Date?

Monte's healing is continuing at a slower than expected rate. We have added triple antibiotic cream to the bandage application to hopefully stave off any infection. Last week (12/8), our veterinarian said that he should be better on Sunday, maybe he meant this Sunday.

Last night was an unofficial date night. On our way downtown, we stopped by class to see the new batch of puppies and drop off some supplies. Monte wanted to play with the youngsters and made sure that everyone knew it as he vocalized his displeasure at being kept away.

The trainers at our last class warned us about too much playtime and stressed quality or quantity. When we visited the Guide Dogs for the Blind on our trip to Denver, three years ago, I remember that they advised no more than thirty minutes of canine playtime. That's thirty minutes per week and included resident dogs. The purpose was to prioritize and reinforce the human-canine bond. At the time we thought that was too little. Dogs need to be dogs. However, seeing the results of unlimited playtime with our puppies, it makes more sense.

I digress. Our cheap date night was a free dressed rehearsal of the
Nutcracker, performed by Madison Ballet. It was Monte's and our first time in the theater at the Overture Center. Our charge relaxed during the presentation, only to be roused by random applause. Eventually he learned to ignore the outbursts with a slight lift of the head.

During intermission, we were able to practice greetings. The one issue we are still working on is greeting people without licking/mouthing them. He is fine with us, due to our constant correction, but can spot easy prey and takes advantage. Although we missed the orchestra, we humans found the dress rehearsal interesting because the directer was making observations and corrections throughout the performance. Monte prefers the action of a hockey game.