Vacation Over

Vacation time is over, sadly, but it is good to get back to a normal routine. Training time is on the horizon once more which I am sure the dogs will enjoy. They need to have a challenge on a regular basis. Bruno has grown a lot in the last month he now weighs in at 60lbs-- Maxi closely following at 55lbs. While our two year old grand daughter was here for three weeks they behaved very well indeed. The worst thing they wanted to do and continued to try to do was lick her face. She is a feisty little girl and got the 'don't lick me' command to a very assertive level, so much so, that they actually listened to her:)
On the down side we have had some nasty experiences with aggressive dogs at the dog park---the down side of an otherwise good socialization time. It is hard to understand why owners cannot accept that their dogs are NOT playing, they are being seriously aggressive. One dog had Maxi's lip gripped tightly in it's mouth--the owner? Fixed to her cell phone oblivious as to what was going on!! Beware of dog parks they can be dangerous.

Vacation Time

We are having a vacation with family visiting so the blog will be halted until August. Please come back then as I am sure I will have lots of photos to share. Training classes will also  be resuming.

6 Months Old

Here we are at  6  months old, Bruno weighing in at 52lbs Maxi at 47.5lbs. They are now down to two meals a day with a mere snack in the middle of the day. Looking back to the endless schedules of bottle feeding and potty training it would seem as thought things should have quietened down somewhat. Not so really, things have switched up a notch in the exercise needs of the pups rather running around carrying them to their toilet area.. For the most part they are using their elimination area in the yard, only occasionally do they go elsewhere in the garden. The culprit there is usually Bruno. Maxi as always is much more obliging than Bruno.To be fair  to Bruno he has a stronger territorial instinct than Maxi which makes it hard for him to resist marking the perimeter of the garden. Now that they are older and stronger they really need to run and have serious exercise. So we run together in the mornings, at high speed I might add, and they have a play with other dogs in the dog park. Just when they seem to be tired out they are ready to keep on going. However, the great thing with Boxers is that when they are tired they are very very relaxing and calming to be around. The perfect qualities of a therapy dog. Our ultimate goal for these fabulous animals. They crave attention and love to be stroked.They love having their faces massaged and will sit forever quietly by you side while being petted. Of course this is only possible after adequate exercise as they are still young and prone to excitement when full of energy. Bruno also loves to swim which makes him relaxed. His snout is so short though it makes him panic in the water a little as he can't get enough air so we bought him an Outward Hound life jacket which gives him a more enjoyable and safe experience. It means we can let him swim in the lake also. Maxi is not so keen but likes the life jacket also.

Lessons learned dog chews and septic tanks.

So here's the thing, having a septic doggy tank has pointed  out the horrors of rawhide chews-----------yuck!! What you can't see when you pick up your dog's mess is the  undigested chews which swell up in the tank with the potential for clogging it. Ousted--all raw hide chews and pig ears etc. Oh the horrors of fishing out raw hide from a septic tank!! I can only imagine what went on in their digestive systems. Nylabones are the  only chews these guys are having from now  on. Expensive a little but they last a long time. It may take a little while for them to accept these types of chews so I have bought flavored ones and also put some peanut butter on them so as to make them really tasty. We are having a little summer break from formal training although I am keeping up what they have learned so far.Our runs are great now after the first five minutes or so to get their 'wiggles out'. The three  of us run together well once we are in the zone. These high energy dogs need high energy workouts---great for keeping me fit:)

Some updates.

The septic tank is certainly not for the fainthearted but preferable to the piles of poop bags cooking in the summer heat. It took some digging to place it in the ground--four feet deep and two feet wide. It also requires a gallon of water each time you use it so unless you have a hose close by it could be a little tedious. Using the pooper scooper is not much fun either---again unless you have a hose close by it would be irksome to have to take it indoors to rinse. With these  considerations I am glad we have it. Another update Maxi;s green stick fracture on his toe has greatly improved although it still is a little swollen. He is able to run and is not having pain. It has been a couple of months now, a long time healing.

As with all things exceeding moderation has consequences as I discovered to my dismay. Bruno suffers greatly in the heat as I have mentioned before so------------I allowed him to drink way way too much-----he just loves water in any way shape or form:- from the paddling pool, the hose, the main pool and from his bowls. So I was not monitoring just how much he was consuming--the result was a long trail of pee all through the kitchen to the sun room and out the door!!! His bladder was so full he was totally unaware of leaking. Lesson learned my lack of monitoring could very well have ended in tragedy. Fortunately he was not drinking due to illness ----he just loves the sensation of water all round his face in the heat. He is back to drinking normally and is fine. His snout is roughly half the size of Maxi's which explains why he is less tolerant of hot weather. Poor boy he suffers more than Maxi in all situations.

Cooling Down

Enjoying cooling down.

Brave Puppies? Alice in Wonderland

Help Maxi, we must be shrinking a giant drinking bowl and now look at our fetch ball!!!

Bruno in class week 6.

Bruno learning to spin in class. Also learning to leave his favorite toy even when I put it on his paw---a very difficult feat for a young puppy to accomplish yeah go Bruno! Congrats you passed all the tests. Happy Graduation:) LOL!!

