# Raising Grace and Koda



## Aneeda72 (Mar 9, 2019)

Grace is our new puppy.  She is a golden retriever/Labrador mix.  We bought her from people who let their two dogs breed.  We chose the quieter puppy.  I noticed her dew claws had not been removed.  Hmm.  Ok, I can live with that, not happily but ok.

We go to the vet, first shots, wormer.  OMG! I have never seen so many worms come out of such a small puppy.  Round worms.  Take her back to the vet in two weeks, hook worms.  Worm her again.  Our quiet low energy puppy is, lol, not.  It's like living with the energizer bunny on a sugar high.

Can we put the worms back in?  Lol.

Despite a rocky start we have hit the puppy trifecta!  I have heard of very smart puppies.  I've had some smart puppies, but she is a very smart puppy.  In four week she sits, sits at the door to go potty, down's from a standing position, in, out, beginning of here, crates, and comes to the proper heal position.  

She generalizes these commands.  Potty training?  Well, she has never gone in her crate.  But it's going to be a challenge.  Should I poop here mom?  No!  Ops, too late.  She also sleeps as long as five hours now through the night which I love.

She needs to fetch.  She's a retriever.  Throw the ball, she looks at the ball, looks at me; can I have my treat now mom?  No.  Rinse, repeat.  Two weeks later, she will fetch 20 percent of the time-get the ball and bring it almost all the way back for a treat.  Sigh.  We will start formal training in a week or so. 

I also wormed Koda.  Koda, she has worms, leave her butt alone.  Yeah, like that was going to work.  Koda is a 16 month old male standard poodle, and he has suddenly developed selective hearing.  He has also reverted to getting in the trash cans, running around the house like a pony on the open plains, and refusing to crate.

Teenagers are such a handful.  We got Koda at 9 months.  We are his third family.  He was mistreated, unknown to us.  We paid a premium price for a trained dog who was only trained a little if you left the e collar on all the time, and used it at a high level.  Yup, nope.  

He was barely trained and not completely housebroken.  We had to send him to specialized training to learn to get along with other dogs.  He is getting over his extreme shyness and grace should help him move forward with that even more.  The other day he let a stranger pet him.  WOW good boy.

Any suggestions on the fetching problem are welcome.


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## tortiecat (Mar 9, 2019)

Love your story.  Typical of what we all went through raising puppies.
Our sheltie would herd the grand kids to the backdoor when they were
outside and  I called them in for  lunch.  \Happy memories.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 10, 2019)

Thanks tortiecat,
Been trying to get grace to fetch a ball.  After all she is a retriever, but near to no interest.  But like any puppy she loves my slippers.  For the hundredth time, I removed it from her mouth.  Then I threw it over by my chair.  She ran over picked it up, and brought it straight to me.  Huh?

So, grabbed the treats, threw the slipper, every time she brought the slipper back!  Lol.  Since I want to train her as a service dog, and she needs to retrieve, this is a great start.  I will buy a new pair of slippers and train her with this almost new pair.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 11, 2019)

Grace continues to amaze me.  She now goes into her dog run when I say in, so great that I don't have to get hold of her and force her anymore.  Potty training, remains a challenge.  She still fetches the slipper, lol.  And now that she has second shots, I am starting to take her for short walks.

I use a gentle leader and switch between my walker and my cane.  I like the cane better because I can use it to guide her to a limited extent.  But I can't walk very far using the cane alone.  She is all over the place on the walks. Curious puppy, lol.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 11, 2019)

Congrats on your new puppy!  Are you using squeaky balls for fetch?  My dog prefers the ones that squeak, I would never use slippers for the dog to play with, but that's just me.  I figure it sends the wrong signal and gives approval for them to pick up other items like hats or gloves and chew them.

I usually used a long leash to train my pups to fetch, throw the ball and let them go the full length of the leash to get it, then happily tell them to bring it here or give it to you.   Use the leash to guide them all the way to you if needed....only then do you praise and give a tiny treat.  Repeat a few times and then stop for that lesson.  A few hours later, go through it again until you no longer need to work the leash to get the ball back.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 11, 2019)

Grace is not interested in fetching balls .

Since she is interested in my slipper, the slipper it is.  She does not have the opportunity to chew it or anything else.  We are simply trying to "awaken" her to the ideal of fetching.  She must actually retrieve.  She will be sent, once her shots are finished, to a hunting dog trainer.  Eventually she will be taught via "force fetch."

