speaking of dogs

So you could say I'm COMPLETE OBSESSED with this show on Animal Planet, "It's me or the Dog". Part of the allure is watching other people's BAD dogs and feeling like my adventures in dog training aren't quite so extreme.

My little four-legged love muffin is doing pretty well these days, and after months of training, she has become quite civilized. Things that we can now do quite successfully 99% of the time include: going on pleasant walks, playing nicely with others at the dog park (a huge breakthrough), a reliable come here, not freaking out when dogs bark as we're walking down the street, and behaving around cats. This is all pretty amazing considering she was an absolute mess when we first got her! She still sometimes chews on things she shouldn't, and doesn't like "ear medicine time", but I figure she'll outgrow the chewing eventually, and get over the squeamishness about something she'll have to endure off and on throughout her life.

These are the things I've learned this summer while training Miss Lilly from being a skittish panicker into a more confident and relaxed companion.

#1 I find that I am doing a lot of the same moves that I normally used with teens. Considering my dog is basically a big hairy teenager, it kinda makes sense.

#2 A tired dog is a happy dog. You know what they say about idle hands. Well if you're too tired to get in trouble, you won't get in trouble.

#3 When dogs know what to do, they'll usually do it. Just like teenagers, they need routines to fall back on. When teens don't know what they're supposed to be doing and have to figure it out for themselves, they tend to do everything you don't want them to do. When in doubt, give them some easy routines that they can follow.

#4 Dogs sure know how to hurt themselves...I feel like I spend way too much time at the vet.