It looks a bit like an overbite, but there is a clicking sound on closure that the vet can't identify as to which tooth/teeth? is the culprit.

She is 31 lbs as of last Monday, Razzle now can run underneath her belly with a bit of a head duck. We will do her measurements this Sunday when I have hubby to hold her still for me. She looks pretty square and still is growing at this point relatively evenly.

Well she is showing her temperament already, staying true to her 7wk 2day old self. She is dominant and very loving. Both people and dog focussed. Good very good toy drive. And she gulp has a big prey drive too. She already loves to be called a "good girl", and winces when I say BAD GIRL. You know what I mean head down, tail down, and that over the shoulder flash of hurt eyes. Oh and did I mention stubborn? Her favourite thing to do right now is to stand at the top of the stairs and when I climb up to the top, she leaps onto me! THat scamp - she gets corrected every time, carefully corrected because I don't want her slipping down the stairs.... She has finally climbed herself up onto my recliner - and boy if I only had the camera ready - because her face was a priceless cameo of self satisfaction. I do think all Black Russians really just want to be lapdogs lol lol.

Magic is her best bud - she sleeps next to him, and goes to him if I discipline her....
She is very mouthy still, but so far is saving it for her "humans". No mouthing to strangers so far.

I am tickled pink so far with her temperament. In my opinion she is not anywhere near as "hard" a dog as Magic.

We already went through the first growling/rumbling at me, when I did the overarm chest hug and lift. Most BRT's do not like this at all! You the owner are asserting your dominance albeit in a very gentle and loving way. So after third rep no more growls.

She is so far good with her food. I take bowl away no problem. She already is sitting and waiting for her food.

She is a very happy and playfull girl, not as serious as Magics demeanour even when he was a pup.

She knows stay, down, give paw. Walk easy, kiss kiss, hush.

I am very happy to hear that Dara's temperament is proving to be excellent and that training is going well.

Crossing fingers and paws for you that the bite proves to be fine.

Thanks Kristin.

First Formal Obedience Training for 13wk old BRT
 

Well we went over to our trainers home, and Dara good girl did pretty well. And the best news is my trainer and I are going to do an exchange of services for her training:) We did all the training inside as it was too cold for outside!

First lesson is back to the basics. And you guessed it; I am to work on attention or focus. Everything is to be done after eye contact. First step is to bring into a sit, then multi treat her so that she gets used to staying in a sit - but don't use the words stay yet. Then move to treat her in a sit position along with "Good Girl" everytime she looks at me. Then try to extend the watching of me before I treat. Vary up the times and the durations of the sit. Use Release to release the command.

Then practise Down - same idea about the treating and the eye contact.

Then back to Sit this time with some distraction - and then Down with some distraction .

Start the training of turn or spin to the right and then to the left. (Good basics for agility work and rally o).

Walking keep working the walk easy on lead - and focus on me.

But essentially get eye contact before any thing we do together. Releasing from her crate - feeding her - before a toy game - before letting her out in the backyard for a play session - when she wants in the house.

Ignore the errors - no harsh corrections (including voice ) Stern No is fine.

Try to anticipate when she is going to make an error, and correct her so that she doesn't. Like she loves to jump up on Moms when I call her - so have a treat ready and as she gets in close - show treat and ask her to sit and then immediately treat.

My winter jackets all have treats in them, because when I come home and I know they are likely out of their crates, the greeting at the door is rather wild. So it is enter - general Sit command and everyone gets a treat.

That's all for now folks. Enjoy your Sunday.

All seems almost perfect for this dog! My poodle had the tiny click in her jaw too and that also disappeared in her case. Dara is absolutely huge and obviously a great challenge to raise and train but what fun it must be most of the time.

Thanks Jillie - I already love her very very deeply. I know that after all my years of owning dogs, I shouldn't be surprised at how different each dog is personality and preference wise, but I continue to be in awe. I know that dogs are not humans, but they sure do exhibit a whole host of differences, just like humans do.

I need to work on sounds with her, she is a bit jumpy and scared with different outdoor sounds. So I am taking her downtown next week to walk sidestreets to Yonge St, and then onto Yonge to a park nearby - given we get out of the -10-15-20 degree weather.

Also Ilona said start putting on a DVD with loud sounds before she eats, then she can associate loud sounds with the oh so pleasant dinner/lunch time.

I need to see if I have a DVD with say thunder sounds or some such thing on it.

