peeves.

A few friends and I were talking the other day about the things that really annoy us simply because they drive our dogs CRAZY. I've found that I can't really classify these things as "pet peeves", but I also can't classify them as "people peeves"... so I've settled on just calling them Peeves. Am I missing any?

1. Dogs in cars who bark out the window. Safety hazard for me and Claire!! She gets so irritated and gets all jumpy, and then I have to shield her from bouncing off the sidewalk into the street. Roll up your windows, people, or leave your dog at home!
2. People in cars who bark out the window. Yup. You're an idiot. Show some respect.
3. Small animals with tails. Squirrels. Cats. Chipmunks. Groundhogs (we saw one a few weeks ago). They should hibernate forever. Or at least exist in a wide open field so that Claire can chase them safely without me having to worry about all the traffic.
4. All the traffic. I'm sure y'all can agree, whether you have a dog or not.
5. An inability to climb trees. If she could, it would make #3 a lot easier. It would also be a huge help when the neighborhood kids play frisbee with her and get it stuck waaaay up in the branches.
6. An inability to eat chocolate. I like sharing snacks with Claire. And when I make delicious things like brownies and cookies, it hurts me to see her big brown eyes staring up at me when I know that she can't have the chocolate...
7. The depth of the PB jar. If it were short and stout like a teapot, her tongue could reach the bottom. But instead, she can only get a good half of what's left on the sides, and there's all that PB on the bottom that she just can't reach. It's such a tease.
8. Leashes. Roaming free would be much more fun for Claire, but I just tell her that she's the one taking ME for a walk, and that I'd get lost finding our way back without her. Makes me feel better.
9. Loud people. Calm the heck down!! Bring it from a 10 to a 2!! Claire is getting stressed out, and my ears are ringing!
10. Lack of personal space. Claire and I hate this -- me with strange people (airplanes give me anxiety because of this), and Claire with other dogs (aka: most puppies). Back it on up and trust that yes, we can still see and hear you from an arms' length away.

There are, of course, more things that could be added to this list. Give me some time and you may see a Part 2 sooner or later. Did I miss any big ones?

cape life.

Here we are, a full month after our last post. Where does the time go?! Claire and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Cape Cod last weekend and we'll be here for the next month. Whenever I'm here, I feel like I can just exhale. I can't think of any other way to put it, so... that's that.

Can I just say that it is a VERY long drive from Tennessee to Massachusetts? It was quite eventful, too, as the air conditioner in my car broke halfway through the extremely large state of Virginia. If it hadn't been a sunny 90*F day, I would have tried to ride it out until we got here, but because it was just so hot, I had to stop and get it repaired. Thankfully it was an easy fix and we were able to get back on the road after three hours or so -- and I have to give Firestone a huge shout-out (the one in Nowheresville, VA) for being so awesome and letting Claire hang out in the lobby. They even gave her treats and water while we waited. Talk about service!

We finally made it to Harrisburg PA where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Claire got her own queen-sized bed, which she was quite excited about, as you can see by the blur of her wagging tail in this picture:

 

We made it to the Cape the next day without any hiccups, and I cannot emphasize enough how glad we both were to get out of the car. I actually have no recollection of what we did that night because my mind was blank from driving for so long. The one thing that I did not anticipate was how rough the drive would be on my body. My fibromyalgia flared up like mad and after a full week, I'm finally feeling better. Note to self for the next time: break up the drive into three days, not two.

 

The next morning, Claire and I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach. It was her first time there, and y'all, I can't wait to post the video of her reaction. But that will have to wait until I get back to Nashville, so hang tight in the meantime. At first she was afraid of the waves, but by the end of our walk, she was running straight into them. She tried to drink the water like she does when I take her to the river in Nashville, but the salt from the ocean made her sneeze. Puppy sneezes are the cutest! But she didn't try to drink it again, which was a safe bet. And hey, this is a picture that I took of the sunrise that morning. Can you tell that it was the perfect day?

