What's in a Paw?

"Give paw", I said. The dog sat down and obediently did so, looking up at me with full trust in her eyes. Ahhh, my heart melted. She doesn't give her paw willingly to humans. Just to me. For the rest of the humans, including her Daddy, she relaxes her front paws and allows them to lift and take them. It's just like how if she's carried in my arms, she uses all her might to push people away with her paws because she doesn't want them to come so near. If someone else is carrying her, she does the same, BUT if I come near, she allows it.

Choya has no interest in being carried but she sees the logic if she's scooped up to get in and out of cars, or over busy roads and such. She doesn't like cuddles or hugs. She welcomes belly and head rubs. She also love leg massages, which is especially shiok on school days or after a long run. Intentional massages soothe her luxating patella. It's only recently that she deigned to let herself be hugged, but she squirms off in three minutes. Hurhurhur.

The dog has been 'upgraded'. From having only a bathroom and a corridor to wander in when we aren't home, she gained a room (the study), and since end January, she got the whole flat plus the patio. Of course we close off the other two rooms. In case...... shitsplosion (it happens regularly, because she has a delicate stomach and is also prone to excitement pooping. goodbye carpets) or she gets it into her mind to suddenly nibble at things. It wouldn't be fair to set her up for epic failure.

We have daily trainings of two 15-minute blocks. No matter how busy I am, I set aside at least 15 minutes to train her in the theme for the week. It's either nose work or obedience in terms of commands. The other types of training are continuous, and are reinforced each time she goes on a walk or when she meets other dogs. It has taken eight months for me to look at Choya with affection rather than mild annoyance. It also took the dog this long to understand my routines, moods and the various tones of voice.