The Art of Raising a Puppy
Took Murphy on a long walk today. This was on the extendable leash, and although there are still some rules, this was more for Murphy to play. I also wanted to practice some new training methods I have been reading about.
I’m not going to lie. Mr. Murphy is a challenge. He is only 14 weeks old and I hear all puppy’s are difficult, but I’ve been told by our vet and other experienced dog owners that we got a really high energy, high alpha puppy on our hands. We are in an all out battle for who is going to run the house, and Murphy might be winning.
Here’s the deal. Bo was my first dog ever. We got him when he was 4 months old. His previous owner was a single male, and told the pound that he couldn’t give the puppy the time he needed for his energy level. The person had kennel trained Bo, and Bo knew how to sit, and seemed like he had been well trained for his age.
Bo was great for us. He was a lover, not a fighter. He learned early on that fetch was a wonderful sport, and from then on would always pay attention when you had a ball in your hand. But I also have been told that you tend to romanticize the old dog (especially during the trauma of raising the new puppy). With Bo, we did feel the need to take him to obedience school, so he couldn’t have been perfect. Also, the person gave him up because Bo had too much energy, so maybe Bo’s previous owner experienced Bo when he was more like Murphy is today. I wonder sometimes if the person who gave Bo up didn’t do it a month or two too soon, because I read that months 3 through 6 are the tough ones (it’s a mantra I keep telling myself about Murphy).
So Murphy is my first experience raising a puppy. We got him as six weeks old. Since I have been working from home, I am the one doing most of the raising. I’m not sure sometimes if it’s going well. There are some good points. He knows how to sit, stay, lie down, drop, and come - but knowing how to do something and doing it on a regular basis are not the same. He is doing good with socialization - he lets you play with his ears, his feet, rub his belly, etc. He also is house broken, and has been for about a month.
In other ways, I haven’t done a very good job. He still jumps on people, nips at people, is possessive, and all around thinks he’s in charge. Basically, he is a spoiled brat - or just a puppy, I don’t know. Like anyone with a problem the first step is admitting you have a problem - and I have a problem. I need help raising this puppy!
We are actively looking for obedience classes. I thought after Bo that I knew how to raise a puppy. Wrong! The best place around here for raising a puppy doesn’t currently have an opening (does that mean I’m not alone?). We are still looking.
The next thing I’ve done is buy a book. The Art of Rasing a Puppy, by the Monks of New Skete. Here is a link to Amazon. My friend Shelleyrecommended it. Last night I read most of the book. Clearly I have a lot to learn about raising a puppy. Even Bo wasn’t as well trained as they train their dogs, and Bo was really well trained!
On today’s walk, we worked on coming when called. The trick is to use the extendable leash, then call them when they are far away. Make it attractive for them to come to you. They want to be around you, so being enthusiastic is usually enough. We did this over and over while walking. For the most part, he came because I sounded like it would be fun.
The other thing we worked on was not pulling on his leash. Since he had the extendable leash, he had a lot of play. When he got to the limit, I would change direction and go someplace else (we walked mostly in and around a park). Murphy for the most part would eagerly accept the change in direction and release the tension on the leash.
Both of those lessons went well. There are going to be harder ones ahead. Even with the book, we need professional help with Murphy. Even at his young age, he has developed some really bad habits. I want to eliminate them asap.
I don’t know how much of this post makes sense to anyone who reads it, but I feel better after writing it. I should be able to make it through another day or two without killing the little fur ball. Of course, as I write this, he is happily sleeping away in his kennel. Clearly Murphy is okay with how things are going…
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 01/31/2008
- Time: 09:00:00
- Total Time: 1:15:00.00
- Distance: 4 miles
- Average Pace: 18:45/mile
Filed under: Family, Uncategorized, Walking, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Walked Neighborhood with Murphy
Did the 3.6 miles loop with Murphy. He was full of energy, and I wanted him to be worn out a little bit. It took us longer than it should as we had to stop often and work on leash etiquette.
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 01/30/2008
- Time: 16:00:00
- Total Time: 1:10:00.00
- Distance: 3.6 miles
- Average Pace: 19:25.05/mile
Filed under: Uncategorized, Walking, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Spin Class was hard
I did spin class for the first time this year. It was hard. The instructor was good. Lots of hill work. Between the spin class and yesterday’s lifting, I feel fairly trashed.
