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On The Left Track

"You were a good girl today, Kayenne"

That's right! Mum was shocked, too. She says "you keep on surprising me, pupper". I don't know if she's telling me to keep surprising her, or telling me that I keep surprising her, but whatever she meant must have been good, because I was told how great I was a lot today. I got a bunch of that smelly stuff that humum calls "Tripe".

It all started yesterday, actually.

I don't normally get to go for walks. We go for what humum calls "Training Sessions"...It's this really boring thing. We walk for like, 15 minutes on concrete, and then randomly stop and do some lame things, like sit. Sometimes I see a dog, and am told to "Leave it", but most of the time we see all these cats, people and tin things with wheels that humum says will kill me if I keep trying to walk into them...And that's it.

But yesterday, humum took me and my siblings up the field with a ball, as she does every morning. I got so tired! When we had to go in, humum started putting treats into what she calls a Bumbag. I got really excited, because I only see the bumbag when we go to dog class! Humum told me to "Go and Lay Down" but, no way was I doing that!

She thinks I didn't see, but I DID see her put a ball into the bumbag.

She got my lead out, as well as her favourite toy. I hate it. It's the new torture device. She's been putting it onto me randomly every day for ages now, and just giving me treats. I don't really mind it...But it stops me doing what I want to do, you know? Humum calls it a Halti or something. I'd never warn it outside before.

I did really good with it, but I didn't really want it on my face.

So, instead of going around the way we normally go, on that boring concrete...We went the opposite way! We went to the park, where I thought I was going off lead, but wasn't. TYhen we went to the woods, where, for a while, I did get to go off lead (with my Halti on, though)...Then we went down to the place where I have to be leashed. I used to be allowed off lead there, but humum says they made some new rules.

There are always lots of dogs there, so I was excited before we even started.

I saw the first dog! I was so happy, I started strutting along. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, humum shoves this THING in my face. It smelt REALLY good. She took me to the side, and told me to sit down. I had to wait until the dog had walked passed. I thought my humum had gone catty for a second, because she was really excited. All I did was sit, lady! But I got a treat anyway.

The next dogs we saw, I did the same. I think she wanted me to sit quietly, because every time, she said "Quiet"...So I started being quiet!

So, yesterday was great. I loved it, too. I didn't get to play with any dogs, but I saw loads, walked right passed tons as well. Twice, my humum didn't give me a treat. I picked up some key words afterwards. She was talking to me. I think she said if I had sad and stayed quiet, I'd have got something, but because I stood up really slowly (come on! They were squeaking at me!) and woofed once at some dogs running toward me, I didn't get to eat that nice smelly stuff. Oh well.

Today was better though; because, not only did I pass loads of dogs quietly...I initiated play! A really nice Spaniel came running over. I was sitting already, and waiting like humum said, but this dog just came right over. Humum could see his owners, but they weren't close at all. I was ready to jump at him, but mum told me to "leave it" sternly. It was quite loud, and the Spaniel (who was called Flash!) stopped dead, as well. He was too close for comfort, for humum, but I was actually OK. I ate my Tripe nicely as he walked away.

Then we walked away, and about 5 minutes later, I saw Flash again! I was sitting, liek before, and waiting, because some otehr dogs just walked passed. Flash came running over,r eally close. He sniffed me, and I sniffed him...Then I play bowed! I was on a lead, so it was kind of awkward, but we played for a few seconds. My hackles were down and everything.

I got extra praise, and Tripe. Humum seemed really happy, and Flash was the second dog I've EVER played with outside of dog class. People are really scared of me for some reason. :( It can't be my bark, or the fact I could easily be a bear...Could it?!

Anyway, I saw some other dogs, as well. Humum thrust her Triope at me, but I ignored it. Looked right at the dogs, and stayed neutral! I looked away and just kept walking with no problems! Humum gave me the Tripe, and then took my Halti off...My lead off...And gave me the bhall! We played for ages.

I'll have to do this good dog stuff more often.