July 19

Remus is 12 and a half weeks now.  This week has been probably the most boring one since bringing him home.  This past weekend was too hot and uncomfortable for me to take him on any socializing field trips, and it didn't help that he was having a problem with an upset stomach- too much string cheese at puppy class.  He was acting like his normal silly puppy self so I knew it wasn't serious.

Today, he seemed a little fearful.  I realized this when I was taking him by the doctors' lounge at work and one of the dogs inside was barking- not an unusual occurrence, but Re was worried about it.  His tail went down and he started sniffing.  I did my usual "good boy" and actually had to lure him away from the area, that was very different since I have been getting an immediate response of "ok, I'm coming" from him.

I have been bringing him to work so all hasn't been lost, socialization speaking that is.  No photo opportunities, well I haven't taken any that is, this week.  Remus did meet an older gentleman today who absolutely loves dogs- he actually knew that Remus is a Vizsla!!  I am always amazed.  I usually am asked if Remus is a Rhodesian Ridgeback, a bloodhound (that was the other day) and when Ryan was a puppy someone thought he was a lab/ boxer mix.  I did want a breed that is less common- I got what I wanted!!

I'd like to touch on some of how Re's training is coming.  He is getting very proficient at responding (and performing) when "asked" to sit, down and come.  Out of the three, come and sit are probably the most important to me at this moment, we still practice down, of course.  He offers great eye contact, seems to know his name and the mini BAT sessions are paying off.  My nephew was placing a ladder and was doing some hammering to stabilize it when Remus became startled and scared, really, of the noise.  When I praised him, he immediately came running to me (*I am safe with Lisa and she will take care of me!!*) and we walked away from the noise happily as a team!

I have not taught him that "no" is a word, it truly will not be part of the vocabulary that he is learning.  "NO" does not give a dog any useful information as to what he should do, in my humble opinion.  My favorite thing to do is spread information.  If we (and our dogs) are well-informed we can make good decisions.  And, because I get to give Remus all of the information that I think he needs to know, that will be one thing he won't learn.  If he jumps on me and I look at him and yell "NO!" one, I am likely to scare him (not what I ever want!), two, I have just given him my attention which is what he is looking for in the first place, if I didn't scare him and three, I have not given him a clue as to what would be better for him to do than jump up on me.

Alternatively, if I am paying attention and see that he is about to jump up I can instruct him to sit instead (head off the jump if you will).  If he is too excited to sit, I can cross my arms and turn away from him so that one, he slides off of me, two, he is unable to get my attention because I have turned my face away from him (though I am watching him out of the corner of my eye) and three, I can give him the opportunity to figure out a better way to get my attention (which is really what he wants, anyway) and when he does sit I can tell him "good job!  :-)"

I am so very happy to have gotten Remus, thank you Patsy!!  Life could not be better or happier.  Ry is enjoying having a puppy to play with and Clara is finally starting to accept that he has moved in, permanently.