How long do puppies keep their puppy license?

[Stacy]

So Willow is 18 weeks now and she's growing so fast! I swear I can see her growing! She was questionably taller than Katie when she got here, but now there's no question. And the collar I put on her was too big, but now not so much. 

So, she and Maggie play very rousing games of chase me, no I'll chase you. And they both seem to be having fun. No problem there. Willow is still smaller than Maggie and Maggie plays hard, but seems pretty indulgent. 

The question is about when they're inside. Willow likes to pull Maggie's ears. And sometimes Maggie gives a little whine. I don't want Willow to hurt her. I know Maggie is fully capable of telling Willow no. I do intervene, but they just go right back to doing it. Should I work harder on getting Willow to stop, or should I just let them work it out themselves? I have always had dogs that got along well. I want these girls to continue having a good time together. I'm not sure how much to interfere with their interaction.

[Stacy]

You're right. I don't want to throw a ball either. It surprises me, the one Spinone I've met (big sample there, right?) doesn't seem overly busy. But maybe his mom took him to play ball first. His temperament reminds me of the girls. But they have little to no interest in fetching. They'll chase a toy if I throw it, maybe. But they don't always pick it up and mostly never bring it back. Chasing birds and squirrels? That's their wheelhouse. They do like digging a hole here and there. They like going for a walk and going for a ride and playing in the yard. We do stuff, but I never feel like they're bouncing off the walls if we don't do anything. 

I've never been in love with the short legged, long backed breeds. I like square dogs, leaning toward dogs with extra long legs. I love a leggy poodle. The PBGVs are cute, but I wouldn't want one. I also think the brachiocephalic breeds are cute, but wouldn't want one. Besides their health problems they just aren't dog shaped to me. But people love and adore their bulldogs. And I do think Bostons and Frenchies are adorable. I just object to the breathing issues.

I'll probably never have a dog who really needs a job. Not just the Border Collies and Belgians, but the Australian Shepherds too. As cool as I think they are, they really benefit from doing what they were bred for. I once knew a breeder/trainer of Aussies and they were the best dogs. But she did hours of training and work with them every day. I'm not sure there was a dog sport they weren't involved in. I had a huge crush on her huge merle male though. One of my all time favorite dogs. If I could have put him in my pocket and taken him home he would have been gone. But even then I knew that they just aren't the type of dog that would fit my personality or lifestyle. 

Look at all those titles! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The Spinoni won't chase balls. They're not retrievers. That's the problem for me. It was easy to exercise JD, all you had to do was throw a ball. You could sit and throw a ball. You could watch TV and throw a ball. You could be indoors in winter and throw a ball.  Spinoni are mellow couch potatoes...as long as you get them out hunting (or fake hunting, i.e. tracking) for miles in the fields several times a week. If it weren't for that, I'd have one, lol. 

[Stacy]

Oh, I see. Yeah, I would be interested in taking a class on tracking. But I can't make a full time commitment to it! My club has people who do tracking too. Sometimes I feel like it's really hard to get into those things as a complete, total, absolute novice. But I'm really excited about this scent work class with Maggie. Maybe I should read up on it. I have no idea what we are walking in to. 

I was just looking at the Onofrio dog show site, and there really are Thursday and Friday shows out there. Maybe I actually can get a title on Maggie this year. That would be so neat. I want to do dog things! And Willow too. I really thought we would be out of luck because of my work schedule. But maybe we could be "in" dog sports.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Yeah I've always thought dogs are the best at disciplining each other.  A puppy will be all rambunctious and owner trying to calm them to no avail...one correction from an older dog and they simmer down immediately:p

Luna was super submissive but was not afraid to correct a puppy or tell off a dog who was being too forward.

[Nicole and Teddy]

I have been reading all the comments with interest - love hearing you guys discuss the different breeds! I too love a doodle- the fluffiness factor and the personality (goofy and so affable/personable) get me every time. Specifically, Stacy - wanted to comment on the scent class. I had taken just about every class out there for Teddy and was looking for another one so we signed up for a scent work class. The class itself was actually pretty repetitive - it was 6-8 weeks if I remember correctly and the trainer basically taught them a game of "find it" using birch oil. They initially start with hiding a container with the oil along with a treat within some kind of field of random items. We were in a gym and she had different sized boxes, baskets, chairs, etc. At first you make it really easy for them to find the oil/treat with the idea being that it becomes progressively harder until eventually you take away the treat and they are just searching for the oil. She explained to us that scent work really uses their mental muscles and that this was a great way to tire out the dog. Teddy loved it! We still do it at home with treats. I'll hide a few in a room, tell him to "find it" and he'll sniff all around until he locates them. It's very cool how they are able to track scents on air currents. You guys will probably have a lot of fun!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

We used to play hide and seek with Luna and she used her nose to find the person in hiding :)  Riley seems to love following scent trails she'd probably love it too...but we have to be able to trust her wandering the house alone first lol.  

[Becka]

J I remember the video you posted years ago of Luna playing hide and seek with your husband in the woods!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Yes we did at the big dog park/trail :) she loved that place 

[Stacy]

That sounds like so much fun. I may be way way ahead of myself, but can you imagine how amazing it would be to have a search and rescue dog? She could find lost people! I think we will really enjoy the class. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Lucky for Charlie that Babette only visits - sometimes for a week at a time, but still, she goes home.  She adores him yet is a huge bully too.  Charlie has never told her no; when he's had enough he curls up in a corner, gets on my lap, or crawls under the couch! What goes around, comes around as Charlie, himself, tends to be dominant over other doggy visitors. I do feel sorry for him when she ambushes him at the top of the stairs. Babette is now two and her adoration of Charlie has not abated one iota.  I'd let your two work it out.  The one area that I intervene is at the top of the stairs because this affects me safely ascending.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wow, in that second picture, it looks like Charlie is getting bitten by a pit viper, lol! 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Until Babette, I had NO idea that poodles had those teeth!  Plus my son has taught her to 'smile' which looks scary to me. LOL.  This happened just before that encounter                                     "Wanna play, Cousin?" bows Charlie....