Even Dogs Get Spring Fever

Envy - Feb 16th (5 Months old tomorrow)

After a long hard winter, one that started only two weeks after she came to live with us, Envy finally got a taste of warm weather and the scent of the coming spring.   We've had something like 33 inches of snow since December 1st and one nasty ice storm week in early February.  For three days, we were home from school and work due to the ice.  Our whole yard was a skating rink.  


That poor puppy looked at me like I was insane every time I opened the back door.  Our older dog, Obie, decided at one point that he was just going to "hold it" until we made him go out.  He promptly melted the ice on my back step and came right back in.  This was not the ideal weather to go through housebreaking.  After the first ice-skating day, she figured out how to slide out into the yard and dug in her claws to get back into the house.  Good thing Corsos have very cat-like claws.


What joy today at 68 degrees that the ice has finally melted!  The yard is a muddy mucky mess, but the dogs frolicked like it was late summer.  Obie and Envy also got a long walk this evening from my husband - first time he's walked them both together.  


Now she's happily sitting by the back door - wagging her tail - waiting to go out again and again.   I expect she won't be spending much time indoors once Spring finally arrives.  Her precious mulch is out there and the remains of my herb garden.  Now, I have to consider puppy destruction as I plant my garden for spring.  Hhmmm.

Envy - Feb 16th - Check out those legs

Next up is Continuing Education.  We graduated from Puppy Class on January 31st and now are anxiously waiting to go back for "Novice Training."  We still work on everything we learned in Puppy class, but are stretching out times.  Envy downstays every night during dinner.  A few nights ago, we got up to an hour.   In the evening we still work on sit, down, come, free puppy, and a few tricks from class.  The hardest part, but the biggest payoff, is the submission training.  She hated it in the beginning and would fight against it every time.  But now she is doing much better and tolerates it really well.  


Submission training might sound awful, but it's as simple as getting the pup to either lay down on her side while you touch her from head to toe (without struggling or fighting) or to lay down on her back in between your legs while you sit on the floor.  We learned how to clean teeth, check ears, brush coats, and clip nails all while in these positions.  If I do the exercises every night, she does well.  If I skip a night, well, I'm wrestling with a forty pound puppy who has a mind of her own.  Ever try to strap a baby into a carseat when they absolutely don't want to go in?  They stiffen up, right?  That's what she does too and spread her legs wide so that I can't move her into position.  That's when Obie comes in.  Obie gets down on his side and gets lots of praise and treats.  Envy sees this as a good thing, stops resisting, gets lots of praise and treats.  And the next day is easier.


I've also learned to clip a few nails every few days.  I want to keep her used to the idea of this "claw" near her little paws.  If she doesn't need a clipping, then I at least put the clippers near her nails so she gets used to it.  

Obie - Feb 2011 - In his preferred resting state.  Silly dog!