So, another Bear update.
At 11 weeks, he was 9kg, so a steady weight gain, around 700-800g per week. All of his litter are progressing at similar rates, in fact, he's at the lighter end, though I'm probably starving him, of course.
Sleeping - he still goes to bed very well, no issues at all, however wakes up much earlier than he did in week one, between 5-6am. And often cries a bit around 305 - 4.15 - when it's staring to get light, I assume. He shouts for a bit, but we ignore him, and he snoozes again until a bit later.
Toileting - I've felt we regressed a bit, with more accidents in week 2/3 than in week 1. Maybe we are less vigilant, but he;s certainly drinking a lot more water. He clearly has a tiny bladder, just a small egg cup full each time, so a long way to go here. He's now banned from the lounge as we had too many wees on the carpet. Oddly enough, poos are only outside or in his pen on puppy pads.
Training - a bit less on sit, lie down, touch etc, and more on skills to transfer outside. Walking round the garden in circles, treating him for staying close (though squeezy cheese is far too tempting - that just means he has to jump up to grab it!). Some tiny sit stays - just one metre, two second stays. Using our recall cue when he runs towards us. And a tiny bit of retrieving with a tennis ball rolled along the decking - he;s brought it back four times out of ten
Other stuff - he has some lovely habits. He sits a lot and appears to think - in fact, this might be why he didn't go to the showing family, as sitting is his default position. He comes and lies at your feet a lot, in the most awkward spots in the kitchen, but also when I'm working at the dining room table. He's not super cuddly, but loves to be very close to you.
He adores Monty -follows him, copies him, tries to lie all over him to the point of annoyance. Monty continues to be a star.
The only thing bothering me is his absolute fearlessness in how he flies about. I've mentioned before about the three steps leading up to the lawn (about 14-18 inches high in total). I've trained him to use the ramp, which he will happily use if there's no urgency. However if he and Monty are zooming around the garden, he will fly up and down the steps with no fear, often missing steps on his way down in his rush to get about. I'm worried about the impact on his joints - it's a slightly bouncy landing on loose decking boards, but even so, more steps at speed than I'd like him to take. He has a proper bottom sashay too - I think this is fairly normal, but I'm hyper sensitive about how he moves.
He's a pebble / rock chewer, but I'm less worried about this now as he really only rolls them around in his mouth, he doesn't seem to swallow them.
Also - he eats bees. Live, stingy, bumble bees.
eileenanddogs.com
just saying).
. I'm learning they come in pairs or even threes, there's never one big one! At least he is definitely aiming for outdoors , even his occasional accidents are always on the way to the back door.
Rory was known as the Tinkler for ages
