We survived

Howdy blogaroos. Squirmy here on a super Saturday. Just here to let you know that we survived. What did we survive? Why Friday the 13th! We’re not all that superstitious in our house- but let’s face it – we’re really not in the market for bad luck. But not to worry – no black cats in our yard yesterday.

Anyone curious about a Coyote update? We’re thinking you might me. So, to sum it up – the seas were bumpy at times, but also super calm. He had two days of upchucking a meal – but he was clearly not feeling too badly because he wanted to then eat it. Ewwwww. I know – too much information. But the reality – we PONs would have also eaten it. Not that’s REALLY gross. Anyway, the Warden changed when he got one of his stomach medications and voila- no recycling! PLUS the past couple of days he has been HUNGRY. I mean eating not just because it’s put in front of him – but scoffing it down like a PON. Yup. He definitely has had an appetite. Now to just put on some weight. Said the Warden to herself. Never.

He also received some mail this week from some canine (and human) friends in British Columbia. He got some super yummy things – which he LOVED. And THANKFULLY, he agreed to share some with us. A big thanks to Takoda et al for thinking of us!!!

Plus yesterday, some friends- Shawn and Patti came by – and get this Patti made banana bread – for the Coyote! She said their dogs always loved the tasty treat, and guess what? Mr. Picky ate a slice! This is the same guy who wouldn’t eat a banana in the past. But banana bread is clearly different. So Friday the 13th was far from unlucky!

I went to my obedience workshop on Monday, class on Wednesday and extra training on Thursday. Good news. My heeling is not too awful. Bad news. I have once again decided that the sit stay exercise is just plain boring. In class, I went to visit one of the Borzoi babes. I didn’t get too far before the Warden swooped in and put me in my place. The Borzoi babe was not impressed – although she never moved. I think she just considers me a pest.

During the workshop, I didn’t visit. I just slowly slid down from a sit to a down. And when the Warden tried to get me to sit, I became like liquid. I wouldn’t sit. When she tried again, I rolled over in my back. Kicking my legs in the air. I was put on leash and led out of the line up.

So in practice on Thursday, the Warden and Saint Jane decided to make the sit stay even more difficult. Just to see what I would do. They put my Pyr Shep friend Fidjit about 2 feet from me – with her back to me. Did they HONESTLY think I would go to visit her?! Seriously ?! She’s a friendly girl , but she doesn’t like boys sniffing her. I tried it once in the past, and hello – she told me off in very clear terms. Did they think I forgot that? I didn’t move on my sit stay.

So then they tried throwing treats just in front of me to see if I would break. Hello? I know it was a trick. I didn’t move a tiny muscle.

For me, breaking the sit stay is something I do for several reasons. Number one. The sit stay is boring. I like ACTION stuff like heeling and retrieving. Sitting and staring at the Warden is just boring. Number two. I’m curious. I like to check out new friends. But nooooo. Obedience does not include socializing between dogs. Number three. I behave really well when the Warden is close by. When she leaves me in the stay, it’s just my chance to be bad! I’m far from her. She can’t quickly stop me. It’s all about the excitement of doing something BAD.

Remember this was an issue before – and then I got better at it. Seemingly better. It’s called intermittent reinforcement. Let the humans THINK you are ready to go in a trial – and then smash that idea. Then get really good at it again. And start doing something else poorly. Training humans is such a blast.

So the Coyote seems to be regaining his appetite. He has also regained his energy to play endless rounds of Poke-a-PON. Yesterday, the Warden had to tell him to STOP bugging the Boss- he was obsessed with “playing the game.” No matter how much the Boss tried to tell him that he didn’t want to play, he persisted. We cut him some slack because he’s sick – but that slack only goes so far. I think he’s misbehaving just because he can. Sounds familiar.

OK. Time to start a new day of human training. Some are easier than others.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe. JBJ.