Now it's almost time to get serious – so it's time to raise the level of solo training with Boyo. Today we have a day dog who sleeps over, and that will probably be here onto and from under my radiation treatment. So it was time to see how it works to have them alone together.
It worked over anticipation, actually. I closed them in a bit hastily and hilariously, and did little else. They had a beautiful time in the bedroom for almost 1½ hours – and they did it with gusto. Now I was in and of itself left in the apartment, but still. We have tomorrow too, and then I will actually go out of the apartment. Still thought I'd go down to my basement storage and take a look (as part of my death row).
Then I will come having to leave Boyo daily, preferably a little longer, until it's time to get serious on Monday. Especially as it is the first time on the radiation, and therefore will take a little longer.
I can not enough to describe how impressed I am with my dog right now. He's doing great, for not having been alone very much. But then, this will make things so much easier going forward. Just not having to find someone to help me with him, if I just need to get away for a short while (typ; buy something, booked appointments at places that are close by, go and get blood samples, whatever – But, you know).
My goal is to eventually be able to have him in the whole apartment when I'm not at home, without him panicking. But even if it wouldn't work, then I'm perfectly fine with him being in the bedroom. Better that than not at all. And I firmly believe that a smaller surface gives him less opportunities to stress himself out.
I can too tell me that I've already started planning how I'm going to deal with the next dog. There was such a huge difference between Ella and Boyo – at all, although they have great similarities as well (both are shepherds, for example), and I'm guessing there will be just as much of a difference on the next dog. But I think there are some things that are more important than others, and some contexts that are more important than others.
The commands I intend to put a lot of effort into teaching a new puppy (when it ends – I would like to have another dog of my own) is his, lie, come and above all – stay. Another thing that is also very important to me is being able to move around in furnished rooms, and to walk neatly and neatly on a leash.
But I'm going the events far in advance. 😀
At the moment is I'm both impressed and a little mad about both myself and my dog. Considering how bad it's been before when we trained alone, I'm sooooo happy with how good he is now. If I haven't told you before, can I gossip that he panicked, surrendered at the front door, got out in the stairwell, demolished stuff indoors… That's pretty much it – and embarrassing, with the stairwell. Thank goodness for good neighbors at times like this.
But now it works it's really fantastically good. ♥