Good days follow bad

Yesterday was a bad day. Work wasn't great, I appear to be going through the menopause and could have bit every bodies head off, I didn't want to run, I felt crappy and to make matters even worse, Lincoln had a day where he nipped and bit me all day. Twice I completely lost the plot and told him off very harshly... then cried because I felt so guilty.
I rang my mam, who told me that I needed to harden myself up while he was going through this nipping stage and tap him on the nose to tell him it was not good behaviour. She thought it important to be firm now as he has the makings of a fabulous dog with a lovely temperament... as long as he was taught well now.
So, last night I went to bed feeling really ill with a sore throat and chesty cough and in a right stinker of a mood, feeling like everything was falling apart!

This morning I got up and felt rubbish by way of a cold, but in a better mood. I tackled the three attempts at being nipped with a short sharp tap on Lincolns' nose, and low and behold he stopped and walked away. Excellent!
Work went really well, even managing a sale this close to Christmas, and speaking to one of my clients about Florence, I finally accepted that under the circumstances I did well on the day and it was time to stop feeling glum about it.
I got home tonight and had another three little taps on the nose of the dog as he tried to bite me... again he walked away, only to come back and lick my hand in a sorrowful way! I took him out for a walk and he walked really well on the lead, and then Graeme and I took him to the puppy class again. I went with him alone on Sunday, and although rather distracted by the other dogs he did well, however today was much much better. He was doing what was being asked of him when one of the people who worked there said to me that he was marvellous for only 12 weeks old, and a very stunning looking dog. It was nice to hear somebody else saying he was clever and gorgeous. He's a bit of a star at the puppy class actually... everyone wants to cuddle him, and a lot of people are shocked to see a black German Shepherd.

So, the best part of today came right near the end of the class. Keith (the trainer) wanted to show the class how to get the dog to sit and wait (not allowing them to get the toy from the floor until he said it was OK to), and he used Lincoln to show the rest of the class what to do. Very proud mam I was, as he did exactly what he was told!

I'm feeling very happy now, and glad that bad days are just that... one day... and it's always better the following day!