A hopefull introduction/announcement

[gemy]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

I've had two different puppies with bad bites that outgrew them each time - each had been undershot to start and ended in perfect scissors, one my dog and one a foster. Hopefully Dara will outgrow hers as she grows. Glad to hear no heart defects and she's doing fine so far.

How is she getting along and what size is she now, Gail? Height and weight? I'll bet she's already two armfuls and then some! She's so adorable - I imagine she's a joy to have around.

What is her temperament like at this stage - just plain puppy still or is she already an individual with recognizable characteristics and habits forming?

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.

[Maximo]

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.

[gemy]

Thanks Kristin.

[gemy]

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.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by gemy

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.

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.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

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...

[gemy]

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

[lisaly]

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.

[gemy]

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.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by gemy

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.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

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 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.

[gemy]

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

[gemy]

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.

[lisaly]

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

[gemy]

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.