Happy Fall to All!

A Fall Outing

Zinfandel checking out the swine pen while I decide if I like this chair or not.

Halloween Costumes for Sale

I smell BACON!

Sitting in the punkin' patch.

Only Dog Things

Zinfandel has never grabbed, chewed or shown any interest in human items. As a puppy, she never took anything that wasn't a puppy approved item. We even left stuff on the floor, on tables, etc. She just always seemed to  know, that's a 2-legged dog's item and these are mine. Which for most puppy owners/raisers that's a miracle and nothing to complain about. What we have found is that it makes training her to do tasks, she may do one day for her partner, harder. It's been with lots of patience and time we got her to know it was ok to pick up a pen or keys or a phone. Her uncle Steve worked with her on the remote, last year. So these things are now routine. I decided, yesterday to work her on laundry, to give her mind a new challenge. She just wasn't sure it was ok to put her mouth on those nice clean clothes in the dryer. By the end of the load she learned that tugging the item out, handing it to me and waiting while I folded that piece and then doing to again when commanded was ok and what I was wanting her to do. She even stuck most of her body all the way into the dryer to get that last pair of shorts. But she definitely waits until she is commanded on each piece. Too funny.....

Happy Fall

Why Am I Surprised?

I am amazed that this 18-month old yellow lab can still surprise me in how smart she is. She has shown amazing ability to learn quickly, especially words. Any new toy that comes into the house she learns it's name by the second time we play with it. She enjoys working and looks so hard towards you when you are teaching her something new. She is a smart pup! Today, we were grooming after our daily walk. This has become our habit, since she was able to leave the yard at 15 weeks. We go for a walk/play and come home and get groomed. She knows what 'over' means (to flip her hip over), but she really doesn't like doing it. We have incorporated it into her play, so she knows how to do it. But on command, especially while grooming, not so much. So, I've gotten in the habit of having her, 'stand' and 'turn around' when I'm ready for the other side. Today, she was laying down and I did her whole left side. I commanded, 'stand', she looked at me, like hmmmmm should I? And I'm thinking, 'oh no, here we go on a backslide!" Then she did an 'over' and gave me a look of, that's really what you wanted, right? So SMART! And Stubborn! If she had no fear, I'd say a perfect Guide Dog in the making. But, we're pretty sure if she makes it IFT it will be service or social. But I digress and that's a long way off.......

Swimming in the back yard pond.