WEll call me crazy but it is not a chore (mostly) but a joy, to learn about this young soul, and to be priviledged to guide her growing years.

I am also very very happy that she loves the bathtub - as she has had now 3 baths in it, and on her own has decided to climb into the bathtub. This bodes well for water work, which you know I love to do with my dogs.

WE go in August to the cottage and I am anticipating all the fun we will have with endless access to the water. Great walking and hiking trails. Introducing her to a boat the first time. I need to wait 2wks more, before I book us into the indoor doggy pool. I think for the first time, I will just take her and Razzle. :):) I am going to try on the various sizes of life jackets that I have here...

How quickly time goes . . . how fast they grow
 

Well I can't believe in another 10 days or so - Dara will be 4 months old!

We have had a few hiccups on the house breaking, my first time in a long time that is so. But new measures are in place.

She is entering into, in fact already there in her "first early puppy deafness", that is to say, What is come? - nope did not hear that, don't know sit either, unless I want to. THis is when you need to remind yourself often that she is still a baby.....

We go next wk to the dental specialist to take a look at her bite, and on Wed to training again.

I need to take some more pics and videos and I hope to do so next week:)

You always sound so happy with Dara, and that warms my heart. Dara could not have found a better home than with you, Dave, Judy, and your boys. I look forward to your photos, videos, and more stories of your pack.

The Serenity Prayer for Dog Owners.
 

God grant me the endless patience to teach with love our wee one.

God grant me the serenity to deal with messes in the house, teething over my wood, and the endless mouthing.

God grant me the time to take a deep breath, when for the umpteenth time we say NO.

God grant me the knowledge and the kindness to lead this pure soul into a fine adulthood.

And finally God - Thank you for placing this wee soul with us.

Wonderful poem and prayer and one all new puppy owners have probably uttered in some form and fashion how many times per day - especially when their "puppy" is a HUGE puppy!!!

I read each of your posts and just wonder what life there in your house must actually be like! I imagine you are actually drained by the end of the day, Gail. lol. I know I sure would be with a girl like Dara, if I could even keep up with her half of the time!

How is the bite doing? Let us know what the specialist says as soon as you can.

Jeanie how wonderfull to see you back here and posting. And yes at the end of the day I am pretty tired. Especially now as we prepare our home, for our new foster adult blackie. I have been cooking like mad, to make up enough home made treats for the pack, and going through our crate supply again.

Dara is not "biting" hard at all, how-ever she still loves to place her mouth around my hand, my arm, or even my calf. It is I think for the blackies, both a sign of affection, and also practice for their adult "bite" work. Most concerning was her habit of jumping up along side you and placing her mouth over your wrist hand whatever. She is not doing that so much now, nor trying to jump up on me when I climb the stairs:) So now we are into different corrections - there is the "oowie", next I have employed the tickle the tongue or the roof of her mouth, and also go to the very back of her mouth with one finger. Even Magic as an eight year old, when he is feeling very affectionate will, the only word I can describe is to "cradle" my hand in his mouth.

So far she is being good with strangers as we are taking her into various pet stores that we know, and we know the clerks know, the puppy training, at least all four on the floor before petting takes place. We have visited 3 friends homes, with dogs n kids, and she has done well. We still need to find a home with a cat in it, as you know I lost Karma last year to cancer, and there is currently no cat in our home.

She does well with Razzle, but not as well as I would like. They both incite each other on. So a very very close watch happens when they are free together.

For the first time today, we walked her with Magic. My trainer believes in walk the dog alone for some time, just you and her; this is for multiple reasons, firstly to get the owner/bond entrenched, then to insure her confidence is built independent of a dominant male/female in the household, and finally quite simply it is easier to train one on one.

Then we move to dual training - as the young dog can learn from the older trained dog. But we move there first in house, then in backyard, etc.

I had to laugh today, as in the kitchen, I was training Dara in heel around to sit, and Magic was watching. Dara got her treat for that, and then I used the right hand signal for Magic to heel around to my right side. Well he must be rusty, as he heeled around to my left side where Dara was, and he literally tried to sit ontop of her:D She jumped forward the poor lassie.

Dara is working pretty well on her beg. I do love that "trick" as it so strengthens the back muscles. Dara's rear end is muscling up nicely, which means she is now able to jump up on our bed, although we don't allow her to jump down.

