Petey got a lesson in alerting to the phone yesterday.
I have one of those cordless thingies which has up and down arrow keys you can press to change the volume and type of ringtone. I filled a little cup with healthy treats and sat down in a cushy chair. Pete already knows "Touch" and "Paws" - the first being to touch my hand with his nose, the second to paw at me.
When Pete was busy chewing a bone nearby, I'd surreptitiously place a treat in my right hand, left hand poised on the broad arm of the chair holding the telephone. Press up arrow... RING ... a quick "Pete! TOUCH!" Being sound reactive as he is, he came over immediately but stared at the phone at first. A little more encouragement, "Pete, TOUCH!" and he switched his attention from my left hand to my right where, upon sticking his nose into my palm, he discovered a treat. Good job! Thank you.
(Yes, I often thank my dogs, especially when I consider what they've just done as a favor.)
His further attempts to extract a treat from my hand yielded mild discouragement and "that's enough." Once he engaged himself in an activity of his choosing, I'd repeat the activity. It wasn't long before he'd come charging through the room at the sound of the phone, eagerly nudging my hand without my prompting him with the TOUCH command. He responded even in several very distractive situations - playing with another dog and cuddling in Dick's lap.
This dog is going to be awesome!
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Training Week 2, Day 2 (Day 8)
More Short Leash Work
Pete was extraordinary at the nursing home this morning. He's learning that when I release him from command, it's okay to sniff around and go potty. A few minutes of heeling with turns and I took him into the building. Lots of distractions. Gratefully, the entrance leads to a very big room where I could do proper turns. A couple of those and we went into the meeting. Sat on the leash and he settled right away and almost fell asleep. Afterward, he said hello to some of the staff and residents, practiced heeling in a few aisles and worked on sitting in the presence of distraction (yes, I know that isn't in the program yet, but he does know how to sit on command). He was very impressive for such a young puppy. Heck - even for a grown dog, he was impressive.
We received his little hearing ear dog in training bandanna yesterday, which he wore. It's very cute - it's red with white lettering. Pics later.
Regarding the access issue with Old Time Pottery - I called yesterday and got someone's voice mail, but no call back. Have to call tomorrow, if I have time. It's my birthday.
Pete was extraordinary at the nursing home this morning. He's learning that when I release him from command, it's okay to sniff around and go potty. A few minutes of heeling with turns and I took him into the building. Lots of distractions. Gratefully, the entrance leads to a very big room where I could do proper turns. A couple of those and we went into the meeting. Sat on the leash and he settled right away and almost fell asleep. Afterward, he said hello to some of the staff and residents, practiced heeling in a few aisles and worked on sitting in the presence of distraction (yes, I know that isn't in the program yet, but he does know how to sit on command). He was very impressive for such a young puppy. Heck - even for a grown dog, he was impressive.
We received his little hearing ear dog in training bandanna yesterday, which he wore. It's very cute - it's red with white lettering. Pics later.
Regarding the access issue with Old Time Pottery - I called yesterday and got someone's voice mail, but no call back. Have to call tomorrow, if I have time. It's my birthday.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Training Day 6 (Yesterday) - Access Issues!
Today we continued our longe line work. It is becoming truly difficult to find distractions that are so strong that Pete will venture to the end of the line. I was going to save Petco (I prefer them to PetsMart - they carry my brand of dog food) until later, but decided to take a trip there.
In all, we visited three places yesterday: Gensler Gardens, Petco and Old Time Pottery. At Gensler Gardens we met a friendly state trooper who raved about my nice little pup. Unfortunately, we met in the parking lot as he was on his way out - I would have liked to ask him to get out of his car and meet him, since so many dogs seem to have issues with people in uniforms. Our chat was through his car window. Going through the automatic sliding doors was accomplished after only one false start. Because there are food items, I did not allow him to check out stuff on the shelves. A small child whose parent was not watching him closely stalked us for a while and provided excellent distraction by anticipating our path and jumping out at us from behind display cases. Folks - this is why it is so important that people with service dogs in training have the same access rights as the disabled with fully trained dogs! There is no way to acclimate a dog to all the crazy things they'll have to deal with unless you bring them places where dogs are not expected to be. People get WEIRD. Reactions range from pleasant surprise to stalking to screeching in horror. I'm amazed at how much dog-phobia there is out there. And children can be counted on to be bizarre beyond imagination!
Our visit to Gensler Gardens was short, and most of our work was done in the parking lot and on the nearby footpaths. We loaded ourselves in my truck and headed off for Petco. That's a much busier location. We did more parking lot work, and there were a few dogs coming and going as well - excellent distraction. I can't think of a better place to test a dog on distractions (except, perhaps, a ball game). Naturally, I kept the line a little shorter inside the store, except where we had rare opportunities for me to let the line out full-length in an empty aisle. I chose my "break" spots near display cases with critters. I did break the "no talking" rule when he investigated because I like to teach my dogs the names of different animals. So, Pete met some ferrets, rabbits, birds and fish, through the glass, of course.
