10-Day Check-up

My new dog has kept me away from the blog and in the yard trying to housebreak the pup! So far, things are going well. After two tough nights, Boru has pretty much become a crate-trained dog. Sleeping through the night, going in without a problem, not whining to get out when he's in there. Housebreaking is going a little bit slower, but is progressing.

I've been using as my aide, Tom Dokken's Retriever Training. I met Tom on a hunt with the folks from SportDog and Lacrosse/Danner a few years ago. His keen insight and proven track record made me interested in checking out his book. I'm glad I have. His training techniques and writing style are both very easy to follow.

Meet Boru--the GoHUNTn Dog

Saturday, I brought home my little bundle of black lab.

Sleeping has been a little rough, and Boru (pronounced Boh-roo) had a rough morning yesterday , but he has been a champ so far!

He's already showing some early signs of enjoying fetch, at least he likes to go after the tennis ball in the back yard. The brightest moments have been him perking up when he hears geese go squawking by. I think I just might have a hunter on my hands.

In the meantime, it's all about crate training, housebreaking, and having fun with him!

New Dog Nerves

Well, in 48 short hours, I will be a first-time dog owner. And while I have seen friends successfully train puppies, and I have helped train a dog before, I'm starting to stress out a bit about the responsibility of having a dog.

Will he chew the couch? Will I find puddles of pee everywhere? Is he going to whine all through the night? Can I really train a dog to not only be a great pet but a great hunting partner?

I'm sure the answer to all these questions is going to be yes, at least I hope that's the answer to that last one. Somehow this dog is turning me into Woody Allen, and I don't even him yet!