my own for two shorter periods yesterday. Before I'm left Molly makes sure I've had a walk, often gives me a pizzle or something similar to eat & leaves the radio on for me. I whine when I'm left initially & then sleep by the front door so I'll know when they return.
I get very excited when any family members come home but am getting better at "sit"ting when they ask me to before they greet me. I had fun jumping on Molly's mum when she sat on the bench outside.
I got really overexcited & silly when Molly lay on the floor with me last night. I started off licking her face, then progressed to grooming her hair & then it turned into me mouthing her. So Molly got up & ignored me til I calmed down. Humph!
I was very pleased to see Kate & Libby when they came round & almost knocked Libby over when I tried to play with her, oops! I did calm down though. The same can't be said for when the supermarket delivery man came - I did a lot of barking because I wanted to play with him.
I got so excited when I met the postman on our walk yesterday morning so I greeted him very enthusiastically & he gave me a dog biscuit, yum yum! He also gave me some fuss & a biscuit when he delivered our post this morning. I was very pleased to see Molly's mum when we visited her at work & I got to meet a baby too! I think my barking scared him a bit initially but I was only doing that because I wanted to play & soon quietened down.
Molly bought me a new antler so now I can have one upstairs & one downstairs. I love chewing them. We don't know where "Lion" has gone but I hope it turns up soon! Molly worried that I'd left "Giraffe out in the rain last night but I'm not that silly, I brought it in before it rained.
No progress has been made with grooming yet. Liver paste in a Kong didn't work because I don't really understand how to get the food out of them - I get the food nearest the end & then give up. Molly is going to cut some of the matts out of the fur on my stomach because it'll save me the discomfort of her trying to brush them out & it shouldn't be visible.
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