HANK'S PROGRESS

WELL THE LAST FEW DAYS I REALIZED THAT MAYBE MY EXPECTATIONS OF HANK WERE NOT UNREASONABLE BUT A BIT ABOVE WHATS NEEDED FOR A PUP OF ONLY 9 WEEKS. I DECIDED TO LET HANK HAVE MORE FUN AND KICK BACK ON THE "TRAINING" A BIT. NOT TO SAY THAT I STOPPED WORKING WITH HIM OR DIDNT TRY TO CONDITION A BIT BUT I HAVE NOW STARTED TO ADAPT THE TIMES THAT I WORK WITH HANK IN THE YARD OR OUTSIDE TO WHEN I FEEL THEY WILL BE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE. FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OR SO I HAD A PRETTY SET SCHEDULE ON WHEN WE WORKED TOGETHER. I WOULD WAKE UP AT 6 AM AND FEED HANK THEN TAKE HIM OUT TO WORK ON STUFF FOR TEN MINUTES OR SO, BUT I FOUND THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING ALL HE WANTED TO DO WAS LAY IN THE GRASS AND CHEW ON BARK OR GRASS. SO NOW I HAVE STARTED FEEDING HIM THEN TAKING HIM OUTSIDE TO DO WHAT HE WANTS THEN TAKING HIM BACK INSIDE AND KENNELING HIM WHILE I GET READY FOR MY DAY THEN WORKING A BIT IN THE YARD. ITS MORE PRODUCTIVE AND HIS ATTENTION SPAN SEEMS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND THE "DRILLS" GO MUCH BETTER. IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON I TAKE AN HOUR OR SO LUNCH BREAK AND WORK WITH HIM BEFORE HE EATS. SINCE I AM INCORPORATING TREATS(PIECES OF HIS FOOD) IN TO TRAINING HE IS A BIT MORE EAGER TO PERFORM WHEN HE IS HUNGRY, MAKES SENSE TO ME. IN THE EVENING OR AFTER I GET OFF WORK I AM TRYING TO EXPOSE HANK TO HUNTING TYPE SITUATIONS. LIKE TAKING A DRIVE OUT TO THE LAKE AND GOING IN THE WATER, OR GOING TO A FIELD AND LETTING HIM SMELL AROUND AND EXPERIENCE COVER. IF I DONT GO OUT TO ONE OF THESE PLACES I WORK IN THE YARD WITH HIM CASUALLY. I DONT WAT TO DENY HIM HIS CHANCE TO BE A PUP.


THIS MORNING WHEN WE WERE LEAVING TO COME TO THE OFFICE I LET HANK EMPTY OUT BEFORE WE GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A PIECE OF COTTON(OR WHATEVER THE TECHNICAL TERM IS) FROM A COTTONWOOD TREE STUCK TO THE GRASS. HANK STALKED IT AND LOCKED UP ON POINT FOR A GOOD TEN OR SO SECONDS. A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.I GUESS MAINLY BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE DID THAT WITH SOMETHING NATURAL OR UNPLANTED. ACTUALLY BESIDES THE ONE OR TWO TIMES WITH THE WING ON A STRING ITS REALLY THE FIRST TIME FOR HIM. ONE THING THAT I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO GET CAUGHT UP IN WAS HIS PROGRESS,CORRECTION, HIS PROGRESS WITH MY INFLUENCE. I HAVE EXPECTATIONS OF HIM BEING SOME GREAT POINTING,RETRIEVING,TRACKING ANIMAL THIS FALL. NEWSFLASH........NOT REALISTIC. HIS NATURAL ABILITIES ARE WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE HIM A GREAT DOG, WITH MY GUIDANCE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. UNTIL HE HAS HIS CHANCE TO BE A PUP AND LEARN THAT HE HAS THESE ABILITIES, I NEED TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE. YES I CAN HELP CONDITION THESE NATURAL ABILITIES BUT HELPING TO CONDITION AND TRAINING ARE DIFFERENT THINGS. THANKS CHAZZ!