Home | My pictures - I'm so cute!
Work in progress - I know the tenses and viewpoint are conflicting but wanted to get everything down while it was fresh
Jump to:
On May 7th nine little puppies were born to Trucker and Georgie Girl of Gleneire. One of them would be mine!
On June 30th began Reg and my adventure to pick up our pup! After a harried Saturday morning we were finally able to leave Edmonton to start this adventure. Mile after mile went by as we made our way to Edson, Hinton, past Jasper and when the Yellowhead divided we headed North to Prince George, B.C.
The highways were steady with tourists and of course those that would stop for, or to take pictures of the wildlife of the park. There were sheep, deer, and even bears and elk. It was frightening to see how close people would approach these wild animals - any of which will bite, kick, butt or maul or toss a fragile human - but even more so when the lady stops, grabs her camera and with it stuck to her face lining up the photo she runs across the highway negligent of any oncoming traffic.
Prince George was a nice place to visit but the signage needs improvement. As we were leaving town to head south to Lac La Hache we came to a major intersection with no highway numbers and just the major destinations listed which left no indication on which way to go! Finally, after another harrying experience we were finally on our way in the right direction. We stopped in Williams Lake for lunch then on to Lac La Hache!
We had no idea Lac La Hache was a resort spot. A mighty fine one I might add!
We stayed at Kokanee in the lodge only a few yards from the lakefront. It
was a lovely night - and there were dogs everywhere! When we arose Monday, July
2nd Reg headed to the office to pick up his boat and fishing gear rental to
spend some quiet time on the lake. Thereafter, I headed south to Gleneire.
It was a wonderful and informative visit. It was hard to leave. It was fun to watch brother and sister play and run in this beautiful B.C. setting. Months of waiting was finally here and I was speechless. I was a new "Mom" and was as nervous, excited, and anxious as any mother could be.
The furry bundle, after several seconds of encouragement, was finally launched into her brand new crate and placed in the front seat of the car. Back we drove to pick up Reg. I hadn't even reached the end of the driveway when Karma launched into a wide variety of screams, yelps, and atonal singing. I returned to the resort and decided to set up a temporary site where Karma, Dogma and I could get to know each other better in the warm B.C. weather next to the lakeside.
Soon Reg pulled into the dock and we went to meet and greet him. It was a wonderful
greeting where we returned to the car, packed up and headed for home. After
a few miles Karma went from crate to lap (and Dogma had most of his back seat
back. He promptly went to work recreating his nest that had been disturbed by
the placement of a crate with this furry critter inside. Once gone he was able
to perfect "his space" according to the sun). Karma slept. She would
explore a bit, wandering about my lap, the back to sleep. We would stop and
"everyone was releaved" and then we would continue on our journey
home.
Everyone who has ever experienced the joys of a new canine in the family is familiar with the dreaded "first night" so of course, we were no exception (for the second time - Dogma was 1 year when adopted). This is especially true when arriving home at 11:30 in the evening and needing to relax a bit before retiring - after a long drive!
Up until now Reg had not heard our girl's singing voice. (I told him that was probably a good thing as if heard too early he may have turned a "U"ey and wanted to return the pup. [Joke]). Well, she did finally tire herself out and go to sleep . . . for a couple of hours anyway. Took her outside to do her business then attempted to get back to sleep.
It was very hard to leave for work, especially knowing I was pulling a ten hour shift. The new routine was no help either. Trying to figure out how to juggle feeding the dogs, getting ready for work, and doing the routines that have developed over the years was no easy task. But finally, the dogs were fed, walked and Karma was in her "day" crate. Reg had instructions on the feeding and letting out schedule. I was happy to be home - I had to take the bus so it was just me and the dogs. I let Karma out and gave her a bit of exercise then placed her back in the crate while I took Dogma for his evening constitutional. So the only real length of time I had with Karma was on my return from the walk. I set the x-pen up around the front steps, got a drink, the camera, a book and sat and enjoyed the weather.
Karma spends alot of her time following and copying Dogma. She sniffs where he sniffs, as he sniffs. She charges through the bushes where Dogma has passed. Watching his every move. Then suddenly she gets her puppy brain going and off she charges on a mad dash around the yard. Then back to business of following and watching everything around her.
You may know that male dogs will mark where a female has previously gone. Dogma was in the process of finding all of Karma's "spots" as he lifted his leg slightly to mark another Karma went running right up to him, well almost under him. I was helpless as I was sure the stream of liquid must have already been on the way and she would end up the target rather than the spot on the grass. But no! Slowly Dogma's leg started to move to the ground. He glances over his shoulder at me as if wondering what to do. Then off she goes on another rampage and Dogma can return to completing his task.
Somewhere along the way Karma learned the way to the front of the house. She also figured out there was room for her to crawl under the gate to get into the front yard. So several mad dashes were required when it was seen she was beelining to the front gate. On one of these occasions Dogma walked over to the entry way to the front, looked at me as if to say, "there she goes again. Hurry up or you won't be able to catch her." Off we went to catch her.
Day 2 - Tuesday
I get up the courage to bark at Dogma - but I'm behind the x-pen. But he asks Mom to let him in - he barks at me then leaves - of all the audacity.
Sitting seems to solicit responses from M&D.
Okay, I just can't help it - I picked up my little Karma last Monday morning. An 8 wk old English Springer Spaniel - female. I'm sure learning a lot about puppies! You've heard "a tired puppy is a good puppy," well, I've also read that when a puppy is tired they lay down (to sleep) and one shouldn't push 'em. Well, mine follows typical springer behaviour - as long as something is going on - she's going on. I have to literally make everything "stop" so Karma will sleep.
Day 3 - Wednesday
Give me something to chew. Give me something to eat.
I'm not afraid of anything and curious about everything - what's it taste like?
And by the way I will give you my opinion whether you ask for it or not!
Karma mostly follows everyone around the house, either myself, Reg or even Dogma. Karma has started on grabbing my pant legs or housecoat hem or - well, anything. So I'm encouraging the following but not the "tackle"
Day 4 - Thursday
But let's get to the proud mom part - every morning we have a routine where she's fed, exercised, and crated when I go to work. (Note there is time in between all these activities while I do my thing.) Well, on Thursday we came into the house - I put her on the floor and began getting ready for work - she toddled over to her crate, walked in, curled up and went to sleep - ALL BY HERSELF. Proud Mom moment #1.
