|
per email October 2nd, 2009
Hi Sabine,
Thanks as always for your responses and for sharing your expertise and advice. Icy and I have been having a great time arranging "educational" play dates with the neighbor dogs. Icy is sooooooooo smart and sooooooooo wanting to please me that even I am amazed at her progress. In just a few days I am now working on training the other dogs more than Icy.
Yes we did get to see a dog show the other weekend; right here in Wenatchee! The Wenatchee Kennel Club hosts a show annually. It is usually somewhere around the second weekend in September. It is a fun show, held outdoors in the sports park across the street from the ice arena. It is a very large park. Many of the families come with their recreation vehicles and they are allowed to camp together in the park. As you can imagine this becomes a great social event.
The show was a three day event this year and Icy got to meet a few of the show dogs as we rollerbladed past the show rings/campsite each morning. After watching the show, I am resolved that Icy will participate next year. Of course, I think Icy absolutely has the appearance and physique needed for showing. She does quite well performing the show routine in our backyard and she is starting to do better in the presence of other dogs. Puppy “show school” and continuing the social training you recommended in your last letter will be a lot of fun for both of us. As for shows beyond the Wenatchee show,=2 0I will have to see if our family’s schedule will allow for further commitments. Is there a possibly Icy and I could join you at a show or two in the Lower Mainland or Okanagan. If you are at all open to this, let me know.
It would also be really fun to see the “EXPERT” Roughdiamonds show at our local event here in Wenatchee. I have no idea if the US and Canadian kennel clubs cooperate to allow across the border showing. If it is allowed, you certainly have an open invitation to stay with us, at our house. We would love to have you, and of course all the dogs, come and stay with us.
I was glad to hear that you got to see Leavenworth and that you enjoyed it. =2 0We are never sure if Europeans will appreciate Leavenworth or think it is really phony. Yes, that was the “Biergarten” near the end of the block where we took Icy’s picture. We seem to end up in that same spot more than occasionally enjoying a relaxing drink and/or bite after fishing, hiking or skiing. Please do feel free to call us, even without notice, if you are ever in Wenatchee. We are busy but we always happy to see friends.
Yes, Icy has been back at my Chiropractic office since the kids went back to school and everybody loves it!!!!!!! My last letter may have overemphasized Icy’s teenagedness. She really is actually very well behaved and such an amazing therapist. She is sooooooooo good with my office staff and all of my patients. She is calm and sooooooooooooo gentle. She follows me through my daily routine and just stays by my side, always very content. Many of my patients ask for her to come in the treatment room for their visit. She will often sit at their feet with her head in their laps while we talk. When they lie down, she does occasionally sneak a kiss. If they prefer she stay out of the treatment room, Icy just follows my assistants Susan or Linda. Many patients won’t leave the office after their appointments because they continue to play with Icy after their appointments. This is sooooooooo good for my patients, staff, Icy and me.
The really big issue this week is that Icy has started her cycle and is currently pre-estrus. The physical reality of this event has stirred a lot of conversation in my house. Louise and I are very, very concerned over avoiding an unplanned pregnancy. Because of the mess she is leaving behind and her crying when confined while she can see and hear activity, I can’t have her at my office, nor can I leave her outside for the next 10-20 days. This means she is alone confined inside our house during the day. We still go rollerblading and I try to get home at lunch to play, but Icy is not happy when I leave her. We have in the back of our minds that we would still like for her to have the opportunity to have one litter of puppies, but only under your conditions, approval and guidance. We said we would talk later when we picked her up so may we talk now? What exactly do you require, or simply want, us to do to so you would be happy and comfortable with Icy having puppies? I need to evaluate if these requirements are realistic for my family. If not, I must admit that we will likely have Icy spayed. These last few days have been no fun for Icy and we are really, really, reeeeeeeeeeeeally nervous about an un arranged pregnancy. If she is not going to have the opportunity to have puppies eventually, I believe she would be happier without going through this routine twice each year. Please be very honest with your response on this issue.
So, just to finish on a lighter note, I think you should reconsider your calendar project. The contest may be out, but YOU have some of the most beautiful and precious Samoyed photos I have ever seen!!!!!! I personally would love to have and display a compilation of these.
Do you still have Dolce? She is just beautiful and her future family will be lucky to have had the extra training and socializing time at your house!!!! If you are still looking for a home for her,=2 0let me know and I will ask around as well.
Anyway, I can’t wait to hear back from you.
Until then, all our love.
