Day 4

Hops seems to have more energy every day. We played two long games of tug this morning. First tug-sit-tug (still just waiting for a sit) then live toy/dead toy. Boy he loves to tug! We then did a little heeling around the house on right and left side and did pushes and pulls. We then worked on puppy pushups. At the end of the session I put a harness on him for the first time. He ran around trying to get it off but settled quickly and worked on some new food toys. He has now had 4 different types, a kong, a twist'n'treat, a tire and a small hollow ball. He was able to get food out of all of them. A little later I saw him do puppy zoomies for the first time. Zoomies are so cute!

Hops had his first play date today. My friend Renee and her puppy Taffy came over. Hops was unsure at first (Taffy is bigger and was very excited : ) but he quickly became comfortable and played and played and played! The chased, they tugged, they wrestled, how fun!

We ordered a small tunnel and a different type of balance disk for Hops and they came today. As soon as I put the disk on the ground Hops pounced on it! No fear! We had a short session of putting his paws on the disk for kibble then had him running through the tunnel to play tug with me on the other end. Fun!








Rice played with Hops without a toy for the first time today! It is pretty cool to watch a 60 lb dog gently mouth wrestle with an 8 lb puppy! Good boy Rice! Dillon on the other hand would like nothing to do with Hops so we have been making an effort to reward him whenever Hops comes near him and really reward him (and remove Hops!) when he jumps on him. This has been helping and Dillon is getting better.

Hops had his first "It's Your Choice" lesson today. I started by holding a treat in my closed hand, waited for him to pull away then marked the behavior with a "yes" and reward by handing him the treat. I did that a few times then raised criteria by waiting for a sit. He quickly started to offer sits and I alternated rewarding in the sit and by saying "release" then tossing a cookie on the ground to reset him. After a few reps I raised criteria again by opening my hand when he sat. If he got up I closed my hand, when he sat again I opened it. When he stayed in the sit with my hand open I rewarded. In just a few reps he could stay in the sit while I moved the treat a few inches away from him. He is so smart! I then practiced some heeling with all 4 basic (agility) turns (push/pull/front cross/rear cross). He did great and also did some nice heeling for Jeremiah. After lessons come naps!

Later Hops showed off his balance and tunnel skills to Jeremiah and we played some live toy/dead toy with udders. He is really good at the game now, letting go of the first toy as soon as the second toy comes alive. He will also offer a sit quickly if he lets go and I do not give the toy right back. He is now chewing on and talking to the udder : )

Day 3

Hops was given his breakfast for climbing on the stool and balance disk. I started with him climbing on the disk to get to the stool then just the stool itself and he can still get all four feet up on it! Next we tried the name game with canned food as a distraction, no problems there. Then I offered the nose loop to him and he put his nose through every time, never tried to go around it, smarty! I also put a cape on him a few times and fed him for it. He was not sure at first then had no problem. We also did some sits, downs and stays, same way as yesterday. He is definitely offering sits more!

Hops did very well riding in the crate to the vet, only a little whining. He loved being passed between the receptionists at the vet and did great with all the handling from the vet himself. Then he got to meet Desiree and Pace, I think they will end up being good friends! Pace just loved him :) He was not happy at all when I put him in his crate so I could set up for nose work class, when he finally quieted, I let him out. He was handed around again, this time to my agility class. I held him for awhile then he slept for over an hour for the rest of class. Dog's barking, teeter banging, did not bother him one bit!


We played tug when we came home, starting the "live toy/dead toy" game. Once he was playing well with one toy I held that one still then made another come "alive" by wiggling it around until he dropped the first toy and played with the new live toy. He took a little while to drop the first toy but got better as we played more. Then I took Hops outside by himself and walked around the yard. I fed him every time he looked up at me and pretty soon he was heeling next to me on the right and left side. I also ran away from him a bunch of times, calling him and feeding/playing when he reached me. Next I brought the boys out so they were walking around too. Hops did not look at me much at first but then got the game and started heeling with me even though the boys were there too. Smart puppy! Next Hops did sits in between my legs while I did recalls with Rice then Dillon with the manners minder. At first I held Hops and fed him when Rice ran towards and away from us, soon he was able to keep the sit himself and started offering to look at me. We came inside for some more tug and now he is out!

Hops did amazing at work with me in the evening. He was passed along to probably 30 different people and loved everyone new he met. He is such a sweet puppy. After being held in the beginning of each class he then fell asleep in his crate, once again sleeping through barking dogs, doors closing, and the teeter banging.