Bruno in class week 6.

Bruno being tested. Staying on command in the middle of the pet store with dogs, children and forklifts etc around.

Bruno in class week 6.

Bruno in class learning to stay with distractions around.

Bruno in class.

Garden Mischief

So, we almost I say almost have the digging to the center of the earth issue under control, but now, blossoming flowers and plants seem to be an irresistible treat. It does seem to be an issue with Boxers. In all the years I have had dogs I have never known any to love plants the way these guys do. It does test ones resolve to stick with the ideology of positive reinforcement training techniques when you see the destruction of beautiful flowers. However, I will resist the temptation to punish and try to stop the behavior using a deterrent like bitter apple spray. Still waiting for the doggy septic tank:) It should  be here some time today--hoping so.

 This Sunday Bruno is set to graduate from the intermediate training with what I hope will be flying colors:)If he doesn't you know whose fault that will be. He has done a great job with heel walking and being much more calm with the meet and greet manners. He has learned to stay in a certain spot and wait for me to return. Gradually I am leaving him for longer stays. Both are getting much better at waiting where I leave them. This will be harder of course when I add distractions to the mix----------they are still very young and react with curiosity to spontaneous movement such as fluttering leaves or a cheeky chip monk running by---wish me luck with that exercise:) Determined these guys are going to make it into the magical world of therapy dogs for children who have extraordinary challenges in life. They continue to be the best therapy for life's stresses I have ever had------except for the FLOWER CHOMPING THING! LOL

Hot Days

An unsavory consequence of summer heat and growing dogs---bigger dogs, bigger meals---bigger dog waste! Coupled with heat and flies you have a nasty aroma in the garden with piles of plastic bags filled with poop waiting for the weekly garbage truck. So, the solution is on its way, the doggy septic tank. Who would have thought one could get excited about the impending delivery of a septic tank? 

 

Swimming Pool Opening

Summer has arrived at last the pool is open though the  water is a bit on the chilly side. So Maxi and Bruno are going to get some relief from the heat. Boxers do not fair well in hot weather because of their facial structure. I now take them for their walk in the early morning --oh no!! Back to the early rising. They still suffer somewhat from the heat which has the unexpected side effect of less exuberance making walks a much calmer affair. Of course perseverance in their training has also helped. Bruno especially suffers as he does in everything. He is more sensitive all round than Maxi. After his walk he does not jump out of the van as before rather he rolls onto the garage floor and lies there in a spread eagle fashion. Trying to persuade him that the house is even cooler than the garage floor is difficult but I think he is getting it:) Looking forward to making some swimming videos. Class  week 5 tomorrow--nervous as always---perhaps I have not worked hard enough again this week--another intense work out for Bruno today indoors of course.

Pet Peeve

Pet peeve of the day-----realizing too late that there is a hole in the poop scooper bag you have just used!!!

Five Months Old Tomorrow

I find it astonishing that these guys are now five months old. While their very young puppy moments seemed to last forever---(remembering the freezing cold drips from the trees not so long ago) at the same time they are disappearing with alarming speed. They are so big now, Bruno 42lbs and Maxi 40lbs, they are bigger than many of the dogs we meet. It does seem that they will be larger than the average Boxer which is fine so long as I keep up the training training training:) Bruno far surpassed my expectations in class yesterday!! At last I am beginning to enjoy the successes--stress levels in public are much better, but not so fast, it is still much like a roller coaster ride the moment I relax my equilibrium is stolen and I feel freaked. So, I add caution to saying I ENJOY classes now--rather I am not so stressed. In many ways this might be due to Maxi having a sore toe meaning I took only Bruno to class which is altogether easier than taking both. That is not to say that Maxi's training has been neglected I keep him up to par with Bruno, just at home. Maxi is by far the easier more compliant puppy any way which is a blessing. Had the toe thing been Bruno's life just now I am certain he would not comply with training at home. He is just slightly on the edge of being stubborn and a little willful:) Just as well he has that incredibly charming and handsome face.LOL  They are learning to sit and stay for longer and longer spells and with added distractions---they are getting it.

Last set of Vaccines

Thankfully the last set of vaccine boosters were given yesterday. They are stressful, especially for Bruno who is sensitive by nature and needs to have antihistamine to counteract the negative effects. Still it is short lived, usually 24 hours and he will be his normal self. This is much better than the actual diseases they could  get without the vaccines. The next big vet visit will be for neutering. Because they are such beautiful animals with such sweet natures I found making the decision to neuter them surprisingly difficult. The benefits will make it the best decision in the long run especially for  Bruno who was born with an umbilical hernia---a genetic trait which should not be passed on. At 6 days shy of 5 months Bruno now weighs 41lbs and Maxi a close 39.5 lbs. They should have their surgery somewhere between 6 and 8 months--------not looking forward to that day :(

Week 21

Here we are on week 21 on the eve of week 3 intermediate class for Bruno and what have I accomplished this week? Very little!! Seems to me I leave training class Sunday and it is Saturday before I know it. Have I worked well on the heel training? I have to admit no. I have been rather lazy this week. I find it is just such a hard thing to teach I manage very well in avoiding it---shame on me. What on earth will our trainer think tomorrow-well that is just yet another reason for me to stress out about class--nothing new there. Poor Bruno he will have to have an intense workout today-not ideal at all!!

