In Yesterday's entry I mentioned some behavioral issues I've had with Stella.  As I said, any problems that arise are directly related to inconsistencies in implementing Amichien Bonding.  For example:  pulling on the lead.  I had been very successful in teaching Stella to heel and walk on a loose leash in the backyard.  However, I jumped the gun and took her out into the big wide world too soon and in my desire to take her to a park nearby I became tolerant of her pulling ahead to get there.  She soon learned where we were going and that I more than likely had a frisbee in my pocket.  What I failed to do is directly turn around and return home when she would pull ahead and dictate where we were going.  Another mistake was taking both her and Gordo together and letting them both pull on the leads.  Here is the bottom line:  unless I am happy and in control and both dogs are calmly walking on loose leashes the walk is over. 
    So here is what I did to correct the problem.  First of all, I backed up and did some more work with her at home in the yard.  We did Stop,Start, Change Directions until she knew that I was in control and she was not making any decisions about where we were going.  If I could approach the gate out into the front yard with her not pulling, we would go into the front yard and do some more work there.  It took many times of not leaving the yard for her to realize she was not in control.  The consequence of her action (pulling) was no walk to the park.  We can now go to the park with her not pulling on the leash.  Consistency and patience are absolutely necessary for the method to work.  It is so easy to give in when I want to go to the park and play with her.  However, more important is my being in control at all times.  That's what true leadership is all about.

    Apologies to all five of my loyal readers for the long lapse in posting.  Life just gets busy with other projects and the blog suffered.  So now that the holidays are over and it's a new year I will try to get back into the routine of regular updates.

    Stella is just over a year old now.  What a lovely little lady she has turned out to be.  I'll start with all of her good qualities and work into the challenging aspects of her personality.  In all fairness, whatever issues we have had and are having have all been a result of chinks in the Amichien Bonding process.  One thing I know,  if you are consistent and follow through with all four principles, it works.  Every time we make a wee exception, there are problems.

    My last entry was in late July last year.  As bleak mid winter surrounds us at the moment it was bittersweet to look back over the photos of hikes into the mountains and swimming in the river.  We did indeed have a glorious summer of fun.  Autumn was a wonderful season as well.  It was a beautiful one with brilliantly colored trees, crispy clear days and cold nights.  Winter arrived right on time and we have had some very good snowfall.  Stella loves the snow.  We have taken her cross country skiing, snowshoeing and just walking in the winter wonderland.  If she has a choice of  staying above the snow in our tracks or plowing neck deep through the powder, she chooses the latter.  Everything is a game and an adventure.  

     Stella thought the Christmas tree was put up just for her enjoyment.  One evening we came home to about a dozen ornaments from the bottom of the tree scattered all over the living room floor.  One ornament she ate entirely except for the chimney on the dog house.  We thought it was interesting that she chose a "dog related" ornament to eat.  Because we have four cats we usually put soft ornaments made of cloth at the bottom of the tree.  Unfortunately Stella found the few that were not indestructible.  After that she left the tree alone, I guess she had shown it who was boss so no more need to wrangle it! Kent reminded me when I came close to blowing my stack when I saw the carnage that it does no good to get mad at them after the fact.  Talk about the pupil keeping the teacher on track.  He was absolutely right.

   Well, another two weeks have gone by and I struggle to get an entry made on this blog.  Company came and went last week and tomorrow more arrives.  Stella, Gordo and I have managed to spend a good deal of time hiking and seeking out cool water to plunge into.  Temperatures continue to scorch Montana....every day 90 degrees or more.  I also spend a lot of time watering my poor flowers trying to keep them from wilting under the intense heat.  
   Two weeks ago my little girl learned to swim.  We took it slow and Gordo was a great teacher and example for her.  Now, whenever we are near a river or stream in she goes, and not just to cross from one side to the other!
She swims in circles just for fun.  She will walk up the middle of a shallow ripple in a creek enjoying the cool water.  Last Sunday we went on a hike with our friend Susan B. and her three dogs.  Brixon and Stella had great fun retrieving the frisbee from the creek.  Brixon usually got to it first with Stella in hot pursuit.
   Last week another friend of mine named Susan C. and I took my two dogs and her dog Tilly on a hike.  Tilly at one point became very stressed and we couldn't get her to stop harassing Stella.  Stella tried so hard to be the peace maker...showing Tilly all sorts of calming signals to let her know everything was OK.  Tilly was a rescue dog so we don't know everything about her background, but I think she was taken away from the litter and her mother too soon and didn't learn the body language skills that help dogs signal to each other that everything is OK and there is no need for alarm.  I sent Susan home with a book that explains these signals and helps dog owners teach them to their dogs.  I know it isn't Jan Fennell method but it all fits into helping our dogs communicate with each other and humans.  
   I will post photos from both of these hikes with my "Susans" and their furry friends.  Kent and I are looking forward to the arrival of our dear friends Chris and Janet from Scotland tomorrow.  I will be busy with them for a week and then Kent and I take a few days off to stay at a lake house north of us on Flathead Lake.  We can take both dogs with us so that should be an adventure filled weekend with many stories to relate.