SukaTime

Suka is starting to feel the effects of being alone all day long, and it's showing in her behavior. She is a 60-pound ball of pent-up energy every evening when we all get home, and that energy comes out in jumping, nipping, disobeying, and just general furry-jerkishness. I sit with her on the front porch after the kids are in bed every night- throwing the ball, scratching her belly, and just chilling- but it's just not enough to make much of a difference after 10 hours of solitude.

This week I realized it's high time she gets some prioritized one-on-one attention to work and find her place again. 

So today I got out her leash and we walked and walked and walked around the property (for almost an hour), then I pulled out a bag of sliced-up steak and we worked on sit, lay down, sit back up, lay back down, sit and stay, come and sit, sit and speak, lay down and stay, and back up, back up, back up.

Then I threw the ball for her for a while, and ended our workout right at lunch time with the christening of the little kiddie pool as Officially Suka's.

And lo and behold! For the rest of the afternoon she was calmer, more obedient, and at bed time tonight she practically raced to her crate and passed out.

I think I'm on to something here.