I have so much to write about, but before I forget: Oreo’s height at the shoulders is 19.5″.

Dog Dayz of Summer, August 19-20, Stephentown, NY

I am really really excited about this!! There’s workships; demos for agility, frisbee, flyball; vendors for all sorts of doggy things; a swimming pond; a bake sale; a raffle… oh it sounds like so much fun. It’s a weekend deal, and it’s a little drive for us so I think we’ll stay overnight. Our first camping trip with the dogs! Woo hoo!!

Up early this morning (thanks Zoe - do you have a sieve for a bladder?) and the cat’s hyper. Zoe walked by him and he did the whole crouch down, swish the tail, wiggle the butt, POUNCE. He can be so mean sometimes - he grabbed her legs and started gnawing (literally - he chomps on her legs like they were a nice fat drumstick). Then he jumped up and smacked and clawed her around the neck. And my poor little girl - who was corned in the bathroom - just stood there and gave me the most pitiful look. I had to shoo the cat away (to which he gave me the evil eye). She is just such a sweetheart when it comes to the cat, she just stands there. Sometimes she plays back, but when he gets rough with her she just… takes it. My silly, sweet girl.

Dad: anyway…at the park…Oreo took off towards the lparking lot when we were half way down the field
Dad: couldn’t believe she would run off like lthat to see other people at the entrance…people none of us knew
Dad: then I figured out what it must have been
Nat: someone had food?
Dad: there was a tallish girl with long hair…along with some kids
Dad: she was homing in on her until she got close enough then turned around to return to us
Dad: can you figure out why??
Nat: Awwww you’re gonna make me cry…. my baby misses me!!
Dad: yep…she thought it was you…and it did look like you…

First of all, Zoe’s already showing tons of improvement in her crate. I get home, I deal with the cat, I make a phone call, I bring in groceries… and not a peep from her. I walk in the bedroom and nothing. When I step up to her crate she starts wiggling and moaning in anticipation, but I think that’s not so much an attempt at attention-getting, but rather she just can’t hold it in. But I am making her sit before I open the door, and trying to stem the excessive freaking out as I open the door.

And after dinner - well the last two days, I fed the dogs, closed their crates, then sat with my laptop. Previously she’d finish and then start barking and whining incessantly to be let out. And the last two days? She layed down. Silently. Awesome. I quickly jumped up and praised her to high heaven and let her out. I think it’s sinking in. Yay! A faster learner than Zeeke was… (Took him a year to learn. At the very least several MONTHS. Though that was due to his Seperation Anxiety.)

Today late at night (when it’s nice and cool and comfortable out) after I took Zoe for her last potty of the day we went for a very quick, very short jaunt up and down the road. And it’s really amazing to watch her: remember when she was so nervous she’d slink behind me and against my legs? Tail tucked, flinching, not wanting to move? Today she trotted down the street ahead of me, tail high and curled over her back. I’m not kidding! And Zeeke wasn’t even with us. I’m so proud of her. I think she’s slowly expanding the area she feels comfortable in. Unfortunately that’s also led to her wandering off if let off-leash (at least in this area), and yeah, she’s no longer allowed off-leash. Not until she learns her recall much better than it is.

I’m really disappointed though - I got the registration letter for intermediate class, and it starts next weekend while we’re away. So we’re going to have to wait until August or September to start it. I’m really looking forward to it, though. I doubt Zoe is. Hopefully her mind will change somewhere along the way. I really do think her going to class had a big effect on her, and I want to continue that forward motion.

I have a confession: I don’t really brush Zoe very often. Yes! Condemn me to mommy-hell! People always ask if she sheds a lot, if I have to brush her a lot - and I just really don’t. I would, if she looked like she needed it. Sometimes I get out the boar bristle brush and get her looking all slick and shiny. Sometimes I grab the rubber brush and rake and get out some of that undercoat. But her coat surprizingly is very self-maintaining. When I pet her and play with her I don’t notice puffs of fur coming off her (like they do Zeeke). She never mats up (like Oreo does - her fur is aweful for matting). Dirt and slobber all fall right out after it’s dried. She’s seriously the lowest maintainance dog coat I’ve got. Obviously she does leave fur around the house, on the bed and couch and such - part of dog ownership. But it’s nothing that I really notice, not around here.

We’re having some major breakthroughs! For about a week now, Jojo has been just wandering the house - when Zeeke is out. He seems to have finally lost his fear of the big galumph, and is mainly ignoring him. Zeeke just can’t let him go though… he follows the cat every step of the way, shoving his nose under his stomach, on his head, sniffing at him, licking him… you name it. So I credit Jo for putting up with it… he doesn’t always, though. Once in a while he’ll stand up and smack at Zeeke (who takes a giant leap backwards). Zeeke’s taken a few claws.

It’s a little weird, though, having the cat come sashaying into the bedroom and jump up beside me. I’m really not used to it yet! It’s rather annoying, though, because Jo goes under the bed, Zeeke sticks his head under and runs from side to side, then Zoe crawls under the bed because she can’t figure out what’s going on… what a zoo.