Days Seventeen and Eighteen

We started off to work and worked on ways to fix the streetcrossings that had been so louzy the last time we did it. Then we let Quito run free, and o wonder, she *can* bark! She barks much lower than Hapoo; compared to her, Quito has a monster bark, like I suspected from her growls. We played in the little parking lot at work and then walked back straight to the physiotherapist's, where quito lay quietly while I was receiving my treatment. Only when the table was raised, she got up and looked at it curiously. The therapist is a nice calm lady, who herself owns a Hovawart, which makes things much easier, of course. Quito followed her in and out of the cabin like a champ, I was really proud.

Then we went to the IKEA store so Quito had seen it, and of course, we went major shopping. Because hands were needed to carry things, Quito had to leash guide me through the store, following the coach. She did even that in a calm manner, as if she hadn't done anything else in her life. We then stopped at the pet store, where I bought a car harness, a dog bed and a longer leash to be able to controll her at work while she is lying down comfortably. We also found a scales and guessed Quito's weight before putting her on the thing. I said she weight more than 30 kilos, I decided on 32, because when lifting her up I had realized that she was heavier than Hapoo, who had a standard of some 28 kilos. The coach insisted she was no heavier than 26. We were both amazed when the scale's display showed exactly 32 kilos.

At home my new furniture was set up, and then I fed Quito her fish meal, which was returned a little later. She lso had her hickups again, though not as much as the night before, I am surely going to ask the coach about it, as it starts to worry me.

　

Day Eighteen:

The food worries are gone, thankfully, so much for now. Besides that, we had another rough day. quito was testing her limits in a more than obvious way. I did put in an obedience session of two sits and ups at one point where she just was not going to even walk, and that surely helped set things straight between the two of us. There is one traffic light, at which we constantly meet dogs, so she is extremely distracted. However, that light is crucial, so we'll have to work on showing it a lot. But as we know, ignoring dogs is the hardest exercise, at least for Quito. But then again as we were passing the grocery store on the way to the therapist's, she passed another dog very nicely after a gentle verbal reminder.

After a break at the bakery we went to the train station. As we had just missed the train to mom's vilage, we took the chance to practise train entrances again, and this time it really worked much better. As we were enjoying the weather on the platform, waiting four our train to arrive, my friend Theresa, who had been the first one to greet Hapoo, came and said hello. She was not growled at by Quito at all, but received with interest and curiosity. Quito found the second train entrance, and visibly enjoyed the walk towards mom's home. We let her play on the field route, and on the way back we met my niece, who played "catch me" with Quito.

At mom's we first enjoyed the sun out on the balcony, and then a really delicious cake, which my sister had made, and we talked a lot, of course. Then we had to run to the train station in order not to miss the train (that would have meant waiting for an hour).

When we arrived at home, Quito immediately went to sleep. I had decided to feed her kibble, for she chews that a little more and eats it more slowly. This time it stayed inside the stomach, and I heard no more hickups or anything like that. Tomorrow will be the last day of official training, and I know, the real continuous work is just beginning.

Day Sixteen

The coach came back from her longer weekend and called me when she was downstairs. Quito was in a good mood and wanted to play, so we decided I should go to the bakery on my own. I did, and only messed up at that one crossing where the traffic light has no acoustic signal showing where the lightpole is. We did it again later, and then it worked allright. Quito raced past the bakery, because the coach was waiting behind the corner. Of course, Quito was really happy to see the coach, but she settled down soon and we took a break and talked.

I was also amazed that on the way to the bakery Quito very nicely showed me the entrance to the therapist's, where I will need to go. We went there again after the break and practised locating the elevator and the entrance door, I think that will work allright. Then we walked to the streetcar stop and went to the train station, where we practised train doors again, there happened to be trains that were parked there - really wonderful and stressless. Quito is still reluctant to show closed doors. Sometimes she will look at them but then suddenly decide to walk on, as if to say:

"I know what the task is, but maybe if I don't show you the entrance, we won't have to board the train."

