Puppy Socialization

Man, I've got to quit watching Mom with Levi in the mornings or I'm going to get diabetes from the sweetest of it. At nap time he was laying on his back in her lap and she was holding his Kong puppy pacifier like a baby bottle for him to chew on. If that wasn't "cutesy" enough she was rocking him as well. If my uncle Jerry had seen that, he would have teased her with, "He's JUST a dog. He needs to go live under the porch like a REAL dog." Uncle Jerry likes to sound tough but he secretly has a soft spot for canines.

Little Levi went to his first puppy socialization class last night. He wasn't too sure he was going to like puppy kindergarten the first six-seven minutes. He hid under Dad's wheelchair when they let all the puppies off the leash but the instructor told Mom to let him stay there until he was ready to come out on his own. One other puppy---a tiny white Pekingese that came to class in a prissy pink carrying case and wearing a matching dress---hide from the action. The white puppy never did come out from her behind her mom's legs but once Levi ventured out of hiding, he had a great time playing. And as play time wound into full gear, under Dad's wheelchair became the 'time out' place for all the puppies. Some of the bigger breed dogs managed to get themselves soaking wet in the water bucket so Dad got slobbered good between happy kisses and wet paws in his lap.

Mom's not sure she likes the training method the instructor endorses of using food as incentives and only giving Levi three feeding times a day, picking up the dish a half hour later if he doesn't eat right away. Levi is doing well learning to fetch, sit, come, down and heel without using food incentives. Plus all of us furry kids' of Mom's up here at the Rainbow Bridge have been free feeders and she's not sure she wants to change that with Levi. He pretty much eats most of his food just before the roosters metaphorically crow and is ready to poop and pee when Mom gets up at eight. The rest of the day he lightly grazes a kibble bit here and there.

Mom forgot to bring her camera to puppy class. Like I've said before, she is an airhead sometimes. I wish she'd also remember to take some pictures of Levi pooping. He does it with his back to Mom and his little head hanging out between the white pickets of the fence. ©

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