Dear All, I am just so delighted!  My Heart is now using her "den" (crate) reliably as a place to go when I won't give her human food, just kibble (moistened withe chciken brother,our Trainer allows) for the example just now.  She is using the den when she is frustrated, sleeping all over the house when she is feeling OK.  I am happy because this is a step in my being able to leave her alone in the house, & I am happy becausee it means that I've been learning how to train her.

Yours in Hiiim, Deb

Dear All,

Heart has been incessantly grooming yesterday & particularly today.  I thought that it was fleas!  (I called the vet & was told that the oral meds I gave her is definitely not to be repeated during  the month, & that it couldn't be fleas.)  I thought that I had been doing her a favor with the 2^nd bath yesterday, trying incrementally to get her used to teh water.  My Darllling brother says that it made her skin ddry & itchy – Oh, Dear!  That is the last thing I meant to do!  No more baths for at least 2 weeks!

Dear All, Dry skin was indeed the cause of Heart's excessive groooooming for 2 days.  She is behaving normally today! 

We went to the Park where there are hills but no fenced-in areas for her to run.  Run she did nonetheless, towing me behind & pulling her back inadvertently.  She rolled in te grass.  She played with other dogs, with the exception of chichauhas, that she hates for some known-to-dogs-only reason.  By the time I was ready to leave, though, she was so worked up that when she faced another chicahauha & 2 other dogs, she ran around in circles with me as the center point, leading another dog guardian to comment, “She’s a wild  one!”  I dno’t think that Heart is wild, just that she needs more exercise.  Our Traiiner, Ana, has recommended that I get a 10’ leash, & now I see how important that is.    When we came in, she ate more of the kibble, but still not teh augmented ration that Ana wants her to eat because Ana thinks that she is underweight -- she ate the amount specified on teh bag of kibble, though.

She is using her crate as a den more & more.  I don't want to resume crate traiining (closing her in & leaving the house, 1st for a minute, working up to an hour) until she starts eating her  kibble reliably, because I don't want her again to refuse kibble, waiting for treaaatts/human food.  I will, however, do some training of her this afternoon on her normal commands, Down & Touch, with her beef liver treats (not as "high value" as chciken nuggetsss, turkey hot dogs, or baby food).

Yours in Him, Deb

Just another quick one from me............

I don't know about a longer leash???  You see, by having the shorter leash, Heart is there for you to pick her up immediately!  You see, a little bull dog attacked our baby on a longer leash, and if she had been closer to me, I could have picked her up immediately!  Instead, I had to "rope her in" to get her off the ground and away from the other dog!  This is an experience and a suggestion.  I don't want to go against your loving trainer ~ she does know best!

Yes, now is the time for Heart to start learning you are BOSS!!!  She must MORE than please you!!!! 

Just wondering?  When you take Heart for walks in the park, is she wearing her vest?  If so..........she shouldn't be playing and running, should she? 

Listen to others' opinions about Heart, but do not take them to "heart" unless a little voice in your "heart" says listen!  Over the decades, I learned so much from strangers.............and may they be blessed!  I agree with you:  Heart is NOT wild!  Yes, she is over excited, at times!  Maybe too much energy, at times!  But at her age, she's entitled to be a puppy!  Poodles never really GROW UP, they are always PUPPIES and that's what makes poodle owners SPECIAL!!! 

I'm sure other poodle owners will tell you:  It's takes a special and exceptional person to be the RIGHT POODLE OWNER!  Not everyone meets a poodle's agenda and comes out with the more than best loving family member/caregiver!!!! 

You are doing more than magnificent!  Take pride in all you have done! 

Chihuahuas are often ill-tempered and will bite for no reason.  Heart has better taste than to pal around with low company.

Dear Just Me, Oh, no!  Heart has 2 modes:  just a doggie (parks & most walks) & Vested (Service Dog in Training). 

I am finding that she does not jump up on anyone (mainly except me) if I control her with a short leash.  I believe -- maybe too optimistically -- that if I can restrict her jumping to a select few friends, I'll wean her off the behavior.  So far as standing on her hind legs, she does that to see things high up.  I find it teriffically cute when she stands up to see in a flower/tree pot on teh street.  Once she even stood up to see in a newspaper rack!  In te house, she stands up to see often.

To get her canine good citizenship certification, she'llll need to be controlled ona 20' leash.  I agree with you about controlling her on a shorter leash, but I always hold her tight to me when she is around another dog, until I'm certain that the engagement is freindly. 

Love in Hiiim, Deb

Dear Little Pitcher, Thanks for the reassurance about chihuahas!  Love in Hiiim, Deb

Dear All, Here's what is going on now with Heart,

Wednesday, October 28, 2009:

Poor Heart is not adjusting well at all to just having kibble to eat.  There are short time periods when she'll accept it, onlly short .  When the doorbell rang iin the aft f a package delivery, I forgot to put her on a leash, she only took 2 steps out, I called her & she returned, & I was so relieved that I gave in & gave her a beef liver  treat, so much for consistency!

The last time that I coombed & brushed her, when I used high-value treats, I inadvertneeently uplifted 2 patches & she looks iinelegant to me.  Until I can use high-value treats, iinstead of kibble,, I don't want to try again to comb & brush her, lest she get afraid.  So I have to live with my poor handiwork ....

Deb,

Good luck on your training of Heart. As you are finding out, it takes a lot of patience, consistency and you have to establish who is the alpha (especially if you have more than one dog).  But from your posts it sounds like you're up to the task! Keep up the good work!

Jill

I've been waiting for more updates and you haven't been around.  I know on weekends, you take your "religious" time off ~

I'm so hoping that your absence is because you and Heart are becoming closer and closer ~ and that your weather has been great to go out and explore Heart's new world together! 

Doesn't it just warm you own heart, when Heart discovers something new ~ or she learns something new and is so proud of herself? 

May I make another suggestion?  Before you may need an "alternate" place for Heart (over night or for a few days), find a kennel that meets your expectations!  When we lived in The City, we would "board" our poodle with the Vet ~ most city folks do this, and call it:  City Camp! 

Also?  Maybe find a friend or neighbor who could "baby-sit" for a few hours ~ in case you must make an appointment where Heart is not permitted to enter. 

Planning ahead will give you peace of mind.