Pozy Has a Big Day

Pozy Clarkia had a big day yesterday.

The first item on the agenda was Tracking. Under normal circumstances I would await winter before starting a new puppy because our usual tracking fields tend to be dry and dusty during the summer. These are not, however, normal circumstances.

The pandemic has changed so many things and the usual schedule for dog events is pretty well blown up — like most everything else. Therefore, I am starting Pozy in urban tracking. A good way to explain what that means is to identify that tests often happen at universities or public parks so think grass and other cover, including parking lots and pathways.

This is not new for me — Asia was skilled at this kind of tracking, which is why and how she earned her Tracking Dog Champion title — but it is new for Pozy. We started yesterday at the University of Montana — just a short straight track; this is a video showing pieces of it.

She did a super job and it was fun — and we all need to find ways to put fun in our lives these days.

After tracking, we walked around and stopped to check in on my office before heading over to visit some friends…

This Pozy Clarkia is one very special puppy.

I hope your day is fun and special — like Pozy.

Wildflower Fun

Kadi (Mariposa) has met her goal of 100 new people since arriving at her new home — wow! Great Job Team Kadi. That is a fantastic and impressive accomplishment.

Lucy Clover King had an adventure yesterday…

And she was not the only one to have a river experience — Pozy Clarkia also visited a river.

This is a three-second-sequence of Pozy at the Bitterroot River.

Investigating…

And then — with no cue — she makes the decision to check in with me.

For that she got a small treat because that is my goal — a dog who is engaged. I do not ask for it — I simply pay attention to her all the time we are together and reinforce those bids for connection.

Today is a big day — Pozy starts her tracking training! My puppies all start with tracking as their first “formal” event — it is easy, natural, and they love it. Photos and etc. tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Saturday — and maybe jump in a river?

Pozy Clarkia at Ten Weeks

On top of having Puppy Brain, which means I cannot seem to even finish a thought because a certain someone needs something, I am back to an awareness of what it means to live with Pandemic Brain. It is like a double-dose of saturation and so keeping balls in the air is difficult — heck, even finding the balls is a feat!

Having just one puppy means I am able to focus all my best intentions on just her. I want to do more — and better — with every puppy, and I embrace and enjoy that challenge.

Pozy Clarkia is all the dogs I have loved rolled into one. She is related to every one of them. I see all of them in her. She is like a small and fluffy echo, reminding me that although distant, those I love are not really gone.

And at the same time, she is herself.

She is actually rather magical.

She gets along well with everyone and everything — this is Pozy and Sparkle.

My primary goal in training right now is to build and support engagement. I do this by creating opportunity for Pozy to offer connection — and then I reinforce it. Constantly.

I do not ask for attention because I want the behavior to be her idea — that will make the behavior stronger. Instead, I walk and reinforce as she follows. I stop and I reinforce when she looks at me.

It works so well that I have to be careful not to trip over her.

I have been working on the Kaibab website, including creating a page for Pozy Clarkia; you can check it out HERE. Let me know what you think of it.

Please have a wonderful and safe Friday.