Louise, Paul, Kaela, Dani, Liam & Icy
per email Sept. 15th, 2009
Hi Sabine,
Thank you so much for sharing Duschka’s puppies with all of us online. They are all so beautiful. It is absolutely amazing how fast they grew up. I did follow and thoroughly enjoy your online updates almost every day. When the puppies left for their new homes, I even felt a little heartbreak.
With this thought in mind, I need to share a brief story concerning your influence over the puppies you send out all over the world. Icy is usually sitting/sleeping nearby when I check your web site and watch your videos. She is oblivious to most of the sounds coming from my computer. Whenever she hears your voice, and most specifically when you are speaking in German, she will almost always get up immediately to come and sniff the computer speakers and act as though she is looking for you. When we picked her up, you had said she would forget your family within a week. I don't believe this is true! Your exceptional family's love and care for her will never be forgotten.
I have sent a few new photos of Icy. As you can see, she is growing up very nicely. I think she is still smaller and lighter than Ayla or Duschka but after seeing a large group of show Samoyed's this past weekend, she is right in standard. We think she is just beautiful and we are totally in love with her.
With all the craziness of summer, I regret to say that Icy’s training as suffered slightly from a lack of routine. She is still such a good girl and we have been out rollerblading almost every morning; but, Icy has become more self assertive as a teenager. She has obviously not forgotten her commands but she now seems to take a moment to weigh her options before deciding to respond. Treats, still definitely seem to be the deciding factor. Also, ALL training seems to go out the window when she sees another dog that she would like to play with, treats or no treats. On the trail, when another dog approaches there is no control until she sees you are actually leaving her new friend. Then, and only then, she is happy to come. She is not a bad dog, we just always still have work to do. We are trying to get into puppy classes to help her calm down around other dogs but our schedules are just so busy in the evenings when dog classes are available.
Oh, before the deadline has passed, I would like to enter the picture I sent to you way back in March, of Icy lying in front of the log chewing on the stick, into your photo contest. This is still one of my favorite photos of her, dirty, wet and all.
I hope you are all well and are enjoying the rest of your summer.
All our love,
Louise, Paul, Kaela, Danika, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________
per email June 12th, 2009
WELCOME PUPPIES!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Magnum and Duschka!!!!!!! The Puppies are all soooooooo incredible and special.
Way to go Sabine and Larissa!!! These puppies are soooooooooooooo lucky to have both of you!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this special event with all of us.
Also, I thought I'd finally send a couple of newer photos of Icy. As I think these pictures show, Icy is truly a special young lady and so much a part of our family now.
Sabine, thanks again for your expertise and advise the other day, even when you obviously had so much else going on. Thank you!
Hugs and All our warmest thoughts and prayers.
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Dani, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________
per email June 9th, 2009
Hello Schulte's,
Hope all is well with all of you. We are particularly thinking of Duschka over the next few days and wishing her an easy birthing and of course healthy puppies! Can't wait to follow this new miracle. . .
Icy is continuing to grow into a beautiful girl. We had a skating competition in Tacoma and we are still driving only one vehicle - the two-door Honda. With this vehicle, the traveling/hotel crate is transported unassembled. After arriving at the hotel, it suddenly became very apparent that some things have changed since our trip to Portland. As I put the crate together Icy walked over to see what I was doing and set her chin down on top of the crate. As she was standing beside it, I also realized she is nose to base of tail, 3-4 cm longer than the crate. What made me laugh was that as soon as it was ready, she just hunkered down and crawled right in, struggled to turn around and then laid down inside the "little" crate all on her own. Because of this situation, we never closed the door yet she slept in there each night and even spent time in the "little" crate when we were all there in the room. She did not seem to mind at all. I guess she felt safe in there after my driving?
While in Tacoma, we visited an off leash dog pa rk. As you can imagine, Icy got a lot of attention. She just stands out, even among other Sammys. She really does have a special look and an amazing temperament. Of course the fact that she was very happy to play and play and play and play and play . . . . . with any other dogs (Great Danes to teacup ???????s), as well as her good manners when called, got her lots attention as well.
At home, we still don't have a camera so I've been taking pictures with my phone and I will try to figure out how to load them to email soon
Our walks lately have been shortened up as the weather, even at 6 am is getting pretty warm. Our afternoon temperatures have already been up to 38°C. At these temperatures, Icy stays pretty calm, and very happy to hide in the coolest place she can find under a tree or shrub.
Anyway, I must get back to work.
Again all our best thoughts for Duschka, the puppies, and your family!