 

 

 

 

Later that day, one of my besties came to visit and it was AMAZING to see her. It had been a year since we'd seen each other, and I fully intend for us to visit a lot over the next month!! We went out to lunch to catch up and then spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach. Claire was so tired after her morning romp in the waves, so I didn't feel bad leaving her for a few hours. She needed the rest!

 

 

I know some of y'all are connected with us on our Facebook page, but for those of you who aren't, you need to know that part of my mother's preparation for our arrival included putting sheets all over the furniture to "protect" them from Claire's fur. Clearly, we never had dogs growing up. Anyway, Claire's new favorite lookout is the window behind the sheeted couch, which gives her a good view of one side of our neighborhood (and, more importantly, of the squirrels and rabbits), so she's been spending a lot of time here. Again, please note the happy tail.

 

 

Interestingly enough, my mom forgot to cover one chair in the house, which has become a great place for naps. Claire is smart enough to curl up here when my mom isn't home. I don't have the heart to tell her to get off, especially when she's as cute as she is. Who wants to disturb a comfortable dog, anyway? Not me. That's just mean!

 

 

 

Of course, I still have to work during the week (though I'm so thankful that I can work remotely!), but Claire and I have settled into a routine that seems to be working well. My "office" is in a room that I only go into while I'm working - I thought that would help Claire understand that I can't play when we're there. We get up in the morning and go for a long walk, eat breakfast, and do a little training, and then I get the work day started. Claire hangs out with me and naps until lunch, alternating between the floor, the couch, and this cozy little pallet that I've set up for her next to my desk.

 

 

 

I've got an hour break for lunch, so after grabbing some food, Claire and I spend some time playing frisbee, going running, and doing more training. After she's gotten out some energy, she's ready to lounge around while I finish up the second half of the work day. At night, we've been heading to the beach after most of the tourists have left, and we'll go for another long walk/run so I can unwind and Claire can get back outside for a bit. Then it's time for dinner and playtime (she likes to play tug with her stuffed animals, and four of them have already succombed to her destruction), and then we hang out with my mom and her boyfriend before calling it a night.

 

 

The other night we went for a walk at the Harbor instead of at the beach - mainly because I was feeling nostalgic for a place where my friends and I hung out a lot when we were in high school. There were a couple other dogs around and Claire did really well by not reacting to them. I was so proud of her! Anyway, while we were walking on the docks, Claire saw ducks for the first time EVER and was absolutely fascinated by them. She didn't cry or whine or bark, she just sat there transfixed. Birds in the water? Who would've thought!

 

So, now you know what we've been up to and where we've been lately! I'll be posting again next weekend, for sure. And of course I'll share more pictures too. Hope you all are well and have been enjoying your summer!

 

a letter to nature.

Dear birds, squirrels, rabbits, and other small creatures:

       Thank you for putting up with Claire's constant harassment. I would like to think that she would stop chasing you if she could, but she has a high prey drive. Therefore, I imagine that it's kind of like an addiction. But I've decided that she needs to give back, somehow, to make up for her behavior. That is why we have moved our brushing sessions outside. Three times per week, you will find a lovely collection of fur next to the porch. Please take as much as you'd like to make your home cozy. I don't know where she gets all of her fur since she gets brushed so often, but all that matters is that you reap the benefits. It's the least she can do since she gives you minor heart attacks every time she sees one of you. It is my hope that you will accept her donation as an apology.

Love,

Lauren

PS: Here is a picture of today's collection. That's a size 7.5 furball. She shed that much during Tuesdays brushing and she will shed that much by Saturday. True story. So there's plenty to go around.

sweetness.

My lovebug!

I had to take advantage of Claire's obsession with squirrels in order for this photo op to happen. We've been super busy around here lately, but we'll soon be back to regular posts! For random (and shorter) updates, keep tabs on the happenings over at our Facebook page, too!

if my car wasn't already enough of a mess...