Give me something to chew. Give me something to eat.
Day 5 - Friday
Give me something to chew. Give me something to eat.
There is a big white box in this one room that means "food" and I'm there every time it opens. even if I can't have any. I'll crawl in there and search something out because it sure smells good!
Day 6 - Saturday
Finally, I can go up stairs and down stairs all on my own. Well mostly.
Give me something to chew. Give me something to eat.
Day 7 - Sunday
I meet the "in-laws" and ask to go to the "potty" all by myself
We're really getting into stealing each others toys (and food) if we can get away with it.
Give me something to chew. Give me something to eat.
I've been trying to take her (read carry her out) out every couple hours to "do her business" and telling her what a good girl she is. I also, make sure that when or as she wakes up I scurry outside to get her to do her business. "They" aren't kidding when they say a pup needs to pee when they first wake up. Well, last night, I heard a little "yip" so promptly got up, put my shoes on and placed her on the floor (hoping the accident wouldn't occur immediately - we had gone out about 45 min. earlier). While I was getting my house-coat on she proudly toddles over to the back door, I open it, down the stairs she tumbles (not literally but it's cute the way she handles them with those gawky long legs) and went to do her business! Proud Mom moment #2
Day 8 - Monday
I've pretty much figured out I can't run and scratch behind my ear at the same time.
I'm now 9 weeks old! 9 3/4 inches tall
This week we used the name Karma alot, took her for walks and tried to supply her with enough things to chew on. She is an angel, a terror and a stinker all at the same time. Lots of photo's and camcorder filming. Trying to do a couple times a week.
July 16th - 10 weeks - 11 inches
Able to cut down the number of times going outside in the middle of the night. But she's still a stinker. She loves to ambush Dogma at every chance. One minute she's copying him, the next challenging and barking at him. Then there are the times she is trying to be nice to him. But mostly, I think she's trying to get his goat.
I'm still keeping her away from other dogs and animals - I can hardly wait to get her shots. Also, I keep her from sniffing especially during our walks and in deposit areas. I now let her sniff all she wants at home. Her nose and sniffing ability really developed this week. You can tell she is actually starting to smell things instead of just going through the motions.
July 23rd - 11 weeks - 13 inches
But I want it to almost be a habit so I can get the rhythm quickly in the show ring. Also, I can actually keep up with her with
little effort. Right now the correct gait is a quick walk. In a couple weeks it will be a slow run and I need to work up to that!
July 28th - first Edmonton vet visit
I had called the beginning of July to make the appointment, actually I made two - one for the 14th and the other for the 28th. I called and cancelled the 14th (no easy task with the summer hours) as Karma was doing fine and I decided to wait until time for her shots. I calculated and discovered that the 21st would qualify for her second set of shots but there was no appointment available. So the evening of the 25th I was called by the vet office and told that because of changes in their practice they did not feel it fair to take on a new patient and cancelled the appointment! They referred me to Town Centre Veterinary Hospital and provided the phone number. I was so thankful to Town Centre that they were able to fit me in on such short notice.
Although she didn't grow in shoulder height her body has changed. Last week her legs sprung forth, this week her body started to match those long lanky legs. She played chase with Crickett (Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon) met and only sniffed 13 yo Munchie (Polish Lowland Sheep Dog) was avoided by 16?yo Briggy (Sheltie).
She leaves Reg's ankles alone - he figures that she doesn't bite him as much because she knows he is "top dog" but my ankles on the other hand are open season as are Dogma's. Both Dogma and I growl at her when she goes for the ankles. It actually works quite well if you catch it in time - you have to listen for the thump-de-de-thump-thump of her running towards you. I've also added a warning finger shake. But if she's already laid in, well, don't bother - jokes over.
Right now she is a beast - she plays, pounces and strikes like a cat; she growls like a cougar or bear; she races around the edge of the back yard like a sight hound; she ambushes and herds and nips Dogma like a herding dog; she "kills" her stuffed animals like a wolf; she leaps up at things out of reach like a gazelle; she digs like a mole; chews grass and leaves like a cow; she eats like there's no tomorrow; she fears nothing and challenges everything.
Her fur is growing. Her feathering is coming in and she's starting to look like a toy springer. She knows her name and comes -- most of the time -- say 90% of the time. Pretty good I think for 13 weeks! We let her off leash at home quite a bit and she pretty much sticks close to Dogma. She doesn't charge off or anything like that but she does like to explore and you can see her expanding her territory. I know she will reach those "critical" days soon where she may charge off and forget everything we've been through. When in the house or backyard I leave the collar off - for two reasons - one to keep her fur from developing a crease and secondly so she doesn't hang herself up. This is a possibility especially in the house as she crawls everywhere - under the bed, under the sofa, between anything and everything and it could be very easy for her collar to get stuck on something and I don't know that I would fit in some of the places she likes to explore.
We've had such beautiful weather this weekend after alot of rain it's hard to stay inside and it's hard to keep her out of the sun. So her colour doesn't fade. We've been driving to the Hermitage offleash area. It's in the river valley so has wonderful scenery. Away from any roads. And those that frequent there travel in small groups. It is not unusual at the Grand Trunk offleash park to be accosted by groups of more than five dogs. I don't want to expose her to that type of contact right now. It was great. Firstly, she rides in the car so much better now. I have her in the front seat with her leash fastened to the seatbelt. She has enough lead to lie down or her favorite - to place two front paws on the passenger window and watch everything as it whizs by. She doesn't want to miss a thing! She occasionally cries but very little. Unlike the very first time I rode in the car with her when she screamed at her full little lung capacity or last weekend when she whined all the way to the veterinary office.
Although she follows Dogma's lead on greating dogs she minds her manners. She greets other dogs very well. I do watch as you never know when you will meet a dog or pup that doesn't know it's manners. There were two occasions - Karma is such a smart little girl - I'm so proud of her. A young bull terrier pup - same age - was a bit too rough and she made no secret about it. As she ran around and screamed at the top of her lungs! So while in the area I carried her the rest of the way to avoid further problems. You never know how another owner is going to act or think. She acted appropriately and as we met other dogs along the trail she was her confident self. I could tell she was thinking - you just wait until I'm my full height - I'll fix you! We did go to Grand Trunk early one morning - less likely of running into packs at that time and they can be avoided. There was a groenendal (?) youngster that was very submissive but definately a bit big for Karma and she knew it. She did the sniff and great than came and sat between my legs. Not hiding but just there to allow me to keep the other dog away from her. She used my body to block the larger dog from getting at her. But her confidence and attitude were apparent as she sat in that authoritive little sit she does.
