Friday, November 24, 2017

Puppy School Day

Nearly two weeks have gone since we got our new addition to the family. 
A 12 week old puppy of unknown heritage, 
at least partly unknown.
Dixie (aka Cabela) is a little on the timid side,
afraid of many things 
and we have lots of work do do to counteract that. 
The first week we invited many friends 
and neighbours over for a visit. 
All of them offered Dixie lots of treats 
as soon as she approached them. 
She is still reluctant when someone visits but 
she always walks over to check for treats now. 
Stranger = treats.

Dixie was pretty much housetrained 
from the first day on -
until we had a wild play session 
with a poodle puppy one afternoon. 
We thought that went very well, 
but now I have my doubts. 
Dixie developed a bladder infection soon after. 
The veterinary told us that it might be stress related. 
Maybe the rough play with the unfamiliar dog stressed Dixie out too much. 

Luckily we got her treated right away and 
after two days with frequent mopping Dixie again 
is quite good at going outside when needed. 

We all are in the process of learning a new language. 
Molly, our late dog, had a different way to communicate 
her needs and now I am trying to figure out 
Dixie's body language. 
Several times she has come up to me and 
given me a good "look" which meant: potty. 
I got that.
Boy, was life easy with Molly. We knew each other so well.

Now, I have a full days work on my hands.
If you are interested in more here is how
our day proceeds:

Each morning we start with a short 
obedience training session on the kitchen floor. 

Within the first days Dixie learned "sit", "come", "down",
"wait" (before she is allowed to go to her food bowl) 
and "leave it" when I drop a treat on the floor 
until I give the "go get it" signal. 

Every day Dixie get a little better, she is smart. 
Of course, there are lots of treats are involved, that's a must.

Today we encountered the scary, noisy vacuum cleaner. 
Surprise: it leaves treats in its course.
Next after obedience is a long play session outside. 
"Tug-of-war" and crazy racing around. 
"Dixie - come" is followed promptly - there always 
is praise and a treat waiting at the end. 
Good recall = treat 
"Drop-it" is trained at the same time when I want her to let go of the toy. 
"Drop-it" = treat.  
After the play session there is a two hours "nap time" in her crate 
and Peter and I can go on errands while she relaxes.

The early afternoon has been divided into 
play time inside and outside 
until three days ago.

Now, we have started to venture off the property 
onto the "scary road".
First we were able to master a few 100 yards only. 
Today was a big change. 
We went all the way down to North Road and back
 (a quarter of a mile, or so). 
No "heel" enforced. 
Just to give her the feeling of how it is to walk 
further and further away from the "safe haven". 

While walking Dixie learns 
"let's go" when she stops and seems unsure 
whether to proceed or to go home. 
Following me = treats. 

On the way back towards home though she is very eager 
and tries to pull ahead. 
Therefore, she now learns to "check back" on me. 
I go slower and slower until she turns and looks at me. 
Looking back at me results in "praise and treat". 
That way she stops pulling, comes back towards me to collect her reward 
and we continue to walk on. 
Pulling = slow. 
Checking back on me = treat and 
proceeding towards home.

We met cars while sitting at the curb and more strangers. 
Surprise - they also offered treats. 

Dixie is learning the ropes. 

Sorry, no photos of all that because I had my hands 
full of sticky chicken bits! :))

No wonder that she is tired in the evenings and 
naps often right in front of the wood stove. 
The entire night Dixie sleeps in her crate. Without protest. 
And we - we have a well owned nights sleep as well. 

Did you get tired just by reading about all this?
That's how it is to have a young puppy in your house!
Lots of work.
Never boring and prevents you from growing into 
a couch potato.

Monday, November 6, 2017

Early November Days

(Deutsche Übersetzung: siehe unten)

November is here again. 
The busy summer season is over and there is 
more time for contemplation. 
Time to take up following other bloggers again,

and time to write something on my own.

The sorrow about Molly still lingers in my mind, 
I try to let go, 
each day a little more. 
Some day I will change my header photo. 
But not yet.

Redirecting my thoughts.. 

..to gardening.
The garden that has to be cleaned up.
 All the flowers that have to get repotted for wintering

..to hiking
Taking walks in the woods 
and along the coast line. 
These walks have a calming, healing power.
Some time I walk alone, sometimes with hubby 
and sometimes with friends.

..to bird-watching. 
Through fellow birder friends I have learned to see 
a lot more than just birds.
The latest storms for example have brought unusual guests. 
Blown out of their migratory ways by fierce gales.
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-billed cuckoo

Poor things. I hope they will find their way back 
to their winter homes before the cold sets in.

..to the new addition to our family. 
A rescue puppy. 
That will definitely keep us 
from growing roots on the couch.

More to come.
Cargo ship in the Passamaquody Bay near Eastport, Maine.




______________________________
Auntie's Translation

Schon wieder ein November. Die hektische Sommersaison ist vorbei und man hat wieder mehr Zeit für andere Dinge.
Blogs lesen oder selber Einträge schreiben.
Molly ist noch oft in meinen Gedanken, doch jeden Tag gewinne ich ein wenig mehr Abstand. Irgendwann werde ich auch das "Headerphoto" ändern.
Meine Gedanken schweifen:
- zum Garten, der aufgeräumt werden muss, und zu den Blumen die für den Winter umgetopft werden sollen.
- zu ausgedehnten Spaziergängen durch den Wald und entlang der Küste.
Die Seele baumeln lassen.
- zum Vögel beobachten. Durch gemeinsame Freunde bin ich auf spezielle "Gäste" aufmerksam gemacht worden. Sie sind durch die letzten Stürme aus ihrer Zugbahn gerissen worden und hier gelandet.
Hoffentlich finden sie ihren Weg ins Winterquartier bevor die Kälte einsetzt.
- zum neuen Familienmitglied, einem jungen Hund aus dem Tierheim.
Der wird uns bestimmt auf Trab halten. Mehr davon später.

Letztes Photo: Tanker in der Bucht bei Eastport (Maine).

Friday, November 3, 2017

November: tomatoes and flowers

An unbelievable temperature for November 3. 
17C (62F) at 3 PM.
I went out to finally cleared up my veggie beds 
and could still harvest some 
cherry tomatoes!
Even the dill that I planted had seeded itself and new dill plants
were growing up already.
Too bad that I had to uproot all the pretty flowers. 

 Nasturtium (Tropaeolum polyphyllum)
 Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
 Borage (Borago officinalis)
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
But colder temperatures are predicted for the next couple of days.
We need to get back to normal.