Dog thread!🐾

[SunriseChickers]

But now to add and remind myself of all the awesome stuff we have accomplished, so I don't just grumble about my sweet puppy.

He came here knowing pretty much nothing at ten weeks old. He has been here since Feb 22nd and learned so much in just this past week or so! He has learned sit and down with hand commands (and how to sit from a down, my childhood dogs struggled there), and then was weaned off hand commands (hands are a helpful reminder very occasionally). He is learning how to "stay" and "wait" with me (still hands). He has also learned fairly well how to "heel" on my right side, even when I'm doing silly things like circling and backing up, and he's starting to get it without my hands. He'll do this one often without food.
Today, since I think he is bored with the repetition, I started teaching "right" circle, and he quickly learned how to spin to the right without having to follow my hand. Just a general hand wave to get him started and he goes for it! Can't wait to teach and test right from left.

Sometimes I think he is so focused on the food that he forgets to listen to my voice. We will see how that develops. He also still has a hyper puppy attention span, so staying and waiting for things does cause some agitated barking.

If anyone has suggestions for me to do things better, or obedience tricks to keep his bright mind happy and thoroughly stimulated, please tell me! I'd love to be able to do more and for it to all go even better.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

But now to add and remind myself of all the awesome stuff we have accomplished, so I don't just grumble about my sweet puppy.

He came here knowing pretty much nothing at ten weeks old. He has been here since Feb 22nd and learned so much in just this past week or so! He has learned sit and down with hand commands (and how to sit from a down, my childhood dogs struggled there), and then was weaned off hand commands (hands are a helpful reminder very occasionally). He is learning how to "stay" and "wait" with me (still hands). He has also learned fairly well how to "heel" on my right side, even when I'm doing silly things like circling and backing up, and he's starting to get it without my hands. He'll do this one often without food.
Today, since I think he is bored with the repetition, I started teaching "right" circle, and he quickly learned how to spin to the right without having to follow my hand. Just a general hand wave to get him started and he goes for it! Can't wait to teach and test right from left.

Sometimes I think he is so focused on the food that he forgets to listen to my voice. We will see how that develops. He also still has a hyper puppy attention span, so staying and waiting for things does cause some agitated barking.

If anyone has suggestions for me to do things better, or obedience tricks to keep his bright mind happy and thoroughly stimulated, please tell me! I'd love to be able to do more and for it to all go even better.

Your doing well, keep doing what you are, he has a smart brain(goldens and shepherds are smart) now he may not fully use it until he matures.

A obedience class will help, but he is young dont lure him off the treats just yet. But start adding time/distance. For sit make him sit 15 seconds holding it then praise work up to a minute. This is where the clicker came in handy, click means treat but not right away, it is a partial rewards almost.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Also cheaper enrichment toys will really help, I dont know what stores you have close but TJMaxx, Aldis, Walmart have some thag arent to expensive.
If he is anything likr Tucker with hyper energy and super smart brain, these puzzles will be solved in seconds. But a Woof pupsicle may last longer i need one. Lick mats also do, you can use many different things a egg and microwave it for 30 seconds to a minute, pure canned pumpkin , a bit of yogurt, berries mashed, even just mash made with food. They last Tucker 10 to 20 minutes frozen. A puppy will last longer though

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Also cheaper enrichment toys will really help, I dont know what stores you have close but TJMaxx, Aldis, Walmart have some thag arent to expensive.
If he is anything likr Tucker with hyper energy and super smart brain, these puzzles will be solved in seconds. But a Woof pupsicle may last longer i need one. Lick mats also do, you can use many different things a egg and microwave it for 30 seconds to a minute, pure canned pumpkin , a bit of yogurt, berries mashed, even just mash made with food. They last Tucker 10 to 20 minutes frozen. A puppy will last longer though

Tractor supply might have something to. Im not sure though.

My mom had went to a 5 below and found a bone puzzle toy that ive used for playing multiple games besides just the puzzle and it was only $4

 

[SunriseChickers]

Also cheaper enrichment toys will really help, I dont know what stores you have close but TJMaxx, Aldis, Walmart have some thag arent to expensive.
If he is anything likr Tucker with hyper energy and super smart brain, these puzzles will be solved in seconds. But a Woof pupsicle may last longer i need one. Lick mats also do, you can use many different things a egg and microwave it for 30 seconds to a minute, pure canned pumpkin , a bit of yogurt, berries mashed, even just mash made with food. They last Tucker 10 to 20 minutes frozen. A puppy will last longer though

Tractor supply might have something to. Im not sure though.