I did have to carry her for a bit. I was throwing the ball for Dogma and a rottie came to visit. Dogma likes the bigger dogs but as usual at the park he returns to hunting or retrieving the ball. And Karma - well she like to literally hunt - and Dogma is the prey. She loves to herd and pounce on him. I'm sure she's preparing to bring down a moose and I think with her strong prey drive she just may be able to do it! This running and hunting behaviour further interested the rottie and I didn't care for his body posturing. I felt that he might figure Karma was prey and go for her just by the way he was posturing and pacing. Owners - 1 - please watch your dog; 2 - please call your dog to you once the initial meet and greet is done unless you see a specific indication from owner or dogs to play or continue to visit; 3 - stay "close" to your dog. My dogs are never more than 20' from me unless they are running to meet and greet another dog and I am hot pursuit to close that gap and keep it at that distance or less -- just in case. I trust my dogs 100% -- I know how Dogma is with all types of dogs. He has been attacked so I know what that's all about too. Anyway, I'll get off my platform now. To say the least I carried Karma and walked quickly away until finally shaking the rottie off. And further avoiding the dog - and "owner" The park is not a large one but generally one can avoid potential problems - it's just trying to shake a dog off if the owner fails to call them that can be tricky. Ah well.
I want to express my appreciation to Dogma. He has been a wonderful step-Dad even if we get a little frustrated with the two of them. Karma follows him and copies almost everything he does. She's learned to chew the grass without swallowing and choking on it. She "patrols" the backyard just as Dogma does. She sits at the corners when we go for a walk, just like Dogma does. She sniffs and circles a tree - just like Dogma does. She challenges him - yes, barking and circling him and even pulling
hair out of him, biting his ankles and hanging off his neck. He takes it stride either ignoring, a minor growl and keeps on going or occasionally telling her that, "that is quite enough!" I can see his patience wear thin sometimes and he often gets a break. But I've also seen him come get one of us when she's getting into trouble. He lets her lay next to him now sometimes without complaint. He doesn't play with her but nonetheless he teaches her what she needs to know. He shows her what a responsible
adult she needs to become. He is her role model, her foster Dad, her mentor. He is not her playmate. He is her prey. She does respect him and will appease when she's overstepped her bounds. I am so proud of my Dogma and I am thrilled that he is a trained, obedient dog for if he was a problem dog with bad habits I know that the story would be different because she copies what he does well, I just don't want to imagine.
I think we may have swayed a couple from getting a pup because there rottie has a couple bad habits they don't like and feel and have been told their dog untrainable. They thought a playmate would be a good thing. When they heard the potential of "double-trouble" they decided to give it more thought.
I make no further comment on "untrainable" other than I don't think any dog is untrainable.
Stay tuned - pictures are being developed and we start puppy kindergarten Wednesday!
Here is some of the pics:
Okay, here she is at 12 weeks!
The ones below are at 13 weeks. And yes the one with her mouth open - she's not yawning - she's biting me. Why is it they are the squirmiest when you're trying to take a stacked photo. Sometimes she actually stacks herself and she looks wonderful - but then I don't have the camera handy. I took these so I could get her markings - especially with the shorter coat. She's not really trimmed here - except her feet - sort of - I did a trim yesterday of her feet and nails and tail. I need to do her head - I might brave that tonight - I'll see because we may be moving stuff into the music studio and I may not have time. Got to take those weekly photos and measurements though ....
And here we have the whole family - well except for the photographer - I'll be scanning his picture in soon and will add him to the site. But had a few quick minutes so thought I'd better get on with the update! She was an absolute angel at puppy kindergarten. Perhaps because she was so tired. Or more than likely on a first meeting she is a real charmer. Makes a good first impression. Then watch out! The little vixen comes out.
She's getting quite heavy - weight wise not fat - I'm just starting to have trouble picking her up - I'm a weakling you know. We took her to Whyte Avenue on Sunday - she's not afraid of people at all. She's great. She doesn't always approach people unless they start talking about her then she loves to run up to them. She generally sits at their feet - especially if they bend down. She doesn't really jump up very much so that's something I'm not going to have to worry alot about. Generally, she sits first and jumps up after. We've had her loose in the front yard too which is nerve wrecking for me but she comes most of the time and she stays in the area. She is such a copy cat of Dogma and I'm sure that's where she gets it from. She has exactly the same range and territory he does! Which is great - I don't have to worry about her bolting out the front door and across the street or after a car or bike. As her training develops it'll get better and better - in the meantime I don't have to panic when someone opens the door and puppy isn't in her crate.
She's fine with adult dogs and generally copies Dogma. Pups are a different story - I don't think she's quite sure what to do about them yet. Many of them are a bit too exhuberant for her. I don't know yet - we'll see once we get a bit more into puppy k. But she sure harrasses Dogma. But as I observe them I can see there is a bit of a game, a bit of a teaching and I'm not sure what else going on. He's not nearly as touchy as he used to be with her. She's able to keep up with him and she's pretty fast. It won't be long where he won't be able to out run her or jump up on the sofa or bed where she can't quite reach -- yet --
Fourteen pounds and fourteen inches what a coincidence. She's mostly leg. She's looking good and shaping up like a very beautiful springer - if I do say so myself. And she moves nicely too - well except for those puppy falldowns, trips and crashes. Extremely active. Doesn't want to miss anything and wants to be involved in everything. One literally has to put her in her crate or be very still and quiet to settle her down. And even then it's not for long. She gets more determined everyday to bug and challenge Dogma. He's put her down a couple times - gently knocks her over and places his mouth over her head or neck. Usually he just shows his teeth. I haven't seen his teeth so much - it's alot easier to check them. We watch him because if she's been harrassing him alot he sometimes mistakes and will put his teeth over our arm or whatever then he's sorry and feels bad when he realizes he made a mistake. We break them up often and send them to their own spots. Dogma likes to lie out on the front steps and I leave Karma loose in the house or put her in the backyard.