She finally did show some entrances acceptably, and then we went to the city. There, too, Quito behaved really well and worked in a manner that I can control. We did try to coax her onto an escalator once, just casually, but she put on her breaks and we let her win this time.

At home a large beef bone was waiting, and she eally enjoyed it while I was talking to a colleague on the phone. I notice interesting playing habits. Quito likes to dig her head deep into gaps, like between my legs when I am sitting on the floor, until her nose touches the floor again. Then she tries to knock me over and I knock back, and then she finally lies down. She apparently likes to lie on her back, quickly roll her head around, mouth wide open. And when I poke her gently, she growls and tries to bite her own tail, until I put her head back down, poke her and the game starts all over. I also think she might be a good fetcher eventually, if I am patient enough.

I woke up t night because Qito seemed to have major hickups. I had never had it so bad with Hapoo, so I called the coach. Of course, I could have had the sae idea, just take her out and see if she finds some grass. Quito did seem to need the extra walk, at least she was qhiet then and I slept until the morning when she woke me up asking for another walk.

Day Fifteen

Allright, we did let the dogs run free again, and Quito certainly had a marvelous time stretching her legs. She very nicely stayed outside the kitchen after testing her limits once, it was really great to watch. Then I decided to put her in harness and work her the way to the doctor's. quito walked at a nice pace and did a great job. As I had predicted, the doctor transferred me to have Xrays done and to get massages. So mom drove us to the Xray place and afterwards we explored where the nearest therapist was. It is cool, it is near my favourite bakery, and so I immediately got a few appointments. I walked home on my own and had Quito show a few traffic light poles - flawless. she also walked home nicely, the end of the session was a stroll on flexible leash.

Of course, we were both tired when we arrived home, but the weather is fantastic, and so I stayed outside on my balcony for a while. Tomorrow the coach will be back at our side, but I think the break was good to build up the trust between us. quito watched very closely as I disappeared in a public bathroom and was equally alert when Blood was drawn from my arm or when I hid away in the Xray cabin.

We will see how training goes today, but I for one am very optimistic.

Days Twelve to Fourteen

I did find the rope, and it was a wonderful idea to bring it back to life with Quito. That morning we had our very first walk completely on our own. Analyzing it ow, Quito was very insecure and screwed up at most street crossings, which didn't help build up my self-confidence either. I repeated the crossings several times, but the traffic lights were a flawless exercise. That persistent work really payed off. I did finally arrive at the bakery after having gone to work and back, but both Quito and I were tired when we arrived. Of course, she was happy to see the coach back. On the way home Quito was so relieved the pack was back together, that she started playing with her leash and being silly. I let her, it was fun to see.

Of course the coach and I talked about the route and why it went so bumpy, and we both developed strategies to fix the problem. However, my left shoulder, the one on which the dog walks, acted up badly, and I was quite happy a break was ahead. The coach left to spend the weekend at home, and both Quito and I took a well-deserved rest. At night Daniel came to visit. Quito growled as he entered, but he was very good at ignoring her, so eventually she warmed up to him and enjoyed the scratches he offered. I will probably spend the weekend looking after my shoulder and playing with Quito as well as I can, so hopefully on Monday we can go on new adventurous tours.

　

Days Thirteen and Fourteen:

I woke up with my shoulder aching more than before. I walked Quito and then tried to fix the shoulder in various ways, but it wouldn't work. I tried to work Quito by playing with the rope, but I think that she missed the daily routine of going for walks. The coach has gone home, but we had agreed that I could go for a little walk in harness if I felt like it. I would have, but the shoulder was in the way. I even cancelled a shopping trip with my sister, during which Quito would have walked on leash. I took a bath and slept much, until finally at night I dug out the pain killers. Trust me, when I do that, it has to be somewhat severe. I did walk Quito four times, just to have her outside a little.

The next morning was horrible, as I woke up and thought I'd call emergency. But once I had started to move my arm a little, things improved, and I walked Quito, who finally at least did her small business.

Plans are that we will be going to see the Wheelchair man's parents with same person, so Quito can make friends with their little dog Basti, a really cool guy. We'll have mom's delicious lunch and later cake and coffee, and stroll through the vilage, if my shoulder doesn't tell me off.

