Shoppin'

I took Dhali and Tibby shopping at Runnings (farm store) tonight.  Dhali again, Tibby's first time.  I took them in separately, which I think the girls at the register thought was funny.  Of course, they thought Tibby was Dhali coming in for a 2nd visit!  Yeah, Dhali's getting big, but not THAT big!  

So Dhali really likes going shopping.  He goes right in the doors and isn't shy about anything.  I'm not sure if he's learning to focus on me.....although I was able to reward him for watching me quite a few times.  Mostly I just let him 'browse'.  aaaand he did!  He found lots of little tasty snacks all over the store.  Hmmmm, may need to re-think this shopping as socialization idea.  He found a few pieces of spilled kibble in the dog food isle - our brand even! and some rabbit food and a peanut shell.  I was treating him with his kibble, but I guess free kibble is tastier. 

I'm thinking a few more visits and then we will try doing some tricks.  He did simple ones -sit, spin and nose touch, but I would like to work on other things - 4 feet in a bowl, push little wheeled cart, get up on tippy step.  He sort of looked at what I was offering and then said, "Nah. I'm good looking for snacks on the floor right now.  I don't want to work."  O-kay.  Big breath.  It's o-kay. 

He is really very well behaved though.  Walks right along and looks at people and then looks back at me.  AT THIS POINT I really can't compete with free found snacks on the floor, but soon hopefully with practice  I will be more valuable than an empty peanut shell on the floor. :P

I debated about bringing Tibby into the store - on one hand if she was naughty they might not let us back into the store and on the other hand she might be good.  She was pretty good, although I saw that she REALLY does have a fear of men.  Woman approached her and she was all waggy tail, "Hi there!".  Husband of woman came up and she was, "Ah!  Retreat!  Stranger!"  But she didn't have a reactive episode, so that is a big PLUS in the go Tibby column.  One thing about Runnings - 90% of the people shopping are men.  There was another dog in the store, a big pointer of some kind, but I don't think she saw him.  When I realized there was another dog walking around I made sure we didn't get too close to them.  I didn't want to ruin our up to then good shopping trip.

One thing that surprised her (and Dhali doesn't even notice) people talking in other isles where she can't see them.  She was very suspicious of those invisible people.  We walked through the toy isle and there was a talking gerbil toy.  She was scared of it for a second then when she realized it was a toy she made the funniest sound/head shake - like she was rolling her eyes at it, "Oh, what a waste of time pfffft!"

She was VERY happy that we brought home another croaking frog.  It's a small size one, but she will have to be happy with it.  She broke the big one - no more ribbity, ribbity - that we've had for a couple months.  It is the ONLY toy that she wants to play with by herself.  She carries it around and gets upset when Dhali tries to take it.   Last night she brought it to me a bunch of times to play fetch.  So yeah we had to get a new one!  Even though it is a very annoying noise - I would gladly take a squeaker any day.