She loves to romp around the backyard, digging, running, attacking the bushes and hopping into the kiddie pool. She has a whole routine down as she explores and romps through the yard. Mostly it's been hot so she has been digging and lying in the cool dirt. She has two spots she is allowed to excavate and she sticks to those spots - she has not dug elsewhere.
She had her last set of puppy shots on Saturday. She's so good in the car now, not a peep - just anxiously awaiting to see where we are going. We've still been taking the odd day out to the park - which hasn't been that much because the mosquitos are absolutely horrendous. The city isn't going to spray because "they'll be gone in a couple weeks anyway." This is gotta be the longest "couple" weeks ever. She was a bit of a squiggle worm for the vet but everything got checked and cleared. She didn't like the shots too much but once she reached reception area she was ready to charm everyone in there.
We've been handling her a lot and holding her. She has a thing about being "confined" and it's improving. Grooming the feet and trimming the nails isn't too bad she's pretty laid back about that now. But I'm trying to get her used to the clippers - that seems to be a slow process but we're working on it. In the meantime I'm starting to scissor some of the areas as best I can but I have to be really careful of course because she's got a very short hold still. She loves being spritzed. It's actually funny/cute when I get the mister out and she holds her head up so I can spritz her. It's going to be so easy to fix up those last minute areas before show.
She's actually using her nose alot more and I think she's actually able to identify what she is smelling instead of it just being a sensation. Her eye, nose, mouth coordination has improved too - when some food falls on the floor she can actually find and eat it. A few weeks back if it hit the floor she had a heck of a time finding it and would often just give up. You'd have to pick it up and push it into her mouth. Right now I've decided to use one dog dish. She and Dogma trade eating - she'll eat then walk away - he'll eat then walk away - she'll eat and sometimes finish it - else he'll come along and sometimes finish it. I really get the sense that he knows how much she needs to eat and will leave what she needs behind. Sometimes I vary the amount in the bowl and he will adjust what he eats and leave an amount for her. There has been occasion where he will let me know he is hungry, I give him some food and he walks away and lets her at it. Conversely, he has some food or a bone and warns her that it is his and that she has had enough and won't let her have it. (Well, sometimes he'll leave a little bite for her.)
It's so fascinating watching them and watching how they interact with each other and then with others. I wish I could do it all day long. I try to stay objective and say what does that action mean. It's hard. We tend to associate human interactions to our pets especially between the two then if you really watch then you end up changing your mind. I wasn't sure whether her bugging Dogma and his growling and showing of teeth was a good thing or not. I have a high tolerance and I trust him totally because I have seen him put up with puppies and annoying dogs without ever breaking skin. The only time he was truly aggressive was when he was charged and attacked by what I found out later to be a fighting dog (yes they are illegal here and I haven't seen the people or their dogs since - what is a dog trained to fight in pits doing in an off leash park anyway . . . . I digress). Anyway, I trust Dogma although I don't want to push him to a breaking point. But in the meantime I watch their every move and just watch gathering information. I'll let you know what I've decided because I haven't quite figured it all out.
Dogma can't really out run her speed wise but he can sometimes outdistance her - we play in a field nearby and she still loves to chase and ambush him but she will stop - but every time we play that game she doesn't break off as quickly as she did the time before. I can see him laughing when sometimes she trips or crashes into him hard and she falls over and ends up rolling over in the grass. (My Mom used to have a saying "falling ass over tea kettle").
till next week. ..
Thought I'd do a training update. I'm so proud of her - she's retrieving "the ball!" Some may think this not a big deal but of course building the retrieving aspect in any dog is a good thing especially a springer. Karma will pretty much retrieve anything as long as she see's it thrown. She springs over to it then bounces back and leaps into my arms. We play a bit and then off she goes. I started with my moccasins - yeah I know - and yes I let her chew them a bit too - but she retrieves them easily and quickly. I would use her squeeky bone and that was moderately successful. And then this week we started with the ball and she seems to like it alot - although the moccasins hold a special place. It gets interesting if Dogma is around because I taught him to retrieve my bedroom shoes. I would get home and I would send him to get my shoes. He thinks it's his job and doesn't like the little one getting the shoes. I'm wouldn't even think of throwing the ball for her while he's around - not right now anyway. If she gets distracted or didn't quite see the item thrown she will stop and look and there is no hope of getting her to get the item. That's okay - it will come.
I just started perfecting walking on lead - well actually that's a misnomer because it's more like a loose heeling exercise. Her sits are excellent for the amount of training we've done and come easily. Her downs still need to be lured but they happen quickly once my fingers hit the floor. Her stands are coming along fine too - this is one thing Dogma could never quite get the hang of. I do two forms of heel training - one where she's is lured - she's very good with this even with distractions - her attention on me is show ring. The other is just not lured more of a conformation walk - actually it's a run because I'm working on developing a nice gait rhythm which is harder for me than her. Golly my legs are tired.
We are seriously playing "showdog." This is getting her used to having the clippers her touch her while they are on - the sound doesn't bother her and having it touch her doesn't bother her - just don't turn them on. Trimming her feet and nails is no big deal now she pretty much takes that in stride. She's not too crazy about having her teeth touched but it's getting better. Essentially, I've started doing a little routine where Reg holds her and I "groom" her for the show - takes like less than a minute. I handle her ears, look in side use my finger to shave around her head making a buzzing sound - she really finds that curious - now I've added working on her teeth. Then I work down her body and handle her toes and feet and tail. Each time she's more calm about it. At first she was quite "squiggly" and afterwards very pouty. Now she's happy and figures it's a new game she hasn't quite figured out - which it is. Dogma tolerates his grooming and is very dispondent afterwards - long time afterwards. I don't want this in Karma - I want her to take the grooming in stride - at minimum.
I've got a really small "wall," tunnel, and a sheet hangs over the doorway (read chute) and then the pool which she jumps in to set up in the backyard. I'll be setting up the weaves and board I had as a teeter. None of this is "trained" she runs around the backyard and runs around, through or over the "equipment" as she wishes. Mostly she is used to seeing the stuff. She has no trouble running under/through the sheet to go outside. It was unintentional - the sheet is there mostly to keep the flies and mosquitoes out and represents a doggie door. I have netting over the front door. Then it was "hey" the light bulb went on! this is like the chute! cool!
