New Puppy Class

I gave up on spca and we are now signed up for Monday at 7pm at Petsmart.  It's less expensive as well.  I walked from the kitchen into the living room this morning and found he had grabbed the end of the toilet paper roll and dragged it through the hallway into the living room.  What a sight!  I hate to waste anything and to have to throw all that paper away is sad.  When I sat down on the couch he crawled into my lap for a short while, which means he must be contrite because he's not a snuggly dog at all.  That's a disappointment to me in a way because I'd love to snuggle with him, but he is too independent.

I've sat down at least 3 times to try to finish today's offering, but I keep having to stop to keep the little rascal in line.   There is so much I should be doing inside and out, and it just isn't possible.  I may be back later with an add-on to this post.

1st Puppy class tonight! NOT HAPPENING!

Please send good vibes that I learn some helpful info especially about nipping/biting and walking on a leash.  I'm about to be driven out of my mind!

I have my doubts about this class, which I guess is not the best way to start.  They use the "clicker" training method which I think is just a gimmick.  They also use words such as "marker" which is new in my puppy training vocabulary.  I'm not sure I could even tell you what they mean by marker.  (It doesn't mean anything about where the puppy chooses to do his business!)  I need to do an attitude adjustment before this evening.

Don't worry, I'm just venting a little, which happens to anyone who is frustrated with a situation.  So please, no comments on how I'm a terrible person. 

Latest news:  The puppy class isn't held tonight even though we were confirmed for it.  Turns out there is one for older dogs, but they did confirm a puppy class.  I'm heartbroken, but we're looking for a different class I can get into soon, but not at the SPCA as now I don't trust them.  My daughter found out only because she called them for some other reason.

Trip to Home Depot

Jeannie & family wanted to go to Home Depot to pick out paint for the girls' rooms and asked if I wanted to go along.  I carried Rocky with me and for the most part he was fairly good in the shopping cart - I laid a towel down first to make it more comfortable for him.

I bought tiles for my kitchen floor which desperately needs to be replaced.  I mop the kitchen every day since the arrival of Rocky, and I can't get it truly clean, nor does it stay clean.  Since the kitchen was the last room I painted when I moved in several years ago, there are a few things I need to touch up (and a couple of things I hate to admit but I just got tired of painting and never finished.)


Rocky is sleeping on the floor and I'd better get him outside another time before he goes to bed for the night.

Energy - all gone!

I wonder if I'll ever get it back.  The weather is in the mid to lower 80's this week which isn't as bad as it has been, but I think the sleep I lose during the night has me feeling pretty listless.

My computer is at a really bad stage.  I hope Donald can get a chance to install the new battery, and if it works I will buy a new charger for the computer.  If nothing changes then I will have to get a new computer which I hate to do.  I think I might try a tablet except that I need a larger screen.

My next door neighbors just love Rocky.  In fact, Bruce told me this afternoon if it didn't work out for me he would be happy to take Rocky!  Not a chance I'll give him up, but I thought that was a very sweet offer.

I've taken lots of photos and even a movie or two of Rocky, but I can't find them.  With the latest version of the Mac software, I haven't been able to keep up with the changes.   I wish there was an alternative but as I found out, Windows is just as bad.  I wish they would just leave the software alone and not keep changing it every few weeks.

I wish everyone a good week coming up.  

Unfortunately -

This is what I have to put up with.  I've mentioned the "dog park" across the street.  It is hardly a park of any sort, just a v-shaped small piece of land where two streets come together with a third street.  There are always lots of people and their dogs there in the evening.

I was taking Rocky for a walk and went past it - several nice folks came up to the fence to say "hi" and comment on how he's grown, etc.  The dogs, about 10 or 12 of them, came running to the fence barking, as they always do.  Some of the people  quieted their dogs and some didn't.  While I was conversing, a woman sitting in a chair  close by gave me a wave of her hand and said, "you should move on, it's upsetting the pets".  She kept waving her hand and said "Go on."    A couple of the women told me to stay, but I  took Rocky and left.  

This is what I have to put up with in so many ways in this park.  There are a lot of nice and friendly folks, and I'm meeting more and more of them when I walk my puppy, but this really gets to me as have other attitudes and situations with some of the people here.  I absolutely hate it.   I'd move in a New York minute if I could.

My son Joe and his 2 girls stopped by this afternoon and he clipped Rocky's nails.  He said he didn't take much off and just wanted Rocky to get used to having his paws handled.  I held him while Joe was trimming the nails, and he was super good!  Smoky was so bad about it that the vet had to put him in a sling so that he was immobilized and they could clip his nails.  I am glad to see Rocky tolerating it. 

We have both been tired and lazy today and I don't think it's the weather because it's been pleasant all day.  I think getting up in the middle of the night and going outside is affecting how I feel.

I wanted to mention something you may or may not believe, but it has happened several times now.  I know that animals communicate with each other by using pictures in their minds (there is probably a more scientific way of saying it).  I have tried using this method at various times, including with a bird on a log, the mother fox who had her 4 kits under Mike's shed, and with my dogs Smoky and Lady.  Now I've tried it with Rocky and it works!  When I call him to come to me he just stays in place and looks at me.  I finally decided to try the visualization of him walking toward me, and maybe 10 seconds or so after I hold the picture in my mind, here me comes, straight to me.  I should try it more often because I am fairly successful at it - maybe I should send some visuals to those barking dogs across the street!

Where has the week gone?  I can't believe it's Friday again.  Have a good one.

Good days ahead!

I just wanted to comment on the class I went to a couple of nights ago, which is recommended for those who have enrolled their puppies in obedience classes.

I can't believe how interesting and informative it was, and I learned some things to cut down on the biting  - that was the most important thing to me.  When he starts to grab my hand or fingers or whatever, I simple stand and turn my head away.  When I do this he stopped his biting immediately, and has really cut down on it since.  He may try it now and then, but at least it's not constant.  Maybe it will give me time for my wounds to heal  :-)

Jeannie took Rocky and me to the pet store (I've spent a ton there already!) and I bought the items recommended for his upcoming classes, including a clicker.  I never thought I would use one of those, and while Jeannie is really good at it, I'm a little slow and forget exactly when to use it in the sequence of things.  I will work on it (puppy parents probably need more training than the dog!) and hope I can get through the class.  They are still trying to figure out a way to get us into a class before the middle of September.  Meanwhile I think I have a more confident attitude and Rocky must be picking up on it.

The house training is coming along slowly.  It's still me that is the prime trainee - I don't think he has a clue about it!  But we will get there, as we both get to know and trust each other completely.

I will try to post some photos soon.  He almost moves too quickly to get a decent picture!

Puppy Training

Jeannie found a class for me to take Rocky to teach him some manners!  Tonight's session is for owners only, so Rocky is going to soccer practice with Donald and the girls while Jeannie takes me to school!

I just hope some good comes out of it because I'm at my wits end.  If I was a married woman the law would probably be wondering if I'm being abused, bruised, bitten, scratched, etc. by a husband.  I look like a walking  disaster.

Also, I think I've been giving him too many "good boy" treats as he is feeling a bit listless today and has done some naughty things in the house.  Did anyone besides my son Steve think I was too old to deal with a puppy?  Well, don't tell Steve because I'm not admitting defeat, but I really hope the puppy lessons work.  After this evening there will be a series of 6 with the dog.  I hope I get something out of my class, thereby proving that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!