Thor let me brush his teeth

I'm floored. Stunned. Shocked. Awed. Wowed.

I think that's all the words I know to describe my feelings except THRILLED! Thor actually let me brush every single one of his teeth tonight. Even the front ones!

I don't know what made tonight different, but Thor went from allowing me to stick the brush in his mouth for three seconds or so to letting me lift his lip and get his back molars. I did his teeth very softly and slowly, and didn't really get his gums. But I felt it was thorough enough not to redo them with my finger.

I have a feeling this was an exceptional day, but it's great to see where we are headed.

In other news, Thor almost played with a dog AGAIN today! There is a very pretty 4 lb yorkie named Rico that goes to the same park as us every so often. He is about as standoffish as Thor usually is. Thor prefers yorkies, and really prefers dogs as small as he is. I was thrilled to see him make some real attempts to play with Rico. He even barked at Rico to get him moving. Rico was not into it and actually snapped a bit at Thor to get him to back off. Still, though! They did chase each other back and forth a teeny little bit. I bet if they meet ten more times, they might actually start to like each other.

Thor is overall doing really well, just like the super yorkie he is. He has Roll Over down to a science now. We're now working on Bang! and he's picking it up very quickly. I have to push on his shoulder a bit to get him to roll onto his back, but once he's there, he stays until I release him. It's so cute that I'm sometimes worried I'll faint dead away from cute overload.

He's also a Stay jedi master now. He can hold a Stay for almost a minute! He'll stay even if I turn around and walk away from him.

And finally, he's 99.5% potty trained. He never goes in the wrong place in my apartment. He did try to break his record in my office, but I caught him in time, and he'll go without prompting on his pad there too.


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I feel like it's time for another ten reasons why Thor is The Best Doggie In The Whole Entire World.

1. I love how he comes running at top speed when he hears me open a treat bag, even though it's the exact same treat he gets every day, six times a day. He even gets up on his back legs and dances.

2. I love his cute little tongue. Now that the weather is getting a little warmer here, I get to see it more often, flapping around like a tiny flag.

3. I love when we play and he growls at me with his super-soprano growl.

4. I love that he's started picking up signs of our routine. For instance, he gets really worked up if he sees me put on shoes, because he knows that means a trip outside. He also used to be scared of the doggy water fountain at our favorite park, but now he sits by it and waits for me to turn it on.

5. I love that he will go into an army crawl at the slightest provocation and pull himself the entire length of my living room rug.

6. I love how he always, always wants to play if I get his paws wet. I don't know what it is about wet paws, but apparently when they happen, fun is not optional.

7. I love how he sits quietly in my lap and lets me blow dry him and then brush him out. Usually our focused time together is "enrichment" time - play/exercise or training. This is one of the few times where we both just chill out together. I could brush him for hours.

8. He seriously has the shiniest coat ever. I swear he's part disco ball.

9. I love how he shamelessly begs for food at the corner store. He'll stand on his hind legs and cry like a starving child for as long as it takes them to bring out his snack. Of course, the snack would not be good enough if *I* gave it to him, but anything free from a store is delicious. That's the rule.

10. I love watching him run around the park. Every trip is like the first time he's ever been. Dogs have so much to teach us about unfettered joy.

And that is why I love love love love Thor with all my heart. I cannot get enough of this little darling doggie. Smooch! Luv ya, Thor!