The DOOM Spaniels

For such an energetic young baby, Gwyn has been mostly good about learning limited impulse control, like "go lay down" while the thumb-monkeys are eating. And Gwyn does want the food, human food is exciting.

But her main objection is that she can't *cuddle* during meals. (Even though she's getting more confident and spending less time attached to me like a remora, Gwyn objects strongly to the times when she's requested to not cling.) She will sit not-quite-next to me, and sing the sad song of her people at length--it sounds like a disgruntled pigeon crossed with a blender--until I put my dishes away. I get glomped.

Again, though, the human food is still pretty exciting, and Gwyn is only too happy to "help" me to "wash" my hands as well as claim her justly due cuddles. (which leads to another washing, with soap, later)

Gwyn is definitely getting comfortable with pillows. She's also getting good at "go lay down"; in all of these, she was watching me eat without trying to "help." (She really wanted to help.)

Tristan is such a young gentleman about the furless bipeds eating, these days. He can sit and watch patiently, knowing that he gets his treat once we are done.

Gwyn... is learning. Gwyn is trying. Gwyn is really, really trying. It's a difficult concept, and she's working at it. She's extremely sensitive, so corrections have to be very gentle or she gets agitated. She's made much more progress than I expected, already. She's an extremely good girl.

Tristan accepts that he can't have any and he can't touch, but he really, really wants to see. And sniff.

Tristan is not begging. Honest. Tristan is very very sleepy, and his pillows should be right here.

I heard Sad Tristan Noises and went to see. He had discovered an exciting stash of candy in a boot above his crate (we keep our shoes there so he won't carry them around and get them dog-saliva-soggy). It seems he was exploring. As I watched, he stuck his nose in the boot, then sat and made more Sad Tristan Noises, several times running.

I think he wanted to play "swap me," only he was afraid of picking up the bag of candy because it was too tempting. Tristan is getting good at turning his back or leaving the room when he is too tempted by stuff he's not supposed to steal; I think the attempt at impulse control combined with the possibility of a treat for "swapping" a found item was creating too much of an internal conflict for such a good Tristan puppy to handle.

(The candy was removed to somewhere safer, and Tristan got praise and carrots.)

Tristan is extremely interested in rattley pill bottles, but has learned to be very very good about just watching me open/close them (and he touches the rack they're kept on, from time to time, but doesn't try to take anything).

So about a month ago I started giving them to him when they are empty. I watch him carefully and take them when they start to crack ("swap" for a carrot). And I planned to take them away permanently if he started getting too interested in me taking meds from pill bottles, but it hasn't become a problem. He still sits quietly every day and watches with giant eyes while the rattley bottles are picked up and put back.

BUT. Tristan can hear the difference between a full bottle and a nearly empty one, and he sit-wags with much enthusiasm when he thinks I've used the last pill in a bottle. Clever, clever baby.

When Tristan can contain his wriggles long enough to be brushed (he loves brushing! but wriggles are BETTER) Tristan gets to bite the hairbush. He seems to love either the bristle texture or the sound of his teeth plunking the plastic.

Tristan demonstrates "stay," even though the gate to the pasture has opened next to him. He's waiting to hear "okay, go ahead!" but he knows that sometimes--not too often--the gate opens and he doesn't get to go through. We practice "stay" every time we open the gate, just for reinforcement.

Such a good boy! Waiting so patiently, and hoping. He'll get to go as soon as the picture is taken :)

I was so proud of Tristan-baby yesterday. I got my breakfast, I set it on the table... then I left the room because I was stumbling around in a morning haze. When I returned, Tristan was lying on the daybed next to the table, facing away from the food, just waiting for me.

He's trying very hard to do as he's being taught to do. So earnest, so intent. He has an odd interesting quirk: when he learns a verbal command, he learns THAT phrasing and intonation. So only "Tristan, COME" and not "Tristan, come here" or "Come, Tristan."

But general concepts like impulse control, daily schedule, things that are allowed without specific permission and things that are never allowed... he's getting good at those, very good, and wants to be a Good Boy.

Tristan is learning more impulse control.

As with everything else, he is wriggly and enthusiastic and Trying to Understand.

The dogs’ job, while I am eating, is to Go Lay Down and pretend there’s no food. If they are successful, they get a treat after.

This… ah… doesn’t all come in a single session. Oh, but he’s trying very hard, and he’s getting better every day. He can go longer between reinforcements, and is starting to relax and look away occasionally. Such a good, good wriggle puppy.

… PS: Happy Talk like a Pirate Day! Tristan is such a pirate, he has TWO eye patches! Arrrr. And I leave you with the best pirate ship fight scene of all time: https://youtu.be/w5eW_uEWRv8