I had worked Echo hard the day before. I pushed her past her limit, at least once. Yet, I needed to work her on Tuesday.
So, I came up with a plan that called for less work, but new input.
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We followed the same basic routine for the day. But, it was raining fairly hard. So, I pulled out the raincoat.
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I wasn't going to "go there", but, to tell what happened truthfully, I have to.
Echo has no problem wearing her vest, or her raincoat. She has no problem with taking it off.
She didn't get the raincoat until she went to Kathy's. So, I have no prior experience with that.
Since coming back from Kathy's, Echo runs away when someone picks up her vest. She reacts the same to the raincoat, and the halter.
Echo will do her best to avoid the vest or raincoat being put on her.
Once they are on, she is fine.
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I don't know what happened in those 2 weeks. I don't know if it is just a "puppy" thing, or something happened with Kathy to make her not want to wear the vest.
I know that Echo doesn't want to go through the process of the vest being put on her, now.
I, also, know that this problem did not exist before she went to Kathy's 3 weeks ago.
Keep in mind, that she is just 5 months old. This could ENTIRELY be a product of her being a 5 month old puppy.
All I know is that this problem did not exist 3 weeks ago.
I have no idea why it exists now.
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Anyway, we had a stressful time getting first the vest, and, then, the raincoat on her.
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The "upside" to all of this is that, once I put her lead on, she figured out what was happening.
She was at the door and ready to go.
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My plan for this day was to simplify things, and not over work her.
We would go the strip mall. Walk down the strip mall, and go to the coffee shop.
If I timed it right, Echo and I would end up spending about 15-20 minutes in the coffee shop.
Amy had the truck, and I asked her to pick us up on her way home from work.
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So, we arrived at the strip mall with no issues.
It was raining. So, the park was empty, and there were no one in the parking lot of the middle school to distract her.
We arrived at the convenience store.
Echo was ready to go in. In fact, she seemed a bit "miffed" that we didn't. It took shredded mozzarella cheese to get her to move on.
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Last time we were here, we stayed in the parking lot. We didn't get near any of the businesses in the strip mall.
This time, we skipped the parking lot, and headed to the businesses.
I wasn't going to take her into any of them. I, just, wanted to walk her past all of the storefronts, most of which are large windows.
It just so happens, that the first business that was logical for us to go to first was Companion Veterinary Hospital. Apparently, they keep, at least, two cats roaming in the clinic. One of which is a manx.
The cats saw this big dog, and did the "cat thing". Turned their bodies toward her, the fur bristled, ... I couldn't hear anything through the glass, but, given what I saw from their faces, I am sure both of them hissed at Echo.
For Echo's part, she would watch them, look up at me, and I could see the "wheels turning in her head". If I could caption the looks she gave me, it would be: "These are the weirdest looking/acting 'dogs' I have ever seen."
Once again, it took mozzarella to move her. After that, for about 4 businesses, she would fixate on the windows, looking for the cats.
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After she figured out that there weren't going to be cats at every window, we moved along the strip mall pretty well.
She, still, wanted to look in, and figure out the place, but she stopped looking for cats.
The "Garlic Jim's" pizza place, kind of , caught her nose, but other than that, there were no issues.
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Then we went to the coffee shop.
On our previous trip to the strip mall, she had found the coffee shop more interesting than the Subway shop.
This time, we went in there. That made her happy.
Once again, while I was engaging the people behind the counter, she "yipped". It was not a full bark. It wasn't one of her "noises". She vocalised.
I, once again, probably, did the wrong thing and acknowledged it. I didn't give her a treat, to shut her up, but I responded, vocally, to it.
Anyway, in the process of ordering my coffee, I explained about Echo. I was asked about her breed, and her age.
I explained how this was "training" for Echo. The three people behind the counter were pleased that they could help.
Once my coffee was fixed, we went and found a table.
The situation was not great, but, eventually, we found a space where Echo was comfortable in a "down".
At this point, I figured we would be there about the time it would take me to drink my coffee, about 10, or so, minutes.
Traffic was not cooperating with Amy.
That was "the plan". Get to the coffee shop, about 10-15 minutes before Amy could get there. Have a coffee, while Echo was under the table, not push her limits, and give her a ride home.
We are back to "best laid plans".
Amy's "15 minute commute" was almost 30 minutes.
Taking the raincoat off of her helped. Giving her a drink of water mollified Echo for the first couple of times. Giving her the "kong" toy, that I had brought along, occupied her for a while. ... But, there eventually came a time where she was giving a "yip" about once every two minutes, unless I COMPLETELY focused my attention on her. I, literally, could not take a sip of my coffee, without her breaking the "down" or yipping.
It wasn't a big break of the "down". It's not like she stood up, or anything. She would, either, move up to a "sit", or shift her "down" with an audible thump.
The "yips" concern me. When I look down at her, after a yip, she has this look ... and I have never received this look from her before. If I was going to caption it, the caption would read: "I'm totally focused on you. Why are you focused on this person, and not me?" ... and I have only received this when I am talking over a counter to someone.
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So, eventually, Amy shows up. We pack everything up, and head out. The coffee shop employees invite Echo (and us, as an afterthought) back anytime.
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I loaded her in the truck, and we headed home.
Just like the trip home from getting her from Kathy, there were no issues. She didn't get car sick. She didn't drool. She just laid down in the back seat, and took a short nap.
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