Rain, rain, go away. I know we need it, but so much in such a small space of time.

Today, Megan's neighbor (the one who lost her dog) came to visit... with her brand new puppy. She said to Megan, "You know, this is all *your* fault!" I wonder how it feels to have the shoe on the other paw?

Remember the orange "devil ball" named Lucy? Stevie carries it around SO much, it gets all slobbery. SO slobbery, in fact, that Megan doesn't want to touch it. So now, Lucy has a towel. Hmmm. Megan, former cat person, has a dog who has a toy who has its own towel.

Yesterday, Megan fell asleep at an unusual time. When she woke, she saw that Stevie's crate door was open. She thought, "Oh, no, I've left her door open and while I was asleep, she's gotten into who knows what!" She got up and looked all around. No Stevie. She finally pulled back the blankets on the bed, and there she was... lying her back, head thrown back, legs all in the air, just dead to the world, snoring away. Megan said it was hysterical to see, and Stevie was just clueless in puppy dreamland.

Now you know what they mean when they say "I slept like a log". Or is that "slept like a dog"...
G

Back story: I have a 6-year-old red male Min Pin named Newton who I adopted from IMPS 3 years ago. He has a propensity for making astounding leaps off of and onto things: couches, chairs, bath tubs, counter tops (!) and the occasional table. I asked my good friend Annette Betcher about him (Annette is an animal communicator who has helped me with several animals). She told me Newton thinks he can "fly", so those amazing jumps just seem natural to him.

Fast forward: Megan called me yesterday to tell me about the latest exploits of Stevie.

Megan: "Stevie has a Newt Complex".

Me: "Excuse me?"

Megan: "Stevie has a Newt Complex. She thinks she can fly."

Me (laughing): "Oh, yeah? What now?"

Megan proceeded to tell me how Stevie has gotten so bold that she will literally take flying leaps off her bed onto the floor now. That's just how comfortable she is with her surroundings. I reminded Megan it wouldn't be long before Stevie would figure out how to jump *up* too. So more stories to come!

After some thunderstorm activity last night, today turned gorgeous. Megan is on spring break, so they took two walks today. I had raved to Megan about the "Good Dog" collars that I had learned to use for training when I took Newt to Triple Crown Academy for obedience. We talked about it and I ordered one for her. It came the other day, and Megan read all the instructions and decided to give it a try. She said it was amazing and the difference was immediate. Stevie is much more responsive to direction from Megan and it makes their walks more enjoyable.

Stevie pooped out again part way through the first walk, so Megan picked her up to get back to the apartment. But on the second walk (a shorter one), she made Stevie walk the whole way. Megan said she didn't want Stevie to think that every time they go on a walk, she's going to get carried back!



G

Today was another gorgeous spring day. Megan decided it was the perfect day for more leash practice with Stevie. So off they went. They strolled to the little park and Megan once again allowed her off leash in the protective circle underneath what has been dubbed "The Stevie Tree". Stevie loves it. It's a "new" space, different smells and feels and sounds. Lots of running around without anything getting in her way. When she'd had enough of that, on went the leash and Stevie and Megan walked over to the mailboxes, an easy enough task for a 40-something human. About halfway back from the mailboxes, Stevie evidently determined that enough was enough. She plumped her butt down in the middle of the parking lot and would... not... budge. Megan thought maybe it was a change in the pavement or concrete or a breeze or SOMEthing. She patted the ground, coaxed, cajoled, pleaded, called. All to no avail. She even gave the leash a couple of little tugs for added encouragement. She said it was as if Stevie all of a sudden turned into a 50 lb sack of cement glued to the ground. She couldn't move her at all. So Megan gave up and picked her up and carried her. They went to meet a neighbor who lost a dog a year or so ago (I asked Megan if she gave the lady my name, but she wants another kind of dog -- I said there IS no other kind of dog!). Stevie really liked the whole being picked up and carried thing by that time. I guess 6 month old puppies can get just plain tuckered out. Megan thought it was pretty hilarious. It was good for them both. No doubt Stevie will sleep very well tonight!
Have a great weekend, all.
G

Today was the perfect spring day. Chilly in the morning, but gorgeous and clear and sunny in the afternoon, high around 70. So Megan decided on her way home from work that it was also the perfect day for a walk. They walked to the little park that's right next to her apartment complex. Stevie LOVES anything that gets her out in the big wide world. In the middle of the park, there's a large tree that has Texas limestone seating all in a circle around it. The "seats" are just high enough that Stevie can't jump up on it -- yet. So Megan took her there and took her leash off so she could run around inside the stone circle. She (okay, both of them) had a grand time. I'm sure Stevie thought it was an extra special treat.

Megan asked me about leash training and I recommended the "Good Dog Collar" that Triple Crown Academy uses -- I use them on Newt and Darlin' and they help me to leash train wayward fosters (oh, yeah, I've had so many of those... two, to be exact... but neither had any leash training). I think PetsMart or Pet Co carries them, but I think they're cheaper online. I'm going to check it out and get one for Stevie. It will be especially helpful for her and Megan since Stevie's vision just is minimal. Will keep you posted as they continue to train one another.

G

Short, but nice visit with Megan and Stevie. Megan and I went to lunch, then collected Stevie for a field trip to meet IMPS (Min Pin rescue group) pals Katherine and Greg so I could pick up my new foster dog Star from them. They were running a little late, so we went inside PetsMart and made quite a stir with Stevie on leash. I was VERY proud of Stevie -- she did quite well, in spite of her limited leash practice.

There were several rescue groups holding adoptions at the PetsMart, so Stevie got to meet several interesting animals. She got play swatted by a big American Staffordshire Terrier (aka "pit bull" -- she just wanted to play) puppy. Stevie took it very personally and growled and tried to go after the pup. It was too funny! We also met two little kittens (both wearing harnesses) and Stevie got to sniff and snuffle them both and they were all pretty cool about the whole thing. That encouraged Megan somewhat, since she would like to get another kitty ("for Stevie", yeah, right) in the not-too-distant future.

Katherine found us in the cat toy aisle (cats have more toys that have bells and rattles in them than dogs do) where Stevie was busy charming cat owners, testing cat beds and choosing a new toy (a little plastic "drum" with a bell).

When it was time to transfer Star to my car, I put her in a crate in the back of my CRV and Megan, Stevie and I got in the front. We didn't even get out of the parking lot before Star showed up in the front. Evidently, I didn't latch the crate door properly and she figured out how to get out. She just wanted to be where everybody else was, I guess.

We went back to Megan's apartment for a few minutes and let Star and Stevie get acquainted. They were fine. Star is SO laid back. Stevie is great with other animals, so when the time comes, I have no doubt she will welcome other pets into Megan's home.

G