A volunteer Dog

First Day Volunteering. | The Adventures of Spencer : Sticker Dog's mascot's Blog

One of the blogs I read on a regular basis is about a dog who was recently certified as a therapy dog. Spencer is a vibrant golden retriever that I am sure brings smiles to people's faces.

I hope one day we can bring Finn to the point where he can do these sorts of things. As I always maintain, watching him make a stranger smile is the best feeling, but there are some steps to take first. Of course the training we are doing with him now will help, but one of the goals of this should be the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen test. Sure some of the tasks are a little ways off:

Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.

but I am confident Finn will be able to pass this test with flying colors. Once he passes this crazy puppy stage we'll set some more goals but for now we are content to enjoy watching him sit and lay down on command.

here is a little video of a portion of our training session. As you can see he is starting to know down pretty well. I can get him to do it without treats too, but he doesn't stay down as long. Enjoy.

Finn's First night

We had been looking for some time to get a dog. The idea was to get a companion dog that could join Julia and I on runs and play outdoors. Naturally the golden retriever was top choice as they are a great and beautiful dog and are bred for companionship.

After looking at a few shelter sites and filling out applications we stopped by a Petsmart to see the adoptable dogs. After realizing it could take weeks to complete the process and even longer to find "our" dog we decided to scan the classified ads. There were at least 5 ads for golden breeders but we were able to narrow it down a bit since we knew we wanted a male. A few easy calls later we had set up appointments to go meet two different breeders. As we left the first meeting we were torn. We decided to go see the second breeder just to make certain. As we left the second breeder's Jules and I knew which one was our dog. So we called back to the first home and let them know they had our dog, Finnegan.

We went back and picked up all the paperwork and discussed his habits a bit more with the breeder. He has 2 sets of his puppy shots and is D-wormed. Training wise he has started on a pee-pad and sometimes going outside although he's not fully trained yet. Also he knows how to come on command and can sit. Other than that he is a happy puppy and loves playing. It was tough to take him from his family but it had to happen, a sad goodbye and then we loaded Finn into his new carrier in the back of the car and set out. He was great in the car, all curious and eager to experience all that he can.

The first night is known to be rather tough. Finn, however, was loving everything. We showed him his new digs and got him setup in his room and showed him the yard. With enough toys we were able to corral him and keep him occupied for a few hours before trying to put him to bed.

Bed time was interesting. Although we had planned for the puppy our crate was a little small since we were anticipating a bit smaller of a puppy (not 15 weeks). Putting him in the crate seemed cruel with how small it was and how much he was whining so we decided to let him run free in his room and pick where he would sleep. Previously Finnegan had slept on a cool solid floor so he found a nice spot between our couches and curled up. We decided we needed to set a precedent so we gave him about 4-5 hours without us and after the first ten minutes he quieted down and settled in.

We were up at 5 to take him out and play with him. Yeah, it does take a lot of time to keep a puppy but I think it is going to be worth it. A quick walk and some breakfast for all parties and a nap was in order. Right now little Finnegan is curled at my feet snoring away, the epitome of whats great about being a dog owner. Later today we are going to get a Vet appointment and go buy him his cage so we can start on crate training. There will be lots more to come, including wonderful pictures, but for now this owner needs to take a nap.