January 9, 2014 - A Gold Star Day!
Mali was so shy that when we brought her home last March, no one was sure whether she was housebroken because no one had actually seen her "do her business", even the trainer who took her home for two weeks.  At home, she would go to the very back of the yard and go behind the rose bushes.  I had to cut them back severely because I was afraid of her cutting her face on the thorns.   (After the first week - and the first two times left home alone with Chi - there were no "accidents", and each one of the accidents showed that she was trying to do the right thing, like next to my toilet.)

After a couple of months, first my son and then I celebrated when Mali finally urinated during a walk.  The first thing we have had to do after a walk was let her go out back for a little while to relieve herself.  Now, she regularly urinates during a long walk.

The week prior to January 9 had been really terrible weather - rain, ice, snow and extremely frigid conditions, so only brief trips out back had been allowed.  Finally, the sun came out and the temperatures rose - it was 37-39 degrees when we started our walk but it actually felt very comfortable.  As we were headed back to the car on the return loop of the walk, I couldn't believe what I saw!  Mali was in the position to do the doo!  I can't really explain how excited and happy I was that Mali finally had trusted enough to "poop" on a walk!  I wasn't sure whether I should throw the bag out or get it bronzed ;-)