Hops was super happy to see Jeremiah when we got home. Jeremiah played some fetch with him then I gave him two food toys while we ate dinner. Hops had a blast with them! They kept him busy and me entertained for quite awhile :) He was still hungry after his toys so we did some sits and releases for some canned food. I am still just waiting for the sit, then tonight I said release and fed him in a stand.

Hops's discoveries: Door stops are fun! Leaves are pretty cool too! Food toys are fun to growl at and play with!

On going lessons: The black dog's tail is NOT a tug toy! Pottying outside is good (no accidents today), it is okay that something is trailing behind you (leash).

Day 2

Hops slept the whole night! Wow! What an amazing puppy! We played the name game for his breakfast then he spent the day playing with Jeremiah while Rice and Dillon and I went to a trial. Jeremiah reports that he pottied outside all day and played lots of tug and fetch!

Hops was sure happy to see me when I got home! Sweet boy! We played some tug, and now when he drops the toy, I wait for a sit before playing again. He offered sits pretty quickly. Next Jeremiah and I called Hops back and forth a couple of times in the yard, then Hops had a lesson about waiting your turn : ) He had to stay in my arms while the boys were called back and forth. He was pretty good, still responding to his name even though he was distracted by them. When I placed him on the ground it took him a couple of seconds to hold still before I could reward him, when he held still again I let him go.

Next training session we worked on sits, sit stays and releases. I am just waiting at this point and when he sits I feed him. After a few rewards for sitting he started to offer it as soon as he got he got his release cookie! Smart puppy! For the stay piece I just rewarded him several times before he got up and then released him. I also added in a distraction to the name game. One hand held kibble away from me, when he responded to his name and turned away from the distraction he was fed with the other hand. He got the new twist in the game quickly! Then family arrived and he got to play and socialize with my parents and brother. Fun!

Today's last session covered a variety of things. I started with shaping/luring him to put his nose through a head collar loop. I held the food on the other side of the loop but did not reach through and lure him. He tried walking around both sides and when he decided to try going through the loop I rewarded. He got to the point where he was offering to put his nose through the loop as soon as I presented it. Then I worked on classically conditioning some things, pick up paw, give food, touch ear, give food, touch collar, give food, drape something over him, give food. He did very well with everything tonight and is now sleeping soundly!

Hops's discoveries today: Air coming out of vents is fun! Udder tugs and tire tugs are fun! There is a dog statue in the living room! Reflections are interesting! The white dog will tug with me! The black dog does not like his tail being bit!



Ongoing lessons: All 4 feet must be dried off when you get inside, no amount of squirming will get you out of it! Only some things are chew toys. Still working on pottying outside (did great today, went every time we took him out), not biting down on humans, and not humping the black dog : )

Hops's 1st day home

Hops has had 3 lessons/play sessions so far today. Lesson one was when we arrived home. First he got to explore the living room and was introduced to Rice and Dillon. He was a little unsure at first but quickly became comfortable with the big boys. Rice already *loves* him : ) Hops got some canned food when we put collars and his super hero cape on him. He fussed with the first collar but did not mind the cape at all! He also was fed for putting his paws on a balance disk and on a stool, for coming when called and for posing for the camera with the boys : )


 Nap time, then lesson 2 came when my best friend Renee came over. Jeremiah, Renee and I sat in a circle and called Hops between the 3 of us, rewarding him each time he came.

Nap time again then lesson 3. Come when called between Jeremiah and me, walk on a mini teeter, put paws on balance disk and stool. He got all 4 feet on the board, stool and disk, what a smart puppy! After that he went outside with everyone for the fist time. He was a little leery of the wet grass but was soon sliding around on it, having a blast! He also peed outside for the first time, good puppy! We came back in and toweled him off (no problem with that) and he did some more exploring and playing and is fast asleep once more. Good puppy!

After the nap Hops peed outside again then we played a little tug and fetch. Then he did more posing for the camera with Rice and Dillon (down stays) and did his fist puppy pushups! Down, sit, stand, all easy for Hops! Then he was out again!

Last training session: Hops got part of his dinner while on his back with Jeremiah fiddling with his toes, followed by more tug, then the name game, sits and climbing on the stool (he got all 4 feet up all by himself!). He is one fun, smart puppy! 

Ongoing lessons: Biting down on humans causes them to yelp (he does not like that), going potty outside or in litter is very good (no accidents today!) and do not climb on the black dog : )

Hops Arrives!

Checkout Hops

Hops in his super hero cape.