Most service dogs who need to retrieve are taught via "force fetch".

I appreciate your input, about the long leash but first she must actually pick up the ball. Lol.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 13, 2019)

We have awakened grace's inner retriever. Lol.  She fetchs my slippers, his slippers, and a plastic holder.  She pretty much fetches anything but balls.  Lol.

BTW, potty training Grace will be a chore.  She just doesn't get it.  Like one of my great granddaughters.  Her mother announced last month that she was finally potty trained.  She is three years old.  Hmm, alrighty then.  Hope it doesn't take Grace that long.  Lol.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 16, 2019)

Grace caught me again with her tooth.  She is not careful with her mouth.  I am going to buy bite gloves so she can learn to give me things, and my hands can be spared the razor sharp tooth contacts.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 24, 2019)

Grace now fetches, brings back, and gives whatever to me, except a ball, lol.  She runs around with a toy in her mouth, so happy with her.  She should learn retrieve easily once she is with a professional trainer.  YAY.  Maybe I'll finally have a service dog to help me.

Still slow on the potty training, but she is young.  I can't work with her outside as it is still raining, raining, raining.  She barks too much.  She is growing by leaps and bounds.  She is going to be an excellent dog!


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## Ruth n Jersey (Mar 24, 2019)

Congratulations and I wish you many happy years with your new pup. We had two Labs and their puppy hood was a nightmare. After a  year they both were a joy to have. Both hated running after a ball and from the look on there faces you could tell they thought it was way beneath them to fetch.

They both were good at keeping my garden critter free. They especially loved to root out groundhogs which scared me half to death because of the threat of rabies even though they had their shots.  

One didn't have her dew claws removed and I wished I'd had it done. She ripped it several times and I think it was quit painful.

I miss them so much along with all the others who crossed the rainbow bridge.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 24, 2019)

It's so odd that some dogs, which are supposed to fetch, don't.  I started playing tug of war with her, have to be careful though she doesn't have an "off" switch yet.  It seems to awaken her prey drive.  Then slippers, now everything but balls.  She plays with them, by herself, but will not fetch them.  Doesn't matter.  She will be force fetched trained when she is old enough.

Ruth n Jersey,

Sorry about your dogs.  We never forget them.


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## Butterfly (Mar 25, 2019)

I've had labrador retrievers most of my life.  Most of them love to fetch, but a few don't.  I have no idea why the non-fetchers have no interest in it, but I figure it's up to them.  Maybe they figure if you throw the ball it means you don't want it, so they don't bring it back, or maybe they figure if you want the ball you should go get it yourself !


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## Ruthanne (Apr 4, 2019)

They all certainly all have their personalities..a great thing about them.  No real suggestions, just having patience with them and plenty of love--which is sounds like you already do.  Wonderful doggies


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## Mollypops (Apr 4, 2019)

It sounds like you have your hands full, but it also sounds like both of the pups are loads of fun. I love reading your stories and would love to hear more adventures of Grace and Koda.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 5, 2019)

Thanks Mollypops.

Grace is in puppy class at the local petsmart.  Like any incredibly smart lab puppy, Grace, when in a room with other puppies, sticks out like a sore thumb.  (Perhaps, I should say toe due to my recent misadventures.). This means, of course, she becomes a complete idiot.  The coversation bubble above her head reads TREATS.  I want treats.  Can I have your treat?

Grace becomes a mouthy, tail wagging, attention getting, selective hearing, misbehaving ball of stupid-in other words a typical lab puppy.  Next to her is an under socialized German Shepard puppy of the same age and weight.  This puppy growls, snaps, barks, and makes it clear that if Grace comes too close she will eat her face off.

While this puppy is barking at the mixed border collie across the room, Grace takes a quick swift sniff of his butt.  Yup, Grace is sure they will be best friends; and quickly forgives his attempt to eat her face.  Mistakingly thinking he just wanted to make kissy face.  He didn't.  She, however, lays on the floor, looks into his eyes, and promises to have his puppies.

On the other side of Grace are the pompski brothers.  These teenie tiny brothers, weighting two ounces soaking wet, are owned by two sisters.  The trainer tells the sisters to put their puppies on the floor.  They do.  These puppies are allowed to run straight over to 25 pound awkward, where do I put my paws, Grace.  YAY.  Face licking and butt smelling paradise.

