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Oct.1 Kat brought back a "seat belt harness" from her last trip to Tennennesse and now she has
me wearing it all afternoon. She says I have to get use to wearing it so that we can go places in the truck. I don't understand
why I have to wear this funny looking thing when first of all I don't wish to go any place and second when we do go
places I usually ride in my crate in the truck bed.
Oct 5 Kat and Bill went to "dog class" this evening. Kat says I have to go with them next week.
Oct.6 Kat said it was time to take the next step with this "harness" We got into the truck - not in the bed
but in the front seat! I was a bit scared because I don't like to go places. She used the seat belt to buckle me into the
seat. She never even started the truck. We just set there eating treats.
Oct. 7 Today I finally got to see the upstairs of the big house. I need to learn how to go up and down stairs -
or so she says. I was a little afraid but she had my favorite treats and she was at the top of the
steps. I finally figured out how to go up and down the steps without falling down them - now she wants me to wait at the top
and botton of the steps until she say Steps. She always wants something! So how I have to wait until she says " Shoes Up"
before I get into the truck . and" Shoes Out" before I can get out of the truck or go out of the house and "Shoes Steps"
before I can go up or down the stairs.
Speaking of the truck - we had to get back inside it today again. This time she started the truck but we just
set there eating more treats.
Oct. 8 Today when we got into the truck she actually took me someplace. I had been there before but we had always walked
there in the past. It was the farm house next door and this time we want inside the place. Bill was there workiing and
he was glad to see me.
Oct.12 Kat put my harness on this evening again but we didn't get in to the truck. We got into Bill's car
and he drove us to Seymour. I have not been here before. They took me into a new building and I had to climb two flights of
steps. I got scared about halfway up and they pushed me up the last set of steps. At the top of the stairs there was another
door and when they opened it - a huge open room appeared. I never seem a room that big before. Then another dog appeared in
the room and before you knew it there where a bunch of them there. I barked at them but Kat and Bill would not let me chase
them away. Then this lady came over to talk to me - she was nice. She talked to Kat and Bill for awhile and then want to talk
to the other people with the other dogs. Then she had us all get in a circle around her and we started walking aroound the
room. I had trouble listening to Kat because I was interested in chasing the other dogs away. Kat wasn't too happy with me
and she stopped and put on another collar - they called it a pinch collar and that's what it does . It pinchs me when they
jerk it. I still wanted to get the other dogs to go away but I didn't like being pinched so I walked a little better.
The lady in the center is called Audrey and she says I need to learn to Look at Kat when I am in a group and walk on a loose
leash, obey the sit, down and stand words when in a group and heel when told to. I know those things but I don't like
being with other dogs. Who are they? Why are they here? Kat says that is the main reason I am here - to learn to socialize
with other dogs.
I had no problems walking down those steps.. or getting into the car. Bill and Kat stopped at McDonalds on the
way home but they never gave me any and I never asked. I was tired and I just wanted to sleep. Which I did - all the
way home.
Oct 13 Kat put the harness on me again and we got into the truck. She said I needed another vaccination so we had
to go to the vet's office. Kat had the pinch collar on me so I was on my best behavior. The girls at the office where
glad to see me and I remebered no jumping ( okay they had to remind me once) . They took me into the office and sprayed
something in my face and then the vet checked my scar - then it was back into the truck and home again. There was a man there
in uniform that petted me but I was a little scared of him - his hands smelled like another dog. Kat said he was the county
dog catcher.
Oct.19
Kat and I have been practicing all week for tonight. We have been walking every day, taking small "field trips"
and walking up and down stairs wherever she see any. All the other dogs were there tonight and I barked at them until Kat
yanked my chain..hard. That hurt and I yelped at her - I even showed her my teeth but she just yanked again when I did that
- so I never did that again. I was minding very well after that but then nature hit and I had to go to the bathroom. But there
was no where to go - I held it as long as I could and Kat said we would go find a place as soon as she could - but she was
almost too slow. I left a few pieces for Bill to clean up as Kat took me down the steps/ Lucky there was a small area of dirt
that I could use. Stupid Kat actually took and put my offerings in a little bag . How dumb is that! man I wonder able her
at times. Always when we got back upstairs everyone was packing up - which was good because my stomach wasn't feeling
that well. We stopped at McDonald's again and they got a sack of something. It smelled good but I was glad they never offered
me any. I really tried to get home without any accidents but fail to do so. Wonder how long before they find out I threw
up in the corner? I'm not telling them.
Oct. 20
I had a bad night last night. Kat wasn't mad at me but she did say I would need a bath this afternoon and my crate
will need to be cleaned. She also said that she has to clean the backseat of the car. Thank she found my little mess. kat
said if I don't start feeling better soon she will have to call the vet. She has been checking on me all day but will
not let me into the house yet. She says it has to warm up a little more before she can bathe me.
Oct 21
well the bath was fun! Both Kat and I were soaked by the time she was finiashed but she was laughing and I like
to hear her laugh. She used a machine that she called a blow dryer on me and I did not like the sound of it but the air was
nice and warm. I kept trying to catch the air with my mouth but I couldn't seem to catch it . I got to stay inside most of
the afternoon because she said it was too cool to be outside when I was still damp..whatever...! I was happy chewing on mt
rawhide bone.
