A month gone by...

I cannot believe a month has gone by with Ghilley already.

Just one month but also one entire month.  I try to shake off questions from family and friends such as, "Is she heeling yet?", "Have you worked on yet?".  My responses seem eerily familiar to the terse interviews of Bears' QB Jake Cutler.

For God's sake, I think, I am in the worst part of my work cycle though know one appears to actually comprehend that. I have two other dogs, both of who are a bit older and need attention. I am by myself. It is just me, almost a single parent but I do not really want to draw that comparison as I know raising a human child is drastically more difficult.

So, I am taking things at a pace I can handle.  We work on the obedience things when I get a chance. One of the best times is the little bit during breakfast and dinner when I can train Ghilley solo. She does know her sits, downs and stands.

The attention work on walks is going to have to wait for the weekends, right now.  Work is too crazy during the week. I am hope at 7pm, need to feed everyone (even me). Want to devote time for a nice long fun walk for Robbie & Ghilley but may slip in a treat now and then.

Duff needs his swim which accounts for about 30-40 time in emptying 20 gallons, refilling to warm of the 75-gallon tank and 8-10 minutes of actual swimming.  Then, take 45 minutes for trying to get a workout planned for me. My diet is non-existant right now. I am no longer losing weight. I am not gaining it, either, but I may face a 3rd week of no progress and I know why. I am eating too much for my limited workout plan.

Add to this a continual nudging, albeit friendly, to get back to obedience classes on Tuesday nights. You know what, it is too much right now. Who am I going to work? I cannot get there early enough to work Ghilley. Frankly, I am completely convinced that "halt-sit" and continuation of all that does nothing but hurt Robbie's sacrum when I have him healed now. Duff loves it but realistically he is like trying to train a Robin to swim the breastroke. Have you seen a Robin swim?  I know I have not.

The other pain, it is absolutely a pain in the neck to load up and contend with three dogs on a weeknight. I can commit to it on Thursdays for agility but really question the reality of doing this on Tuesday nights, too.

All these thoughts lead me to question my sanity, yet again.

Then, I look at the companionship that Ghilley has with both of her brothers. I look at how many smiles she has brought to me face in the past month, amidst a lot of work stress.

It is worth it but I look forward to moving out of puppy phase, too.