comet the barbarian.

the pup bit snuffy hubby last night as he tried to take his bowl away post-dinner.

it was a shock to us all because he's never growled so fiercely or nipped at us that way before. that had eric miffed the whole night. this would mark the first time he's ever been bitten by a dog.

watching comet move and act the past couple of days have been really enlightening.

he's pretty much toilet-trained, though he would do the occasional "pee-in-front-of-you" if you scold him too much. i've found that the best way to get past that is to distract him immediately after the scolding.

he's good at sitting, though he still tests our patience sometimes. but he knows that if he doesn't sit and wait, he will not get his meal, or water. yes, we're teaching him delayed gratification.

i've heard from trainers how you shouldn't teach a dog tricks until he's obedience-trained. so i'm now on to only my second treat-training "down". he's been doing quite well on that front though i think i oughta persevere a bit.

i've found that training comet is pretty much like how parents would teach kids. you need to teach them their boundaries because they will try ANYTHING until you tell them it's wrong.

whether it's kids or dogs, hitting them for punishment is not the way to go. they will associate the punishment with the act, but may not understand the reasoning behind it. instead, experts recommend positive reinforcement - praising and treats for good behavior.

the reason kids and dogs seem hyperactive is that they simply are. when they're young and their learning level of readiness isn't there yet, there really isn't much for them to do but act out and want to play. they'll be fine once you tire them out.

and one reason the pup pounces on people is that he wants eye contact. i've found that if i put myself on the same level as comet, he pounces on me less often. of course, there are experts who say that if the dog recognizes you as the alpha, he will know that the pouncing is unacceptable and will not do it to you. when you're the alpha, every command is non-negotiable. he will just have to do it.

i want everyone to know that choke chain usage is not intended to hurt the dog or scare it into submission. it really is like any other collar, though more effective in communicating to your dog. if you notice how people who know how to use choke chains do it, a quick tug is all the dog needs to know he shouldn't be doing some, or that he should slow down. the tug is accompanied by a command, so hopefully, the dog will learn to associate it with the tug, and react before the alpha pulls at the chain.

the puppy is hyperactive, but also gets tired very easily. comet lazes around when there's no one to play with him.

here's him in a rare act of tenderness. =P


all in, i think having a pup is good training for people who may want to have kids in the future.

and looking at the way eric wakes up at ungodly hours to let comet out for a wee, i'd say he'd make a good father.

as for me, the little tyke's really testing my patience. but the stress all fades away when i see him curling up on the floor next to me.