Hi! It's Cinnamon.
When I was browsing old photos and videos on Mum's computer with Mum, we found a video filmed exactly a year ago. I was practising pivoting trick with Cookie then.
Watching the video, I missed Cookie so much! He was always calm like this and enjoyed learning new tricks with me, proving that even middle-aged dogs can start to learn tricks.
Back then, pivoting was one of the few tricks I could do. I have learned so many tricks in the last one year. My pivoting has also improved a lot, so I hope to show you how I do the trick now sometime!
From Cinnamon's Mum:
Today I took Cinnamon and Mint for a walk together in late afternoon, although I usually walk them separately. Now I regret that I did that.
As soon as we went out of the gate, we saw a dog coming in our way. If it had been either Cinnamon or Mint only, I might have been able to control them. But, Cinnamon started barking really aggressively, so I turned around to walk away from the dog. Then the owner of the dog followed us with the dog and even tried to let the dog meet mine. Being unable to control Cinnamon as well as Mint, who was pulling the lead, I got so stressy that I couldn't say anything when the other dog's owner asked my dogs' ages, which means I effectively ignored the person.
After putting Cinnamon and Mint in a down stay for a while to calm them down, we started walking again. Then, only ten seconds or so later, another dog appeared, and again his owner came in our way wanting to say hello to us, when I was trying to ignore them. Again Cinnamon started barking aggressively, and when I was struggling to control my two dogs, a person who was with the person walking the dog came and tried to give me a hand. But, again, I couldn't do anything but saying "I am fine."
Then, again, less than a minute later, another dog came in our way, and Cinnamon behaved in the same way.
It was a very weird afternoon. We usually don't meet so many new dogs walking near our house. That's why I took Cinnamon to many different places by car when I was trying to teach her to stay calm when she met new dogs, in preparation for Canine Good Citizen assessment.
I was reminded that training NEVER ENDS!!
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Yes, I can do it!
Hi! It's Cinnamon.
My Mum looks very happy today. I can tell you why. That is because our dancing instructor said to her "Cinnamon is a good dog. You should do obedience."
Do you wonder how that comment could make Mum so happy? Back in February the same instructor said to her "How can you put up with this? Are you really getting another Beagle?" (Of course, it was a joke, I know, as she is a very nice human) when she helped us create a short routine to perform in the one-minute busking on the last day of the Paws N Music national camp. At that time I couldn't do proper heeling, although I could walk staying close to Mum, and I didn't listen to Mum or the instructor at all, being busy sniffing around the camp ground.
On Sunday the instructor spared some of her time for us and showed Mum how to walk in obedience competitions (After seeing Mum walking in an obedience trial, the instructor said to her "You were walking like a Japanese girl [in kimono]"). Mum had never been taught such competition-specific skills before. The fact that the instructor offered to help her was enough to make Mum happy, but the remark I quoted earlier made her even happier, because she had thought that the instructor had given up on training me long ago.
By the way, Mint has turned out to be another loud barker. When he is tied while I am doing training, he keeps barking loudly. Mum had always said to other humans "Mint is a good boy, because he doesn't bark like Cinnamon!" But, she was wrong!!! It seems he learned to bark as he grew. I think it was all Mum's fault. She didn't try to correct him when he barked, because he usually stopped barking soon without any intervention ... until just recently. It is a result of her negligence in Mint's nature as a barker!
My Mum looks very happy today. I can tell you why. That is because our dancing instructor said to her "Cinnamon is a good dog. You should do obedience."
Do you wonder how that comment could make Mum so happy? Back in February the same instructor said to her "How can you put up with this? Are you really getting another Beagle?" (Of course, it was a joke, I know, as she is a very nice human) when she helped us create a short routine to perform in the one-minute busking on the last day of the Paws N Music national camp. At that time I couldn't do proper heeling, although I could walk staying close to Mum, and I didn't listen to Mum or the instructor at all, being busy sniffing around the camp ground.
