Joie de Vivre

That's what Mom calls it anyway. Novel is seriously one of the happiest dogs I've ever met. His joy for life seems to be endless and unquenchable. As I've mentioned before, that is one of the things that I really love about him. Whatever he does, good or bad, he does it with gusto!! Of course, being a service dog, he will need to learn to control himself...even if it is adorable to see him run pel mel to his kennel as fast as he can when I give the command. Or to watch him charge me when I give the command "Here" (when he decides to obey that one...lol he is getting better) only to bounce off my legs when he gets to me. The good thing is that he does try. Self control is so difficult for him but he tries to control himself OH So Hard! He is just so full of happy, giddy, mischievous JOY that he can't help but bust at the seems a little. :) Oh how I love the little bugger.

Challenge Accepted.

A fellow puppy raiser sent forth this challenge: Can you spell your PIT's (puppy in training) name in front of them with kibble? Challenge Accepted.

This was not as easy as it looks. There is nothing on this planet that Novel loves more than dinner time and his puppy kibble, so for him to hold a "down" and "leave it" while I messed with his food right in front of him was a challenge indeed. Needless to say, he was NOT thrilled with this game. Nevertheless, Novel will prevail! Not only did he hold his "down," but he didn't steal even one piece of kibble. (Even though he did put his head down on the ground and stretch it as far toward the food as he could without getting up.) 

Yes, Novel, despite that last post about your teenage months, I still love you and am proud of you. I know your are trying your best.

Teenager

Novel has hit his teenage months like a freight train. He has transformed from a sweet, obedient happy puppy into a complaining, rebellious, mischievous >50 pound dog. Now, please don't get me wrong. He's not all bad. He still definitely has moments when he makes me proud, and he certainly still WANTS to please...that just doesn't seem to actually happen quite as much as it used too.

For one thing, he has started complaining about everything. Either that, or he decided that he likes the noise a very high pitched whine makes. Novel has always enjoyed talking, but he never used to complain. Mostly, he complains about being still, whether that be in his kennel at home, his kennel at work, when he is on a stay, or even if he lays down on his own. He just can't seem to settle down ever. He is restless He has to be in constant motion, or he gets bored and complains. Just a few seconds ago he came over to me, laid down beside me, and proceeded to whine and cry for no apparent reason at all. He didn't need to go out to "Hurry" because we had just been out. Besides, he has never whined to let us know he needed to go out...in fact he never really does or did anything to let us know he needed to go. This pointless complaining continued until a neighbor stopped by and he went downstairs to make figure eights around her legs and bite at her hands. (Biting is the other frustrating thing about Novel, although it has been going on ever since he got here, and he is making definite progress. You can tell he is trying to do better.)

As far as commands are concerned, Novel has really started to test the boundaries and push the limits to see just how much he can get away with. This can be pretty frustrating to me because, often if I try to correct him, he turns into a bouncing, rolling, biting, playful mess. "Here" is the worst. Often, it goes something like this:

Me: "Novel, Here!"
Novel: *picks his head up and looks at me with an intensely alert expression, but doesn't move.
Me: *waits a few seconds to see if he will decide to comply on his own.
Novel: *continues to stare at me keenly...often with a toy or stick hanging, forgotten, out of the side of his mouth. Please note, he is insanely adorable at this point.
Me: *begins to correct: "Ah.ah.!" *steps toward Novel or begins to pull on leash, depending on the situation.
Novel: *Erupts into a bouncing rolling biting playful mess, and commences making crazy circles. If off leash and possible, he begins a game of keep away.
Me: *Frustrated, runs in the opposite direction clapping my hands in an effort to get him to heed the command "here"
Novel: *notices that I am running the other way and speeds toward me
Me: "GOOD BOY NOVEL!! Good boy!"
Novel: *Speeds past me and continues with the crazy circles.
Me: *hides behind a tree in and effort to get him to look for me
Novel: *zooms past the tree in one of his crazy circles.
Me: *Finds a stick and waves it around trying to get Novel's attention
Novel: *Notices the stick, stops, and returns to his previously alert expression.
Me: "Novel, Here!"
Novel: *considers for a moment, then barrels toward me...or rather toward the stick, and slides to a sitting stop, simultaneously swinging around into perfect heel position. Looks expectantly at me for the stick.
Me: *Praise, Reward, Release, hide my secret weapon behind my back, and Repeat, hoping and praying for a better outcome this time.

Ok enough of all that. I suppose I do need to brag  a little on some of  Novel's good points. First of all is his confidence. Novel is very confident going into new places and situations. He is not afraid of loud noises or thunder, or people or heights or horses, or new things or really anything that I can think of a dog being afraid of.
Also, Novel is very friendly. Really, he just loves everyone and everything, although I have to say, horses are probably his all time favorite. These two things alone are especially nice to me, because I am used to working with dogs who are neither confident nor friendly. (I'm a vet tech...that should explain quite a bit)

Finally, there are some commands that Novel is still very good at. He is excellent with "Hurry" and "Let's Go" and very rarely pulls on the leash. He whatever reason, he still loves the command to "Kennel" even though he has started to whine while actually IN the Kennel. Finally, he (of course) loves the command "Speak!"

Novel gets neutered Tuesday, ironically on his 7 month birthday. Hopefully, that will help him to calm down at least a little.