Nora - Heading into Week 3

Life with the "pack" feels very good, thank you! Nora and Bree spend insane amounts of time play-fighting; Nora specializes in lying on her back and snap-snap-snapping at Bree's face, belly and legs. She has taken to the flying leaps onto and off the back porch, as well as the up-and-downs at the back door, so exercise she's getting. She's also learned how to hop onto--but not off--the bed, so she's stranded there when the other two sail off to new adventures. She and Bree spend happy times tugging each other around by each hauling on a toy or clothing or dishtowel or whatever they can snag. Bree is bigger and stronger, but Nora has better moves and deviousness on her side.

Nora continues to eat well, and she's definitely heavier--muscle, I think. She loves walks, either with a buddy or two or with Richard and me. We're keeping her to the walk around the block and practicing "find home" which she can now do well. She enjoys visitors who let her circle until she's ready, and she recognizes Molly as one of her pack who came to pick her up from Mike and Mary.

Half the day she spends in her den as we work; one or the other of us comes home at noon for a trip outside for wees and poos. Then, in the afternoon, she's out with the Big Dogs. So far, we see one or two very small puddles when we return, which we just clean up and ignore. During the weekend she's in and out and in and out and in and... We have seen her absentmindedly walk up to Frankie, raise her leg and "mark" him... She and Bree seem to co-alpha pretty well; Frankie just rolls his eyes, shrugs his shoulders, and says, "meh..." while he collects snuggles from us.

Nora is ready to learn some obedience now; she's picking up some moves from the rest of the pack, like sitting for treats. The MAIN ISSUE is what she's taught us... If it is slightly cold/windy/sunny/dark/cloudy/warm or the humidity is not in her preferred range, she sometimes decides, about 3 inches from the door that, nah, she's not going out. She turns smartly and heads right back to her den where she rolls over until the Current Chump comes over, pets her loooovely belly, and carries her to the door. Wish us luck!