265 replies to this topic

[Sherab]

Baby boy is 12 lbs today. He will bite Shiva and poke him in the mouth with both feet until Shiva does teeth. Here is a sweet sequence of the two of them playing and setting social order.

Waki is a biter. He bites and tugs urgently on clothing when nature calls and he needs to go out. He bites when he is hungry and he bites when he's overstimulated. I just got back from my first business trip post Waki and he was a little over excited and bitie, but has calmed down. We are working through it. Good think his bites are not much of anything.

[gramtot]

Shiva is looking so patient with Waki. I love watching the pups do their "I'm just a puppy" routine. Whenever Denakka started to get into a little trouble with an older dog, he'd start licking the dog's mouth, roll over telling them, "I'm just a puppy". Older dogs didn't always think that entitled him to the same things D. felt entitled to! Oh the biting stage! Ouch, those sharp little puppy teeth. I'd always squeal and try to imitate a littermate--usually worked. Now when I make that sound, D. instantly stops what he's doing. Love the white "blaze" on Waki's tummy!

[Sherab]

Thank you Gramtot. Who knew Shiva would be such a devoted daddy?

[Allison]

That blaze looks pretty silky. Little stinker. Does he have those same black dots on his cheeks, like Sitka? They look like beauty marks?

[Sherab]

Allison, yes he does. Sitka is my hero. That's why I started calling Waki "parrot". We may have to add Imp/Stinker on to his names. He also has slightly chubby cheeks, like a tom cat. Can't seem to capture it though.

[miz molly]

Shiva looks like he has everything under controll. He is beeing so gentle in your photos. It never ceases to amaze me how tollerant and patient these oldsters can be, and the lessons they teach these pups. I know Tolinka has taken the brunt of those little stiletto milk teeth of Two Steps, and I cant tell you how thankful I am for that.

[Sherab]

Put Waki into the Foo Dog Room for time out due to excessive biting. Had a serenade from 3 dogs. Not sure which of the three of them suffered more.

However Waki did stop biting after.

Waki also got his first alpha roll, delivered by Miss Tara. He walked under her, bit her in the belly and was corrected. She played with him after, doing her own version of play/ order setting.

We also got another bath for rolling on a dead bird.

[Starghoti]

So much fun reading about this newest generation of 'Cousins' The stories are such fun, the comparing of notes- brings back memories..

Don't forget to CAREFULLY trim toenails every week or so, as needed.
A: they grow really fast and are quite sharp and painful
B: helps them learn to be chill about nail trimming and feet handling later in life.

[Allison]

Good advice Star.

Both my boys shape right up after time out, although I never have to do it with Coyo, anymore.

Oh no! I've said "never". Uh oh....

[Sherab]

Eine kleine nachtmusik not by Mozart

Best read from a comfy chair with a libation or beverage of your choice.

Lights out. 5 10 15 20 Motor cycle sound (the sound of Michigan in summer) woof woof woof! thank you Tara, SHHHHH bed time.
5 10 15 20 sound of truck. WOOF, woof WOOF. SHHHHH bed time.
60 min later: scree! SCREE! scree! WOOF WOOF BARK FROTH. (Baby - fuss fuss, whimper) Thank you Shiva, bad owl. Bed time.
60 min later SCREEEEEE! WEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! WOOF^2 WOOF^2 WOOF^2 FROTH GROWLLLLLLLLLLLL (Baby - single bark) Thank you Shiva, Thank you Tara, bark out there. trot trot trot semi remote barking
60 min later remote Screeeeeeeeeeee! trot trot trot remote barking from Shiva
Karen: maybe I should close this window.
60 min later OOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOooo! yip yip. Shiva : super serious bark. Baby: whimper whimper, Tara - backup growl. Daddy: SHIVA QUIET! Karen: I think that might have been a coyote.... OOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooooooooooooooo Daddy : go get that coyote Shiva Trot Trot Trot super serious barking out living room open window.
60 min later muffled noise, bark bark, Daddy Mffffmfzzzzz

[Allison]

Not a restful night, then.

[Gib]

Not a restful night, then.

[miz molly]

60 min later muffled noise, bark bark, Daddy Mffffmfzzzzz

"daddy" diving under the covers ?

[Sherab]

Yes. It's funny to watch the baby's reaction to the big dog guarding.

I do need some advice. We are cleared by the vet to socialize Waki. Tomorrow we are going to an Irish Fest in Clare. There will be a parade. Shiva and Tara don't socialize with other dogs. Shiva had some traumatic events as a pup, no thanks to people that let their dogs run off lead and don't supervise. We've worked with professional trainers but it seems that once a GSD picks up a bad imprint it sticks. Had a female with a 10 year noise sensitivity also. Anyhow, I'm a little paranoid about other dogs and Waki. How do I get the courage to introduce him to other dogs when we had bad experiences before (the other dogs attacking Shiva as a pup).

[miz molly]

As I posted earlier, when I introduce my pups to something new, I have them watch what's going on (from the out skirts of the activity) before I get them in the middle of things. I make sure they are comfortable with their surroundings.

The Fest might be a bit overwhelming as a first introduction to the outside world.....lots for the pup to take in at once. Just a thought....

[woodrat]

The Fest might be a bit overwhelming as a first introduction to the outside world.....lots for the pup to take in at once. Just a thought....

I was thinking the same thing.

On the plus side though, if you do end up taking him, there likely won't be off leash dogs at that kind of an event. (Or at least there wouldn't be at a festival in my area.) Use that to your advantage and ask the owners if their dogs will tolerate puppies before letting Waki greet them. And because not all dog owners are dog saavy, try to read their dog, too. If their dog is staring intensely at Waki while you're talking to the owner, don't risk it. Even just a too forceful play move from a young but full grown dog could scare a pup his size.

[Sherab]

Comely Southern breezes have blown all week. The snow and Ice are a memory. Songbirds romance their mates and every kind of frog has emerged to fill the air with a cacophony of peeps, braaaaps and ba-gumps as loud as cicada. Miss Tara, who has never been attracted to this pan flute in the past, decided to lead the baby on a jaunt through the swamp this fine afternoon. MMMMMM swamp. Delicious, sumptuous, forbidden. If I still lived in Louisiana I'd care but oh well what's another bath or two?

[Sherab]

Dead Bird Spring Dance:

Find dead chicadee, scoop up in mouth, Bow to your corner (Shiva and Tara). Stand with proud guilt. Bow to Mommy.

Raise my tail and make eyeball. Promenade around them all. Hurry, hurry likity-split! here they come, better not fall!

Oh I shouldn't have this nasty thing, it's so grand if it weren't in my mouth I would sing,

Allemande right around a shrub, if they catch me it'll be the tub! Under a branch and around a stump 'cause Mom is a great big grump.

Here I go with a do-sedo, dodge mom's hands and way I go. Oh! I know I'm not supposed to have this nasty prize but I sure do enjoy the rise.

Allemande left around the tree! No time to stop and pee. Hurry, hurry with my prize, look back and see the determination in Mom's eyes.

Sashay here, sashay there, of Mom's hot pursuit I am aware, fake to the left fake to the right right, over a log then out of sight.

I've been tricked into a promenade home. No longer free to roam. Chest out all the way, oh no! cornered, Mom no longer held at bay.

No more delicious birdee for me it's now a distant memory. Into the tub for a scrubity scrub.

[miz molly]

Great poem Sherab....I can picture the whole event.

[Allison]

Loved it!