Too much of a good thing?

Ok, Priss is over the top with self esteem-so much so that she took off down the street to follow after a short coated border collie male. Yes, he was a hunk, but she refused to come back and I ended up hurting my ankle chasing her. Little snot. And this not five minutes after she won kudos for being the first and best dog nail trim of the day. Grrrr.

I'm a draggin

I've been draggin all day, but I'll manage to pull it together in time to take Priss for her class tonight. Having exposed her to the world at large, it would be a shame not to allow her to continue. Dogs help us keep going even when we don't really feel like it.

Geocaching with small dogs and Pit Bulls

Prissy did great for a little dog who had never been in the wilderness before. She was well behaved around people, she didn't complain on the three mile hike, and she bravely dove into places where there was no trail looking for the cache. She had a blast.

Best of all, we met three pit bulls and no noses where snapped or hackles raised. Little dogs are often the instigators of troublesome behavior. I've worked with my dogs at the fence, teaching them if I say the neighbor or dog is ok, that's the end of it. Period. No discussion.

The worst thing you can do with a little dog is scoop it up every time a big dog approaches, that just teaches them that big dogs are bad things. Now a couple of the bullies were not well behaved in their approach, but it was friendly enthusiasm, not agression. I kept an eagle (hopefully casually) eye on them, because I don't trust anyone to control THEIR dog around MY dog. I do, however, trust my ability to read another dog and these owners were trying valiantly to socialize their dogs in an area that doesn't really like bully breeds.

I was reminded of a lady in Dallas at the vet's office. She had a 20 pound English Bulldog puppy that was pulling her all over the office. I was in line with 2 chihuahas and an Australian Shepherd and the puppy kept charging at us in a not so nice way. She smiled and said "sorry I just can't control him" as if that made it all right. I smiled just as broadly and said "then you shouldn't have him".

Sunspots

It's been awhile since I posted. Prissy was charming in her debut in obedience class and has decided going to places and being the center of attention is a very good thing. Today she'll go geocaching with me-socialization is important, and one more time she's the only dog mentally/physically up to the challenge.

The kids have taken up their sunning stations, trying to pull a little warmth out of th autumn sun. Cody of course suns in the shade-his dark fur makes direct sunlight not so fun for him. It's a very windy day and I notice Cody likes to turn his head into the wind-I think he likes having his ear hairs blow. Cody is a little vain.

Dottie, having established that the back fence is hers, huskies and mastiffs beware, is having a slow motion roll in the grass. Bitty is lounging under her pear tree. The angle of the sun makes UNDER the tree sunny and around the treeh shady-odd. The cellar door has heated up and Greta is warming her hips on it.

Even the dogs are different on Sunday mornings. They seem to know it's a day to catch your breath.