Just a growing Boy

Cowboy is now twelve weeks old and I am slowly (painfully slowly), seeing some signs of settling down in him.  He seems to bother Kizzy a little less – of course it probably helps that she’s getting tired of his pestering and nailed him a few times this past week.    

He is spending more time out of his pen and for the most part does very well, although I do have to keep an eye on him to make sure he isn’t getting into something he shouldn’t be – like electrical cords, or shoe laces.  He does love my soft leather slippers and I have to keep them up out of his reach if I’m not wearing them.  I’ve never had a dog that was so obsessive before.  Shoes, socks, food, toys, it really doesn’t matter; he wants them and no one should have them.  I’ve had to cuff him more than once for aggression with things he should not have.

He can leap up onto the couch now too; oh joy.  Night before last  I was stretched out on the couch reading a book and he leaped up onto me, looking as pleased as can be.  Since he settled right down and went to sleep.  I did allow him to stay, but as soon as he started getting too rambunctious – off he went.  We did this a few times because he jumped right back up and wanted to play.  He will learn that the couch is not his playground and will only be allowed up there if he behaves himself.  As is typical with him, I have to scold him several times before he finally gets it – I’m sure however, that he is only testing me to see what I’ll let him get away with.  What he doesn’t know is that I raised and trained four Siberian Huskies, and there is no dog more stubborn than they are. An Australian Shepherd may be very smart, but I am far more stubborn than he is! 

Today at Puppy Playtime he finally showed more confidence and did not hide under chairs but instead played with three other puppies and even allowed other owners and the trainers to give him commands (for food of course!)  But he did very well and I was proud of him.  We did go out into the “big dog” pen at first, as there were only about six other dogs there, but as more of the bigger kids arrived we moved back to the “little dog” pen. 

Afterward I stopped at Murdoch’s to check on an item I wanted and he was absolutely overwhelmed by all of the people and children there.  He’s never really been around small children and wasn’t too sure about them, but every one of the kids who wanted to pet him asked first!  Yay for those parents for teaching their children to respect the animals and not go charging up to them helter skelter!

To top that off, there were reindeer IN the store!  Fenced off but still – they were a bit frightening to a little pup and he barked at them.  Had I realized they were there I would not have stopped, and I picked him up and carried him out.  I’ll check on that item another time. 

He got his third second booster today; one more in four weeks and a rabies shot, and then he’ll be good for a while.  We’ll have to stop at the vet in the next day or two to get an accurate weight, and so he can feel comfortable there for when he goes in for his rabies vaccine.

We are still having issues with food.  He has to learn that I can take food away from him whenever I want, but that he will also get it back.  As I pull his dish away he throws his face into the bowl and literally inhales the food.  It was suggested to me that when I take it away, I should put some special treat in the bowl so when he gets it back he has something better.  Tried this three times with small liver treats but he didn’t ever care that there was new food in there.  He just attacked the dish and inhaled more food.  After the third time of me taking his food away, he picked up the dish and turned it upside down then sat and glared at me as if to say “There, now try to take my food away.”  I must get creative…

All in all we are finally getting to a place where he and I are beginning to understand each other, and that he knows I am alpha; at least over him.  He is beginning to show signs of dominance over Kizzy.  She doesn’t seem to mind much, unless he steps on her, and then she jumps up and bites him.  But he on the other hand, is not biting so much anymore – thank goodness!