Day Four -- Tack to the Left, Tack to the Right...  Stand Up, Sit Down...  Fight, Fight, Fight!

It's like heading into the wind...   Repeating the ambitious total mileage of the day before, Ruby and her devoted followers walked a total of five miles again on Sunday, and once again, in two separate shifts.  Good walkies!  Ruby tends to do as Kody did, that is, she sort of "tacks," like a sailboat facing upwind.  "Ruby," Joel admonished, "Walk in a straight line, why don't you..."

Mary and Joel note that Ruby -- unlike her first day with us -- has begun howling at passing dogs.  Perhaps it's a factor of feeling at home with us.  Mary, in her usual thoughtful manner, decided that maybe it was time to pull a Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer!).  When Ruby started yapping at a squirrel scampering up a tree, Mary stood in front of Ruby, emitted her own version of "Pssst...  Psssst..."  She would block Ruby's view of the object of her longing to chase, and hold her hand in front of Ruby's nose.  Ruby sat instantly, and modified her behavior.  "Amazing," said Joel.  "You're Baba the Dog Whisperer."  Mary repeated the procedure whenever Ruby encountered passing doggies.   An aside from Mary,  "It works better for the doggies than the squirrels."

Earlier, when Joan rang our doorbell, Mary opened the door and Ruby came flying onto the porch.  Mary grabbed for the collar, missed, and Ruby went flying down the porch steps and up the sidewalk.  Mary yelled really loudly, "Ruby!"  No reaction.  And then she remembered how Rob told her that Ruby reacts much better at soft requests or commands vs. yelling.  And so, she followed Ruby slowly and softly said, "Here, Girl.  C'mon."  Ruby obeyed.  And the two walked calming back into the house.  

This was Mary's great day of bonding with Ruby, and both enjoyed a productive, happy and successful Sunday!