Squeaky Clean Swimmer

May 27, 2007. What a series of adventures I’ve had. Tom and I continue to run at the park and go for car rides. I am completely calm when it is just him and me in the car, but, let anyone else get in with us and I go mental. I whine and complain and bark, all to no avail. I don’t know what happens to me. I will be sitting there calm as anything and as soon as the truck hits a bump, I snap. Or if a bicycle or motorcycle goes by, snap, lose it!

Well, Tom and Renee have tried everything. They use ear plugs because I bark so loud. They have tried holding and consoling me, which works for a short time. Renee has fed me treats and that works ok, but, I can’t be eating constantly. Finally yesterday they looped the seatbelt through my harness, which stops me from jumping around. That worked for quite a bit of our little excursion. But my usual harness got a little tangled up with me moving.

Tom looked into proper seatbelt harnesses and discovered that they are identical to my tracking harness. That harness has a loop on the back that forms a handle and so would be perfect to loop the seatbelt through and hold me in place. He will be trying that one tomorrow. It looks promising though and will keep me safer when travelling.

We went out and visited Tamara’s new apartment and got to say hello to her and Jess. Afterwards we went and visited Caitlin at her work. I didn’t get to as I had to wait in the truck, but Tom and Renee did. We also stopped in to see Karl, but he was away on another camping trip.

Tom bought something new for me, a big squeaky toy. I’m not allowed to have it for fear of me chewing the squeaker out, but, that isn’t what it is intended for anyway. Tom tried it out on me today when we went to the park. He threw the ball and I retrieved it. When I brought the ball back to him and started to do my usual circle around, he gave it a squeak. I immediately changed my focus, dropped the ball and came to him.

Later there was a girl walking across the park and I started over to say hello to her. I didn’t respond when Tom said to come, but as soon as he squeaked that toy, I stopped dead in my tracks, turned around and went back to Tom. A great success! He only used the squeaker maybe four times all morning and afterwards I was bringing the ball directly to him and dropping it. All right, I am catching on.

Today brought even more adventures. After we went for breakfast and coffee, Tom, Renee and I went to a new location for a walk. It was Trout Lake Park and it has a lake that I can not only get near to, I can go in it. Burnaby Lake we can’t get close to because it is a game preserve and bird sanctuary. Upon my first exposure to Trout Lake I immediately marched straight in up to my belly. I wanted to go farther but Tom had me on the leash and wouldn’t let me go.

Trout Lake is a total off-leash area for dogs, but there were just too many dogs and people around, basically too many distractions for me. Tom wants my first swim to be distraction free. But, I really think I’m going to like this swimming business. The only problem is that when I get wet I come out looking like a drowned rat.

Speaking of rats, we came face to face with a big one during our walk and that little bugger was not afraid of anything. Not me, other dogs or people. He just kept walking and going about his business without a care in the world.

Afterwards, I was sad because Renee left us to go to a concert with friends. Tom and I came home and watched the Vancouver Giants beat the Medicine Hat Tigers to win the Memorial Cup Championship game. Way to go boys, congratulations. Maybe the Vancouver Canucks can learn from your example and bring home the Stanley Cup next year.