Easy Walk Harness

Now that Bruno and Maxi are getting to a size where pulling on the leash could cause some hurt, either to them or me I decided to test drive (walk) the Easy Walk Harness. I instantly loved it! I tried one with Bruno first as he is the more sensitive pup. If he liked it then I was pretty sure Maxi would also. It worked so well I went back the next day to get another one. Bruno and I walked round the pet store without incident and he was so calm in the harness he actually got to enjoy the attention he craves so much. I highly recommend it but it does need a little effort to adjust it to be comfortable and not cause chaffing. I would not use it if I planned on jogging with them. Also it needs to be readjusted frequently as they grow. Love it!! Walks are so much easier:)

Maxi's Paw

This is now the third week that Maxi has suffered from the green stick fracture of his toe on his right paw. He is doing much better and the swelling is slowly going down but he still limps a little. He is a little trouper and is determined to enjoy life no matter what. He is 36lbs now and Bruno is 40lbs. They seem to grow before my eyes, much like the bushes and flowers now that spring has taken off--------not to mention the weeds-----although they are by no means your weedy type of guys:)

Week 20 and Getting Bigger By The Day

We are now in week 20 in the lives of Bruno and Maxi 'therapy dogs in the making'. They have been a whirlwind 16weeks since we took them home. Now it seems as if they were always here. We have had some moments to be sure, but none so surprising as this mornings stressful walk. I don't know what set these guys off but it seemed as though they had never had any leash training whatsoever. Any knowledge of good behavior was gone. I was pulled along the street by a combined weight 75lbs of sheer muscle and strength. I have no idea what happened to my now seemingly 'deaf' pups. My heart was pounding my arms and fingers aching and honestly I was distraught, weeks and weeks of training and this!! So I turned around marched them home and put them in their crate and treated myself to a nice 'Mother's Day' chocolate fest. After 5 mins of calm I returned and tried the process once more--success, they miraculously could hear me this time. Still some excitement but they learned very quickly a walk can end abruptly and get you sent to bed. Now I think I know how all this came about, I had the audacity to be proud of Bruno in school yesterday and  that pride just ---well almost------ had me have a fall. It reminded me we still have a very long journey to get to "Therapy Dog" status. Best keep a store of chocolate on hand to calm my nerves:)

Maxi and The Sprinkler Trying to drink and avoid getting wet:)

First Day At Puppy Intermediate Class

I have to say this first class was a little bit of shock. I had not expected  dogs who were so much older than Bruno to be in this same class. There is alway something I had not planned on!! One dog in particular had aggression issues and literally flew at any dog who passed by--difficult not to as its owner sat next to the door way--a mistake in my opinion. Bruno was last to be attacked as I strove to keep him out of reach of (aptly named) Tyson Watch out for the ears there Bruno!! Still it was a lesson learned for very social Bruno--not everyone loves him:(  Training now is moving toward heel training unlike the loose leash training we have been doing up until now. Bruno seems to be taking quite well to it and Maxi being better now will start his training soon.


A small piece of advice--never turn your back on two puppies if you have a nice little puddle of mud in your yard. I turned around to see two little brown balls wallowing in the mud like happy little pigs---there was no trace of their white paws and chests to be seen:) Too bad my camera was not to hand.

Maxi's Paw and Week One of Intermediate Class

Another trip to the vet for Maxi, his paw is still causing him some pain. This may well put a halt on his training this week. Right now I am questioning which is more difficult--keeping an active puppy well exercised or keeping an active puppy quiet. I'm thinking the latter is more of a challenge.  It turns out that Maxi has a greenstick fracture on his fourth toe right paw. He will have to miss todays training class which is a shame, but as I have said before with young puppies nothing is straight forward or predictable:) So for this week at any rate it will be just Bruno and I. Hoping things go well but who knows? 

Easter Sunday and Four Months Old

Easter Sunday, Bruno and Maxi turned four months old. Nice day for that especially as they were born on Christmas eve. Bruno is now 36lbs and Maxi 32.5Lbs. Their break from training classes is almost over with the next session starting this Sunday. One slight problem----as there always seems to be one, why change now right---Maxi and Bruno had a collision while playing in the yard leaving Maxi with a painful torn tendon and a lame right front leg. I truly love our yard but the fact that it has a slope means that when Bruno gathered momentum hurdling down towards his brother it was inevitable that some mishap would befall poor Maxi. So, the vet told me I should keep Maxi quiet---obviously that is a problem---and prevent sparring---another problem. So here we are about to start new classes with an injured puppy who is not only in pain but is bored and frustrated by being kept away from his brother. A great start to the new session. Maxi knows every move I make even if he can't see me. He knows the clink of the leash, the drone of the garage door, the car starting up, and hey, where is Bruno? Not fair!! On another level Bruno is aware that Maxi is not himself and has taken on Maxi's role as the barker in the household. Prior to this Bruno never barked he just watched, but yesterday he warned me that some guy was mowing his lawn with some huge loud machine. He did the barking for Maxi. It was sweet and you know what Bruno has a nice voice:)

Beginning Week17

Spring has sprung at long last! Warm evenings in the garden, walks around the lake and more fun than ever:) One blip along the way was the last of the round of vaccines. They were none too pleasant for Bruno. He seems to be more sensitive all round. He is more skittish around unfamiliar places and noise and now has reacted badly to the vaccines. I believe it was the vaccine against Leptospirosis that caused him pain and an upset stomach as the others he has had before. He is better today which is a relief. Maxi had no reaction at all:) Both are growing fast with Bruno weighing almost 35lbs and Maxi 32lbs. 

