Barking Support

Kastle had another round of protection this weekend. He was very supportive of the other puppies barking but really doesn't need to do anything more until he matures more. It was fun for him though :-)

Flyball

Kastle got to go over a couple of hurdles for Flyball tonight. As long as the jump is lower than his first front leg joint, then it's safe. Or so I've been told. He's not jumping so much as plowing over the jumps so I think it's fine! :-)

Learning Fetch

Started to be a little bit more formal with teaching Kastle fetch. Just the two of us and he had to bring the toy all the way back, out it and then I'd throw another. He did really well, caught on quickly.

Crazy Kastle!

Owie and More Teethers

Kastle's nose owie is heeling up. The scab fell off today so it looks a little raw but it really is getting better.

I'm not so sure about his teeth, they aren't looking so great to me, he looks like a shark with his multiple rows of teeth.

Happy 4 Month Birthday Kastle!

Kastle is officially 4 months old today. He has learned so much in such a short time! I don't see a lot of color change in his coat yet but he has started to shed his puppy coat so I'm interested to see what he turns into.

4 month stack

Here is his adorable front!

 

 Profile shots.

With Ikie!

He's grown quite a bit lately. He now weighs a whopping 26 lbs! LOL

Socialization and Distractions

I ran Eden in a Grand Rapids Agility Club (GRAC) trial this weekend and Kastle came along for the fantastic opportunity to work on obedience in some serious distractions, socialization and crate time among a ton of activity. He was wonderful! Loads of people, including those in walkers and wheelchairs, children and adults, pet him and loved on him. He was held by a friend while I helped clean up an agility course and did very well - a little barking as I walked away and then re-focused on my friend. Lots of heeling, eye contact, sit and down in the crazy busy middle aisle between the two agility rings. Rude dogs coming up to meet him without permission (same with owners *sigh*). He was perfect. Friendly for a minute and then focus right back on me - from both dogs, puppies and humans.

His heeling is really starting to look nice! The lure being pressed into his face is becoming less and less, he is actually offering that - which is wonderful!

STAR Puppy Class #6 + Test

Kastle's STAR puppy test (and last class) was tonight. He passed!!!

These are the requirements:

Video of his test:

Class picture!

His certificate from Pawsitive.

I have to wait to send in his paperwork for the official AKC certificate until I get his papers from Belgium.

Kastle vs. Kibble Nibble and Kong Wobbler

Every dog responds to the treat/food dispensers differently and I was curious how Kastle would. I know dogs that bark at it, bite it, herd it with their face/noses and hit it with their feet. It turns out that Kastle is a puncher. :-)

Starting the Retrieve

I enjoy clicker training when I can use it effectively. Kastle responds quite well to it so I decided to start clicker training the retrieve. The first thing I do is click/treat for touching the dowel with his nose (I knew he'd show interest, but that is usually the first step), then for open mouth, then for biting down, taking it etc etc. He caught on very quickly and really enjoyed the training!

Springs for Legs

My puppy loves to jump, bound and leap. I have been adding in some impulse control and capping exercises when I've really got him going to teach him to turn on and off quickly and easily. He is doing pretty well :-)

Teeth!

Kastle has started teething. He is biting anything and everything and is a ton more active lately. We were going to tape some obedience and I wanted Jason to get down on Kastle's level so we could have a more accurate picture of what he looks like...and Kastle reacted by trotting up with his ball, outing it, and biting the camera. What a stinker!

And check out these ridiculous beaver teeth!

Basjes Huis Brothers (Kastle 3.5 months)

Happy 2nd Birthday to Ikie! Here is a photo of the brothers.

Last Puppy Protection Round

Kastle did protection today at Schutzhund training. He is really starting to enjoy possessing the "sleeve" and will hold it and also carry it all the way back to the car. After this round, he carried it back and sat with it, then jammed it into the ground so he could make an already deep bite, even deeper. He only let it go when a butterfly bounced off his head so that he could try to bite that instead. LOL He is definitely still a puppy! The behavior basics are all there now so we are no longer going to be doing protection with him until he matures more and can handle a little bit more serious work. Plus, he's started teething so now is a good time to stop anyway.

