How are the Sibs?

Sonata, 9 months

 So, I haven't heard from Sonata's siblings and parents for a while, and was wandering how all the pups were doing?  Have you all been enjoying the weather and trying to remind the pups that warm weather is coming?  Sonata got a taste of spring, and discovered that she really, REALLY isn't all that fond of hot.  It will be interesting watching her adjust!

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Great News!

After all that panicking that we did, Sonata passed her Household Manners class!  It was great!  She was called up (the second dog), and the evaluator asked for her name.  After I spelled it out to her, she told me the commands that she wanted us to follow through.  Sonata hit every single command first try, it was a beautiful sight to behold!  I am so happy!  I am also in awe, both Thomas and I were convinced that she was not going to make it through this class. 

Speaking of classes, the next one is up in the air.  I don't think that Sonata is ready to take the CGC (Canine Good Citizen- not that she could actually take the test, since she is not a year old yet), she still has a tendency to shrink back when people go to pet her, and jumps up out of her sit in those instances.  That right there would be enough to flunk her.  I am hoping to find another class that I can stick her into until she is more prepared.  I want to put her into agility, but the class actually now has a waiting list.  I think I will see if I can get her into the agility class that is not this next one, or the one after, but the one AFTER that.  So, that would be what?  Mid-June?  That would be the best time to try to get her into the class I think.  I might see if I can get her into Rally instead. That is of course if they don't offer the next fundamentals class that they mentioned they were thinking of opening up.

So many decisions! 

Moving onto further news, Sonata does not like the weather change.  Actually the rising tempreture seems to be hitting her rather hard.  She didn't have an adult coat last fall!  Now she has a thick coat, and she is not liking the rising tempreture at all!  She is constantly battling me when I try to get her to go outside and run around.  It has gotten to the point this last week where I will simply put her and and Serenade outside (with the glass door open), and listen to her and Serenade pound on the door trying to get back in for the next hour.  There is no running and playing, just spoiled dogs.  What are they going to do once it gets to the 80s?  Granted, then they will have nice A/C on to keep them cool, but I don't want to turn on the A/C until it is much warmer out. 

The reason why I am ruminating on this problem is because last night Sonata woke me up vomiting in her kennel.  We were not able to determine if it was a hairball (yes, she gets them...the silly dog wants to EAT all the hair tumbleweeds before we get a chance to gather them) or if it was due to heat.  Her plastic crate gets warm at night, which does not bode well for later in the year.  We are trying to figure out what to do about the problem.  Last night what I did in response, so she would not get a chance to lay in the vomit (it was 4:00am), moved her to the wire kennel.  She was all right for an hour, and then she started to bark when she realized that she was not beside me anymore.  Ugh I dunno what to do.

Anyhow it is late (and I think I woke up Thomas typing), the thunder is rolling outside, and Serenade is pressed against my desk chair.   Good night!!

All Pictures Sonata is Nine Months Old

Fun Time...

Well, it is official.  Yesterday Serenade went into heat.  While she doesn't pace like the pup does, she tends to just sit and whine.  Then she whines some more.  Then she whines some more on top of that.  Her heats are lessons in...I'll get back to you on that.

Burrowing is fun! Sonata, 9 months

Sonata is now nine months old, as of yesterday, and has a tendency to still launch herself.  Good news, bad news on that.  Good news, because I am sure that will help her out in the agility course.  Bad news, because it darn well HURTS when sixty pounds of dog lands on top of you!

On Sunday one of her trainers pulled me aside and told me that she knew that we couldn't see it, but that Sonata had grown 2 inches in the last week.  I believe it!  She fit so well in her no pull harness the class before, but I had had to let the harness out twice during the week.  By last class it was so tight, I could barely get a finger under it!  I got her a new harness on Monday, a large.  Did I mention all of this before?  If I did, I am sorry, it is rather early for me!

Spring!!

Can I?

Spring is on her way back, folks!  I just saw my first robin of the year sitting out on the fence post.  He was warbling away, looking at the mess that the rain left last night. 

OOO KITTY!

In Sonata related news, she has outgrown her medium no pull harness.  It is time to purchase her a large one.  My little pup is growing at a tremendous rate!

Ode to the Ear

Last week I took Sonata back to the vet for her health check, to make sure she passed the 'no ringworm,' so that she could return to class.  Good news!  Our pup was cleared!  Bad news!  She has two ear infections!  She is able to return to class (and we did, we have much to work on), a class full of goldens I might add. 

The other section of good news is:  Sonata has finally started to gain weight again!   Last month she was 48 pounds, this month she is 57!  I am so happy!  She is going to make the 60 pound mark as an adult after all!

She is though, still a brat :)

A Quick Shot

Just looking out the window

 Just thought I would throw out a quick picture, or two, of our girl watching her 'television.' It still cracks us up to see her perched on the couch staring out the windows.

Serenade and Sonata sharing a quiet moment

As for her heat, she is finally starting to act like our Sonata again.  She finally starting running the living room again today, and can now jump two feet off the ground straight up (on her hind legs).

Brat

Waiting for Thomas to Come home, Sonata 7 Months

We were right, we were right, we were RIGHT.  We predicted that once Sonata hit her first heat that she would be a true bitch.  Oye, were we right.  She paces, she ignores us, she barks ON and ON!  This dog is defiantly going to get spayed!