Dolly finishes basic... Long.

[selzer]

Dolly, well I am afraid this may be a little long and why it is in the brag section.

Dolly was a return. It is a failure on my part because against my better judgement, I let the owners purchase her. I showed them Dolly and Bear, and as the interview went on, I felt strongly that they should take Bear, and they felt just as strongly that they should take Dolly. I was afraid that my personal prejudice as getting in the way, and let them take Dolly.

Dolly was the pup in the litter that got the bone with a rope and kept hanging on against two sometimes three other puppies for her prize. She was still going 45 minutes later. I looked at that and thought, uhm, she has some drive.

They took her a little late, about four months old, and I heard nothing from them for two months. These are the facts:

1. Trainer 1 said she needed to learn dog manners so she put the four month old in with her three adult dogs for three days, so they could teach her.

2. The twelve year old boy teased her (according to his mom) trying to get her to go for him, over and over and by less then six months old, he was now a little afraid of her.

3. Trainer 2 told them not to crate her in the kitchen, but to take them to the bedroom at night. OK. But, they did not take the crate. Instead they tethered her over a window, over the bed in the daughter's room, who allowed her to jump on and off of the bed. Wrapped up in her tether, she jumped one way or the other and hurt herself really bad.

4. A few days later they took her to the vet as she had a lot of swelling and pain, and the vet did an x-ray of the elbow and announced UAP, elbow dysplasia. They went the extra mile, made an appointment and took the x-ray to the specialist/surgeon.

5. The surgeon gave them an estimate. They would not check the other elbow until they brought her in for surgery, but with his x-ray vision, he felt that she probably had it in that elbow too. Then he LOOKED at her hips, announced they looked "boxy" and probably had mild hip dysplasia in both hips.

6. The people called me, and I told them that they could not diagnose hip dysplasia without x-rays, but of course I would take the puppy back. I asked them if they did not think she had hip dysplasia would they have given her back, they said no.

I got her back before she was six months old. I took her to the vet and they looked at the x-ray and felt I should wait and see. We put her on anti-inflamitories and pain meds and let her heal. The swelling went down and I discontinued the meds, but did nothing with her, we holed up for the winter. The winter lasted through April, and in May I started her in her first classes with me.

On the first day she was very interested and a little afraid of the dogs, but she settled and relaxed before the end of the hour.

She has learned very well, and is not pulling like a freight train, and is not being a complete idiot to other dogs. I have been overall quite pleased with her.

So last night was the last class -- a rally course, of course. Only three dogs showed up. The black one she wanted to get the first night and the white spotted one who deliberately danced in front of her causing a little reaction last night. But it was minor, and even the trainer said, "Jeffrey, don't go after the shepherd."

We signed up to repeat last night. We graduated and got our certificate, but another set of classes will help us both. I do not feel she is ready for the advanced classes -- I would rather practice more the basic stuff with distractions.

Anyhow, I am pleased with my girls, both Bear and Dolly. We will get there. I would aim for the August show, but I think December is more realistic.

[Lilie]

Congrats! I really love reading stories like this.

[codmaster]

That sounds great!

[selzer]

Thought I would update this.

Dolly went to her second set of classes, but went into heat so was switched out. After three weeks, of being in heat, I let the other girls finish the classes, and she has not been back to class, or anywhere other than home, and for her booster shots at the vet, until last night.

So it was not surprising that she acted scared of the trainer at first. But she pulled out some treats and in a few seconds she was eating out of her hand and Dolly was soliciting pets from her and her husband who had no treats for her.

The rest of the class, Dolly was interested in the other dogs but never barked or lunged even when Danny the Doberman went for the trainer as she was trying to get them out of their stay. She did sits, downs, stays, her heeling was poor in my opinion but totally my fault. Her finishes were good, recall good, come fronts good.

Overall, I was more pleased with her in an advanced class last night than I was my Schutzhund dog in basic on Tuesday. My schutzhund dog was a show dog in the German ring and my arm and shoulder is getting a work out. Her stays are not quite as good as Dolly's, but she has her positives as well. I have her in basic as I plan to take her through Novice at some point, and perhaps go further.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Dolly sounds like she did very well. I just went back and read your first post. Dolly has really done well since coming home to you.Congratulations.