Hollywood make-overs are always popular; we squint to see the star we love in the before or after photo – today, more often trying to recognize them “after” plastic surgery or enhancements.  So, when we dropped Pete at Eileen’s Pampered Pets this week for his first “grooming,” I was a bit taken aback when the groomer cheerfully said, “Take a good look, because you won’t recognize Pete when you come back.”

I was prepared for his coat to be shorter and fluffier, AND we did request that they trim the shaggy hair that was covering his eyes. Still, I was unprepared for the amazing difference of his “after.”

Before, I would catch glimpses of his intriguing golden brown eyes behind the fluff. Now, there is no escaping his piercing stare. Our trainer says that whenever his eyes meet our eyes, we’re in a conversation.  I get it now.  I only wish that I could translate his conversation into words. It seems to me that he perceives that I am totally getting his side of the conversation – just as I believe that he understands my every word.  Somehow, we are getting along pretty well, just conveying our mutual devotion.

I’ve practiced yoga for the last fifteen years or so and downward facing dog (down dog) was one of the first poses I learned from my amazing yogi, Olga Campora.  Even when I have only a few minutes for practice, I always include this pose.  It is a great way to stretch nearly every muscle in your body and align the vertebrae of your spine. I feel strong and centered as I focus on my alignment and my muscles from head to toe.  After 15 years, it is still a very conscious pose for me, as I seek to benefit fully.

Imagine my surprise and delight to see my new puppy, Pete, instinctually do a perfect downward facing dog upon rising each morning.  I don’t think he is concentrating on the alignment of his vertebrae as he extends to his full length – just doing what feels good in the moment.

I’d love to share with you a photo of us each in the pose, side by side, but so far, I haven’t figured out how to train him to do the pose on command.  Stay tuned for a later post featuring us together. Meanwhile, all you yogis out there, enjoy a pristine pose by a true natural!

Since both Labrador retrievers and poodles are originally water dogs, we have been looking forward to introducing Pete to our local waters, the Tred Avon River that runs alongside of Oxford.  So, now that he has all his protective inoculations, we seized the beautiful Indian Summer afternoon for his initiation.  Here are the photos of his journey.

Look closely to see Skip’s fingers, enticing Pete with a treat as he pauses to consider his next step.  Luckily, the water was crystal clear that day, so the fear of the unknown was less than it might have been and the water was a pleasantly warm 70-ish degrees.  Also, the only boat on the river was the historic Tred Avon Ferry that generated minimal wake to the shore.  Still, Pete hesitated…

 

With high value treats (hot dog and cheese), Skip wooed Pete to walk in to his knees. I like to think that Pete showed a combination of bravery, treat motivation, and a desire to please us as he inched forward with our vocal encouragement. Actually, two ladies who were enjoying the afternoon sun on the beach nearby us, added their encouragement, also.

 

 

 

 

Here is the farthest point from shore for Pete on his river initiation.  With his paws still firmly planted on the river bottom, he did get wet up to the bottom of his ears.  And with that, we claimed victory with lots of cheering (and more treats). Afterwards, we bundled Pete home for a warm bath (amazing how much sand his coat could hold) and a huge shake, after which he drifted off to dream of future days on the river.

 

 

So, the Puppy Starter Training Class is continuing.  Here is a photo of Pete and me in the training ring and I am attempting to reward his proper heel position.  He is intent on getting the reward. I am intent on giving it.  Neither of us has really “gotten it” yet.  He is sitting askance from the proper heel position and I am feeding the treat from the wrong hand.  Together we are fumbling through.

The challenges of caring for and training a puppy is new territory for me. I’m really good with persuasion and less confident with command. In puppy training, command is required. I also get frustrated when I am listening and trying, but not performing. I am used to being competent in the things that I do, or successfully faking it until I am. Here, faking makes us both look bad.

So, we are together in the ring.  The two “puppies” both earnestly trying and getting frustrated, confused, and overwhelmed. When they say puppy class is for the owners, I guess I didn’t realize that in this class I would feel just like my puppy! So, I’m telling myself and Pete what he already knows – that being a puppy can be hard and also that learning comes with treats!  My treat will be a good canine citizen!

 

 

For the last thirty years, Skip and I have been together and we’ve really enjoyed each other’s company. On weekends, we tooled around, walking hand-in-hand most of the time.

So, last month, when I saw Skip and Pete walking down our friends’ dock together, I had a surprising stab of jealousy.  A mere few weeks earlier, I would have been where Pete is now walking.  Then I laughed.

How special to watch Skip and Pete “hang out” together.  They create their own private moments, just being together for the pure fun of it.  Two guys, doing their thing. And as soon as Pete and Skip and I figure out how to walk, all three of us together, we will have some of those moments, also.

Housetraining Pete includes daily reinforcement that Ringing the Bells on the door signify that he is going outside to do his business.  Our breeder sent us home with bells and the instruction to ring them consistently. She promised that eventually Pete would ring the bells to let us know when he needed to go out.  Simple enough!

