
Week of
July 27, 2020
18 weeks old
Daisy continues her foundation skills:
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Sit
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Down
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Wait
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Heel
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Look at me
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Doorbell
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Shake
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Leave it
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Nice walk
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Off
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Come
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Stay
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Back up
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Kennel
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Stay
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Backup
Daisy has decided that dogs have free will too. They do. We are giving her multiple opportunities to choose starting with simple "yes" or "no", choose the hand with the treat, etc. As expected, Daisy is at the age of seeing her world expand with new experiences, new places and new opportunities. But part of that is her realization that she can or cannot choose to follow a suggestion or command. Here, it's not the puppy that necessarily needs to change (she just needs to evolve) but it's the human that must remain patient and positive but add other, more creative, ways to work with the puppy. One thing Daisy is starting to do is simply sit down during our walks. Free choice. So when this happened I turned to her and said, "Daisy, stay". I waited a few seconds then enthusiastically said, "Daisy, let's go!", she did.
In others words, the human needs to out-smart the puppy.

Week of
July 27, 2020
New Play Continued:
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Sand
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Water
New Play:
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Confidence
This week was one of working on Daisy's confidence. We started with the staircase at the Embarcadero in Morro Bay. Prior to this experience, Daisy was able to descend and climb small staircases so she knew how. This time she tackled the longest set of steps in the area. Without surprise, Daisy handled herself well, twice. It was also a good opportunity for her to "show off" some of her other skills with the group of people watching. It's a slow process, but, Daisy is starting to get the idea that when her little vest goes on she has a job to do. For a young puppy this is pretty amazing.
The other confidence builder took place in Palmdale, CA where Daisy took her first long-distance trip. She is a great traveler! We stayed at Stacy's parents house helping them get ready to move. Daisy had a ball on the 2.5 acres, especially the hills of dirt. To start, she evaluated the challenge then slowly ascended the first hill. I'm sure for her it felt like a mountain. Within minutes she trail-blazed several pathways up and down. For a moment, she was able to be Queen of the Hill!
Overall, Daisy is right on, if not ahead of schedule, in her development.

Read
Daisy's Thoughts
Daisy's Digs
A Puppies' Point of View
By Daisy D.
I think the place I live is changing! My whole life I walked on the ground or on that hard stuff that goes up and over a few times without much of a challenge. Now, this place where I live is growing! There was this up and over, up and over, up and over place, the human called it a staircase, that grew up! Before there was only a few up and overs. But this time there were a big bunch! When the tall man human said to me "Let's go" as I sat looking down this canyon of staircases, I thought to myself, "Who me?", he was serious. So I did. During this trek down the canyon of steps I thought that this never-ending down will never end. Is this the way life will always be? I found out, no.
But then the world changed again! One day I got in the big truck and fell asleep, I like sleeping. When I opened my eyes we were someplace else, but it was growing up too! There was a big mountain, no staircase. Human Ray said "Let's go", I'm thinking, "What is wrong with him, old age again?", but it looked fun! So I climbed the mountain! And I came down the mountain! And I did it again, and again! The best part I climbed the mountain all by myself!
I'm tired just thinking about the mountain. I'm going to take a nap.
Oh yes, it's baseball season according to the tall human. Not sure what that means.
Daisy