Canine Good Citizen

I'm now officially Miss Dirona, CGC.  I passed my canine good citizenship test last month and my certificate came today.  I have to admit that I just barely passed.  We took the test at my mom's friend's mini farm and there were so many distractions!  Turkeys and chickens and guinea hens and dogs, oh my!  It's an easy test except for my getting distracted and ignoring mom.  All I have to do is sit, down, (I even threw in a roll over, just for fun), stay, come, walk politely as mom and her friend with another dog pass by and shake hands, someone else handles my ears and paws (no problem with that -  I love people!), I get taken away while mom leaves for 3 minutes and I not supposed to act up - that was easy too except for the male dog trying to mount me, and finally weave thru a crowd without pulling on my leash.  Fortunately they give me more than one try to pay attention and not pull on the leash.  I'm a lot better now in everything mom asks me to do.  I even heel at Lowes and Home Depot and don't pull on the leash - mostly.

My sprained hock is a lot better now.  Not getting to run around for 5 weeks was really hard.  Mom took me on some walks after 3 weeks when the vet said she could.  We went to the C&O Canal with my pack and I got trash for her and brought it back up to her.  She put some of it in my pack.  Getting the trash is fun!  Mom is so pleased with me.  We got to a camp where there was a lot more trash.  She tried to tie 2 bags to my pack but they slipped and I got spooked and ran.  Mom took them off of me and carried them herself.  She had 4 bags and I had another in my packs.  My pack isn't very big so it can't carry much.  I get excited and pick up sticks too because I want mom to throw them for me but she tells me to drop them and get the trash.

Trashy Dog!

but in a good way

We went again and got 6 bags of trash.  Mom carried 5 of the bags but said I should have a bigger pack.  The trash isn't heavy but it gets bulky -  mostly bottles people are too piggy to carry out despite the rules.  And the green pack slips off center.  She ordered me a new pack and it came today -  a large size but better designed than the one I had.  It's a Mountainsmith.  It was a bit big but mom got some clips to narrow the width of the back so it raised up a bit and the front strap goes across my chest instead of just above my legs.  It has a strap that goes between my front legs too that should keep it from slipping.

Mom is thinking about getting me a little cart to pull.  I would have to learn a lot of new things.

New pack is a little big

Pack with clips to shorten a bit

Running is so much fun! And I'm being very good

We got a later start this morning but Pete and I got to to the land again.  I've been a really good dog these last couple days.  Last night, Pete jumped over the fence again but all I did was put my front paws on it to look at him.  I got yelled at until they realized Pete had gone over again then they were happy I was telling them he had gone.  This time, my mom scolded him and put him into the pen and I got to stay out and play.  They tested us again with bones but I decided the best thing for me to do was to ignore both bones and get a toy to play with instead.  They took the toys away but I was determined to be a good dog.  I didn't have to wear the muzzle.  Pete collected both bones and they walked me all around him, but I refused to be bad and didn't try to get a bone or worse, snarl.

Jump Lessons

This morning, mom and her sister took each of us, Pete and I to the fence where we jumped over and told us not to do it.  Then they kicked balls and accidently kicked one over.  I jumped over the fence to get it, cause I really like chasing balls.  Oooohhh mom was mad and called me back so I jumped right back into the yard.  Mom scolded me again and put me into the pen for 10 minutes.  Then they came back out and let me out and played kick ball with me.  A ball went over the fence again and I jumped it again.  Mom got me back and scolded me for it and back into the pen.  This time, Pete also went over the fence and he got scolded too and put into the pen with me for another 10 minutes.  Then out again and they kicked balls for us and one went over the fence.  This time, I knew mom wanted me to stay in the yard, so I just went to the fence and looked.  But Pete jumped the fence to get the ball.  Pete got scolded and put into the pen but I got to stay and play.  Mom said I was a very good dog.  Another ball went over the fence but I stayed inside.  Then my rope toy got tossed over and there were no more toys.  I still stayed inside cause I knew that's what mom wanted me to do.

