Tuesday, July 23, 2013

One day she'll get excited to see the leash....right?

Walks
Most days, she hates the last walk of the night.
Will. Not. Get. Up.
I want her normal routine to be walk in morning, walk when I get home from work,  and then walk before bed.
I'm not sure why she hates that last one. Trying to figure it out....darkness? just wants to stay in bed and go to sleep? a bad experience on a night walk in the past? just doesn't feel like going?
Last night, I had to pick her up again. (breathe. patience.)
Once we got out she would not budge.
Normally, I can get her to come with me...simple tug and a "Let's Go" once we are outside, but not tonight.
Now, normally I don't like to give in....but tonight I just felt like she really did not want to go for some reason. A reason she couldn't tell me about. So, I let her loose in the yard and let her go to the bathroom there, then inside we went.
Tonight I can't give in, though...I want that last walk to tire her out for the night a bit and to give me some more exercise.

Bedtime
I learned why tiring her out is important when she was up at 3am wanting to play.
Ignore.
Ignore.
Ignore.
As hard as it was I had to ignore her.

Even when I got up to go to the bathroom at 2am (she was asleep in our bedroom) I had to FORCE myself not to say anything to her, not to pet her, not to even LOOK at her no matter how excited that I was seeing her asleep in our room. I don't want her to ever think that when I get up to go to the bathroom it means playtime.

She tried to initiate playtime once more at 4:30am.
Once again....
Ignore.
Ignore.
Ignore.
Hopefully she gets the hint!
We get up to play when MOMMY wants to get up.

Breakfast
I saw lots more progress at breakfast. She is getting that routine down...go outside for bathroom, mom makes her coffee, then I eat! She waited in the dining room for breakfast again. Today I was able to be noisy putting dishes, pots, and pans away in the same room as her while she was eating. Movement AND noise! PROGRESS! Way to go Gracie!

Stuffies
I am so glad I gave in.
She brings this bone (we started calling it "Boney Bone") into her safe bed with her. This morning she brought it upstairs and dropped it at my feet when I was at my desk. I threw it in the hallway and now she is sitting with it...too cute!!!
This is *my* Boney Bone.

1 comment:

  1. My god she is beautiful! I am so glad you gave in to. She loves her stuffie mommy.

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