My mom had went to a 5 below and found a bone puzzle toy that ive used for playing multiple games besides just the puzzle and it was only $4

He would probably enjoy some (towel free lol) food puzzles!
I've gotten him some puppy bacon flavored chew bone toys, trying to keep him occupied. The current struggle is the sticks. I did give him one to occupy him for a few minutes one of the first days he was here, but took it away once he got the bark off because I then read it can cause issues if he eats it. Then he ate a (I think just starting to rot, so less sharp splinters) stick he found in his pen. Seems to be passing it fine (I found some fragments in his poo, on the smaller side) his behavior is normal, there was just a bit of blood on his poop today so we'll have hawk eyes on him now. Hopefully it turns out alright. I'll just clean the pen up all the way so that he has nothing but leaves and grass to play with.
Meanwhile, we have a Murdoch's here which is like a way better and bigger TSC, and more geared towards "natural" and "good" stuff, and they have some toys I've been eyeing that might be fun for him to lick something out of. I'll have to look at Walmart too!

 

[SunriseChickers]

Your doing well, keep doing what you are, he has a smart brain(goldens and shepherds are smart) now he may not fully use it until he matures.

A obedience class will help, but he is young dont lure him off the treats just yet. But start adding time/distance. For sit make him sit 15 seconds holding it then praise work up to a minute. This is where the clicker came in handy, click means treat but not right away, it is a partial rewards almost.

We might have to start the sit time at 5-10 seconds, but we will try working it up! He is a little impatient.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

He would probably enjoy some (towel free lol) food puzzles!
I've gotten him some puppy bacon flavored chew bone toys, trying to keep him occupied. The current struggle is the sticks. I did give him one to occupy him for a few minutes one of the first days he was here, but took it away once he got the bark off because I then read it can cause issues if he eats it. Then he ate a (I think just starting to rot, so less sharp splinters) stick he found in his pen. Seems to be passing it fine (I found some fragments in his poo, on the smaller side) his behavior is normal, there was just a bit of blood on his poop today so we'll have hawk eyes on him now. Hopefully it turns out alright. I'll just clean the pen up all the way so that he has nothing but leaves and grass to play with.
Meanwhile, we have a Murdoch's here which is like a way better and bigger TSC, and more geared towards "natural" and "good" stuff, and they have some toys I've been eyeing that might be fun for him to lick something out of. I'll have to look at Walmart too!

I dont think a stick will hurt him if he chewed it some. Ive known many dogs to eat sticks. I try and prevent it. Denver just chews it and spits it all out.

Id really keep a eye on the blood that can mean a lot of things.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

We might have to start the sit time at 5-10 seconds, but we will try working it up! He is a little impatient.

And thats ok! Every puppy is different and each have their own attention span

 

[SunriseChickers]

I dont think a stick will hurt him if he chewed it some. Ive known many dogs to eat sticks. I try and prevent it. Denver just chews it and spits it all out.

Id really keep a eye on the blood that can mean a lot of things.

I've read that sticks can cause damage because of splinters if ingested. But yeah, I'm definitely going to keep an eye on him overall. His poop is perfectly normal and healthy otherwise. Not runny at all, and it seemed like the blood was kind of just smeared over it.

Poop pics if you wanna see.

Spoiler

I broke most of it apart to see the state of it. Some wood, but otherwise good. No blood anywhere else I don't think.

 

[SunriseChickers]

I've read that sticks can cause damage because of splinters if ingested. But yeah, I'm definitely going to keep an eye on him overall. His poop is perfectly normal and healthy otherwise. Not runny at all, and it seemed like the blood was kind of just smeared over it.

Poop pics if you wanna see.

Spoiler

View attachment 4064329View attachment 4064330

I broke most of it apart to see the state of it. Some wood, but otherwise good. No blood anywhere else I don't think.

And there was no blood *in* the poo, just *on*.