A little puppy with empathy?

When I read the puppy books I was told over and over to yelp like a little pup would whenever my girl bit me- well that NEVER worked for me! 

Or did it? 

Stella has had two major issues when she is walking- biting and spinning on the lead and pulling ahead of me.   A few weeks ago Stella was going crazy on the end of the lead, spinning around, biting it and in her confusion she went behind me and I accidentally stepped on her toe! She yelped! Then, out of instinct the next time she put her teeth to the lead- I yelped- loudly! 

She has never mucked around on her lead since, it has truly changed our lives! 

I thought the other day when she was pulling on the lead that I should give the same thing a whirl.  The timing worked well as my partner had been walking her, she was being very silly and he accidentally trod on her toe- so the sound and meaning of a yelp was clear in her head.  

She pulled, I yelped and she turned as if to say "Sorry! Are you ok?" she went on walking and turning every now and then to check on me..and her lead stayed slack the whole time! 

Since then it has continued to work, unlike the first time I still have to yelp every now and then to remind her as the boundaries aren't as clear as they were with the lead biting, but it has been so lovely to walk with her by my side, trotting along and looking out for me.  

What an empathetic little thing! 

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!

The most wonderful thing in the world!

Our little puppy! At our first meeting day- she was a real gem! We just need to wait one week, then it is into puppydom we step, pointers welcome!

Another year....and not many posts more!

It has been a long long time since I have posted to my own blog- shame on me!

Now I am teaching at a little country school and am about to bring home my first puppy...so I may try and keep track of her development on here- might have to change this to the Border Collie gaa gaa blog, we'll see.

Tomorrow is the first day we will meet our girl, she is coming from Borregoperro Border Collies (www.bordercolliestasmania.com)- so far we have been kept in the loop with one picture a week- but that is not enough!

Time for play tomorrow!