Top Priority

I have noticed (and been told by others) that one thing that is especially challenging about puppies is the urgency with which everything is supposed to happen.

Top priorities: (all equally important)

• getting her socialized to people/places/things/dogs/puppies/sights/sounds etc
• keeping her healthy
• teaching her to accept grooming
• alone time training
• confinement training
• house-manners training
• house-training
  
• starting an obedience foundation

At this point I completely understand while people leave the "training" until the last thing. The list of must-dos is simply impossible to accomplish unless, perhaps, you can take the first 2-3 months off of work. Theoretically Winnie is from sound enough "stock" that even if I miss a category it will not end up an unsurmountable problem. I am a BIG believer in genetics....much more of a nature than nurture at this point. (Though I once was fairly religious about the nurture aspect). I must say the pressure that I feel to cover the important bases everyday is enough to make me crazy.

In addition to raising a puppy (chosen specifically for performance) we are (in no particular order):

• welcoming new partners to our building,
• working on a re-fi
• keeping our marriage healthy and happy
• working full time (more than full time in Tim's case)
• and keeping our older dog healthy and happy.

When I miss a category I begin to feel this burdensome guilt and doom about how that category is now likely to become a life long problem and how I am not doing a good enough job raising this dog. Interesting isn't it. (No comments required) = )

Winnie was an excellent girl yesterday. I had her at work and Dolce at home because Jennifer was coming to take him to the park for some individual attention and fun.

I set Winnie up under my desk and came and went throughout the day. She peed 2x - once on the floor near her pad (a theme really) and 1x on her wool pad which was next to the dog bed that she was napping on.

Tomorrow is the loooooooong awaited 2nd shot. I feel like a 5 y/o waiting for Santa!

So far she has been excellent in the office. She does fuss occasionally when I come in and leave and she has some some real excitement dancing when I come in (which I try desperately to ignore but it is SUPER cute). No body to play with yesterday as Kim is out on vacation.

I took her to the garage with me to get a soda and a snack so that she can see the maintenance area.

When I got home I let them go to the bathroom outside and hang out while I made dinner. In the evening she does racing laps up and down the house. I have been giving her more and more time outside of the pen and keeping an eye on her. So far, so good.

I had to go down to Frank's for yet another meeting and left the dogs upstairs. They did very well(read were quiet and relaxed). I came up to photocopy some paperwork and took W out to potty - she pooped/peed. Good girl!!

She slept well last night and got up at 6am. I took her out to the bathroom and then back to bed for 30 minutes. She fussed loudly for a minute or so then settled until 6:30 when I got her up.

Today we worked on grooming restraint as she is starting to get fussy/fidgeting about restraint.

I worked on:

• front leg holds - c/t for not pulling back(and sitting still) and worked up to gently extending her leg. I am really gonna need her cooperation for grooming!)
• gentle muzzle grabs - c/t for a close reach or brief touch. This is tough for her. again the grooming require her cooperation!
• lifting her ear flaps - c/t for sitting still I need to be able to scissor her ears and pull the hair. Yuck!

Dolce tried to play with her again today....... woo hoo!!