17/11/2024
Smores has been with us for three whole weeks already. Time really flies! She has been such a wonderful addition to our lives, but it’s been quite a rollercoaster! Let’s check in.
The Good:
•Gotten a great start on obedience training
•Is a master of Hand Target
•Knows sit, down, roll over, spin, twirl, both paws, high five, peekaboo (between legs)
•Has started a great foundation for recall, fetch, waits and stays
•Loves going to the vet and meeting new dogs and people
•Is sleeping 8 hours through the night in her crate no problem
•Is taking on the world of walks with her 15ft lead
The Not-so-good:
•Is scared of the dark and loses a ton of confidence once the sun does down
•Fear reactive to the sound of dogs barking
•Hasn’t figured out how to say hello without her paws and teeth being involved
•Hasn’t figured out it isn’t time to play while on lead
•Still falls for Gremlin’s instigation and chases the cats around the house
•Impulse control in general is a challenge
These things are natural bumps in the road with training a puppy, and we are making progress and working every day to help her overcome these things! The challenge comes with:
The Ugly:
•A reoccurring eye infection that has lasted 2 weeks
•A UTI that has made potty training a lot more difficult
•The discomfort from all the infections making her nervous, uncomfortable, and a lot less willing to be handled without nipping
•Her vaccines being delayed due to the infections meaning a lot of exploring and social training grinds to a halt to ensure her health
When adopting a dog of any age, keep in mind the process will never go completely smooth. Training is a non-linear process because there are so many variables that can sometimes be out of your control! My motto is always progress never perfection. Being patient and breaking down training into what your dog is capable of and willing to do rather than forcing for the “perfect” will always result in a much smoother process and a better outcome in the end!
Smores and I are going to keep plucking away while we wait for her immune system to catch up to us!