Graduation Success

For all the trials, tribulations and stresses we managed to successfully graduate from puppy training classes onto the next level, intermediate classes. Classes start May 1st. Meanwhile we plan to practice, practice, practice. The journey to Therapy Dogs in public is a long one, mostly fun, but if you've been following this blog you will know it is not always straightforward:) No matter how much I planned for success there were always some dynamic I had not considered--much like life in general I suppose, there is always something waiting in the wings to throw you off course:) In the case of these little guys it can be something as simple as a rainy day---Bruno especially hates the rain--it is a trial of patience to get him to comply and go out to toilet. I win, but it means I get a good soaking too. LOL I'm not sure what I dislike more--a good all round soaking or the occasional huge cold drip  that runs down the neck from the pine trees--the latter I think. Moreover, while this scenario is playing out there is an added insult to injury. The drone of the sound of my husband enjoying a lovely hot jacuzzi bath! There  is something entirely wrong with this picture. 

Successes:)

Today I thought I would write about the puppy successes and changes of the past week. One of the best changes is that they have moved on from a car crate to car safety harnesses. I chose the Easy Rider harness. which turned out really well. The pups got used to them very quickly, they are easy to put on and take off, and they fit easily to the seat belts in the car.  I find it much easier than lifting them into a crate. Moreover, they can be used as a harness while walking. They are sturdy yet comfortable with a fleece lining. They also look pretty cool:) It means safe comfortable travel for all. Their accomplishments are nothing short of amazing!  Of all the commands they have learned one of the most valuable has to be the WAIT command. It is a wonderful way to prevent them charging at the door in eager anticipation of a walk or a car ride, or charging at the crate to get out in the morning. They have learned composure and calmness means great rewards. These guys are growing so fast they could easily send me flying should we get caught up in exiting the door. Of course as they are so young this does not always translate into good composure outside the home with all the distractions of a busy area, however, I am confident that will happen as they mature. They already know the lesson. Some other very valuable commands they have mastered include, drop it, leave it, lie down, come, let's go,sit,stay, walk on, give a paw and 'be clever' (this is their trick of curling their body into a C shape touching nose to tail and walking towards us---very sweet) We are moving on that's for sure. Tomorrow they graduate from puppy class and move onto the next level. Wish me luck that I get it right and that they wear their graduation hats for a photo shoot! Can't see that happening but who knows these little guys are full of surprises.

Week 5 Puppy School

One day I will get this thing right! I thought I had it in the bag, yet again, when I decided the pups needed some exercise before class to calm them. So off we went to the park where they had a good run and a fair amount of exercise or at least that was what I thought. I also parked away from the store so they could not see the door from the car which always gets them worked up with anticipation of lots of attention and fun. So far so good, we got into class on time with a relatively smooth transition, if I may be so bold as to say so.  We had a nice chat with the trainer about the week's events then had a quick walk round the store for meet and greet with strangers and  we were now ready for the new lesson. When I say 'we' this did not include Maxi and Bruno. They were out cold, fast asleep lying peacefully on the floor of the training arena. I felt very sheepish when the trainer asked me if I had tired them out. Someday, I will 'get it' right and have the pups ready for peak performance--they might well be adult  dogs before I manage it:)

The unexpected benefits of a snoring Boxer pup.

Snoring cannot ordinarily be thought of as a good thing, however, Bruno's heavy snoring has some unusual therapeutic consequences:) He snores much more heavily than Maxi, his nose is more squished, which means his little (or not so little anymore) body vibrates at the same time. The result is a warm comforting massage for my husband's shattered leg and hip. A wonderful therapy dog all round:) I'm just very glad we have a big  enough house to be able to sleep far away from the pups at night! Snoring Boxer

Vaccine Time Again

That should have been a breeze, the pups like their Doc and do not associate any negative feelings about the vets office. Everyone there adores them and they actually seem to enjoy their visits, that is until  this past trip. Cheerfully excited as we approached the office entrance things quickly took a downward turn. Two very aggressive angry dogs exuding all kinds of terrifying energy were snarling and pulling their owners around in a very unsettling manner.The pups have never come across such aggression and quite frankly neither have we. It was hard to calm the pups but we managed to distract them enough that eventually they sat quietly by our side. I was immensely proud of them at that moment. Soon after, a 5 month old cute fur ball of a puppy came to greet them and we breathed a sigh of relief that all attention to the other dogs was stopped. We relaxed and let them greet only to be horrified by the puppy attacking them--it was ferocious!! Quite a shock for Maxi who thinks he has  fierce sparring down to a fine art. The young woman was shocked too saying he had never done that before. I believe it was the general sense of fear and tension in the waiting room. I was so glad when we were finally shown into the separate little surgery only to turn around and see Maxi throw up all of his lunch! How could that much be in such a little stomach? Yuck! Not good at dealing with that--thank goodness for my husband:) It is the first time either have been sick--the doc said it was probably the fear and stress in the waiting room. Great, has that set a precedent for further visits:( Hoping not.

