Training

Lily has started formal classes on Saturday. She was, as I expected a star pupil. Did everything on the first try and had a lot of fun. We started with focusing on the handler and then sit and down. Down was causing a few problems but she got the hang very quickly. Then we did some recall and recall with distraction. Lily’s recall is brilliant. She is extremely focused on me and one command and she is back with me. We constantly practise it off lead outside and even with other dogs, she is coming straight back if I tell her to. We also did leaves and I particularly enjoyed them. Jessie did the leave with treats fine, then we moved on to toys. Sue the trained took out a big drumbell and placed it on the floor. She said she uses it because it’s big and non of the pups would think about picking it up because it’s bigger then them. I secretly hoped Lily might prove her wrong and when it was our turn. Lily walked to the object, picked it up and walked away with it head and tail held high. The whole room was laughing and Sue was just saying well she is a Retriever she is supposed to pick stuff up. I placed the item back on the floor and walked past it again and Lily did a perfect leave.

After training Lily was tired all day, I guess it took a lot out of her.

Apart from the formal classes I mainly teach Lily at home. We usually spend some time on our walks doing sits, downs and recalls and she enjoys the training. Unlike Jessie she is not solely motivated by food, she enjoys just getting praised and pleasing me. She also has a strong drive to retrieve items and brings them back to me straight away.

First Rosette

On Sunday 48/08/2009 we went to Scrufts at Saltwell Park in Gateshead. I planned to enter Lily in the show, just for fun. Since I eventually would like to show her, I thought it’s a nice practise for both of us. I entered her in two categories “cutes dog” and “best puppy”. I think Lily is gorgeous and thought she might have a chance to win. The first competition she was in was “Cutes dog” and she won, I was pretty pleased, I know it was a just for fun competition but still she won and there were actually breeders there with their dogs, to use it as practise too, so I was not the only one. Lily’s friend Jay won “scruffiest dog” (not that he is scruffy at all) and then it was on for “best puppy”. There were about 25 pups entered and Lily ended up becoming 2^nd and got another rosette. Because Lily won cutes dog, we had to stay to the end for the Best in show. There were six dogs in total but Lily didn’t get under the first 3. Well it would have been a bit strange for a 13 week old pup to win Best in Show.

Needless to say, I was very pleased with the overall outcome.

Sleeping Arrangements

Lily is a little bugger and has her own mind about how the sleeping arrangements are. Both of them have their own bed, Jessie's is big and green Lily's is a bit smaller and orange.

Usually she clims to Jessie in her big bed and the two of them cuddle up

But there are also the times when she chases Jessie out of her bed and Jessie has to go and curl up in Lily's

Once Jessie is in Lil's bed, Lily usually decides that she wants in too and it ends up like this:

Walks

I took the girls to Water Gate Park the other week. Jessie was walking and Lily was in my bag being carried most of the way, since I didn’t want her to over do it. Once we got there, Jessie’s expression changed to one happy and enthusiastic Toller. We haven’t been up there since before I was in Germany and I could clearly see how much Jessie enjoyed it. Lily followed Jessie everywhere and more then once did she end up falling in the water because she didn’t stop running and following Jessie. I did carry her back home too and at the end all three of us were exhausted and went for a snooze.

Video's

Here are two video's from Lily's second day in the dog park

Fearless Lily

Lily already has a nickname: Fearless Lily.

Since she is allowed to be out, we have met up with my friends, who all have a dog around Jessie age and puppies just a bit older then Lily as well. This is nice, since Jessie and Lily have someone to play with their own age, as well as making sure Lily is socialized with other dogs by going to the dog park.

Well what can I say to that other that Lily went in the dog park and took it over within 30 seconds, she is not afraid of other dogs, she chases everyone playfully and in general has a really good time. She tells the dogs that are too boisterous off (aka Alfi) and is a well socialized girl so far.

Training is going well, she knows site, down and paw and we currently work on stay. She walks nicely on the lead without pulling, which I think is down to Jessie walking next to her, since it took me ages to get to this point with Jessie.
Her recall is great and I do a lot of off leash training with her since the day I got her home. We will see though how recall turns out once she hit puberty.
Playing with Jay and his big bro Charlie (both Tibetan Terriers)

Zaza and Lily, Zaza is very gently with her and Lily keeps going for more