Folks around here are, in general, very well educated regarding service dogs. Most, when I tell them he's a service dog in training, say something like, "Oh... so I shouldn't pet him, then." Hurray! But as we are also socializing him, I tell them that they may ASK to pet. I explain the rules - no petting unless he is SITTING. If he stands or jumps up (hey... he IS still a puppy, after all), they are to stop petting. "Can you do that? It would really help his training," I tell them. Once they agree, I release him from command, then tell him to sit and commence that exercise. If he gets squirmy, I do help him to maintain the sit position. I do not correct for transgressions, since we haven't progressed to sit/stays in his training program yet - I just reposition him. After the petting session, I tell him "Back to work" and continue our leash exercises. That's working well so far.
Before our outing, I printed out a brochure about the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as a copy of the state law which grants trainers with service dogs in training the same access rights as a disabled person with a trained dog. Oh, yeah... I FORGOT TO PUT IT IN MY PURSE! So far, most everyone has taken my word for it. That is... until we entered the Old Time Pottery store. Grrrr.
This store has a long entrance way. I chose that store because it is huge and has very wide aisles and is not exceptionally crowded, so I'd have opportunity to let the line out if the dog was distracted. With line coiled, we started through the entrance. There's a little vending area before you enter the main part of the store. We attracted a lot of attention - all good. One child acted bizarrely, at one point bolting from behind a nearby table, screaming and running past him, arms flailing overhead, which startled him more than a little bit. What is it about kids that inspires them to ACT LIKE PREY when they see a dog? Is it any wonder that they get bitten? Yikes! Poor Pete's hackles went up all the way down his back, just like a cat puffs up when startled. (Hackles are not always a sign of aggression - they also indicate arousal of many types.) He recovered quickly and returned to a sit - good dog!
After running the gauntlet of the entrance, I noticed and officious-looking fellow hovering around the entry into the main part of the store. I was immediately suspicious. As we attempted to enter, he stopped us.
"You can't come in here with a dog," he said.
I introduced myself, told him I was a dog trainer and this is a service dog in training, and that according to state law, service dogs in training have the same rights as the disabled regarding access to public places.
"You can't come in here unless you are disabled and the dog is a full service dog," he said. "Corporate policy. You can't train the dog in here."
"I'm sorry, but according to Illinois state law, a dog trainer with a service dog has the same access rights. I have a copy of the law here..." and started rifling through my purse. Crap... I left it on the table at home.
I decided not to press the issue, but I said I would be back with a copy of the law and that I would like to speak to a manager at that time.
"I am the manager." Ugh.
I asked for a corporate contact and he gave me a card with the customer service email address. Hrumph. I will be contacting them as they may not be aware that their "corporate policy" constitutes a Class A Misdemeanor in the state of Illinois, and that every state in which they have locations have similar laws. I wasn't prepared to push the issue and that's a mistake I won't make again.
On general principle, I lingered a bit longer in the entrance than I would have, and regardless of the outcome of this issue, I will NOT be shopping anymore at Old Time Pottery.
You will see a new list of links on the right side of this page, "Cheers" and "Jeers." I will continue to venture out and I WILL post here and I WILL name names!
For you legal types out there, here is a citation and link to the law:
775 ILCS 30 / White Cane Law
In all, we visited three places yesterday: Gensler Gardens, Petco and Old Time Pottery. At Gensler Gardens we met a friendly state trooper who raved about my nice little pup. Unfortunately, we met in the parking lot as he was on his way out - I would have liked to ask him to get out of his car and meet him, since so many dogs seem to have issues with people in uniforms. Our chat was through his car window. Going through the automatic sliding doors was accomplished after only one false start. Because there are food items, I did not allow him to check out stuff on the shelves. A small child whose parent was not watching him closely stalked us for a while and provided excellent distraction by anticipating our path and jumping out at us from behind display cases. Folks - this is why it is so important that people with service dogs in training have the same access rights as the disabled with fully trained dogs! There is no way to acclimate a dog to all the crazy things they'll have to deal with unless you bring them places where dogs are not expected to be. People get WEIRD. Reactions range from pleasant surprise to stalking to screeching in horror. I'm amazed at how much dog-phobia there is out there. And children can be counted on to be bizarre beyond imagination!
