Prey Drive

I'm really proud of Ebony. We walked past a cat last night, and she pulled on the leash, but she returned to me every single time I called her name (and she was treated for her efforts). I'm not sure I can express how much progress this is from where we were when we brought her home 9 1/2 months ago. Last April, or heck, any time last summer and maybe even last fall too, if she'd seen that cat from 20 feet away, there would have been nothing I could do to regain her attention. Nothing.

Heck, the first week we brought her home, she'd spend 20 minutes solid barking at a life-sized white ceramic cat we have in the living room.  I know it was 20 minutes because I timed it once while wondering how long she could possibly keep it up. It was pretty darn funny, although owning Ebony has taught me a significant lesson about why lots of rescue dogs are listed as "strictly not for homes with cats". If we integrate her with our own cats by the time she's 8, I'll be amazed (she's 4 now). We finally had to take away that ceramic cat when we realized that she might accidentally smash it in her barking glee. It's back on the floor now, but it was several weeks before we trusted her with it.

My goal is to be able to recall her from a running cat or rabbit. We're not there yet, of course, but it might just happen someday!