JULY 04 UPDATE

Twinkle is well. She has really come into her own, is very relaxed here and sweet. Her demeanor is soft, and she is content to be pet and loved for hours. She is still under strict management in terms of play groups and only plays with a few selected males. I think this has been key for her, and while she plays rather crazily with her brother I think the lack of female companionship/competition is what she needed. She is incredibly smart and is so fun to do training with. She has begun some trail work in our informal training group and did very well with on-by and getting going. She continues to steal my heart, not sure how it is possible to love her so much. I really need to work with her and "people", this I have been remiss on. She is very shy of people and has a strange hand-shy reaction.

MARCH 04 UPDATE

Twinkle is doing really well. We have been doing lots of clicker training, new fun tricks and lots of love have turned her from a suspicious dog who hates her kennel to a frolicking lassie who comes runnng whenever I say her name. She is still very anxious to dominate any female she meets, and her play time with other girls is still at NON-PLANNED. She has run in harness with a small team for me and I am amazed at her drive and single minded attitude, it's beautiful. We have done other harness work (towing things around, skijoring, snowshoing), in order to work on commands, patience and our working relationship. She is a spectacular beauty who has captured my heart....

JANUARY 04

Twinkle was recently returned from her buyer. Within 2 weeks she had been looked over by 2 different vets (no physical problems), spayed and analyzed by a professional trainer. ("I like her!" she said)

I worked with the trainer to develop a plan for rehabilitating her from her bad beahviors* and so far so good! To begin with she has a very small social circle. She is learning to be patient, that being noisy has no reward, and that I am all about good things for her. She will soon be coming in the house for some exposure to handling, as she seems to be shy and afraid everyone wants to grab her. We are doing clicker training with the goal of teaching her to do the "Calming Signals" on command. So far I have eye contact, sit, down, snif and roll over. Very smart girl. She is truly lovable and so devoted. I was hoping to offer her for placement after getting to a place with her where I thought she would be reliable, but of course one falls in love....