On Sunday the instructor spared some of her time for us and showed Mum how to walk in obedience competitions (After seeing Mum walking in an obedience trial, the instructor said to her "You were walking like a Japanese girl [in kimono]"). Mum had never been taught such competition-specific skills before. The fact that the instructor offered to help her was enough to make Mum happy, but the remark I quoted earlier made her even happier, because she had thought that the instructor had given up on training me long ago.
By the way, Mint has turned out to be another loud barker. When he is tied while I am doing training, he keeps barking loudly. Mum had always said to other humans "Mint is a good boy, because he doesn't bark like Cinnamon!" But, she was wrong!!! It seems he learned to bark as he grew. I think it was all Mum's fault. She didn't try to correct him when he barked, because he usually stopped barking soon without any intervention ... until just recently. It is a result of her negligence in Mint's nature as a barker!
Friday, 25 June 2010
Making a fresh start in a new warm jacket!
Hi! It's Cinnamon.
After the obedience trials last weekend, Mum has decided to make a fresh start in our training. The first challenge she took on is keeping my attention when she takes my lead off. She now gives me heaps of yummy treats before letting me off, and she gives me more treats if I stay close to her. Sounds good?
Also, this week she bought me a new jacket so that I can stay warm when walking even in the coldest day. Although it doesn't snow here in Auckland, we still get some frost like this in cold mornings.
The new jacket is not only warm and waterproof but also breathable according to the seller's description of the jacket on TradeMe online auction website.
Mum hopes that my new coat will ease the discomfort from arthritis in my hips.
When I had a walk in this new jacket for the first time, Mum videoed me practising my new attention exercise.
Do you think exercise like this is helpful for the purpose? I am not sure...
Before I go, I will show you a photo of Mint wearing a raincoat. This morning Mint had a walk in this raincoat for the first time. Mint wiggled and tried to bite the coat when Mum was putting it on him. But, Mum says Mint didn't mind it when he was walking, which I didn't see because Mint and I walk separately.
It is a miserable day with lots of rain here. I hope it will clear up on the weekend, which is unlikely though.
After the obedience trials last weekend, Mum has decided to make a fresh start in our training. The first challenge she took on is keeping my attention when she takes my lead off. She now gives me heaps of yummy treats before letting me off, and she gives me more treats if I stay close to her. Sounds good?
Also, this week she bought me a new jacket so that I can stay warm when walking even in the coldest day. Although it doesn't snow here in Auckland, we still get some frost like this in cold mornings.
The new jacket is not only warm and waterproof but also breathable according to the seller's description of the jacket on TradeMe online auction website.
Mum hopes that my new coat will ease the discomfort from arthritis in my hips.
When I had a walk in this new jacket for the first time, Mum videoed me practising my new attention exercise.
Do you think exercise like this is helpful for the purpose? I am not sure...
Before I go, I will show you a photo of Mint wearing a raincoat. This morning Mint had a walk in this raincoat for the first time. Mint wiggled and tried to bite the coat when Mum was putting it on him. But, Mum says Mint didn't mind it when he was walking, which I didn't see because Mint and I walk separately.
It is a miserable day with lots of rain here. I hope it will clear up on the weekend, which is unlikely though.
Monday, 21 June 2010
Obedience trials again
Hi! It's Cinnamon.
I entered obedience trials again on the weekend. As there has been no dancing competitions or demonstrations since my public dancing debut in April, my humans thought that it would be a good idea to enter obedience trials to get used to the competition environment.
As I reported in my previous post about my first obedience trial, I didn't get placed in the trial despite my great performance, because my mum made mistakes without knowing the competition rules. But, now that Mum has learned the rules, she has no excuse.
Now I am handing today's post over to Mum so that she can write about the weekend's trials, as she says she wants to keep the record of them.