She has quickly put together that the grooming table means treats, and if I inadvertently leave the door open, she happily jumps up on the table for "treats". Of course Magic is possessive of "his" grooming table, and shortly he is up on it too. Nobody gets a treat, until I brush them. So this am, I had both of them up on the table. She got slickered, a new experience, as I until now was only using a very soft brush, Magic got his usual brushing. Dara was not too sure she enjoyed the slickering, but hey Magic was up on the table, and he was putting up with it so.....then so would she.

Phew I've written a lot.

Jeanie so very happy to see you back posting.

First Pro Groom March 24
 

This is a new show groomer. She did not do Dara's head yet as she was not sure and wanted to meet with another experienced BRT groomer.

I thought she did a good job, and Dara pranced out of the grooming salon a very happy camper :)

Go back from training
 

She is coming along. Everything is better, and now we are working (new task), heel one step sit - treat heal to 90degree turn one step treat. Heel around to the right and to the left. Leave it three different ways. Introduction of take it command. Beg increase time in it.
Stay command - both Sit and Down.
Stand - and Stay
Come

Continue with medical touch (that is what my trainer calls it). That is examine bite, ears, paw, nails, groins etc.

More homework for me - crispen up my hand signals. Make them sharper, and my footwork.

Wow, Gail. Dara is gorgeous! I can't believe how big she is.

Thanks Lisa. Dara went to 1/2 day pet day at this salon. She was to have two walks and also socialize with the other dogs.

Her walker came out and just gushed about how friendly she was, and energetic, and oops also poo'd on the floor around 9 30 am. I said well she could have been nervous in this new environment and she had poo'ed this am around 6 30

She did great on her walks. But he didn't know the Off command, as Dara when she came out to greet me, also wanted to say hi to this nice lady with a dog on her lap, and her walker said Down, I said Dara OFF. She got off. The walker looked at me, and I said the command is OFF it works for lots of situations, DOWN is the obedience command to lay down. Here let me show you. The we did Sit, Stand Heel one step, and he said Wow at only 4 months old. I said yes, she is going to be a big lassie, with a strong guard and protect instinct, she must be trained to obey, early on, and always throughout her life.

This was done of course through the distractions of the office... I was very proud of her for obeying me.

Oh and Ilona likes her personality a lot! A very STABLE personality. Good work drive.

Dara at 4.5 months old or so, is finding her voice.... Ouch! She is practising her warning bark. Her voice trembles up and down the octaves. It is quite funny to hear. She has only vocalized a few times, but then today when I was dropping her off for her 1/2 day boarding n training, a lady surprised her by coming out to the car ahead of us. She did her warning bark and three steps forward to meet the "threat". And then back to me for re-assurance - such a sweet lass :)

She came home exhausted even too tired to do her mid-day walk... first time ever.

She is now travelling very well in the car, as she has learnt to associate car travel with lots upon lots of fun things to do.

She is quite the jumper, she can leap from the floor up to my shoulder area, and btw she does this behind me (the scamp) as she knows I will correct a frontal jump quite quickly. I don't like it, but at least it is in the kitchen where the floor is very non-slip, but also hard surface

Dara is now about 21" tall and weighs 40+ lbs. She is still tracking for 26+ inches and at least 90lbs.

She had her second set of puppy shots with no adverse reactions. Full Blood Panel will be done at around 6mths, and shortly I will bring her in to do PennHip evaluation.

Obedience Work
 

WE are home now. All my beasties fed, walked, watered, and loved upon.

Of course the housework is still left to do:D

Dara did so great in her training today! We have graduated to the next training step in heel! Her focus on me is very good. I for the first time had her off lead in a quiet park, and I was quite nervous about that. But my trainer said no worries. We played games off lead, she to find me, and me to create great whooshes of joy when she did! Also the long distance come command. Then great fun of play!

It was a very happy and joyous training day for us both! I am amazed at how my long time trainer comes up with different training exercises that play to the team involved. She is just great!

I have some chest building exercises to do, and some more training exercises to practise.

Great lovely sunny and warm day for all

I love hearing each of your updates about Dara and feel sheer joy at the love you feel for all of your pups. You have built a beautiful bond and trust with both your trainer and your pups, and I believe that respect allows you to train your pups so beautifully.

