Trip - In & Out of the Bag

MFM was told by one fellow that I could ride the trolley without a problem. The next guy said I would have to be in a "cage" to ride the trolley. We took a chance and rode without incident.

MFM put me in her shopping bag and only left my head sticking out so I would look smaller. I was very quiet and tried not to move too much even though it was kinda' cramped and hot. We boarded the trolley and rode without any problems.

 Cate got a glimpse of me on her video that I will post later. I was happy when MFM let me out of the bag after the trolley ride. A classic case of letting the dog out of the bag?

We stopped at a restaurant for lunch  and MFM explained I was with them, so they seated us on the patio instead of inside the restaurant.

MFM is learning how to travel with me. I am a good companion and San Antonio is a dog friendly town!

Celebrating the Alamo

I got to go along on the car trip to San Antonio. It was delightful to sit in the middle seat and have Cate & Mary Ellen make a fuss over me. I LOVED it and it made the long ride more enjoyable.

We saw a LOT of things and I wondered if Austin's motto of"Keep Austin Weird" shouldn't be applied to San Antonio. This lady and her hat were quite colorful.

Of course, I could not go into many of the places in San Antonio, but I still found them very accommodating and I was on my really best behavior so there would not be a problem. I knew I could not enter the Alamo or the grounds, so MFM and I walked across the street to the Visitor's  Center to get information. They welcomed me in there and we learned about what was available in town. MFM bought tickets to ride all day long on the trolley and bus. They could take us all over town and to the missions. We parked near the Alamo so we would not have a long way to walk and would be able to easily find our car at the end of the day. It had the added advantage of being accessible if we forgot anything and we had snacks and drinks in the car.

The celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Alamo was in full swing, so there were several opportunities available. We arrived just as the Navy was demonstrating some uses of canine warriors. They were amazing! I got the best seat in the house to watch them - under the chair of a sailor. Those dogs would respond immediately to the handler's commands. They were precise and orderly just like their handlers and all they got in return was was a pat on the head. They deserved some REAL treats. I wonder if MFM was taking note.



This dog attacked on command....





....then took the arm protector right off the guy.



Another attack!



Now this guy understands "Down!" "Stay!"



"Sit" and pay attention.



I have seen how the "pros" do it,  so I have a lot to live up to. My advanced classes start on April 30th. I have an idea MFM will be expecting a lot from me.





A Kool Doggie

It was a hot day yesterday but we had a gentle breeze and shade that made everything comfortable. It also helps that I have had a haircut. All my beautiful, fluffy hair gone, but I am sooo cool now!

I have been showing our visitors from California around town and visiting some other Texas places.....Llano, Fredericksburg, and Luckenbach. Today we will visit San Antonio especially to see The Alamo. I am behaving very well and I am a people magnet. That is fun, but MFM makes sure I behave even when big dogs come close. One woman picked up her little, yappy, white dog and stuck him right in my face. That dog even licked my face! MFM said she was proud of me for sitting quietly in the very face of adversity. "Adversity? That's a funny name for a dog, but I will have to admit it fit her nobly."

Settling in St Louis

Taking a tip from our visit with ABW's Sammy, we met K3, children, and their dog Fredie, at the local park. It took a while, but Fredie finally warmed up to me.

Back at Fredie's house, I showed her how submissive I am. I stole her toys and she actually let me play with them. I laid down on her bed and she paced but didn't murder me, although MFM made me give it up. All in all, the socialization experience was quite succesful. We played all evening until I was so tired that I put myself to bed. I am happy to be in my nice warm crate because it is snowing outside right now!

A Trip with "Trip"

MFM packed the car, including my crate, special blanket, leashes, food, food and water dishes, bottle of water, and treats.

"Just like having a small child," she muttered.

We spent an exhausting hour at doggie obedience school and I did quite well. MFM strapped me into my very own seat belt and we were off.

We drove all day and into the night but I slept a lot because I was so tired. There was a tremendous amount of traffic around Ft. Worth and we slowed to a crawl. I am able to move around a little in my seat belt so I checked out the scenery. MFM put my window down so I could interact with all the passing people. I don't bark, mind you, but I do like to look. I checked things out when MFM turned on the blinker or slowed down, but she never did stop at the dog park. I wonder where it went.

We were on a toll road for a long time and I got really lucky when a nice lady at the booth gave us two doggie "cookies." MFM gave me one and set the other aside. When she stopped to get gas, I quietly snarfed the second one up!

We stopped for the night at a La Quinta Motel. We can always count on them to be very pet friendly. MFM put my special blanket down for me, right beside her bed and I slept like a lamb all night. We are leaving shortly and should reach our destination late this afternoon.

Training

My Saturday morning trainings are really quite fun. I get to see a lot of dogs and some are friends from the dog park. There are only eight in my class, but there are three classes, so there is a lot of coming and going before and after class. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to play with each other even though our humans get to talk and laugh with one another.

Some people call our classes "Dog Training" but it is as much the training of our humans as it is of us. MFM and I work quite well together because I am so smart. I pay attention most of the time but have to admit I am easily distracted. I also get tired from constantly trying to figure out what I am supposed to do. There are so many smells and so much activity, that I really want to just be left alone to explore it all.

In spite of everything, I have learned a lot. I can sit, stay,  lie down on all fours, come when called (well, most of the time), and try to sit and behave when another dog or person walks by. I answer to my name and am learning that I cannot play during class, although I do occasionally find a nice stick to carry around and chew on. At home I can also fetch and wait. I sit and wait to be invited to enter the car or house and even wait to be invited to eat although it is right there in front of me. I think I am a pretty good fellow and making MFM happy is, usually, foremost in my mind. Now she is teaching me to shake hands.

My last class was a REAL challenge. I am now learning to walk right beside MFM and learn to turn when she turns. I would rather sniff and smell. I had learned how to work in the sniff 'n smell on our long morning walks. I would run ahead of MFM for the length of the leash, stop for a sniff 'n smell, then just before she got past me far enough to pull on the leash, I would run ahead again. It worked well for me! I enjoyed the fragrances and sometimes had time to pick something up to taste - an acorn, a clod of dirt, a stick, or (my favorite) a leaf. Now, that is very limited and I have to keep up when she is training us. Now, I have to "heel" or, as she puts it, "knee" since she thinks we might need to be even firmer on the training later. The good thing about it all is that I get TREATS!

No class this week but we learn something new next week. I can hardly wait.....