Catch Up

Hello again! I feel like it's been so long since a "real" post that I don't even know where to begin!

Work for both Matt and me is back is full swing. I think if I can just make it through January (and then, I'm sure, I'll think "if I can just make it to February..."), things might settle a little. All kidding aside, January is a busy month for us, but not as busy as last October-December. I'll take any alleviated busyness I can get! :) My school's magnet open house is next week, so that's taking some time. I need to take my camera in to photograph some things they have done and my kids working together and then make a powerpoint slide show. We have inservice Friday and NO school Monday, so I'll have a long weekend before then (not that I'm saving the powerpoint for then--I plan to relax over the weekend!). Matt picked up a new project at work, so things really are humming right along!

Miss Samantha still LOVES (truly, all caps) her pillow for her crate. Apparently, no grand-dog of my mother's should be without a pillow during said item's cleaning, so Sammy is now the proud owner of a "spare" as well. :) hehe Thanks, Mom!

Speaking of Samantha, she has her first puppy class this Saturday (and each Saturday after that for a total of 8 weeks). Overall, she's pretty obedient. I'm sure every puppy has her moments. :) hehe She is doing well with sit, and we've changed our sit "cue" to the cue we saw the trainer using (lifting a palm-up open hand up--we'd been snapping). She did well with that transition. "Lay down" is becoming more reliable. She does better about pulling on the leash if her collar is high as Cesar suggests. There is still some pull though. I cannot have my hand completely relaxed and have her stay right beside me. I'll even stop and try to put on a "pack leader" mentality, ala the dog whisperer.... those dogs always start walking PERFECTLY on his show. I always wonder if they do that well once he's gone.... We'll see how she does with heel in her class. Hopefully it will improve. :) She is great about being in her "calms-submissive" state for getting out of her crate, getting her food, etc. And we even worked on not crossing the kitchen-garage threshold when we unloaded from our Christmas trip--she did great! We just need to keep practicing it.

--this post will be continued later, but there's a brief update so far! look for more soon! :)