Hi. This is Cinnamon's mum here. As Cinnamon has just mentioned, I am going to write about how we did in our trials as our trial record.
The trials we entered on the weekend were part of a championship event, AEC Benefit obedience Championship. You have to register your entries in advice in order to enter championships, but the Elementary class is not a formal competition, so we registered our entry on the day (Entry fee was five NZ dollars each day).
In Saturday's trial, Cinnamon's heelwork didn't go as well as it did in our first trial. Her attention was not focused, and neither was mine, because I hadn't seen Cinnamon do her business in the morning and I knew that Cinnamon cannot focus when she wants to go to toilet. Originally our running order was the second, but I asked the judge if we could change it to a later order, hoping that she would finish it by then. Fortunately the judge was flexible and agreed to make it so. But in the end Cinnamon didn't do it until our turn came.
Without having done a warm-up that we usually do before any kind of competitions, we went into the ring. I got a little panicky when I saw Cinnamon's nose moved downward, as soon as the steward asked 'Are you ready?' and I said 'Yes'. But, to my relief, she brought her head up soon after, and she started walking nicely. However, at the first about-turn, Cinnamon went a little too far from me, and at the end of the exercise she sat in a little angled way.
After our run, our dancing instructor Jan told me that my walking had looked like shuffling, which needs correcting.
In the recall, again her sitting position at the end was angled, perhaps because I was standing with my feet closed, giving no room for her to sit in front of me.
In the 30-second sit stay, I got a little panicky again, when I turned around and saw Cinnamon scratching her neck with a leg, but she held and stayed sitting without standing up. Good girl, Cinnamon!
In the 1-minute down stay, Cinnamon did really well, staying laying down, even when some of the dogs stood up after a dog barked.
Overall, we were placed the third and got our first ribbon!!
It was raining heavily on Sunday morning. I think the noise of rain hitting the roof somehow disturbed our concentration. Cinnamon's heelwork was not too bad, but in the recall, she took off when I was about to leave her after the final command, although she eventually came back and then did a nice recall.
It seems that Cinnamon wanted to go and check the next dog waiting at the entry to the ring. Actually this is her usual response when I release her soon after she sees a dog coming in her way or passing by. When we practise tricks and dancing in the park or a tennis court of a nearby primary school, she always does this, which I have been struggling to correct.
In the hindsight there might've been another reason for her take-off. Although I knew that Cinnamon responds better to hand signals than to verbal commands, I forgot to use a hand signal - placing a hand with the palm open in front of her nose - in the recall.
In the stays I was very impressed with Cinnamon's behaviour. When the dog next to Cinnamon stood up as soon as the 30-second sit stay started, she looked at him but didn't stand up!
She looked very relaxed even when she was doing down stay that she hates. Usually she starts shaking, perhaps from stress, as soon as I put her in a down stay. But, this time, she was so relaxed that she was even resting her chin on the floor, which she rarely does outside.
Overall, we weren't placed of course, because of the big deduction for taking off in the recall. But, otherwise, Cinnamon did very well again I think.
Considering that Cinnamon has to perform off lead in dancing, we will have to work on her response when she is released from the lead. Also, maybe we should attend some obedience classes to get better understanding about obedience trials.
Lessons learned:
* Don't worry about toilet. Cinnamon can wait. Trust her
* Use hand signals especially when putting Cinnamon in a stay or wait
Issues to work on:
* Angled positions when heeling and sitting
* My shuffling walking in small steps in the heelwork
* Cinnamon's response when released from the lead
I entered obedience trials again on the weekend. As there has been no dancing competitions or demonstrations since my public dancing debut in April, my humans thought that it would be a good idea to enter obedience trials to get used to the competition environment.
As I reported in my previous post about my first obedience trial, I didn't get placed in the trial despite my great performance, because my mum made mistakes without knowing the competition rules. But, now that Mum has learned the rules, she has no excuse.
