Board and Train: Storm, Day 2

Storm had a good first night in the kennel. I spent quite a bit of time working with her to make a positive association with it – she doesn’t like enclosed kennels – and by the time bedtime rolled around, she went into it without a fuss. I provided her with a bone to chew on to help her decompress and relax so that she could sleep. She was rather noisy about it at first, alternately tossing or pushing the bone around the kennel floor, but once she understood that it was bedtime, she settled down and went to sleep.

As of this posting, I am very happy to report that Storm has had no in-house accidents. She does alert when she has to go – she whines softly and starts to circle – but in a busy household like hers, that is not sufficient. Today I’m going to help her people read and respond to her better and more quickly by teaching her a more obvious alert.

Since her arrival yesterday, Storm has been on a leash at all times so she can learn how to be around Glimmer and Violet, while giving them space they need to process and adjust to her presence. Storm is already learning that less intensity means more freedom; as a result, she is working very hard to control her excitement around them. It’s hard for her because she’s just a puppy and she’s naturally excited about having some playmates, but she’s getting there. Slowly but steadily, she’s getting there.

The temperatures are going to be soaring today, so we’ll be taking our training walk very soon, while it’s still cool. Later, I’ll be setting up the puppy pool. A cooling-off area is critical for dogs when dealing with high heat, even when the working or leisure area is shaded.

Have a great day, and remember: Stay calm and lead on.