Dara had another vet check up today
 

Poor lass had diarrehea yesterday at 1/2 day boarding 3x they told me. So she was supposed to have some shots today but we held off. SHe had a bath last night as she had soiled herself:(

she has some meds for it, and I bring her back in Friday or earlier if the meds don't relieve diarrehea. Thankfully I already have some chicken cooked up all I need to make is more rice.

I have to recheck her vet records - I think I need another booster :confused:

Razzles' Rabies titer was $289 wow that is an expensive titer! He got his lepto shot and did just fine with it!

I hope Dara is feeling better and that Razzle feels his perky, inquisitive self after his vaccine. Your love and enthusiasm for Dara is so contagious and endearing. She could not have found a more loving, protective, fun home. I am trying to give my Katie the special kind of life that you give your pups. Thanks for your inspiration and help always.

Dara did great at the vet today. We finished the Lepto lyme series, and she met a very friendly 2.5 yr old Golden Retreiver. She now weighs 56lbs. Just Rabies to go now. And we will get a full baseline blood panel done 2wks from now.

I am very pleased with her social skills both human and doggie. It is of course early days as she is only 7mths, and their true guard personae won't come into full force until at least 2yrs old and sometimes later. But everyone in the waiting room thought she was a beauty and they had great fun petting her. Which she loved:)

WE hope as always to get swimming this wkend, but 2 of the beaches here are Red Flagged, so I need to search internet for other nearby open to doggie swimming spots.

I muse on her temperament - and still I think she is a much softer dog than Magic, pretty owner sensitive. She has great enthusiasm and a lovely energetic dog!

I also think she will be coming into heat in about a month from now. Hopefully by then Vlad our foster will have found his for-ever home. :)

I love how much you love Dara and all of your pups. I am just so happy that Dara brings you so much joy. I look forward to seeing your photos and videos when your pups are at the lakeside cottage. I hope Dara enjoys dock diving and that Razzle gets to dig and see lots of ducks (with a nearby boat for you).

Finally done with the shots
 

First year shots are finally done. Diarrehea seems to be under control for the time.

My next worry is she seemed to be going into heat, and then stopped:confused: I have had dogs with split heats but this is the first time I experienced this.

Boys were very interested, her vulva was swollen she gave all indication she was entering into her first week of heat, and then everything seemed to back off. Vulva reduced in swelling, boys backed off of interest..... Instead of their interest heightening....

Scratching my head, and will talk to my mentors to see what they have to say.

The start of Adolescence - the long Road
 

:eek: Darling Dara, is entering into adolescence - and gawd help me outlast her! Talk about being a brat, and exactly on time too, as Magic started at 8months old and it lasts in my breed until at least 2 yrs old. She will be 8months tomorrow.

She wants to continually climb up onto Mommas lap, and trust me she has to use the arms of our big chair and sprawl over my legs and chest to get it done. THen she sees my Yorkie climb across my shoulders and lay nestled into the back of my neck. What does she want to do? WHy the same thing! Except she just doesn't understand that she can't fit but it doesn't stop her from trying.

And her mouth Lord love a duck! You spend months teaching bite inhibition and no mouthing, and you think you have succeeded then adolescence starts and you are back to square ONE. It is a breed pre-dilection for sure.

And her JUMPING. She has a natural affinity to jumps, anywhere, everywhere, she takes great Pride in Jumping. Momma does not want her to jump! She is too young, and it is too harsh on her growing joints. THe only saving grace is she is growing evenly up and has very good dense bones.
And her ladyship knows front on jumping to Moms is NOT Allowed, now she sneaks up behind me and leaps!

She was walking easy on lead, and even heeling correctly, now how-ever we don't know either. It is where I want to go, when I want to go MOMs!

She is a dominant gal, and is trying out her tricks on me. She already has the boys buffaloed. But hey they are males, what can I say:D

Shades of Magic. So now we are at she doesn't walk up the stairs ahead of me, is not allowed up onto my lap or chair, unless invited. She is being hand fed her food. And earns every mouthful too:)

Hubby is in love with her, and that means he spoils her. She has him wrapped around her big paws;)

I swear she deliberately tries to pick on my socks, my purse, my shoes, my clothes to take them, chew them, and hide them! I have yet to see her gleefully run with hubbys sock in her mouth or his shoe!

If you own Blackies, you will need the Serenity Prayer for Dog Owners

God grant me the serenity to accept that this will change
To change with my dog as it grows and learns,
The wisdom to know what to do when,
And the faith we both can get through this

---------------------------------------- ALLDOG----------------AMEN

Dara at the Farmers Market.
 

