Today we got another dumping of snow. So I took both of the dogs out together, Zeeke on-leash (it’s not optional for him), and Zoe off-leash. We went around to the backyard and then I just stood there while the two of them beat each other up in the snow. Zoe had a blast, running back and forth and in and out. She’s like Oreo was at that age - she stays within our territory and follows where I go. And when it’s time to go inside a short “Inside” will get her running straight to the front door. It’s wonderful. The fence will do wonders for them both, though. When I brought them inside after that brief play session (I was freezing!) they both flopped out and napped.

I’m really happy that I found a store online that sells nice martingale collars. Petco doesn’t have any in-store, which annoys the heck out of me, and online Petco and Petsmart have a very very limited selection (3 colors, yuck). Then I found Handcraft Collars. Very nice looking collars! I’m looking at the snap-around martingale collar in 3/4″ width for Zoe. I’m also going to get a matching 6′ leash. Problem is, I can’t decide on a color - I’m torn between Bolivia Blue and simple Burgandy. Burgandy is what color her current collar and leash is, and it looks really really good on her - but the Bolivia Blue pattern is really pretty. Either way I need to get the collar before she starts her obedience class, so I need to order it soon.

Yesterday I took out some soft treats I’d bought at the store and started going through some commands with Zoe. I started teaching her a new one - “touch.” I held my hand just above her nose and when she bumped me with her nose I treated her. Tonight I can hold my hand above her head and she’ll stand up to touch her nose to my palm. Not really sure how that’ll be useful, but I just wanted to teach her something new.

She loves the kong. They’ve managed to lose Zoe’s, yet again, but she’s been carrying around Zeeke’s giant kong. That’s quite a feat for her, it’s huge - and it does indeed slip out of her mouth half the time. She loves how it bounces, and yesterday I put peanut butter and kibble in it. Once she got some of the peanut butter out of the way she figured out she can get kibble to come out by pushing it around. So she has been pushing that kong around ever since. I may have to start feeding part of her meals in the kong, or something similar to it, just because she seems to find it very mentally rewarding. (It’s not so much about eating the food, that’s just a bonus - she really seems pleased when she gets it to spit out kibble!)

She is still fetching quite well. I still have to be wary of claws when I grab the toy, but she’s bringing the toy right back to my hands. I play tug for a few seconds, then tell her to drop it and throw it again. She’s such an enthusiastic little dog, she absolutely loves to please me. She’s very energetic when she wants to be, as well; she’ll run like a nutcase when she’s excited - we were chasing each other up and down the house earlier this evening. “Come” for her is totally exciting - she launches herself onto my lap from wherever she is, to get snuggled and kissed and praised. It’s not really work, with Zoe, but I’ve definitely tried to make myself the most interesting, fun, happy thing in her life. Of course Zeeke is a great playmate and daddy lets her crawl all over him, but mom is the safe haven that will always love her to death and protect her.

So in March Zoe and I will be starting a beginner’s obedience class. Den and I observed one of the classes today and we were happy with it - the building it’s held in is dedicated to obedience classes, with mats and tape marking places on the floor, it’s heated/air conditioned. And the instructor, as Den said, “Doesn’t put up with shit.” She’s very obviously in control of the entire class, very knowledgeable. She knows exactly how to get the dogs to do what she wants them to, no force required. Something I noted is that all but one of the dogs were on flat collars - even an Akita. I really liked the training methods. So I’ve emailed her and asked to register for the March class.

Den and Zeeke won’t be going to the same class, but Den thinks he’ll sign Zeeke up for a different one, later. We’ll have to talk to the trainer about whether he should go into beginners - which he did, and passed, last year with a different trainer, but could still use work in - or in intermediate. I’m hoping he can go to intermediate, because he knows sit, down, stay, heel (needs practice on that one). The reason it’s hard to say with Zeeke is because he *knows* the commands, so we don’t need to teach them what they mean, but some days he just doesn’t listen to a thing he’s told. But either way he’ll benefit, and Den too.

Yesterday I looked up trainers in the area and did some research. I really like one of them - Sandy Meadow Farm. The owner/head trainer has owned and trained german shepherds and border collies for many years. I sent her an email asking about observing a class, and am setting up a time with her. I’m really excited! Zoe won’t like it at first, but I hope she comes to enjoy it. Mainly I’m doing this for the social experience for her, but I would really love to get into a more advanced level with her.

Today I took Zoe for a walk around the neighborhood - not the short loop either. (We actually did both loops.) Just getting her out the door was a challenge because as soon as I grabbed the 6′ leash she ran and hid in her crate. Apparently she’s associated the 6′ leash with trips to the vet. That’s going to change. Once we got outside and she saw the truck was gone she was fine, though.

