When I need to remember.

For the days in the future when Haddie maybe going through a rough patch, I want to remember her current state of bliss. She is just so! much! fun! I am liking this 7 month age group.

My son received nice compliments from our trainer tonight in regards to Haddie's behavior at the Hockey Game, and her noticing that Haddie has conquered the fear of the class stairs and it's different surface. Three new learning features were added to Haddie tonight. 

The first was learning how to turn on the skinny ramp. In typical Haddie fashion, she learned the command in three tries. The first try the trainer helped guide her while my son lured Haddie in a circle, and then back again. The second time I replaced the trainer and helped Haddie turn; which took more time than when the Trainer was assisting. Haddie kept sitting when I tried to help. But by the third time, Haddie did it all by herself and she was set for the rest of the night. 

The second new learning task, which she did on the first try and every try after, was going through a series of squares that were slightly raised off the ground. In order to cross the obstacle, she had to put each foot into the square and keep moving through. She did great and acted like she had done it before, whereas she has never done so under our watch. Maybe at the Puppy Sitters, or at the Breeders before coming to our house. Either way, she did great!

The final new learning task was going Under a bench, staying there, and ignoring the opened box of take-out real food laying beside her. Haddie went Under, turned, and laid down and ignored the box completely. She did that too on the first try and had the Trainer and experienced Raiser giving her the thumbs up and surprised look. Yay, Haddie!!

To wear out the wiggles in Haddie today at home, I played a long game of Fetch in the upper hallway of our house (we started this game on leash in November; she has since mastered Fetch off leash). As her tongue started to sag longer and longer out of her mouth, I decided to stop the game versus waiting for her to get so tired that she stopped. However, the rubber ball that we were playing with accidently bounced down the staircase. 

Both Haddie and I watched it bounce chaotically down the staircase. She looked at me with her cute puppy face ruffled fur on her head, ears tipped forward, eyes wide, tongue flailing out as if to say, "Please?!". I commanded a Fetch and she was off. I figured that if she disobeyed and went wild through the house, the game would be over as she was exhausted anyway and I got the point out of it that I wanted - her tired! 

But no ... she came back up the stairs with the ball in her mouth, and Dropped the ball on command. The same looked returned ... so we kept going. Another ten minutes of stairs before I got the feeling that enough was enough. She was dog-tired!!

Haddie is just a cuddle bug, loving to get up close and personal for hugs and kisses. She is not much into having her head pet, as she is about the hug and kiss. She loves to be squeezed and held tight. I like that too. 

Our buddy Haddie and the things I need to remember for those times when she is not so gem-like ....