This requires a blog entry.

So yesterday was the 'January Thaw' a horse-related trade fair where every horse lover in the local area comes out and celebrates their ponies fuzzy coats.. okay, not really. They actually come to spend money and socialize.

Anyway! Thinking I'd go help mom with her booth for a little while, then go to Simi's breeders for some training, I brought Simi along... and also because come on, lots of people, new place, new smells... need I say more? GREAT training opportunity! So I bring Simi along with me, and since her crate is buried under tubs and tubs of mom's stuff, she has to help me help unpack. So I take things I can easily carry and still manage a puppy and start in. Simi walks into the building like it's nothing. No fear. Loose leash, offering eye contact, calm cool and collected.

From there I set her crate up and we started socializing. She met LOTS of new people. Like, I mean a lot. I'd be trying to take her out to pee and people would be like "*squee* PUPPY!" and stop me, and we'd have to wait. That said, a lot of people did just look from a far until I'd say "You can pet her if you want -- she's here to meet new people!" She also met a lot of new dogs. I believe there were 2 Great Danes, Pit Bull, English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Golden, Bernese Mountain Dog, and a couple of Boston Terriers. She didn't like the Bulldogs much, or the Pit Bull much, but I think that had a lot to do with the situations that they met in. The Pittie pulled it's owner over to us, then backed her into a wall of stuff and was standing over her in a friendly, but obnoxious, manner. As for the Bulldogs, well, I don't really know about those. I think she didn't like the Frenchie because it was wearing clothes, but either way, I took my clicker and treats out and worked on it and she was fine then... so really, for it being her first time meeting new dogs, I think she did okay.

Then today she turned 4 months, and went to the barn with Psyche and I for some agility. She didn't do much other than play with Psyche and their friend Cyclone. We did do a few restrained recalls, though, and some racing to the tug toy, one tunnel and a few sit-stays with a release to me, over a bar less jump, just to get her used to the jump standards.

Can't believe how grown up she's starting to act! Well, not really... she's just getting good at pretending to be a good dog out in public!