Now I am handing today's post over to Mum so that she can write about the weekend's trials, as she says she wants to keep the record of them.
Hi. This is Cinnamon's mum here. As Cinnamon has just mentioned, I am going to write about how we did in our trials as our trial record.
The trials we entered on the weekend were part of a championship event, AEC Benefit obedience Championship. You have to register your entries in advice in order to enter championships, but the Elementary class is not a formal competition, so we registered our entry on the day (Entry fee was five NZ dollars each day).
In Saturday's trial, Cinnamon's heelwork didn't go as well as it did in our first trial. Her attention was not focused, and neither was mine, because I hadn't seen Cinnamon do her business in the morning and I knew that Cinnamon cannot focus when she wants to go to toilet. Originally our running order was the second, but I asked the judge if we could change it to a later order, hoping that she would finish it by then. Fortunately the judge was flexible and agreed to make it so. But in the end Cinnamon didn't do it until our turn came.
Without having done a warm-up that we usually do before any kind of competitions, we went into the ring. I got a little panicky when I saw Cinnamon's nose moved downward, as soon as the steward asked 'Are you ready?' and I said 'Yes'. But, to my relief, she brought her head up soon after, and she started walking nicely. However, at the first about-turn, Cinnamon went a little too far from me, and at the end of the exercise she sat in a little angled way.
After our run, our dancing instructor Jan told me that my walking had looked like shuffling, which needs correcting.
In the recall, again her sitting position at the end was angled, perhaps because I was standing with my feet closed, giving no room for her to sit in front of me.
In the 30-second sit stay, I got a little panicky again, when I turned around and saw Cinnamon scratching her neck with a leg, but she held and stayed sitting without standing up. Good girl, Cinnamon!
In the 1-minute down stay, Cinnamon did really well, staying laying down, even when some of the dogs stood up after a dog barked.
Overall, we were placed the third and got our first ribbon!!
It was raining heavily on Sunday morning. I think the noise of rain hitting the roof somehow disturbed our concentration. Cinnamon's heelwork was not too bad, but in the recall, she took off when I was about to leave her after the final command, although she eventually came back and then did a nice recall.
It seems that Cinnamon wanted to go and check the next dog waiting at the entry to the ring. Actually this is her usual response when I release her soon after she sees a dog coming in her way or passing by. When we practise tricks and dancing in the park or a tennis court of a nearby primary school, she always does this, which I have been struggling to correct.
In the hindsight there might've been another reason for her take-off. Although I knew that Cinnamon responds better to hand signals than to verbal commands, I forgot to use a hand signal - placing a hand with the palm open in front of her nose - in the recall.
In the stays I was very impressed with Cinnamon's behaviour. When the dog next to Cinnamon stood up as soon as the 30-second sit stay started, she looked at him but didn't stand up!
She looked very relaxed even when she was doing down stay that she hates. Usually she starts shaking, perhaps from stress, as soon as I put her in a down stay. But, this time, she was so relaxed that she was even resting her chin on the floor, which she rarely does outside.
Overall, we weren't placed of course, because of the big deduction for taking off in the recall. But, otherwise, Cinnamon did very well again I think.
Considering that Cinnamon has to perform off lead in dancing, we will have to work on her response when she is released from the lead. Also, maybe we should attend some obedience classes to get better understanding about obedience trials.
Lessons learned:
* Don't worry about toilet. Cinnamon can wait. Trust her
* Use hand signals especially when putting Cinnamon in a stay or wait
Issues to work on:
* Angled positions when heeling and sitting
* My shuffling walking in small steps in the heelwork
* Cinnamon's response when released from the lead
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
I am a good citizen!
Hi! It's Cinnamon.
Today I have great news!! I passed the Foundation level of Canine Good Citizen! Can you believe it? A half year ago no one would have thought I would.
