The DOOM Spaniels

~Happy Howling~

We changed our PT day routine, and I rode *to* PT with the Spaniels instead of getting picked up at the same time. Guinevere was so excited; I think she thought I was coming to Play Day with her. (I would love to. I'm sure hers is much more enjoyable than mine. I don't even get kibble for doing a whole set of reps.) She told me all the way how excited she was, and we laughed. Apparently she got really quiet after I left... but was very waggy and bouncy again when she got to her stop.

The Spaniels could tell I was getting dressed in Off-Farm clothes; lately they're more concerned when I leave, so I told them "It's Auntie Vet. Auntie Vet is coming." They immediately switched from "you're LEAVING us!!" behaviors (slinking around, clinging to me, and sitting sadly in their crates) to excited anticipation behavior (watching out the window, Excited Tristan Noises, and rowroos).

🎵AW-ROO-ROO-ROOOO🎶

We are working on "Sing Melodious." Gwyn gets excited and barks sometimes, she gets excited and rowroos sometimes. I'm trying to encourage the rowroos, but if she gets really worked up she does start barking excitedly. So we don't do this more than twice in a row (or it becomes counterproductive) and only when she starts out reasonably calm.

I'm hoping eventually she'll be able to interrupt excited barking to rowroo instead, with just a reminder to "sing melodious.'