What’s perplexed me is how many young people now are in no hurry to get their drivers’ licenses. Apparently (I was told, and this does make sense) teens now don’t need a car to hang out, they have the Internet — and if they do want to go somewhere, it’s an easy text to uber to get there.
Getting our learner’s permit was a big deal in my day. We only had one car in my family though, but it was helpful in getting me to and from evening babysitting jobs. And I’d always ask permission just to go out for a drive.
We lived in the country so it was a half an hour drive to high school and an hour by bus.. I still waited until I was 18 but my brother got his license first.
I am back from the sweetest walk. The weather was the best with a slight breeze. The fragrances of spring flowers, wood smoke, and dinners cooking met me at various points along the way. People were out working in their yards, washing cars, or strolling on the sidewalk and chatting with neighbors. A dog named Roxy came up to sniff the hand I had tucked in the pouch of my sweatshirt. I think the beets I have been eating energized me. Flowers ard popping out everywhere. Thankful to God I feel like doing these walks.
Abby and I also had a nice walk, but it had more than the usual share of yanking and going as fast as she could while pulling me. No real strolling.
Worked with her a little bit this afternoon using cheese treats and a training platform I’m trying to get her up onto (hoping it could help with getting back to “let’s jump into the car!” training).
She did well, I was working on the “sit” command (which she recognizes with the word “wait” more than “sit”).
DJ, the newer method of teaching “sit” should make it super easy. (Misten was a quick learner anyway, but she learned it her first day home with me.) You hold a treat in front of the dog’s face between two fingers and then move it a bit higher; as you move it up, you say “sit” just as the dog’s face movement up toward the treat makes it sit naturally. Knowing that dogs sometimes become deaf and that in a crowded area a dog might not hear your voice well, I chose to teach Misten with voice commands and hand commands, and I let the “fingers holding a treat” motion work for “sit,” so she soon sat whether or not I was holding a treat. But she was sitting with just the word after three or four repetitions, albeit not dependably until later in the day. (And all her life she went through stretches where she pretended not to know “sit,” and so I would take her through her paces again a few times.)
Then for “down” or “lie down,” once the dog is sitting and watching your hand, you bring it down to the ground just in front of this face until the dog ends up stretching out its front legs and going down. Not sure I’ve explained that well. That one was trickier, at least for Misten, because she was just stubborn enough she didn’t really like to lie down on command, but she definitely learned it quicker than the old-days training methods would have worked.
Thanks Cheryl — that’s pretty much how I’ve learned to do it as well, always a hand motion coupled with voice. We’ve been slow to get to the basics but that’s all my fault.
While Tess was the easiest dog ever when it came to obedience, Abby isn’t doing badly. I’ve done most of the training on our walks – out of necessity due to her size and strength and pulling tendencies.
She understands “slow” and “easy” and “wait” (at corners, but she stands during those periods so I need to go back to bringing treats along and work on a proper sit). Again, my fault we’re not further along than we are, but it’s been a wild year with all the rain, my own doctor’s appointments/cataract surgeries/drivers’ test — and, of course, full-time work.
There, did those excuses all work in my defense? 😦 😦
The trainer I’ve worked with on Abby’s car issues also had a couple new commands that have come along in the years since I’ve been active in classes — establishing a ‘marker’ which is a word, you choose, to get you to look up at you is one of them (holding a treat near your face).
DJ, I had a few words that I taught Misten just because she was such a big dog (long, mostly, and tall, a bit like your Abby). I taught her “wait” and “turn around” and in addition to “lie down,” I taught her “on your side.” I never taught her “roll over” simply because she really hated being on her back. But when she was lying down, I’d tell her “on your side” and touch one side or the other and she knew to roll onto the other side.
The “turn around” was really useful one time, and I was quite proud of her, when the vet was examining her and said, “I need to see her other side.” Without even touching her, I said, “Misten, turn around” and she executed a perfect 180 on the table. As narrow as those tables are, I imagine some owners would really struggle with getting a big dog turned around, but she knew the command, was very sure-footed, and executed it instantly when I told her to turn.
