Dave & Misty Update

[Cass]

Are you sure he isn't just blowing out his pup coat?

[jweese]

Are you sure he isn't just blowing out his pup coat?

You may be right, he looks right now like a wild and crazy teen - fur all over the place, in every direction. I asked the breeder about it anyways, and he said it was "normal", and to even expect some waviness in his coat when it gets wet, etc.

I guess a "black dog" isn't simply a "black dog" sometimes

[jweese]

Tired pups - Misty will still run all day long but as the weather gets warmer, Dave just doesn't want to move. Poor pup, wonder how he'll feel in the dead heat of summer.

In the day, Misty loves to lay outside, in the middle of the kid's sand box, in the hot hot sun. Dave prefers to be inside in the middle of the ceramic tiled kitchen floor.

[Sharon]

Very nice pics.

[jweese]

Dave's got that look on his face like "Dude, I'm tired - just leave me alone." and Misty is actually watching TV (no, really). I don't know what she sees - but quite frequently, it doesn't matter what's on really, she'll just sit there for a few minutes and watch TV

[jweese]

Can you take "hold" training too far? Dave now seems to have it in his head that I always want something - I suppose that's a good thing as well though. My wife and I were sitting outside on our patio just having a conversation when I noticed Dave sitting by my side with a rock in his mouth looking up at me! He just sat there quietly, staring.

This isn't the first time, he's brought me rocks, sticks, a Tim Hortons coffee cup someone left on our lawn (probably me lol). He will bring them, and just sit with them in his mouth in front of me.

On the other hand, we've been experiencing intermittent internet connection issues lately, for about two weeks. Finally, the internet in our house just stopped working. When I inspected the COAX cable feeding my modem I noticed it had been chewed through in multiple places, it was a complete mess. So, he likes to chew as well unfortunately.

[jweese]

The goofball, hard to get a picture of him sitting still.

[Sharon]

We've lost a remote control to the pup too.

My best memory is my GSP running up to me in the field with a Canada Goose egg in his mouth. Talk about "soft mouth" . He didn't damage it at all. I put it back in the only nest I was aware of. If it hatched , that was one lucky chick.

[jweese]

Another night for first's at the dog-park last night.

I typically try to avoid the place to begin with, Misty doesn't like it there and usually just stays to my side as I walk around and watch Dave jump up at all the other dogs trying to get into their business, etc. The reasons I avoid the place are another thread all together however.

There was one, quite curious border collie that kept bothering Misty. She doesn't like her hind-end being sniffed and she put the run on him a few times. The last straw came when she put the run on him but he didn't run off, instead he lunged at her and a fight ensued. This wasn't Misty's first scrap, and no - I don't condone it, but the "first" for the night was Dave running to the rescue.

I think it was more-so all the excitement of what was going on, but Dave jumped into the melee and before you knew it the scrap was over and the border collie was running the opposite direction. Dave pranced around like the little kid on the playground that had just bested the bully.

I spoke with the owner of the border collie afterwards and all dogs were fine - I'm a believer (correct me if I'm wrong) in letting the dogs work out their own issues, if they don't work them out they'll always have issues - as long as it doesn't get out of control, they need to set their own boundaries. He felt the same way, so we were good with it.

But Dave? Coming to rescue - now I've seen it all

[jweese]

Been a while since my last update, figured it was time for one:

Misty has received her UBT1 certificate and blew through the course quite nicely. Still a bit of work to do on obedience, but overall I'm happy with her progress. We're having a bit of an issue sourcing blood in large quantities (the suggestion of using supermarket blood, as given in the main dog forums doesn't sound appealing to me, nor is it feasible - I'd still have to drive quite a distance for it).

On the topic of blood: I've been in contact with a deer farm and may be able to source large quantities - they are checking with their butcher to see if he is able to save some for me.

Dave is doing great but still needs to take a chill, his energy level is through the roof - and with waterfowl season soon approaching I'm beginning to doubt he'll be ready for it. He is retrieving and searching for marks wonderfully (as Cass can attest) but he is still unsteady and won't sit still or stay on command. We're working on this daily. I can get him to stay as long as I'm facing him - up to 100 feet away, but as soon as I turn my back he's on my .

Might have to leash him in the blind (is this common?) to keep him still enough to hunt over him, at least until he learns otherwise. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thats about it for now.