Bauer Report – 4 months
Here is a report on one of Annie‘s litter, Bauer from his forever family. We love getting and sharing these updates!
Bauer at 4 months old
Bauer has turned into a very well behaved large puppy. I first noticed this when I was walking with him. I now can give him slack on the leash (which makes the walk so much more enjoyable for me!), and he doesn’t lunge or pull or even try to take the lead (90% of the time on this last one). When he does start to forget he needs to walk by my side, I say “with me” and tap my leg and he waits for me. This has progressed into us (when we’re sure no one else is around) dropping his leash during the walk. He has yet to stray more than 2 feet from my side — occasionally he’ll smell something and stop to sniff, but I say with me or catch up and he’s back at my side.
The other HUGE step he has made is with his stay. He always had a good stay, but we wanted him to have the best possible. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting there! Our new “trick” is to have him outside with us and a large basketball the neighbor boy donated (partially because Bauer found it when we first brought him home as a puppy — he managed to dig it out of a snow pile when some poor child lost it…..), and partially because (and I’m using the little boy’s words) “he’s so cute and he really likes it.” Aw….how precious. Anyhow, we have him sit by us, we kick the ball, and he has to stay until we release it. He got really good at that, so now I kick the ball or throw a toy he wants far from me, and then I make him do another trick before releasing him to the object. Part of me thinks it’s tormenting him, part of me thinks he loves it…..
And FINALLY, I’m so proud of my oversized lap dog because tonight after our evening walk we were walking back up to our house. Our neighbor was out working on his car and we started talking. Bauer wagged his tail fiercely, but did not try to run to him. AND THEN Shane came over to pet him. I got nervous (as I always do because this is where Bauer gets a solid D-) and squatted down, but Bauer didn’t even jump up! I could tell he was thinking about it, but he restrained himself. No I only await the day where I don’t have to be worried that he might jump up because I know he won’t. (I did take advantage of his wanting to jump….it’s a “trick” now, sometimes he gets all four off the ground! and I think it’s helped with keeping him from jumping on people because I’ll tell him no jump…..I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking it helps…..) To make the moment even more precious for me, I know I thoroughly wore him out today, because after he let Shane pet him and say hello, we continued talking and Bauer lay down on the pavement and rested until I was ready to go inside.
The only thing we’ve changed from training class is watch — we now use look. I think “watch” sounded too much like “walk”…..he wasn’t listening to me for a few days with the watch command, so finally I said look and his head snapped to me. A small change, but it’s made a huge difference. And it makes me smile when we’re walking because I’ll randomly tell him to “look” at me, and when he does and I tell him good boy, he wiggles all over. I love the full body wiggle (and spotted chest!) he inherited from Annie!
See Bauer’s 4-month gallery at Photobucket
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