I'm thrilled she's 16 weeks now. All the horror stories I've read make it seem that 16 weeks is the pivotal point. Logic tells me not to worry, her parents had their shots, she's had her shots, I watch what she eats and all those parental type things but it's always those unknowns that like to rear their heads. I know she will have accidents and things but it's just that bit of relief I now sigh that she's 16 weeks. She gets to eat pretty much all she wants and she exercises most of it off. Dogma also tells me when she's hungry so she's well looked after. Of all the things that stick out in my mind about the purchase contract is my promise to keep her safe. Safe. To me that goes without saying but it's the one word that haunts me and worries me. I think most of my concern comes from the neighborhood - puppy dies in spring of distemper, another puppy (same house) dies 2 months later - uncertain of cause, dog dies of strangulation when attempting to jump fence, brother and sister puppy (2 different households) contract parvo - one dies and one lives - after $1600 of vet bills. There are other "disappearances" but my suspicions are that the puppies have died from neglect, strangulation, malnutrition or disease. It's difficult to report incidents of abuse and get action. There are many people that do not provide a safe environment for their pups. There are others that do not think a dog needs shots. And there are those that think taking someone elses dog or pup is no big deal. I have insurance on both my dogs but it brings me little comfort when I think of all the things that can happen to them.
The EKC is having a peewee conformation match on September 7th and I think I'll enter - give me some exposure to the show world! Some excellent advice I recently received was not to hurry into conformation so I can "finish" her in a short period of time. This has really given me some food for thought.
I'll measure her tonight - she's all legs and looks like a long legged mini-springer. The change from her soulful face to her happy face is like night and day. Sometimes I wonder if it's the same dog. Got to get all those things on command she does some of it so well - the pout, the happy face, the stack, the paw wave and I think I'll be able to sneak the rollover in there too!
Okay, I'm a proud Mom - just can't help it. Social skill development is important for a pup. If the character of a pup allows them to interact with other dogs and humans appropriately as a youngster it prevents future problems with dog to dog aggression or dog to people aggression. It can also relate to other potential behaviour issues such as food guarding, possessiveness and so much more. IMHO I've been watching my pup very carefully since she is very full of attitude. Dogma is a blessing because he is very big on dog manners and has taught her alot. But you never know how much until you get into the right situation. Okay, so enough preamble.
We got a play/socialization session at puppy kindergarten tonight - hoorah - finally! Anxious Mom let's Karma off leash gritting her teeth to see what kind of pup she really has. Well, typical social butterfly, little charmer and more - not only does she visit all the puppies in the room she visits all the people in the room too! The humans with their puzzled look on their faces don't understand how this pup during an opportunity to play with her own kind is visiting them! Even the ones on the side lines. All the puppies were very well behaved and the most extreme case - which really wasn't that extreme for a puppy - was an exuberant Catahoula Leopard Dog where at one point was a little overwhelming so Karma headed for the nearest pair of human legs. Remember earlier she learned at the off leash park that sitting between a pair of human legs prevented excessive pawing and gives her a chance to catch her breath. The lady was very surprised to see a strange pup take shelter between her legs! But it wasn't long before Karma joined the fray. She showed appropriate submissive style behaviour that you would more often see between puppy and adult and many of the puppies didn't "get it" but that's okay. I was proud of my girl. She acted well. She didn't frighten or freak out (traumatize) any other puppies. She didn't run under the nearest chair and hide. As part of the "exercise" we had to catch a puppy (that wasn't ours) then let them go. She was easy to "catch" and then send off to play. Actually, she would stay and be sociable for a bit before going off to play.
Okay, okay, I like (make that love) this dog!
In conclusion, the best thing we did over the last few weeks is:
Sep 5 puppy-k - hmmm - first 10 minutes practicing sits, downs, stands - long sits, etc. she's fine a real gem. Then suddenly something snaps and she starts pulling on lead and there is absolutely nothing I can do but wait/stand there. Took her outside and she did her business but that really didn't change anything. But she was a gem for free play. She came on the recalls from free play. She was good with the other puppies and her usual social butterfly self. Was not the least bit interested in food and was finally able to keep some of her attention by using a toy. Ah well. I think it may remotely had to do because Dogma was in the car. She really wants to be with him and perhaps she suddenly realized during class that he was in the car but not in the room.
Well, I waffled and hummed and ha'd because I discovered a peewee conformation competition was taking place at the show this weekend. I did a bit of training with Karma during the week and mustered up the courage and went! We did okay! Mostly, I wanted to get her in the building to see what she would be like. If she would be stressed. How she would handle the dogs, people, clapping and so on. She was a gem. They say the sign of a confident dog is one that will get so comfortable that they will roll over onto their back - which she did. She was so tired by the time we went home - and so was I!! I don't know how we did in group. I forgot to watch the judge - actually there were a couple of us on the end that sort of looked at each other a bit confused and shrugged our shoulders and left the ring. We obviously didn't take first in group. I had some excellent advice by a English Setter/German Short Haired Pointer handler to keep her on the mat as the concrete floor was quite slippery and Karma did slip several times. Karma was quite jumpy at one point and the judge suggested not using bait. Which sort of worked. Some were using a squeaker and I may try it in training instead of a lure. I already knew I had alot to practice as far as footwork and handling but I didn't do all that bad. I just have to remember to keep an eye on the judge. Karma was fine in the ring. As I suspected I need more work than she does. But it was good that she didn't shut down on me and that she didn't seem overly affected by my stress.
I spent most of the weekend at the dog show and watched the handlers and the dogs carefully. I also took mental notes on the springer grooming. It was wonderful to have more than one springer at the show! A rare occurrence so a wonderful opportunity for me. Two kennels were represented. Again, I'd like to thank them for speaking with me. This meant not a lot of time to work with Karma
I'm getting serious about the training now. I'll still be working on the basics. She is terrified of the clippers - I can now touch her with them. I can turn them on. But anything beyond that and she squiggles and squirms and then makes a bee line for her crate. So I'll continue working with her slowly on this - she's not too scruffy yet and considering the amount of time I'll need to spend grooming I want to make this less stressful for her. She's "fine" with scissors and lets me do her nails and feet. She's a bit of a fuss but nothing serious - not like the terror of the clippers! We started working on the stands more and examining her teeth/bite. Walking/heeling (not by strict definition) is what I will be concentrating on for now. Her sits are okay and her downs/flats are coming along.