Last November I had a couple of private training sessions with a renown dog behaviorist, Flip of Flip's Top Dog, because my reaction to other dogs was so bad that I even barked at dogs walking on the other side of a road with lots of traffic. At that time my friend Honey the Great Dane and her human observed our training and gave us some helpful advice too!
Flip's advice was to strengthen my heelwork, and we spent most of the time during the training sessions for practising heelwork with or without distractions. Of course, there is no miracle that can change a dog's behaviour instantly, so I continued to practise heelwork with my mum after that.
In addition to practising heelwork, my Mum and I did lots of attention exercise: i.e. Getting praises and rewards for looking at Mum as soon as I find a dog in the street (This exercise is called 'Look at That! game' in "Control Unleashed" by Leslie Mcdevitt).
In the result of our collaborative hard work, my heelwork improved a lot, which was proven in an obedience ribbon rial that I entered for the first time, as I reported in this post.
As my heelwork improved, so did my reaction to other dogs, but not as significantly as my heelwork. When I attended the first class of the eight-week Canine Good Citizen course at Manukau Dog Training Club two months ago, I barked at my classmates so badly that I was told to lie down under my Mum's legs while she was sitting on a chair with other human attendees. According to our trainer, putting the dog in a Down Stay is helpful for controlling dogs barking.
At home we did a lot of Down Stay exercises. For example, Mum placed a dog bed under her desk and made me stay laying down on it while she was working.
Also, Mum thought that I needed to meet more new dogs, but in our daily walks in the neighbourhood we don't meet many dogs and I already know most of the few dogs that we meet. So, for several days before the assessment, Mum and I went to many different places, such as St Heliers, Kohimaraka, and Mission Bay beaches and Cornwall Park, to practise ignoring other dogs.
Mum even used aroma therapy to relax me. She found information about dog aroma therapy on a Japanese website of her friend's natural soap and cosmetics shop Ringa Ringa, The Natural Skincare Co. (209 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland) and made special aroma oil (10ml of Sweet Almond Oil, 2 drops of Lavender Angustifolia, and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang 1st) for me. She massaged me with the oil every time before we went out for a walk. (Photo on the right: Mint and Ringa Ringa's canine staff, Anko & Kurosawa)
On the assessment day she massaged me with the oil before entering the assessment venue, but the meeting-a-stranger-and-their-dog exercise was the third from the last in the 17 exercises in the assessment, so the aroma had gone by then. Nevertheless, I did pretty well in the exercise, walking nicely toward a stranger and her dog and staying beside Mum with my tail wagging, although I got to bark once - Yes, just once! - as soon as I started walking after meeting the new dog. (According to the rules of the assessment, excessive barking is not allowed, which means some barking may be permissible.)
Another exercise I almost failed was staying tied on lead with the handler in sight for five minutes. As you know, I hate staying alone. So, I just couldn't help whining from the beginning and I barked weakly a couple of times trying to call Mum back. But, after Mum said "Stay", giving me a scary face, I gave in and decided to stay until she came back to me.
This time five humans and their dogs, including my Mum and me, attended the assessment and all of us passed!
For those who want to sit for the Canine Good Citizen Foundation assessment, the following exercises are included in the assessment (copied from NZKC website):
1. Appearance, handling and responsibility
a. Responsibility and care
b. Public cleanliness and identification
c. Examination of the dog by handler
d. Grooming and inspection of the dog by the assessor
2. Food manners
a. Person eating
b. Dog eating
3. Accepting a friendly stranger
4. Accepting being patted by a friendly stranger
5. Walk on lead through a door/gate in a controlled manner
6. Return to handler
7. Walk on lead
8. Controlled walk through people and distractions
a. Pedestrian traffic
b. Distractions
9. Stay tied on lead
10. Meeting a stranger and their dog
11. Supervised separation
12. Playing with the dog
Here is a footage video that My Dad made so that you can see how I did in the assessment (If you can't view it here, click here).
Now I can declare that I am a Good Citizen, can't I?