Some photos from the video to show his work :-)

Cuddle Time and Wound Update

Kastle snuggled on my lap for 30 minutes today. Just laying quietly on my lap and letting me love him up and enjoy his floofy, frizzy mass of fur. He's such a love!

Cleaned his wound out again when we got back from hiking - flushing it with hot water and soap and EMT Gel again. He didn't even struggle at all this time, seems to understand I'm trying to help - or at the least that he has to hold still. Hardly any blood, no pus, no swelling and seemingly no pain either. Actually looks pretty good.

First Hike!

Kastle and I, Jason and Ike and Rebecca and Gus met at Seidman Park in Lowell for some hiking today. It was a beautiful day! Blue skies, sunny and moderate temperature. Jason and Ike ran the trails while Rebecca and I picked another loop and went for a 1.5 hour brisk hike. Kastle heeled between my legs without a cue or reward of any kind for at least a half mile. *sigh* It was a little bit annoying. But, he's so darn cute! He finally got the hang of the whole "hiking" thing towards the end and started to venture out with Gus. Always coming back within a minute to check in with me physically. He is the best puppy!

First Bad Owie

Kastle has a wicked owie right now. It's a deep, deep puncture on his muzzle.

Ike had a frisbee that was on top of a water bowl, Kastle put his head under the frisbee to get a drink of water, Ike snapped up his frisbee...and Kastle's face and started to run away. It would appear that his canine tooth went most, if not all the way, into Kastle's muzzle. Kastle screamed while it happened, ran to me when he was released and was quiet and back to himself within 30 seconds. What a trooper!

We rushed him home, I flushed the wound with hot water and soap and then patted it dry and applied EMT Gel (pretty much my cure-all). He was flailing around in the tub (Jason was holding him) until I reached down with the hand not flushing out his wound and rubbed his ears and told him he was fine. He seriously settled down immediately. Never made a peep or tried to get away through the entire rest of the cleanup. I'm going to keep an eye on it and see how it heals and if I need to take him to the vet to get checked or not. Until it heals entirely, no playing with anyone but Dottie - both Ike and Eden are too mouthy and I don't want a bunch of dirty saliva in there! Poor little guy! :-(

Almost 4-Month-Old Obedience

Kastle's obedience is coming along splendidly! He has a right flip finish (lured), a left flip finish (lured) a between the leg finish (no lure) and a between the leg finish to the left flip. He also can heel very nicely (lured) on the left and right, complete with beautiful pivoting turns. His between the legs heeling is gorgeous and I've started to decrease the lure frequency. He knows sit, is fairly good with platz. Both have decent duration now. We have started the out of motion exercises as well. I have a puppy send out that is pretty cute to see too! He will run to a target, get a treat and then run back on the recall.

STAR Puppy Class #5

Second to last class. Next week will be our test. I think Kastle will pass with flying colors :-) We reviewed some basics, quickly and then did a very short class. We were confined to the outdoors due to the floors being worked on in the building. The mosquitoes were terrible though so we left early. We'll come early next week and stay late to make up the time.

Kastle Caught a Baby Cardinal

Kastle caught a fledgling Cardinal that was running around in our front yard today. I took it from him and miraculously, it was fine!

Bitework and Helper Fun

Kastle's bitework is really looking good. He likes to have the puppy sleeve jammed all the way back and to hold it for awhile now. In fact, he carried it all the way back to the truck and held it for a minute before outing it.  He's got such a masculine bark already!

After everyone was done working, Lisa and I got our puppies out (the same pups as the video above) to play and run around. Jason and Sean also had to get in on the fun and Kastle ran around and offered leg bites to any helper who was willing to be a target.