None Shall Pass

I'm like the black knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail...if you come to my office, you can't leave without looking at photos of Kira.

She is a different dog, changing on a daily basis. She comes when you call her. She sits, she drops down. She gives you her paw. The last two days, I have taken her out into the back yard without the leash. Nervy of me, eh? But she is so very responsive to me when I call her. She started to go to the truck and I called her back. She came instantly. She responds to praise and love in a very rewarding manner. I'm working on her barking. She has started to bark when someone comes up to the house. Well, of course, she barks at the postman, because she does such a good job: he comes up onto the porch, she barks, and he leaves; every single time. Job well done! But I'm working on getting her to hush after I say it's ok. I don't mind one or two barks, but I'd like her to stop when I say "quiet" or "hush"... I haven't decided which one. But, no matter, both seem to be working. This girl is so smart. I'm going to have to come up with some mentally stimulating games for her really soon! She deserves it.

In the evening, after dinner, we have been sitting in the living room, quietly talking or reading, or even watching some television. She seems to really love that. On Tuesday, I suggested bringing her cushy bed into the living room so she won't have to put her boney body (we're trying to put more weight on her) on the hardwood floor and she took to it immediately, and has now stopped pacing. I don't think she has ever had so much quiet time. She has that German Shepherd herding instinct, and she's very happy when all of us are together in the same room, cats included. She wags her tail when she sees us. She doesn't come bounding up to us the way Ziggy would, but hey it's only been less than a week. We are getting the German Shepherd smile now...even other people have mentioned it. And one of my very favorite things is the "puppy ears." That's when she puts her ears down against her neck like a puppy and then drops her head down low, smiling. I know that is a submissive posture, but she is very happy when she does it. She seems very happy to be in a position of submission. Which is what my favorite Caesar Millan says: they don't want to have to be pack leader...they want someone else to take the job.

Tonight, both of the cats got onto her big soft bed and she whined about it. I told her it was her bed and she could chase them off of it. Not really expecting her to understand me, of course. But darned if she didn't just go over and lay down on the bed between them. Wolfie was sort of pushed off when she put her long body down, but Daily just took it in stride and shifted around a little the way he used to do with Ziggy. I really believed Daily would be sleeping with that dog sooner or later, but I didn't expect it SO soon. H took a couple of photos. When I get a chance, I'll post one.

Our happy family.