Up Command

We have been working on the "up" command a lot since Serena is big enough now to reach almost every surface.  She was very tentative at first and didn't like trying it on new things.  I worked on the water fountain at the barn and when we first tried she was like "uhhh I don't know" but eventually she tried but wasn't very confident.  Today I tried it again and she was like "oooo I get this!"  Then she figured out if she stayed up on the fountain for a little bit it will turn on and she can get a drink of water.  Once she figured that out she was LOVED it.  Here are some pics of her drinking the water...

Dance party!

Serena and I had a dance party while I cleaned the kitchen today.  I was blaring music and she would dance with me.  It was a great way to work on the back command and get her to pay attention to where I was.  We did lots of spinning in circles and going forward and back.  She thought it was super fun and got really into it.

She is currently 42 pounds!  (she was 31 when I got her).  We went to the vet yesterday and got a lot more vaccines and stuff.  I brought a poop sample in this time (last time I couldn't get one) and they found round worms, pin worms and hook worms so she got dewormed again and has deworming medicine that she gets for 5 days.  I am going through the yard and OCD picking up any poop.  We will beat these damn worms! She also has dry skin so I bought her fish oil tablets that get put on her food.  Other than that she is a happy, healthy puppy.  She still is shy sometimes but we are slowly getting over that and her confidence is getting better.  She loves going to the barn with me and gives Reggie kisses on his nose everyday.

1st Christmas!

Serena has been involved in all the pre-Christmas and Christmas festivities! She drove down to Champaign with me on Monday for my friend's Christmas party. I wasn't sure how she was going to handle 8 girls in an apartment with tons of food and things going on but she did great! She basically slept most of the time (probably cause I took her for a 2 hour walk before we went to Champaign) or she got pets from all my friends. They all loved her a lot, even the ones who normally don't like dogs and she is invited back again next year if I still have her in training with me!

Hanging out with Lys:

She joined the photo without us knowing and look adorable!

Where she chilled out most of the party... out of our way and totally good

She has also been involved in wrapping presents and is not  very useful but is very cute so that makes present wrapping all the more fun!

Then she celebrated Christmas Eve with us and got a little crazy with all the commotion (Sophie our blind 14 year old Westie, two cats, presents food, and 5 people in an apartment) but overall she was very well behaved and enjoyed the presents my mom got her a lot!

Serena on Christmas Day with Santa:

Enjoying her bone from the butcher and her new stuffed (or currently unstuffed) monkey

Bells

I started teaching Serena last week to ring bells next to the door when she wanted to go out. It started out with her thinking I was punishing her and she would avoid me every-time I went to the door. I the incorporated treats and made it a crazy fun experience and she was like "hmmmm this isn't too bad, I ring the bells and I get a treat." Eventually I would refuse to open the door until she at least touched the bells. It took a few days but now she rings the bells to go out. Today she took it one step further. We weren't fast enough to her liking to come let her out so she pulled the bells off the wall and brought them to us and shook them around and around. Then ran to the door when we got up to let her out. She is so smart! hahaha

Christmas Shopping

Serena accompanied me Christmas shopping today after work! We first stopped at Walgreens to pick up more Christmas card photos. We apparently go there a lot because they know us and love Serena now. She is big enough now to put her paws up on the counter! So of course we practiced the "up" command. She eventually figured it out... she has to reach just a little bit. After that we went to random stores around the mall area (people who I was buying for read this blog so will not mention where I went). She has gotten very good at following me around in stores, laying down while I look and then following me again. I think sometimes she thinks I am crazy for walking back and forth up an aisle. Now that she is a little bigger a lot less people question me when I bring her into a store... they already assume she is a service dog. Here are some pics from the Christmas Card photo extravaganza...

Serena loves giving Reggie kisses on his nose
She is so cute and is getting so big! I won't be able to hold her much longer!

Another Video

Here is Serena doing what she does almost every morning... running crazily around the yard for no reason other than it is fun!

Wow long time no update!

My life has been crazy so hence the severe lack of updating and puppy cuteness on this blog.  Serena is doing great!  She has gain around 10 pounds since we got her 4 weeks ago and is looking less like a puppy and more like a dog.  It is kind of amazing how fast they grow!!  Though I guess that is what 3 to 4 cups of food a day will do for a little puppy.  My last update was about Serena's  Thanksgiving.  Since then we have done a lot!

Over Thanksgiving I watched my mom's cats.  This was a great way for Serena to learn how to socialize with cats some more.  She got to play with Jax (the kitten) and learn her kitty manners from Emmy (the pissed off older cat who thinks that having a puppy and a kitten in the apartment is HELL).  By the end of watching them Serena was playing much nicer with Jax and would give Emmy her 5ft personal bubble that she demands.

Other than tormenting cats I have tried to take Serena as many places as possible.  She of course goes to the barn with me everyday and loves going and saying hi to Reggie.  One day the barn was empty so I took her in the indoor ring and we ran around and tried to jump a little jump.  At first she thought she was supposed to go under so I made it smaller.  Then she figured out I wanted her to go over it and then she kept wanting to do it.  It was a good way to make both of us tired!

  We also have gone to the beach since it was like the last nice day out a couple days ago.  She joined us in going to the The Christmas Carol in 3D IMAX.  At first she didn't know what to make of the loud sounds and the 3D screen.  She even watched the first part of the movie, looking back and forth at things moving across the screen.  By the end she decided it was boring and went to sleep.  Then she joined us in going to Chipotle afterwards.  The random scraps of rice on the floor was very tempting and I had to say a lot of leave its but eventually she gave up and just sat there.

Serena helped me hang Christmas lights the other day. Of course I had to put some on her and get a picture.  She thought I was crazy but let me do it.

Serena went for her first major clothing store shopping experience with me yesterday.  We went to the Old Navy in Gurnee.  Everyone there was so nice and friendly.  The store manger was the bomb!!  We spent forever talking to him and he said Serena was welcome anytime even if it was just to say hi.  He might even organize a fundraiser for My Angel With Paws.  Awesome!!! So go to the Old Navy in Gurnee off of Grand Ave because they rock.  Serena was really good too even with all the people that were there.  She became more relaxed after a few people said hi to her and told her how cute she was.  She even just lay down in the changing room until I was done.  Overall it was a great experience and we will be sure to go back and visit :-).

Overall she is doing great.  We are currently working on the commands "kiss" "my lap" "off" and "get it back."  She is teething so she is chewing on EVERYTHING.  She just chewed through phone charger #2 tonight after finding it where I hid it and taking advantage that I was distracted by updating this blog.  Oh puppy puppy puppy.  Another trip to Verizon tomorrow.... oh well another place to take Serena.  She is just so cute I can't stay mad at her for very long... :-).