Our visit to Gensler Gardens was short, and most of our work was done in the parking lot and on the nearby footpaths. We loaded ourselves in my truck and headed off for Petco. That's a much busier location. We did more parking lot work, and there were a few dogs coming and going as well - excellent distraction. I can't think of a better place to test a dog on distractions (except, perhaps, a ball game). Naturally, I kept the line a little shorter inside the store, except where we had rare opportunities for me to let the line out full-length in an empty aisle. I chose my "break" spots near display cases with critters. I did break the "no talking" rule when he investigated because I like to teach my dogs the names of different animals. So, Pete met some ferrets, rabbits, birds and fish, through the glass, of course.
Folks around here are, in general, very well educated regarding service dogs. Most, when I tell them he's a service dog in training, say something like, "Oh... so I shouldn't pet him, then." Hurray! But as we are also socializing him, I tell them that they may ASK to pet. I explain the rules - no petting unless he is SITTING. If he stands or jumps up (hey... he IS still a puppy, after all), they are to stop petting. "Can you do that? It would really help his training," I tell them. Once they agree, I release him from command, then tell him to sit and commence that exercise. If he gets squirmy, I do help him to maintain the sit position. I do not correct for transgressions, since we haven't progressed to sit/stays in his training program yet - I just reposition him. After the petting session, I tell him "Back to work" and continue our leash exercises. That's working well so far.
Before our outing, I printed out a brochure about the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as a copy of the state law which grants trainers with service dogs in training the same access rights as a disabled person with a trained dog. Oh, yeah... I FORGOT TO PUT IT IN MY PURSE! So far, most everyone has taken my word for it. That is... until we entered the Old Time Pottery store. Grrrr.
This store has a long entrance way. I chose that store because it is huge and has very wide aisles and is not exceptionally crowded, so I'd have opportunity to let the line out if the dog was distracted. With line coiled, we started through the entrance. There's a little vending area before you enter the main part of the store. We attracted a lot of attention - all good. One child acted bizarrely, at one point bolting from behind a nearby table, screaming and running past him, arms flailing overhead, which startled him more than a little bit. What is it about kids that inspires them to ACT LIKE PREY when they see a dog? Is it any wonder that they get bitten? Yikes! Poor Pete's hackles went up all the way down his back, just like a cat puffs up when startled. (Hackles are not always a sign of aggression - they also indicate arousal of many types.) He recovered quickly and returned to a sit - good dog!
After running the gauntlet of the entrance, I noticed and officious-looking fellow hovering around the entry into the main part of the store. I was immediately suspicious. As we attempted to enter, he stopped us.
"You can't come in here with a dog," he said.
I introduced myself, told him I was a dog trainer and this is a service dog in training, and that according to state law, service dogs in training have the same rights as the disabled regarding access to public places.
"You can't come in here unless you are disabled and the dog is a full service dog," he said. "Corporate policy. You can't train the dog in here."
"I'm sorry, but according to Illinois state law, a dog trainer with a service dog has the same access rights. I have a copy of the law here..." and started rifling through my purse. Crap... I left it on the table at home.
I decided not to press the issue, but I said I would be back with a copy of the law and that I would like to speak to a manager at that time.
"I am the manager." Ugh.
I asked for a corporate contact and he gave me a card with the customer service email address. Hrumph. I will be contacting them as they may not be aware that their "corporate policy" constitutes a Class A Misdemeanor in the state of Illinois, and that every state in which they have locations have similar laws. I wasn't prepared to push the issue and that's a mistake I won't make again.
On general principle, I lingered a bit longer in the entrance than I would have, and regardless of the outcome of this issue, I will NOT be shopping anymore at Old Time Pottery.
You will see a new list of links on the right side of this page, "Cheers" and "Jeers." I will continue to venture out and I WILL post here and I WILL name names!
For you legal types out there, here is a citation and link to the law:
775 ILCS 30 / White Cane Law
Friday, November 2, 2007
Traning Day 5
Working the gate
Today was a FANTASTIC day!
Now that we've gotten past the gate exercise, we can start going to fun places and kill two birds with one stone: socialization and training.
We started out this morning with a third round of the open gate distraction. This time, Pete did not charge ahead, but he did walk ahead of me and got a very mild bump when I changed direction. Instead of walking back and forth in front of the house, we took a walk around the block. At the opposite corner from us is a house where two little terriers live, contained on the property by an electronic fence system. These dogs are pretty good - I've walked by there with dogs before and they've never run through their boundary. But they sure make some noise!
That was the only part of the walk where Pete forgot I was there. That didn't last long. It took a couple of tries to be able to walk him past the property while staying next to me, but he did it. Good job!
This afternoon we did the gate thing again - this time, he did forge on ahead of me because Dick was on the other side, trying to take a couple of pictures. Third try was a charm.