Week 4 Puppy School

So, finally I thought I had the Sunday morning routine down pat. I had calmed myself into a nice relaxed mode also sure to keep the pups relaxed( if you happen to follow and believe in Cesar Milan as I do )Cesar They had done really well all week with their homework (lying down on command, leave it, drop it and take it as well as improving on their meet and greet skills) so I was quietly confident the class would be a success. I had even taken the precaution of feeding them only half their breakfast so that they would be hungry and willing to "work" for treats. One should NEVER feel overly confident with young puppies-and/or children alike:) What followed the nice quiet calm car ride caught me off guard completely. I am not sure about all puppies but windy wild days send Maxi and Bruno off on a boisterous trip which is hard to control. The wind was bitter cold and wild sending small objects flying around the parking lot which drove Bruno into a frenzy of leash pulling which in turn affected Maxi in the same way. It took a very long very cold 5 minutes to calm them enough to approach the store--it was stop start stop start all the way to the front door. At last they were calm enough to go inside, my fingers were frozen and aching, all sense of calm taken off on the high winds. The well meaning oohs and aahs of folks just inside the store set the puppies back to the state of frenzy I thought we had left in the parking lot. So here we are late for class, I am frazzled, cold and already exhausted. The pups well------------ they were having a blast!!

Personalities and Therapy Dogs

Now at three months the pups are really showing their true personalities. Although fierce in the sparring ring Maxi is a very gentle soul with a soft muzzle, affectionate eyes and a huge desire to learn, please and perform. He is absolutely adorable in every way. I am certain he will make an amazing therapy dog. Bruno is somewhat of a different character altogether. He is hard at work being the protector and guard dog even at this tender age. He gets distracted easily as his awareness skills are constantly on high alert to any perceived danger .This might be something as simple as a piece of paper flying in the wind. Strangely enough he is also the skittish one, less eager to instigate a sparring session than Maxi, perhaps because it distracts him from his "true" self, a self appointed protector:) He is a stunning and adorable animal capable of many things--therapy? He already provides great therapy to me and my husband who has been recovering from a really nasty auto accident that has left him suffering a great deal of pain.  From very early on Bruno gravitated towards his painful hip sharing his warmth and unconditional love. At 26lbs and growing his warmth and comfort are even better:) They are already therapy dogs one just has to see the smiles on strangers' and friends'  faces whenever they are around to know that.  Therapy dogs.

Loose Leash Walking LLW

LLW   At exactly three months old our neighborhood walks are getting longer and longer and somewhat easier. After the first 5 mins or so these guys settle down and stop trying to sabotage each others behavior. Maxi is particularly good at making Bruno look bad. If I don't notice Bruno chewing on his leash Maxi makes sure I do by diving on him and scolding him. What follows is a chaotic round of entangled leashes, legs and snarling naughtiness. Still, that behavior is slowing down getting and less frequent as time goes by. Yesterday however, and there always is a 'however', during a nice gentle walk we met up with 6  wildly excited male teenagers on the way home from school---there was way too  much high energy to hope for any sense of calm-- all meet and greet training was quickly forgotten---back to yet another round of chaos. Fortunately, the teenagers were happy to listen, and after the chaos we managed to control the pups enough to have a relatively calm encounter. Thinking I should hire these guys to practice nice meeting manners:) 

Week 13 and Week 3 of Puppy School

Bruno is now weighing in at 24lbs, Maxi 21lbs, a far cry from the 4lbs they both were a mere 9 weeks ago. Coupled with their amazing physical growth these little guys have grown with incredible speed intellectually. Just shy of 3 months old---March 24th, they are so smart they impress us daily. What they have learned thus far are several commands including, sit, watch me (look into my eyes), stay, leave. drop it, fetch and let's go. They have learned to relax while having a massage, having their teeth cleaned, ears and  paws cleaned, and  nails clipped. So why oh why am I always a nervous wreck on Sundays as school is about to begin? This is definitely not a good way to be as puppies are smart and easily pick up on vibes, good and bad. My husband, on the other hand, is relaxed and enjoys these sessions which might be the reason that he has more success in class than me. This only adds to my angst. I am the one at home with these guys all day I should have better success right? Perhaps I am the one needing a massage--nice idea, I will suggest that next Sunday. Life in general improves daily. The pups are so much more generous with their morning wake up calls. It was 8.40 before they woke Sunday!! Bliss. Moreover, they are much more independent with their bathroom visits. I only need to open the back door now and off they go to their favorite spot. No more standing in the cold coffee in hand. I get to watch from the warmth of the sun room----- life's little pleasures not to underestimated:) Of course the weather is warming up so being out in the mornings will be more fun:)

