New Dog Day 3

Backfill: BACKFILLDATEWalk was much easiER today, with the Gentle Leader, but I still wouldn't call it EASY--she tugs & stops, tugs & stops, all the way around. Plus she gets tangled in the leash & doesn't untangle easily, and gets tangled with other dogs. Fortunately they don't seem to mind her on a walk. Did just half a mile again. I really need to get the extra mileage in, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Don't think I can handle a mile or 2 like this.

Still doing the fence/frenzy/whining thing with the dog next door. Rachel said let her into the yard only under my control for now. At least as long as she's not using the doggie door, I'm there with her & can grab her & stop her. Tried Rachel's "defer" exercise when I pulled her away from the fence, and man what a struggle! but I was surprised how easily I managed to hang on & did finally get her to settle next to me, and the 2nd time she started it, it was much easier to get her to settle next to me.

She barked for the first time this afternoon--and WOW is that a loud bark! This is definitely not a bark I want to encourage. Maybe I should be concentrating on *never* barking--but this *is* an Aussie mix & I don't know whether subduing that completely is practical or a good thing.

Rem started to do upsidedown dog in the morning, but she jammed her face onto the bed & he stopped immediately. Jake has been doing upsidedown dog every morning, so for whatever reason he feels more comfortable at that time than Rem does. Of course he's on the opposite side of the bed from where she sleeps.

Been using the Big Blue Thing (an 8" rubber ball with a handle) with her in the yard, trying to keep her away from Jake's squeakies. Seems to know a little bit of Leave It, but that's good only for that one instance. Jake is starting to chase his squeaky while she's in the yard, but it's hard to keep her away from it or him, even when I'm throwing her big blue thing, and if she gets too close, he shuts down again.

Jake is hiding less, Rem is following me around less. Once while Sav. & I were just walking around the yard, he plonked down on his side on the wooden sidewalk in the sun & half snoozed for a short while, but when she stuck her nose right in his face he decided he wasn't going to relax that much again.

Still not sure what to do about a name. "PIka" doesn't feel as good as "PEEka", although it's a legit way to pronounce it.

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