This was a really fun fourth of July for me, as well as my first with Coco. In the morning, I left her snoozing with Miguel and I ran a race in a nearby town. It wasn't so much a race as a parking lot, but it is always an experience to run with a thousand people. A couple of friends came with me, which made for a couple of laughs.
Later that day, Coco and I went over my friends' house to hang out. This is always a big deal because Coco hates other dogs and so my friend has to hide her pups. I was armed with my doggy diaper bag equivalent: a bed, some treats, and two toys. When we got there, Coco went nuts and the other dogs went nuts until we had them properly separated. I used a technique with Coco that I saw on t.v.; i.e. Victoria Stillwell's show "It's me or the Dog". If Coco barked at one of the dogs (who were safely in the other room), I would take her aside to a spare room and make her sit inside for 10 seconds. When I let her out, she would walk calmly back to her toy. It worked pretty well, and with my friend working with her dogs at the same time, we had fun playing rock band while Coco tried out every dog bed in the house and promptly chewed the feet off of one of their AKC dog toys. Here are some pictures of Coco, the maurading guest munching away in someone elses bed. How funny!
What was also funny, was that the house had wood floors, and Coco decided to chase a tennis ball. It was like an ocotupus on ice skates. Coco would go flying across the floor, miss the tennis ball by an inch, but successfully knocking it with her paws; then she would skid to far ahead of the ball and try and double back, barely missing the ball again but giving it enough momentum to skitter futher... It was so funny. Our new place that we are moving to will have wooden floors, as well! The fun won't stop unless we find a rug!
Coco is sacked out now on one of her make-shift pillow dog beds that she "acquired" when I was lazy enough to leave a spare pillow on the ground for too long. I've been home all day packing for the impending move and doing some chore like odds and ends. We had a ride to the pet store for more food and Coco was the darling of the store. She of course got a big stuffie when we got through the door which she carried around, her head held high and bat ears at attention. Everyone stopped and cooed her.
So, no fireworks or apple pie this weekend. But I think it was a great fourth of July, with friends, dogs, and fun. Hooray!
What was also funny, was that the house had wood floors, and Coco decided to chase a tennis ball. It was like an ocotupus on ice skates. Coco would go flying across the floor, miss the tennis ball by an inch, but successfully knocking it with her paws; then she would skid to far ahead of the ball and try and double back, barely missing the ball again but giving it enough momentum to skitter futher... It was so funny. Our new place that we are moving to will have wooden floors, as well! The fun won't stop unless we find a rug!
Coco is sacked out now on one of her make-shift pillow dog beds that she "acquired" when I was lazy enough to leave a spare pillow on the ground for too long. I've been home all day packing for the impending move and doing some chore like odds and ends. We had a ride to the pet store for more food and Coco was the darling of the store. She of course got a big stuffie when we got through the door which she carried around, her head held high and bat ears at attention. Everyone stopped and cooed her.
So, no fireworks or apple pie this weekend. But I think it was a great fourth of July, with friends, dogs, and fun. Hooray!
2 comments:
Thats sounds like lots of fun! I am glad to see I am not the only one watching dog shows to train my baby ;)
Hope the move goes well!!
Sounds like you all had a great 4th of July. I hope some day that Coco will get over her anxiety around other dogs. I love that you're getting her socialized.
So when is the move? It will be interesting to read about how Coco adjusts to the new home.
joyce
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