It started with the drool. I should've known right then and there what was in store - especially since Claire is NOT a drooler. Even had I missed that clue, I should have picked up on the fact that right when she got into the car, she laid down immediately. And had I missed THAT sign, I should have noticed that she was more tired than usual after being at Bark-O-Lounge all day with her friends. But some days, hell freezes over, and the planets stop their orbit around the sun, and pigs fly - all at once - and I miss every single clue that I'd normally be attuned to. Today was one of those days.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late: she was already hurling ALL over the backseat of my car. Poor girl and that upset tummy of hers... When we got home, she didn't even scan the yard for squirrels or rabbits, she just went straight to the door. And as soon as I let her inside, she put herself right to bed - on the couch. She didn't even walk the extra ten steps to our bed. She just curled up in the closest comfy spot.

Hopefully this is just a bug that will run its course quickly, but she has her annual physical at the vet's on Saturday as it is. That's a nice coincidence, I suppose. Though my prayer is that after a good night's sleep, she'll wake up feeling better in the morning...

well-matched.

When people ask me what mix Claire is, I like to joke that she's 50% dog and 50% human. But seriously, when I think about how alike we are, I think there's a lot about me that has rubbed off on her over the past almost-four years together. For instance...

1. We have some of the same hobbies: eating, sleeping, exploring, and being with friends.

2. We are both extremely empathetic. Whenever someone is crying and sad, Claire stops whatever she is doing and goes right over to the person to try and make them feel better. As for me, I'm a social worker. 'Nuff said.

3. We love snuggling, but we can't fall asleep unless we both have space to stretch out.

4. We have a strong appreciation for nature, and we love being outside. The weekends have been filled with leisurely walks and romps in the field near my house.

5. It doesn't take much to make us happy. We like the simple things in life.

6. We guard our food. No sharing when it comes to deliciousness! Get your own!

7. We get grumpy when we are tired. And then it's best that we have some quiet time.

8. Two words: peanut butter.

9. We are very sensitive to our surroundings, whether it be the people we're around or the situation we are in the midst of. Change is hard, and it takes us a little longer to adapt - though we always do!

10. We love being around others, but we are most comfortable and happiest when we're with our best friends.

11. When we put our mind to something, we don't stop until we've reached our goal (though for Claire, this mainly has to do with chasing squirrels out of our yard).

12. We're each other's favorite.

speaking in code.

I follow a lovely blog called "Something Wagging This Way Comes" (I'd link to it, but I am blogging from my phone and the app doesn't allow that - but google it because it is worth it!) and one of the most recent entries was about speaking to your dog so that they don't understand you. It's much like how parents talk to other adults when their kids are around. Words become spelled out or spoken in some kind of code. My friends and I have to do this a lot with our dogs - what can I say, they're all really smart!

Claire starts looking around frantically when someone mentions squirrels, so you have to call them SQ's when she's nearby. You definitely have to spell the word "bone" or she goes on alert and sits in front of the refrigerator, waiting expectantly for you to get one out of the freezer for her chewing pleasure. She sits by the front door and waits for you to get a move on when someone says "walk" or "school", so we all have to spell that out too. I can't mention her friends' names (particularly Tucker, Sooki, Asya, and Chase) or even some of my friends' names (especially Carrie, Brianna, and Amy) or she will go to the front window and wait for them to show up - you have to just refer to them as "pals." And if you are talking about treats or snacks, you have to refer to them as "delicious food" or she will instantly go through a plethora of tricks in the hopes that she'll do something that will allow her to have one.

What are some code words that you and your friends or family use around your dog?

you can't always get what you want.

It's a tough lesson to be learned: you can't always get what you want. You know that, I know that, and hopefully Claire knows that now, as well.

I haven't been feeling well over the past few days, so it's taken me a little longer to get moving in the mornings. I was doing some things in the kitchen this morning before leaving to take Claire to daycare, and she was perched at the kitchen window checking out the scene in the backyard.

