SKITTLES 'N' BITS

Skittles continues to make improvements with me.  He is more relaxed and trusting.  I have taken him into situations where he is around new people and new dogs and he looks to me for guidance and relies on me to keep him safe.  I can handle him anywhere, anytime, take away any toy or prized bone and no growling.  He is accepting of strangers petting him if they respect his need to warm up to them before they get too deep with him.  He definitely needs a protector to oversee his greetings as most people anticipate that a dog so cute and fluffy would be completely accepting of deep scratches, bum pats, or being picked up.  He needs someone to be gentle and allow him to accept new people at his pace, not theirs.  Given respect and time he comes around.   I don't think relationships with dogs are too much unlike human relationships.  We don't meet people and become instant friends with all guards down.  We don't like people being too familiar too quickly.  Skittles agrees!

We went to Yaletown on Sunday and the sunshine made for great video and picture taking.  Skittles seemed right at home in the big city.

I've been working with him on only peeing on trees and grass - no objects, buildings, etc.  I'm now at a point with him that I let him choose and based on this video, I think you can see him make the choice.  He was headed to the post to sniff and previously he would have peed on it, but he leaves it alone.   Good boy Skittles!

Back at home base, Skittles sleeps in while I shower and get ready for work.  Not a peep out of him until he sees me head for the stairs.   He enthusiastically bounds down the stairs and then has to wait for me before we can leave for our day.  He really likes daycare and has many friends there - of the human and dog variety.

Waiting for me to finish packing my lunch.  I'm sure he'd like to help too.

Listening intently as I talk to him in the morning.

Left his sunglasses in the truck....

Skittles at McDonald Beach....I love his ears!