Update: Annie Oakley, 15 weeks - Page 1

Hello All,

I finally got some time this morning to post a new thread, with new pictures of Oakley.  I thought about just updating the previous thread, but I decided, as there are quite a few people who love to see the updates, but have dialup, which makes those long, picture-rich threads a nightmare to load, that I would just start a new one.

Oakley is now 15 weeks old.  She's getting so big now, and every day, she's different, in appearance, in size, in so many ways, and yet, she's still the same wonderful, friendly, outgoing, boisterous puppy I fell in love with from a picture and a story.

Here are some recent snaps...Oakley likes to take a nap on the rug by the back door after her meals, and I whistled to wake her so she would look up when I took the pic...



The pic below is a major milestone...This was a Stay exercise.  She wanted to get up and follow me when I moved away, but she stayed right there until I gave her the release command, which is "okay".  The one below that is of me with Oakley...I didn't have makeup on, sadly, so kindly overlook that.  It's hard to get pics of me with Oakley, since I'm the one who does all the picture taking, so she ended up being washed into the background because of my bright, shiny face....





Here's Oakie....Don't know if you call this a smile, but she's happy as a lark.  By the way, it's not as dark as it looks, although it was dusk.  Too hot to do much during the day.



And here was another Down/Stay, this time with both dogs...Misty wasn't really in the mood...She wanted to keep roughhousing, and I put them both in the down, so she gave me a dirty glare...Never seen a dog like Misty..



The two of them get along famously, but to Oakley, I'm the most important thing.  She'd rather be with me than with Misty, and she'd rather go wherever I am than stay with the kids or my husband.  She's bonded to me, powerfully.  She's just an incredible young dog, for not even being four months old yet.

Crys

She is beautiful, a lot like my Benny who will be 16 weeks tomorrow and doing well on the Sit Stay. Now if  i can just get him to stop grabbing my pant legs and nippiny my ankles when he is in super play mode

I have just kept correcting that, shepherdpal...I tell her No Bite, and she stops, usually.  She still nips at the kids a little, but that's coming along.

Our other dog Misty, the merle, tore holes in our kids' pantlegs and some of their shirts, and did far more skin damage with the puppy nipping than Oakley, but being blind, she's not so determined to chase and bite...Sighted dogs are far worse in that regard:-)

Your pup is quite cute, from what I can see in the avatar pic...He's got the teepee ears going on, too!

Crys

I just keep correcting too and he is getting better. He has the teepee ears, sometimes one up and one down! Every day something new . Here are pics taken a few days ago at 15 weeks, Resting after a long plat and on a " Stay".

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Crys,
After just reading the "The Unwanted" thread and feeling deeply saddened,  you made my day as always! Oakley is just beautiful and it sounds like she is coming along so nicely. To think that she was possibly on the way to being euthanized just breaks my heart. If people would just slow down on the breeding, breed only top quality dogs and sell to only top quality "buyers", then more dogs like Oakley would have a chance to be adopted by wonderful people like you. PLease keep us updated.
The best,
Char

Thanks for the kind words, StarrChar...

I'm not sure what a top quality buyer is, though.  When I think about it in terms of Oakley's parentage, from what Steph has told me, and the board here, her dad was AKC registered, but the dam wasn't even registered.  I'd guess that the owners probably decided to breed her for a litter to make some extra money, though I have no clue what they charged for the puppies.

I hope no one takes offense at the stance I took with my post on "The Unwanted", because I do not wish to see any healthy dogs ever get euthanized due to no good homes for them.  I can't even imagine Oakley having been PTS because no one wanted her.  I love her very much.  She's an incredible dog, willing to try just about anything I ask of her, and that means everything to me, that she puts her trust so fully into me that she'll do whatever I ask, just because I asked her to. 

I'm sure there are a ton of great dogs out there, blind dogs that need homes.  On an Australian Shepherd (should be called American Shepherd, since the Aussie actually originated here, not there) I found a nine week old blind purebred Aussie female that was looking for a home, abandoned in a shelter at nine weeks old because she was blind.  It brought tears to my eyes...Oakley could just as easily have been there, too, or dead, if not for a concerned neighbor, and Steph, at Montana GSD rescue.

But Oakley will not have to worry about her future.  I made a lifetime committment when Steph let me adopt her:  For better or worse, we're in this together, for the rest of Oakley's life, which will hopefully be at least 14 years.  I am not the sort to make a commitment lightly...my husband and I had a very rocky beginning to our marriage because of financial issues and a failed business, issues that would have driven most couple apart, but though we were given six months by most before we divorced, we are about to celebrate, in a few days, our sixth anniversary, and we are a very happy family, us, two kids, and two young dogs.  Whatever the future holds, we will always have each other.

