Happy New Year

Izzy is doing a lot better with checking in.

We started 2026 with a pack walk with Connecting with K9s. It was a great way to start the year. I was reminded this morning how things change when a photo of the New Years walk in 2019 came up in my Facebook memories. Of course, that walk was with Emmi. These walks were an important part of helping Emmi with her dog reactivity and we attended them diligently. They were also a great activity for us, and we made lots of friends. It's crazy to think this was the walk I shared my goal of doing therapy work with Emmi. I wasn't sure if we would actually get there but we did.

It was great to be back with Izzy. It was also so nice to have a dog without dog reactivity. However, Izzy would love to play with everyone and pulls like a sled dog, so we have plenty to work on.

New Years walk 2019.

The new year is always a good time set goals for the next year. My goals for Izzy:

• Focus on training: polite greetings, ability to calm/settle around exciting things and loose leash walking are first on the agenda. We will continue with work at home, in the community and in classes.

• Continue to build our bond through our activities.

• Continue with socialization activities.

• Continue giving her outlets to play with other dogs.

• Get Izzy's Canine Good Citizenship certification.

• Get Izzy's Therapy Dog Certification and start therapy visits.

We start Teenage Social Club next week where we work on her being calm out in the community.

Izzy pulling but doing so well with all the new dogs and experiences.

I am so excited to see Izzy's progress this next year. She is such a good girl and so smart. I am confident she will be a therapy dog by the end of the year.

We do some great exercises on pack walks. Here we have gone off to the side and wait for the other dogs to pass.