Back to School

My occupation has again rocked our world today as school is back in session!  Launching into my second term of teaching I am excited, apprehensive and now...quite tired!! It always shocks me how tired I get after one day of teaching- I think 'How on Earth will I get through the week?'.  Twenty-six kids on your heels all day is a bit of a handful!

So after a big, but wonderful day, I came home to a little girl who had been alone most of the day- and she has been a defiant little one! Geared up to play all evening!

I learnt something very cool today that I thought was worth sharing!

At puppy school on Sunday we were told to pay attention to our body language when giving our pups a command, as they often pick up on little things we say or do.  With simple things like 'lie down' I move my hand from Stella's nose to the ground.  She needs both signals in order to lie down.

My partner taught Stella to fetch a frisbee very early on, she loves them more than balls, but she doesn't quite get the 'drop' part of the game!  So I have been working on it with two frisbees at a time.  I will throw one to get her to drop the other, as she does I say 'drop'...BUT- maybe she'll start to think that 'drop' means 'run after the frisbee' as by the time I say it she is running.  I thought about what else have I been doing when she drops it....and I realised that I click my tongue all the time without thinking!

So I tested her, and sure enough 80% of the time, down the disc would go and into full border collie hunting mode she would go ready for the next throw- Woo!! Perhaps by the time the original frisbee thrower gets home she will really have it down! Success!

Her first experience with a ball in our house! about 8 and a half weeks.

A boy leaves and two girls weep?

As expected when my partner left to go overseas for 6 weeks last week, I shed a little tear or 60 as I squashed my face against the cold, 6am, airport window.  But what was happening in the back of my car in the parking lot?

I don't know if I am misreading her now, or if I thoroughly misjudged their connection a week ago but little Stella is down in the dumps.  

R departed after living with Stella for about 6 weeks, I am really the primary carer, he was busy and not around as much but, she never play bit him like she did me, she always sat at his feet to be patted and only had to hear him turn in bed to go and wait at the closed bedroom door after we returned from our morning walk.  Sure, strong signs of respect from one very little girl, to one very tall man.  

We headed off to the farm after R left, Stella ran,dived into creeks and rolled in mud.  It seems like reality has hit us both now we're home and he is not. Melancholic would be the best way to describe her, a dreamy look in her eyes and a half hearted lope after the frisbee he once threw- oh when will he come back?! 

I wonder, how long will it last? How will she react when he comes home? And oh, does she miss him as much as me?

Stella- 6 weeks in!

This is Stella! She is now 15 weeks old! These are all a bit out of order but you can see by her size where they should be I think! I reckon yesterday was the best day of her life- a farm, a creek and a lot of mud!