Saturday, April 21 – About 10PM last night she needed to go out, so we went, and she had her stool, and then back to sleep.
About 1:15, I hear the dreaded sound, the barfing dog (I swear, that should be the premier alarm sound). Most of it was on the pee-pads, so clean up was mostly trivial. I will have a bit more clean up to do with my new Bissell Spot Cleaner.
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Needless to say, it was not a restful night, although Lizzie was quite quiet. About 4:40AM I tossed off the covers and got up, doing my morning ritual of making coffee, and reading the NY Times when I hear her exit her crate about 5:00AM.
Next thing I know she is guiding me to the kitchen and looking at her food dish longingly. Of course, I fed her.
Then the playing began. I saw her come into my office with one of her Dragon toys. Then the second dragon. Then a duck toy. Then the second duck toy.
A little nuzzling, a more than a few kisses, and then she looked like she needed to go potty, so i gently guided her to the back door, and she had a nice poo. (nb: it’s a dog owner thing to be so happy about pooping – deal with it)
Then back in the house, praise, treats, and a lot of playing. In the hallway, I get down on my hands and knees, and we begin playing. She is loving it, and really getting into it, standing on her hind legs, batting at me (and me batting back) with her front paws, tail wagging like a fool. She is in full puppy mode.
Back and forth, hallway, living room, and my office, it is all good.
A little later I go into our room and make the bed, and I see her one-by-one move her toys into her crate. Clearly, she is a “hoarding” hound.
I go back to reading the news, sipping my cuppa, and she comes in looking like she wants to go out again (I contain my glee) and then go let her out in to the back yard. Off to the grass, a few sniffs, and she voids her bladder. Effusive praise, more treats, including one of the best treats, an ice cube, and she is a good girl. I am beginning to show her how to use the doggie door to return into the house.
Baby steps, but the change in less than 24 hours is astounding. I was worried that I would have 6 months of patience and gentle coaxing to get her to blossom, but this is exceeding my wildest expectations.
Fast forward another 40 minutes, and I hear her nudging the doggie door (it is a Hale Pet door, and there are magnets that hold the flaps closed, they make a distinctive sound) and I go let her out. She begins to explore the grass, sniff the spot she peed, and then I do the two handed slap on the knees that is the signal for playing, and we do a little wrestling.
Wow. I am going to stop here, and count my blessings for the day.
Okay, one addendum. She just asked to go out again, and then she did zoomies on the grass. Amazing…