Sunday, May 18, 2008

List of tricks!

Here is the list of tricks that I either know or I am working on. Aren't I just the best?


  1. sit
  2. stand
  3. down
  4. off (leave it)
  5. look at me
  6. swing
  7. finish
  8. halt
  9. shake
  10. figure eight
  11. sit stay
  12. down stay
  13. settle
  14. settle stay
  15. sit at the door before going outside (I hate this one. Doors were meant to be charged through)
  16. go to your kennel
  17. potty
  18. come
  19. reliable recall (I come to a whistle... any tune)
  20. gotcha
  21. say hello

Mom as saved all my training sheets, so when I get to my forever home, my future mom/dad will be able to pick up where my foster mom has left off.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Likes and Dislikes

Well now that I have been here awhile I am feeling comfortable with being the cute little Sue that I am. I decided to make a list of all the things that I like about being in at my foster home:

Going to obedience class
taking car rides
going for walks
going running
working sheep
having a young male dog to play with
my crate
nylabones
pink collar, pink blanket,... quite frankily, I look good in it!
tricky treat ball
clicker training
cuddling
staring at the cats
chasing squirrels
living in a yard with a 6 foot privacy fence
jumping, jumping, and more jumping

There are some things that I have learned that I do NOT really like:
dog parks
dogs that run
other female dogs
bossy dogs
water hoses

Maybe there is more, but I am a positive kind of girl, so I can't think of anything else right now!
Peace out,
Sue

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Training, training, training.



Did I mention that my foster mom is a dog trainer? It is pretty cool because I get to do lots of fun stuff. Tuesday night my mom works, so I get to go help with classes. Here is a picture of me watching class thorugh the window. I have to wait in the office sometimes. In the Advanced Class (http://www.narniapets.com/), the dogs have been practicing lining up against the stage. I am then recalled to my foster mom past all the other dogs. I can't visit with them; they can't break their stays and visit with me. I recall on a dime, so it is easy for me. Sometimes, I can feel the pressure of the other dogs about to break, so I curve out. This gives their owners a clue that their dogs are not comfortable or settled in their stays. I do like to be a helper girl, you know.


We also played a game where there are cones on the floor and each dog has to walk the different cones with their owners and preform a series of commands... voice only. I came in second place. Everyone was happy for me because I am so knew at this! I thought, "If they knew how good liver was, they would do it too." After class, Uncle Kelly let his dog, Bryce, out to play. I love to herd Bryce. Mom and Uncle Kelly do not like this, and I definitely understand that. I still wish I could lunge out and give him a good nip, but I control myself because Mom is right there. Seriously, how is a girl suppose to have fun?

Thursday night I went to my class: Beginner Obedience. There were a lot of dogs there and at first I could care less... that was until I tasted the best treat of all time: HOT DOG! OMG that was wonderful. This really nice lady named Joy came around the room and gave each dog a piece of hot dog. Yummy! I tried to follow her because I wanted another, but mom said no. Whatever. We got this piece of hot dog again if we came when called. Easy money for me. A quick whistle and I come flying... fast. I don't stop until I slam into mom's legs in a sit. I like to end with style. I then realized that the dog next to me was getting hot dogs the entire class. What the heck? I tried going over there a couple of times, but again mom said no. Whatever. Then we learned a new trick called "settle". This required me to lay on the floor on my side totally relaxed while mom gave be lots of petting. I liked it. Later we worked on "off". I hate this word because mom loves this word... off the couch, off the counter, off the cats, .... sigh.... see what I mean? Anyway, we were working on "off" the treat on the floor. Mom's hand was covering the treat. I tried licking mom's hand to get the treat. It didn't work. I tried pawing mom's hand. It didn't work. So I sat back and thought for a minute. What the heck... I flopped into a settle. Mom seem to like it at the beginning of class, so why not? It worked. Mom started laughing, and I got the treat. I win.