Training Practice

So here we are,  puppies are twelve weeks young and growing at a very fast pace. No longer am I able to take control by picking them up and moving them to where I want them to be. Their training is taking on a much more crucial role. How am I doing? Honesty here is the best policy, I think? Well, it is a bumpy road that's for sure. One minute I am ecstatic with the success we are having the next I am discouraged by my failure to engage these guys in the behavior I am seeking. It's all in the timing as in classical conditioning. I am not as speedy in reflex as I once was which is certainly a disadvantage in training these little guys. I managed very successfully to undo Bruno's good eye contact training by inadvertently rewarding him with a treat for a jump and bark. I was a split second too slow to reward the calm sitting and eye contact----the result? Every time I tried to get him to sit and maintain eye contact he jumped and barked!!!! A behavior he had never engaged in before. So what to do? We had to go back to the beginning and retrain----fortunately, he remembered well and it did not take too long. The moral of the story here is to be too discouraged by regression---- keep plodding on:)

Week two at puppy school.

Sunday morning 8am---fabulous, a long lie in, and whats more the sun was shining and the air was mild. What could possibly be a better start to the 11am training session. A far cry from the torrential rains and reluctance to go out to potty of last Sunday. My mood was upbeat, husband was relaxed and the pups played happily in the sunshine. So much so, I decided to shoot some video of them playing and delay breakfast until the puppies went for a nap before class. Everything was going according to plan we would leave around 10.40am. Perfect!! Husband was making his weekly call to Mum in Singapore so I decided to check out the video I had just taken. I switched on the laptop which, by the way, takes forever to warm up these days. Eventually, there they were my two little guys looking mightily cute. I sat with a huge smile on my face totally unaware of the mayhem that was about to unfold. For some unknown reason my eyes drifted to the lower right hand corner of the lap top and I yelled to my husband that it was 10.15!!! NO he yelled back it is 9.15!! Well, you've probably guessed by now---the clocks had changed and we knew nothing about it. How is that possible? Really, I have no idea. Not dressed, showered or fed the next 25 mins were fraught with the tension of trying to move a relaxed hubby along, to gathering up leashes, treats, wipes, homework and all the rest of the paraphernalia. The puppies had had no nap and were as hyper as myself, so here we were back in the same state as last week.  This is NOT good for puppy calming and training. Maxi ran circles round me for the first 20 mins, Bruno would not listen either. I can honestly say if you ever need a good work out take two puppies to school in a hyper state! I ache all over today. To end on a positive note--the leash training I mentioned before went down very well by the end of the class. The boys turned out to be little stars after all. We all slept well last night!!

Puppy school.

Well, I am very relieved to say that no potty accidents happened in the training arena. My other concern, their wild roughhousing, turned out to be of no concern either. My tough little warriors were like putty in the paws of little Izzie, a three month young Australian shepherd. It's a major relief to find out they have good public puppy manners. I know they don't hurt each other, but they sound so ferocious I'm pretty sure it would alarm other puppy parents:) Now here comes the confession------I have not been good at following through with the homework given by the trainer--------hope she doesn't read this. I am going to have to work these little guys like crazy over the next couple of days to catch up----not good really they need short sessions on a regular basis. My bad, been lazy, been way too busy having fun in the yard. Still, I have to say they are coming along nicely with their leash walking and  short car trips. Resolving to do better with the formal training. 

First Day At Puppy School

The day has finally arrived--the first day of puppy school! The plan----11am class--perfect timing:) The pups should be in the best possible state of mind and body to take on the challenges of their first day in puppy school. Fed, watered, exercised and, well yes, potty business done. I thought I had all the bases covered---wrong!! And, oh, by the way this is a Sunday--I came very quickly to the conclusion following the disaster of trying to walk two puppies at the same time on their leashes, that I could not possibly go this alone. My husband was enrolled to come to class with us. So, as I said, I thought all bases were covered. The element I did not consider for one second was the weather. These two guys are somewhat fussy in that they are not inclined to want to do their 'business' while the skies are pouring out their tears and soaking all of us below. Not to mention the fact that they were a little spooked by my umbrella. So what was inevitably going to be a little stressful became a source of  great angst. Oh yes, we told the trainer they are house trained, (other lady admitting to potty accidents with her puppy wishing we had not been so smug)-------are they going to prove us wrong, after all it is a long hour for such little guys? I'll let you know tomorrow. We are all tired--too tired to even eat lunch right now.

Vaccine Success

Well the trip to the vet was great success! They did not even notice the jab in the neck this time. No reactions afterwards either:) They were much more interested in the other dogs in the waiting room to care about anything else. Maxi was face on face with his mirror image which was curious situation. She was a female Boxer, 3 weeks  older than him, obviously bigger but with almost identical in markings. I told him later he should have got her phone number, too late now I have no idea where she lives:(  Bruno on the other hand was trying very hard not to look at the 138lb Mastiff just to the right of him. Rather, he spent his time eying up a Boxer cross cute 6 month old female. So far so good their interactions with other dogs have been a success. I'm so glad their ferocious warrior displays are kept for home and to themselves:) When I say fierce I really mean fierce. It is so surprising such wolf like behavior can be so inherent in 11 week old pups. These biting sessions are a very important part of their upbringing though.  It teaches them bite inhibition which is necessary for all domestic dogs, but especially so for Therapy Dogs. Puppy training classes also help with bite inhibition. We are enrolling Bruno and Maxi in the next week or so. Dare I take them both on my own? Still contemplating that one. 