All our Love,
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Danika, Liam & Icy
________________________________________________________________
per email April 27th, 2009
Hi Schultes
I am sooooo sorry it has been soooooooo long since my last email to you. Life is just waaaaaaaay too busy!!!!!! Please forgive me. I see that Roughdiamond Samoyeds is number one on the K9 Rings web site. Way to go and most deserved. I will definately add a new review in a little while.
Icy is doing great.
She continues to grow and grow and now is starting to have that long legged "teen" look along with the puppy growth bumps on her knees. She has lost several teeth and we have found a few. We have not had a potty accident for weeks!!!!!!!
Icy is a little too energetic with the cats but they are mostly putting up with her. Once she calms down, our Siamese (Mocha) really enjoys getting a thorough ear cleaning from Icy and occasionally we will find Mocha and Icy asleep together in Icy's crate.
We continue to spend as much time as we can training. "Come", "sit", "down", "paw", "roll over", "drop it", "tighten up", and "heel" are very good with treats; but still 50/50 with out them. I am hopeing this will improve with time. Icy is also doing quite well with "stand". We are struggling with "stay". I can't get 2 backward steps away, or start to turn my back without her following. We are also working on "quiet" as she loves to talk with a very healthy (you might hear her 5 km away!) bark as well as her many other howling singsong sounds when she is in a playful mood. She is not a barker, she just wants to play sooooooo much. I need to be able to ask her to stay and be quiet if she is going to be allowed to return to my office. "Go get it" (Fetch) is good for 3-5 times only.
Icy has not chewed anything up but loves to always have something in her mouth. Her favorite indoor game is to be chased around the furniture with someone's laundry or homework in her mouth. Again, "drop it" only works with a treat, when she wants to play. She always picks up something and just caries it with her when we are walking.
Where Icy truly excels is at long walks. We try to walk/jog about 8 km along the irrigation canal behind our house daily. Icy is a true spitz and will wade in the water but does not seem interested in swimming. On weekends we hike other trails behind our house that take up to 3 hours, climbing and descending fairly sleep terrain. On these outings, Icy is fantastic off the leash, even without treats. She comes to get her leash on when called and will heel as we pass others. She loves to play with any dog we meet and she is very well behaved when it is time to part. Commonly, she has to be the "good dog" that we use to help catch the disobedient dog. Of course everybody notices how beautiful Icy is and I just can't help but agree. We spend lots of time talking insted of walking and now many people in Wenatchee know of Roughdiamond Samoyeds in Aldergrove, B.C.
......We, and Icy, were in Portland, OR three weeks ago for a skating competition. Our SUV broke down the evening before we were supposed to go so Icy had to travel the 5 hours sitting on the floor of our Honda with her head on Louise's lap. She was very happy with this arrangement and the bonding with Louise. Icy was perfect in the hotel and we snuck her in the rink while the girls skated. She loves to be near the ice but it is a little difficult to keep her inconspicuous! At one point she was "singing" along with the skating music, which was fine, until the music suddenly stopped and she let out one of her resounding barks just to punctuate the silence. We stayed an extra day to visit some friends who live on a hobby farm and have a young mastiff mixed breed dog. The dogs just played and played and played and played, late into the nigh and all the next day. I was so proud of how obedient Icy was compared to her "big buddy". Our friends were also sooooooo impressed and enchanted with her. By the time we were ready to leave, Icy was nose to tail covered in mastiff drool and so worn out that she was very happy to be hosed off and get in the car. She slept all the way home and was as white and beautiful as always when we got out of the car.
Anyway, Thank you again for our beautiful baby. We could not be happier with her and I'm pretty sure she is ok with us too!
Hope to see you all soon! Love and hugs,
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Dani, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________
per email March 30th, 2009
Hi Sabine,
Way to go Magnum!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Larissa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful Dog; fantastic people!!!
Again, Sorry it is sooooo long between messages. Honestly, my spare time is taken up with Icy, and I am not ashamed to admit it! I will try to send pictures soon but she is really looking more like Magnum every day. She has the thick rough hair between her ears and strong forehead just like her daddy. She is now tall enough to stand on her back legs and look in our kitchen window (at counter top height) while we wash dishes. Last week she weighed 12.5Kg! We are taking long walks and working every day with basic training but still struggling with listening during distractions, unless there is a treat involved. We will get there; this is just an honest update of our growing puppy who gives nothing but over bounding love.
I also just received the photo of Tiffany and Casanova on the bench. The shot is indeed heart warming. We are all such lucky dog owners thanks to you the Schulte/Roughdiamond family. I have patients tell me of destructive, disobedient or vicious Samoyeds, but I can never imagine any Roughdiamond being thought of like that, thanks to the incredible breeding and love they have received from their very first day. They are all soooooooo special in the unfaltering love they give. This photo is the perfect illustration to this point.
