Ludo is 6 months old!!

[Kaitlin and Ludo]

Time is just FLYING by!

Ludo turned 6 months old on the 5th and graduated puppy kindergarten yesterday!!

Daycare:

Ludo is continuing to grow and gain confidence, literally, every time he attends.  He's playing with the big dogs more and more.  They said he really likes playing with them but sometimes that they just get a little too rough and it's overwhelming.  I feel so grateful that they will allow him to go at his own pace and accommodate his individual needs.  He's been going there really frequently because it's been cold and wet or snowy and not great weather for walking.  I think it's really good for him.  I notice on the days that he's home, he seems bored.  It's not like he's begging to play and I'm ignoring him-- opposite actually.  He sits and stares at me.  I'll throw a ball (we have a long hallway where we play fetch inside) and he just sits there staring at me. Eventually he'll play or find something to occupy his time... but I'd rather take him to daycare where I KNOW he's having fun and running around all day.  I get to watch him on webcam and while there's a bit of a delay, I can tell he's enjoying his time and playing with friends.

Training + Behavior:

We've been struggling with counter surfing.  Ugh. Ugh.  We've been working on this for a month.  He KNOWS he's not allowed to do it.  I say that because he looks at you, puts his paws up on the barstool or counter and gets down before you can get to him.  I've been following the trainer's advice, but I think we'll have to ramp up for something different.  Her advice has been to not talk to him or make contact with him-- just move into his space and then treat him for having good behavior and not jumping up.  I just feel in a month, we should have seen improvement.  I notice that it's the worst when he has been at daycare all day.  I think it's being overly tired.  There have been a few times where (we have 3 barstools) he'll move from barstool to barstool and then back again.  I've had to put him in his cage just to remove him from the almost fanatic behavior.  It's not JUST after daycare though... It's just whenever he thinks there might be something worth finding.  We meet with the trainer next week so I'm going to discuss this with her.

Otherwise, he's been doing really well with training.  He absolutely excelled in kindergarten.  I was really impressed with him. We worked really hard when he was younger to get all these basic behaviors down and he came into the class knowing nearly everything we would learn.  I'm going to enroll him in the next available CGC class.  I think he can do all the behaviors right now with the exception of sitting nicely when someone looks in his ears and brushes him.  It's something I need to and have started seriously working on.  He tolerates me looking in his ears and he DOES like being brushed but I have started treating him for sitting nicely while I look in his ears. I'm also having my sister and my niece and anyone else who is willing do the same. I'm sure by the time the class rolls around and it gets to testing time (the class is 6 weeks long), we'll have it down.  It's just something I need to work diligently on.

The other thing I'm starting to do is reduce treating for behaviors.  It's hard with Ludo to reward life behaviors like sitting to go outside or for a toy because he's definitely NOT excitable.  He's always sat nicely for me to put his leash on.  He likes toys on his terms and not just because I show it to him.  Treats are the only things he REALLY gets excited about.  

One funny thing about Ludo is that he LOVES treats and thinks he'd really love people food.  I've primarily used Cloudstar's  liver flavored Tricky Trainers, but felt like he might be getting bored with them (at kindergarten, he was always very interested to see what other people had as treats) so I ordered a bunch of new things and there was one day where we had run out of the tricky trainers and the new treats hadn't arrived yet.  He had eaten a carrot and some apple pieces and the only treat I had on-hand was freeze-dried liver (it upsets his stomach if he has too much so he doesn't get it very often) and he had a little of that.  But Mr. Ludo felt SLIGHTED.  He walked around the house whining and he kept going to my nightstand where I once had a couple treats.  He was sure that I had them somewhere and was just holding out.  He eventually (I mean, probably 2 hours later) begrudgingly went to sleep and the new treats arrived the next day.  I went ahead and got more tricky trainers but I honestly think he thinks of those more of his daily snack and NOT treats.  Silly pup :)

Growing Up:

So a week or so ago, Ludo and I are just laying happily in bed, he'd been asleep for an hour or so and suddenly, he decides he can jump off the bed (I had him under the impression that he needed to be lifted off, in hopes to save his little puppy hips) and he has started sleeping on the floor.  The first night, I was really surprised that it made me feel kind of sad and made my bed feel empty without him.  However, he decided he needed his mom that night at about 3 in the morning and hopped back in bed and into his normal spot, sharing my pillow.  That's now been the routine most nights... starting on the bed, moving to the floor (I think he gets warm), then back to the bed to finish out the night.  

I'm over feeling sad about it because I do just want him to feel comfortable and i know lots and lots of dogs prefer sleeping on the hard floor than a nice memory foam.  :p

I'm also starting to think (longterm, people!) about adding a second puppy.  Even before I got Ludo, I knew that I wanted two dogs who would get to spend their lives together.  I think it would be great for Ludo and great for me to have another puppy.  I'm thinking no sooner than this time next year.  That gives me more time to get Ludo to the point where I feel like he could be a role model and not too long to be out of puppy mode.  Hopefully by then, we'll know if he has the aptitude for therapy and know if that's going to take up a lot more time.  I believe with all my heart that Ludo is a healthy, wonderful, well-bred dog, but I don't think I'll go back to his breeder, if nothing else than not wanting to ship a dog again. In retrospect, while the whole thing was relatively easy on me (aside from a full day of worrying), I believe it impacted Ludo and I don't want to do that for another puppy.

I've reached out, very prematurely, to another breeder just a couple hours away from me just to make contact.  A year really is not all that long.  I'm going to decide next fall if it truly is the right time for me (and Ludo) to add a puppy.  But I am hoping right now that it is. 

That's really everything that's been going on.  We're definitely chugging along and I absolutely love watching him grow.  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Enjoyed your blog and the update!!

[Nancy & Echo]

I so look forward to ALL your posts, Kaitlin.  Its so neat to see how much you love Ludo, and everything you do for him. It sounds like you also 'tell it like it is'. I'm sure it will help me so much when I get my pup.  Thank you so much again.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Congratulations on Ludo's graduation. I can't believe it has already been 6 months!  As for the bar stool problem, I would move them or put stuff on them to prevent access - this will break this specific habit for counter surfing - not the counter surfing itself, but the actual bar stool hopping habit.  If the habit is a newly learned one, it might just become a distant memory.

[Kaitlin and Ludo]

@Linda-- How cool that they share a birthday!!! We met with our private trainer and walked through how I can pre-prepare for his CGC class, so hopefully it'll be smooth sailing!

@Janie--  Thanks so much for the compliment.  It always means so much to hear from other doodle owners :)

@Stephanie-- Thank you!  I think he's pretty cute too, but so is Ragley!!  I always love seeing pictures and love how she seems to love being held.  Adding a second pup is totally a tough decision.  If it feels right and like a good time to spend time raising a puppy, I totally say go for it! I know you'll do an awesome job!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I always look forward to your blogs.  A person can tell from your writing just how much you love Ludo and are trying to do all the right things to make him a wonderful Canine Good Citizen.  He is a cutie for sure!  I just looked at your page and noticed Ludo was born on Aug 5.  That is Beau's birth day also, but in the year 2012! 

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

You are doing so well with Ludo! He has grown into such a handsome boy! Enjoyed the update on you both!!

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Ludo is adorable! Sounds like he is growing into a wonderful dog! I, too, am struggling with the idea of adding another pup! Such a tough thing to take the plunge on!