Then Daniel ill drive me to my mom's place, so I can go see my home doctor the following day. What follows will be a trip to another doctor, I think, and most likely we will have to find a physical therapist near my home then. And it is about time I find another good doctor near where I live - trouble's just that you don't know what you will get, but you know what you have.

Day Eleven

We first took the streetcar and then changed to the city train. Once we had arrived at the train station, we strolled along the train and worked on locating entrances. The result was mixed but acceptable. We went to the bakery that used to be Hapoo's favourite spot, had our lunch break and then went o the pedestrian zone in the city. In the pedestrian zone quito displayed some abilities that really made my heart jump. She showed a store and my bank by hesitantly walking towards them, and was quite happy to go inside. O this is really something that makes my life so much easier, as I am not really good at orienting myself in terms of distance already walked. Even the traffic lights were announced acceptably, and then we called it a day.

At home I found that my kind neighbour had accepted to receive a package for me, which included the frozen fresh meat that I am intending to feed Quito. He even walked upstairs to hand it over, so I could put the load into the freezer I had bought solely for that purpose. Besides the portions ordered (beef and fish) I received some canned food (slowly heated so it does not lose too many of its vitamines and minerals), a few cooked meat portions and even dog biscuits that have meat as their main ingredience. I am planning to feed Quito more fresh meat, but I will not be able to do without kibble. After all, I am going to be considderate towards my colleagues when I am working late shift, some of them may not like the sight of the meat. Plus when I travel it is impossible to carry along meat that is required to be frozen.

At night Quito and I went on our first walk in harness alone. We were invited at Daniel's. First she did not want to walk with me, but then after an intensive talk she did walk at a brisk pace, took the right turn, as Daniel gave the direction, found the entrance and even showed me the elevator. At Daniel's place she was excited at first but soon settled down in a little corner between our two sofas that she considders safe and comfortable. She found a little rubber bone that Daniel's dog was supposed to play with, and so we played a little game of fetch. She takes it nicely, even brings it back to me and releases it on command. When running free she has never been the greatest fetcher. It was then that I decided to see if I could find the rope that Hapoo used to play tug of war with me, Quito might like it.

Daniel had a great laugh as we walked home, for Quito looked at everything. When people passed by, she really looked up into their faces, stared at a car driver who passed by and thoroughly inspected a streetcar. A mass of people is not at all attractive, but a single person is extremely interesting for her. I am sure we will have a great time together.

Day Ten

she had her debut on my bed but won't get another chance too soon. She is not as caucious up there as Hapoo. She just puts herself down over the entire space and stays there, not willing to move down when told so. So she will stay off the bed for a very long time. I took her out for her morning walk early, an she growled as the old man on his bicycle arrived. He aproached us slowly, which she did not at all like. The coach and I know now when she growls, and it is allright and can be kept under control using easy strategies.

We met the coach outside this morning, for we wanted to go to the city anyway. There was only one traffic light to show, and she did fairly well. Quito even walked into the streetcar ahead of me, having shown an entrance, how wonderful. And then came a very busy day for her. We first met mom and the sister for brunch, and then started a shopping marathon.

We really walked in and out of clothes stores, for the coach needed a dress or something equally dressy for an occasion back at her home.

When Quito got too uneasy, I asked that we go to the city wall for a relieve break. We did, we even let her run free a little, contact with dogs included. I would never have done that, but since the coach was with me, I dared and nothing happened. However, Quito was so busy watching and sniffing, that she forgot the reason for the break. Since she is a real champion at holding it, I thought she was going to go for a world record, and we continued our shopping trip.

Of course, in the last store Quito finally relieved herselff in the middle of an aisle. She did that so quietly and discretely, that we only noticed it when we returned and walked back the same aisle. When we stopped and realised that that smelly pile must have been Quito's property, she took the chance to ged rid of the rest. Thankfully, the coach was with me, and she asked for something to get rid of the mess. She picked up the piles and offered to really clean up, but they called the cleaning person with her cart to do the job. While we were waiting, a lady passed and very loudly and with disgust exclaimed:

"Disgusting",

to which I replied:

"Yes, it is."

