More socializing

April 17th - I realized today I've been a little remiss on socializing lately - except for obedience class Sunny hasn't been getting off the property much lately, so off we went downtown today. Traffic, schools letting out, a loud motercycle, and she walked at a nice loose lead heel. Then off to the grocery store where I stood by the electric doors with people going in and out with carts - she just sat at heel and took it all in, though she'd never been out of the car at the store before. She was obviously out of her element but trusted me. Last I walked her in the parking lot while pushing a cart - nothing.
April 27th - Today it was back to the grocery store. Surprisingly only a couple of people stopped to pet her, but I was pleased that she again sat quietly with people walking inches from her without getting up or pulling to sniff and greet the people who didn't want to meet her. After the store we went to the skate park where she watched the kids on skateboards and bikes and a whiney motorized car on the dirt track (which I didn't give her time to spook at, so she didn't). Next was another park near home that she is familiar with but there was a big multifamily picnic going on. As we walked in that area people were coming and going and a couple of children came over to say hi to her. She has not had much practice at greeting new people, so I had her sit before they petted her, but for a dog who has very rarely seen children she did great at having 3 around her at once petting her, while a toddler of about 2 yrs old (one of identical twins) lunged for her then fell back afraid and screamed, then lunged forward again another 2 or 3 times. I was so proud of how quietly she sat through it all!
This has been my first week back at work since getting Sunny in December. I was very relieved to finally get a dog walker lined up at the last minute (after a month of looking for one) as she'll spend 10 hrs or more in her kennel each day that we both work. The dog walker will give her a mid-day run in the pastures for 1/2 hr, and she seemed to be doing well when I got home each day. I think I probably have more seperation anxiety than she does!

Sunny turns 6 months old

Sunny turned 6 months old on April 12th. She looks larger in the photo than she looks with someone standing by her, but she is about 23.5" at the shoulder now and 55lbs.
This has been our last month of 'together time' as I return to work next week from winter lay-off. Sunny came to us as she fit all the requirements I had for a puppy and as her litter was timed perfectly for my lay-off. She arrived 4 days after my last day at work in December for maximum puppy time before I go back to long hours this spring for the next 8 months. It will be hard on both of us to be seperated for 12-14 hours a day after so much time together, but she has been having kennel time everyday since she graduated from her crate a couple of months ago to get her ready for the change. I have been looking for a dog-walker for over a month and finally, in the last couple of days may have found someone. Also, Dad's schedule is very changeable right now, so he will be home with her some of the time.
She is still a very quiet, very obedient girl and we hope she will be totally trustworthy in the house soon, so she can be left loose. For the past few weeks I have tried to leave her alone in the house 1/2 hr to an hour at least once a week. The only things she has destroyed so far, inside or outside, are bits of the carpet in her kennel and the ear pieces off my reading glasses from the nightstand. Not bad for the past 4 months of puppyhood!
She just started her second obedience class last week so we are working on sit-stay and down-stay right now (as she already walks at heel). There are 10 dogs in class and she did well with the ones she met, and tried to play with the instructor's German Shepherd after class. She still loves all people and the other day I took her to the elementary school when school let out as she never sees children on a regular basis. She sat quietly on the lawn and watched about a hundred of them walk by. It was too bad we couldn't interact with any of them, but I would need parental permission first. Now to find a toddler she can see! I would also like to take her to the local Fire Dept and Police Dept to meet people in uniform.
She also did very well about 2 weeks ago when we went to a therapy dog testing for Delta Society. Sunny had to stay in the car during the testing so she wouldn't be a distraction. An hour in the car by herself, which is the longest she's been in there alone with me out of the car, and she just slept and hung out. After the testing I brought her inside to meet the people and dogs. She happily went up to all the people and loved them and cautiously approached the 3 big dogs (two labs and a boxer)and made friends with them too, then just lay on the floor and waited while we talked. She got told a lot that she was beautiful, and everybody just loved her and was amazed at her quiet little personality for 5 1/2 months old! They all agreed she's going to have no problems being a therapy dog when she reaches her 1 yr old required age.