Training the Owner

When it comes to dogs, I’m heavy on the praise and light on the discipline. Training and structure are not my strong suits.

I excel at hugs and kisses, but my “nos” are few and far between.

 

I have a funny feeling that needs to change.

 

My husband and I recently adopted an adorable terrier mix from the Front Street Animal Shelter. Her official name is S’more Maya White.  She joins our other terrier mix, Oreo, who was a stray and is probably about eight years old.

S’more is about as cute as they come, but she is also very smart. And smart is great, but it doesn’t usually mean easy!

 

On Monday, we left her and Oreo alone in the house for the first time while my husband and I went to work.

 

We put her in a large, collapsable travel crate we take on vacations. She also had a medical cone around her neck because she was just fixed.

When I came home for lunch to check on them, S’more was sitting with Oreo on the couch. I figured my husband had come home from work and let her out.

But nope, not the case. I looked over at the travel crate and she had slipped out of her cone and tore through the netted door.

 

 

Hmmm….

The next day we baby-gated her into a section of our living room. When I came home for lunch that day, she was once again sitting on the couch. She had found a small gap I hadn’t even notice and squeezed her way out.

 

So we have our hands full. And so does Oreo.

 

He was definitely lonely before, but I don’t think he was prepared for the ball of energy that now shares his home. He’s always been down to play, but he’s also always been the more active dog. He was younger than our beagle by more than five years.

I think this little one is wearing him out! I know it’s my guilt talking, but he looks at me with total exhaustion (and a little disgust) in his eyes.

 

For Oreo’s sake, I know I have to step up to the plate and put some structure into our two dog household.

 

She is excited and doesn’t know any better, so she’s constantly jumping into my lap, looking for love and attention. She’ll accidentally knocked him out of the way in her enthusiasm to be petted or to get a toy.

 

 

Oreo’s going to move out if I don’t get some training going with this little girl!

Fortunately, Front Street is great. In the packet you get when you adopt a dog, they provide a discount for training sessions. I emailed the trainer and she’s coming over on Sunday for our first lesson.

 

Do we adore our little S’more? Absolutely.

 

She is so full of love and energy. I don’t think we could have found a sweeter dog to join our family.

That said, does this dog-mom need some training? Without a doubt.