The River Log

Beanwood

Beanwood

Administrator
God! But this puppy is hard work...really challenging trying to get the balance of training/rest/play between daytime and nighttime. Sheesh! You would think being the breeder that this would be the easiest element of raising our home bred pup. We will get there, right now I have matchsticks holding my eyes open. :sleepy:

Toilet-training going well. Wee's are mostly outside on cue. Poo's all good, River will ask to go out. BUT why so much poo at night? She seems to store it all up then yell like mad at night....driving us both every so slightly nuts!

She is a brave wee soul, but definitely still need to take things slow. BIG things like tractors, our noisy bank master machine are FUN.. .but random odd things she needs a bit more time to consider. All good, she is only 11 weeks old so we go at River's pace.

River continues to be super with the gang, and this is reciprocated in a really lovely way, thank God! Even Remy tolerates her.

I think the environment is going to be a challenge... she has demonstrated her good nose, finding a huge dead rat in one of the smaller paddocks and racing around like a gleeful loon, with me screaming ( also like a loon... ) behind her! 🤢

River on the place board... this is her third session. We started by making the placeboard attractive, lots of treats! Then shaping her onto the board, in a sit, mark and reward, then lure her off. Rinse and repeat. In the clip, I am in the process of adding the cue "place".

 
Ashley

Ashley

Oh she’s so cute and reminds me of baby Quinn!

What time is River having dinner? I played with meal times and find that eating her last meal at 5:30pm means she will need to go out around 11:30 pm and then can sleep until at least 6:30am. Dinner any later than that means multiple nighttime poos. No idea why or how that works!
 
Beanwood

Beanwood

Administrator
River is now 3 months old. Still a croco-pup, but maybe I am being optimistic by thinking a little less so these days. Whilst still bitey, especially when tired she is easily distracted by a handtouch, or tug toy. I do see some similarities with Bramble at a similar age, a certain thoughtfulness coupled by with a very extrovert and bombproof nature!

Toileting.. we are definitely getting there! She really is good at letting us know when she needs the toilet, or are we programmed to let her out every hour I don't know!

Night -time.. this was a bit of a bug bear, with River needing attention at least 3 times a night... and boy did she let us know! The last few nights she has been really good. I pop down about 5am, before I hear her moving and let her out whilst still sleepy. I quickly tuck her back in her crate with a partly defrosted kong. She dozes quietly until around 7am now. Perfect!

She really is a happy puppy, socially appropriate with the gang, and loves nothing better than to sneak off and say hello to our neighbours.. and any visitors in the shape of delivery drivers and even an experimental grocery delivery. All carefully managed so River could experience a strange person coming close to the house ( in front of our large play area out front so all Covid safe.. :inlove: )

Physically she has has a growth spurt, so getting rather leggy like her mum, weighing in at around 9.7kg, a similar weight to Bramble at the same age. I am hoping she won't be as big or tall, however difficult to tell at this age, puppies change so much between 3 and 6 months.

Training, well we haven't done much. River is very much a wild child right now, racing round the garden, having delightful hoolies, reminding me of those scuffed knee'd children of old! :tail:I have barely even popped a lead on her! So puppy class should be fun next Tuesday evening...:rofl: It will be hey! Look at the "trainer" with the wild labrador puppy! :shock:. She does a mean handtouch, though, eye contact coming along nicely and she LOVES the placeboard!

 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Fab update @Beanwood , it really sounds like puppy heaven! And this
Beanwood said:
Training, well we haven't done much.
Click to expand...
Is clearly tosh as you’ve done heaps of training! Noses touches, place board, toilet training - plus a gallon of stuff you’ll be doing with the gang like steadiness and patience and turn taking and listening etc. etc. etc. You’rea gift to the dog world, all the dogs are saying it!
 
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Jacqui-S

Jacqui-S

Moderator
Location
Fife, Scotland
HAH said:
Fab update @Beanwood , it really soured sound like puppy heaven! And this

Is clearly tosh as you’ve done heaps of training! Noses touches, place board, toilet training - plus a gallon of stuff you’ll be doing with the gang like steadiness and patience and turn taking and listening etc. etc. etc. You’rea gift to the dog world, all the dogs are saying it!
Click to expand...
Hear! Hear! I thought exactly the same :giggl:
 
Stacia

Stacia

Location
Malvern Worcestershire
I just love her little paws :) My friend with a 9 week old Curly Coat Retriever has asked me when to introduce a gentle 'hold'? I really have no idea what would be correct? I can't remember what I did, any ideas?
 
Beanwood

Beanwood

Administrator
Jelinga said:
I just love her little paws :) My friend with a 9 week old Curly Coat Retriever has asked me when to introduce a gentle 'hold'? I really have no idea what would be correct? I can't remember what I did, any ideas?
Click to expand...
Ooh good question. I remember with Bramble it was around 5 months old. We used a "sausage" shaped toy to start off, and worked on a reverse retrieve chain. Taught a hold with the clicker, then pick up and hold, then pick up and hold with the placeboard in front of me. The placeboard worked well as stops me leaning in to take the dummy as Bramble comes forward. The small endless dummies are great if you can get hold of one. @Mr Beanwood makes them now for me :inlove:

Bramble has a beautiful hold and delivery


 
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