Instead of tooling around the block (which was very quiet, thanks to some chilly weather), I headed him over to the truck and we took a drive to a garden shop at the corner of our subdivision. We walked around in the parking lot for a while and had real fun with the automatic double doors. Poor Pete couldn't figure out what triggered them to open! I didn't pass through the doors with him right away - we took a walk down the path toward a reservoir at the subdivision entrance. There we encountered two ladies with young children in strollers. Pete woofed and got redirected. After they passed us, we walked behind them for a while so he could get used to them.
After a few more minutes of walking in the parking lot, I decided to take him inside for socialization. I coiled up the longe line and went in. I introduced myself to some of the staff and told them that Pete is being trained to be a hearing ear dog, but we're working on obedience and socialization. I was impressed that most of them knew they're not supposed to pet service dogs, but I said that I wanted him socialized, so at this point it's okay to ask to pet. He ate up all the attention he could get. What nice gals...
Back to the truck, where I opened the door and repeated the gate exercise, sort of. He has already learned that he is not to jump in or out of a vehicle without permission. This needs to be practiced a lot, however.
Looks like I'll be driving this little guy around an awful lot just to keep him on his toes!
Training Day 4 (yesterday)
I love Day 4. It's the day when we begin to introduce distractions - the first being an open gate. The dog has had three days of A-to-B walking and has tested the limits of the leash, and has learned that staying nearby the handler is the most pleasant place to be. On Day 4, they learn that distractions are to be viewed through the context of the handler. And they also learn an important lesson: an open gate is not an invitation to charge into the great beyond.
Since this blog is not intended to be an instruction manual, I will not go into any details of the exercise yesterday. You've probably already figured out that the exercise includes the dog on a longe line, you, and an open gate. Of course, this exercise could be difficult for someone without a fenced yard, but I don't have that problem (there is a way around it).
Pete is one smart little pup. One hard charge and one half-hearted attempt was enough to teach him that his pass to the great beyond was to walk with me. Once we passed the gate, he spent a few minutes rushing distractions, but soon learned to generalize the gate rule, just as he learned inside the yard that leaf and stick chewing are fine during a break, but when I started moving he was supposed to follow me an forget about his jaw activities. All this without a word from me.
Now, I'm well aware that there is a camp of trainers out there who really dislike that idea - that the dog isn't praised, cued, lured, fanny patted or coddled. "But how does he know he's doing the right thing?" they protest. Trust me. He knows. There are more rewards to a dog than just his owner's platitudes. That should be blatantly obvious by the gate exercise. Why would any dog charge an open gate, even when tied to the handler by a leash? Because he wants to go through it.
The reward for paying attention to the handler is getting to go through the gate. Not my praise, not patting, not a cookie.
"But you didn't cue him - how is he supposed to know what you want?" Ahh... but I did cue him. I turned. He spent three days learning that my movement is his cue to come along, and a lifetime (albeit a short one) learning that his human is is leader. I really haven't ever seen the doggie owner's manual which says that all cues must be verbal. Cues can most certainly be visual - I have two trained deaf dogs to attest to that, and one of them is as completely reliable off-leash outdoors as a dog can be, deaf or hearing.
Rather than bore you with details, suffice it to say that this smart little dog spent most of his training session walking well outside the gate in a position approximating heel, learning to stay on my left side and learning that distractions can be watched but not charged. And I got some good exercise!
Today's exercise will be in two sessions - a repeat of the open gate, and a session in a different place with more distractions.
Did I mention that he's already learned to wait at an open car door for an invitation to exit? That's one of the things I love about cowdogs. Some seem to learn by osmosis.
Now I'm trying to figure out when would be the best time for a break in his training to spend a couple of days at "Camp Carrie" (my friend's house) to be socialized with cats. Lots of cats. And a few other dogs of different breeds, sizes and shapes. Horses are not new to him.
Since this blog is not intended to be an instruction manual, I will not go into any details of the exercise yesterday. You've probably already figured out that the exercise includes the dog on a longe line, you, and an open gate. Of course, this exercise could be difficult for someone without a fenced yard, but I don't have that problem (there is a way around it).
Pete is one smart little pup. One hard charge and one half-hearted attempt was enough to teach him that his pass to the great beyond was to walk with me. Once we passed the gate, he spent a few minutes rushing distractions, but soon learned to generalize the gate rule, just as he learned inside the yard that leaf and stick chewing are fine during a break, but when I started moving he was supposed to follow me an forget about his jaw activities. All this without a word from me.
Now, I'm well aware that there is a camp of trainers out there who really dislike that idea - that the dog isn't praised, cued, lured, fanny patted or coddled. "But how does he know he's doing the right thing?" they protest. Trust me. He knows. There are more rewards to a dog than just his owner's platitudes. That should be blatantly obvious by the gate exercise. Why would any dog charge an open gate, even when tied to the handler by a leash? Because he wants to go through it.