I think at this point the goal is to work on preparing for her CD (companion dog - some heel work, comes, and sits) with a bit of conformation thrown in. I'm going to do a lot of target training and see if I can't queue her head positions which will help in all areas.
Finished a roll of film and started another so will have to get them developed and get my scanner fixed so I can post these pics.
(Congratulations to my good friend Janice on Star's CD!)
This leggy little girl is losing her teeth! I've found a couple teeth now. She's not destroying the place though - she seems to stick to her own toys. She's mostly housetrained - most accidents are our fault, although she hasn't quite got the idea of where to pee, she will often just be walking and drop her but with no warning. I've now interrupted her a couple times with a sharp "No" then escorted her outside and started with "Yes" and wait until she pees and again say "Yes." This seems to get the wheels turning because you can see it in her face as she's thinking it through. As a matter of fact there was one point where she did it as a question - I'm sure - she looked at me - dropped her but and peed - just a little - then I escorted her outside and within minutes she finished. I've cleaned the carpets and floors and purchased a citrus air freshener. Hopefully if accidents happen they will be closer to the door. Anyway, enough of THAT topic.
I know this is mostly about Karma but I have to interject something about Dogma here. I've been putting off taking him for x-rays mostly due to cost. Finally, I bit the bullet and we went to the chiropractor and he did need the obligatory x-rays. Hoorah! My fears are alleviated - he has like a spec of arthritis and no hip dysplaysia. His "problems" are as suspected with repeated trauma to the lower spine which is corrected by regular treatment and appropriate exercise. This is such a relief to me. I'm thinking if all goes well he can compete in veterans. Especially, now that CKC will be approving PEN registration (non registered purebred competition in agility and obedience).
I'm trying to develop a regular routine now that puppy kindergarden is over - awhhh! But she was so comfortable there that the distractions were too much and she wouldn't work well for me. I sure know what I have to work on! Darn those distractions! I'm concentrating on heeling as she is getting very big and very strong and very out of control on the end of the lead - especially while walking with Dogma. We are also working on "Come" because now that she's older she has begun to think she has a choice. This was not unexpected. When we are training she works very well and you can see the old brain waves kicking in - or should I say the new brain waves developing!
Okay, her new teeth are coming in fine - I've been waiting for her to start chewing on something she shouldn't - you know - she's good then all of a sudden she's chewed the couch to dust but so far nothing serious - actually just some really minor stuff that I really don't care about. Her body parts are growing in pieces. I noticed this morning that her flews look almost full size but they wrinkle a bit because the bridge of her nose can't quite accommodate it. Her feet are big especially her hind feet. When you look at her legs at certain angles they look pyramid in shape - like she's walking on stilts with big clown socks and shoes on. I think that's why she doesn't stand still very long because she begins to wobble.
The day after Dogma was stung by a wasp (guessing) resulting in a very swollen flew on one side, and me worrying until the swelling started to go down Karma trots out of the kitchen shaking her head then spitting out -- you guessed it -- a wasp. I stare at the critter for a few seconds then quickly clean up the carnage. Then I watching Karma like a hawk for the next few hours looking for any signs of swelling, color loss or trouble breathing. Nothing she continued as her bouncy self.
She walks very well on lead now - nothing formal - mostly NOT pulling and looking at me is rewarded. But this is not possible with Dogma around. She is just crazy all over him and there is no controlling her. I've been practicing walking back and forth past him - talk about a major distraction - and it's coming along - slowly but surprising well. The next phase - ha ha - will be to have him moving too. To say the least I/we walk the dogs separately. I will take them to the off-leash park and keep her on a long lead while Dogma is loose. Except for periodic attacks it goes pretty well, she's very good with strange dogs. We've also started heavily into target stick training. I think this will be the ideal way to control the head especially while walking. This way I can train for both the conformation gait and head position as well as for the obedience just initially by positioning the target stick and later with conformation I can use my finger or whatever I decide. I don't think bait is going to work well because although she will follow commands and do what I ask for she can become disinterested in bait/food. It's strange she'll ignore the food and then afterwards once she's calmed down or we're done she'll eat like there's no tomorrow - so life rewards and toys will likely be the way to go with her (including allowing her to "attack" Dogma - poor guy.)
We've been watching the interactions between the two of them - Dogma - 6.5 year old and Karma - almost 5 months and school's still out. He still growls at her quite a bit, but they share the food (trade offs one chews/eats then the other), Dogma actually played chase with her a little bit, and he has made his presence known if he feels she is in danger or threatened. She will also place her paws on his back but I don't think it's dominance because he doesn't always growl at her unless she is getting in the way of what he is doing. I think it is more that she is trying to make herself appear bigger and use him like a shield. Like a child riding on Dad's shoulders. Dogma is also playing with toys with her a bit more now too. I'll have to catalog my observations in more detail so I can look back at them.
The target stick training is progressing well too. She does have a tendancy when working or when very excited or very focused to totally lose all interest in food. I'll have to clean up her toys which have spent too much time in the backyard and see how that works out. I'm going to pick up a squeeker and maybe a mouse to see how that works. She isn't bolting out the door like she was starting to do. She will actually stand on the proper side of the baby gate and sit rather than struggling to get out/away. Her sits are still good but her comes are unreliable. She likes to steal things and run off with them. She charges off to the backyard with them too. I've played a game with the two of them that whomever brings the object back to me first gets treats. Dogma has caught onto this game real well. Karma hasn't quite figured it out yet. Hey, if she steals it and he brings it back that's okay with me. Her retrieving is working well too - it's still strictly a game. She actually will drop the ball or other object onto the floor or in my lap or hand for me to throw it.
October 1-8 - I think I can "see" her growing - 16"
By golly she is growing! And getting heavy! Woof! I've concluded she is a noise driven dog. She will break her concentration for a noise rather than food or motion. Reg and I have been experimenting with different things to see her reaction. Which reminds me - she watches TV! Animal oriented programs of course. Mostly, canis related - she is curious with dog sounds, wolf, coyote, wild dog and hunting related sounds. She will sit perched on the edge of the sofa until she determines the usefulness of what she see's and hears.
My search for a squeaker I can put in my pocket came to no avail so I will be making my purchase at the dog show. I was surprised as I scoured hobby stores and pet stores to see what they carried. I priced different objects too. I sort of assumed that products on sale at shoes were likely overpriced - I don't think that is true - not only do you find things that are truly not available elsewhere - the prices are quite reasonable. But it's like anything know your prices if you are a bargain shopper.
