Training walk with Bailey

Bailey has been tasked with entertaining Ford much of the time. It's good for both of them, really, because they play well together and with Norman too. But I haven't been getting as much time with Bailey as we both would like. It was another rainy day so I kept Ford and Bailey inside for most of it. When the rain finally stopped and the clouds cleared in the late afternoon, I put Ford out for some boy time with Norman and I took Bailey on a walk.

I took treats along and made it a training walk, of sorts. I'd stop periodically and ask her to either "sit" or "get close." She does both of those very well but she appreciates the treats too. When we get to the baseball fields I ask her to jump up to the top seat of the bleachers and walk along it to the end. For the rest of the walk it's a matter of doing "ups" on anything we pass that she can jump up onto, benches and picnic tables for the most part. There were no kids at the playground today so I walked her up on and around that stuff for the first time. She's pretty fearless.

We had a plumber in the house today and the difference between her and Ford couldn't have been more stark. Both were crated in the kitchen, but while Ford looked at them and wagged his tail in a friendly manner, Bailey was barking loudly and fiercely all the time they were here. I didn't have them offer her treats and I should have.

As soon as I left on my walk with Bailey, Clay was confronted by this look from Della in the front room. She didn't even need to say a word, the face says it all: "Feed me now!" And he did.