Lucy graduated from puppy kindergarten last Saturday. She’s very good at sitting, laying down, giving a paw (without punching anyone), and, if you have the right treats in your hand (string cheese), she will follow you to hell and back.
She has less than zero recall. Despite being very good at jumping onto the couch and the bed, she refused to step on platforms. She’s almost done teething (thank goodness!), and is getting better at not chomping on hands, but she still has a ways to go on that front. She’s still sometimes doing that puppy thing where she’ll go and spend some quality time outside, with us or on her own, and then she’ll head inside… and poop. And, because she’s a 5-month-old puppy (almost), she’s out of her damn mind… the poor girl doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together.
We’ve been assured that this is perfectly normal pre-adolescent puppy stuff, that it will pass, and that she’s developing as she should be. She’s sleeping through the night (from 11p to 6:30a). Her appetite is settling; she has decided that she doesn’t need a separate lunch, in part, I think, because we do 5 – 10 minutes (closer to five minutes, until she gets bored) of lunchtime training with superfun treats.
Our next training class (puppy kindergarten, part 2!) starts in mid-May, so we’re going to work on some leash training and reinforcing some of the things she’s good at… and I just bought some entry-level training equipment so we can have some fun in the backyard.
We love her… I love her. I have to admit, though, that puppyhood is hard, and there are some really unfun things about it.
All that said, I’m not sure how anyone could resist this sweet, funny, very good girl.
Carmen Yount 