Goofy pup blows bubbles.... - Page 1

I wish I had a picture of this to share; my little bi-color bitch pup has been surprising us since the moment she was born, from surviving in the first place, ( she was born 24 hours after the rest of the litter. ), to flying- she can jump a 4 foot wall from a stand still- not climb- not scramble over- but jump-clearing it like a show jumping horse, ( and we try to keep her from doing that.....she is the most driven dog I have ever met! ) Now she has learned how to blow bubbles....when I last filled the kiddie pool for the pups, she tried to snap at the figures on the plastic bottom, submerging her muzzle, & she noticed the bubbles that occured when she exhaled---now that's all she wants to do, run around & around the pool, sticking her nose in the water & blowing bubbles----I laughed until I cried---! It's like she's checking to see, "Will it work over here? How about over here? Wait- what about here?" I don't know what to do with this little girl, she's so smart, & so pretty, but so cow-hocked I am planning on having her spayed. It sure doesn't impede her movement however, in fact it seems she has greater propulsion. Any thoughts on what direction to take a gorgeous, smart, driven little cow-hocked bitch? She's my husband's best bud...but she needs to do something!!! She'd be perfect for schutzhund or agility, but I'm afraid she'll injure herself, not sure if I should let her try. She is absolutely a ball of fire, there's no doing anything halfway for her....I've had the vet exam her rear end, we even had her x-rayed, & her hips & knees are fine, according to the films, but she has already sprained her left rear leg once, just being rammy, & the vet said take it easy with her----right! We walk her on leash only, let her play alone with us in the yard or on the porch, or in the little pool, but she wants more. What to do??? She's young yet,  any suggestions? jackie harris

Sometimes cowhocks clear up a lot as a pup gets older.  I'm not sure I'd spay such a rising star just yet, if her pedigree is very good.  Do you have other very experienced show people to talk to about her hocks?

Veronica

I didn't pay attention to the author of the post.  YOU actually have experience in the showring, right?  Just ignore my comment, it just seems a shame to lose a mentally brilliant dog out of the line.  She sounds very special.  Veronica

I have had her to a fairly well reputed GSD kennel, whose owner said basically the same thing, except they agreed that her cowhocks are pretty extreme. They also said she is otherwise "absolutely gorgeous". Her pedigree is pretty good...not great, because none of her parents/grandparents are titled; but they are very nice dogs, certainly capable of being titled. She is Czech/DDR x West German lines, Ani vom Kalibeck, here on the database. I'm not rushing to spay her, but I'm also not getting my hopes up that she's breeding material....if I can just keep her sound, healthy, & happy, that'll be just fine....I need ideas on keeping such a rammy little smart-aleck from being bored while not risking further injury to her.....I rack my brain every day, 'cause each new idea gets old for her as soon as she figures it out.  Does that mean she's smarter than I am????/ jackie harris

How about dock diving? If she doesn't care about her face being submerged, jumps like a mad woman and has that spunk, she just might enjoy splashing into the water with her full body, not just her face in the kiddie pool. Not much chance of getting hurt either. Swimming does a body good and the big ending splash might keep her entertained for awhile.

Dock diving sounds like fun- probably right up her alley...but where to find a suitable dock....?  And I have never actually shown any of my dogs, I'd like to, but so far we've been to schutzhund training, ob training, but not even to a trial, yet! Thanks for the ideas.......I really do think swimming would be excellent for her, training w/o impact. jh