Two For One…by Lisa Harmon June 21, 2008

Kenai licks the last of the peanut butter off the spoon, 24 wks old

Ohhhh the poops and puppy barfs! The panacure is making a mess of Kenai’s bowels. Here he’s getting the last of the peanut butter, after taking his morning pepto. He throws up a nasty yellow bile in the mornings, after having an empty tummy overnight. I feed him a little right before bed, but it doesn’t hold him.

Poor boy, gassing us to death. If the Pentagon could bottle that up, they’d have a potent biowarfare weapon… Thankfully, today is his last day for the treatment. I hope his tummy settles down soon, since he can’t be comfortable. Still, he’s a big playing pup, and enjoys his run times.

This morning after the usual out, in, breakfast, and upstairs routine, Kenai got a really good game of tug and fetch. I’m using the toys to bring him to the heel, and he’s offering alot more auto-sits. Then it’s run down the toy and another game of let go, then get to tug. He got so excited he started a zoomie goober run, and I had to slow him down a bit. When he started burping, it was time to relax awhile.

If you sneak over to his brother BB’s blog (blogroll), you’ll find I started the “look at that” game with BB. He loses his mind on the weekends when my niece comes. So the book “Control Unleashed” changes the tendency of reactive dogs to look into an opportunity to refocus on the handler.

Beebs is a champ with “look at that”! He naturally looks at your face and if a treat is involved, his concentration is fantastic. I realized last night how much working with BB changed my energy. He’s far easier to train, and I get the instant gratification thing, seeing how fast his bahavior changes with even minimal attention.

I have total confidence that BB will do what I ask of him with enthusiasm, and somehow that relaxes me. That’s the energy you need, to work with a puppy!Kenai watches intently, and does his stays and such with considerable focus.

It’s kinda against all the “rules” of training to practice with littermates at the same time, but using the boy’s natural competitiveness really kicks Kenai into an “I do it better” attitude. I’ve decided I need to take advantage of that, and the way BB’s quick responses build my confidence.

I’m a whatever works girl, so once a day, I’m going to hold a two pup puppy school session. Whichever pup hits the sit first gets the treat. Whichever pup looks at me gets the praise. I’m going to make it fast paced, and once a treat is given, the next command comes: no waiting for the other to comply. You wanna compete, boys, then compete for a reason!

I’m hoping the benefits translate into more focus and interest in Kenai’s seperate practices, and his commands during our routines. He’s slower than molasses at times, and has the tendency to decide if he wants to do what I ask. Uuggh. That can get irritating. Besides, when BB is ready for his own obedince classes, he’ll have the commands already nailed. Two for one.

I’m still doing the divide and conquer strategy when I want to relax in the evenings with both boys. The taking turns with getting attention is helping them chill out, and when I want to sit down and relax, they go to their place and stay there. I still have to put BB in his ex-pen at times, but yesterday it was Kenai who was restless and difficult.

Since Kenai isn’t totally comfortable with the crate door closed, I haven’t shut him in, but he’s going in there now when he wants to have a chew no one else can get to! So I opened the expen and used it to block off our end of the couch. He paced it a little, then got up and took a nap next to me.

He doesn’t feel good, and it shows.

The downside to two pups at once is bad habits rub off. BB’s a barker, and he’s getting Kenai to bark and go running about. I’m having to shut it down. BB can be taught to shush, but I won’t have Kenai doing that barking at every sound that sets his brother off. I’m teaching him not to bark or get up unless I say so.

That’s a pack leader thing, and an instinct for dogs. If the pack leader isn’t reacting, the rest of the pack doesn’t need to. So for the eruptions of noisy fuss, I assume a very dominant posture. It stops Kenai in his tracks, and BB only needs a poke or two to hush. Eventually, with enough practice at the look at me stuff, they will quit altogether as they associate a sound with looking to me. 

So alot of my energy is being expended. Alot. It’s the first 2 years of a dog’s life that sets the habits of their behavior, and taking the time, giving the energy, makes the next 10 years far easier. I may make like a bear and go into hibernation when the Brother’s Grin get through adolescence. A six month nap would be well earned!

It’s time to let Kenai out to run and play. So have a good weekend, and enjoy your pup!

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