Callie escaped into the back yard this evening. But she didn’t try to go anywhere. She just planted herself in the middle of the yard and waited for me to start another soccer game. It’s obviously one of her favorite things. She used to be able to trap the ball between her four legs so that I had to work pretty hard to get it loose. But she’s grown a few more inches (she’s almost six months old now) so it’s getting easier for me to kick the ball out from under her tummy. She sure loves to play soccer. I’ve got some great video, but I haven’t figured out how to share it yet. I may have to put it on u-tube.
Here’s an interesting article on Dog Communication – How to Communicate Effectively with your Dog! It suggests that, instead of letting your dog jump up when it greets you, it’s better to train it to “sit” when you come home from being away. The jumping may be an alpha move on the dog’s part, but when you insist that the dog “sit,” you are establishing yourself as the alpha member of the family.
This article titled “Do You Know Your Dog?,” by MyPetSupplyOnline.com, is a tidy explanation of how wolf packs work and the importance of establishing your alpha position. It emphasizes that this is a very important part of creating a close bond with your dog. I like the idea that you can reinforce your alpha position by making “authoritative” eye contact with the animal. The article recommends “stern dominant expressions” as a way of demanding “respect and compliance.”
Finally, since it’s summer vacation time, here’s an interesting piece on “How Much Time Can Your Dog Stay Alone?” It starts with puppies and works its way up to adult doggies. One suggested trick is to put a jar of puppy treats where your dog can see it when you leave. And, of course, you promise your doggie pal that it will get a puppy treat when you return. You start with 10 minutes, then work up to 20, and so on, until you can leave for hours and puppy won’t get in any trouble.