The reward for paying attention to the handler is getting to go through the gate. Not my praise, not patting, not a cookie.
"But you didn't cue him - how is he supposed to know what you want?" Ahh... but I did cue him. I turned. He spent three days learning that my movement is his cue to come along, and a lifetime (albeit a short one) learning that his human is is leader. I really haven't ever seen the doggie owner's manual which says that all cues must be verbal. Cues can most certainly be visual - I have two trained deaf dogs to attest to that, and one of them is as completely reliable off-leash outdoors as a dog can be, deaf or hearing.
Rather than bore you with details, suffice it to say that this smart little dog spent most of his training session walking well outside the gate in a position approximating heel, learning to stay on my left side and learning that distractions can be watched but not charged. And I got some good exercise!
Today's exercise will be in two sessions - a repeat of the open gate, and a session in a different place with more distractions.
Did I mention that he's already learned to wait at an open car door for an invitation to exit? That's one of the things I love about cowdogs. Some seem to learn by osmosis.
Now I'm trying to figure out when would be the best time for a break in his training to spend a couple of days at "Camp Carrie" (my friend's house) to be socialized with cats. Lots of cats. And a few other dogs of different breeds, sizes and shapes. Horses are not new to him.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Training, Days 1-3
I'm a subscriber to a tried and true method of dog training. There's this book which outlines it, but one really needs to be schooled by a trainer well-versed in the method to understand its correct execution.
This method begins building a foundation with 3 days of point-A-to-B walking on a longe line. Without going into detail, it's essentially walking from one point to another, stopping for a long pause or break, walking to another point, pausing... and so on. I've managed to get Pete out every day for short sessions. At 19 1/2 weeks, he's a little young for full sessions, but old enough to follow the program. This phase of training teaches the handler a lot about a dog. Pete went along nicely the first day, hardly ever testing the limits of the line. Yesterday, his brain kicked in and he tested repeatedly. He tangled himself up. He bit and yanked on the line. He charged off after a ball laying in the yard. Today, it all started to come together. He tangled himself up once and decided that wasn't the best of plans. What was most interesting was that during the breaks, he would find something interesting to investigate or a little stick or a fallen leaf to chew on, but when I stepped off, he dropped whatever he was doing and trotted merrily along.
This is a thinking dog! I can't wait until tomorrow - Day Four. It's a special day.
Meanwhile, in the house and at different times, I'm teaching him to touch my hand when a timer goes off. He has the touch thing down without fail. Amazing little dog.
This method begins building a foundation with 3 days of point-A-to-B walking on a longe line. Without going into detail, it's essentially walking from one point to another, stopping for a long pause or break, walking to another point, pausing... and so on. I've managed to get Pete out every day for short sessions. At 19 1/2 weeks, he's a little young for full sessions, but old enough to follow the program. This phase of training teaches the handler a lot about a dog. Pete went along nicely the first day, hardly ever testing the limits of the line. Yesterday, his brain kicked in and he tested repeatedly. He tangled himself up. He bit and yanked on the line. He charged off after a ball laying in the yard. Today, it all started to come together. He tangled himself up once and decided that wasn't the best of plans. What was most interesting was that during the breaks, he would find something interesting to investigate or a little stick or a fallen leaf to chew on, but when I stepped off, he dropped whatever he was doing and trotted merrily along.
This is a thinking dog! I can't wait until tomorrow - Day Four. It's a special day.
Meanwhile, in the house and at different times, I'm teaching him to touch my hand when a timer goes off. He has the touch thing down without fail. Amazing little dog.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Bringing Home Baby
Yesterday, mom and I picked up the puppy, who is, for now, going by the name of "Pete." I don't know if mom is going to want to change it, but he knows it and responds, even though I've already corrupted it to "Petey," like the "Little Rascals'" dog.
An interesting side note - too many coincidences! Petey - Lil' Rascals - Rascal. Pete's sire's call name is "Tuffy" - same name and spelling as the sire of my first deaf dog, Sugar Baby. "Tuffy" bears a startling resemblance to my other cowdog, Nugget (Ch. Drywood's Silver Nugget). My deaf pit bull, Piglet, is often remarked to look quite a bit like Petey of Lil' Rascals fame, being predominantly white with a brown and black patch on her left eye. Not to mention that this dog just seemed to appear when we needed one, and that we appeared to the breeder just as she was seeking the right home. The significance of such a convergence of coincidences is not lost on me...
