Unicorns...and butterflies, rainbows and Moonshine

Listen to this tune...while you read...Unicorns do exist!

All I want is the PERFECT puppy. Is that too much to ask for? Only half serious, or is that half kidding? What may be perfect for me, could drastically be different than what you consider perfect (collective literary "you", not YOU personally...although I am sure some might take that personally too 😉). No secret that I love dogs, love all my pups-the imperfect ones as well. Always looking for the special Unicorn. If I am looking for the pot o' gold, think I may just have created it in this little one. We shall see!

I have a house half full of aging and retired dogs, who I honor with the couch and daily runs, but not really formally "training" anymore. I looked at Ggrail last night and I know she misses agility, but she has always been more of a homebody and at almost 10 maybe we will go back and run some UKI performance jumpers or steeplechase, but she is happy just hanging out. Since she retired, my walking buddy who is so neutral to other dogs out and about, the wild ones on our hill leave her alone. We didn't finish her ADCH, but so what, she doesn't know that. 

I started a list of basic behaviors and skills that I plan to work on with my new pup. Calling her "Ever" (Vie for short) but also calling her Moonshine, because she is so perfect in so many ways, almost intoxicating! Firstly, need to decide her true name...she is an old soul. Reminds me of my Reve. I feel like her real name is still out there. She has a lot of toy drive and interest in working with you (there's that collective "you" again), but is also a softy and sooooo sweet. 

So, for skills other than life skills, looking at my Shape Up Pup past class, lots of good stuff from Amanda Shyne classes and will find a pet training class to get her out and about, we got closed out of any local puppy obedience classes (which I think is great, means people are socializing their pups!). Reviewing with SoBright and also working with Tarot, it will be a fun summer of training and exploring, to socialize the wee one. 

Pup has great body awareness and can back up in a straight line faster than many adult dogs. She loves to tug, has a great little retrieve already and so working on our bag of reinforcers, as we start the journey over the rainbow. She also is happy working and switching back and forth from toy to food and back to toy for reward-will keep that up, love that as a skill. She is also happy to repeat, rinse, repeat! Her airborne ability and tracking is a little scary smart, but nope-no high flying at 11 weeks. She has also shown interest (through a safe fence) of goats and sheep-so we will see what that brings in the future. So, she is perfect for me! "My" little Unicorn! ☮✪