Planning for the future!

This afternoon brought another round of snow. We were on the edge of cabin fever before, I can imagine we will be swallowed whole starting tomorrow. I suppose this leaves us with a lot of time to think. What will this year hold?

"Stuck inside... again?"

(yes, that is a balloon hanging from the ceiling)

Im still a new dog owner. When it comes down to it, I really don't know what I'm doing. Through much much research lately (much help from the snow), my mind is a spinning with ideas and plans and THINGS. I want the two of us to go FAR.( I want a lot of things but I have to remember, baby steps. )

Finally out and all she wants to do is eat snow

We are really doing great as is. For only being in our home for about 4 months, Taricha has come from chewing my doors to laying down and waiting at the door. From chasing the cat up and down the house to cuddling with the cat on the floor. We walk on a leash most excellently, including distractions. (L2Heel soon) We're around 20 strong 'tricks' with the clicker. Her eyes meet mine constantly, even at the dog park from a distance she turns to 'check' on me. She is my shadow and this is how we want it.

Owning a dog is a constant uphill learning experience. So even though we have made progress and I love how things are, there is SO MUCH MORE to DO!


Goals!

- Impulse control when people arrive in the home
- Impulse control when meeting new people out and about
- Walk more (once a day isn't enough and I'm lazy)
- Learn to and train to cart and weight pull
- Take training to more new locations
- Learn fetch as opposed to fetch-tug
- Find doggy play dates

Snow on the table? NO WAY

All of these so called goals are quite realistic. They're all very simplistic but yet important things to us. Taricha is highly HIGHLY friendly towards NEW humans. Every new human could possibly hold the holy grail of all tug toys and she has to find out! So a LOT of our work is going towards socializing her PROPERLY.  Thats neither here nor there....



My greatest goal this year!

The two of us will be able to go to our local coffee shop patio. Taricha will lay down at my feet and calmly stay there for the duration. Through distractions, food and comings and goings.

If all else fails, sticks are guurrreat.