More Max Days

Sorry for the lapse in postings the past couple of days folks but I have been experiencing technical difficulties with my computer. I have a different one coming tomorrow and hopefully will be okay for awhile. How does one manage without a computer again?? Answer for me anyway- Not Well! I missed it a lot and it changed my whole lifestyle. Meanwhile back at Miracle House Pet sitting things have continued to be happening. Young Max discovered the cats' shitty box! I heard him and he had gotten it moved so it effectively trapped him in a corner. The lickin' stick was handy and a few pops of that and much berating and he has not been near it again. Of course it was only a matter of time before he found it anyway-you don't get much past a JR. They “find” everything! And much that would be better off lost. I shall find life rather dull when he goes home and may have to visit him often for my JR “fix”, or would it just be a Max fix?? I really shouldn't lump them all together as I have no other JR's to compare him with.

Max’s' training has continued and although there is much more I would like to teach him time and my energy are running out. “Miracles” take longer even in Miracle House!

Maddie returned for a day and Max liked that and had someone to terrorize besides the older dogs-although thankfully he has left Keeper alone. Wednesday was the rainiest of days and Maddie didn't really want to be in the yard so I had her in the porch a lot after our walk. After supper she let me know that she wasn’t really happy and I figure it is my job to keep the dogs as happy as possible so I took her and Max out for a second walk. I did the unthinkable and turned them both loose at the park. I was banking on Maddies fairly good recall to get Max to come and it worked. I did it several times and reinforced things with cookies. Max ran as hard as he could run back to me after that. Recall is SO important and I wish people would spend more time on it at a puppies very early age. It could save their life! Of course Max's curiosity and energy work against him on that. Still, I was most pleased with the results. Wait til his owner is told to holler “Cookies!” for her dog to return. Too funny but whatever works. I have laid down the gauntlet to the owners of the three JR's at Teresa’s for a “Recall contest of $100 on which dog will return soonest. Foolishly I offered a bet of $100.00(which of course I don't have and can't afford) but I don't think they are going to take me up on it. Was most pleased to have Dave tell me I had done a good job on Max as they have been up front in seeing it happen. Its not often I get a pat on the back and I certainly glory in the few I do get. However I have been happy with the results my own self so there you go! Anyone else with a JR that's up for training?? He leaves on Sunday and it is coming all too soon! Max has certainly wrapped his paws around my heart and I really didn't see this coming at all! How long does it take to love a JR? Well for me I was done by the first week! Max is personality plus! Of course I love all the dogs that come here and they get to be favourites in no time at all. I am really enjoying having steady customers that return. Previous visits make it “old hat” for the dogs and me and we don't need to go through all that adjusting once we know each other.

I recently discovered Max does NOT like clothes and thinks them rather silly, He squirms and really does not like “getting dressed”. So he didn't wear the nice little raincoat that fits him and I only got one toenail clipped as he doesn't like that either. But it was a curled toenail and the one that mattered so I guess we could call that a stalemate? It has certainly been a crazy couple of weeks and if Max learned a lot so did I! If you think you'r life is a bit boring just try getting a Jack Russell. By the way one friend commented that they should be called Jack Russell Terrorists not Terriers. That’s almost as good as the misspelling of Cairn Terrier at the Village. They put down “Carrion” Terrier. I thought that was pretty funny and tell every Cairn Terrier owner about it. Thassit for today folks! We still have until Sunday anyway!