Although not overly interested in food while on a casual walk she responds well to the target stick and clicker. The outing on Sunday with nothing but "keep going" as an incentive was not enough for her. I let her drag a long lead at the off leash park and called her several times and she came running - no food reward here. She is actually very willing to stick close to us - a few weeks ago she was oblivious to us and would take any opportunity to get self involved which would sometimes mean bolting out the door. She comes when called and doesn't run far now. Whew! We worked on calling her alot and using her name ALOT - and this has worked! But not entirely reliable I wouldn't purposely have her loose but it's good to know that in those escapist occasions she will respond.
Okay, here is a list of her nicknames - some are starting to go out of use and new ones get added - some say you can tell how much a dog is loved and part of the family by the number of nicknames it has. These are all meant in a loving manner and no cruel or meanness is implied or meant by it. Rugrat, Little Ratfink, Squeaks, Little Pest, stinker (and what dog has not been nicknamed this at one time or another), Little rugrat (most used), Tadpole, Little Devil, Bedazzler, She-devil, Karmalina, Karmaletta, Instigator, Trouble-maker, Terror of ToonTown, Little Terror, Mental Case, Goof, Flying Walenda (trapeze artist family), Dogzilla, Little monster, and Lady of the Bog (Dogma is Prince of the Bog [of Eternal Stench] (from the movie Labyrinth) usually used during times of flatulence).
When she yawns she makes a very loud yawning sound for the entire yawn - especially if she's hungry or wants something. When she stretches she makes a low gutteral sound - almost sounds like growling - but very loud and vocal. It could definately scare someone or put them off. She does bark. She imitates Dogma's growling. Sometimes just the way she's acting and especially if no one is watching her - she practices. She uses her paws quite a bit and will bat you or bat at you to get attention. She also will come flying at you and land with her front end on your lap or even she'll come flying through and jump onto the loveseat just in behind you. She especially likes to curl up and sleep between Reg's back and the loveseat back while he's eating or reading. She has little interest in begging while we eat. Unlike Dogma who supervises every meal. (Note: Our dogs are allowed at meal times but they must sit or lie quietly while we eat. They are not allowed to "beg" as in pawing, nudging or anything close. Whining is a definate no, no. Dogma earned this privilege after having to sit or lie at the dining room entrance while we ate. Karma copies him so much that she hasn't begged. She has just started to try and reach for food sitting on a table - testing - and found that is not rewardable. She will likely try a couple more times but she is learning.
All her puppy teeth are gone and the new ones are coming in - when you can see them - she has no fangs - yet - it seems funny to see teeth all roughly the same height. All are at about 1/8" to 1/4"
She loves to squeak her toys and will "play" out different rhythms. She likes to shred paper and napkins. She's just started with boxes (Dogma has always loved annihilating boxes).
She doesn't care for the lawnmower and will come into the house, if she can, to avoid it. But she loves to bite and tackle the broom or rake. Talking to her didn't work - or anything else - so finally as she was just about to grab the broom I'd, "Grrr." Quiet and short. I had to do it maybe twice and she got the idea - and I got the yard work done without having to tie her up or put her in the house!!
October 9-14 - still growing - 16"
Okay, I'm covered with scratches and bruises - easily hidden. Yes, I gave Karma a bath! Who says springers love water? Well, maybe when it's the pool in the backyard but when it comes to a bath well, she trembled and she squirmed and she wanted out! Alot of these things where you slowly introduce sounds and experiences - well - sometimes it works and sometimes you just have to get down to the job. But then she has alot of courage and we avoid any trauma we can - the only one traumatized was me. I'm really going to have to get down to business and make her a dog coat/costume so she can get used to wearing a towel. For those that don't know springer fur fluffs out like a teddy bear if you don't lay a towel over it as it dries. It wouldn't be so bad if the fur was consistently like a fuzz ball but it's not - because of the wave it's sort of all over the place - those of us with naturally curly hair will know what I mean. Karma's hair lies fairly flat but it's just starting to get long enough where it's going to start getting unrulely. Her tail fur got so long it wrapped around like a cork screw and then had this little propellor off the tip. Most people clip the springer fur into a pet cut - that's what I do with Dogma is keep the hair reasonably short. Mostly, in the winter especially, I don't really worry about it because he doesn't go in public as much so I leave him as a motley looking fur ball. This won't do for Karma - I will have to train the hair and let it grow. Also, it's not too bad yet but she may need a coat to keep her warm until she gets a full coat of her own. It's been cold a couple mornings and she comes back in and when we hold her she shivers. She still goes out - what a tough little girl. She loves to just run around the back yard like a . . . . . hmmm . . . . deer?
She tends to stay closer now and is not so interested in just running off. At the off-leash park I called her several times and she came running - and so does Dogma. He's adopted the name Karma.
We're trying to get her to open the door by herself. For example she'll be behind a door that she can peak through and see us and we call her - no go yet . . . also . . . I'll say "push" when we are going outside ever since she started jumping up and placing her two front paws on the door to push. She hasn't made the connection yet that she can open the door for herself. But then there have probably been times where she tried and it wouldn't open. I tried a different door and stood with her on one side and Dogma (who is a real incentive for her - she is just crazy for him) was on the other (as well as Reg - someone else she really loves) and told her to push. I waited and encouraged. There was no where else to go but through this partly opened door. She was thinking but just couldn't decide what to do. I was willing to wait - I really want her to be able to open doors on her own. Dogma stood on the other side of the door for several minutes listening to me encourage her to "push" the door open. Finally, he pulled the door open (he uses his nose) - I guess he figured that the training session was over. I laughed, he laughed and Karma jumped for joy all over him. Off they went to do their dog thing. Maybe tomorrow.
Sorry, this is going to be a long one - so much happened this week I can barely type fast enough to keep up with what's going through my head! Tuesday we went to drop-in conformation class. She's starting to settle down a bit but she's still - well - hmm - a puppy. It was fun to get the work in and it's amazing the difference because last time I had Dogma - who is trained so I could work on my footwork and all those things. This time I had my hands full with the pup - I can really see what kind of work I need to do to pull it off in the real world.
