Who's our baby ...

Kolby!!!

I have never seen a more mellow five month old puppy in my life. Mister is just so adorable I can hardly stand it. He has this look about him that just dares you to fall in love, and give him everything he demands, which thankfully is pretty simple. He just wants to be touched and loved.

There is a retired Service Dog in our 4-H CCI Club that is this way too. I wondered what she was like as a puppy, and I am curious if she started out like Kolby. She is the most lovable dog ever, but it always seems she doesn't think she is ever close enough to you for physical contact. If you are sitting on the floor, and she is on the other side of the room, she has been known to cross the room and climb in your lap. Perhaps that is her "close enough". Love it!

Kolby feels it is his right to put himself into a Lap position when I am sitting at my computer (Lap: laying both front paws/legs across the Handler's lap while the Handler is sitting. Puppies elbows have to be touching the Lap of Handler too so the dog is not "standing" on the Lap of the person). There are days when I think I have trained him too early on some topics; ya' know, just the ones that he can't seem to understand that I have to give the command for him to perform it. This is a tough one for Kolby, it has taken a lot of firm reminders for him to obey when it is acceptable and when it is not. He is still learning.

Kolby came to Church again with us this past weekend. Again, he felt he needed to be on, in, over my lap in the pew the entire time. This was hard, because I had a dozen eyes starring at me and I had to be a good example of firm, yet calm (after all, to top it off, we were in Church!). When it seemed like he had four feet on the ground for an extended period of time, I issued the Lap command. Heaven came to church that day for Kolby. He stayed for the remainder of the opening Worship Music time - which is a hefty part of our opening. His eyes were glazed over and I thought he was going to fall asleep.

Before he could do that, I told him Off, he did - and stretched his loooong body across both my feet and my girls and slept during the entire Sermon. My girl and I looked at one another and issued the "Do. Not. Move." look. Anything to keep a happy puppy sleeping!

At home, Kolby is not one to grab a toy and solicit his own entertainment - unless a Kong toy is filled with a tasty treat. Otherwise, Kolby is in love with walking the house carrying his leash (I sound like a broken record, but he has not changed what he has always done). I will find him at my feet many times - just sitting. I was moving away from the sink after washing dishes this morning to shockingly find My Boy in a Heal position looking up at me. He actually kind of scared me. I thought he had been wandering the house.

His rowdiness comes when Cora is walking about the house at the same time. He is getting better about leaving her alone, but his behavior is like an Angel compared to Haddie and Cora trying to live together. Kolby listens. He is tempted many, many times, and falls for the temptation to grab her adorably long Beagle ears, or pat her on the back with his paw - both not acceptable - but he will stop as soon as I, or Cora, give him the firm reminder that four paws need to stay on the floor. And he will always come to me when I call him out - so he is within guidelines like way (which I think is the most important one - Yaay!).

Kolby is a little late in receiving his final Puppy Shot routine, but he will be fully vaccinated on Thursday. I can not wait to have the peace of mind that "we made it" and it is full speed ahead not "worrying" and being cautious and not going certain places as a result of our behind vaccine schedule. Being late in this category is tough when you are trying to socialize your pup in this critical early phase.

Who's our baby ... KOLBY!!! Without a doubt - the most lovable, sweet, melt your heart faced puppy. Mmmmm - love him!