So today has been a pretty good day. I had to wake up at 7am to call about my unemployment. I talked to someone and they said that I could receive benefits even if I'm receiving severance pay. So that was good news!
After getting off the phone, I took Riley out for potty time. It was cold and wet, and I just couldn't commit to staying out there long. Of course she pottied on the floor as soon as we came in. I wasn't able to get her to potty outside at all today. She was shivering cause it was so cold outside, so I felt so bad for her. Luckily I had potty training class tonight.
I had to go get my contacts, which is over in the Oak Lawn area. I decided to take Riley up to Christal Radio while I was in the neighborhood. She was a hit! Everyone wanted to hold her and play with her. We were there for about an hour. After all that play time, she was exhausted. But I still had to run by The Bronx.
Jess was there, so I was afraid that he would freak out of I brought a dog inside, but I didn't want to leave her in the car. So I stuffed her in an old purse and hoped he wouldn't notice. As luck would have it, he came up to talk to me. Riley kept moving around in the bag, trying to stick her head out. I was trying so hard not to laugh as I was trying to keep her in bag. Finally, she poked her head out of the bag. Jess wasn't mad at all. Instead he thought she was the cutest thing!
I took Riley home and then headed off to potty training class. There were only 4 other dogs in the class: a corgi/chow mix, 2 boxers, and a german shepard. All of them much bigger than Riley. Since I was only there for potty training, I didn't have to bring her. For potty training, this is what we learned:
*Take them out first thing in the morning.
*Only spend 10 minutes outside. If they potty, then reward them with a treat and play time. If they don't potty, put them in an enclosed area for 30 minutes, then repeat.
*An hour after they potty, they have to be taken out again.
It seems very tedious, but I really need to commit to doing it. I really want her to be potty trained.
We also learned to use the clicker. Every time you click the clicker, they get a treat. This will teach them to associate the click with a treat. So when I bought some treats to practice. (I'm not taking the rest of the classes till April, but I want to be prepared.) So I tried to click and then treat. But Riley is scared of the clicker! So that's something we have to work on. But she does like the treats. And you know who else likes the dog treats? CHLOE!! She knocks Riley out of the way trying to get them. And poor little Riley is scared of the big cat, so she just watches Chloe eat her treats. Yet another obstacle :)
I put down a pee pad for Riley to use in the house, but she has no interest in using it. But I still keep it out just in case. While I was cleaning the house tonight, I walked in the living room to discover that she had pooped on the pad. Of course she was trying to eat it, but that's not the point. I told her good job and gave her a treat. I was so happy! I was happy that it was on the pad and not floor. But I was even more happy at the fact that I didn't have to watch her and keep putting her on the pad to do it. She did it all on her own. It gives me hope.
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