I actually have a couple of exciting things to share.
First, my baby brother Jim (11 years my junior) and his long time girlfriend Emily got engaged last week during their trip to Grand Cayman!! I think Em is great and am very excited to have her as a sister-in-law to be. I am looking forward to hearing all of the details as soon as they recover from the travel.
Second, I am getting a visit from Schroeder next week!!!! Saturday to be precise. I am ridiculously excited about this. His owner contacted me and offered the visit and I could not be more thrilled or grateful. I will be sure to take plenty of pictures and a short video or two. I know he won't remember me, but I wonder if the smells will be familiar. I am also curious if Cheetah will recognize him. As we know, she has territorial aggression issues. I have prepared Schroeder's owners for this and they are being very cool about it (his primary owner is very dog savvy). My current plan is to have Cheetah in another room until the initial excitement is over and then bring her in on loose lead. I wish she was a little more food motivated than she is and it would make it much easier. Anyway, I am crazy excited to see Schroeder.
Finally, Cheetah was at the dog park this weekend and there was a group of about 3 kids there. They were running and screeching in their maybe 10-year-old way. A girl and two boys. When I initially saw them I called Cheetah over very cheerfully and tried to keep her distracted. But she trotted over toward them at one point and my blood froze. I was fully prepared to make a heroic leap between Cheetah and a kid. But one of them threw a ball for her and she went running after it! She treated them like any other person!!!!! This was the ultimate proof. A playground at a distance is one thing. A kid in her immediate territory, running and playing, is QUITE another. I am utterly beside myself. Dan was annoyed with her in the car for barking in his ear (it can be very loud and startling) but I was like - are you kidding? SHE WAS GOOD WITH KIDS!!! She is not going to be perfect all at once. One thing at a time.
I have definitely noticed a significant difference since changing her food. She is a much calmer dog.
Here is a blog entry from Nicole Wilde - the dog trainer I heard when I went to that seminar a few weeks ago. She expresses a notion I have long felt to be true and I thought you might enjoy it too. http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/must-dog-every-dog-he-meets And an excellent follow up to that: http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/angels-and-expectations
Congratulations Little Bro! and WHOOO HOOO a visit from Schroeder, what fun that will be to see how much he's grown! Wonderful news about Cheetah playing with the kids. I wonder if maybe she was okay with them was because it wasn't in "her" yard, but neutral territory? Either way, it's wonderful progress for her, and says a lot about you! Tell Dan to wear ear plugs! LOL
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