Hey, pack! Blake here, checking in after another busy week of training, walks, and even some snuggles in the big bed! 🐾

Let’s start with the fun stuff—our walks! We’ve been going on three walks a day, and Captain has added a new command to my list: “Leave it.” This one’s tricky, but I’m getting the hang of it. Captain wasn’t sure if she’d teach me this one, because usually when she makes the “eh eh” sound that I know means “don’t do that” – I leave things alone naturally. But, since I sometimes make mistakes, Captain decided it was worth showing me. Captain found a great method online (you can find the link here) that’s helping me learn when I should ignore something that’s distracting or tempting. At the park, I’m practicing “leave it” along with “sit,” “down,” “side,” and “come”—even with all the exciting distractions around, like other dogs and kids running by.

Speaking of distractions, Captain noticed that when there’s a lot going on, I’m not as interested in food. I know, right? I love treats, but sometimes, I just want to watch everything happening around me. I guess you could say I’m a little nosy! So we’re working on keeping my focus, especially when we’re out and about.

At home, Captain’s teaching me the “place” command. That means I have to go to my bed when she asks. It’s kind of cozy there, so I don’t mind! But we’ve got more work to do because there’s another thing we’ve been focusing on—people coming to the door. I’ve started barking when guests arrive, and while I’m just trying to let Captain know someone’s there, I might’ve scared one of her friends this week. Oops! We’re going to work on that by having me wear a leash when guests come over. Captain says it’s okay to let me alert her by barking, but she wants me to stop when she asks. The plan is to have our guests toss me a treat when I’m calm and settled. Sounds like a win-win to me—good behavior and treats!

Captain’s also been watching training videos, trying to figure out if my barking is from fear or if I’m just trying to do my job and alert her. We’re learning more about my body language together. For example, when we’re at the park and another dog gets a little too jumpy or close, I sometimes bark and run behind Captain. She says that’s fear barking because my tail is down, and I’m trying to hide. But when I realize everything’s okay, I calm down on my own. A lot of the videos that Captain watched told her she should uses both treats and corrections when I’m barking at home to guests. But, Captain believes a lot in science so she went to the trainer she admires a lot and watched him explain that we shouldn’t correct when a dog is fearful. So – for now, we’re sticking with having guests throw treats my way once I settle down.

Oh, and I have to tell you about something new and so exciting! Captain let me sleep in the big bed with her last night! I usually sleep in my crate, and I’m totally fine with that, but because part of my job is to wake Captain up when her alarm goes off, she wants me to get used to sleeping near her. Let me tell you, it was cozy heaven! I curled right up next to her and slept peacefully all night. I think we’re going to try it more often, but I’m still going to spend most nights in my crate.

We didn’t get out as much this week because we were so busy. It’s important that we do though, because Captain says I’m going through something called a “fear period” since I’m growing up (adolescence, she says). She’s determined to get me out to new places at least twice a day so I can keep learning and building my confidence.

So, that’s what we’ve been up to! More walks, more training, more snuggles—and more to learn every day. Captain says we’ve got a long road ahead, but I’m loving every step of it.

Captain also has an exciting update on a project she’s working on. We’ve been learning so much about dog training, she’s decided to write a book on this journey. It won’t teach you how to train your own dog, but it will help you understand all the information out there and how fascinating the world of dog trainers can be. You can read her info on it here: Captain’s Log

Until next time, tail wags and happy walks! 🐾