When I woke up this morning, Oliver was sleeping beside me with his head tucked under my chin. He’s around 80 pounds now, I think. I can’t lift him any more so I haven’t had him on the scales at home. How does a dog that big sneak into bed without waking a person? It was so sweet! He’s such a doll.
Ollie was over 6 months old when he came to live with us. He’d already been rescued once and needed a forever home. He is working hard to catch up with life’s lessons, learning all the things he should have learned from his mother and siblings.
Puppies should be socialized, learn appropriate body language, how to calm themselves, and bite inhibition before they are four months old. I started teaching Oliver all of this after 6 months. He’s done really well. We continue working on the fact that not everything is his. “Ollie, it’s not yours unless I give it to you and when I want it back, give it to me. Good Boy!”
It’s so important that anybody, even a child, can grab a dog’s chews, food, ears, and even fall on the dog, without the dog turning and biting. Oliver already has great bite inhibition. See me proofing Frankie and Oliver for Bite Inhibition. (I had the flu when we recorded that so don’t look at me. It’s a good puppy video.)
Here’s a video of the first time I grabbed something from Oliver, it was a chew, so a wonderful test of who he is and who he will become…a good dog. I’ve been working with him since he came to us to insure that if someone in a high pitched, excited voice, grabs food or anything from him, he will give it up easily and will not bite. Watch his body language, it’s very telling for a rescue puppy who had such a hard start in life. Keep in mind, that Oliver gave up the stick quickly and did not bite.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EstSvRgIvJ4&w=480&h=295&rel=0]
Hugs to your Dogs!
Darcie