Workout:
- Type: Cycle
- Date: 01/30/2008
- Time: 07:00:00
- Total Time: 1:00:00.00
- Average Heart rate: 148
- Max Heart rate: 175
- Calories: 846
- Distance: 20 miles
- Average Speed: 20 mph
Filed under: Cycling, Spin Class, Uncategorized, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Feeling the Love
For the first time since I started back lifting, I really connected with my lifting. It was a “traditional” lifting session with my Uncle Mark, as opposed to the core workouts I do with Lisa. Mark and I haven’t lifted in a couple of weeks, and during that time I have worked out with Lisa a couple of times.
Maybe it was just that Mark and I have lifted enough (after about 9 months off of lifting), or maybe it was the fact that Lisa’s core workouts really are magical in how they integrate your whole body. Either way, it felt good today.
I stayed engaged with every set. I enjoyed the feeling of my muscles as they worked. Mark and I did a fairly intense workout, with 28 sets of 12 reps. We particularly hammered our legs, mostly in anticipation for the events we have coming up.
Awesome workout. When lifting in the zone, it feels great!
Workout:
- Type: Strength Training
- Date: 01/29/2008
- Time: 15:00:00
- Total Time: 1:00:00.00
Filed under: Uncategorized, Weight lifting, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty, strength training
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Walk with Murphy on Trail
Walked Murphy for third straight day. He likes it, and it seems to tire him out, so we like it.
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 01/27/2008
- Time: 10:00:00
- Total Time: 00:40:00.00
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Average Pace: 16:00/mile
Filed under: Uncategorized, Walking, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Trail walk with Natasha and Murphy
Took Murphy on anotber trail walk today. Natasha came along.
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 01/26/2008
- Time: 13:00:00
- Total Time: 00:40:00.00
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Average Pace: 16:00/mile
Filed under: Uncategorized, Walking, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Walk with Murphy on MLT Trail
Took Murphy on his first trail walk today. It was a 2.5 mile walk - one that I did hundreds of times with Bo. Murphy did great on the walk. The most entertaining part was when he ran on a patch of ice and slide for about four feet on his back.
Here he is just sitting on the trail.
Here he is after the walk.
Workout:
- Type: Walk
- Date: 01/25/2008
- Time: 10:00:00
- Total Time: 00:40:00.00
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Average Pace: 16:00/mile
Filed under: Uncategorized, Walking, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty
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Core workout with Lisa
Lisa put me through another core workout today. It took me about 4 days to recover from the last one, we’ll see how long it takes me to get over this one.
Here is what we did:
- Half Bicycle on Bosu - 2 sets - 15 each side
- Side crunches on Bosu - 2 sets - 15 each side
- Back Diagonal Lunges With Medicine Ball Wood Chop - 2 sets - 12 each side
- Backward Lunge to Knee Up with Dumbells - 2 sets - 1o each side
- Seated Rotary Calf Machine - 15 reps
- Flipped Bosu Push Ups - 10 - 15 reps
- Dips off Bench with 1 leg extended - 16 reps
Filed under: Uncategorized, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty, strength training
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Strength Training - 0.5 hours - 01/24/2008
Workout:
- Type: Strength Training
- Date: 01/24/2008
- Total Time: 00:30:00.00
Filed under: Uncategorized, strength training
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Run with Murphy
Today I bit the bullet and went for a run - with my dog. Okay, he’s actually a 13 week old Golden Retriever puppy, but he still is faster than me. We ran/walked for 2 miles. He was dragging a bit coming in, so I think I picked a good first distance.
For me, my shins really felt it. As with walking fast, that is the body part that most needs to cooperate. My heart rate averaged 142, with a 164 max. Good solid aerobic numbers for an old guy like me. I only averaged 14 minute miles, but in all fairness, we stopped at every corner and worked on sitting and staying. Anyone with a 13 week old energetic puppy knows that can take some time.
PS - as I write this, the Murphinator is sound asleep under my chair. I count that as a small victory.
Workout:
- Type: Run
- Date: 01/23/2008
- Time: 12:30:00
- Total Time: 00:28:00.00
- Average Heart rate: 142
- Max Heart rate: 164
- Distance: 2 miles
- Average Pace: 13:59.16/mile
Filed under: Run, Uncategorized, Workout, fitness, fitness over 40, fitness over forty, running
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