Something that I could not do safely in Montana that I do here in Boise is walk early in the morning while it is still dark. It is the perfect time to walk, especially for Pozy, and we are usually out the door well before 6 a.m.
I walk the dogs separately, and so it is light by the time I get to Starry. There is more activity when it is light, and that is good for a puppy.
Pozy is not a fan of traveling, as I have mentioned before.
She absolutely refuses to get in the super fancy extra safe crates I have, and because of recent veterinary appointments, she has started to sometimes refuse to get in van — period.
I don’t like to force dogs — and I also don’t like bribing them. Instead, I like to shape and reinforce desired behavior. Because I need Pozy to get in the van and go places sometimes, her travel training is necessarily ongoing.
We practice getting in and out of the van — not with bribes but with a great treat when she decides to get in and then a great treat for waiting to get out, and then repeat and repeat without going anywhere.
I also build up happiness in van rides by driving the one-half mile down the street for this…
And then we drive straight home while she happily licks away at her Pup Cup in the back of the van.
I love the way every dog challenges me to think kindly and creatively about what they need to have a meaningful life. Doing Life with Dogs well, which is all about understanding and respecting the needs of the dog in front of us, makes it really hard to be self-centered or selfish — and that is yet another way dogs help create better humans ❤️
‘““ (that is a secret coded message from Starry 🤷🏼♀️)
Happy Saturday to you 💖