Growing by leaps and bounces
We got her first barrette in after her bath last week!!! She was actually pretty good about keeping it in, until a wrestling match with Lili spelled the end of it after 45 minutes!
Every day we try to layer onto what Nutmeg has previously learned; teaching her new things and reinforcing what she has already been working on. She is impossibly cute, (except when puncturing your foot or leg!) and in-between moments of wildness, she also snuggles into your neck for cuddles that will melt your heart. And really, while I joke about her puppy biting, she is super gentle with her teeth when she knows she is putting her teeth on skin. When she really hurts is when she bites down on socks or pants… that just happen to have flesh underneath! She just doesn’t yet seem to understand that there is a human in there!
School is going well, where she is being introduced to “big kid” concepts in “baby dog” ways. Here she is being introduced to ring entrances and “set ups”. She hasn’t got a clue what she’s doing, but she’s having fun, and that’s what matters! <Click here>
Nutmeg went to her first show with the big kids… mostly because I couldn’t leave her home alone and Dave was working. It isn’t safe to allow a puppy of this age on the floor or the ground at a show site at this age, so she stayed in the trolley. I was able to set up a potty tray in the top of the trolley for her, so she had a portable potty right on board for her! For any of you who have not attended a dog show, I highly recommend it. The shows at the “Big E” always have some nice vendors, and it can be really fun to learn about your favorite breeds in the conformation ring. Depending on the show, there are often also Obedience and Rally competitions going on too. The Thanksgiving Cluster has Agility too!
Another thing we started working on was was “Puppy Zen”, which is the basis of all work on impulse control. The idea is that you want the puppy (or dog) to learn that they only get what is in your hand by leaving your hand alone. You do not move your hand or take it away. You wait for the dog to move away, then reward them for their choice! Here is Nutmeg’s first session: <click here> And here is her second session: <Click here> They learn fast!!!
The next step was to start teaching her “location specific markers”. We use a number of these in our training, and over time, she will learn more. But for now, I have started with just three. “Gooood!”, which means, “Stay still and I will deliver the cookie to you. “Ex!” (with my hand lowered and stretched down and back) Which means, “Come and get the cookie from my hand.” And, “Get it!”, which means, “Watch me until I throw the cookie, and then go get it!” She learned these one at a time, but I forgot to video while teaching them. Here is a video of her practicing all three now that she knows them. <click here>
We have continued our conformation work, including working on having her allow me to “show her bite” (which is a work in progress!!!) stacking on the table, gaiting, and we have started free stacking on the floor. <click here>
Finally, I posted this on the Facebook group, but I’m adding it here too for those who read it later. I just upgraded our stroller. I think every Havanese (and small dog person!) can benefit from a stroller. They are useful for young puppies when they aren’t ready for long walks or are not yet fully vaccinated, they are useful for adult dogs when you want to take them along to outdoor dining locations or want to take them to a farmer’s market or other summertime event where large crowds or other dogs could be a problem, and they are wonderful if you have a dog with an injury or an elderly dog that needs a lift. Our new one is bigger than most people with a single Havanese would need, but this company has a number of models including ones meant for a single dog, and I am very pleased with the quality. So I will include the link. <click here> There is another brand that we used for over 10 years before switching to our new one. We were very happy with it for all that time. It was just finally wearing out, as well as being too small for the family! <click here> Whatever you get, make sure that it is one that does NOT close with a front zipper. Not only are the front zippers difficult to open and close, they wear out very quickly. Neither of the ones I have linked to have a front zipper closure.
