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I have finally gotten around to seriously training Truffle to roll over. It's not easy for her. By nature she is anything but a grovelling dog, and I also think her particular geometry makes it uncomfortable for her. The method I'm using is simple and kind wof slow. Of course she has sit and lie down with hand signals and she kind of knows stay but her idea oif how long that lasts is a bit inadequate, so when I remember I work on trying to extend that. So I get her to sit and then to lied down. Then I say "side," and show her a hand signal and a delicious treat. When she fails to do it (always giving me an expression of eager compliance, and a little jerk that signals she knows she should be doing something but she can't remember/doesn't want to believe what it is) I wrestle her into position, repeating "side" and making encouraging noises. When I have her in the position I want I praise her and give her a treat.
Today she leaned over each time, and then looked confused and worried for a second. I helped her the rest of the way into position extravagantly praising her and gave her the delicious treat.
We're making progress!
On another front, most of the bricks and water meter walkways are swept! This is also a slow process as during the winter a layer of mud up to a couple inches thick in places. So sweeping is also shovelling.
And on another front yet, my wisteria is, as ever, amazing, and this year the ceanothus seems to be prepared to bloom into May or so. Of course it's early yet to say so.
A guy passing on the street the other day was transfixed by the orioles a couple of days ago. These hardy little guys are sort of rare around here, but they come back to my block year after year. They used to nest in this funny little palm next door, but the landlord's gardener killed the palm. They moved to the loquat tree behind me, but the landlord over there had the tree removed from the parking lot (I don't know why. It was too big, but a little pruning was all it needed). Now I don't know where they nest -- not the redwood trees, or the pine tree on the corner, or either of the big oaks -- those are all full of crows and jays -- maybe the tall tall thin scary palms next door.
Today she leaned over each time, and then looked confused and worried for a second. I helped her the rest of the way into position extravagantly praising her and gave her the delicious treat.
We're making progress!
On another front, most of the bricks and water meter walkways are swept! This is also a slow process as during the winter a layer of mud up to a couple inches thick in places. So sweeping is also shovelling.
And on another front yet, my wisteria is, as ever, amazing, and this year the ceanothus seems to be prepared to bloom into May or so. Of course it's early yet to say so.
A guy passing on the street the other day was transfixed by the orioles a couple of days ago. These hardy little guys are sort of rare around here, but they come back to my block year after year. They used to nest in this funny little palm next door, but the landlord's gardener killed the palm. They moved to the loquat tree behind me, but the landlord over there had the tree removed from the parking lot (I don't know why. It was too big, but a little pruning was all it needed). Now I don't know where they nest -- not the redwood trees, or the pine tree on the corner, or either of the big oaks -- those are all full of crows and jays -- maybe the tall tall thin scary palms next door.