The Smart Dog U Blog

Dog Training Fun: What is It With Great Danes and Naps?

I didn't get much sleep last night. So a nap was in order for today. All the other dogs happily snoozed along with me, but that silly Siena. She was here and there, pouncing on dust bunnies, digging at dried slobber on the floor, and generally making as much noise as she could. I finally got up. And she went to sleep. Aargh! 

 

 

 

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Talos Graduates!

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Talos: Graduates! Caysun: Puppy Parade!

 

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He's Back!

Just for a short visit, but Talos is back nonetheless. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I was giddy with anticipation. The first night he was here, I couldn't get to sleep because I couldn't stop smiling. 

He's here while his partner has surgery at Johns Hopkins. While he's here, we're also going to work on cleaning up a few behaviors that have just started to deteriorate: his "get it" behavior is slipping, and he reportedly is quite noisy sometimes when Kathy leaves him in a down-stay. 

We've been working on those behaviors both at home and out in public -- yesterday he attended a meeting with me and I'm proud to report that those who didn't see him weren't even aware a dog was in the same room! Yay T!

Today we were at a taping of Chamber TV in Frederick and he was quiet as a church mouse -- even through the applause! He kept his chin (and drool) off the buffet table and out of my plate of (very delicious) lunch. 

We're heading to the hospital tomorrow so Talos and Kathy can visit -- and maybe even get her up and walking, we'll see -- so another full day ahead for the Big Lug.

For us as puppyraisers, there's nothing more satisfying than having the chance to spend some time with the puppy we raised. Talos was but a wee pup when we brought him into our home Memorial Day weekend 2009. Now at 2 1/2 years old, he's filled out, he's working beautifully, and he and Kathy are genuinely happy together. Makes my heart happy.

We'll enjoy Talos all the way til Thanksgiving Eve, when he and Kathy will head back home together. It's only a short visit, but man-o-man, does it make me happy! 

Caysun will be back with us on Tuesday, meaning she'll have the chance to spend a day (and night) with Talos. I'm looking forward to seeing her reaction to the very large, very tall, very playful Talos!

Talos Goes Above and Beyond

This is the good part of raising service dogs. Hearing how well they're doing in their forever homes with their forever partners. (For a look at the ugly side of raising a service dog, read my turn-in post...)

I talked to Talos' forever person, Kathy, today about the possibility of us dog-sitting for Big T while she takes care of some medical appointments. (Yeah, never a problem for us to dog-sit that big lug. We're here for him (and her) anytime, no question!) 

What I heard about Big T and what he and Kathy are accomplishing made my heart sing. 

Talos was trained to be a balance dog. He helps Kathy stay on her feet. You can see the video of their very first meeting and just how he helps her keep her balance here. (It's really something to see!)

Anyway, Kathy said Talos has expanded his job description, all of his own doing. He goes and gets family members when Kathy needs some help -- he'll seek out people, one at a time, until someone can come and help her. He also alerts Kathy when it's time to change different medical equipment. Neither of these (monumental) tasks were trained by the service dog agency, these are things that Talos has picked up all by himself. 

These minute changes -- untrained, mind you -- speak to a deep bond between the dog and his person. These are things that Talos just picked up over time, as a result of spending a lot of good, quality time together as partners with Kathy. 

Ahhh, after all the heartache and the second-guessing that happens after raising a service dog, it's nice to hear how well the match was made and just how valuable each part of the team is to one another. 

Former Friday: Talos Beats the Heat (video)

A little over a year ago, this is what we were doing on a hot Friday night...It's so hot right now, I thought this deserved to be posted again.

Talos hates the water - has hated it since he was a wee pup. It's been triple digits here in the Mid-Atlantic. The dogs don't even want to go outside until the sun goes down. We rigged up a cooling room for the dogs out under our only shade tree inside the fence. It's a garden hose on the "mist" setting.

Watch how 100+ degree weather changes a dog's mind...

 

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

When I found out Talos would be coming to stay with us for a week or so, I was elated. 

A WHOLE week!

I was as giddy as a schoolgirl the day Talos arrived. He fell back into the normal routine here as if he'd never left. 

He slept with us, pushed Puppy out of bed every night, romped with the dogs, snored, slobbered -- all the things that make Talos who he is. 

A whole week! We had him nine days to be exact. And wow, did those nine days fly by. I swear, it feels like he just got here. 

But who am I kidding? I could have had him for nine years and still felt like it wasn't enough time to soak in all the Talos-ness. 

I skipped going to the gym while he was here -- who needs ripped abs when there's a Great Dane at the house?

We took lots of pictures, reveled in all that is Talos, and dutifully gave him back to Kathy when she was well enough to leave the hospital. 

My bed will feel awfully empty tonight. But Kathy's will be nicely occupied with her big lug, and that makes me smile. 

Talos Reunites with Dana (Video)

It's been eight months to the day since Dana came with me to turn Talos back over to Service Dogs of Virginia. I've jumped at every chance to see Talos. But Dana hadn't seen Big T in eight months. I captured their reunion on video. 

(Ignore the conversation I'm having --on the phone-- with my mother...)

 

A Familiar (and Welcome!) Visitor

Look who's back! Big Talos! He's here for about a week while his person spends a little time away. We're pleased as punch to have the big guy back and honored that his new family thinks enough of us to let us keep him for them. 

There will be lots of T updates while he's here, along with some video and pictures galore. 

We've got to make the most of the next week or so! 

When he first arrived, he gave the entire house a once-over, hopped up on the bed, and immediately ousted Puppy! Old habits die hard! This is what it looked like when he last kicked Puppy out of bed...

Transfer Camp: The Beginning

I was 10 minutes late for Transfer Camp at Service Dogs of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA). I parked in a hurry, rushed inside and found...no one. Well, no one as in Kathy and Talos. Peggy broke the bad news to me: Kathy and Talos went home late the night before - they thought the weather was going to be bad and they wanted to get back to Williamsburg for the weekend break. They'd be back on Monday. 

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