Of course it is disgusting, but once it is done and taken care of, there is nothing more that can be done. We had even stopped at the fish place so familiar to Hapoo, to ask for some water for Quito, so she would not have to suffer. But neither the coach nore I expected this to happen.

The coach had finally found something for herself, which is not the perfect solution, but it is something that she is happy with and can also be worn on other occasions. We had pasta at the pasta place, also owned by the fish folks, and then left for home. Quito was happy, I'm sure.

I have changed food bowls. She had one that was on the floor for both her water and the food, but she was not a good eater. Because she had always left food in the bowl, I decided to get the double bowl from the storage in the basement. The two bowls can be raised according to the dog's heighht. For some odd reason Quito immediately started eating much better and did not leave a crumb behind.

I have also ordered some meat from a butcher's. It is fresh meat without anything but some fruit and vegetable. It comes in portions of 500 grams and is frozen. I bet Quito will love it once I start feeding it at least during the weeks when I am on early shifts at work. I am considderate enough not to feed her raw meat when we are at work, some people might not like it too much. And when I go on long travels in summer, it is also more practical to carry kibble than meat. So I am going to feed her hhalf meat and half high quality kibble, we'll see how it goes.

Also this morning, I gave her a dog biscuit. She managed to eat it, but before that I practised some give and take with that biscuit. Believe it or not, she really seemed to have grasped the meaning of both words, as she really let me have the biscuit when I asked her to give it.

I am very happy with Quito, you can always be sure to have stories you can tell. Currently she is on her mat in the bedroom, where she is probably sleeping. She has done and seen so much today and mastered slippery floors and elevators and also passed by a million escalators.

Good night, Chris:-)

Day Nine

This was a tough one. We went out and everything was okay. The coach arrived and we headded for work again. Of course, this was to be traffic light day, and it was for sure. The first light we encountered was our target for a long while. Probably not half an hour, but it felt like it. The next light went down really well, so we went into work and talked to my cousin, whom Quito seems to have recognised.

But as we were leaving the place, my colleague and dog advisor Petra came to say hi. You wouldn't believe it, Quito took a moment to think and then jumped up on Petra like I have never seen. Petra was the one who had taken Quito to her first host family from the breeders, but I never thought Quito would remember. That was so wonderful to see! We went back towards the trafic light and again took a long while to get it right. Again, the second one went allright, but the third one was desastrous again. It was partly my fault and partly Quito's obvious unwillingness to do her job. I am really glad the coach is with me, so we can fix the problem before we are on our own.

In the supermarket, Quito did a great bit of following around obstacles and past shelves, that was great to see. She even found the entrance to the streetcar and was great in the city, except that she very quietly aproached another dog and contacted him.

We modified her anouncing the traffic lights so that she has to sit in front of the pole, maybe that gives some calm closure of the task and makes it easier for her. As we grow as a team, more and more things are to be worked on before the coach leaves us with a good feeling. The coach and I are getting on very well, and as a side effect I get advice on how to change my diet to a healthier way gradually, and she goes to a cosmetics store with me to look at their products for herself. Surely, by the time we arrived back at home we were all tired and worn out.

Day Eight

Day Eight:

We started for work again. The route itself is simple, but there are traffic lights she needs to anounce. We saw that she had problems with it, but it was still acceptable. At work everybody was wonderful. Folks did not at all look at or pet Quito, they only did so when I told them. Quito is a dog of changed policies. She is sceptical of strangers, so we encourage everybody to pet her. She walked the routes there flawlessly, like she knew it. It was fun to see how she pulled towards her new place, had a bit of water and then stood by the dog bed. I think it smells like those at home, mainly like Hapoo, so she knows. But lying down and waiting is difficult with all the new impressions.

After lunch we left, having met my cousin and Daniel in the wheelchair. Next came a traffic light marathon. There are many if you continue from work to a supermarket. Quito was not amused, but we only stopped annoying her when she showed one light acceptably.

When we finally returned home she was really tired and collapsed to sleep.

