update on punky the monster puppy.

[mopinko]

i posted this little while ago about my crazy puppy-
https://www.democraticunderground.com/116137683

but things have settled down. posted this the other day on fb-

having a moment w the monster puppy.
let him do a little hunting this morning. had the opportunity to explain to him that he cant swallow everything he catches. he found a desiccated squirrel. yuck. drop it punky.
wasnt easy, but i won.
now he is napping next to me, and all the dogs.
biff was not tickled, but i am forgiven.
if i can make sure this kid gets to hunt, i think i can keep him from the dark side. what to bite and what not to bite is our big training issue right now, and he is getting it.
so far after several trials, he knows he cant bite the baby chicks. i let him smell them every day, on leash, right in front of me. when i take them out now, he lays down for his daily sniff.
we also sit on the bench in the yard and feed the chickens. he knows the place command, and he is often placed on the bench. so he is pretty reliable on a leash. he gets to be close enough to give them a good sniff and an occasional paw pat.
he will need his nose to not make hunting mistakes. he loves his nose.
he also met mr hose today.
managing to forge a little pack peace while explaining the word in english "no" to a wolf puppy. and to a couple crabby old ladies, who should know better, but....
so all in all have a little more hope about turning this little monster into a useful dog.
i guess i will buy him a new collar. he ate the last one. i have been reluctant to invest in the $50 training collar that he needs.

the collar was $65, but i sprung for it.
him understanding the word no, even tho i had to literally punch him in the face a couple times to explain it, has really brought the temperature down.
we have also done more off leash, cuz the little sucker was getting reallllllly leash-wise. as long as i have treats to rattle in the treat box, and a good toy, i can keep his attention. if he sees a bunny he is gone, but i'm not going to discourage that yet. he comes back as soon as the chase is over.

i am even starting to like the little sucker. i had been holding back, really. not to him, but to myself. i didnt want to get attached.
but he is worming his way into my heart by working so hard to be a good kid.
i know my days of wrangling big puppies are numbered. i've still got it, and imma hold onto it as long as i can. i was really kicking myself over how hard this has been. but i guess i still have the chops.

[tblue37]

1. Is he really a wolf hybrid--or just a pup who acts uncivilized and thus, "wolf"?

Do you have pictures to share?

[mopinko]

3. not a hybrid, but

i got his dna tested, and they give them a "wolfyness" score. it shows how many of his genes are holdovers from wolves, and not seen in dogs. all dogs have a little, but he has 3%, which is high.
i suspect this comes from being such a mutt. i have had other mutts that we so mixed that they come out looking more like a wolf than any breed of dog.
biff, my bulldog, only had less than 1%.

so, yeah, i think of him as my wolf puppy.
dont have a pic account.

[mopinko]

9. link to a couple fb posts below.

all i got.

[tblue37]

10. Oh, he is adorable! nt

[elleng]

2. Love you and your chops, mop!

[mopinko]

4. .

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Thanks for sharing the good news!

I know that puppies can be tough. I learned that when I adopted my five-month-old Jack after adopting senior dogs. My only previous puppy was when I was a kid - and it was much easier to keep up! Sounds like you're doing a wonderful job with him - and you know that we're waiting for pix!

[mopinko]

6. all i have is fb.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154933004285810&set=pb.682225809.-2207520000.1526130435.&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154933004365810&set=pb.682225809.-2207520000.1526130435.&type=3&theater

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Well, I'm not on there, but I can see the pix - he's adorable!

[mopinko]

8. he's a lot bigger now.

can put him paws on my shoulder. 75lbs!