Barkey McBarkenstein

We are serious about training this dog well, so we had a trainer come to our house.  More on that later.  But I'll give you this bit - the trainer is convinced Gibbs has some terrier.  Now, this shouldn't bother me, because he is clearly a WonderMutt.  But I am ashamed to tell you that I actually cringed.  Because I think of terriers as bossy little barkers.

(sigh).

We didn't get to the nuisance barking.  However,  I did get the lesson about, "If the dog doesn't show you some respect, he doesn't get to hang out in your bed."

(See how well I set up that joke?  I don't even need to finish it!)

So while I was playing with my new little camera, I could see he was getting impatient.  He barked.  I commanded, "Quiet."

He didn't like that:

I made growly noise in his face.  And got this.  And barking in my face:

And he lost his bed privileges.  So that's how we're playing it now.  Until Lesson Two when I learn a better way.

My book club met him yesterday.  Gibbs was afraid of Eric - Mr. 6'4 with the long hair.  Shadow was also afraid of Eric.  But otherwise, I give us a B- for handling the doorbell and opening the door and greeting guests.

But oh, the barking.  We have a long way to go.  I had forgotten how hard puppies are.  My friend Nyla said that Puppy Amnesia is the same as Baby Amnesia.

So.  True.