I’m making an effort to work with Georgia every day.  We don’t necessarily hit each command we’re striving to master.

Although Georgia appears to be recognizing her name better, I’m still not seeing the recognition I was expecting – turning her head, perking her ears.  Perhaps this will come with time, although I guess it doesn’t matter as long as she’s following her commands.

We’ve mastered ’sit’ from everyone who asks her.  Somewhere she’s learned ’stay’ as long as you point at her and make sure she’s given you eye contact.  ‘Stay’ works best when going in and outside.  If you’re commanding Georgia to stay in one room while you go to another, she really wants to follow you.

She follows ‘up’ when Tom says it most of the time.  She’ll even get ‘up’ on the edge of Tom’s bed with her front feet so Tom can give her some better one on one attention.

Georgia will lay ‘down’, and I can put a treat on her foot – telling her to ‘leave it’.  Rarely does she go after it until I say ‘get it’.  If she does, I just have to give her a little ‘eh eh’, and act like I’m going to block the treat with my hand.  She’ll normally leave it alone after that.  I don’t know if she truly understands ‘get it’ with the treat, or if I’ve just ended whatever game I’m playing with her… but I guess if it works, it works.  If I put the treat further away, she’s not nearly as apt to ‘get it’, although she keeps eye contact with the treat the whole time.

We’re still working on ’sit’ from a ‘down’ position, but we’ll be there soon.

She’s still not certain about ‘get it’ but seems to achieve it better with the new rope toy we bought her.  If she chooses not to take the rope toy, I can finagle it into her mouth without too much struggle.  ‘Get it’ with any other item still requires me opening her mouth and making her take the item.  ‘Release’ is no struggle with the rope toy or most anything in her mouth, except a ball.  She’ll give me the ball, but I have to get a good hold on it before she releases it.

I need to work her on the leash more… I’ve been putting it off, blaming the cool weather.  Of course, I’ll go out several times to smoke a cigarette.  I should leash her and go out front for a while.  We’ve gotten a couple different types of collars to work with, since she was accidentally slipping out of her purple one.  I’m sure one of these will be perfect.

Anyhow, Georgia is doing amazing.  Realizing that she’s only been in our home for a month is baffling.  She’s so smart.

I have confidence that, with the help of Patty of course, she’ll be exactly what Tom has been needing to gain more independence!