I am NOT a happy puppy today. I was left alone ALL DAY. All I wanted was to play with my toys and the other puppies and I would have even worked nicely on commands if I had some company. I probably slept all day but I would have been happier with someone else around. Luckily Allie is home now and can take me outside to play and practice with me.

I got a new NylaBone! That was a GREAT surprise! It might have been because I was going to be alone all day but I was VERY HAPPY. I also got cheese today, I LOVE CHEESE!

Likes: Outside, NylaBones, Cheese
Dislikes: Being alone, my crate, my gentle leader

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Westin has been wearing his gentle leader at mealtime to get used to it. He is getting better with it but he definitely doesn't like it. Since I've had him, he's gotten it off twice. He leaves it alone better now, I still have to tell him to "leave it" but definitely not as often. I leave it on for as long as possible, trying to get him to play or focus on other things while it's on. I take it off when I have to tell him to "leave it" as often as it feels constant. When it is all he can focus on, I take it off because he is still a learning puppy and doesn't have the patience yet.

He is still not willingly going into his crate. I bribe him with cheese (his favorite treat!) and even that is dwindling... I toss it in and say "kennel" and he stands at the door and drools, takes a step in then backs up, and repeats. I try to encourage him and it takes probably 5 minutes of tossing the cheese back in before he makes any serious movements.

I think he did alright being alone today. I came home for lunch and took him outside to run and potty and play. My dad came in around 2:30 really quickly and he said Westin didn't whine when he was going through the house. I was happy to hear that! I left him in his crate today, because we have not finished clearing out the mudroom, but I think after this weekend he will be able to have the room to himself. We don't quite trust him around small items yet, he has proven to be a "chewer" and I don't know what he would/wouldn't get into!

Westin has been doing great with his training. He did "watch me" very well today. He did, however, bring me the remote today. I dropped it and he picked it up off of the floor! I told him "give" in a very happy voice and praised him when he gave it it me, but then he picked it up off of the table all by himself again! and again, I told him to "give" in a very happy voice. This was not something he was supposed to or prompted to do, but it definitely can't be discouraged because he is going to have to do this more often. I tried to get him to pick up other things but he wasn't having any of it!