Today I have great news!! I passed the Foundation level of Canine Good Citizen! Can you believe it? A half year ago no one would have thought I would.
We did it!
Last November I had a couple of private training sessions with a renown dog behaviorist, Flip of Flip's Top Dog, because my reaction to other dogs was so bad that I even barked at dogs walking on the other side of a road with lots of traffic. At that time my friend Honey the Great Dane and her human observed our training and gave us some helpful advice too!
Flip's advice was to strengthen my heelwork, and we spent most of the time during the training sessions for practising heelwork with or without distractions. Of course, there is no miracle that can change a dog's behaviour instantly, so I continued to practise heelwork with my mum after that.
In addition to practising heelwork, my Mum and I did lots of attention exercise: i.e. Getting praises and rewards for looking at Mum as soon as I find a dog in the street (This exercise is called 'Look at That! game' in "Control Unleashed" by Leslie Mcdevitt).
In the result of our collaborative hard work, my heelwork improved a lot, which was proven in an obedience ribbon rial that I entered for the first time, as I reported in this post.
As my heelwork improved, so did my reaction to other dogs, but not as significantly as my heelwork. When I attended the first class of the eight-week Canine Good Citizen course at Manukau Dog Training Club two months ago, I barked at my classmates so badly that I was told to lie down under my Mum's legs while she was sitting on a chair with other human attendees. According to our trainer, putting the dog in a Down Stay is helpful for controlling dogs barking.
At home we did a lot of Down Stay exercises. For example, Mum placed a dog bed under her desk and made me stay laying down on it while she was working.
Also, Mum thought that I needed to meet more new dogs, but in our daily walks in the neighbourhood we don't meet many dogs and I already know most of the few dogs that we meet. So, for several days before the assessment, Mum and I went to many different places, such as St Heliers, Kohimaraka, and Mission Bay beaches and Cornwall Park, to practise ignoring other dogs.
Mum even used aroma therapy to relax me. She found information about dog aroma therapy on a Japanese website of her friend's natural soap and cosmetics shop Ringa Ringa, The Natural Skincare Co. (209 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland) and made special aroma oil (10ml of Sweet Almond Oil, 2 drops of Lavender Angustifolia, and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang 1st) for me. She massaged me with the oil every time before we went out for a walk. (Photo on the right: Mint and Ringa Ringa's canine staff, Anko & Kurosawa)
Being patted by a friendly stranger
On the assessment day she massaged me with the oil before entering the assessment venue, but the meeting-a-stranger-and-their-dog exercise was the third from the last in the 17 exercises in the assessment, so the aroma had gone by then. Nevertheless, I did pretty well in the exercise, walking nicely toward a stranger and her dog and staying beside Mum with my tail wagging, although I got to bark once - Yes, just once! - as soon as I started walking after meeting the new dog. (According to the rules of the assessment, excessive barking is not allowed, which means some barking may be permissible.)
Meeting a stranger and her dog
Another exercise I almost failed was staying tied on lead with the handler in sight for five minutes. As you know, I hate staying alone. So, I just couldn't help whining from the beginning and I barked weakly a couple of times trying to call Mum back. But, after Mum said "Stay", giving me a scary face, I gave in and decided to stay until she came back to me.
This time five humans and their dogs, including my Mum and me, attended the assessment and all of us passed!
Congratulations to everyone!
For those who want to sit for the Canine Good Citizen Foundation assessment, the following exercises are included in the assessment (copied from NZKC website):
1. Appearance, handling and responsibility
a. Responsibility and care
b. Public cleanliness and identification
c. Examination of the dog by handler
d. Grooming and inspection of the dog by the assessor
2. Food manners
a. Person eating
b. Dog eating
3. Accepting a friendly stranger
4. Accepting being patted by a friendly stranger
5. Walk on lead through a door/gate in a controlled manner
6. Return to handler
7. Walk on lead
8. Controlled walk through people and distractions
a. Pedestrian traffic
b. Distractions
9. Stay tied on lead
10. Meeting a stranger and their dog
11. Supervised separation
12. Playing with the dog
Here is a footage video that My Dad made so that you can see how I did in the assessment (If you can't view it here, click here).