For weeks, Pete never showed any interest in the bells.  We rang them faithfully each time we took him out to do his business.  Then, one day, Pete rang the bells.  We didn’t know what to do!?!!?  We looked at each other and asked, “What does this mean?”  We decided that we MUST take Pete out, just in case, he was truly signaling that he needed to go.  He did!  We praised him heartily and gave him a treat.

Days went by.  We kept ringing the bell each time and announcing that it was time for him to “pottie.”  Then, one day, he rang the bells again.  We took him out and he did his business.  We praised and treated.

Then he rang the bells a few days later.  We took him out and he did not go. Now what?!?!?

We continued to play our role as bell-ringers and responded each time he rang the bell.  I would say that about 75% of the time, he would go.  However, over those days, I noticed that I sometimes waited for Pete to ring the bell a second time before taking him out. I started adding my interpretation to his action, trying to assess if he really associated the bell ringing with needing to go – or just that it was a magic way of getting outside. I began wondering if he was “crying wolf” – because he was bored. Here’s where communication threatened to break down.

While my head was spinning over this conundrum, I had an ah-ha moment relating to human-to-human communication.  How often do we set expectations with someone else that we will respond in a certain way (timely, genuinely, appreciatively, supportively, etc.) and then act inconsistently?  We let ourselves be distracted or rushed. We begin to wonder if the other person is acting sincerely or even still following the stated protocol. It doesn’t take too many instances of inconsistency to break the communications channel. Each individual loses faith in the other and the relationship suffers as well as the communications.

Back to Pete.  Skip and I have refined our response.  We consistently take him out when he rings the bell and keep him very focused on the purpose of going out – no visiting of his favorite spots in the yard, no lying down or eating grass. If he doesn’t do his business within about two minutes, we return inside and try again later – either proactively or when he rings the bells again.  We are committed to keeping the channel of communication open – believing that when we each consistently do what we established, the results will be good.  It reminds me that integrity is defined as consistently doing what you say you will do.  Hmmm.  Another life reflection through daily interactions with Pete.

Last weekend, Pete had his second visit to the vet for more puppy shots.  While there, he saw multiple dogs – most that were significantly taller, heavier and more dog than he’s seen from our backyard.  Pete was curious and apprehensive. I could see some re-calculations going on in his head.  At home, he is the prince of the realm, gladly following his alpha leader.  His socialization so far has been with his kindred, Riley (sire) and Chase (neighbor) and lots of people. At the vet, he realized that there are other dogs who take up more space, make more noise, and make him feel small.  It reminds me of Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous line, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” It’s a lesson that Pete has yet to learn and we can all learn again.  It’s not the size of the bark, it’s the size of the heart that matters. Pete, we see your heart shine!

The air is changing – cooler, dryer.  The first hints of Autumn, Pete’s first Autumn.  While we were in the yard this week, Pete suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. His head cocked as he strained to hear something that I could not yet hear.  Then, suddenly, a flock of geese, flying in formation appeared over the roof of our house. They were honking and flapping with the sunlight reflecting off their feathers, the first flock of the season. Pete was mesmerized.  He followed their flight down the creek, as far as he could see. He sat at attention, unmoving; it was a moving moment.  Watching him, I felt that I was seeing the geese again for the first time. I am thankful that I was present, away from my computer, living life with my little guy.

Pete Case, Labradoodle, was born on June 7 – too late to experience all that the Summer of 2015 held in store.  Here he is wistfully watching Skip head out to paddleboard down Town Creek.  He doesn’t know what we know – that Summer of 2016, he will be balancing on the front of Skip’s board with his long ears flapping in the breeze.  Meanwhile, he keeps watch as Skip disappears around the bend, then reappears for the return home.  From his favorite perch on the window seat, Pete can daydream of paddling with his favorite guy. Soon enough!

In Oxford, to be a dog is to be a “boat dog.”  It’s a time-honored tradition and brings great bragging rights among the initiated. Our trainer, Brenda Hasbargen, advised us that sooner is better and so we put Pete in a bright orange life jacket and took him out last Tuesday for a maiden voyage.

I must say that he was brave, overcoming the confusion of the earth moving beneath his feet.  Within minutes, he was confident enough to realize that he was also curious.  He began studying the boat’s wake, computing our speed over ground (just 6 MPH as we were in our Town Creek).

He watched as our house became smaller and smaller.  I recalled one of my favorite quotes from Andre Gide: “One does not discover new lands, without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.”  Did Pete wonder how long it would be before he saw his new home again? I felt the adventure that Pete was experiencing.

He kept a close eye on Skip at the helm, feeling secure next to his leader. Even though Pete’s heart was racing, he stayed in the game.

As we returned to the Creek from a short excursion into the river, we passed an osprey nest.  Two osprey were on the nest and a third was returning. Pete went on high alert; he was fascinated watching the birds.  I sensed that it was a “call of the wild,” and I appreciated all that stirs within the little guy.  What a brave new world for Pete Case Labradoodle.