Bad day to be a squirrel

It started out as a wonderful morning. We had a nice breakfast and Paul started painting. I worked around the house and took care of miscellaneous stuff so that I could watch the hockey game. I let Samson out to take care of business and horror of horrors, he chased AND THEN CAUGHT a squirrel. And he did what I was afraid of, he started to kill it. I will spare you the details but where the squirrel bit him on the nose, fighting for his life, has at least stopped bleeding. Paul humanely took care of the squirrel, who sadly was suffering. The squirrel has gone to heaven, or wherever deceased squirrels go, thanks to Paul.

I took a picture of Samson, treeing a squirrel last week. I hope the squirrels have learned a valuable lesson and stay clear of here. It's not safe for squirrels on Argentina. The word is out.

At some point, I will be over this drama, but I need a very STIFF ADULT BEVERAGE to help. Tomorrow, it's back to work.

Saturday

We are living with the threat (or in my mind, promise) of a major snow storm. It isn't supposed to start until this afternoon, plenty of time to get home from this AM's adventures.

Today is Samson's first training session. We have cut up a bunch of string cheese. That was our trainer's first tip - puppy treats fill up dogs and make them less likely to be responsive since they are full! We also have our clickers - Samson responds to sound and the clickers really help reinforce the good behavior.

We have begun leaving him at the door frame of the kitchen. He is none too happy about being left out - barking at us from the dining area. He is a very dominant personality and we need to be VERY vigilant about making sure he KNOWS who is in charge.

Many more stories to follow. :)

Oh happy day!

For those of you not interested in dogs, this would be a good entry to skip.

Many of you have followed our trials with Samson, and it has seemed some days like two steps forward, and maybe 1 or 1 1/2 back. He has an affinity for socks and we have lost a couple. We are working hard at keeping the basement door closed (laundry) and the bedroom doors closed(other good smelling stuff) but once in a while, I slip and we lose an undergarment of some kind. ;) We also have to watch the Christmas decorations as he is VERY interested in those as well. We have cut way back on the holiday decor as it is much too tempting for him. :o

Last night, we were sitting around the TV watching the hockey game and LO AND BEHOLD, our dog, Samson, the one who HATES CRATES, walked, ON HIS OWN, into the crate. And turned around in it. And plopped down to sleep. ON HIS OWN!! Did I mention ON HIS OWN?? I was doing the happy dance, jumping up and down, shouting with glee, all in my mind. He pieced it together - the crate is a GOOD thing, a safe place, his bed, his comfort, his storage for toys. OH HAPPY DAY!

(Small translation for my non-furry family member friends - this means, in simplistic terms, that Samson no longer sees the crate as transport to another shelter/bad place rather, a good thing, another place where good things happen. This will aid us tremendously with travel to our training classes. Howling for a 30 minute drive could get VERY old)

I know that he was very tired...didn't have much of a nap yesterday, and desperately wanted to go to sleep. Big steps and oh joy, the happy dance! Woo hoo!!

Friday

Whenever I get to Friday, I think about the Snoopy dance. Surely there are some copyright issues here but for now, I am happy watching him dance.

While I don't always feel this happy, I surely know that the weekend is here and I have a day or two to sleep in. Irony of ironies, I end up getting up so much earlier than any day I have to go to work. Go figure.

We are also puppy sittings friends' dogs this weekend. So truly, with Snoopy dancing, Samson testing our patience and stamina, two Yorkies leaping and bounding all over us, it's a weekend going to the dogs. (Oh I kill myself).

Is there anything more to say?

Lazy day in the sun

What a wonderful way to spend a day...sunning in the backyard.