Teresa and Jamie came over tonight and brought Kodo a special new toy as a dog-warming gift. It looks like a golden retriever, and it is stretchy with a spring through its middle. Its head has a squeaker and its tail has a rattle. And Kodo thinks it is just the best thing EVER!! He has taken to carrying it around and shaking it and chewing on its head... He can even pick up the head and tail in his mouth at the same time so it doesn't drag on the ground while he is walking.. :)
Kodo and his new favorite stuffie
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
April 4th - Puppy learning
We had decided to register Kodo for a beginning Puppy training class at Cleveland All-Breed, but they called us to tell us the class was full. In fact, most of their classes for the rest of the spring were full. We finally managed to get him signed up for a Foundations class (which is the beginning-level training for dogs 5 months old and older) starting early May, so he will just make the age cut-off. The great thing is that is the same class Teresa and Jamie are taking Chief and Lily to, so it will be a family get-together!
So with that in mind, here is an updated list of the commands Kodo knows: Sit, Stay, Down (usually), Come, Here (a less urgent form for Come), Up, Leave it, Take it, Easy, Gentle, Gentle paw (as opposed to flailing around with those big old feet when he gets excited), Belly (sometimes), and Roll over (new one- just started this). He is pretty consistent with all the basics as long as there are no distraction- otherwise he sometimes 'forgets'.. As long as there aren't a ton of distractions and he isn't overflowing with energy, he is a VERY good walker too. I can take him on a 15-minute walk and the leash will stay slack almost the entire time. Such a good boy!!!
So with that in mind, here is an updated list of the commands Kodo knows: Sit, Stay, Down (usually), Come, Here (a less urgent form for Come), Up, Leave it, Take it, Easy, Gentle, Gentle paw (as opposed to flailing around with those big old feet when he gets excited), Belly (sometimes), and Roll over (new one- just started this). He is pretty consistent with all the basics as long as there are no distraction- otherwise he sometimes 'forgets'.. As long as there aren't a ton of distractions and he isn't overflowing with energy, he is a VERY good walker too. I can take him on a 15-minute walk and the leash will stay slack almost the entire time. Such a good boy!!!
April 3rd - Recovery
He was feeling MUCH better today. We had more problems keeping him from going crazy and running and bouncing than anything else. I took a half-day of vacation since we were going to the Cavs game in the evening and I didn't want him to be in the crate all day and all night, so we spent the afternoon together. The weather was nice enough that we spent some time sitting on the back patio just enjoying the outside. We have a group of trees along the back line of our property, so there are always a ton of birds, squirrels, and the occasional groundhog for him to watch.. Kodo is a big fan of birds, airplanes, you name it- any time anything flies by overhead he will stare at it intently as it passes. When he gets this intense look on his face you can almost see the big Berner he is becoming..
April 2nd - Puppy surgery
Wednesday was the day scheduled for Kodo's neuter surgery. I had gotten the OK to work from home so I could drop him off and pick him up at the right times. I set up my work stuff in the 'playpen'/morning room and worked until it was time to go then dropped him off at the vet around 7:45. He got a bunch of admiration and petting from the people who were in the office that early, and he went with the vet tech like a champ when she came to take him- not even a backward glance at me. So I went home (a little sniffly and worried about him I have to admit) and settled back to work. It is amazing how quiet and empty the house felt without him bouncing around- in less than 2 weeks he has made himself such a part of the household.
I got a call from his vet around midday, and she told me everything was great, he had come through the surgery fine, and I could pick him up around 2. She recommended Bactine to spray on his stitches so he didn't chew or lick at them (apparently it tastes nasty- who knew!).
I got to the clinic around 2:30. When they brought him out he was acting normal at first- trying to climb into the laps of complete strangers and make friends with all the other dogs in the waiting room. Then I coaxed him out to the parking lot, and he started doing his 'donkey' act of sitting and pulling back against the leash.. He did this every couple feet, and finally refused to move. Right in the middle of the traffic lane of the parking lot. So I eventually picked him up (very carefully) and carried him to the car and put him on his seat.
At home, I had some trouble getting him to come across the seat to me so I could lift him down again, but eventually we got back into the house and I settled him in the playpen with his freshly-washed blanket bed and his favorite rawhide chewie and started working again. I was a bit worried at this point because he wouldn't drink any water even when I brought it to him, and he was whimpering softly as he chewed his rawhide. Still not sure if that was leftover from the anesthetic, discomfort from the incision and stitches, or teething.... But once I gave him his food he ate like a horse.
By the evening he seemed to be feeling better, though still not quite his usual self.
I got a call from his vet around midday, and she told me everything was great, he had come through the surgery fine, and I could pick him up around 2. She recommended Bactine to spray on his stitches so he didn't chew or lick at them (apparently it tastes nasty- who knew!).
I got to the clinic around 2:30. When they brought him out he was acting normal at first- trying to climb into the laps of complete strangers and make friends with all the other dogs in the waiting room. Then I coaxed him out to the parking lot, and he started doing his 'donkey' act of sitting and pulling back against the leash.. He did this every couple feet, and finally refused to move. Right in the middle of the traffic lane of the parking lot. So I eventually picked him up (very carefully) and carried him to the car and put him on his seat.