Also, a new harness was ordered, which is going to be the graduation symbol, if you wish, when it arrives. So far she runs well in Hapoo's old harness.

Day Seven

We went for the morning route, but of course, Quito did no business. She doesn't like flexible leash breaks, she is a free runner.

So when the coach came to pick us up, we tested Hapoo's harness on Quito to see how I would feel using it. We had decided to try the route to work, and there a wonderful surprise was waiting. Where I have to cross the main semi-highway street, they have installed audible trafic signals - that is really really wonderful. Quito walked marvelously, but showing these sign poles was not her favourite task it seems. We could not go into work, but we let her run around the little parking area where Hapoo also used to run. Sure enough she did her business there. Then we walked back and paid some more attention to the traffic lights.

We took a longer break at my home and then started for my mom's place, which includes the streetcar, the central train station and a train and a longer rural route. It was nice to see that Quito raced along, just like Hapoo, as if she knew the way. We had issues with entrances to the trains, but we decided to see how it develops from here.

Mom had made a really delicious cake, and Quito tried to play with my sister's little dog. He is not a major player, so eventually I got her to settle down by my side for the really tasty food. then we all went outside, and my niece played frisby with the dogs. It was fun to see how Quito picked it up, and when my niece tried to grab it from her, running was more important than possessing. Quito and my niece even played a little game of tug. But when I called her, Quito came.

We sat and talked for a little longer, before we went back to the train station, coach, Quito and I. We saw two signs of imprivement, as Quito really showed me the entrance to the streetcar and then even announced the trafic light, even though that is so easy to locate and show. But or now we are happy with every little sign of improvement.

I am sure Quito was tired by the time we got back home, and she received a beef bone for supper, which I had put out to defrost in the morning.

Day Six

As we went for the morning run, Quito really tested her limits, her recall turned out to be really bad. I am working on her desire for food rewards, and I am really getting somewhere by making it a fun game. It was on the morning run that I decided to use the flexible leash from now on, so the experience of getting back to me can easier be a positive one, while I am able to influence it, too.

When the coach picked me up it was snowing again, but we started the drive towards my home. The weather improved as we got further north, and there were no traffic jams. We talked a lot, I showed her the free walk route I use every day, and she said that that was enough, considdering that it is just a potty walk and not work.

It is good to be back home, for sure. I started to unpack once the coach had left, and Quito followed me everywhere. She did not want to go to her place. So I decided to force myself to be lazy. I sat down and started checking my emails, and surely Quito settled down by my side. I let her, I could feel her suspicion of invisible back doors or gaps that I might escape through, now that she was put into an environment where she knew nothing and nobody but me.

Her sensitive side kicked in as she did not want to eat much of her food. So again I made it a game of search, and that really persuaded her to grab the bites she found and really eat them.

day five

Quito is testing her limits on the free run. The little wooden gate to the route I usually walk has been opened after I had told the lady that they had blocked my familiar route. We had a good laugh for sure.

When the coach arrived, we both were annoyed that it was snowing once again. It really looks like we are not granted too much grass, as it is covered with the present white powder over and over again. We drove to the large nearby city, where Quito guided almost flawlessly. Only the sight of dogs distracts her a good lot.

Both the coach and I had a great laugh when Quito very nicely walked me up to the entrance to the coffee shop where we had stopped the previous day. She must have enjoyed it there. She probably does not know that you can walk through the café into one of the malls that she does not like. Well, we passed the store and walked into another one, where I ended up buying myself a huge towel (I just love the extra large ones) and a CD for my friend. She and I both like Chris de Burgh, I more than she, but she has always supported my passion at the times when I could not financially afford it. Hapoo used to refer to Chris de Burgh as the music man, but Quito has not encountered his voice yet. The coach bought a huge bag full of other sweets, and then we left for the train station to pick up the friend. Her dog is an extra lively, not easy to handle but very beautiful GSD named Mystik. We walked to the café, where we talked for around three hours. And when we took the friend back to her train, Quito and I boarded, just to see how it might work. My friend had presented the coach with a smaller version of assembled sweets, which we had a good laugh about. And I received a really nice dog towel.

