Day 6: Side Job (Saturday)
Got up at 6 for pee, re-crated. Got up at 8 for morning play/training/walking/peeing. In this morning session I did some come, sits, loose leash and some more sit/stays. He can stay for 10 seconds with me standing in front of him. I haven't tried any distance yet. At around 9am he and I gathered up the recycling and took them to the recycling depot, he loved helping me with the plastic and cardboard! After this trip he got re-crated while I got ready for another big day. At 1130 we took off for Rochester to go to petsmart, he stayed in the car (sleeping) while I went in alone (he doesn't have his shots yet). After 20 min I came out and he was just waking up. Then for the side job. I do some professional photography on the side and wanted a companion while on the job, Finster fits this role perfectly. On my first building that I was to shoot Finster was sleeping in his crate, so I just left him and went to shoot for 30 minutes. When I got back he was sitting patiently for me to return. Then we went to the next building. I took him out on his leash to see if I could work with him. I was just shooting tripod-less but all went pretty well. He followed dutifully and didn't tug on the leash at all. He did sit/stays for 10 seconds whenever I needed to take a shot and everyone was happy. He got food and I got to work. Hurray, I have a work buddy! He did get upset at one point when some Asian guy walked by with out petting him or playing with him, it was the first time that had ever happened to him, poor guy, he tried to chase him down, but couldn't get past the length of the leash. Then we went for a 45 minute drive to Batavia where he did great, no barks. For the car ride I generally give him one kernel every 2-3 miles or so if he is not doing anything. He tends to just stare at the back of my head waiting for his next kernel. No barks! In Batavia he slept for the 30 minutes I was out of the car. When we got home I crated him and he slept until 7pm when some friends came over to play (and brought some new toys). He played pretty hard for an hour or so of which I caught him about to squat to pee, and evacuated him twice. He managed to get in one accident before I could get to him. He seems to pee after about 20 minutes of playing. Then he got crated while we ate dinner. Then took another pee break at around 10 and then crated/slept until we went to bed at 1am. While he was crated with friends here he didn't bark once! Woot! One problem he is having is that he gets excited and jumps all over strangers, this is not good and I have to figure out how to break him of it.