On Tuesday, I'll have had her for a month. While I don't see daily or even weekly improvement on the barking, if I look back over the past four weeks I do. She has gotten better. She's on her very best behavior when I wrap her up in her jacket, put her blanket over her (this is in addition to the several blankets layering the bottom of the crate), and give her a hot water bottle "pillow." She sighs in satisfaction and slips right off into dreamland without a peep. Now if only it were realistic to do that every time I have to stick her in the crate for a moment.
She was supposed to start puppy class last week but it keeps getting pushed back; not enough people have signed up. Hopefully it will actually start next Saturday. I'm anxious to get her socialized. Socializing a puppy that has no right to go everywhere is much different than socializing a GDB pup.
We've been working on "target" using a target stick. I'm closely following the program outlined in Morgan Spector's Clicker Training for Obedience. Kinda. I did teach sit before target. But other than that I'm following it. It's a great book for those training for the competition ring but also for those who just want a dog that's well trained around the house.
She's a real sweetheart with just a few minor issues (besides the barking): 1) mouthing at my face, 2) playing on me, 3) jumping up on furniture constantly and getting right back on after being removed. We're working on all but it requires a great deal of patience.
Vizlsas are often described as "Velcro dogs" because their favorite position is wherever they need to be to be touching you. I thought I understood what it was like to have a Velcro dog. Turns out, mine weren't actually. I have a new found respect for this term!
She's a cute girl . . .
