Puppy School

Well, the puppies are 9 weeks old and ready to start class. So, last night off to Marie's Beginner class. Because they are so young you must realize their attention span is limited - to say the least.
And, ALL training must be fun. Food is used to lure the puppies into position. If the puppy lifts it's head, it's butt automatically drops - There, a sit!

Food between the paws will help them lay down to be close to the treat - What a good down Ditto!

and

Food in front of their nose will cause a stand- what a good show dog Spring is learning to be.

While we have tried to produce great temperamented puppies - the most work is now up to the new owner. It is never too early to start classes, but wait and it could well be too late to undo bad habits.

Socialize and exposure to new surroundings are key to a happy, well adjusted adult.

Carina's New Title

The AKC description reads: The Variable Surface Tracking Test is a test of credibility, verifying the dog’s ability to recognize and follow human scent while adapting to changing scenting conditions. The test is to be as practical as possible while demonstrating the dog’s willingness and ability to follow a specific scent given to the dog at the start of the test. The training and conditioning of the dog must be designed to develop the inner drive, motivation, and determination necessary for the dog to work with intensity and perseverance.
The Variable Surface track is from 600 to 800 years in length and must include a minimum of 3 different surfaces such as packed dirt, asphalt, and mowed lawn. Stairs, drive ways, roads, underpasses, gravel, concrete, wood chips and brick patios are also possible surfaces one might find on a test track. The tracking team must find 3 articles, 1 each of plastic, metal and leather on the track.

Due to the urban sites, there are generally many unknown cross tracks to be negotiated and frequently people, dogs, cats and moving vehicles are encountered along the way. Concentration on the job and the ability to recover quickly from distractions are among the skills the variable surface tracking dog must learn.

At Colby College in Waterville Maine on Sunday August 2nd Carina joined a very elite group of dogs by PASSING her VST test. She is only the 4th Dalmatian in breed history to accomplish this, and the first one who also possess her Road Dog title.

Good Dog Carina!

Quick Update

Linda and I are off this week at an AKC Variable Surface Tracking Test.

So ... just a quick picture. Bleve is fitting into his new home, making friends with the kitty and going to a pancake breakfast.

Spring spent last night in her new home too. After a busy day interacting with the 3 adult Dals, she was so tired she slept all through the night. And because Don was VERY observant, she did not have any accidents.

We should be back to regular blogging next week.

ELGIN (BLEVE) and his new family

Today the first of the pups went to their new home. Elgin's new family Jeremy and Erin were well prepared for the new addition. Elgin's new name is BLEVE a firefighter's term. We have been working on teaching him his new name and what a smart boy he is. By the time they left Erin had him well on his way to learning a proper sit. He even tried one of his dad's famous "sit pretty" poses. Some things just seem to be passed on!

How Far We've Come

In just these 8 short weeks the pups have grown and become wonderful puppies ready for their new homes. It is a very labor intensive process...raising puppies the right way but so rewarding. As sad as it is to see them go we are so proud and pleased with how this litter has turned out.

The Name Game and Staying Safe

As puppies get ready to go to their new homes it is important to remember that puppy must always be kept in a safe environment. Crates are an excellent way to keep puppies safe while you are unable to watch them. It is kind of like having a toddler in that you must think of things that puppy may get into and protect them. Baby gates are another good solution to keeping young pups safe. Puppy will come to understand that by your keeping him safe he then develops trust in you. Life-long connections with your puppy develop at this stage.

One important aspect of keeping puppy safe is making the connection with their name and learning that when you call them and they come to you wonderful things happen. For those pups that have their real names now we have started imprinting that. At this age puppies are underfoot and want to follow and be with you. We take them individually for walks in the yard and let them get a bit ahead or behind us and call their name and the instant they turn and look at us and start to come toward us we reward them with excited praise and when they get to us they get a tasty treat. It doesn't take long for puppy to learn that his new name is associated with wonderful things (you and a treat). That is why we NEVER call a puppy to us and punish or scold them. We only use positive reinforcement in training puppies. It is so easy to train a solid recall at this age and can save the life of your puppy in the future.

These pups are very comfortable napping in a crate.

Yesterday the puppies went to the local vet's and received their first shots. This was a "3 Way" vaccine, containing only the vaccine for the diseases that are deadly for puppies and adults alike - Distemper, Parvo and Hepatitis. While there are vaccines for other diseases, they are not considered life threatening and can how potential side affects. The puppies will need to receive a second booster shot on THURSDAY AUGUST 20th. Again, we would recommend the 3 Way vaccine, but please consult your own veterinarian for their recommendation.

And, then, here are some pictures of Spring! starting her first tracking lesson. AKC Tracking is a modified version of search and rescue work. We only do this for fun, the pressure of real work is very demanding on both the owners and dogs.

The first photo is her getting her puppy harness on and being shown that there are food drops hidden in the grass. Within 3 steps she has learned to bury her nose i n the grass and search for food. Over the course of the next couple of lessons she will quickly make the transition to the food being where the person walked. Food drops will become further apart as she figures the game out.

And, at the end, she finds the GLOVE! Of course, she doesn't understand that part at all on Day 1, but we will work on tugger games seperately and really encourage her to play rough with gloves, socks, belts and other things she finds on the ground. Means that at home we have to keep things picked up. Corey will grab winter gloves off the table and run through the house to show what he has found. Just means housekeeping has to be done or WE accept responsibility for destroyed gloves and socks.

And the last picture is Spring! tracking on pavement. Urban tracking is definately in her future and we will be introducing a variety of surfaces right from the start.