Hope you are all well.
Love and Hugs
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Danika, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________________
per email March 16th, 2009
Hi Sabine,
Thanks so much for your insights on Icy's behavior. I am writing back because I am feeling good that I think we did some things correctly and I wanted to reassure you that Icy is not being confused toooooooo much.
When I said that we tried to confine Icy for peeing at the office, I want to assure you that we did not punish her for her excitement. We simply tried putting up a gate to keep her in the reception desk area so we could more closely monitor her activity. She was confined together with Linda and Susan! We brought the gate at the beginning of a day and it was closed all the time, not in response to any accidents. We tried this for several days. Icy's complaints were not really bad behavior nor even that bad. She would howl when I went into a room with a patient and shut the door. I'm sure she will be great back at the office in a few months, when she has had time to grow up a little.
Also we are working on doing exactly as you said concerning the treat dependency issue. I think this is a sign of her intelligence; she is so quick to distinguish her profit margin before working. By dominance/alpha behaviors to correct this issue, I mean that we are really trying to re-focus on things like: making sure that all people are though the door before she goes, she eats after us, we wait for her to be calm before giving her her food or greeting her, we ask her for a specific command/trick once before petting her and ignore her if she fails to do the trick, we stop walking if she pulls the leash, we change directions frequently without commands so she needs to follows and we occasionally move her when she is sleeping. She still gets lots of love, all the time, but we are trying to make her feel that she needs to earn attention and petting. Liam is still the weak link in our training efforts but he is trying and he is holding his own - - - most of the time!!!!! Thank you for knowing that "Yellow Girl" was the right puppy for us.
Yes we are being very careful to not over exercise Icy with the inline skates. . . . Well at least I make sure the girls don't do this. I have to confess that I did make her sore last week while skating. She did whine and move stiffly the rest of the day and the next morning when getting up after sleeping and I felt very bad; it won't happen again!!!!!!! Yesterday afternoon, Icy and I went back country skiing and I took a toboggan for her in case she got too tired. We skied moderate terrain (off leash) for about 1.5 hours and she was great, chasing every snowball she could get rolling but staying close with me. She is full of energy today and does not seem sore at all!
Again, thanks sooooo much for writing back. This is part of why I am so happy we met you when we were looking for a Samoyed. It is always great to have reinforcement when we are doing things correctly and there are always new things to learn. I read Casanova's "Owners Comments" (presumably Tiffany's) from Feb. 23 last night and I had to note that they are exactly the same, point by point, as our observations for Icy. We are indeed lucky dog owners. This is the other reason I am so happy we met you when we were looking for a Samoyed!
We have not been up to the Lower Mainland since picking up Icy but when we do come we will certainly stop by for a visit. Most certainly if you are feeling home sick and get an urge to see "little Germany" (Leavenworth) give us a call. You and the dogs are always welcome at our house! We always have Bier and Brawts".
Love and Hugs
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Dani, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________________
per eamil March 15th, 2009
Hi Sabine and Meinolf,
Thanks for sending Icy's registration. Thank you so much for sending Icy's "Yellow Girl" yarn. It is so amazing to have this little treasure. Thank you!!!
......... Of course I am also spending a lot of time outside with Icy; but this time is rejuvenating for me.
As you can see in the photos, Icy is growing sooooooo fast! Even as a bigger girl she is still soooooooooooooo loving and cuddly. Once she knows we have treats, she is so smart as well. She is walking on the leash and heeling quite well but of course loves to run free. She "comes" immediately even when something to chase has her attention. She knows "go get it" (fetch), "drop it", "tighten up" (line up and lean on my left leg), "heel", "paw" (gives her paw left or right to match mine) and of course "sit"and "lie down". If she knows I have no treats, she will still decide what she wants to do. We are working on this strong willed issue with "dominance" or "alpha behaviors" but in the interim we are being patient and careful where and when she is off the leash. We try to go for three long or fast exercise runs daily. She loves inline skating with me and/or the girls and stays out of the wheels very well. She also loves "singing" with Danika's violin practice.
As you can see in the photos, we went to Leavenworth yesterday and had a great time, a beer and a “Bratwurst” for you. First we went for a good walk on Blackbird island and had some off leash time. Icy brought the tree out of the woods herself. She so loves being in the snow at any chance she gets; but mud is not bad either! Walking through the crowd in town was a challenge. Icy wants to meet everybody and no one can resist meeting her!!!!! With a treat, she usually did pretty good sitting before people petted her. The rest of the time, the people could not wait and we had a lot of tied up traffic. Louise and the kids finally gave up on me and got to the beer garden way ahead of Icy and me, but Icy and I now know half the town...