Oh, another command I taught Misten was “back up.” Again, with a big dog in a small home, sometimes it’s helpful to have her know commands for maneuverability!
Cheryl – Are you wearing any green today? I can’t help but think of the story you’ve told of your mom not allowing you to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, and getting pinched several times at school. (I remember that happening at my school, too, if I forgot to wear any green.)
Today I am wearing a top that is mostly black with a green and blue design. There was a lot of green at church this morning. :-)
We will be having McDonald’s food for dinner, with Shamrock shakes.
We will have the traditional corned beef dinner another time. (BTW, I once read that that was actually started as a Jewish tradition here, but I’m not sure how accurate that was.)
Haha, Cheryl, Abby backs up naturally — she’s shy and reticent, “reverse” is her go-to gear.
Except when walking, then it’s full speed ahead. She’s getting better, I’ve gotten her in a couple of our regular spots to go “slow” — but it’s still a work in progress. As soon as I can get her into the car, we’re off to obedience classes!
Wonderful and encouraging morning at church, our final hymn is always one that makes me tear up, in joy.
DJ, we’ve had to resort to a Haltee-type leash for Koot. He’s just too big and his pulling was quite dangerous. He did not appreciate it the first time, but the second time, he was so good on his walk. Now he walks with it just so nicely. Both he and Tim enjoy the walks so much more now. He also wears a weighted backpack because he just has so much energy. He seems quite proud to have the backpack on. He gets his walk first thing in the morning and then he gets to rest in his crate while we’re at work.
My mom dressed me in green for St. Patrick’s Day — but she always added a small patch of orange somewhere on my dress, with a safety pin, to represent our more Scottish/very-Northern Ireland background.
(the Orange movement, though, was pretty severe in some corners)
ok, it seems to be dog day. My daughter told me recently that she had trouble getting her dog into the car.
She resorted to feeding the dog all of her food in the car. She would open the door and put the dish of food at a level that was easy for the dog. So all of her food was associated with the car. At first she made it very easy and right at her level and then gradually moved it in a little further.
I got my permit at 15 and my license at 16, which was the norm. I don’t believe we should punish the responsible drivers because of those who are not. Most are responsible. Getting a job often does require a car. If parents have other children to drive to work or activities or jobs with shift work, they cannot always drive their children. I never drove to school, however, but rode the bus.
We got back today from a trip to the Ark Encounter, Creation Museum and Nashville Zoo among other places. I feel blessed that it all worked out so well. We rode with our oldest daughter and her three daughters.
I think the graduated license is a good idea. (I think we have that in Connecticut, too.) A young teenage driver in a car full of teens tends to be more reckless.
Wandering Views 
Janice Garey yesterday @
Those teens racing prove why I think the national driving age should be raised to 18. Missouri has a graduated license, as do other states.
-A 16 yr cannot have more than 1 passenger under the age of 18, unless they are related.
-Any moving violation before age 18 and they lose their license until they turn 18. A DUI means they have to wait until they’re 21.
-An accident that they cause loses their license until age 18 (or maybe 21).
You get the idea.
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Oh, that ’twas I. I didn’t realized I was logged out.
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Good morning, all. A beautiful sunshine day here so cornhole is on the docket.
mumsee
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Morning! Snow is melting slowly. Plow came through again building another wall of ice across our driveways…husband removed it again😊
Making Irish Stew…it’s always better on the second day ☘️
Nj
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Good afternoon. I agree, Peter. We need revision of the law.
Our yard is full of blooming violets except for in the sod.😀😒
The Men’s Gathering at church last Sunday afternoon seemed to turn out well. I look forward to hearing more about it tomorrow.
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Good morning and happy Saturday to you all.
It’s my haircutting day, yay.
What’s perplexed me is how many young people now are in no hurry to get their drivers’ licenses. Apparently (I was told, and this does make sense) teens now don’t need a car to hang out, they have the Internet — and if they do want to go somewhere, it’s an easy text to uber to get there.