We drove home and called it a day, because the coach needed to get a few things done before leaving for home.

Day four

Here is another highlight. Today for the first time I managed to send the dog to her place from a distance. I was busy in the bathroom, and for some reason Quito seems to think that there might be a back door I could escape through. She is very suspicious whenever I am in there. So I firmly sent her back to her place, told her to lie down and - o wonder - she did! She did not bark when the coach knocked on the door, and on the free run in the early morning she even played and jumped up on me. We gradually but visibly warm up to each other and accept one another.

Again we went to the city. Quito marched me through the train station in a brisk pace, thus causing spectators to look at us in amazed admiration and clearing the route. O it is wonderful to speed through the world again. Then came street crossings and three shopping centers. Quito hates it to walk along the edges of the second floor, where you can look down. But she lets me encourage her and does obey when I tell her that we are not taking the next exit.

The ladies got the better of the coach and me, as we stopped in the perfume department of a store, met a great shop assistant who helped us select perfumes. While Hapoo preferred to lie in front of me, Quito chose to lie behind us, so we had free access to shelves, but also clearing our backs. Even at the cash register she lay behind.

We tried to provoke her to growl several times, but she did not do so anymore. Maybe she trusts I am strong enough a pack leader now that can protect her from danger. She is a bit on the scared side, but she wants to be left in peace when she is scared, she will not jump to the front line and drive the scaring part of the situation away. I am convinced I will manage to keep this insecure behaviour under control.

Then a bit more walking, and then we went for coffee and cheese cake, and we talked and talked. We also talked about Hapoo's loss, which was really nice. Besides, the sun has been shining so far, it is really relaxing to feel the spring on the winning side.

For the afternoon session we drove to the little city nearby, which none of us knew. Quito walked flawlessly along the streets. She only got scared once by a car driving over dry snow, but she gathered herself and walked on. At the end of that she was really tired, she did not want to hop into the car on her own, so we were so kind to lift her up. We also left her in the car when we hhopped out to grab some fresh fruit from a little store.

Another cute thing that happened was that after feeding I knealt down on the floor with Quito, and she challenged me for a little wrestle. It is fun, and she seems to be enjoying it. I can easily calm her down with relaxing strokes. Then she collapses and hides her head under the armchair. And yes, she is learning to move out of my way when I aproach. It is so wonderful to see (I might be repetitive here), how the puzzle seems to be falling into its shape piece by piece with well audible but pleasant clicks, or chimes, if you wish.

Day Three

Quito is getting there. She did not growl again, and we are working on her territorial issues from the very beginning. Before we go working in the city, we usually let her run free, and the coach tells me what she is up to, when to call her or when to simply change directions, so she is standing on her own. That is when she has to make the decision whether to go her own way or to follow the pack. And since she is a bit of a softy, she most likely will choose the second option.

She now accepts the treats out of my bait bag. I had her focus one in the morning, moving it from her right to the left several times before she could have it, and from then on she has taken my treats and actually eaten them. I still call her an eating philosopher. She walks up to her food slowly and eats equally slowly, as if she were thinking of the sense or joy of every single bite.

In the city we crossed many streets and encountered a few dogs. Interestingly, Quito will avoid barkers and only try to aproach the quiet ones she considders friendly. It is good to see how she starts really listening to my commands more and more each time we go out.

This day we took a long lunch break at the hotel. In the afternoon we drove to a huge shopping mall. Quito does not like slippery floors, so we went for a lengthy stroll, also exploring a pet shop. O wonderful those fur coats or leather looks for purse dogs, the designer collars and leashes that cost a fortune, I wstill fail to see the use of them, I admit. But we did not find the dog treat we were looking for and only one dog bed that would have been apropriate for Quito's height. I did, however, find a flexible leash, and the coach bought some cat treats.

At night I finally used the room telephone, as the mobile network connection is non-existent. It is so good to hear people's enthusiasm as I call and tell them about Quito, that she is different from Hapoo, but that we are working well together. Even the obedience works well.