When we went to pick him up yesterday afternoon, the breeder quite pleasantly surprised me with an excellent puppy kit, including a packet of information about the breed, about a dog's need for leadership and a wonderful article on proper correction written by - of all people - one of my favorite horse trainers, John Lyons. Also included is a copy of the contract, pedigree information, a sheet with feeding instructions and other care tips, pictures of the sire and dam, and several of her favorite catalogs. WOW! Add to that a bag with some toys, a couple cans of her preferred canned food, and to top it all off - an anti-anxiety pillow that beats like a heart. If only all puppies were given such a fine send-off!
Mom was worried that he would be very upset being taken away from the only home he's ever known, but he showed little anxiety and really - he did better than my mom, who was fighting back tears. You gotta know my mom. She used to cry at McDonald's commercials. Gratefully, she understood why that was a bad idea - the puppy wasn't all that upset, and we didn't want to give him any clues that there was something to be upset about.
Mom decided she wanted to stop at the nursing home to say hi to dad. Hmmm. I thought it might be too much for Pete, but thought I'd give it a try. After a little potty walk where he gave a bit of a woof at the Halloween decorations (fluttering ghosts were apparently not on his list of things to which he had been socialized), but he investigated and got over it. But it was inside the home that I found out what a fantastic little guy Pete really is.
He met several residents, including my dad, cheerfully and kindly. I sat on his leash (a la Margot Woods), and after just a little while, he tucked himself under my chair, put his head on his paws and fell asleep! He did give a bit of a woof when he saw a resident being pushed in a wheelchair, but a few minutes later was greeting that resident happily, and met several others.
After dropping mom off at home, where Pete got to meet his predecessor briefly, I brought him to my house about 1/2 hour away. The little guy sat or lied down like a perfect little gentleman.
Welcome (almost) home, little one!
An interesting side note - too many coincidences! Petey - Lil' Rascals - Rascal. Pete's sire's call name is "Tuffy" - same name and spelling as the sire of my first deaf dog, Sugar Baby. "Tuffy" bears a startling resemblance to my other cowdog, Nugget (Ch. Drywood's Silver Nugget). My deaf pit bull, Piglet, is often remarked to look quite a bit like Petey of Lil' Rascals fame, being predominantly white with a brown and black patch on her left eye. Not to mention that this dog just seemed to appear when we needed one, and that we appeared to the breeder just as she was seeking the right home. The significance of such a convergence of coincidences is not lost on me...
When we went to pick him up yesterday afternoon, the breeder quite pleasantly surprised me with an excellent puppy kit, including a packet of information about the breed, about a dog's need for leadership and a wonderful article on proper correction written by - of all people - one of my favorite horse trainers, John Lyons. Also included is a copy of the contract, pedigree information, a sheet with feeding instructions and other care tips, pictures of the sire and dam, and several of her favorite catalogs. WOW! Add to that a bag with some toys, a couple cans of her preferred canned food, and to top it all off - an anti-anxiety pillow that beats like a heart. If only all puppies were given such a fine send-off!
Mom was worried that he would be very upset being taken away from the only home he's ever known, but he showed little anxiety and really - he did better than my mom, who was fighting back tears. You gotta know my mom. She used to cry at McDonald's commercials. Gratefully, she understood why that was a bad idea - the puppy wasn't all that upset, and we didn't want to give him any clues that there was something to be upset about.
Mom decided she wanted to stop at the nursing home to say hi to dad. Hmmm. I thought it might be too much for Pete, but thought I'd give it a try. After a little potty walk where he gave a bit of a woof at the Halloween decorations (fluttering ghosts were apparently not on his list of things to which he had been socialized), but he investigated and got over it. But it was inside the home that I found out what a fantastic little guy Pete really is.
He met several residents, including my dad, cheerfully and kindly. I sat on his leash (a la Margot Woods), and after just a little while, he tucked himself under my chair, put his head on his paws and fell asleep! He did give a bit of a woof when he saw a resident being pushed in a wheelchair, but a few minutes later was greeting that resident happily, and met several others.
After dropping mom off at home, where Pete got to meet his predecessor briefly, I brought him to my house about 1/2 hour away. The little guy sat or lied down like a perfect little gentleman.
Welcome (almost) home, little one!
Picking out Puppy
All my life, my mom has owned power breeds. I grew up with a collie/shepherd mix named Dolce. Okay, so she wasn't quite a power breed, but she did have a little bit of an attitude as a puppy. Grew into a wonderful dog.
After Dolce passed on, my mom got a purebred German Shepherd Dog that she named Cinder. She was a little problematic, but mom persevered, taking her to obedience classes and doing an all-around pretty-good job of raising her right.
Cinder passed away at a ripe old age, and my mom was dogless when I got divorced about 13 years ago. I was moving across the country into a situation in which I'd be traveling a lot, so I offered her my Rascal who was then a year old. It was a tough transition for him (and for mom), but once again she persevered and Rascal turned out to be just what the doctor ordered, especially as she lost her hearing. He has not only learned to alert, but he used to fetch my dad if she had a period of dizziness or somesuch. What an intelligent dog!