Week 11

Well here we are at the start of week 11 in the lives of Bruno and Maxi. I must say we have this Sunday morning thing fine tuned to perfection. 8am as opposed to 6.30am. More importantly, Sunday morning comes with ground turkey and puppy chow for the guys and hot hot black coffee with dark chocolate filled with raspberry cream for me:) A time for quiet reflection, puppy watching and bird listening. Sweet all round---unless of course Bruno pounces on Maxi just at that all important moment of doing the business we are all outside for---then that is just a nasty little mess!! Not so little I might add as these guys are growing at an unnerving speed. Bigger means bigger appetite, and bigger appetite means bigger you know what! Today is the day for the booster vaccines. Hope these little guys don't remember the last visit as a painful one-----I'll let you know later:)

Getting bigger and stronger by the day.

As you can see from the comparison photo these little guys are not so little any more. Bruno is 14lbs and Maxi 13lbs making carrying them more and more difficult. Luckily we are at the stage of house training where I can trust them to walk from their crates to the yard without mishap. As for their characters their battle strategies have changed somewhat. Not quite in the way I had expected. I was hoping for some balance between the two but instead there has been a complete role reversal. Maxi is now  the full on in your face no holds barred guy and Bruno the stalking, pouncing, biting the butt kind of guy. It is definitely necessary now to separate the two for some segments of the day, if not for their sake, for my sanity and safety dare I say---being the legs in between two sparring sets of jaws is not a favorable place to be. It has turned out to be a pleasant time all round. They nap at different times now which means good quality one on one time with each of them. Leash training is coming along nicely without one jumping on the head of the other. Puppy socialization is also much more of a calm experience with one leashed pup at a time. When they don't have to be concerned with on another they are much more aware of their environment. They pay close attention to different sights and sounds and new people. Battling it out in the back yard is one thing, battling it out on the roadway with cars passing is entirely a different story. Looking forward to our little walks today, they are so cute strutting along the street:)

Week 9 and Adventurous Pups

Welcome to week 9 in the lives of Bruno and Maxi. Well, so far we have had a sweet life with these guys--hard work sure---- but great fun. I am, however, going to have to rethink my routine with them. Their energy levels and natural curiosity have been turned up several notches these past few days. No longer are they content to sit at my feet while I prepare their food. Nope, that was a sweet time now gone. Rather, they are all over the place seeking out mischief and mayhem. Keeping them safe is becoming an increasing challenge. I've used some of these tips from AKC puppy safe ideas. They are helpful but, when all is said and done, the best way to keep them safe is constant supervision--a luxury not all can afford especially as these guys have much less nap time that a week ago:) So, play pens, stair gates and  large crates all clutter our home--for now at any rate:)  Yes creates plural, like most siblings I have found these two pups benefit from some quiet alone time where no one messes with their heads or tails for that matter. Bruno now weighs in at 13lbs-Maxi almost 12lbs. They are growing fast from the 4lb pups we brought home 5 weeks ago. We are following the dry puppy chow schedule augmented with a little wet food for added flavor. It suits them well, along with making their meals smaller and more frequent than for other breeds.  Boxers  have a tendency toward bloating which is life threatening but avoidable with care.

Sibling Rivalry

Just as their characters are emerging so too are their strategies for dealing with sibling rivalry. Bruno is the unabashed, full head on battle guy--------'no holds barred'  Not so much the Boxer as the wrestler:) Make no mistake there is nothing subtle about Bruno, Maxi sees the battle charge coming from a long way off. He heads for the hills---usually behind my legs---and hopes for the best. Bruno's chances to escape are not so easy. Maxi lies in wait for the best chance to pounce and get a strong hold on his brothers tail. Maxi also has a fierce bark so long as he  is on the outside of the crate and Bruno inside or alternatively if he is behind me:) One hopes they will balance each other out to be well rounded in their interactions with the other pups in their soon to be puppy training classes. Best ask my husband to come along two might be one too many:) 

The Wee Small Hours

No matter how much I try to explain to these guys that Sunday morning is way different to all other mornings it falls on deaf ears. 6.40 am and their internal clock yelps into action. Freezing cold, not quite fully dressed, I stand there proudly watching their performance while at the same time wondering why on earth I am so anal about training pads. Still, that was the route I chose, so next Sunday I will be prepared!! Coffee ready to switch on, flask ready to be filled and extra cosy clothes laid out by the bed. Yep, puppies have no clue that one day a week I would like a long lie in:( So, I have to make the most of it and enjoy the early morning Sunday sights I have been missing for a few years. What are they? No clue, as I said I have not been seeing any for a few years. I'll pass on wonderful sightings should I see any:) Fortunately, Valentine's day landed on a Monday this year and the love these guys give way make up for the rude awakening they gave the morning before. Tuesday was another day of new adventures this one being the introduction of the collars and leashes. Surprisingly, it was Maxi who rejected this idea whereas Bruno did not seem to notice too much---at least for a while. Hope that doesn't sound as if he is somewhat less attentive, rather he was more interested in the new surroundings of the front driveway and our neighbors from across the street. I'm planning on keeping this exercise short and sweet until they associate the new contraptions with a trip somewhere exciting and new. Can't see that I would enjoy something round my neck that kept me from doing whatever I wanted to.They start their first round of puppy training in a couple of weeks---that should be enough time--------I hope.


