Jolene,
Hope all is well. Just wanted to send an update on Dakota (Nyga and Kuma). Where can I begin…what a WONDERFUL dog and more importantly, what a PERSONALITY!! Aimee just loved being able to come visit your place and pick him up. Just being able to see how great your dogs are cared for alleviated a lot of worries we had about going so far away to get him. We took your advice and immediately enrolled him in Puppy Kindergarten @ Petsmart. I don’t know what he enjoyed more…the class or all of the attention from shoppers as we walked into the store. I am amazed at how he knows no stranger. He sailed through class without difficulty. During the off leash play sessions in the ring, he was so funny. He would initially stay seated near us and wait for the other dogs to be lying down playing. He would then sneak up behind them and pounce. However, he had no interest in nibbling or biting…he would just lay on top of them. Furthermore, he would just calmly look around smiling as if nothing were going on. Once the other dogs wiggled there way up…he returned to his position near us. He became more eager and trickier as he seemed to be the only puppy growing exponentially over the 8 week course. Another interesting aspect is his choice of treats. Initially, during training, he had ZERO interest in dog bones, biscuits, etc. Maybe would eat one but that was it. We found his favorites are carrots (raw), apples (green) or cheese (any). It was hilarious to see the trainer during one of the practice sessions unsuccessful with any command. We then explained his disregard for standard treats and gave him some cheese chunks. Sit, down, crawl, stay, wait…you name it…he would do anything. Needless to say…he aced the final class evaluation. In fact, at only 3 months old…he had no difficulty waiting in a down position for over 30 seconds (in the middle of Petsmart as many other dogs and people walked past) while I walked over 20 feet away. I am amazed everyday at how intelligent he is. I am even more amazed that he is figuring out how intelligent he is.
With regard to his temperament…how perfect for the kids. Early on he was doing normal puppy mouthing and often would need redirection. We were initially concerned because he would do his pounce and lay on the kids even when they weren’t interested. All our fears were gone one evening during a walk in the neighborhood. A 2 year old next door came to Dakota from behind while he was sitting in the grass. The boy jumped onto his back and grabbed both sides of his neck. I was sure that he would respond, but amazingly, he only turned and gave a continuous shallow whine and waited for us to remove the kid. WOW…what a relief. He then went on to greet and play with the very eager youngster. Any concern we had for aggressiveness was gone. Well, I could go on forever. All I can say is that we absolutely LOVE this dog and he is wonderful. We attached some pictures from his amazingly continuous growth spurt and color change. I can’t imagine that it will be long before we are coming to get Dakota a brother or sister. Thanks again for such a great dog and we will keep you posted. You should be commended for your dedication to your dogs and the impact you ultimately have on many families. We can’t thank you enough. Happy Holidays.
Tom & Aimee December 04, 2007
