Saturday, January 14, 2017

Getting Zenzi - Part 2

My Girlfriend Takes Her Pup Skiing Too
Here She is Guarding Our Stuff Out in The Wild On Our Family Hot Springs Trip
Ice Fishing Trip with Friends
She Tries Sledding With Me
                                                                              Here The Pups Are Wiped Out!!  Look How They've Grown!!

The very next day, weeks and month kept me insanely busy. My 8 year old was standing out on the porch as I arrived with the puppy to inform me that she had pooped out a worm!! There was chaos in the house as people greeted the puppy and wanted to know how I would deal with the worm situation. Every one crowded into the bathroom to once again, to watch me examine the poop. It was a strange home coming for a puppy.

Of course the next day, the puppy had to go to town with me to take our 8 year old to the Doctor. Then the puppy went with me to work. Then the puppy went with me to pick up parts for my husband. That week I had to make 5 or 6 trips to town and she went with each time. I later learned that this was a great thing do do because "socialization" is extremely important. On one of my town trips. I accumulated a stack of books about raising dogs from the local library and spent every spare moment studying.

There was something creepy strange about this pup in a good way. She was good. She listened. She followed me around. I've never had a dog so obedient. At first I didn't know what to think. She just naturally took to everything I threw at her. In her first couple of weeks at my house, she'd learned to "sit" both with voice and sign, "lay down", "play dead", and "stay". All of these things she needs reinforcement to remember. Sometimes she does them all before I ask her to wanting to really please me.

She naturally wanted to "heel" on the leash which was super cool. The first day at home she ran 2 miles with me heeling almost perfectly. Then I took her skiing. That really creeped me out. It took hardly anthing to get her to stay behind me. I've NEVER had a dog who willingly stayed behind me. I even took her with friends who had other dogs and she still obeyed and stayed behind.

We started playing "hide and seek". We hid in all kinds of difficult spots. She learned quickly how to use her eyes, ears and nose to seek us out. I was impressed watching her pick up the scent.

I put her to the test socially one day when I went to a birthday party where a bunch of our families were jammed into a small cabin. Children kept stepping over and around her. One baby fell on top of her and she didn't do anthing at all. I was so relieved. The host complimented me on her good behavior. I also took her into the nursing home attached to the hospital I work at, and she was so very well behaved. She cheered up a host of people.

Of course she is a puppy. She likes to chew on things. I have to remind her often that she may not steal toilet paper out of the trash can. Though she got potty trained the first week she was here, I can't figure out how to get her to poop in her degisnated spot. She tends to want to go in the yard close by the house. On the day I wrote about Sheeba for my blog, she busted out of her kennel 4x. I think she knew I was upset. She hasn't busted out since then.

I realize she is no normal pup. She's capable of probably more than I am smart enough or disciplined enough to teach. She's a special gem of great intelligence. We finally settled on her name "Zenzi Gunnhild Von Lamp Haus", but "Zenzi" for short. I have the feeling that she is about to embark on a lot of adventures with me.


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