Getting our learner’s permit was a big deal in my day. We only had one car in my family though, but it was helpful in getting me to and from evening babysitting jobs. And I’d always ask permission just to go out for a drive.
Ugh, editor just texted, a question on my story …
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Anyway, driving was a major rite of passage when I was a teenager. Not so much anymore, apparently.
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Thank you. You look much better, DJ, without all that in your face.
Same here though a lot of them have been driving from a much younger age so it is not a big deal.
Youngest two have never wanted to drive. But then, they have nowhere to go.
mumsee
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We lived in the country so it was a half an hour drive to high school and an hour by bus.. I still waited until I was 18 but my brother got his license first.
Jo
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Whew, hair is good, feels so much better.
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Working my way through the 84 scholarship applications. Already some are missing references, some have just one and one fella had none
Such a variety
Jo
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I am back from the sweetest walk. The weather was the best with a slight breeze. The fragrances of spring flowers, wood smoke, and dinners cooking met me at various points along the way. People were out working in their yards, washing cars, or strolling on the sidewalk and chatting with neighbors. A dog named Roxy came up to sniff the hand I had tucked in the pouch of my sweatshirt. I think the beets I have been eating energized me. Flowers ard popping out everywhere. Thankful to God I feel like doing these walks.
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Abby and I also had a nice walk, but it had more than the usual share of yanking and going as fast as she could while pulling me. No real strolling.
Worked with her a little bit this afternoon using cheese treats and a training platform I’m trying to get her up onto (hoping it could help with getting back to “let’s jump into the car!” training).
She did well, I was working on the “sit” command (which she recognizes with the word “wait” more than “sit”).
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DJ, the newer method of teaching “sit” should make it super easy. (Misten was a quick learner anyway, but she learned it her first day home with me.) You hold a treat in front of the dog’s face between two fingers and then move it a bit higher; as you move it up, you say “sit” just as the dog’s face movement up toward the treat makes it sit naturally. Knowing that dogs sometimes become deaf and that in a crowded area a dog might not hear your voice well, I chose to teach Misten with voice commands and hand commands, and I let the “fingers holding a treat” motion work for “sit,” so she soon sat whether or not I was holding a treat. But she was sitting with just the word after three or four repetitions, albeit not dependably until later in the day. (And all her life she went through stretches where she pretended not to know “sit,” and so I would take her through her paces again a few times.)
Then for “down” or “lie down,” once the dog is sitting and watching your hand, you bring it down to the ground just in front of this face until the dog ends up stretching out its front legs and going down. Not sure I’ve explained that well. That one was trickier, at least for Misten, because she was just stubborn enough she didn’t really like to lie down on command, but she definitely learned it quicker than the old-days training methods would have worked.
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Thanks Cheryl — that’s pretty much how I’ve learned to do it as well, always a hand motion coupled with voice. We’ve been slow to get to the basics but that’s all my fault.
While Tess was the easiest dog ever when it came to obedience, Abby isn’t doing badly. I’ve done most of the training on our walks – out of necessity due to her size and strength and pulling tendencies.
She understands “slow” and “easy” and “wait” (at corners, but she stands during those periods so I need to go back to bringing treats along and work on a proper sit). Again, my fault we’re not further along than we are, but it’s been a wild year with all the rain, my own doctor’s appointments/cataract surgeries/drivers’ test — and, of course, full-time work.
There, did those excuses all work in my defense? 😦 😦
The trainer I’ve worked with on Abby’s car issues also had a couple new commands that have come along in the years since I’ve been active in classes — establishing a ‘marker’ which is a word, you choose, to get you to look up at you is one of them (holding a treat near your face).
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Good morning, all.
Still sick so no church.
But we will be playing corn hole if all goes according to plan!
mumsee
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DJ, I had a few words that I taught Misten just because she was such a big dog (long, mostly, and tall, a bit like your Abby). I taught her “wait” and “turn around” and in addition to “lie down,” I taught her “on your side.” I never taught her “roll over” simply because she really hated being on her back. But when she was lying down, I’d tell her “on your side” and touch one side or the other and she knew to roll onto the other side.
