Princess: Day 9
We finally got some sunshine and warmer temperatures yesterday, so I took Princess out so she could play in the snow. She had a blast, running and hopping around, chasing snow balls tossed her way, and shoving her face right into the deeper parts to see if there was anything interesting. Her puppy-ness definitely got released, and it was a real joy to watch her playing and having fun.
As Princess continues to settle in, I’m starting to see some unwanted behaviors cropping up that need to be dealt with:
- harassing the cat, cornering her, chasing her
- counter surfing, taking food in the presence of humans
- climbing on tables, taking things to bring back to the dog bed
- pushing Glimmer out of the way to get affection, toys, the dog bed, and etc.
Though she is being worked every day, several times a day, as well as being given lots of play time, brain games, and other things to challenge her and keep her occupied, these behaviors are showing that Princess requires much more physically and mentally demanding work. To that end, I’m going to be introducing her to the back pack; this is a fantastic tool for high-energy dogs, as it forces the dog to focus on preventing the pack from sliding around, as well as maintaining even weight distribution of the contents inside the pouches.
Efforts to condition Princess to the treadmill have had very little success. She has no problem getting on and off the tread, but once it starts moving, she panics and tries to bolt. Glimmer has attempted to show her what to do and how to do it, but Princess isn’t having any of it, even if treats are involved. So, we’re working more on going for walks outside to help drain out mental and physical energy.
Aside from the above-mentioned behaviors cropping up, Princess has been doing a fairly good job of learning and trying to practice her basic lessons. She does need a lot of trust- and confidence-building work, but she’s trying. That is really all I can ask of her.
Have a great day, and remember to stay calm and lead on.