spring has sprung

Spring has arrived here in snowy Canada! We’ve been having days into the teens and the forecast is calling for the mid 20s later in the week!  Hurray! Not that we can rely on the forecast though… it was supposed to be sunny today but instead it’s grey with wind.

The snow is almost off the field but we still have pretty tall snowbanks on the north side of the house. There is still snow on the deck but maybe by the end of the week we’ll have the table and chairs deployed :-) We went out after supper and shovelled some of the snow off to expedite the process! A photo reminder came up yesterday from 2021 showing us eating supper on the deck… spring has been so slow or perhaps that year it was especially early?

Yesterday we took some of the dog training ‘on the road’ so to speak… It was rabies shot day so I brought one of their mats or ‘hopitup’ beds to help them settle as we waited for the vet. It worked! I let them have a few minutes of snuffling around the room but then they both happily settled on the mat :-) Of course I was giving them lots of reinforcement (yummy treats) since this was a new environment for that skill - they did great!

Pat came for supper last night - another test for Lupa - I left the dogs in their crates for her arrival then once Pat got settled I put Lupa on a leash and slowly, with lots of hand touches, sits and pivots, made it across the 38 foot expanse from her crate to Pat. One bark! She ran to her mat and was happy to lie there for a minute or two before I released her to say hello. I was able to interrupt the hello and ask her to go back into the bed a few times. Really pleased with the progress!

Sunday we had lunch at Mom & Dad’s to celebrate Graham’s birthday with a little nod to Easter. We were short a few people but it was a fun gathering which stretched a bit longer than I planned. When we got home Lupa was hysterical - the worst she’s ever been. I think the fact that it was past their supper time might have contributed to her stress but gosh! calm down!

Carm started chainsaw work today :-( 

Awesome!

“dogs lying on the mat at the vets”

“family”