Dogs on Drugs

So that I don’t offend any readers with delicate sensibilities, just take a moment to pretend I’m cussing up a blue streak. Go ahead … I’ll wait. …

Two words sum up this week’s class: Total Overload

Last Sunday, Lilly and I went with Gigi and our classmates to a busy area in Boulder. The crowded commercial streetscape overflowed with people, dogs (some loose, some not), kids, strollers,
skateboards, bongo players, traffic (loud diesel trucks, louder motorcycles) and all manner of other nutty things.

Lilly coped the best she could, but it was a tough, tough day. …

I’m beginning to wonder if Lilly’s current incarnation of shutdown, which is a slow response, is a true shutdown. …

I have a HUGE play training break-through to report. Last Saturday, Lilly’s new friend Katie (a baby Borzoi) came over to play. It’s only their second meeting, but Lilly actually played
and was SUPER sweet to Katie, with only the tiniest hint of the usual border-collie bossy thing. It felt like a miracle. …

This week’s class was at a new dog park that’s pretty far north. Due to the holiday, the group was likely small, but we stayed away. That particular dog park isn’t one of Lilly’s best
locations. We often end up working outside the pen on a somewhat busy perimeter path. And, it’s a pretty long drive to simply stand on the sidelines and play Look Puppies, where Lilly gets rewarded
for calmly being near and watching dogs (some of whom are wild). …

It was a busy weekend. We had a training date with Betsy and Pitsch. We met and went for a walk with a neighbor and her new puppy, and we ventured to our Sunday class with Gigi, despite
the threat of snow. …

It’s a miracle. For the first time in what feels like forever, it did NOT snow on a Sunday. So, Lilly and I went to our group pet obedience class with Gigi. Maybe it was the sunshine.
Maybe it was the squirrels in the trees. But, we had a great day. I mean GREAT! …

Three words: It snowed AGAIN. That means no class AGAIN. Lilly and I feel cooped up this winter. It’s driving us both batty. So, I have just a couple things to report. …

It snowed a LOT on Sunday, so we did not go to class. Maybe it’s the long winter. Maybe it’s because Tom was traveling last week, so I had a whole week of single puppy-mom-hood. But,
truth be told, I’m a bit stuck. …