Every dog wants to be Family.
At 13 weeks old Kitto already knew the basic commands, but the first day of Puppy class was humbling. Our perfect little buddy didn't know what to expect from other dogs, and it showed. Imagine a large room with 8 or 9 annoyingly-quiet puppies present, ranging from 8 to 20 weeks old (under 14 weeks was required to … Continue reading Socialization (13 wks old)
Written and photographed by Alyssa (15) On June fourth we set out to go to Forest Park. We put on Kitto's safety harness, scooped some AllProvide, and got a training clicker. We drove about 8 minutes with minimal complaints from our tiny animal. As we were driving past our local Farmer's Market, Kitto told us we HAD to … Continue reading A Fifty-Foot Adventure
Weeks 12 to 16 are our best opportunity to socialize Kitto well, and so our plan is to expose him to something new, exciting or scary at every opportunity until June 26 when Kitto is 17 weeks old. Every day will be packed with fun. While we still care about training, new skills are getting a lower priority … Continue reading Kitto’s First Days Outdoors
Kitto is 12 weeks old. After being indoors for all this time, his world is suddenly BIG. Kitto's vet checkup yesterday (All Stars Veterinary Clinic) went great. Kitto's heart, ears and joints are sound and maturing normally. His musculature is filling out well. He weighs about 4.3 lbs. He eats well, self-feeding on three different high-end kibbles, with 1/3 to … Continue reading Socialization (12 wks old)
Kitto is a tiny bundle of energy. He can choke himself on a collar pretty easily, and the harnesses we picked up for him early are a little too big. We purchased a Truelove dog harness for him, arriving tomorrow. This will help us feel like we can take him out of the house more safely. Today … Continue reading Socialization: Week 11
We expose our puppies to as many new situations, sounds, places, things, animals, and safe surprises as possible during the third and fourth months of life. They are outgoing more than fearful during this period, and so this the easiest time for them to learn. Dogs can still be taught after this period, however it is more difficult … Continue reading Socialize Early, Often, Forever
Kitto is 11 weeks old. He has a vet checkup / vaccination coming on Monday, and it's the big one that will let us take him outside with more safety so we're really looking forward to it. The world of our house is getting smaller as he is getting bigger. He knows little of the … Continue reading Basic Training: Week Three
Kitto's parents were chosen for temperament, health, and conformation to breed standards, but the Alaskan Klee Kai genetic pool is smaller than that of the cheetah. Genetic dice can roll unexpectedly, but we can share what Kitto is like in real life. Some of his traits are common, but they might be expressed more strongly or gently than normal. … Continue reading Kitto’s Personality
Kitto is 10 weeks old. I'm staying home with him for the month of May. This is helping us bond while he stays indoors until his final vaccinations. He's around a family member 100% of the time and is never left alone. We've had no negative kennel experiences, and he is mellow about family members coming … Continue reading Basic Training: Week Two
Be "Frustration Free" Listen to your dog. When you see and hear frustration in its voice or body language, ease off. Don't let your dog fail twice in a row. Go back a step and ask for an easy trick it knows well, and smile and remember how proud you are of your awesome little buddy. You'll … Continue reading Insider Tricks