Chase

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Chase and I struggled yesterday when he was with me at Home Depot. That was his first visit to a busy public place. All the sights, sounds, and shopping carts were too much for him. Regardless, I asked a cashier, Laura, to hold his leash while I took a photo. So today’s header captures lots of tension.

I took Chase to PetSmart to find him a new collar. He was unhappy there, and I thought he might behave aggressively toward other dogs in the store. We were experimenting with collar sizes when a store employee entered the aisle. She was friendly and began playing with Chase. She understood dogs, and he started calming down. He at first refused her treats and then began accepting them. She helped to select and fit a new collar and introduced us to a dog martingale to ease the leading of my strong puppy.

She was a store trainer and had a puppy class beginning that evening. Since Chase had relaxed with her, I enrolled us. Later, during that event, he was a calm, interested, and accepting pup, only mildly interested in other dogs. I was delighted with a new perspective on my puppy’s potential and our future. He’s just fine.

As for me, I must hurry now. This is another six a.m. workday.

Dear Friends: I’ll retake Chase to HD for a more fun version of him “in the Aisle.” Diana