What started as a whimper turned into a full blown temper tantrum. Why? A squirrel. It's always the squirrels' fault. At least in our house anyway... If I hadn't been preparing to leave the house 10 minutes later, I would have let Claire go into the backyard to go chase it. But to be honest I was feeling sick, needed to get to work, and didn't have the head or the time for it today.

Claire's reaction was like that of a 2-year-old child's when they are told that they can't have cookies for dinner. She had an absolute meltdown. I tried to lure her away from the window with a venison treat, but that didn't work. Then I tried soothing her. That didn't work either. Then I tried scolding her. Nope. To make matters worse, her response to my many attempts was to get so frustrated that she started barking. AT ME.

I did what any mother would do when their child is throwing a massive and prolonged temper tantrum: I shut myself in the bathroom. Sure enough, after a few seconds, the barking and screeching stopped. I heard her come over to the bathroom door. She stood there for a second, then slid to the floor and sighed. Isn't it amazing to see what happens when the audience is taken away from such a performance?

I opened the door and when I asked if she was done with her meltdown, I was greeted with kisses and a wagging tail. It was like it never happened. I grabbed our things, leashed her up, and off we went.

Claire learned a hard lesson today. We came out a little frazzled, but were otherwise okay. Though now we BOTH have a vendetta against those squirrels...

true confessions of a dog owner.

It's time for some true confessions! Are you ready for this? I put together a list of twelve truths pertaining to being a dog owner. Know that I mean no offense, so I apologize in advance if anything written is taken the wrong way. But I figured it would be fun to let you all know some of my honest-to-goodness thoughts and maybe even share some of my own bad habits! Leave a comment below with some of your confessions - I love getting the scoop!

1. I am of the persuasion that raising a dog is just as hard as raising a child.

2. Every Sunday, when I go grocery shopping, I make sure to bring back a special little treat or toy for Claire.

3. It's very likely that I spend more money on Christmas presents for Claire than I do on all of my friends combined.

4. No matter how adorable I think your dog is, I'll always think that mine is cuter.

5. I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their dog. I tend to write people off if I see them treating their dog poorly.

6. It's really hard for me to like you if you don't like my dog. And please know that "like" does not mean "tolerate."

7. I have more of a problem with separation anxiety than Claire does. She usually does just fine when she's at Bark-O-Lounge while I'm on vacation. I, however, call/text a few times per day to make sure that she's all right...

8. I have been late to work a time or two solely because I've stayed in bed cuddling with Claire for too long.

9. Sometimes when we're at the park, I yell "SQUIRREL!!" really loudly because I think it's hilarious how Claire's ears immediately perk up and she looks all around to find it.

10. There have been many times where I have slept on the very edge of the bed as to not disturb the angelic sleep of Princess Claire.

11. Claire's vice is digging, and I even encourage it sometimes because I feel like it helps file those nails ;)

12. If I believed in past lives, I would definitely think that I was a dog.
  

silly wabbits.

We've reached a compromise, Claire and I. I did tell you about the rabbit situation, didn't I? Well, as a refresher, Claire's new obsession is with rabbits. Coincidentally, we have a large family of them living either under the back deck or under the front porch. Claire goes crazy when she sees them, and the first thing she does in the morning is this:

Now, she isn't just looking out the window admiring the beautiful weather. No, she is on the lookout for rabbits. Shortly after this picture was taken, she spotted one and began scratching at the window and whining - much like she used to do for the squirrels, who she now couldn't care less about. Okay, that's a lie. She still cares, but her obsession infatuation has definitely turned to bunnies. And she throws a horrible temper tantrum when I don't let her run after them while I get ready for work. I mean, I'm sorry, but I need to get ready and I can't supervise her running around in my un-fenced backyard!

So here is our compromise. She is no longer allowed to throw fits, and if she does, she gets a time out. But to satisfy her rabbit craving, she gets to "go get 'em" after our morning walks - meaning, I let her off the leash and she gets to chase the bunnies around the yard until they ultimately seek shelter in whatever place they hide in. And then when I call for her, she listens to me and comes inside, all zoomed out.

