Summer Adventure Part II

"I'm Doing Something Right After all!"

I don't know about you all, but there are times where I wonder if I'm really working with my dogs too the full extent they need and more so since I gained a roommate. She's been great with the dogs and despite not being a dog "lover" she's tolerated them pretty well and has never complained about helping out with them. But there are times I wonder, after I've watched her move from sitting to standing about ten times, since sitting down on the couch, if she's just holding it in and being nice.Christina is learning the commands and they are learning that she means what she says, but she's still very much the novelty item in their little minds.

But that has all changed and I'm thanking my lucky stars for my sweet, mostly obedient, well exercised, semi socialized gang of dogs. This (stray from last night) dog is Crazy! I'll admit to having said earlier in the day these words: "Boy I wish i had a challenging dog, Pompeii is not challenging".  Boy You get what you wish for.

If she doesn't find a new home quickly (pleaseGodpleaseGodpleaseGodpleaseGodpleaseGod) we're going to be working on:

• Sit/Staying at ALL Doorways/openings
• Walking calmly on leash
• Staying quietly in the crate
• staying off the furniture 
• Sitting for Food
• pshst. Eating her food period 
• Being loose without Running 

This morning I got up around six am to try and get some exercise in before I left for work. My dogs were all giving me the "are you crazy" looks from around their various positions around my room. However Zipper (as I've taken to calling her) was raring to go. For me training starts immediately, let it go now, and it will be ten times worse later. So I waited until she wasn't rushing the door, before letting her into my bedroom. (She stayed the night in the laundry room)

Mistake #1: I put the dogs out on the porch, while went to the bathroom, and grabs some clothes. Now my porch is different that most, as it, for some reason, it doesn't have slates, its like a wooden wall, with space about five inches high at the bottom. Despite valiant efforts from Texas, none of the dogs have been able to fit through that space and it didn't occur to me that she would be any different. 

Five minutes later I come out, too only my three sleepy dogs standing forlornly on the porch. And no crazy white thing bouncing around. Um...............THERE in my neighbors yard..(other neighbor not the neighbor that brought her over..) I walk towards her, slooowly. She stops and looks at me, I freeze. 

Tip #1: Never run after a dog that is loose/you don't know. Will cause said dog to run further away. 

She looks away and walks off, I dash as far as I could without her seeing hearing. She spots me again, I squat down and make kissing noises...no such luck, something catches her attention and she's off and moving again.
I follow her, stopping and coaxing everytime she does. OH! She stops too poop, I make a dash for it, knowing it was a stupid idea, but all I can think about is the neighbors checking on her and me having to tell them, that she ran away.

I wasn't fast enough, but did get her to run towards me, and missed. Snap. Then she was off, and I was left with a choice. Do I risk getting shot and trespass on these people's property, or do I wait it and hope and pray she runs back this way. At this point, my life was more important than this dog, so I decided to wait it out, eventually she moved too another yard, and I felt a little bit safer about approaching that house; she stopped to sniff a flower, I squat down and low and behold she comes racing towards, and this time I grab her.

First thing she needs to learn is how to act when off leash. I know the common adage is  leashes,leashes,leashes, but more and more I find myself thinking that a dog on the "lam..lamb?" who takes off because he/she's been on leash its entire life..  is more unsafe than I do that knows how to behave off leash. Just my opinion. Anyway we walked around for a little bit, before going back and getting my dogs out of the porch and letting them potty, before heading back inside.

Pompeii is in love, I believe. My Roommate is not. Neither am I for now.

Oh you want pictures you say? All in good time, people, all in good time.