Crys

Crys,
Thanks for sharing!  I have had my Oakley fix so I am feeling much better.  When doing the stay exercise, be sure to return to Oakley's right side (in the heel position) before releasing her as part of your training.  That should help keep her from "breaking" her stay.  It will keep her on her toes as to which exercise you are doing and what is to be expected and will help to avoid her anticipating what you want next.  Those radar ears will follow you wherever you go so I would mix it up a little as to where you go when leaving her in the down position, as in straight out, veering left or right. 

Shepherdpal,

Benny is looking fine as well.  Love the shot of him all stretched out in his crate.  Looks very handsome and appears to be coming right along!  I will say the same thing about returning to your dog during the down-stay exercise.  Going back to your dog instead of calling him will help alot in helping him to understand what you want from him.

Both puppies are very lucky to have their people as it is quite apparent you both love your GSD to death.  And of course that feeling is returned as only a GSD can love it's human. :-)


Regards,
Deb

p.s.  Echo just turned 10 mo old.  Here's a little something to look forward to.

Oh, Deb,

I just love that shot!!  Just too cute. 

As for the stay, thanks for the tips.  I use Okay when releasing from the stay, especially at feeding time, when I put her in a sit, and have her hold the stay until I decide it's time to eat.  At first, I only make them stay for a few seconds, and gradually work up from there, although I mix it up and sometimes give the release immediately.  Now that Oakley's big enough that the choke chain I have won't fall off her, I will start with some basic on leash obedience, heel, sit, down, you know, the basics.  It would be cool if I could do some kind of obedience title with her, but I'm not sure about that, if it includes retrieving a dumbbell...It could be hard for her to retrieve something if that something doesn't make noise....I need to read up on that a bit.  I've never done any kind of competition obedience, or competition anything, for that matter, just trained my own dogs so life was easier on the both of us:-)  Never too late to try something new, and at 26, I've got lots of time left to learn new things, even Schutzhund, maybe, at some point in the future when I can afford a good prospect.  But that won't likely be until after Oakley passes on, as I want to give her the very best of my time and love.

Crys

Crys,
Your doing an amazing job with Oakley!  She's so lucky to have you....and you her.  I know you didn't want that particular type of GSD but you two fit together perfectly!  She has the same strength and courage that you do!  I think it really was fate that brought you 2 together.  No better match. 
DebiSue gave you some really good tips.  Work with that.  Keep the pics coming.  She's beautiful!!
I love the pic you put at the end of your message.  That would be a nice avitar. ( just the part of her face w/eyes)
Keep up the great work! 

Jen

Hi Crys,
What I meant by quality "buyer", was someone who takes pet ownership seriously, someone who understands that when they get a dog it's a 12-14 year committment and during those years they will have to give the dog the training, vet care, proper shelter (hopefully in the house as a family member), good food and of course companionship. It's someone who fully understands that a dog is living, feeling being that is very intelligent and not just a piece of merchandise to show off when it's cute and fun, yet discard when it no longer meets their expectations, becomes an inconvenience or when they decide they no longer want to deal with it.  It's someone who doesn't see a pup as a cute thing that can be disposed of at a shelter if the dog is less than perfect.  Based on my personal experience, a large number of pet owners are clueless. They get a cute puppy and suddenly realize...it's a lot of work, and then the pup isn't so cute anymore and it becomes an inconvenience or a bother...and off to a shelter it goes most likely to be euthanized unless a rescue organization is able to the dog out of there. It infuriates me when I hear of the surrender stories. I also wish more people would consider adopting a dog rather than purchasing a puppy from a breeder. The average person is looking for a pet, not a top notch working dog.  I know there are many rescue dogs that don't measure up in one way or another to the GSD breed standard, but it's through no fault of their own and they shouldn't be condemned for it. It's the BYB that needs to be dealt with- that's where the neuter/spay laws come in. Unfortunately, the laws are far less than perfect too. My girl., Shelby, is a rescue and she certainly doesn't measure up to the breed standard in terms of her drives and energy. She is very laid back and protection is not part of her make up, but she is a wonderful dog and I wouldn't give her up for anything. It is not her fault that she probably came from a BYB- she didn't ask for that and she deserves to be loved and taken care of. I do want a dog I can work with again someday, but it will have to wait until things slow down in my life. If at all possible I want to adopt my next dog as well.  OK, I will get off of my soap box since I know I am "preaching" to the choir, so to speak. We simply don't live in a perfect world where all people are sensible, responsible, committed and compassionate because if we did there wouldn't be such problems. Too much rambling..... Anyway,  I just wish there were more people out there like you!
The best always,
Char