The “turn around” was really useful one time, and I was quite proud of her, when the vet was examining her and said, “I need to see her other side.” Without even touching her, I said, “Misten, turn around” and she executed a perfect 180 on the table. As narrow as those tables are, I imagine some owners would really struggle with getting a big dog turned around, but she knew the command, was very sure-footed, and executed it instantly when I told her to turn.
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Oh, another command I taught Misten was “back up.” Again, with a big dog in a small home, sometimes it’s helpful to have her know commands for maneuverability!
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Cheryl – Are you wearing any green today? I can’t help but think of the story you’ve told of your mom not allowing you to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, and getting pinched several times at school. (I remember that happening at my school, too, if I forgot to wear any green.)
Today I am wearing a top that is mostly black with a green and blue design. There was a lot of green at church this morning. :-)
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We will be having McDonald’s food for dinner, with Shamrock shakes.
We will have the traditional corned beef dinner another time. (BTW, I once read that that was actually started as a Jewish tradition here, but I’m not sure how accurate that was.)
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Haha, Cheryl, Abby backs up naturally — she’s shy and reticent, “reverse” is her go-to gear.
Except when walking, then it’s full speed ahead. She’s getting better, I’ve gotten her in a couple of our regular spots to go “slow” — but it’s still a work in progress. As soon as I can get her into the car, we’re off to obedience classes!
Wonderful and encouraging morning at church, our final hymn is always one that makes me tear up, in joy.
Revelation Song — Jannie Lee, 2009 gateway worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dZMBrGGmeE
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(more of a rock version, but the words just lay me out, every time) * dj
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Sermon was delivered by one of our elders today, on Christian Contentment from Philippians 4:11-13.
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DJ, we’ve had to resort to a Haltee-type leash for Koot. He’s just too big and his pulling was quite dangerous. He did not appreciate it the first time, but the second time, he was so good on his walk. Now he walks with it just so nicely. Both he and Tim enjoy the walks so much more now. He also wears a weighted backpack because he just has so much energy. He seems quite proud to have the backpack on. He gets his walk first thing in the morning and then he gets to rest in his crate while we’re at work.
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And his feet are so big now his paw prints rival the wolves’ prints 😁
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My mom dressed me in green for St. Patrick’s Day — but she always added a small patch of orange somewhere on my dress, with a safety pin, to represent our more Scottish/very-Northern Ireland background.
(the Orange movement, though, was pretty severe in some corners)
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ok, it seems to be dog day. My daughter told me recently that she had trouble getting her dog into the car.
She resorted to feeding the dog all of her food in the car. She would open the door and put the dish of food at a level that was easy for the dog. So all of her food was associated with the car. At first she made it very easy and right at her level and then gradually moved it in a little further.
Jo
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Hmmm, that’s a thought, Jo!
I’ll have to talk to the trainer about that. My guess is Abby would miss a few meals initially.
(we of course have tried treats but no go, she won’t even put a paw up, if it’s too far away, she just leaves it.)
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I got my permit at 15 and my license at 16, which was the norm. I don’t believe we should punish the responsible drivers because of those who are not. Most are responsible. Getting a job often does require a car. If parents have other children to drive to work or activities or jobs with shift work, they cannot always drive their children. I never drove to school, however, but rode the bus.
We got back today from a trip to the Ark Encounter, Creation Museum and Nashville Zoo among other places. I feel blessed that it all worked out so well. We rode with our oldest daughter and her three daughters.
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i want to go to the Ark!
Glad you had a great trip, Kathaleena.
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I think the graduated license is a good idea. (I think we have that in Connecticut, too.) A young teenage driver in a car full of teens tends to be more reckless.
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Kathaleena, welcome home, you were missed.
I walked to school.
I also got my learner’s permit at 15 and license at 16, we had drivers’ ed in high school. Once I learned how, I LOVED to drive.
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Kizzie, green is my most common clothing color, and my husband and I did indeed both wear green today. 🙂
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