He also met Lindsay again, which was totally a non-event. Lindsay and I played with the manners minder, and hopefully got some nice video so I can enter a contest to win another one!
I wasn't feeling well, so Friday was otherwise pretty quiet. West spent most of the day playing with Sunny in the Xpen or the back yard.
Saturday, we loaded up and headed to 5star so I could teach. West was so good in the car. When we parked at 5star, I was gathering up the key etc, and someone pulled in beside us and a man LEAPT out of his truck (he must have been in a hurry!) and startled West, who barked a couple of times. Poor West. He recovered quite nicely though!
I brought him into the centre, and he ran amok for a few minutes, then he sat in a crate in the back room while class happened. Afterwards, I brought him out to do a few jumps, and he ran over the aframe a couple times chasing the dogs around. I put his calming cap on him (tons of people outside. I could have moved the car around back, but this seemed easier) and walked him out to the car. He was totally fine, no reactions at all despite the milling people.
We stopped by Lindsay's briefly, and West waited sans-cap in her driveway in the car. He napped, but woke up and watched me when I returned.
From there, we went into town and parked my car. I moved Archie's crate and West into the Santa Fe, then we went up to Ben's vet appointment. West did more waiting in the car (all of which was in the shade, lest you think my dogs are cooking!) then we went to TRU to meet with a friend. More waiting.
Then, I had the two people I was meeting come outside and we let West out (fenced area) to meet them. He quickly was willing to approach both of them, and though he was nervous of the barking dogs nearby, he didn't appear concerned about the strangers at ALL. Fantastic! They were both women, which was helpful for him, I think.
He did let out one sort of surprised half-bark at one point, but within a few seconds, was approaching for pets again. I'm not sure what triggered it, but it may have even been the loudly barking dogs. I need some recordings of barking dogs for both the boys to start getting used to. Leave a comment if you have any in mp3 format!
Back in the car, back to my car, then home. I left West in the Santa Fe, cause he was totally out napping on the seat. He had a good drink and pee when we got home, then crashed out for the rest of the night. Busy day for a little West!!!
Today was far less eventful. We went out for some play, and I saw my aunt and uncle had come to visit. I popped the dogs away and we visited for a couple hours, then took 4 of the dogs to the beach (west, archie, ben and gypsy) for a walk. My uncle is about the most dog-terrifying-appearance person I could imagine.. Tall, facial hair, dark clothes, baseball cap low on his head.. He said even the gas station attendants where he delivers fuel are afraid of him :) Anyway, West and Arch and I hung back about 10' or so and followed them until the dogs could be off leash. After I let him off, West approached my aunt for pets several times throughout the walk. He did not make worried looks or bark at my uncle at all, though he also didn't approach him. We did no specific work though, just walked down and back. My aunt commented that he seems to be doing very well.. and he is!
I figured he'd be tired after all that, but he spent a couple hours trying to get Archie to play with him. Archie tried out his new lifejacket in the water for the first time today, and he wanted to NAP! Poor West misses Sunny, I think :)
My aunt took some photos today, not sure if she got any nice ones, but if she shares, I'll pass them along!
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