We started with a Rally class this morning. We attend a small class (all Dobes!) every two weeks. Laev did well enough in the class, but when we went to the next ring to play on the agility equipment, she did the teeter and then freaked out about it — something I never saw even when she tried it for the first time — and refused to remount it. I took her to the dogwalk, and she refused that, too. “Equipment is scary! It moved under me! It might eat Dobermans!” And I’ve almost never seen this dog frightened.
Ah, adolescence. I guess it really is hitting her!
We hit Petsmart on the way home, for discount days. I bought a huge stockpile of treats for the coming months. I carried most of them in when we arrived at home, but my arms were full and I left one bagful in the car for a later trip. I also left Laev outside, but my Jeep windows were 2/3 up and I was going to be in the house only 15 minutes before leaving for a private lesson.
When I came out, I found Laev in my car. She had leapt up and somehow squeezed through the window and into the driver’s seat, where she had torn open two bags of Charlie Bear treats and eaten about two pounds of dry treats.
I loaded her and Shakespeare into their crates and went to the private lesson (also a Doberman — it was a thematic day!). Laev showed no trouble, but when we went to our new agility we started tonight (where she and Shakespeare were the only Dobermans), she was sluggish and standing a little funny, so I put her away partway through class. I should mention, though, that she was still anxious to work for those exact same treats of which she had already eaten two pounds! Because Sym and I were able to work her up and over the dogwalk with them, until Laev was trotting happily over the equipment just like she used to. (“Oh, yeah. I’m an adolescent and I’m supposed to freak out suddenly at things and then remember that they’re not really so scary.”) All for Charlie Bear treats. That’s when I noticed her starting to move a little funny, as if her stomach hurt, so we stopped working her. I kept an eye on her and rationed her water intake to reduce risk; because she eats raw, I didn’t want her to binge on water after so much dry food and bloat.
Nutty dog. No, she didn’t get a full supper tonight!
