The holidays affect dogs, too!

   Being a 1st grade teacher, I know how exciting the holiday season is.  And, with that, behavior often gets very sketchy!  Apparently, Churry is a very intuitive puppy because she has caught the "naughty" bug, too!  Maybe going to Denver used up all of her minutes of excellent behavior and she needs some time to be naughty.  She has done many things this week that are very unacceptable starting with acquiring the habits of stealing food off of the table and drinking out of the toilet!  She has spent time in time-out multiple times this week for both behaviors.  She tucks her tail and begs for my forgiveness when I discipline her, but  it certainly doesn't stop her from repeating the behavior!  Then, in the mornings, she has began SPRINTING laps around our living room after she gets breakfast.  She generally just plays around with a toy and calmly hangs out with me until it's time for me to get ready.  Not anymore.  We have these little bursts of energy.  And the most alarming part of these laps is the hurdling leap she takes over the couch, which is now in a different spot because of the Christmas tree so she can literally hurdle it and land on the other side.  Impressive leaping skills, but not impressive indoor behavior.  On a positive note, she is very careful with the tree.  I absolutely love how she crouches down and very carefully walks underneath it being very careful not to touch the ornaments.  At least she has that going for her!

     Her behavior has not been a whole lot better on our nightly walks.   I don't know if she's feeling really energetic because the weather has been so cold or what!  I was nervous about taking her on an outing today because I was wondering if this would continue after I put on her cape and Halti, but, in her normal style, she did really well.  We went to the mall.  While in Denver, we had visited a mall, too, but always went into the department stores from the outdoor entrance, so she never experienced the interior corridors of the mall.  She did tonight and it was PACKED!  But, she handled herself very well.  She was very interested in everything, but never solicited attention from the millions of kids and left the food, trash, etc. on the floor alone.  She even took a ride on the glass elevator and she thought the things passing by her were very interesting on the way down.  One of the funniest things about taking Churry to stores is the slick floors.  She's not bothered by them until I ask her to sit down.  When she sits, she can't keep her bottom in the same spot because it's so slick.  She gradually slides away from me.  She knows she's not supposed to be moving away from me and she can't quite figure out why it's happening.  So she just looks at me with this confused look until eventually she is sprawled in a "Down" position.  Makes me really laugh!
     Hopefully, my work week is a little less hectic this week so I can get in some more interesting activities than walks around the neighborhood in the cold!