Now, however, his hearing is failing and it's obvious he won't be with us much longer. I was hoping to have a dog trained and ready to go when my mom needs him, which probably won't be long off in the future. That meant I had to find a puppy very soon, as I want at least 12 weeks for basic training and starting on alerting.
As my mom is now nearing 80 (hard to believe), I thought she might benefit from a dog which is not so intense and agenda-driven as cowdogs can be. I started investigating Labrador breeders for a prospect, and found a lovely one not too far from home. One litter has just hit the ground, another is due this week. But you know what? My mom just isn't a Lab person. She loves cowdogs - a formidable breed for those who are not prepared.
Turns out that on a recent trip to the vet with one of my seniors, I mentioned to the vet tech that I was looking for a puppy for mom, that I had found a lab breeder, but mom wants a cattle dog. "Oh, one of our clients has a really nice ACD puppy for sale," she said. I scoffed. "Yes, but has all the necessary genetic testing been done? Were the parents OFAed and do they test for PRA?"
"I think so..."
Hmmm... all the earmarks of a responsible breeder, I thought. Then the gal showed me the flyer in the foyer. I saw that the puppy and parents had all the necessary genetic testing and screening. I was surprised to find an apparently top-quality breeder so close to home, but still I was skeptical.
I came home and Googled the sire, the dam and the kennel names and darned if his daddy isn't one of the superstars of his breed, having earned two Awards of Merit in the US and is now being campaigned successfully in Oz. In short, he's bred up one side and down the other!
I called the breeder, and darned if she isn't exactly what I feel a responsible breeder should be - first and foremost being selective about what kind of homes her pups are going to have. Long story short - she was thrilled that someone was looking for a dog not just to be a companion or (ugh!) a "watchdog," but one to do a specific job. Cowdogs, like most working breeds, need jobs. If you don't give them one, they'll make one up - and it usually won't be something you'd choose yourself. Most often their jobs of choice include ridding the neighborhood of pesky moving things like bikes, skateboards and even cars and trucks, and keeping strangers just where they feel they belong - well away from the house! Redecorating, including un-upholstering furniture and de-plastering walls, are among their specialties. Baby cowdogs are often something like baby landsharks on speed. But I digress - you get the picture.
But in selecting a dog for a job like this, there's more to be considered than just good looks and even sound breeding. The puppy must have a sound mind, and must also be reactive to sound. They must be agreeable toward strangers if the owner plans to take him out in public and his manners must be impeccable. I would have initially preferred a much younger puppy, as this guy is already 17 weeks old, but it sounded like the breeder had taken great care to start the puppy off right and do all the required socialization. Still, I had to see how reactive this little guy was to sound and get an idea of how quickly he learns. We set an appointment last weekend.
Testing... One, two three ...
I picked up a couple of things - a beeping timer, a wind-up toy, and packed some things like a large towel and a fistful of tasty treats, fetched my mom and went to meet the puppy. I can't believe how well this little guy did. Testing puppies is one of those things that most trainers and some breeders do, but the jury is still out regarding how well the results indicate how the dog will turn out in the long run. Puppies go through a lot of changes, most of them in adolescence. But you gotta start somewhere.
The most important thing to me was sound reactivity, and darned if this little guy didn't make a very impressive showing. What I was looking for was just a reaction - any reaction is okay, but a tendency to investigate is exceptional. I set the timer for about 30 seconds and hid it on the floor behind my purse while the breeder distracted him. When the timer went off, he not only noticed the sound, but went over to my purse, rifled through it, then found the timer behind it, PICKED IT UP and carried it to his crate! He showed good, stable responses to dropping a pot lid and other noises, investigated everything, and while he was judiciously cautious, he showed no excessive nervousness or fear and was quick to recover when startled.
It took literally a few seconds and a few treats to teach him to touch my hand on command (important, because this will be his means of alerting mom to sounds - barking is not appropriate in public, and when mom isn't wearing her processor, she wouldn't hear it anyway). One interesting thing - when he became confused, he backed up and gave me a bit of a woof. I take this to mean, "Hey! You ain't speakin' my language!" I like that in a puppy.
I let my mom make up her own mind about the dog. There was no question in my mind that he could do the job, but did she like the puppy? After a couple of days to think about it (during which we got the final diagnosis on Rascal), she said yes.
After Dolce passed on, my mom got a purebred German Shepherd Dog that she named Cinder. She was a little problematic, but mom persevered, taking her to obedience classes and doing an all-around pretty-good job of raising her right.