I do have to say, however, that this morning, she was chasing one rabbit while another one was chasing her. And she was barking while she was running. It was awfully cute! :)
 
 

where there's a will...

The other day, when Claire and I were heading home from the park, I stopped to pick up lunch at a cafe near my house because I was absolutely starving and was sure that I couldn't make it home without sustenance. I had placed my order on the way, since I hate leaving Claire in the car - she doesn't just lay down and wait for me, she practically presses her nose up against the window and looks panicked until I return [it's pitiful]. While I was waiting in line to pick up my order, I kept my eyes on the car to make sure that Claire was coping well during this very brief time apart.

I had left the sunroof open so that she could stick her nose out, since leaving this open while I ran into the cafe was a much better option than leaving the windows down; I'm well aware that she would jump right out and go explore [I learned my lesson the first time, thank you very much]. Claire has never been able to jump out of the sunroof, so I thought this was a pretty safe bet. She has tried before, but she doesn't have enough of a step up from the center console.

I got a little nervous while waiting in line when I saw the squirrel stop on the sidewalk right in front of my car. I got a little more nervous when I saw Claire hone in on it while she sat in the passengers seat - she had the Hunter's Gaze: ears up, body leaning forward, eyes focused on the prey. And my anxiety kicked in when I saw her start to jump around the car, occasionally popping her head up through the sunroof as if trying to judge the distance that she would need to jump to get herself through.

And then she actually did it.

In a split second, she managed to jump high enough to go through the open sunroof and land on the little ledge where the roof of my car meets the windshield. She teetered there briefly before bounding onto the hood and then on to the sidewalk where the chase began. At that point, I bolted out of the store and ran after her through the parking lot and around the side of the building as she chased the squirrel.

I finally caught her when the squirrel ran up a tree; Claire was jumping and barking at the base of it, causing a huge scene - though probably a little less of a scene than she caused when she jumped out of the sunroof to begin with. My face was on fire and I was so very embarrassed by the whole thing that I just picked her up and carried all fifty pounds of her back to the car. And then we left, sandwich-less and squirrel-less. And you can bet that I drove with the sunroof closed all the way home.

When will I ever learn that where there's a will, there's a way? Nothing stops this girl from trying! One thing is for sure: she continues to teach me about persistence...

   

the marathon.

I am not a runner. Honestly, I think it's terribly hard on your body and does more harm than good. Also, in third grade, Steve Bowen told me that I run like a duck, and that made for one self-conscious individual when it comes to running. So basically, I really don't see the purpose unless you are in imminent danger. But yesterday, I was in a rush to get to work, and didn't give myself enough time to do my usual mile walk with Claire beforehand. She still needed to go out and get some exercise, so I figured that a nice jog might be beneficial for the both of us.

I started off at a brisk walk and slowly started jogging. What. The. Heck. I had completed, like, a jog and a half, and she decided that we were playing a game of chase. To tell you that she is a fast runner is a complete understatement - and for those of you who frequent the dog park, you will have a better time picturing what followed.

She just TOOK OFF. It wasn't an option for me to let go of the leash because it's a pretty busy road and I didn't want to risk having her run into the street. I just held on for dear life and kept my little legs moving as fast as they would go. I was yelling for Claire to stop, I was fighting the momentum, and I was saying some prayers that she would slooooow doooown.

And then she saw a squirrel.

(I swear, they are becoming the bane of my existence).

She veered off the sidewalk and headed straight for it. At this point, I imagine that it was like a scene from Beethoven for any onlookers: she was chasing the squirrel through my neighbors yards, jumping over bushes, running through laundry that was hung out to dry... It was pure insanity. I, of course, don't have the athletic ability that is needed for obstacles like that, so I got pretty cut up. But I just kept hanging on to that leash!!