We took Dara today to the Farmers Market. Mom shopped and hubby had her on lead. She did Fantastic, Strange folks, children other dogs etc. Such a good girl she was.

She had many compliments - quality does tell even to the novice. We had as usual what kind of breed is she? She is a rare breed, but folks here seemed to know she was some sort of breed.

I was tickled pink about her attitude and performance there. And of course loved all the comments about how beautifull a dog she is.

I love your version of the Serenity Prayer for dogs and reading your posts about Dara. She is so obviously loved, and she sounds like she has a wonderful temperament. I'm looking forward to seeing new photos and videos of her.

Sanction Sept 13 - Grooming tomorrow
 

I am entering Dara into her first fun conformation match on Sat the 13th of Sept.

She is getting a touch up groom tomorrow and I might take her in again the week of 8th.

The Undercoat Has Arrived! Oh dear
 

Of course it would have to be. She is going to have a dense, beautifull show coat, with lots and lots of undercoat!

Two and 1/2 wks ago she had no under coat. Now she has it in spades! I have just spent 1 hour on one side of her body removing a lot of her undercoat and the associated mats:thumbdown:thumbdown I need to finish the other side because we are going swimming tomorrow!

I had forlornely hoped she would have the old style coat. The very coarse outer guard coat with little undercoat. But she is going to have undercoat in spades! As of yet her outer coat is still soft and puppyish. And her coat is right now mixed and at an awfull in between stage. Poor gal that means many more hours on the grooming table as we keep her mat free!

Right now she looks like a Black Beauty! With all the brushing and the undercoat removal her hair is gleaming a deep coal black. You see the undercoat grows in as a kind of "greyish" color which dulls down the black outer coat.

Anyhoo, just preparing for the Sept 13th sanction Match, where we need her coat in gleaming condition for the judge!

And for any-one that is interested to show groom a Blackie from start to finish takes at least 3-4 hours and that excludes the previous show cutting of the coat! It is very time intensive.

There is a way to blow dry the coat to enhance their outline or silouhette. And then you can judiciously snip errant hairs to show a neat outline. Their paw pads need to be trimmed so that when they are gaiting the whole paw pad is clearly visible. Their beard needs to be trimmed to enhance the "block" like outline of their head. The coat is trimmed to show off their angulations, but should not be sculpted....

Awh well I go on....

Dara at Farmers Market - and Bath Day
 

Dara did super super well at the FArmers Market, she even had a toddler lifted up to sit on her back!:D Every time I looked back, hubby had a small group of folks around him and Dara, and she was getting petted and ooh'd and awed over. She was gentle with the kids, and even the kid that stuck his hand in her mouth:eek::eek:

She had her bath and is presently air drying a bit before I do the blow dry out of her coat. But Magic was a bad boy, apparently when she was released from the washroom she ran down and jumped up on the grooming table, and Magic took exception to her being on *his* table. He basically head butted her under her chest and nearly lifted her clear off the table:thumbdown:thumbdown He got a time out for that one!

There is the usual tussle of wills going on. Both dominant dogs, and mostly as Magic is a full male and Dara a full female, she gets her way. But not in all things according to Magics world view. I do hope we will settle down in the next year. Magic as a senior boy is getting old and slow, but his nose is a bit out of joint, as he sees me training with her daily, grooming and such. He gets his own walks and training still, but he senses the difference. Little things like she is constantly being stacked and examined at home. Up on the table 3x more than he is for grooming.

Magic litterly cries when we go outside to train without him, it doesn't matter that I take her back in to the house, and then go out with him, and it doesn't matter if I reverse the order either. He is my spoiled elder, used to in his early days 100% of my attention.

Anyhoo this is my life right now. Lovely weather here today and Dara is growing into the spectacular female I had dared to hope for:thumbup::thumbup:

I just feed off reading all your Darla and Magic posts. She sounds absolutely lovely and your life and activities with her - and Magic and Razzle - sound like such fun - okay - and out and out work! But that's what having dogs is all about - giving them the best lives they can have and training and keeping them and their intelligent minds busy working, exercising, playing and cuddling even if we work ourselves down to the nub.

I wish I could get your posts on this thread on audio book and just lie back and listen! I've lots of audio books and love to just lie down, rest my neck and back and eyes and listen to anything I can about dogs. You need to put this in book form, too, one day down the road.