Thinking POSITIVE.

So I've been less than impressed with the behavior of some dogs and some owners in my area.  In fact, there are some things I'm outright unhappy about and totally not looking forward to.  But there's no point in ranting about the things that all of you responsible dog owners know well enough firsthand....

...So, instead, I will post about some things positive - hey, if we use positive methods with our dogs, it makes sense for us ourselves to keep the positive in mind, too.

Our trip to the boardwalk last night was a much-needed long walk on a nice day. We walked about 2 1/2 miles, practicing walking on a loose leash, ignoring distractions. We met-and-greeted some old friends, including Heidi, the most lovable Saint Bernard ever. We haven't seen her since the fall - Marge is a little timid of such a big girl, but sure wasn't afraid of the treats being offered to her by Heidi's mom.

She let the Heidi crew pet her - two guys and one woman - and offered her paw to the latter as well. All of this stuff is such a great improvement over where Marge was even six months ago. And that's what I have to keep telling myself. That no matter the setbacks we have or the areas we need to improve in, Marge has shown her ability to bounce back after a bad start.

We've got just a few more days until the Canine Good Citizen. I've done the loose leash pattern that my club uses for the "Out For a Walk" test so many times that Marge looks like she's ready to yell at me out of boredom when I start it. I do need to work on the out-of-sight stuff still, but it was hard to today with all of the rain.

The petting tests should be alright. All of my trainers said that some degree of timidity is permissible. And, since all three evaluators are women, two of which Marge knows and likes, I'm thinking it should be okay.

Honestly, she's as ready as she can be. I can practice a bit more, but if she's destined to get her certificate, then that's that.  I'm feeling hopeful, confident.. but no matter what, my Marge is a star.