Now I can declare that I am a Good Citizen, can't I?
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
My hardship
Hi, it's Cinnamon.
Today I am going to write about a hardship I have been suffering.
I am not sure if I have told you, but I just hate being left alone. I used to have my reliable brother Cookie with me when my humans were out. But, since he crossed the rainbow bridge last December, I have had to stay all by myself, which I just can't stand!
At first I kept barking without knowing what to do otherwise, when left alone in my crate, like this.
But, gradually I learned to stay quiet and instead I started digging my bed.
Many humans have recommended that I get a Kong so that I can stay occupied for one hour or two without feeling anxious. But, my humans didn't buy me one, because they remembered that I had quickly destroyed a Puppy Kong when I was a puppy, and they thought that Kongs would not last long.
A while ago, my friends Bella and Barry the Beagles' human wrote about an extremely durable Kong called KONG Extreme Goodie Bone in their blog. According to the post, Bella and Barry's new Extreme Kongs had lasted at least for a week at the time of the post, unlike standard Kongs, which lasted only three days. So, my humans bought me the so called toughest Kong.
When I tried my new Kong with peanut butter smeared inside for the first time while my humans were out, I dropped it under my thick bed by mistake after only three minutes, and couldn't pull it back, so I started digging my bed as I usually do.
So, when my humans had to go out the next time, my mum replaced the bed in the crate with another one with edges that would hopefully prevent the Kong slipping off the bed. This time my Kong, filled with some biscuits as well as peanut butter, didn't slip off the bed, but one hour later I found myself digging my bed again.
After one hour's chewing, my Kong became like this.
BIG Sigh...
I think it's partly my humans' fault. They should read Honey the Great Dane's post more carefully. My humans haven't made enough effort to desensitise me. But, after this latest failed attempt with the Kong, they must have been convinced of the need for it. So, hopefully I will be able to stay alone for a longer period of time in the near future.
Today I am going to write about a hardship I have been suffering.
I am not sure if I have told you, but I just hate being left alone. I used to have my reliable brother Cookie with me when my humans were out. But, since he crossed the rainbow bridge last December, I have had to stay all by myself, which I just can't stand!But, gradually I learned to stay quiet and instead I started digging my bed.
Many humans have recommended that I get a Kong so that I can stay occupied for one hour or two without feeling anxious. But, my humans didn't buy me one, because they remembered that I had quickly destroyed a Puppy Kong when I was a puppy, and they thought that Kongs would not last long.
A while ago, my friends Bella and Barry the Beagles' human wrote about an extremely durable Kong called KONG Extreme Goodie Bone in their blog. According to the post, Bella and Barry's new Extreme Kongs had lasted at least for a week at the time of the post, unlike standard Kongs, which lasted only three days. So, my humans bought me the so called toughest Kong.
When I tried my new Kong with peanut butter smeared inside for the first time while my humans were out, I dropped it under my thick bed by mistake after only three minutes, and couldn't pull it back, so I started digging my bed as I usually do.
So, when my humans had to go out the next time, my mum replaced the bed in the crate with another one with edges that would hopefully prevent the Kong slipping off the bed. This time my Kong, filled with some biscuits as well as peanut butter, didn't slip off the bed, but one hour later I found myself digging my bed again.
After one hour's chewing, my Kong became like this.
BIG Sigh...
I think it's partly my humans' fault. They should read Honey the Great Dane's post more carefully. My humans haven't made enough effort to desensitise me. But, after this latest failed attempt with the Kong, they must have been convinced of the need for it. So, hopefully I will be able to stay alone for a longer period of time in the near future.
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