Advent

We haven't had any more snow. In fact, we've been having incredible weather this December, at least up until today. For last Saturday's puppy Christmas party, we had 60 degree sunny weather to drive up 2 hours north. Zephyr was the oldest puppy at the party (not counting the retired and breeders), so he got first choice in the gift exchange. Sadly, being the oldest puppy means he goes back to school sooner before the rest of the group. We only have about 3 months left now that he is 9 months old.

He is doing well with heeling on a loose leash. He still pulls on occasion and we have to back up and try again. He knows his mat pretty well and we've done enough work with him that he doesn't have problems with the impulse control games. All in all, he is doing well. We'll just try to polish every- thing up in the time we have left.

Christmas- time has brought a few new experiences. We drove in the old, noisy, vibrating Jeep for the first time. He spent most of the trip with his ears pinned back. We brought home a tree and put it up in the living room and decorated it. He spent most of the decorating time sitting pretty, hoping to be rewarded with one of the 'balls'. He has pulled off and chewed one ornament, but not a glass one.

The last picture, which is clearly not 9 month old Zephyr, is his 9 week old half-sister whom we saw at the party. And the head in the second picture is our pet Pico with his hair grown out as compared to previous pictures of Pico in his summer cut.