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Keep on Playin'

playin in This Mama's Madness...

Charlie

Charlis is almost 12 weeks now, and we'll be able to go out and about with him in about a week and a half. I can't WAIT! It's tough being stuck at home, I miss visits to the park. He is on antibiotics due to a complication of kennel cough. It's been a week now, and he's exhibiting a lot more puppy behavior now. He's very cuddly with me, and tolerant of the baby. He likes to chase a toy that we drag around, and is beginning to be interested in chasing balls too, although I'm baffled on how to teach him to BRING IT BACK TO ME. Raising a puppy feels nothing like raising a baby. Dogs are weird, and manage to be both really stupid and really smart at the same time. For instance, they don't generalize well. So "sit" in front of the tv is not the same as sit outside, or in front of the refridgerator. Ugh. I look forward to him being a bit better trained, and being able to trust him in the house.

We start puppy classes May 9th. I need to call and arrange a sitter for Elliott and maybe Nova for those evenings. We choose Sirius puppy training, which will be interesting as a LOT of it happens off leash. I think I may look into some puppy play seminars on the weekends as well.

Our dog is so cool!

Charlie is a 9 wek old border collie/ german shepard mix. He is a bundle of energy, and is already learning his name, sit, down, and shake. He loves to chase his squeekie on a rope and "give it" so we can play again. We met his vet today, and after May 2, we will be able to venture out into the great wide world to meet other doggies and enjoy a wide variety of people-dog activities. In the meantime, we are on a strict crate training and house breaking schedule, complete with hand feeding and regular indoor and outdoor playtimes.

I thought I was busy before.

I'm considering two puppy training classes, and struggling to decide which one. Both are indoors, have certified trainers, and recommended by the SPCA. Prices are similar. Both have a max of 12 dogs and puppy socialization periods. Class A is a clicker training class, mostly on-leash. Class B is mostly off leash, and seemed to have more children. It is also in a nicer, quieter space. However, I noticed that the puppies really struggled to come back to their owners and focus, and as a result, there seemed to be a lot of pulling by the collar, which I didn't (don't) like. The class I observed for Class B was bigger than the one I watched for A, which I understand is unusual, but a turn off. Class B was recommended by my vet though, and I am impressed by the underlying philosophy. Clickers are OK in Class B, but not standard in the first level of the class. I understand the trainers reasoning, but I really like clicker training, and would like to go with a trainer with that kind of philosophy.

We are getting our puppy today!

I can pick him up anytime this evening after 12 until 5. Ack! I am not ready. My house is NOT CLEAN! Ack! I am so excited! I need to take the kids to the doctor, then I'll probably come home and clean for an hour or two, and then we go pick him up!