Cinder passed away at a ripe old age, and my mom was dogless when I got divorced about 13 years ago. I was moving across the country into a situation in which I'd be traveling a lot, so I offered her my Rascal who was then a year old. It was a tough transition for him (and for mom), but once again she persevered and Rascal turned out to be just what the doctor ordered, especially as she lost her hearing. He has not only learned to alert, but he used to fetch my dad if she had a period of dizziness or somesuch. What an intelligent dog!
Now, however, his hearing is failing and it's obvious he won't be with us much longer. I was hoping to have a dog trained and ready to go when my mom needs him, which probably won't be long off in the future. That meant I had to find a puppy very soon, as I want at least 12 weeks for basic training and starting on alerting.
As my mom is now nearing 80 (hard to believe), I thought she might benefit from a dog which is not so intense and agenda-driven as cowdogs can be. I started investigating Labrador breeders for a prospect, and found a lovely one not too far from home. One litter has just hit the ground, another is due this week. But you know what? My mom just isn't a Lab person. She loves cowdogs - a formidable breed for those who are not prepared.
Turns out that on a recent trip to the vet with one of my seniors, I mentioned to the vet tech that I was looking for a puppy for mom, that I had found a lab breeder, but mom wants a cattle dog. "Oh, one of our clients has a really nice ACD puppy for sale," she said. I scoffed. "Yes, but has all the necessary genetic testing been done? Were the parents OFAed and do they test for PRA?"
"I think so..."
Hmmm... all the earmarks of a responsible breeder, I thought. Then the gal showed me the flyer in the foyer. I saw that the puppy and parents had all the necessary genetic testing and screening. I was surprised to find an apparently top-quality breeder so close to home, but still I was skeptical.
I came home and Googled the sire, the dam and the kennel names and darned if his daddy isn't one of the superstars of his breed, having earned two Awards of Merit in the US and is now being campaigned successfully in Oz. In short, he's bred up one side and down the other!
I called the breeder, and darned if she isn't exactly what I feel a responsible breeder should be - first and foremost being selective about what kind of homes her pups are going to have. Long story short - she was thrilled that someone was looking for a dog not just to be a companion or (ugh!) a "watchdog," but one to do a specific job. Cowdogs, like most working breeds, need jobs. If you don't give them one, they'll make one up - and it usually won't be something you'd choose yourself. Most often their jobs of choice include ridding the neighborhood of pesky moving things like bikes, skateboards and even cars and trucks, and keeping strangers just where they feel they belong - well away from the house! Redecorating, including un-upholstering furniture and de-plastering walls, are among their specialties. Baby cowdogs are often something like baby landsharks on speed. But I digress - you get the picture.
But in selecting a dog for a job like this, there's more to be considered than just good looks and even sound breeding. The puppy must have a sound mind, and must also be reactive to sound. They must be agreeable toward strangers if the owner plans to take him out in public and his manners must be impeccable. I would have initially preferred a much younger puppy, as this guy is already 17 weeks old, but it sounded like the breeder had taken great care to start the puppy off right and do all the required socialization. Still, I had to see how reactive this little guy was to sound and get an idea of how quickly he learns. We set an appointment last weekend.
Testing... One, two three ...
I picked up a couple of things - a beeping timer, a wind-up toy, and packed some things like a large towel and a fistful of tasty treats, fetched my mom and went to meet the puppy. I can't believe how well this little guy did. Testing puppies is one of those things that most trainers and some breeders do, but the jury is still out regarding how well the results indicate how the dog will turn out in the long run. Puppies go through a lot of changes, most of them in adolescence. But you gotta start somewhere.
The most important thing to me was sound reactivity, and darned if this little guy didn't make a very impressive showing. What I was looking for was just a reaction - any reaction is okay, but a tendency to investigate is exceptional. I set the timer for about 30 seconds and hid it on the floor behind my purse while the breeder distracted him. When the timer went off, he not only noticed the sound, but went over to my purse, rifled through it, then found the timer behind it, PICKED IT UP and carried it to his crate! He showed good, stable responses to dropping a pot lid and other noises, investigated everything, and while he was judiciously cautious, he showed no excessive nervousness or fear and was quick to recover when startled.
It took literally a few seconds and a few treats to teach him to touch my hand on command (important, because this will be his means of alerting mom to sounds - barking is not appropriate in public, and when mom isn't wearing her processor, she wouldn't hear it anyway). One interesting thing - when he became confused, he backed up and gave me a bit of a woof. I take this to mean, "Hey! You ain't speakin' my language!" I like that in a puppy.
I let my mom make up her own mind about the dog. There was no question in my mind that he could do the job, but did she like the puppy? After a couple of days to think about it (during which we got the final diagnosis on Rascal), she said yes.
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