Instant best friends, plus, OMG, the pompski brothers don't like their treats.  Grace, in mother mode (of course), is more than happy to continuously clean up after them.  In fact while pretending to lick faces she gently removes treats from their mouths.  Also Gobbling up treat after treat that they spit out on the floor.  Wonderful, sigh.

Everyone in the room agrees that the sisters made a mistake buying two brothers.  Everyone knows you never buy litter mates, everyone but these two sisters.  But, the boys are very cute and very small.  I'm sure if it becomes a problem the German Shepard puppy can have one for a snack.

Across the room is a middle aged woman with a Shitzue (probably spelled this wrong but Alexa is in another room, lol.). These dogs are aptly named.  This pup is adorable.  It's a brindle ball of fur, stick a pole on it and you can dust your house in no time.
His owner, is a middle aged woman who announces that she think he's getting potty trained.  No, he's not.

She didn't google his breed.  These dogs are nearly impossible to potty train.  She explains how the other day the kitchen door was open and he ran outside and peed.  YAY!  Nope.  These dogs like to eat their own poop.  I think he saw a poopcycle outside the door and ran out to get it.  In his excitement, he peeped.  But, I keep my opinion to myself.

Yes, it's rare that I keep my opinion to myself, but she will learn the awful facts of life concerning her puppy soon enough. The training class is one hour long.  The only puppy to pee in it is her dog.  Even the pompski brothers don't pee in class.  One week he peed three times.  He weights 3 pounds; he weights less once he leaves class.  He's a peeing machine.

In fact, I notice a pee spot in the corner.  I remark it's there.  Everyone says, no, it's water from the mop.  Hmm.  I am never wrong.  So I say, nope, it's pee.  I had to go really bad and I'm sure that's the corner I used.  .

Pee puppy's owner remarks he is getting trimmed since he pees on himself.  Koda, our standard poodle, pees on himself.  He pees like a girl, so when he squats his urine hits his from legs.  He has yellow front legs.  Sigh.  We sent him to puppy play time so he could see how other male dogs pee.  Seriously, we did.

Then we discovered he liked to pee like a boy on certain bushes and we bought two of those bushes, planted them in the back yard against the patio in hopes he would be on them.  He does sometimes.  Sometimes he pees on our brick wall.  He is making progress, but he still has yellow front legs.  He is, of course, a white dog who smells of pee.

The mixed border collie is the oldest puppy in the class.  He's five months old.  He is already well trained and quite aloof.  He is smart and holds the rest of the puppies in great distain.  He usually lies quietly, observing everyone, and projects an air of superiority.

The next puppy is black and white.  His owner announced that he is an AKC rare black and white border collie.  (I have a bridge I'd like to sell these people).  No way this dog is a purebreed border collie; I am spared having to break the news, lol.  The trainer speaks up and tells them no way is their dog a purebreed.  We have papers they say.Get genetic testing, the trainer says.

We all agree.  Black and white border collies are not rare and your dog is not a purebred pup.  We love her anyway, they say. Great.  (It's clear they don't believe us.  It doesn't really matter.)  The minature husky who joins us late is six months old.  He barks in a very high pitched voice which hurts my ears.

He was purchased so they could breed him.  His balls have not dropped, so that ship has sailed.  I wonder if his voice will drop, lol.  And that is our puppy class.  Fun times.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 15, 2019)

Due to my broken toe, training Grace has come to a stand still for a while.  Walking her is still very painful for me.  She is not careful and steps on my foot.

We now have a door installed between the family room and hallway.  We bought a baby gate to shut the family room off from the kitchen and today grace and I are in the family room.  She has the crazies to say the least.  She has her toys but prefers my shoes, slippers, the sack with the baby's Easter bonnet, crawling under the chairs and behind, and "tasting" everything with her tongue.  Just like any lab puppy. 

Now I can work on her inside behaviors.  Hopefully, in two weeks, we can send her to board and train.  But I love her despite her failings and she loves me despite mine.


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## Granny B. (Apr 15, 2019)

Aneeda72 said:


> ...We got Koda at 9 months.  We are his third family.  He was mistreated, unknown to us.  We paid a premium price for a trained dog who was only trained a little if you left the e collar on all the time, and used it at a high level.  Yup, nope...



