too smart

i think wombat is a little too smart. this morning i decided i'd walk up to the chemist and she could come with me. i closed the back door and as soon as she heard the lock click she darted to the front door (not once did i even give a hint that we were going somewhere!). as we were passing "yappy little stupid" (as we've affectionately named the neighbour's little dog that barks under the fence when we pass and drives wombi nuts) he did his usual barking thing but wombat did pretty good going past just looking over at his nose under the fence as we passed (as apposed to trying to pull me up the driveway so she can get to him). when we passed the house i just continued walking forgetting to stop and give her a treat so she associates other dogs with food. the next few steps past the house wombat kept banging her big head into my knee. i finally stopped and she immediately stopped and looked up at me for a treat. she had been banging into me cuz she was trying to look at me and walk at the same time cuz she was expecting a treat.

i think she's got the dog behind the fence thing figured out. she did a similar thing the other day in the park across the road. there's another little yappy stupid in one of the flats that back onto the park. the yappy's people have created a tiny little fence from their sliding door so little yappy can go outside a couple meters. there's also a bigger wire fence several meters from their door, separating the flats from the park. wombat knows about little yappy there and goes nuts at it so we try to keep he away from there. the other day she kept trying to pull forward toward the area where little yappy lives (he was inside). he eventually heard wombat and came out. he wasn't barking though but wombat was trying to get closer (i wouldn't let her). finally he started yapping and wombat immediately ran back to me and sat. she provoked little yappy to bark so she would get a treat!

after we got home this morning i gave her a bath. she was very good-- i took her collar off and didn't have her tied to anything but she was good and stayed still (probably hating every minute of it) and let me shampoo and condition her. after i finished i realized her towel was inside so i went in to get it. when i came out she went nuts trying to pull on the towel and play with it. i finally managed to dry her. then she charged down the side of the house and then back. jumped into the garden and spun in circles repeatedly!! she was COVERED in dirt. i thought maybe i should just leave her out back the rest of the morning for that but i decided to be nice and re-rinse her (i'm sure she didn't consider that nice but she would have hated the alternative too). i brought her in and made her sit on her bed with her dental bone and soft toy. i got busy at the computer and 10 min later i heard a sigh behind me. i look and see her curled up on my spot on the couch, wet and still slightly dirty! she's lucky there's covers over the couch cushions and that it was a hot day so my spot is dry now.

her other smart things (this is a LONG post but she's shown a lot of intelligence- even if she is very cunning in some of it) happened when i came home. i decided to open the side gate and bring the bins out front before going in. she was very excited to see me come around back. while i put the bins out front she just waited half way down the side and called out to me a couple times but wouldn't come down and thru the gate-- i didn't even tell her to stay!

then it came time to go inside. she had her bone in her mouth and she's not allowed those in the house cuz they're gross. i told her to drop it. she did but as soon as the door was opened she picked it up again so i closed the door (this happens all the time). we tried again. i said "drop it". she did. door opened, she picked it up, door closed. we tried a 3rd time. she came in the door with her smiling, panting face and went to her bed. i followed and saw she was chewing something on her bed and it didn't sound like her dental bone (a nylon bone). she had put the bone in the side of her mouth opposite to me and panted normally while she walked past me!