Day 113 - Saturday (Cesar Millan style):
Today was the reading day at the store in honor of earth day. For the morning Finster and I had our own Earth day contribution. We went on our walk and we picked up an extra amount of trash. Finster came back with his usual plastic bottle and I came back with a few plastic bags and a monster piece of styrofoam.

At around 1130 I put Finster in his crate and went to the store. The reading was a great success! I stayed there until 330 and then came home and let Finster out. He did great in his crate outside of the usual leaky sausage.

When I got home we went for a walk down the road, here is our route. We did this in about 28 minutes. On the way home from the store I clocked the mileage in my car and it was about 1 mile, so I think the pedometer map is pretty accurate. So that 2 mile walk took us about 28 minutes, so we walk a nice 4 mph. My guess is that during our morning walk, which takes 30 minutes isn't quite 2 miles because it is through woods and some field which I probably walk slower through.

I've been practicing with Finster's come command. I'd like to change it from a "come whenever I get around to it" command to a "come right now command" To change the response to the command I've been putting Finster's extendo leash on him and spreading dog food out on one end of the basement and sitting at the other end. After he gets into the dog food I give him the come command. If he doesn't come immediately I give him a tug. When he gets to me I give him a bunch of dog food. After a few times he got the idea and starting coming immediately :) woot.

At 730 E and I jetted to Erin's for some Sabres action, Finster stayed home.

During the game I got to take Sparkles out for a walk. Sparky is a puller dog so I was pretty anxious to try out some Cesar Millan/positive training action on him. Erin, if you're reading this, no dogs were harmed in the writing of this blog. I started off by not letting Sparky go out the door until I went out. From the get go Sparky tried to get out in front and pull. I just pulled him back behind me and he started following me. I also tried out the trick that I got from the book: Don't follow the dog, if he starts pulling change directions and walk the other way giving the dog a light tug when you turn. It was nice walking such a light, little dog :) If only Finster could lose about 50 lbs. that would be great. I must say Sparky was a quick learner. He was following me around in about 3 minutes! I was so proud of my good nephew! I gave him some lovin because he was doing so well.