Beekissed

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Lately I've noticed that Ben no longer grows impatient when I spend a long time in the coop, no more yipping at me impatiently, etc. Now he will lie down and watch the door, waiting calmly and steadily until I emerge. He's also using this tactic for when I'm getting ready to walk up to do the feeding, whereas before he would dance around and sometimes would yip impatiently at me if I paused and waited to approach their boundary, now he'll lie down and wait.

He's so intuitive in many ways, as he has worked out this all on his own~what I like best in his learned behavior~lying down and waiting calmly~ and so now he repeats that "best" by applying it to other areas of his life. I didn't teach him that part and neither did Jake, that's all Ben. I make a big deal of it each time I notice it because he's so eager to please.

He's grown big enough now that I think he can no longer fit through the back pop door on the coop, so I'm thinking of removing the hot wire on the front pop door and shutting it, as per normal this time of year.

He's got two bedding areas available and, depending upon the weather, he switches back and forth between them~his dog house and his open dog lounge. Smart dog.

Going to drop to single digits the next couple of nights, may dip into the negatives, so I'm thawing out deer scraps tonight to go along with regular food tomorrow and the next day. He's been enjoying the stored and fermented pumpkins along with the chickens lately and every scrap gets licked off the ground, and has been using rotten oranges from the scrap pile as dog toys. I keep finding them all over the yard and even one in his bedroom. Silly pup.

All in all, I'd say Ben is still doing most excellent in his training, having reached his 7 mo. birthday today. He knows scads of commands and learned behaviors, is trustworthy around the chickens at all times, responds like a dream to training, is humble, but confident, and sweet and smart as a tack. He's quiet, which I love very much...I've only heard him bark a handful of times since he's been here, other than the little yips he used to speak to me. He's responsive to my body language and voice, and is sweetly affectionate to us all. He's quite the blessing to this homestead.
 

Beekissed

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Ben's 7 mo. progress pics....haven't officially weighed him anywhere but he weighs approx. the same as Jake and Jake runs around 60lb. He's bigger, taller than Jake but much more lanky, less compact muscle.

LL

LL

LL

LL
 

Beekissed

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Worked outside all day today and Ben helped. He helped eat an old mushy pumpkin, helped me do all sorts of chores, and got a lot of petting. He got a correction for something today and responded quickly and correctly...I'm amazed at how responsive he is for his age.

I was able to remove the hot wire off the coop pop door now that Ben is too big to fit through the back pop door. That's a great thing!

Last week he managed to get the lid of the new dog food tote open and ate a huge amount of dog food before I noticed what he had been doing. That tote is now behind closed doors until I transfer the food into a tote with locking handles. He's quite the fast learner. :rolleyes:

Last week I had pulled the car up to the shed to unload dog food and invited him to "load up" in the back of the car. He did so quickly and easily and stood still, getting much praise and pets, until I said he could get down. Acted like he'd been doing that all his life, so the training in the car~done once, mind you~was effective and he remembered it. The next time I pull the truck up there, I'll see if he remembers his truck training just as well.

Got a pic of Ben today....

LL
 

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He sure is. He's also less distracted by things, more focused. I am still amazed at how little correction it takes to get this dog to stop doing something. Just like that thing where he was nudging the rooster off the hens when he was mating them....one time I told him, "Hey! No." Didn't even say it in a firm or stern tone at all, but he got it. Since then the rooster will mate right next to us and Ben won't even turn his head to notice it any longer...acts like it's not happening.

He "gets" things pretty quickly and he gets them completely, if you know what I mean. Usually doesn't take more than one reminder or correction for him to know what I'm wanting and to not repeat it again. I love that about him.

I'm really loving having this dog around. As he gains confidence and gets to know me more and as I get to know him more, we are forming a good working bond and an easy companionship. I have no doubt he'll wind up like the rest of the dogs I've had that go down in family history, with good stories of fond admiration and respect for their lives and character. A good dog writes his own story and it's always a good read.
 

Beekissed

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Ben helped me train Mom and my grandbaby, Aliza, in walking a dog and he did wonderfully. He shortened his steps and went slower for them, was calm and considerate through it all. I was proud of them all!

LL


LL


Aliza showed him how to drink from the puddle...and she actually drank from the puddle before I knew what she was trying to do. :th

LL


And Ben obliged her by following her example....

LL


And got a kiss for his good work....

LL


First puddle stomp of spring, a drink of muddy puddle water and a kiss on the butt...don't know which one was happier about all that. :D

LL
 

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