We have had to step back from having her come to the office with me lately; but, this will be a temporary step. She was starting to pee almost each time a patient tried to play with(comment from Sabine: “Puppies get excited very easily and they just can not hold it anymore; so letting her mature and get more confident with bathroom training is the solution for that problem! Be as neutral as possible, when accidents like that happen! No big fuss!”) her and she would cry unacceptably when confined. I think we rushed this step and we were too busy working to pay sufficient attention to Icy at her young age. Since beginning crate training at home, she has had no accidents at all. I can still get home to take her for a potty and a fast walk at lunch. She seems to be happy with her crate for now. We will stick to this routine for a few months to let her mature and to let the urine scent dissipate at the office before we bring her back. Many of my patients are very disappointed when she is not there so Danika made a beautiful "Icy collage" for my waiting room.
Anyway, thank you again for Icy!!!!!!!!!! She is such a joy and has truly enriched all of our lives here in Wenatchee. I will try to keep the pictures coming more regularly.
Love and hugs
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Danika, Liam and Icy
________________________________________________________________
per email Feb. 7th, 2009
Hi Sabine & Meinolf
Thanks for checking in with us. I am finding that now I am a little more busy than I was last week; it is now a little harder to find time to write e-mails. I've attached a few pictures from this past week so you can see how Icy is doing for yourself....
Icy is such an amazing puppy and is doing extremely well adapting to life at our house. As you have said, she is 100% trusting of everyone and everything she meets. I am certain this has helped her to be so calm and confident in her life change.
Everyone at work truly loves her. For her first day at work, Linda my office manager, bought her a little pink drinking bowl, a pink blanket, a pink piggy chew toy and a little pink bed. Linda has three West Highland Terriers and was expecting a "little" puppy. Icy just barely fits in the bed now, but loves it anyway. Susan, my receptionist/assistant, who has just moved to the United States from South Africa where she had two German Shepherds, brought Icy a drinking fountain, full-sized for a grown German Shepherd. Everyone had a good laugh at the size discrepancies. Icy has been so well behaved and easy to have at the office. She sleeps most of the day and when she is awake, calmly chews on her chew sticks and is content to be under feet at all times. She is happy to greet my patients who make silly faces and noises to get her attention and she ignores those who ignore her. She has hardly barked at the office and when she does, it is in play and only an individual bark here and there.
Icy is just so smart. Obviously, you have been working with her on, "come" and "sit" as she is already very good at it these. She is also good at "down" to a lying position. She will usually look when we call her by name. We walk in our park, off the leash, and she generally stays within 2-3 m of me even when I walk and continue to randomly change directions. We have not officially tried "heel" but she is pretty close already.
We are working hard on potty training. She is so smart but such a little stinker. Mostly she is doing great. We are consistently taking her out immediately after eating, when waking up, and every 1/2 hour she is awake. She gets tons of praise and an occasional treat when she does do it right. We try to stay and play a little after the deed is done. Lately she has been playing games with us. Once outside, she is quite happy to play and play and play, pouncing on invisible objects, eating grass or pine cones, digging in the snow but not doing her business. We do this outside for up to 1/2 an hour only to pee or poop immediately after coming back in. She is still so very young and time and consistency will do the trick. If you have any magic suggestions to speed up the process, I am all ears.
I have to say Icy's sense of smell is also truly amazing. We hide treats under Liam's cups (Duschka's trick) and of course she finds them immediately - if she wants to. We go for our morning walks at 4:30 a.m. and she always smells out our neighborhood deer way before I realize where they are. Thursday evening was a dark night and while walking off leash in our fenced park, she lost track of me so I hid behind a tree. I could not believe it when she took a logical zigzag pattern to find my scent and then tracked my exact path to find me. At 9 weeks, this is amazing!!!!
Icy's ears are just starting to come up. She looks up to see what is happening and her ears are fully erect - only to gradually fall back forwards as she loses concentration. This is so incredibly cute and I am glad that they were not up before she came to live with us. It is almost like witnessing your baby's first steps.
Anyway, thank you again and again for bringing this beautiful creature into our lives. Already, she has brought such joy and happiness to our house and I know the best is yet to come. I had forgotten how amazing it is just to be outside, with my dog!
I hope all is well with you and that it is not too quiet in your house now. We look forwards to any chance we may have to visit with you and the dogs in the future.
Love and hugs,
Paul, Louise, Kaela, Danika, Liam AND ICY!!!!!!!
|