Speaking of which we went into the fun match on Friday at the dog show. There were 3 springers - a 15 week old, my Karma at 5+ months and 7 month old Cash. Cash cleaned up - well done Connie! But it was good experience and Karma (and I) did better than we did last fun match or at the drop-in. It was great meeting other ESS owners and Connie was extremely helpful in providing pointers and grooming tips. I also met Theresa from Nicowynd - which was a great pleasure since we had "talked" but never met. It's wonderful to put a face to a name - and she did very well with her pup.
I've stepped up Karma's training now. She's smart but hasn't quite figured it all out yet. It will take consistent work.
The weather abaited a bit and we were able to go to the off-leash park. Karma has alot of fun running around and meeting the dogs and exploring the environment. And of course a bit of bugging and tackling of Dogma. She is friendly and meets other dogs very well and people too. She is not reliable on coming back and it can be tricky to catch her but it is an improvement and it's one of the things we are working on - training wise. Part of it is the excitement. The plus is that she loves Dogma and if we call him she usually toddles along with him and joins the "pack." The downside was that my purse got stolen from the car. No lectures please. Anyway, we reported it to the police, Reg dropped me off at home so I could phone and cancel credit cards and he returned to the park to check bushes and garbage cans. He was successful! The cash, one credit card, and a magnifying glass were all that was missing. Hoorah! It's amazing the amount of stuff one carries in one's purse - replacing it all would have been such a headache - I had my aroma therapy vials, the dog's records (because of the show) and a ton of other "stuff" that would have been the big hassle. So thanks to my hero of a husband for digging in the garbage and finding my purse!
Snow! It snowed last night and she didn't know what to think about it. Dogma went out with her and they did their thing. Now this was like 3 in the morning so I was more interested in getting back to bed than watch her in the snow. Then of course when I got up and let her out she was still hesitant but I left her to her own devices. Later, I glanced out the window she was racing around the back yard experimenting with the texture and eating this new found thing. While I shovelled the front walk I had her on the rope and Dogma was playing with her. They raced around the front yard and made a thorough mess of it. But of course, had a riot!
It's a very good idea to do your research - especially when it comes to puppies. Karma is almost six months old. I'd like to quote from Pamela J. Reid, Ph.D.'s article entitle Brain Waves on page 52 of the 2002 Dogs Annual (Canadian) on page 54 on the juvenile period which is 6-8 months = "Learning is limited primarily by the dog's short attention span and heightened excitablity." True - Karma seems more excitable and isn't able to retain as much as she did only a couple weeks ago. "The pet dog often goes through a phase of 'testing' with family members, both human and dog, at this age. Immature sexual behaviour emerges in play." True - I didn't realize it right off as we were playing around and she was jumping around and then I realized - yep - there it was. So immediately, I command and enforce her into a sit. After that - no more uncontrolled play. Everything I do with her is controlled, command driven and initiated by me. We did lots of stands, sits and downs. Play is pretty much restricted to retrieving. I have increased the loose lead walks too. It's been a bit tough because both Reg and I have been fighting off colds. Everything I do with Karma for the next little while will be watchful for any dominance behaviour of any kind. She's tried a few little things here and there and has had her attention drawn to the fact that I know what she did and that it is not acceptable. She has shown no challenges, and I suspect there will be none, with Reg. Both dogs know he is pack leader.
Dogma is "playing" with Karma quite a bit now. The interaction is fascinating to watch. I can see Dogma attempting to keep his altitude with her. I think this is partly why she is challenging me as the "other" female in the pack. There can be alot of growling between the two of them. Dogma will have an object - ball, bone, chew bone, anything - and will be playing/chewing it. Karma will express interest in the object. She will go through any number of pushing, crawling over, under around to get at the object - diplomatically. She gets to the point where she will bark and play bow at Dogma. Dogma ignores and casually chews the object. If she gets too close a very low growl is uttered. There are times where the only way I know he's growled is because I feel his body vibrate. (There are other times where she will crawl over or around him and he neither moves or growls.) Then at some point Dogma determines to lift his head and look around casually - and no longer interested in the object. Karma then comes in and runs off with the object to begin her turn at chewing or playing. Realize of course that there are multiple objects in their area. Several balls, chew bones, ropes and so on. If a treat is given there are at least two. New items can be of absolutely no interest - for days - until Dogma picks it up. The ritual takes place in a variety of forms and usually, but not always, Karma then gets the object (ignoring all others).
Although we sometimes vary we attempt to provide at least equal attention to both dogs. We try to give Dogma first take, more attention and so on in certain circumstances. Especially, where a pack order might be evidenced. I walk him first. I pet him first when I come home or in greeting rituals. During treats or combined training the one who performs first is treated first which is almost always Dogma. Many times I will treat them at the same time.
On a last note - I'm not sure whether it's her age or because it's turned cold outside - there is some change in routine and as a result a slight increase in accidents. This is to the point where she will be outside for a period of time then comes in the house and does her business. I really hate the thought of having to accompany her out each time to make sure she goes outside but it is likely to come to that. This is part of the reason I plan to start loose lead walking around the block so she can eliminate. I'm not sure if the phase over from taking her out to eliminate or sending her out to eliminate is the problem. I am sure a lot of it has to do with her increased level of excitement. She goes outside - gets very excited races around the yard and possibly forgets to do her business. Once she's calmed down she comes into the house and - well - logic dictates the result. Now that I'm starting to feel better I'll have to see if I can pin it down. Last night and this morning was very good - but then I'm watching more for it now.
Training & Behavior, topic Volume 1, from Editors of Dog Fancy Magazine, 2000 available in most pet stores.
2002 Dogs Annual - Your Only Canadian Guide is now available. A good buy.
Search for puppy related books especially related to your breed.
R. Loftus site
Puppy Care and Training
Dog Owners Guide
Dog Trick Tips and Insights
Volhard Puppy test
Dog Patch Basic Training articles
K9 source list - especially medical related info
AAHA Pet Care Library
The Well-Mannered Dog
Puppy Evaluation
Training and Articles
Cyberagility - teach your dog agility at home
Teaching your dog the basics - at home!
Home School - articles has some excellent points to keep in mind!
Last update: Constantly
Copyright © 2000, 2001 - Darlene Taylor
All Rights Reserved
Webmaster: Dogma Taylor Webmaster -
Dogma@Interbaun.com
