Crystal is our June 10, 2012 Pup of the Week

Pocket has her own views on what pups we should recognize. She says that we don’t recognize the young pups enough. Me, I think you need to build up a bit of a resume before you deserve recognition. But this week we are going to recognize a younger pup, with a younger Mom, and who has not spent much time playing with us in the cyber world.

This week we recognized Crystal, our mighty Great Dane of a friend. We would like to recognize her for her faithfulness, dedication, and being wonderful friend. But this week she added a new title to her resume. Crystal had become a Great Dane puppy whisperer.

Like all us pups Crystal has an online family and a onfoot family. One of her onfoot family members is her cousin,another Great Dane named Bella. Bella has a young human sibling named Gabriel who she doesn’t get along with. And who knows, the kid could have an attitude. Once they hit two they become all vicks and ‘tude.

But Bella is also a classically misplaced dogs. She is in an apartment with four humans. Not a place for a Great Dane with energy to be. She spends too much time in her crate or being tied up outside. Crystal and her Mom might be young but they knew this was no kind of life for Bella, so they decided to have their own K9 training Kamp for her.

Crystal and her Mom took Bella to their house for a weekend. Crystal’s Mom took Bella for long bike rides to help burn her energy (and get this, Bella actually ran along the side of the bike and not on the handlebars. Who would have thought?) Once Bella was exhausted Crystal’s Mom planned to see if the bad behavior went away. I am telling you this kid is a natural.

After Bella was exhausted getting her to walk on the leash was much easier. She dets able to determine that Bella was just a giant ball of energy. There were some issues with Bella losing interest in her food, and being obsessed with her grandma, wanting to go everywhere with her, and sleep with her, even though grandma did not have that bond, and Bella became a puppy stalker.

When Crystal came in to say goodnight to Grandma Bella tried to protect Grandma and Crystal had to give her a lesson on who was the boss. Later when Crystal’s Mom came in Bella growled again and Crystal’s Mom had to correct her.

Crystal’s Mom worked on the food problem by hand feeding her and tried to work on her aggression issues with other pups by walking her along a fence with dogs on the other side. When Crystal’s Mom took her for a bike ride by the dogs, and Bella was otherwise occupied she did not pay those dogs any never mind.

I think Bella has a long way to go but she has good trainers in Crystal and her Mom. And it is good to know that there are wonderful, young pup owners to keep dogs cared for and our web sites open for generations to come.