New Toy

I was in the dollar store today and saw fluffy stuffed soccer balls. It was only a dollar; what could it hurt?

Tonight, then, Laev was crying in her crate. Barking, really, a whiney sharp ear-piercing sound. I knew she didn’t need to go out, as she’d just come in. And she had the shred of her original The Toy between her front paws, picking it up occasionally, as if she wanted to hold it but it was broken.

Well, of course it’s broken, dummy. You broke it yourself, shredded it.

So I went down the hall and fetched the new toy from the store bag. I opened the crate and handed it to her.

Joy! The new toy has a squeaker, something I forgot to check. She squeaked it happily for a few minutes and then held it in her mouth like her old toy. Then she began to pick at it, until I stopped her and praised her holding it quietly. Then she fell silent, not a single bark after she received the new toy.

I don’t know if this toy will last, but for a buck, it bought a night’s sleep. 😉

By the way, Laev is now doing hold and barks in the blind. This isn’t unheard of at this age, but it’s pretty advanced, so we’re pleased with her. 🙂 She’s also doing more field trips with me to help her learn to focus and play with me no matter where we are. Today she visited the feed store and the grocery. Yay!