Hi Apache. Rhodi was 15 months old on Wednesday. I celebrate each month, to make the most of him.:grin He is already becoming such a Little Star, bless him, he makes me so proud. He plays off lead now, all of the time. He always comes back, no matter who or what is about. Sometimes he will be playing, and i will slowly move away, and as soon as he realises i have moved, he just stps what he is doing and comes to join me!! The lead walking isn't perfect...Yet! But we will definately get there. We see either Cat's, Foxes, or Deer, first thing in the morning, sometimes all three! ( 4 am is a great time ) but i am using his Ball to train him away from these things, it is working, but patience is needed. He is really good with the Clicker, and just seem's to want to please me. He really is a fantastic Companion, a True friend, and a Real Soul mate. I love him SOooo much. JUST AFTER HIS FIRST " SWIMMING LESSON" AND KEEPING COOL ( IN HIS LTTLE POOL )
Loved that video. Rhodi has very similar markings to Kai.(although he is getting lighter by the day) I am just so fascinated by their Tracking ability. You could see Kai following every foot step in the grass! incredible. Whenyou see a Dog sniffing the ground on a frosty morning, you get more of an idea of what is happening. They will be following Animal tracks, Human foot prints, Bicycle tracks...Just Anything that has passed that way. As somebody once said.." That is their News paper " It tells them all they need to know! ( and THAT Newspaper doesn't Lie!)
Aww, those are great shots of Rhodi. What is it with these nut case dogs that they like the water so much? We have a pond in our garden and Kodi is drawn to it like a magnet. He constantly drops his ball in there and then tries to get it out. If he cant reach it he barks for me to go get it. I tell him "no dont do that", but he ignores me and does it again. Its a really good game .... for him Kodi is 18 months old at the end of this month so just 3 months older than Rhodi, he also has a long way to go with his lead training. As soon as he gets the scent of something he just lurches to the left or right, drives me mad. He is good off lead and watches me like a hawk, but will chase after another dog if he sees one, but just to play. I have trained him to return to the sound of my whistle, so he always comes back. We go to the forest every day so when he was younger i was concerned he might get lost and not hear me, hence i bought a high pitched dog whistle. Love your dog swimming pool though, must get one of those , it might keep him out of the pond. Where do you buy them from?
Glad you liked the video, yes the scent tracking is incredible isnt it, as you say it is their newspaper. Yes Rhodi does have very similar markings to Kai, I noticed Kodi started to lighten slightly when he was 13/14 months old. Is Rhodi very guardy? Kodi is very suspicious of anything out of the ordinary. If he sees someone or something that doesn't look right he is on guard, i talk to him and tell him "it is ok, ok". He is getting better but i have to be one step ahead. He really doesnt like cows, not keen on sheep, pigs but just about tolerates horses. Here is another video of Kai this time doing schutzhund protection. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeckVW5Rdp8
A company called Tanks Direct in Minehead product code tt17 275l fk It is 340mm high, 1120mm diameter. I had one for Jeager for years. Gave it away when i lost him. They are £65.00 + pp +vat... But worth Every Penny.
Just watched the second Video----and then a Third...That was Absolutely Brilliant. Especially loved that 'Walk-back!' When asked to Release! Thanks for sharing.
Rhodi was very 'Skittish' when i first got him. It is only a nervous thing. I took him to all the local, Dog owner's, houses, when i first got him. Which is unlike me....I don't do 'visit's' normally. It was just to get him used to his new surrounding's. (he was 8 month's old) His habit was to bark like mad, if he saw another Dog, with, or chasing a ball. His previous owner had used a Tennis ball and ' Chucker' to excercise him and her other two Dog's. I think he must have got confused, as to, when the ball was His, and when it wasn't. Smokeybear had told somebody " There is nothing wrong with a dog being obsessed with a ball---Hers was.. As long as we control it!" So i got him really attached to a Tennis ball, indoor's. Then i would take him out , with the ball in my pocket. When we saw another Dog, and he started to react, i would just say " Ball Rhodi " I got his immediate attention! Then i would slowly remove his ball from my pocket....taking as long as i could, and sounding really excited. " Oooh What have i got Rhodi? " it worked so well. I now use it off lead, and for Recall's too. If a Dog is worrying him, i just give Rhodi his ball, and say " Go and say hello!" He will try to get the other Dog to chase him. If they do, i just say " RUN Rhodi" and he run's away, usually back to me! I found this has helped him to deal with thing's, by making everything a game, or fun. This way he doesn't have to deal with a bad situation. My Max was attacked by the same Dog, twice within 5 day's, when he was 18 month's old.. He went for the next dog, which he saw as a danger, and never stopped. I couldn't let him off lead again, for Four and a half years. ( i lost him to cancer in 2006 aged 6 years 10 month's)
Fenton of Kentwood was my last but one GSD's Great Grandfather Palmhills Aphroditie was a stunning girl who would have made her Great Grandad proud. Hopefully they have been reunited in a better place.
Hi Jeagibear, I don't have any of Alpha as we called her) before digital I am afraid. However attached is Nancy (Deschline Nancy). She is now 21 months old. Or I would attach them if I knew how
Wow - loving all the old GSD pics - and the new ones of Kodi and Rhodi, as well as Nancy's lovely pup. This breed is a bit special! (said with no bias whatsoever!)