In the end, the squirrel made the smart choice to run up a tree trunk, so Claire finally stopped running and tried to jump as high as she could to get to it. My body hurt like hell after that. I mean, lactic acid was built up in every single muscle. I thought my lungs were going to burst. I mean, Claire wasn't even panting, but I sure was. It felt like it took forever for me to recover.

So. The next time I get the urge to go for a brief jog, I'm going refer back to this post to remind myself how I felt like I was going to die from Claire-induced overexertion. And you all are going to help me think through such brilliant ideas before I try to put them into action! Deal?

  

gearing up for barkworld.

I realize that I have been somewhat MIA over the past few days (in person, by phone, text, the blog, Twitter, FB... you name it!) but I've been extremely busy at work trying to tie up loose ends. Especially because I'll be spending the next few days in Atlanta at the Barkworld conference! Claire will be hanging out with her friends at Bark-O-Lounge; I really wish I could bring her to Atlanta with me, but the doggie daycare at the conference filled up pretty quickly, and I think she would destroy the hotel room if I let her hang out there while I was attending the sessions. But she'll have fun as usual, and she will be working as Lead Squirrel Chaser, so she'll be busy! While she's having fun doing that, I'll get to spend some time with blogging buddies, network like crazy, hear Victoria Stillwell speak, and participate in some really great workshops! My goal is to keep you all updated about the conference, and I can promise you that I will do my best - the next couple days will be pretty packed, so I may not get a chance to blog until I get back home, but I will certainly try! You can guarantee that I'll be tweeting throughout the whole thing though, so feel free to follow! I'll talk to you all soon!

a recap from my birthday.

Well, I turned the big 2-7 yesterday, and I have to say, I rang it in with style! I wasn't expecting too much (because really, the next big birthday after 21 is 30... which I feel I am quickly approaching!) but I clearly underestimated my friends! Lissa and Leigh threw me a surprise party on Monday evening - and I was VERY surprised, especially because I always thought I'd figure out something like that far in advance! I was so completely blindsided by it! I actually walked into Leigh's house eating quinoa with my fingers (I forgot a fork! I was hungry!) and almost threw it everywhere when my closest friends leapt out of the next room shouting "SURPRISE!!"

Lissa and I at the party

Though I had to work on my birthday, Claire spent the day at school trying to score a winning prize to give to me as a birthday gift: a squirrel! Her favorite thing!

Claire on squirrel duty

(Thanks for sending this to me, Stacey!)

Last night I came home to a lovely dinner (Lissa should really open her own cafe) that was just amazing. I had my choice of wine, too, from the party the night before! And hey, if you're in the neighborhood, swing by and share some with me, because otherwise it will be in my house until 2014!

Birthday dinner with the birthday wine selection

I had saved all of the cards and gifts that my incredible family and friends sent me so that I could open them on my birthday, so I did that after dinner. Claire sat by me and sniffed every package - normally when I bring home gifts, they are for her, so I'm sure she was hoping for a bone. She didn't find any in my gift boxes, but I did buy her some at Whole Foods so that she would have something to look forward to.

Organic beef bones for Claire and a magazine for me!

I spent the rest of the night watching old home videos from my parents' wedding, my christening, and my first birthday that my mom was kind enough to let me borrow. My parents were 27 when I was born, and it was crazy to see my mom when she was my age - she doesn't look any different than she does now, and she used to talk to me in the same baby voice that I use when I talk to Claire! I should note that when I pointed that out to her, she said, "Oh goodness, how ANNOYING!!" Ha!

All in all, turning 27 wasn't as scary as I thought it would be! But that was clearly because I had some great distractions from my family and friends. Thank you guys so so so much!

  

  

game on.

I used to like squirrels. I even thought they were cute with their little bushy tails and their chubby little bodies. I lived my life, they lived theirs. There was a mutual respect between us. A peaceful existence. I hate to say it, but I feel like I must be honest: things have changed.


I have touched on this before, but it's time to go into detail... Claire has a huge obsession with squirrels. Now, I totally understand that many dogs share her obsession. But Claire takes it to another level completely. I don't know what it is about squirrels that makes every dog stand at attention when one is nearby, but multiply that reaction by ten and that will give you an idea of what Claire is like when she sees one.


