[nagdu] The third time is a charm

[Tami Kinney]

Dar,

I do plan to owner-train again. I'm hooked! Or is that stark raving mad? 
/grin/ DD's new puppy -- now over 6 months old! -- is a nice practice 
train, but it isn't really time to get serious about Mitzi's 
replacement. I'm figuring that, unless something changes, I will be 
getting proactive about getting a pup when she is between 7 and 8. Which 
will be about the time the mutt monster is grown up enough to not be a 
total PITA. /lol/ Clearly, I am a sucker for punishment. I do have a 
line through my vet niece on some dobies she sees in her practice. She 
was describing a current litter and a fantastic prospect, but... That 
mother is no longer breeding. She will be seeing the pups from the new 
breeding bitch, so will keep me posted. /smile/ She sees other dobies 
and spends enough time with them to evaluate them, so that is handy. But 
even if I do get another young puppy, it won't be for a couple of years.

Puppy Zay has a terrific temperament, hitting all the high spots for a 
guide prospect. Except that her size might be a bit much for someone my 
size... Then again, current rule of thumb estimates put her at about 
Monty's size full grown, and Julie's not that much taller than me.

So I will probably consider whether to go ahead and finish Zay in a year 
or two. At this point "guide dog training" is what I would train any dog 
to do, with added this or that in leash manners for safety for both of 
us. DD has not gotten hooked on walking his pup, and I love walking the 
dogs... I will love it better when we all get the hang of letting Mitzi 
guide while the pup tags along. So for our safety and stuff, and because 
Mitzi is along to show her how it's done, she's picking up the 
directional commands and some other handy commands for leash work that 
transfer to guide work. Leave it, stuff like that. It's all baby steps 
but she catches on fast and is getting mature enough we can add 
advancements surprisingly quickly. But nothing complicated beyond that. 
I would not start honest-to-goodness guide training until 12 months or 
later, depending on how she was coming along in maturity and physical 
growth.

Ask a simple question, eh? That's where I'm at in the decision making 
process. My general plan is to start pup hunting in a couple of years, 
tending toward dobie or poodle again... If I go poodle, I will look 
first with Mitzi's breeder, naturally. /smile/

Is it spring in Montana yet?

Tami

On 04/26/2012 01:47 PM, d m gina wrote:
> You have done well training your dog, and I have loved each storey 
> keep up the swell work.
> I know the time will come when I can get the new dog, and I am feeling 
> much better.
> Will you train another dog for yourself?
> Wishing you the best.
> Original message:
>> Dar,
>
>> Hey! It is great to see you back. I'm sorry you had that negative
>> experience with the turn down letter. Been there, done that, can't bring
>> myself to consider that school ever again... Except that cultures and
>> personnel change, and they do put out great dogs and I know many happy
>> teams. Still!  That was 5 years ago and more now, and I am still
>> disgusted. And offended.
>
>>   But I ended up with Mitzi poodle, since that, and the lack of return
>> of my phone calls from the contact at that school clinched my decision
>> to get my own dang dog and train it myself. /smile/
>
>> Best with your new buddy to come! Exciting times, eh?
>
>> Tami
>
>> On 04/25/2012 08:10 PM, d m gina wrote:
>>> Well that is what they say anyway.
>>> I did find the rite size bed for the crate, turns out the crate is a
>>> medium crate.
>>> I took the small bed back got a large, and that was to big so the
>>> medium fits just rite.
>>> Gee just like the three bears isn't it giggle.
>>> I won't try to get food until I know that I am going for the dog.
>>> then I know it will be as fresh as it can be until I get home.
>>> We have the diner set the two bowls got it from wall mart as well.
>>> I was able to put that together.
>>> If it falls apart then I will get the medal set.
>>> I thought by doing it this way, would start to help me get excited for
>>> my new friend.
>
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>