Aug. 2, 2009
We've been at our cabin now for a few days, and as we expected Kaboose has settled down. We had one semi-sleepless night when he just couldn't get comfortable, but we've now figured it was because he was really hungry. Most likely that's because he's been getting lots of exercise up here--a couple of walks a day, one of which has been as long as 2 or 3 miles with just a few rest stops and short carries along the way. Here he is resting in the shade.
It's impossible not to compare Kaboose to Kruizer. There are lots of similarities, especially in looks and body movement, like the jerks he makes with his jaws as he yawns and his fascination with ants and balls and anything that moves. A huge similarity is that he is so good in public--we took him into Safeway and he was calm and sat whenever I stopped, all of this without any coaching on my part, and with no prior training. I think this is where his fantastic genes come through. Some differences between him and Kruizer are that Kaboose is more affectionate, but also more assertive. He'll bark at us if he's hungry and he pounces on toys and shakes them hard almost every time he plays with them. He may be a handful, but then again these two traits may balance out and he'll be interested enough in pleasing us that he will be very trainable. Pat's reaction to Kaboose has been different from his reaction to Kruizer, too. It's taking him longer to warm up to Kaboose, maybe because Kaboose is younger, maybe because he's still missing Kruizer. In any event, Pat's just now starting to play with Kaboose and let Kaboose lie on him. Here they are asleep in the back of the car.
Speaking of training, we're making good progress on house training (only a couple of accidents total at the cabin), crate training (he no longer whines inconsolably when we put him in and he even goes in voluntarily after toys or food), and on his "sit" and "come" commands. He can now sit without me making it happen by putting the treat back over his head, and he comes with enthusiasm every time we call him. Sometimes when he sits, he puts his front paws up in anticipation of the treat and Ed has named it his "kangaroo sit." With the crate training, we're trying really hard to make his times in the crate pleasant. We feed him in there. We put him in while we're around and he's already tired. Hopefully this will translate to his going in willingly and staying there happily even when he's not tired and we can't stay around. This is something we really want to work, for our sake and his.
Last night we had a good reminder that there are predators just waiting for tasty puppy meat around our cabin. After dinner a very bold fox came up to the fence we've put up for Kaboose in front of the cabin. This was within 10 ft or so of the door. Knowing foxes can jump chicken wire fences (fox-in-the-henhouse stereotype comes from somewhere!), we now know it's essential we always go out with Kaboose at night or in low light and that we can see him during the day, even if he's in the fenced area out front.
We've been at our cabin now for a few days, and as we expected Kaboose has settled down. We had one semi-sleepless night when he just couldn't get comfortable, but we've now figured it was because he was really hungry. Most likely that's because he's been getting lots of exercise up here--a couple of walks a day, one of which has been as long as 2 or 3 miles with just a few rest stops and short carries along the way. Here he is resting in the shade.
It's impossible not to compare Kaboose to Kruizer. There are lots of similarities, especially in looks and body movement, like the jerks he makes with his jaws as he yawns and his fascination with ants and balls and anything that moves. A huge similarity is that he is so good in public--we took him into Safeway and he was calm and sat whenever I stopped, all of this without any coaching on my part, and with no prior training. I think this is where his fantastic genes come through. Some differences between him and Kruizer are that Kaboose is more affectionate, but also more assertive. He'll bark at us if he's hungry and he pounces on toys and shakes them hard almost every time he plays with them. He may be a handful, but then again these two traits may balance out and he'll be interested enough in pleasing us that he will be very trainable. Pat's reaction to Kaboose has been different from his reaction to Kruizer, too. It's taking him longer to warm up to Kaboose, maybe because Kaboose is younger, maybe because he's still missing Kruizer. In any event, Pat's just now starting to play with Kaboose and let Kaboose lie on him. Here they are asleep in the back of the car.
Speaking of training, we're making good progress on house training (only a couple of accidents total at the cabin), crate training (he no longer whines inconsolably when we put him in and he even goes in voluntarily after toys or food), and on his "sit" and "come" commands. He can now sit without me making it happen by putting the treat back over his head, and he comes with enthusiasm every time we call him. Sometimes when he sits, he puts his front paws up in anticipation of the treat and Ed has named it his "kangaroo sit." With the crate training, we're trying really hard to make his times in the crate pleasant. We feed him in there. We put him in while we're around and he's already tired. Hopefully this will translate to his going in willingly and staying there happily even when he's not tired and we can't stay around. This is something we really want to work, for our sake and his.
Last night we had a good reminder that there are predators just waiting for tasty puppy meat around our cabin. After dinner a very bold fox came up to the fence we've put up for Kaboose in front of the cabin. This was within 10 ft or so of the door. Knowing foxes can jump chicken wire fences (fox-in-the-henhouse stereotype comes from somewhere!), we now know it's essential we always go out with Kaboose at night or in low light and that we can see him during the day, even if he's in the fenced area out front.
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