We do not have formal obedience sessions. It is rather a part of the daily routine, like sitting before release, lying down when I have food and only getting up when I tell her so, and not when the coach gets up. She listens most of the time, of course.

day two

I woke up at 3:00 am, not because of Quito, but because I just woke up. And what's better than to start your training journal at that time of day?

Highlight 1: When I reached out for Quito, she quietly wagged her tail. I found that she was lying with her head under the bed. When she thought it was time to get up, she came up, stood by the bed and licked my hand as soon as she could reach it. What she does not like is when I close the bathroom door, but we are working on it.

Highlight 2: We went for the morning walk, and Quito's energy kicked alive, as she started to run, using me as the center of action. That surely was fun to see.

After breakfast we drove to the coaches parents' place, where I had the chance to look at a Lab and a GSD briefly, before we went to the nearby city to start our morning walk.

Some commands are different from Hapoo's, and the way I use the harness handle and I apply corrections is also different. But we are learning, and at least I already notice it when I make a mistake. It is not easy to snap out of old habits that have been in place for eight years. The coach is patient and very calm, which really helps a lot. And the dog doesn't freak out too much when I do something wrong.

We then picked up a GSD to take her back to her breeder, because she had not qualified as a guide dog. The breeders were wonderful people and took us to see their youngsters. When they came to look at Quito, who was left in the car, Quito growled, as I opened the trunk to let her out. I reached and picked her up anyway, but it looks like she does not like to be stared at by people.

It is great that things occure while I am in training, so I can get advice and even try things to correct them while the coach is there. We are going to watch this closely to see what can be done.

Back at the parents' place we met a really tiny Malinois that had been rescued from Spain. A very shy little dog named Quinta, who is a marvelous runner and had great fun running and even being knocked over in play by Quito. The mother had made a really delicious cake for us, and afterwards Quinta even allowed me to pet her, which is quite an achievement. We left, stopped at a grocery store to pick up some water, and when Quito had been released for the final time, I was so tired, you wouldn't believe it. Her breeder tried to contact me, but I was so sleepy, and up here at the hotel room there is practically no network availability, so I just kept on sleeping. At least I am awake now and ready for new adventures.

Day One

Here goes the training journal. And if you have any questions, feel free!　

I woke up at 3:30 and finally got up at 4:00 to start the day. The previous night I had spent promising people to update them on what I would be up to, not knowing how difficult that would proove to be.

Anyhow, I cleaned up my apartment a little, had a really healthy breakfast, relaxed and checked my emails one final time. Then I threw the last items into my bag and left to wait for the taxi. As we arrived at the train station, the assistant was already waiting to take me to the right platform. I stopped anb bought some snacks for the road and then started the journey at around 7:30. I changed trains around two hours later, and around 1:00 pm I met Quito again after such a long time.

The trainer, whom I had talked to on the phone for quite a few times, aproached me, and when she was close enough, Quito came forward and sniffed my pants. I think she is shorter than Hapoo, both in height and in length. She has quite a layer of isolation material covering her bones, but that is justifiable, because she had spent most of her days outside. There is no stats file that anybody could read out for me, I will create it myself when I am home.

I knealt down to look at Quito thoroughly, and received two devoted kisses right away. No super bouncing energy, just a quiet little dog whose leash was unexcitedly handed over to me, while the trainer dragged the bag of mine. I considder that a nice exchange. In the car we did not hear a single noise from the back.

We first went to the trainer's home, where we were greeted by another dog, a very nice GSD named Vera. She charmed me equally, as she kept sitting down by my side for contact. We took a tour of the stables with the dog. There is a calf called Emily and four horses. Mara is shy, she did not like to be stroked too much. Shorty was as cuddly as a dog, I could have scratched him for hours. Sam always explores you with his lips, it's fun. Leon is shy, and Mis Santana is curious but not excited. The dogs know these animals and are very relaxed about it all.

I noticed that Quito is not at all a lively jumper. She did not play bouncing ball, and so far I have not heard her barkking. She reacts nicely to her name.

