My dogs are cuter than yours.

That is all.

Training is all day...but not

Having a well-trained dog takes a lot of work but it certainly doesn't mean spending all day, every day in training sessions (you and your dog will hate this).  It seems like what a lot of people aren't aware of is that while you're not having training sessions all day, you're still "training" your dog every time you interact.

That means, if you don't want your dog to jump up to say hi, you never acknowledge the jumping up.  If you want your dog to sit politely before you set his food down, you wait for him to do it, every single time.  If you don't want your dog getting on the couch, he doesn't, period.  There's no "sometimes it's okay."  All of that is still considered training.

As for specific training sessions, just a few minutes at a time is all you need...unless you're a training nut like me and you get so obsessed that all of a sudden your 10 minute session turns into 45 minutes.  My dogs love it (as do I), so that's okay.

I would say, no matter your method or philosophy, being consistent is the key and the only way your training will be successful.

Yep, I'm a stalker

So this week we've been in Missoula for a work meeting.  As we were leaving today, we decided to stop at this city park to let the dogs out for some pottying and water.  Then I realized, the couple I adopted Milo to was in this neighborhood.  I said, "Let's go find Milo!!!"

Surprisingly, I somehow managed to find the house.  I went to their house once, a year ago and I have not come back to this neighborhood again.  This was shocking.  Seriously, I get lost trying to find my way out of parking lots sometimes.  Anyway, we had driven into the alleyway behind their house and WE SAW MILO!!!

He was sitting in the yard, watching us as we drove up.  I looked straight at him and he was watching me.  B said he must recognize me.  I thought he wanted to bark at me.  But he didn't, and just sat there quietly watching us.  I should have rolled down my window and called out his name (not sure if they kept his name or not).  He's really a beautiful dog.  Sometimes I'm sorry we didn't adopt him.

I couldn't really tell if he recognized my car and our smells at least.  I guess he did spend quite a bit of time in my car.  When I've pulled into daycare sometimes, I hear Clyde start barking as soon as I drive in.  He knows the sound of my car and what that means.  Pretty neat.  So I kind of wonder whether Milo remembered.  It was so long ago though.  I wish I had taken a picture.  But that would have been even more creepy x10.

I hope Milo is happy and enjoying his life.  I have no idea if anyone was home.  There was another dog in the yard with him.  I certainly hope he doesn't just stay outside in the yard all the time...oh he probably doesn't.  I feel lucky I was able to see him.  I think it's a good sign at least.  I know they didn't just dump him somewhere else and the fact that they are still living there is good too.  I'm pretty sure he is with an awesome couple.

Thinking back on it, I really do feel my training helped a lot in finding this couple to adopt him.  If he had been completely unruly when the guy first met him, maybe that would have turned him away.  I can't know that, but I'm sure it didn't hurt that Milo was very mellow and well-behaved when he first met them.  Shame on whomever dumped Milo and his sister at the truck stop in Idaho.  They could not have known the potential they both have.

I would love to foster again but that might just be a little too much dog right now... :(