E collar?  Is this what I think it is—a shock collar?  Yipes!


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 15, 2019)

E collar training is fine if you do it right.  Koda's owner didn't.  We went to get him fixed and there are no appointments till the end of September.  I have no ideal how I will keep grace from motherhood, so to speak, if she comes into heat before then.  Plus Koda never ever even humps anything and don't want to get him started.  

I can't get grace fixed because there are no appointments and I might want her to have puppies.  But not Koda puppy puppies as they both are big dogs.  I would like to breed her to a small minature poodle.  Sigh.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 18, 2019)

Grace goes to board and train for two to four weeks starting tomorrow.  I will miss her terrible as I have become quite fond of her.  She is going to work on basic obedience and be assessed for her ability to retrieve.  This, as you might know, is a higher function than fetch.  She is learning to fetch at home.

Grace will be in an outdoor kennel, hopefully they don't have fleas.  It won't be a problem otherwise, she loves being outside, although she will be our inside dog.  Potty training will have to be restarted when she comes home.  Sigh.  She was just starting to catch on to potty training.  I just love her face, so expressive and cute.  

We found a place that can get Koda fixed in June, thank heaven, so no accidental puppies.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 18, 2019)

Hope the training goes well and your toe feels better Aneeda.  I have used a shock collar a long time ago when we took our younger dog camping in the wild, only used it on the low setting and tested it on my own leg to see how it was.  She was a Standard Schnauzer and being able to responsibly use the collar was of benefit in certain situations where she started to wander off and maybe fall into a swift running river below, it got her attention and we were always able to call her to us after that.  Here she is with our older dog Hans, both RIP. 

 Now I don't use it at all, I do have a young dog, but I watch him like a hawk when we're out in the woods and many times keep him on a retractable leash in certain areas, so far all has gone well.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 19, 2019)

We took Grace for training.  I am a little uncomfortable with the kennel, but then again, I've never had a dog trained at a kennel before.  I always had a dog trained at a training facility.  The worst that can happen is I'm out the money and Grace doesn't get trained.  I paid for a month.  

It seemed clean, but very rustic-country.  The kennels were outside.  The trainer was about as old as us.  There was plenty of land which you would expect with a hunting dog trainer.  He seems to understand what I wanted, but it was much more informal than I am used to.  It's at his house so the dogs are not left alone overnight.

I asked when we would pick her up and he said it depended.  Due to weather like rain someday soon he wouldn't be able to train so those days would just be considered board rate days, not training days-so training could go longer than a month.  Hmm.  In any event, I told him I couldn't pay more than the agree amount which was 900 dollars for the month.

This used to be the typical amount for 3-4 weeks of board and train in our area.  But I notice training in town, is now 1500.00 for two weeks and they don't work on fetch/retrieve.  I really need fetch/retrieve.  Frustrated, plus I miss Grace who will be fine in an outside kennel as she loves being outside.

We just about had her none barking and his dogs bark.  She was getting better at potty training and we have to start over.  But these problems would be anywhere we take her.  He had decent reviews.  We just have to see.  He said he will let us know weekly how she is.  I need to learn not to worry.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 19, 2019)

I've only been to obedience training in the past with one of my dogs in classes where I was there with him and he was interacting with me directly, we both learned at those classes.  I showed him a couple of times in obedience shows after that, and he did well for a young dog.  I hope Grace comes home and has all the training and behaviors that you expected, good luck!


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 23, 2019)

Talked to Graces’ trainer.  He says she really likes to fetch my slipper.  Yes, yes she does, lol.  He has begun having her fetch other stuff.  He says she is easy to work with.  Of course she is a lab Golden mix, she lives to please.  Ugh, I miss her.  Had a discussion with her trainer at petsmart.  Got the AKC STAR filled out, the first step in earning her CGC.  

When she she gets home, I will work with her for two weeks then we go on vacation.  She and Koda will be boarded at petsmart. Grace will get private lessons while we are away.  When we get back, we will do the intermediate class.  Meanwhile another board and train around August or September for e-collar training and some beginning service dog needs.

Her life is planned out.


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## Aneeda72 (Apr 30, 2019)

The trainer reports that while grace loves fetching my slippers she not wild about anything else, lol.  This I knew.  Her obedience training is going well.  She will start e collar training this week.


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