At home, I had some trouble getting him to come across the seat to me so I could lift him down again, but eventually we got back into the house and I settled him in the playpen with his freshly-washed blanket bed and his favorite rawhide chewie and started working again. I was a bit worried at this point because he wouldn't drink any water even when I brought it to him, and he was whimpering softly as he chewed his rawhide. Still not sure if that was leftover from the anesthetic, discomfort from the incision and stitches, or teething.... But once I gave him his food he ate like a horse.
By the evening he seemed to be feeling better, though still not quite his usual self.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
March 30th - Scary Chair
Well, Kodo seems to be acclimating pretty well... Poor guy had a little scare this morning. For some reason, he loves to lie down and sleep underneath furniture. Well, this particular morning he decided to rest underneath a chair. He started to wake up, and as he was getting up he toppled the chair over and it made a loud crashing sound next to him. It really scared him, but he ran to both of us who gave him comforts. We checked to make sure that he didn't get bumped or anything...He was good and before long he was back to his old ways of lying under furniture again.
Weeble Helps Kodo Get Over His Temporary Fear of Furniture
March 29th - New Friends
Today we had one of Becky's friends, Andrea, come over with Jay and the kids to meet the new pup. Kodo was so well behaved and LOVED the pets and attention that he was getting. Andrea gave him a new present...a bully stick. Kodo took to it quickly and had been working on it all day without making much of a dent. A perfect gift for both pup and parents. :)
Kodo Greets Andrea
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
March 28th - First vet visit
Today was Kodo's first vet trip. The clinic I go to is really close to us and has a huge office. We walked in and signed in with the receptionist- and the first group of people stopped us, asked what breed of dog he was and gave him love, which of course he just soaked up. He particularly seems to like kids petting him- maybe cuz they are closer to his height.. :)
So I sat down and got another 3 or 4 groups of people coming up to me and commenting on how cute and sweet he was (and what BIG paws he had!) before we got called into the back for our appointment. First off we got a weigh-in- we didn't know how much he weighed when we brought him home, so we were excited to find out. He was 43 pounds!!! So he outweighs his Auntie Daphne and cousin Lily, and is fast approaching cousin Chiefers!
We waited in the exam room for the vet to come in, and when she did the first things she said were about how handsome he was too!! That always helps me warm up to a new vet faster.. :) She apparently is a big Berner fan, and is really familiar with the orthopedic and health problems of the breed, which is also a big reassurance. She did a basic exam on him while I asked all my stupid-new-puppy-mom questions about his hiccuping and eating grass, etc... He did have a bit of conjunctivitis in his eyes, so she gave me an ointment for him (and boy does he LOVE having us put THAT in!), and finished off his booster shots and gave him his rabies and bordatella vaccines so he will be all ready for puppy classes starting beginning of May. I was holding one of his favorite yummy treats in front of him while he got his shots, and he didn't even blink. He really wasn't a big fan of the nose spray for bordatella tho.. The vet did say other than the eyes he seemed to be in good shape and good weight.
On the way out he made a bunch more friends.. and I got a call from the reception desk later saying that someone there wanted the contact info for the breeder that we got him from. So he is being a great ambassador for his breed! :)
After the vet visit we made a quick trip to visit my mom and dad and let Kodo and Daphne play together for a bit- Daph seemed to be quite a bit bouncier and Kodo wasn't so sure about all the hyper energy though he seemed to enjoy the playing too. Until he got sleepy.. :)
I was getting a little worried since he didn't seem to be interested much in any toys other than his rawhides and I didn't want him to get bored, so I picked him up a BusterCube maze ball at PetSmart in the morning. This is a great interactive toy where you put pieces of food inside and the dog has to keep turning and rolling the ball to make the food fall out..
So I sat down and got another 3 or 4 groups of people coming up to me and commenting on how cute and sweet he was (and what BIG paws he had!) before we got called into the back for our appointment. First off we got a weigh-in- we didn't know how much he weighed when we brought him home, so we were excited to find out. He was 43 pounds!!! So he outweighs his Auntie Daphne and cousin Lily, and is fast approaching cousin Chiefers!
We waited in the exam room for the vet to come in, and when she did the first things she said were about how handsome he was too!! That always helps me warm up to a new vet faster.. :) She apparently is a big Berner fan, and is really familiar with the orthopedic and health problems of the breed, which is also a big reassurance. She did a basic exam on him while I asked all my stupid-new-puppy-mom questions about his hiccuping and eating grass, etc... He did have a bit of conjunctivitis in his eyes, so she gave me an ointment for him (and boy does he LOVE having us put THAT in!), and finished off his booster shots and gave him his rabies and bordatella vaccines so he will be all ready for puppy classes starting beginning of May. I was holding one of his favorite yummy treats in front of him while he got his shots, and he didn't even blink. He really wasn't a big fan of the nose spray for bordatella tho.. The vet did say other than the eyes he seemed to be in good shape and good weight.
On the way out he made a bunch more friends.. and I got a call from the reception desk later saying that someone there wanted the contact info for the breeder that we got him from. So he is being a great ambassador for his breed! :)
After the vet visit we made a quick trip to visit my mom and dad and let Kodo and Daphne play together for a bit- Daph seemed to be quite a bit bouncier and Kodo wasn't so sure about all the hyper energy though he seemed to enjoy the playing too. Until he got sleepy.. :)
I was getting a little worried since he didn't seem to be interested much in any toys other than his rawhides and I didn't want him to get bored, so I picked him up a BusterCube maze ball at PetSmart in the morning. This is a great interactive toy where you put pieces of food inside and the dog has to keep turning and rolling the ball to make the food fall out..
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