We walked at heel today. The extendable leash has gotten her into bad habits while on walks, and I need to re-train her. Because she’s nervous she tends to scoot back and forth, I tripped on her several times. But she did surprizingly well. I was giving frequent little tugs with the leash to stop her from forging ahead (or falling back), but it was pretty minor given that she was only on a flat collar and this was the first time we’d really worked on heel. (And by heel I mean walking at my left side - I am not doing precision heeling here, just trying to get her to stop pulling or tripping me!)

She is definitely doing better around vehicles. We had I think two cars pass us while we were walking, and I just kept going and tried to project a non-chalant attitude. She still was skittish, but she didn’t try bolting or stopping this time.

When spring comes and Den’s baseball games start up I’m going to be taking her with me to some of the games. I really want her to be around people more often. I also talked to Den about signing her up for beginner’s obedience lessons. I don’t really think she or I need the training for obedience (I do well enough on my own), but she could definitely use the time around other people and dogs in a structured environment like that. We’ll just have to see if we can afford to do that.

No more rawhides for these two twerps. I’ve had enough stinkiness and potty emergencies to last a lifetime. Although… Den did grab the rawhides from a different bin than I usually do. I know Zeeke always got sick off of every other brand I tried. It appears they both do. Yuck.

Zoe today had a few major hyper spazzes. I was playing with her on the bed, tryinig to avoid getting clawed by her. (I’m watching her like a hawk… soon as she uses her paw on me I say “bad!” It’s slowly working.) She was totally spazzy, growling and bouncing and kicking and biting my hands. I played for a while, she started panting, I decided to go back to reading. I said, “Okay, enough,” and she immediately turned around and walked away. I’m so darn proud of that girl.

She’s been laying down on command at a tap of my foot. She needed that reminder still. (I think it’s hard for her to lay down when my hands and the cookie are up above her… conflicting signals/desires.) Well tonight she layed down on my first command, with no reminder. Woot! I think she’s getting it. Zeeke, of course, is still slamming his entire body to the ground when I so much as whisper the word, “down.”

I hadn’t previously tried to teach Zoe “off” - Zeeke knows it, and he’s the main issue. But the past week I’ve been trying to straighten the bed covers (to keep dog fur from getting IN the bed), and she kind of lays there chewing on her bone, ignoring the fact that I’m tugging and tugging. She’s gotten a little too heavy to just move with it. So I started teaching her off. “Off,” and nudge her so she jumped off the bed. She’d jump right back up. Repeat until the bedcovers were straight.

So today I walk in there and try to straighten the bedcovers. She’s in the way, as usual. I said, “Off,” and she jumped down, sat, and waited. When I was done I said, “Okay, up!” and she hopped back up and went straight back to chewing on her bone. Good girl!!

Oh my gosh!! Zoe fetched today! And I don’t mean on accident… I mean I threw the ball about 8 times, and 8 times she brought it back and dropped it in my lap. I’m sooooo proud of her!! She seemed pretty pleased with herself when she got praised as all get-out when she brought the ball back. It was actually pretty funny - we can’t keep normal tennis balls in the house because Zeeke chews them in half in hours. So the only ball we have is an oversized tennis ball… about twice the diameter. Obviously, she can’t fit it in her mouth. It’s been shredded, though, so she grabs the stringy fuzz and carefully carries it back that way.

I did have to put Zeeke in the bedroom to play with her, though…. he flattens her when I throw the ball and doesn’t let her get it. And then doesn’t bring it back.

Zoe looks pretty pooped after playing with Zeeke, then playing with mommy.

We have a problem every day of Zoe jumping on Zeeke while Zeeke is sitting getting his collar put on to go outside. It really irritates Zeeke, who gets up, which in turn makes it hard for Den to get his collars and leash on. So often Den will ask me to call my dog. Today I was sitting in the office when he asked. So I called out, “Zoe, come!” And wouldn’t you know it, my little dog came flying down the hall to me. I rewarded her with a little treat. I did it again a few minutes later, treat at the ready, and she was even more eager to get to me. I figure if I can call her off something as exciting as Zeeke going outside without her, we’re doing pretty good!

Zoe managed a sit-stay for the first time yesterday! I’ve never been able to get her to sit still if there’s something interesting going on. I always got photos of the top of her head as she ran up to me, and getting her to sit still when food was involved was just impossible. But yesterday evening I was taking photos of the dogs playing and she came over to me. I got her to sit-stay as I snapped two photos of her. And then this morning after they ate breakfast they both wanted water really badly. So I filled up the bowl. They were being pushy, so I got them to sit. I told them to “stay” and put the bowl down. She broke stay, so I picked up the bowl. I again told her to sit, stay. I put the bowl down. She stayed sitting!! I realized them after only a second or two, but heck, that’s definitely a first step!