Friday morning. Bear wears a lighted collar for the first time. It was not full dark, but I want to start getting him used to it while it doesn’t cast a completely weird light. A beautiful morning, cool at 47F, quiet, the sun not quite clearing the mountains before we headed inside.
Just like that, it feels like we’ve turned the corner into Fall. It is wonderfully cool in the morning – almost chilly. The light is just that much different as to seem not really Summer.
Fresh oatmeal bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, green grass and trees and the morning light…
Bob just enjoying the afternoon…
Bear enjoying an extra treat after an afternoon walk – on the long line only! He knows he is not on a leash. He is staying close to me, often looking to check where I am. Today for the first time on the long line there were deer. He did NOT chase and did not even bark. He watched for a bit and then turned away. Completely different behavior than on the leash. I am thrilled with how things are going right now. My hope is that as I can give him more freedom, he will enjoy it while staying with me and continue to respond as he is to boundary commands: this way, far enough, leave it. I am so proud of him!
We came in, had a quick game of chase the stuffed bone, a stomach rub and the extra treat.
It was a really nice day!
Birthday dinner…pizza with pesto, roma tomatoes, kalmata olives and provolone…washed down with a cherry-basil soda – happy day!!
Pesto was made with walnuts as in an odd burst of frugality, I won’t spend $9.00 for a small bag of pine nuts :)!
The day was gorgeous with blue sky, a few white clouds, temperatures pleasantly in the 60’s until afternoon when it topped out at 74. My knee is better, my back has been giving me fits so I DID have a birthday nap complete with heating pad…which made me feel that I really was/am 56!
An evening walk, an early night and a bit of Julia Child’s “My life in France” with Bob on the bed and Bear through the gate in the living room. A wonderful birthday: 2011.
Birthday Eve and Bear and I walked the loop with Bear on the long line only!
A beautiful walk, a remembrance of Karl in a first free walk with Bear on my Birthday Eve!
***AND I put the A/C away!!!
Bob on the front porch.
Bear on the front porch.
Bob and Bear on the front porch at the same time.
In the peace and stillness of a Sunday morning: From the front porch.
Bear has been part of the fambly Summers for 3 happy months!
All of us have made progress in those 3 months :)!
Up until a week ago, the giant kennel was the “gate” between one bedroom door and the living room.
About 3 weeks ago, we tried the above gate at the end of the kitchen that gives access to the front door and the bathroom/bedroom’s alternate access.
We did some boundary training with the gate: you may not put your nose through the gate, you must lie down and be given an ok to go through the open gate, you will watch quietly while Bob crosses your vision beyond the gate!
Bear is VERY intelligent and understands quickly what is expected. The Bob part took/takes a bit more work as instinct/past whatever get in the way, but there is progress.
So I got a second gate and the living room looks a bit more normal minus the giant kennel.
Outside, we’ve been working on a long line in the yard. I attach a very long rope to Bear’s collar and unhook the leash. He has freedom to run and play but is dragging a long line which I can step on if needed and/or it feels like a tether of sorts to Bear.
Lately, I shortened the long line from 40 feet to 20 feet and I put it on when we go for “long-lead” walks in the woods. Long-lead walks are the front-runners of off leash. A 16 foot lead is attached to Bear’s regular collar vs a 6 foot lead to his slip collar. On short lead and slip collar, Bear heels and keeps his eyes on me and what direction I go. On the long lead, Bear is in front, although he must “leave-it”, “wait” or follow/change direction if I ask.*
The 20 foot rope drug easily and did not get tangled in either brush or Bear’s feet. My hope/plan was that if that was the case, I would start unhooking the lead on our walks and see how Bear did off leash but dragging the long line.**
Last week, I started unhooking the lead toward the end of the walk when I knew Bear was hot and thinking about the cool house.
Bear is off lead in the above photo, dragging the 20 foot line and “heading for the barn” :)!
Waiting for me to open the door.
I will start unhooking earlier in the walk and as that goes well, will also shorten the line with the goal being no line and Bear following my “leave it”, “let’s go”, “this way” – off leash!
The cut off pieces of long line are Bob’s new toys…Win, Win!
*Bear came trained :)! He knew all of the normal commands and has done them willingly for me. We have done a LOT of down-stays and I found them to be so helpful in calming him in new situations as well as helping him learn that he is now my dog. And that is really the crux of the training with Bear…helping him adjust to me as his person, leader of the pack, and a pack that includes a cat…a cat who would be King!
I think, from observation, there was also a learning of what it looks and feels like in Montana vs rural New York State. I’ve been in the area where Bear lived and even though rural, it is not as open as it is here. It probably contributes to a feeling of unease…not only a new person and new house but a whole new countryside.
Given all of the new and different things, Bear has done so very, very well and it is a joy to be part of helping him feel at home with Bob and I.
**Additionally, I use an electronic collar that has both shock and vibrate capabilities. I shock myself anytime I shock my dog…that’s my own rule so I know what level of correction I’m giving. This particular collar, which has a vibrate feature, allows for reminders without the shock…i.e., “Oh, you meant me???”