Raising a Puppy - Forty Third week in his new home

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Raising a Puppy - Forty Third week in his new home

A day and a life with Bruno the Boxer puppy. Bruno's forty third week - 49 weeks old, 84 pounds, 24 1/4 inches from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (the withers)

11 Months

Bruno and the Cats

Last week I had discovered, I was sending Bruno the wrong signals by shooing cats away, while I gave Bruno cheese for sitting pretty for me, so I could snap some pictures of him. I was conveying to Bruno, I am first, you are second, and the cats are third.

This week before I started the pictures I tossed the cats some cheese while Bruno watched. Than I told Bruno to sit, and snapped some pictures. By the time I was finished snapping, a couple of cats had walked over.

I usually would have given Bruno the come command, Shooed the cats away, giving Bruno his reward for sitting pretty. However this week after I was finished snapping pictures, I fed the cats who had walked over some cheese first, than called Bruno over to get his reward.

To my surprise, Bruno didn't get up from his sitting position. He did not want to walk past them. I waited a bit for the cats to finish, stepped between the cats and Bruno, than called Bruno for his reward. That was a good sign, Bruno was giving the cats their space. In the dog world, space is respect.

I needed more pictures of Bruno. None I had taken so far looked to be "the one". I tossed the cats more cheese and while they were eating I ran across the yard calling Bruno. Come on Bruno, we only have about 60 seconds to get some pictures before those darn cats start coming! And so it goes...

Bruno Goes on a Road Trip

This was Bruno's first trip riding in the back of the pick-up truck. Allie knew what was going on, however Bruno didn't. "Bruno, Back", Bruno gets sent back to the dog bed, which was placed in the truck for him.

A couple of hours before we left, Bruno was taken for a long quad run to help him stay calm during the drive.

After a 4 hour drive, we reach our destination for the night. A pet friendly Comfort Inn, with a Perkins inside of it! How convenient!

After the long drive, with a couple of pee breaks at a rest stop, Bruno has settled in, and rather likes the back of the truck. Time to check in.

Since it was a new place, it was important to properly introduce the dogs to the room. The family goes to the room first and starts to settle in, while I take the dogs for a walk. The walk is an important part of the process of helping the dogs adjust to their new surroundings. After the walk I bring the dogs to the room. When entering the building I make sure I am in front of the dogs. We get to the room. When I open the door, Bruno starts to get a little excited. The rest of his pack is in there. I immediately calm him down. "Back!" Bruno and Allie are not allowed to walk through the door way. Not yet. What I am doing is, claiming the room as mine. It's the human's room and when they are calm, they will be invited to enter. When I allow the dogs to come inside the room, I make them wait for a minute in the entry way. They are not to immediately run around sniffing MY room. After a little bit, I give them permission to smell the room.

This entire process is instinctual behavior for a dog. Dogs living in packs migrate to new locations. The walk before they enter the room is fulfilling their migration instinct. When a pack arrives at a new place, the pack leader checks it out and decides when the rest of the pack is allowed in. Hence, the family entering the room first.

When the dogs arrived, if they were allowed to immediately sniff anywhere they pleased; they would be harder to control inside the room, as they would have, by instinct, claimed the room as THEIR OWN. Bruno may even have lifted his leg to mark HIS territory. However, I told the dogs it was MY territory and they must respect MY space.

We made sure to bring their beds into the room so we would have a place to send them. A place for them to go, which they knew was their own.

Bruno sees himself in the mirror for the first time! He does a double take!

He's very happy to be in this room with is pack.

It's time for bed, and Bruno decides he wants to play with Allie. I get up and tell him, "No" Pointing and touching him in the neck. Not now, he must be quiet. I direct him to his bed giving him a place to go.

The walk, and the way the room was introduced to Bruno makes it easy for me to calm him down.

Bruno lays down, realizing it's not time for play. His pack leader says so.

This was Bruno and Allie's first trip to a pet friendly hotel. What a great experience it was. The Comfort Inn really made having your pet with you a pleasant. I had been half expecting the room to smell like dog, however it did not.

The next day: When taking the dogs out to go to the bathroom, we wait until they are calm before snapping the leashes on.

And the humans leave the room first, followed by the dogs.

The key to making sure they were well behaved dogs in this pet friendly hotel, was to make sure they knew who was boss. The humans were boss, in charge and making the calls, and I must say, the dogs were quite happy about it.

Every single doorway, whether we are going in or out, the dogs follow after the humans have passed.

Amie walking the dogs to do their business. Video Clip of Amie walking the dogs.

When we are walking, the dogs are beside or behind us. However, right now, it's time to do their business. Amie allows the dogs to go to the bathroom. During this time the dogs can walk where they please, so long as they do not pull on the leads.

Bruno peeing on a tree.

Video clip of Amie playing with Bruno. Notice how in-tune Bruno is with her. He has no desire to run off. If she turns, he turns. Bruno is very happy to be last in the pack order. Amie starts the play, and Amie ends the play, which is another very important point to remaining your dogs pack leader.

Going back into the hotel, Amie makes sure she is first, the dogs once again follow after her. Video clip of Amie walking through doorways.

And back into the room. No need to go for a long walk right now, because our afternoon destination is a long hike in the woods!

Stopping along the way, we walk the dogs a bit through town. I tell Bruno to pee on the fire hydrant, because that is what dogs are supposed to do, right? ;-)

Stopping at a Uni-Mart on our way to our hiking destination. The dogs do not even try and leave the truck, because Amie told them to, "Stay".

Cleaning up after the dogs...

Amie teaches Bruno how to use the Action Packer container to jump into the truck.

Good Boy Bruno!

Bruno, are you ready to go for a hike?

We are here! What fun Bruno is having. There are logs laying across one of the trails. Bruno decides to jump it.

Bruno, you could have went UNDER that one, you crazy pup!

Walking down a hill, Bruno spots water.

Getting a nice cool drink.

Allie has had enough, and there are over 600 acres to check out. The humans and Allie pile into a 4x4 Polaris Ranger, while Bruno follows after us.

This pups got energy to burn...

And he knows the drill from his Gator runs...

Super Bruno!

Raising a Puppy Main

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