Inside the house there were quite a few cats, but again the dogs didn't care much about them, and fortunately they all left me alone. We had coffee, extremely delicious cake and a wonderful chat about everything, and then the trainer also showed me her birds. She has a well-equipped room only for her parots, but the dogs didn't join us in there.

After a quick look at the hotel room and the easy check in we went outside, let Quito run loose a little and then took her for the first walk in harness. Since she is shorter than what I am used to, we decided to expand the handle a little for the next time. Once she has gotten into the groove, Quito walks smoothly and with a nice pull, by far not as strong as that of Hapoo's when she was young. At times the coach had to walk behind us, which caused Quito to look back and wonder, but she walked ahead and reacted to my commands.

Of course, when I took her for her final break at night, she started testing her limits a little.

Overall she is different from Hapoo, not as lively and over the top, but equally alert and apparently very sensiitive. She does not race for her food but even has to be shown where it is until she starts eating. But she eats, which is most important. She is willing to lie under tables while I am eating, does not beg for food but also likes her own space.

So far her favourite game is licking me all over when she gets the chance, but we'll have to talk it throughh, maybe I can convince her of annother game. I have discovered that she sleeps with her head under the bed. And when I send her to her blanket she hesitates to go and stands on the blanket until I tell her to lie down. Her sit, however, is flawless, and I think we are going to have a good time.

Don't count the times I call her Hapoo, you would be very busy. One of my next tasks will be to cut the fur on her feet and legs, for it is a heavy lot to comb and would not be pleasant for her at this stage.

Oh yes, and the mobile connection is practically not available here. Maybe when we go to the city it will change and I take a moment to catch up on all my SMS activity. It is good to have a dog back, Chris:-)

Update and preview

Hi there, all you curious peop out there:

 

Yes, we have made it home, the little Quito and I. I am not going to tell you much now, except that so far things went extremely well. But once we have settled in allright, I will post the training journal with all the details of the adventure. The trainer is still with us, so the journal is not finished yet.

Keep checking back occasionally to find out how things turned out for us, and of course to find out details about Quito,

cheers, Chris:-

habitual hearing

Hi there:

 

Good news:

 

The Hapootalks weblog and the Hapootalks list will remain in place, and there will be no cange of names. There are two possible reasons, between which you can choose.

 

1. The linguistic aproach:

Hapoo is Persian and means "doggy", or more closely in its German translation, as it is used for toddlers in imitation of the bark, "Wauwi". Therefore it is justifiable to call quito a hapoo, a Wauwi/doggy.

 

2. the emotional aproach:

Hapoo has been my first guide, the founder of this weblog. She has shared many stories with all of us from her point of view. In her memory the blog will keep the name that we are all used to.

 

 

Allright, that's that. Moreover, I have decided to step in and share my own news, feelings and adventure of the two dogs while Hapoo can no longer report and Quito has not learnt how to do the job. But once she knows the art of keyboard thumping, I'll step back respectfully, of course.

 

Have you encountered the following phenomenon? I don't know if it happens to the sighted people, too, wiith their eyes playing games on them, or if it's just my brain having fallen into a habit.

It's been a week now since I came back here without Hapoo. When I went back to work without her last Wednesday, my brain played back the sound of her greeting people, whenever her favourite humans aproached or passed by. Whenever I heart a metal chingle, my brain fooled me, making me think it was the bell on Hapoo's collar, putting me on alert to follow what she was up to. When I was at home going from livingroom to bedroom, I heard her getting up from her place, taptapping to follow me. And after I have moved from one room to others frequently, tidying up or getting ready to work, and then sitting down on the couch to relax, I thought I heard her getting up to come and put her head on my knee for pets.

 

It's been here for so long, and I could write a piece of music about Hapoo's little noises now that they're gone. I really wonder, do eyes see something in its old place even after it is gone, or are the ears and brain playing such a mean trick on me only? These are the hardest moments, plus those when I am tempted badly to take the short leash and tell Hapoo "up" to go somewhere together.

 

And even though it is wonderful to be able to be lazy and not have to go out in this dreadful autumn weather that has followed the major snow, I cannot wait to have Quito at home, so there's life in the apartment.

Cheers, Chris:-)