Gracie- 9 months

Gracie is 9 months old this week.  Finally grew a bit too!  She's been about even with Vito's height for several weeks and then one day I looked over and she has a good inch on him.  Officially surpasses Teacup Labrador size and is firmly in Pocket Labrador standards.  Or is it the other way around?  41.4lbs.

She shocked me by passing the CGC this week!  I really only took it because my club was hosting it and we haven't been offering it as regularly as in the past.  My favorite time to take the test is around 4-5 months old.  The puppy really doesn't know anything, but if you have a good foundation in attention work you can pretty much fake your way through it!  The worst time to take it is between 6-13 months old.  Those crazy teenagers!
But Gracie really turned on the charm!  After jumping in the air and butting me in the face when I told her to sit the first time, she settled in.  Probably the best walking skills she's ever done with distractions.  Way to show off hind end awareness while walking through the crowd!

Launching herself in the kennel run at work is still occurring.  Has almost reached outerspace.  Is getting a tiny bit better with the morning kennel staff person by having her cue a sit.  And Gracie has also become brilliant at knowing if I'm there hiding and waiting to enforce it.

Crate pooping news- :(  She's had no blanket for a full month and just as I was about to re-grant her privileges, she had another silent pooping incident last week over night.  That's the first time she's done it without any blankets in the crate.  Happens so infrequently that I'm at a complete loss.

Currently training:
1. Turning OFF lights-  Confusing the little lab brain by teaching the nudging down instead of just up.  Progressed from the stick in my hand to now on a low wall.  Have not yet scrambled her even further by combining both light with switch.

2. Object placement- Dropping an item onto a chair was started last month, now doing a little bit of distance before I start adding in height for future rise-drop applications.  Also just started teaching her clean up into a bucket.

3. Nudge close- Has strength and graduated to drawers vs cabinents.  Can usually close it even with tug rope attached.  Am now working on varying height of the drawers so she focuses on lowering her head versus just resting her chin on top of the drawer.

4. Praying- Am just starting to transfer thisfrom doing it on my arms to the couch.  Many difficulties!  Gracie really wants to visit the couch (resting her chin) and even if I do get her paws up she is awkwardy curling backwards and would fall over if I'm not behind her.