The fun in raising a puppy...

Gypsy Wolf · 29-09-2010, 01:49

Oh, Vicky, wanted to let you know about Pongo and SchH... Pongo is now "officially" co-owned by my girlfriend Siobhan and I... we trade him weekly - sort of a shared custody thing - to give him the biggest variety of experiences...
Yes, I take Pongo to SchH along with the rest of my crew. My club is awesome - they are very positive (NO pressing/pushing of the dog) and though Pongo will grip the toy if it literally tossed onto his head, he is stressed dealing with people that are not his pack, and his prey drive is not strong enough to overcome that. So right now, the extent of his SchH experiences are now socializing him. He has strong food drive, so we do fun things like stuff hotdog bits into the tug toy, have EVERYONE give him hotdog bits - bringing him in very close, etc. So far, he is good with that.
I don't know how he will develop - in Europe, the old-school SchH people don't even look at their pups until they are 12 months old - so we will see how he grows up.

29-09-2010, 02:28

Thanks for the update! That must be a fantastic environment for socializing, has to be a ton of people around.

It's good that he has that opportunity, to experience so many "scary" things in a positive way.

Gypsy Wolf · 29-09-2010, 03:13

Thankfully, he likes food... a saving grace! And though he may be unsure about people he is NOT in the least bit "fear-aggressive." He is also INCREDIBLY handsome - just stunning - even as a youngster, so people really do want to socialize him. He is so pretty, people just want to look at him. I think his beauty is a blessing in that regard. People are so much more willing to help out an attractive dog - hoping that it will bring him out of his shell...

Gypsy Wolf · 01-10-2010, 03:51

OK - raising a puppy is not always so much fun. I have a socialization class Thursday nights and of course, Luna and Pongo are GREAT in the class... well, the property owner had to have the septic tank pumped, and the workers left a bunch of STUFF that had been in the tank backing it up out on the grass - supposedly to show the landlord... well, wouldn't you know - Pongo just HAD to ROLL IN IT. He proudly came running around the side of the house - completely gooey black and smelling like the septic tank. After spotting me, he turned around and went back to roll some more - I had to literally pull him up out of the CRAP.
So another bath for Pongo (and me)... Aye.

01-10-2010, 03:51	#4
Gypsy Wolf Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Florida & Minnesota U.S. Posts: 252	Rolling in a CESSPOOL OK - raising a puppy is not always so much fun. I have a socialization class Thursday nights and of course, Luna and Pongo are GREAT in the class... well, the property owner had to have the septic tank pumped, and the workers left a bunch of STUFF that had been in the tank backing it up out on the grass - supposedly to show the landlord... well, wouldn't you know - Pongo just HAD to ROLL IN IT. He proudly came running around the side of the house - completely gooey black and smelling like the septic tank. After spotting me, he turned around and went back to roll some more - I had to literally pull him up out of the CRAP. So another bath for Pongo (and me)... Aye.

29-09-2010, 01:49	#1
Gypsy Wolf Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Florida & Minnesota U.S. Posts: 252	Oh, Vicky, wanted to let you know about Pongo and SchH... Pongo is now "officially" co-owned by my girlfriend Siobhan and I... we trade him weekly - sort of a shared custody thing - to give him the biggest variety of experiences... Yes, I take Pongo to SchH along with the rest of my crew. My club is awesome - they are very positive (NO pressing/pushing of the dog) and though Pongo will grip the toy if it literally tossed onto his head, he is stressed dealing with people that are not his pack, and his prey drive is not strong enough to overcome that. So right now, the extent of his SchH experiences are now socializing him. He has strong food drive, so we do fun things like stuff hotdog bits into the tug toy, have EVERYONE give him hotdog bits - bringing him in very close, etc. So far, he is good with that. I don't know how he will develop - in Europe, the old-school SchH people don't even look at their pups until they are 12 months old - so we will see how he grows up.

29-09-2010, 02:28	#2
Vicky Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks for the update! That must be a fantastic environment for socializing, has to be a ton of people around. It's good that he has that opportunity, to experience so many "scary" things in a positive way.

29-09-2010, 03:13	#3
Gypsy Wolf Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Florida & Minnesota U.S. Posts: 252	Thankfully, he likes food... a saving grace! And though he may be unsure about people he is NOT in the least bit "fear-aggressive." He is also INCREDIBLY handsome - just stunning - even as a youngster, so people really do want to socialize him. He is so pretty, people just want to look at him. I think his beauty is a blessing in that regard. People are so much more willing to help out an attractive dog - hoping that it will bring him out of his shell...