I am sure most of you are perfectly aware of the wonders of vinegar but thought I'd pass this on any way. I have used it for many things myself but find it especially useful when cleaning crates and puppy messes in general. I especially like it as it is non toxic and safe to use around these little guys. I put some in a spray bottle and use liberally to clean anywhere there may have been a little mishap or just for refreshing the play pen area etc. A little caution, make sure the pups are not too close while doing this it makes them sneeze. Learned this to Bruno's expense--he was fine after a minute:)

Characters now showing.

So as you can see I finally got the memory card which magically reminded me to close the crate gate these past two nights! Success, two dry clean nights. The pups are doing well getting bigger and smarter by the day.  These little guys are polar opposites in the way they experience the world. Bruno I have to say is showing tendencies toward the stubborn. Liver treats come to the rescue when encouraging the stubborn puppy to follow requests. I have yet to encounter the puppy who won't respond to positive reinforcement (this also works well with husbands) complemented by liver treats(does not work so well with husbands). He is coming along nicely but has a very independent spirit which causes him to get into some tricky situations.Luckily he knows how to yelp loud enough to get the help he needs:) Maxi on the other hand is the obedient follower who just wants to please, he is very very sweet and learns very quickly. Of course he requires the liver treats 'just because". Now being the carer of such adorable little guys also has a downside:(
I have to admit to being somewhat nervous as we took the 'boys' for their first vaccines the other day. I was dreading the 'look', and yes, I did get it just as the doc jabbed their little necks. The 'look' that says without a doubt "how could you"? It passed quickly though and they coped well with no reaction A great relief. Both had a report of excellent health. What about the look after neutering?? That might well require huge amounts of liver. Be wary of this though, too much liver will undo all the hard work that went into the house training stuff!! Might as well give them a dose of laxatives. Look out for a video coming up soon.

Another day in the lives of Bruno and Max

Beginning of week 8. I was hoping to get a great photo shoot today as I got my new camera--the old one was behaving badly:) Wanted to share the utmost cutest moments possible. However, a word of advice, one should really check whether or not the package you have just bought actually contains a memory card--duh! Guess who didn't? This might not seem like such a big deal unless you consider the amount of times I change in and out of my "puppy friendly" smelly old sweats into acceptable going to the store apparel! Juggling changing clothes, catching toilet issues before a mess ends up on  the floor, and carting two now 10lb puppies out to their potty area makes that extra trip to the store tedious mistake. So too, forgetting to close the crate door last thing last night. Yes, you guessed,that wonderful potty training regime I thought I was managing well took a turn for the worse. My bad!!  One needs a good sense of humor when house training very young puppies---a little hard to find at the crack of dawn---but worth searching for. I wouldn't mind the poop, after all they are still very small at this stage, it is their habit of stepping backwards into it I'm not that keen on. Will attempt to get some good pics uploaded tomorrow.

Sad beginings toward happy endings.

Today is the seventh week in the lives of Warrior King Bruno aka Bruno and Warior King Maximillian aka Maxi. Maxi is on the right of the picture as you see it he has a black mask. Bruno is on left he also has a black mask but has white markings also. They were born Christmas eve 2010. Sadly their mother died giving birth leaving 14 orphan pups. They already have had an unusual start to their lives which I hope will be extraordinary ones full of joy and fulfillment. As a result of their start we were fortunate enough to get these little guys home at the tender age of four weeks. Very soon into the bottle feeding regime their characters emerged. They would not feed from anyone other than myself. They merely played at feeding with my husband or anyone else. Flattering to have that fabulous bond but also a little difficult as they wanted to feed at the same time--a tricky feat to balance both and ensure they did not over gulp as was their habit. Many a spit up followed until I got the right technique going--holding them tight into my stomach their backs to me, hands under their chins and thumbs on their little squishy snouts. Week seven now and all bottles long gone--sad but good. They have a voracious appetite wolfing down 3 fairly large bowls of food a day with a bowl of milk for a snack mid morning. This week serious house training began now that the snow has thankfully melted. A  huge success though I say it myself. It was an ardous few days but they quickly caught on and have been clean and dry for two days now. I used my tried and tested method I've used over the years which really does work. Their little paws never get to reach the floor until they have been carried outside from their crate to the designated area in the back yard. Once they have performed to the cue "be good" they were carried back inside to play for a short time until nap time in their bed. Every time they wake the same thing---before and after eating---hard work and effort for a few days but worth it for a lifetime of house trained dogs. Great little guys with big personalities stay with us and you'll see their lives unfold on their way to being all they can be.