A few weeks ago, the Kennel Aire crate arrived, and I put it up in the bedroom. (Thanks to JanetRose and the others who gave me advice on wire crates).

Yesterday I made arrangements for training. We're going to have our trainer come the afternoon I bring Eko home (January 3rd) to help with dog-dog introductions and begin basic stuff. (He has a great deal where you buy 4 private training sessions, and get free group classes for life. Since we plan on moving up through basic to advanced and CGC stuff, it makes sense economically. Sasha can go for practice, too.)  

Today I pulled out the playden, which will be Eko's living room playpen/confinement area. Sasha looked at me like "ohnoez! Do I have to go in there?" Because I'm mean, I asked her to go in. She did, willing but mopey. She had her "bath face" on. I praised her and gave her a cookie. She cheered up. Cookies = happyhappy.
 

Eventually.  He had changed his mind to June (June????) so Dec./Jan. was a stretch, but he said yes!!!  He even came up with a great call name.

Wheeeee! 

I want a puppy.  Ok, that isn't new.  I've wanted one for years.  What is new is that I think it is the right time, and every day I think "puppypuppypuppypuppy".  I'm starting to look around my house, and imagine a crate here or xpen there.  I'm cleaning up the little odds and ends in the backyard that could choke a pup or hurt him.  That means you, little plastic elmo half buried in the plantar.  (Why my daughter felt he needed to be there is beyond me.)   

I've submitted a puppy questionnaire to a breeder with new puppies. I'm anxious, and worried about rejection because we've euthanized a dog for behavioral issues.  I know how devoted we are to our pets, and that we don't give up on animals just because things get hard. But it is a red flag for someone who doesn't know us, and I understand that.  If I were a breeder I'd be concerned.  Sigh.  I have to have faith that we will get the right puppy for our family, at the right time. 

If we are accepted, the next task is brainwashing my husband.   He wants a puppy too, but in his mind we shouldn't get one until January at the earliest.  These puppies would be ready mid December.  Sounds simple enough, but he can be oddly stubborn at times.  Nevermind that mid December is a perfect time to add to the family.  I'll be on break from grad school and able to spend a few weeks doing nothing but dog stuff.  There couldn't be a more perfect time. 

Puppypuppypuppypuppy.  

We had a fabulous day today. My husband and I took our daughter to her first RenFaire (Renaissance Faire) and it happened to be held at a park that allows leashed dogs.

It was an excellent place to continue our "resocialization" with Sasha. (During the Ivan years, we didn't take the dogs out to events, and Sasha needs to get back out there).

For the most part, Sasha was thrilled.  Lots of people to meet - most people there seemed to really like dogs.  She got to see horses, which she knew as a puppy, and  a snake. She did not know what to make of the python.  The falcons were a little on the scary side.  She's always had this fear of large birds.   

There were quite a few other dogs there, and she had a chance to meet two.  The first was an oops meeting.  I was browsing in a shop, Sasha on her leash behind me, and a man allowed his dobe to come up to her.  The dobe was very sweet, but Sasha gave a snarl.  That's my baggage dog. 

Not too long after, in between four tents, we came across a leashless dog, about Sasha's size.  Sasha wanted to posture and throw out her gang signs, but I stopped her.  The other dog came within in a few feet, calmly, and I tossed him a few lamb treats.  He relaxed in the grass, I put Sasha in a down, and we all hung out for a little while.  When we stood up, Sasha took a few steps toward him and he started sniffing the ground.  Sasha sniffed the ground.  I allowed them to get close to each other, and although each dog's hackles were up a little, they engaged in butt sniffing.  BUTT SNIFFING!  How long has it been since Sasha allowed a strange dog to stick a nose under her tail?  I have no idea. A looooooong time.  She was tense, but let out nary a snarl nor lifted lip.  GOOD GIRL!!!!!  I was ready to throw her a party.

We were there almost 4 hours, and by the end she was getting a little stressed.  She was happy, but it was obvious she needed some peace and quiet. Unfortunately, right as we were finishing up, the bullwhip practice began across the way.  Sasha has a *thing* about claps and loud sharp noises.  There is an embarrassing and funny story behind her thing.  Sasha became pretty freaked out.  Pacing, pulling, trying to crawl onto me or my husband.   

We left the event and spent around 15 minutes wandering a path in the park.  My daughter got to climb boulders,  Sasha got to sniff about and calm down.  I didn't want to get in the car and leave while she was worked up.

Its so nice to be able to include Sasha in family activities.