Jake is not the best behaved dog I have ever had. I love him just the same, but make no mistake, most of his tendencies sway toward misbehavior. I am convinced he was put in my life to test my ability to love unconditionally. In that category, I seem to be winning.
Last night we went for a walk. Jake refused to pee until we got back into the yard. This is both normal for him and totally acceptable, whatever he needs. We came in, he ate, got a Kong, stood up and pee’d on the rug. LET ME BE CLEAR… pee did not fall from him, he directed it.
“Peeing outside is boring.”
This morning, walk, usual go out back to let Jake go. He came in and while I was fixing their breakfast, he walked past me shooting meatballs out of his butt. As he passed, he looked up at me to gauge impact. It almost seemed as if he was moving in slow-motion for added dramatic effect.
“It’s too cold to poop outside.”
Earlier this week, he gave me the sign he wanted up on the couch. I lifted him up, he turned around and then leapt off the couch towards Melvin’s face, growling mid-flight. He missed Melvin, and splatted on the ground (because his hind legs don’t work and he is not supposed to leap at all, ever).
“What?”
The good news is that all of these thing are actually improvements. He used to pee all the time and now it’s not nearly as often. The meatball shooting MAY have something to do with his hind leg issues so while it ain’t fun, I cannot prove in a court of dog that he actually means to do it (although I have my opinions). The leaping at Melvin’s face, he used to do that 50 times a day and now he only takes us by surprise every couple of weeks.
We don’t talk much about his training but we do a lot with him. He’s come a long way, I’m not sure he’ll ever be ‘great’, but he’ll always be our Jake and that will always be enough. Thankfully, eye-rolling is not considered negative reinforcement.
“I’ll behave tomorrow, I’m too tired today.”
Yes, they all have their little quirks that make them who they are. Then there are those that when you look at their little smushie faces and know what their history is, that it’s hard to get too excited about serious discipline. Glad to hear he’s doing better!
Yes! They are who they are and they are where they are and sometimes it’s best to just learn to laugh!
I think he must have been feeling contrite because he grudgingly gave me a little kiss today. Normally he gives me the “you’re joking, right” look when I suggest it.
Jake is my spirit animal!
The peeing thing is so much like Miss M, but the meatball part…I was laughing out loud. Good thing I’m at home.
Oh Jake!
Good job cutting it down, lucky Jake. 😉
Love all the pics, but the B&W one is AMAZING!
Glad to hear that he’s actually cutting back on the misbehavior. 🙂
Those photos are priceless. Sounds to me like he is making good progress! My dogs are all house trained (in theory) but with the cold weather we’ve been having they all slip up from time to time.
Jake is like a little imp in a cute dog suit.
Oh Jake! I think, and I could be totally off base here, but you would probably be bored if Jake suddenly cleaned up his act. You know you love those crazy antics 😉 (and crazy eyes!)
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Oh Jake, I love everything about you, even your meatballs. I really think you and Pug were separated at birth.