October 18, 2007 – I don’t pay enough attention to reading the behavior of dogs, especially puppies. This is something that the best behaviorists – like Patricia McConnell often urge us to do. Lenore has entered the mischievous phrase. She is fully housebroken, and comes when calls, unless she sees something she likes better. I know not to give any commands that I am not sure I can enforce, and I can now see the pause, even twinkle in her eye, when she is going to bolt for the goat leavings or some other disgusting treat rather than to come for my paltry little treat. She also looks to see if I have a treat before she comes, which means I have to hide the treats in my hands so that she isn’t sure, and comes anyway. This means she is bright, and calculating. She is. She tortures the border collies relentlessly by challenging them to play – and they woof, growl and run. She is not deterred. She can be out in the yard now, loves the car, and rides the four wheeler in my lap on short, safe runs.
  I need to focus on basic obedience and this week will begin stay and lie down. She sits pretty well, has no concept of stay. She is quite social, with dogs and people and loves almost all of the farm animals. I have kept her away from Elvis who could stomp her without thinking about it. She loves the sheep, but could easily get trampled, and I don’t let her run with the border collies, which is simply a recipe for joing injuries in Labs. My big task is to pay more attention to her eyes and body language, and do a better job of reading her behavior.