I needed to go pick up dog food however, and opted for Tractor Supply, since they'll get it and load it for me. I had posted about Reilly's growth issues on a mastiff forum, and one advice was to switch feeds from Taste of the Wild to another natural grain-free (and chicken-free) kibble, to reduce the calcium. After looking at the ingredients in the suggested ones online, I went with Blue feed, which will cut the percent of calcium by nearly a third. I picked up one bag, and Chris will pick up more tomorrow. When I researched feeds a while back, due to Murphy having repetitive hemorrhagic diarrhea, TOW and Blue were the two finalists. I hadn't been looking at calcium levels at it concerns puppies though, which is now a consideration. We'll see how they all react to a change in diet.
So, Reilly and I tootled off to Tractor Supply for feed. He behaved even better today than he did last time! Lovely public manners. He did greet the store people that invited him. One of them stated that if she'd known he was destined to be a service dog, she would have ignored him. At his age, however, I feel it's important for him to be socialized and understand that people are friendly. Once he's along in training far enough to really be called a Service Dog In Training, and is wearing a vest, he can start learning the proper way to meet people...with permission. At 13 weeks? He just needs to know he's lovable. When he's grown there will be people who are afraid of him or nervous of him, so I'd like him to understand now that it's not everyone. However, while at Tractor Supply he walked nicely on his leash, sat when told to, first time, and did not pick up the dropped gum on the floor when told it wasn't for him. Successes all around. These are really good for his age. I'm glad I have Tractor Supply to bring him to, without a lot of distraction from other dogs as I would have at Pet's Mart. It'll be some time before he visits that madhouse.
Reilly had company today. Lisa and Judy came back to visit...and look at him sleep. One day they'll come and he'll want to play. And Margie and John came to pick up the Tweetie birds, and of course to admire Sleeping Beauty. The house is quiet without the birdies.
I think Reilly is going to be a dog that likes pillows. He's sound asleep here.
This evening he did have one accident, although I'm not sure exactly when. Other than that, he's been fine.
I was reviewing terms used with him today, and realized that I need to change something before he gets too confused. We have a tendency to use "come on" in conjunction with "Let's go". That may be why he welcomed the addition of a hand signal with "come". "Come on" implies "walk with me", where "come" is "come to me", so two different expectations. I think since it's an unthinking phrasing on "come on" that we'd be better of changing "come" to "here." We can do this. Reilly can, too. And if we're going to change it, it should be now, before he gets firmly attached to his words! This is a real glitch, as I should have thought more about phrasing and commands earlier. I need to make a fuller list, put it on the fridge for Chris, and be more careful!
Reilly and I are both tired and heading to bed.
Meg and Reilly
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