I have three big windows in my kitchen that face the backyard. A few feet in front of the kitchen windows is a huge tree. At any given point in the day, you are more than likely to see Claire standing on her hind legs with her front paws on the window sill. We call this stance Squirrel Duty. And whenever she spots one, she starts whimpering. No, "whimpering" doesn't even describe it. The noise that Claire makes to alert us to a squirrel's presence is more of a loud and high-pitched keen. She starts pawing at the window, almost as if she is trying to dig her way through the glass to get to the squirrel that sits on the other side.


It's pitiful. It's pathetic. Her desperation just breaks my heart.


I have tried everything to get her to stop. I have tried "leave it" commands (this works when we are on our walks, but not while she is in the midst of a staring contest while she in the kitchen). I have tried soothing her. I have tried ignoring her. Nothing works. She becomes fixated on the squirrel and her heart races and her whole body quivers with... Excitement? Rage? Anticipation? Frustration? I don't even know.


A few months ago, I heard Claire in the kitchen. She was on Squirrel Duty and was crying about it. I looked out the window and saw a squirrel in her line of sight. The squirrel was taunting her. Staring at her. Beckoning her to come and chase him. I'd had enough. I took a broom, went out onto the deck, and started yelling at the squirrel to leave Claire alone. (Yes, I realize how crazy this sounds. Don't judge me.) The squirrel didn't run up the tree or across the yard while I was ranting and raving. The squirrel just stared at me. And then he hissed. I stopped yelling. I just stood there. And then I went back inside.


Squirrel = 1. Lauren = 0.
But it's not over 'til it's over.

overcoming temptation.

Claire and I went for an extremely long walk yesterday for multiple reasons that I feel I must share with you all: (1) to work on loose-leash walking, (2) to get ready to walk together in the 5K in support of the Shade Tree Clinic that my beautiful friend Shannon works for, (3) to help me calm down after my terrifying trip to the dentist, and (4) to help me burn off the calories from my lunch that consisted solely of chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake. And just so you know: though I felt compelled to share the aforementioned reasons of why we went on this incredibly long walk, I do not feel that I must share the order in which these reasons presented themselves. Anyway... Claire and I had a breakthrough in training! This is what happened:

• We're walking along at a brisk pace.
• I am gazing at the sky wondering if it's going to start raining before we make it back to the house.
• I am thinking that Claire is doing a fantastic job walking alongside me.
• As soon as that thought completes itself, Claire comes to a complete stop.
• I look at her and notice that she's on alert - ears perked up, body leaning forward slightly, muscles tensed.
• I follow her gaze to... a squirrel.
• The squirrel is less than twenty feet away and has also come to a complete stop
• The squirrel is staring at Claire.
• There is a stand-off between Claire and the squirrel.
• I say: "Leave it, Claire. Leave it and let's go."
• Claire looks at me.
• "You can do it, Claire. Leave it."
• She looks back at the squirrel.
• She looks at me again and whines.
• "Claire, be stronger than me; I know that I gave in to the cheesecake. But you can do it, be strong, Claire. Leave the squirrel. Leave it."
• Audible sigh from Claire. She finally comes to me, whining the whole way, and we continue on our walk.
• I praise her excessively.
• She glances back at the squirrel who is taunting her, I swear, by waving its bushy little tail as a farewell.
• With every glance, I continue to tell her to leave it, and then praise her when she looks at me.

People, this is a BIG DEAL. She was having a tough time deciding whether to track that thing down and give it a piece of her mind or to listen to me, and she listened to me. Hopefully we will get to the point where she responds faster and correctly in situations like this, but this was a big step in the right direction! I'm so proud of her and her good listening skills! And someday, when I can afford to fence in my backyard, she can run free and get her revenge on the squirrel population of Nashville. Until then, we'll keep focusing on training. One thing at a time!