Hi Susie,

It's Jane from MN. My little Beau is asleep under my desk as I write this. We played frisbee earlier like we do every night. He is fast; I bet Oliver is too. I think the frisbee is Beau's favorite toy.  It's blue and made out of a material that's good for "chewers." We play outdoors and in the house. What are some toys that Oliver enjoys?

I see you have a neuter date for Oliver. I'll probably get Beau neutered shortly after that date. Neither of my male labs had any problems. In fact, they came home full of vigor!

I hope your weekend is going well! (Did you get snow?)

Hi!

How was your Halloween? We didn't get many kids this year even though the weather was relatively mild for this time of year. Beau did some barking but he was mostly curious.  My husband is out of town tonight so I had to answer the door and make sure Beau didn't escape.

He is stretched out on the carpet asleep but as soon as I get up from the computer he will wake up and follow me. Oliver sounds very smart. I try to get Beau to pick up the frisbee but he doesn't associate the toy with its name. We had fun in the backyard with it yesterday.  He loves to run and chase. So far we've been snow-free. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to the snow.

A question for you: when you let Oliver out  in the morning, does he "go" right away? Beau just sits for a few minutes and doesn't even pee. I actually have to go outside with him and watch to make sure he does all his business. I don't think I want to be doing that when the cold weather sets in!

I will look for the pictures you plan to post! Take care!

Hi Susie,

How are you and Oliver?  I can't believe the weekend is almost over! I took Beau for a couple of nice walks yesterday and today. We live near a walking/bike trail and it's very scenic. Beau gets lots of smells in!

Did you say you are getting Oliver neutered on 12/9?  I need to make an appointment for Beau as well.

You are lucky that Oliver "goes" right away when let outside. I don't know what it is with Beau. If I could get that issue resolved, we'd both be pretty happy. Other than that the potty training is going fairly well. Not there all the way yet, but soon I hope!

Have a great week and keep in touch! - Jane

Thank you, yeah I was super excited and we even ended up picking him up earlier :D

So now he is sleeping around with me :)

-Aurora

Yes, I watched it and was soooooo bummed!

I'm glad you like my "crystal ball". . . . .

I love your pictures!  Oliver is so precious!  Corgis are the best and they make our lives so much more exciting and fun!  Keep posting your great pictures!

Hi Susan,

It's Jane from MN. I so enjoyed talking with you as well! We have a lot in common with our little guys! I look forward to our continued correspondence. Beau is not a barker and for that I'm grateful. He barks appropriately, when he hears a noise outdoors but rarely barks otherwise. I did learn something from a co-worker about your "steps" issue though which you might want to try on Oliver.  My friend said his dog, Annie, wouldn't do steps, so they would put a little treat or kibble one step down and she would climb down the one step to eat it. Then they would continue the pattern of more treats on the next step, etc. It worked for them. Maybe you've tried this already?

Still dreading the Monday night obedience class. I think I told you that I get the feeling the instructor doesn't like me. On Monday, early in the class, I told Beau to "sit." He didn't at first so I repeated the command. Still nothing so I did a correction with the collar and lowered his butt. The instructor actually praised me for waiting and then making the correct follow-through. But THEN....we were practicing one of the most difficult things - getting our dogs to stand from a sitting position. It involves tucking the leash under the body close to the hind legs and then lifting his back side up with the leash. Beau was biting me, lying down, just not cooperating. So the instructor came over, tightened Beau's collar while giving it a firm yank and then performed the maneuver. Well, of course Beau performed like a pro for her. Then the instructor looked me right in the eye and said, "he has no idea who's boss." Well, I could have crawled away at that moment....

I'm happy to report that for most other tasks, Beau is doing pretty well.  Three more weeks before the final "graduation" night. I have lots of work to do if I want a passing mark.

Other than that, not much else is new.  I bet you are eager for your trip to California next month. I know you'll have a great time and Oliver will be just fine.

Good luck with the barking. I know you'll get it under control!  --- Jane