Updates Updates

Not much has happened in the past week. Today Ty went with me to my crew team's meeting, and she did EXCELLENT. She didn't fall asleep, but she stayed in a down-stay the entire time. YAY!

After the meeting, my parents and I went to dinner at JP McCarthy's restaurant, but we ate outdoors because it was Ty's first restaurant experience. She also did amazing. There were TONS of kids running around and she didn't even budge. Even when our waitress came with hot pizza she stayed in a sit.

I just got word that there will be a puppy raiser and graduate convention near me on October 20th, and I'm SO excited!! I can't wait to meet everyone and their dogs!!

BIG GIRL VEST!

Now that Tyanna is 5 months, she gets her big girl vest! It FINALLY came today in the mail! She automatically looks so grown up. It's hard to believe this day is here....it seems like yesterday I was tossing and turning the night before I was going to pick her up, thinking about all of these milestones we would reach one day. Time flies.

Last week Ty went with me to a high school volleyball game, the beach, and an 8-year-old's soccer game (where a grad CCI skilled companion was!!). She will be going to another vball game this friday (I'll try to remember to get pictures!) Here are some pictures from the last week!!

I Can't Believe Some People

I just got back from my walk with Tyanna,
and we encountered a very frustrating situation.

Around the corner from us lives a skilled companion
graduate team. It is such a joy to see the dog out,
and chat with the family about CCI.

While out on our walk, we ran into lady walking her
dog (I am familiar with her, as I see her out all the
time, and she knows Tyanna is a puppy-in-training).
Like a normal 5 month lab puppy, Tyanna acted very
enthusiastically when she saw this lady and her dog.
Anyways, we got talking, and the lady told me: "This
dog will never make it, she could never be a working
dog." That comment drilled a hole in my heart...but I
know I can't listen to her. But, it gets worse.

She continued to say that she feels sorry for the
skilled companion that lives around the corner because
he is a "robot dog". She told me how he never gets to
be a dog, and is only used as a tool. Her evidence was
that the family didn't let the CCI dog play and greet
her dog while out. I nicely explained that a working
dog's attention must be focused on his handler, and
working time is not play time. I also educated her in
the process of choosing a graduate dog: how the dogs
absolutely LOVE what they do, and when they are
working, they are the happiest. She continued to
differ with me, telling me this dog has no life.

It was so frustrating! I remained calm and cool, and
tried to politely educate her, but she would have none
of it! Has anybody encountered this situation before?
How did you handle it? I see her lots, so I think I
will have to do some more educating in the future, and
I want to make sure I do it properly.

Thank you for listening to my ranting!!

Just for comparison's sake

This picture was taken almost 2 months ago....


This picture was taken today...

...and honestly, she doesn't look that much bigger! She IS bigger, and her face has deff. matured, but I think she has hit a plateu in her growing spurt. Plus, the vet said she's gonna end up being a small girl: only about 52 lbs....which for a lab, isn't much!

Here she is doing "shake":

Squeaky Clean!

This is Ty's new obsession...Mr. Crab. Sadly for him, it's the norm to be dragged around the house (usually while running) by a claw or leg...

Now that Ty has all of her adult coat in, I can really tell the difference when she has a bath, as she did today. Her fur is so SOFT, and light! When she had her puppy fur, it didn't really matter because puppy fur IS soft and light! I just can't stop petting her! She feels like she went to the salon and got blow dryed!!

Just though I'd let you know...

The Shopping Pup

So, a few days ago, Ty destroyed her first toy...a key labrador trait. It was a toy that she has had since the day she arrived, so it was about time. Some of her other toys were getting a little dirty too, so I decided to take her to the pet store to pick out a few new ones (as if she doesn't already have a trillion billion toys!). I hate wasting money on toys that she ends up not liking, so I literally allowed her to do the choosing. I released her from all commands, and we walked down the isles. She stuck her head into the shelves, and chose her first (the hard part was getting it away from her). Then, we decided to walk by the hanging toys...she took one off the display, and once again, I hate to fight for it, just to pay. Luckily, she didn't splurge on the super expensive ones...my kind of puppy :).



On another note, we have been giving her a bit more freedom. We have left her alone for up to 3 hours gated in our kitchen while we are out of the house. So far there have been no accidents, or chewed articles. Plus, it's nice to come to the door and see a puppy waiting on the other side of the glass, instead of in a crate!

Love Overdue...

I can't tell: either Ty thinks she's a human, or my friend thinks she's a dog.


I know, I am LONG overdue for a post! School started on the 28th, and ever since that day life has been CRAZY!

Lots of things have happened in the life of Ty, but I will try to remember most of them.

Last Wed. she graduated from puppy class! She will start basic obedience this Wed...very exciting! I really need to start her baby book so I can put her diploma in it. She has really been learning a lot, and is responding very well to all of her commands.



I've taken her to the train station twice to pick up my dad (who rides the train to work). I havn't taken her on the platform yet because of the extremely steep, open stairs, but we stand on the footbridge above the tracks and watch the train pull in. She remained in a perfect sit-stay! Wasn't even phased by the loud noise!


This is a very old picture...I couldn't find any recent ones!

My friend has a chocolate lab puppy who is exactly 1 month younger than Ty. Last weekend we slept over at their house (yes, a puppy sleepover!), and Ty did wonderful! They played well, and it was nice because she was completely exhausted the next day! Nothing bettern than a tired puppy!

Tyanna will turn 5 months on Thursday. In the North Central Region of CCI, this means that she gets her "big girl" cape - the one with all the patches and stuff on it - it's actually more like a vest with buckles. Anywho, you get the idea. I will post a picture when it comes! Now that she is 5 months she is allowed to go into public venues like stores, movie theaters, etc. YAY!

We also have a new treat system in our household. We use Bil Jac liver treats (her fav) for "hurry", Bil Jab peanut butter for training, and Old Mother Hubbard buscuits for "kennel" (I like the crunchy biscuits because they help keep her teeth clean). We bought small portions of each one, because we are trying to figure out what she likes best. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAINING TREATS AND BUISCUITS?! Alot of the containers were packaged so tight that she couldn't smell them, so it was hard to judge. Has anyone tried the science diet bucuits? And just for the disclaimer - she doesn't get a huge number of treats like it sounds.....we like to keep our girl nice and lean!




Over the past few days she has developed some gunk in her eye, so we have been flushing it, hopefully it will get better...or another trip to the vet it will be!

Oh! And she went on a road trip with me and the fam to go visit some colleges! She did GREAT! She was an AMAZING traveler, and it couldn't have worked out more perfect! We put down the seat next to me in our station wagon, and put her foldable crate there with the door open. She usually was half in, half out.