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October 26
Kat and I have been walking alot this week. They took me back to the building with the other dogs again tonight. Kat
calls it "dog class". The leader there stands in the middle and we walk around in a big circle. She tells us when
to walk, stop and when to turn. I have to sit and stay and i have to sit each time Kat stops walking. Kat is asking
me to walk in a figure 8 pattern and telling me to down and stay. I don't like the other dogs they keep staring at me. I am
suppose to watch Kat but it is hard because Idon't trust those dogs and i need to know where they are so they don't sneak
up on us.There are not as many dogs here this week as there were last week i the little one isn't here and neither is the
black german shepherd.I was glad to get back home and get to bed.
November 2
Kat has been asking me to walk around in a figure 8 pattern on week...we have a whole world to eplore and all
she wishes to do is walk that stupid pattern. I keep looking at her to see if she is okay but she acts all right except that
she keeps walking in circles or turns around like she is lost. She tells me to go down and stay and then she walks around
me - she dosen't go anywhere or even talk to any one. Oh well , at least I get treats and she seems happy.
We all want to town again tonight to the "dog class."I did okay in the car this week- I think I am starting to
like driving a little . I just wish I didn't have to wear this seatbelt thing. Class was no fun.. that dog they call "Riley"
was staring at me a lot and when I tryed to snap at him I almost got Kat and the class leader grabed my lead and pulled
me up in the air and held me there. That pinched my collar and it hurt a lot. I yelled about it but she just held me
there for awhile. Kat brought my stuffed toy but most of the time she put it on the floor and told me to "leave
it".. why did she even bring it with us if I can't play with it? OMG I have homework .. the leader says
we have to practice standing and staying, leave it, recall and review what we have been learning. Guess that means more
walking in circles. I don't like to just stand around doing nothing .. that's no fun at all.
November 9
Kat has been going to town a lot this week and we have not practiced walking as much as usual. When she has been
home she has been climbing up and down on what she calls a ladder and painting all the doors. She even put me on a chain for
two days! She said that was to keep me out of her paint. Most of the "training" this week has been inside. Class was okay
this week - only two dogs where there and we did a lot of new things.. like walk up to this sign and weave around cones. It
least we didn't walk in circles all evening. Audrey made me get nose to nose with Riley. She said I was mean to Riley because
I felt I had to protect Kat... well yeah that is my job.
November 16
We practiced "finishing" this week. That was easy and to think Kat gives me treats for just coming to her side!
It was pouring down rain tonight so I was glad to get into the car to go to town. The whole class was there and we mainly
just practiced what we had learned in the past, I had to walk between the other dogs and I only growled at them once and that
made Kat upset with me so I stopped growling at them. Audrey said that we should just continue practicing all the things
we have been doing and in two weeks we have to do a test and then we graduate. Kat is suppose to take me to a park and expand
my world. Audrey says I act a little scared and that is why I growl at things. Kat says I have to learn what Back means ..
she makes me back up when ever she says Back. She says that will help keep me out of trouble. Fell asleep coming home - the
car was nice in warm and it was pouring rain outside.
Nov.23
Kat took me to class tonight in the truck. She said that Bill was in Indy becuase his sister was having sugery.
We just practiced the same old stuff in class. After class we just came straight home without goiing to get any food.
Nov.24 I finally met Doug!!
Nov.30 I had the graduation test this evening. I had to do 13 different things - and I
did it. I got a certificate and a Christmas stocking.
Had a bad scare when I got home. Kat let me outside to go potty and I got my paw caught in the slats of the
chair. I yelped in pain and they all came running outside to help me. Kat was holding my paw, Chris was rubbing my head and
talking to me, Shawn and Bill picked me up and that was when my paw came out of the space. We all went inside and I
fell asleep in Kat's arms after I stopped trembling.It's great having a family!
December 26
Kat has been very busy this month - so she didn't have time to help me turn on the computer. She does the strangest
things - on Dec 1 she put a tree up in the front room. I just sit and watched her through the window. I kept turning my head
to the side - you know how you turn your head when you are wondering what in the world is this person
doing. She let me inside when she was finished and I sniffed the tree - and it isn't even real! Kat told me to stay
away from it - no problem there - this thing is strange. It has been very cold outside and I have spent
a lot of time inside. I have Kat trained to let me inside whenever I jump on the side door. I did learn fast that if
I mouthed her hand to hard or jumped on the furniture she would make me go back outside. How I go on a sit down
strike whenever she says "out" and it is cold outside. Sometimes being on my best behavior keeps me inside - but if Kat rungs
the bells I know it is a lost cause and I have to go outside. I have been very good with the tree - I never opened any of
the packages. There was one package that I tried to run off with but Kat made me give it back to Desiree. I got another
bandanna and a new ball for Christmas. But best of all everyone was here including Doug - he likes to play ball and
I like sneaking up on him and giving him kisses.
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