After another 10 minutes, Pete got let out and they retrieved the balls and we did it again.  This time both Pete and I stayed inside the fence when the balls went over.  They were really happy that we had learned our lessons.  We got treats too.

Racing like the Wind!

Dirona running behind the truck

This morning was so much fun!  It started out with mom putting us into the truck so we can go to the land.  She didn't even put a leash on me and I sat at the gate and stayed right with her like I'm supposed to.  She had to keep calling Pete back so he didn't run off.  Pete figures if no one tells him to stay or heel first then he is free to run off and play.  He's good about coming back but it scares the humans because he darts into the road.

Really big stick is fun!

Dirona & Pete with stick

When we got to the land, I got a really big stick with roots on one end and raced around with it.  I love the big sticks because I'm big and strong.  I kept trying to get mom to throw it for me but she told me to keep away with it.  Then mom helped her BIL with the pumpkin watering and fertilizing and Pete and I wandered off.  I decided to to see the barn we were at yesterday but Pete went back to the humans.  I heard mom call several times so I raced back and she told me I was good for coming when called.  It took a little while to get back because it is a good 1/4 mile from the pumpkins.

Dirona & Pete

Pete racing off

Then we raced with the pickup around the land in about a half mile loop.  I learned that a honking horn means I should get out of the way of the truck.  Pete and I ran along side or out 20-30 feet from it.  On the second loop for about a 1/4 mile, I ran with the truck and mom said I was running at 25mph!  She didn't know I was such a good runner.  Pete can run that fast but only for short distances.  We were slower on the 3rd loop.  I've never had so much room to run before without being on a leash or rope.

Last night they put the muzzle on me again.  I hate that thing.  They brought out 2 bones again.  After a while, Pete chewed one and I chewed another.  Then Pete left his bone lying there so I got up and took it and brought it back to where I had my bone.  I know, I'm greedy.  But ya know, I'm a dog!

In a little while Pete came over and looked like he was interested in the other bone and the people were clear across the yard.  Pete didn't try to take the other bone but I could see he wanted to.  So I curled my lip at him.  Mom saw me do it and she scolded me and grabbed my muzzle and held it while telling me no no.  I didn't do it again and Pete was given the other bone.  The people think I am understanding the rules and just need more practice to exercise the self-control I'm supposed to.

Pete did the spin!  And he's doing the roll-over right with a lot of encouragement.  Soon, he will be as good as I am.  Pete is a more agile dog than I am, but I can run and run and I can catch things.

Tomorrow, I am 16 months old!

I'm a better dog

Today, I did really well on the leash.  I didn't pull at all!  I'm a little slow on sitting when we stop still.  My mom's sister asked her to try me with just my regular collar and I did really well on that too!  Pete has started to follow my mom's commands by inserting himself right next to her so I can't be in the right position.  When she took me to the front yard, I did the heel right then because Pete stayed in the back yard and couldn't interfere.

I've been a very bad dog

Mom is not happy with me.  At her mother's house, I attacked the little dog when mom had my food and scared her good.  Now, I attacked my buddy Pete at her sister's house over a rawhide bone.  I nipped him right near the eye and he was bleeding a little.  I was trying to be good since mom's sister told her to grab my mouth and hold it shut while telling me no when I curled my lip at him.  I wanted the bone so badly!  I just lost control and went for him in a serious barking attack.  He backed off, but I didn't get the bone at all and got put in the kennel all by myself most of the day while they cleaned up Pete and let him inside.

Introduction

Hello world.  I am Miss Dirona, a young dog.  I think I am an old farm collie of the smooth coat variety.  I came from a breeder according to my original vet records but I don't know who so my origins are a bit of a mystery.  I do know my birthday was 3/25/2010.  I am not an AKC collie as it is obvious that I have none of that Borzoi they bred into the regular collies but I am so much a collie.