23 Feb 2009

It has been a while since I blogged.  I have been a very busy puppy.  This dog-training stuff is really getting to be fun.  It is a time when dad and I get to do things together and mom and Daisy are not there to make distractions.  The Alpha-human has taught dad some better ways to work with me.  And I am trying really really hard to do everything dad asks me to do.  Sometimes I just don't get it at all.  Sometimes I don't understand why we do things.  But that doesn't matter.  Dad and I are doing it together.  When I make dad happy I get treats and hugs.  That is all that matters.

This week at training we did more jumps.  Now that I know how it works I am really fast.  So fast that dad doesn't try to keep up anymore.  Dad sits me at the starting line and takes my leash off.  Then he tells me to WAIT, and he walks to the middle of the room.  When he turns and says GO, I GO!!!  Dad shouts OVER as I approach each jump.  Dad is wasting his breath - I know what to do. 1-2-3-4 jumps and swing around to dad for a treat.  That is the best thing the Alpha-human taught dad.  If dad holds a treat where he wants my nose to go, I have no problem following that.  Mom said Uncle Parker worked because he loved dad.  Well - I love dad too.  But I like treats almost as much.  So getting a treat from dad makes me run faster.

Now - WAIT is different from STAY.  I am not sure - but I think STAY means I am not supposed to move at all.  WAIT means I should STAY, but be ready to do something real soon.  How did Uncle Parker ever keep all of this stuff straight? He must have been a really really great dog.  I am trying.  I sure hope dad doesn't give up on me, because I won't give up on dad.  I will get it all some day.  But I miss Uncle Parker.  I know he could have explained some training things to me.  And I know dad still misses him too.  Dad is hardly ever sad any more.  But sometimes he still calls me Parker.  I don't mind.  I am pleased that I can do things that reminds dad of Parker.

One of the other dogs in class has a funny problem. She is a German Shepherd dog.  Her name is Raven, but dad calls her Oscar-la.  When I first saw her I was laughing my tail off.  She sits in a TRASH CAN.  Dad says it is just like Oscar the Grouch - whoever that is.  I was teasing Raven about living in a trash can. But she told me that she was very sick and she needed to sit in the trash can to live.  I thought that was very sad, so I made myself get serious and I asked her about it.  Raven says she has a problem called Mega-esophagus.  She says it is a problem that doesn't let her swallow food. She told me that I was lucky, because Great Danes, German Shepherds and Irish Setters can get this Mega-esophagus stuff.  That is kinda scary - cause I am a Great Dane!  Well - a GOOD DANE. Well - mostly I am good.  Anyway...  Raven told me that when she was a wee pup she would eat and eat but the food would just fall out of her mouth.  So she got skinnier and skinnier.  Most dogs with Mega-esophagus die or get put to sleep. But Raven has a really GREAT MOM!  She didn't give up on Raven. She got on that clicky-box internet thing and she learned all she could about Mega-esophagus. Then she learned what she needed to do to help Raven.  When Raven told me that most dogs with Mega-esophagus get put to sleep, I told her I sleep a lot, that isn't so bad.  But Raven told me when you get put to sleep you never wake up. YIKES!!!  Maybe I shouldn't sleep so much.

I told Raven that I didn't have that Mega-esophagus problem, I could gobble up my food really fast.  So fast that dad always tells me "Eat Slowly".  Raven sighed and said I was lucky.  Anyway...  the trash can is to help Raven eat. Since she can't swallow, she sits in the trash can and her mom feeds her.  Then she sits about 15 minutes more waiting for the food to fall down to her tummy. It must work, because I was watching her while she trained, and I didn't see any food falling out of her mouth.  And she is just as fine looking as she could be - not skinny at all.  I asked Raven if Mega-esophagus ever goes away.  She told me that sometimes it does, and she hopes it goes away for her.  But she said she knows if it doesn't go away her mom will still love her and take care of her. Raven is sooooooo lucky to have a mom who loves her so much.

I promised Raven I would never tease her again, and we would be friends for ever and ever.  Or at least until puppy class as over.  And once again I realize that I am such a lucky puppy.  I am healthy, I have a warm bed and plenty of good food, and a family that loves me.  What more could a Good Dane ask for?