Fun at the Park

 

 

 

 

 

He's smart! Maybe too smart...

Brinkley did extremely well in training class this week!  His 30-second sit stay was perfect.  Some of the other dogs were fidgeting and needed reminders to stay, but Brinkley sat perfectly still and watched me the entire time!  We also had to do a down stay, but it was different than the homework we've been doing, where we sat next to the dog while he stayed for 15 minutes while lying down.  In class, he had to lie down and stay while I walked in a circle around him.  He did not move once!  I kept repeating it while the trainer was working with a dog who wasn't getting it, and he did perfectly each time.  She also introduced heeling this week, but he did not seem to get that at all in class.  All the owners and dogs were supposed to walk in a circle around the room, introducing the idea of heeling.  I think he was too distracted to learn something new, but hopefully he will pick it up at home quickly.

He has been really itchy, so I gave him a bath tonight.  He loves the idea of getting in the water and drinking it, but he does not like the noise when I rinse him.  Well, he figured out how to get even with me tonight.  The large blue cup was floating in the tub, full of water, and he picked it up and poured the water all over me and the floor!  I am as wet as he is!

I am glad that he's a brilliant baby and is doing so well in training, but maybe he's a little too smart . . .

Honesty

Brinkley is slowly learning to enjoy lying on his bed instead of chewing on it.  For now, he only has a thin crate mat type bed because I do not trust him with the more expensive beds yet.  This morning, he had gotten in trouble for chewing on it and I took it from him and placed it back on the floor, and he left it alone.

While I was in the bathroom getting ready for work, I heard Brinkley getting into something and yelled, "Brinkley, what are you doing?"  He walked to the door with the bed in his mouth, folded in half, as if to say, "Uhm, chewing on this..."  It was all I could do not to crack up and to remember to correct him!  I wish I had had my camera!  That was one of the most hilarious things he has done in the 6 weeks I have had him. 

I guess he lives by the motto, "Honesty is the best policy."

Introducing . . .

Brinkley!

He is a purebred yellow lab who was born on March 25, 2009 and found his forever home with me on October 2, 2009. He has the sweetest personality and loves to be loved on! He can only sit still while being petted for a few minutes before he falls to the floor on his back awaiting belly rubs. In the past month, he has visited his new vet too many times to count, learned lots of commands, and started an official training class last night.

It's a good thing he already knew sit and lie down because he was way too distracted with chewing on his leash to pay attention. He did really well at first, sitting next to me and watching everyone. However, this was the first class and the trainer spent a long time talking, so Brinkley got very bored! He wanted to play tug of war with his leash rather than listen! He was finally starting to feel better and had a lot of energy to burn. He was so exhausted after class (and being at the vet all day), that he took a nice long nap as soon as we arrived home.

AKC Name: Bailey's Brother Noah Brinkley, in honor and memory of his amazing predecessor