Re: ? Meet Chi-Chi! ?

red&curly · ‎12-30-2019

@Mz iMac How is precious Chi-Chi doing lately?

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@red&curly wrote:
@Mz iMac How is precious Chi-Chi doing lately?

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

Well, it will be 1 month on the 12th of this month. So far, Chi-Chi will sit spoken in English on command w/treat. So far she is bilinqual w/that word. In fact when she wants a treat w/o me offering whe will walk up to me & "sit" w/o me saying it.

She fully knows her name & will "come" when I call her name unleashed & leashed.

Due to the critters around where I live I have to be very careful keeping her on a short leash when out in the woods. I have the type of leash that can stretch out to 6 feet. She chases every critter she sees. She loves chasing the wild turkeys, rabbits, beavers & chipmunks. Today she barked a fox back into its hole. Deer they just look at Chi-Chi & go their merry way. Chi-Chi does the same. I also found another trail w/no critters. This will be Chi-Chi's new trail. I think it's a "bike" trail. Saw numerous small bike tracks. Bike trails are usually away from the critters habatat.

The other day she had a "play date" w/a very playful female lab. Did not go very well. Chi-Chi growled & barked the dog right back into her house. I don't think she is "dog" sociable. I noticed if we pass another person walking their dog, she growls. I am going to have to work on her "dog" social manners.

I do know Chi-Chi does NOT have separation anxiety when left alone in my apt un crated. I had an appt the other day & I did not want to take her w/me or leave her in her crate. I ordered my Amazon DOT to play "Calm My Dog" music (soft classical music) on a 3 hr loop. Knocked her out. I left my TV on the "classical music" channel as a backup.

Told management what I did & apologized in advanced if there was any barking complaints. Three hours later I came back-no complaints, a neighbor from my floor was in the lobby & told me she heard no barking.

Chi-Chi met me at the door tail wagging. Apt was just as I left it. Nothing out of place. I gave her a "good dog" treat & took her for a long walk in the woods to her favorite "lets see what I can chase today" spot.

She still does not "play w/toys." Kicks them out of all her beds & crate. Still turns her nose up at peanut butter. The only treat she gobbles up is freeze dried minnows. Oh yeah, she likes mozzarella' cheese. I give that to her as her dinner desert. A whole tube! She no longer hides her kibble since I've been mixing it w/chicken/veggie pate.

Still refuses to use pee pads. A trainer told me, it is extremely hard to train an adult dog to use pee pads if they never used one before. I finally stopped trying when I found her sleeping on one that I had just spayed w/pee attraction. I should be thankful that she only wants to potty outside no matter the weather.

I ended up giving a neighbor half of my pee pads. I wanted to keep half "just in case."

This weekend, I am taking her for "back seat" car rides around the community inside the cat carrier. I am bringing along a lot of her favorite treats if no barking.

Next week training: "Stay!" She responds to that command when I leave the house & she runs to the door after me. She ignores this command when outside in Spanish & English.

Chi-Chi finally met Killa (my highly aggressive cat). Up until now, they have been playing footsies because Chi-Chi had a contagious kennel cough. Killa hissed, Chi-chi growled. Killa went back to his room. Chi-Chi made sure he stayed in the room. When I closed the door, they played footsies. I am going to have to take baby steps w/these 2.

All in all, Chi-Chi is doing better than expected. Her house manners are impecable, loves to sleep/nap all day after her NASCAR speedway outings in the halls. I have a Hispanic neighbor who is helping me making Chi-Chi bilinqual.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."