Category Archives: OwyheeStar’s Succeeding with the Weimaraner
Scout
~ Follows Enzo’s Paw Print Example
Scout is doing great! He’s double in size and growing like a weed!
Scout is so funny to watch on his own playing in the snow, but when big brother Enzo is around, Scout wants to do exactly what Enzo is doing, it’s so cute!!
Breeder Comment
We are so happy to hear the excellent news. One thing for sure, they don’t stay puppy-sized very long.
7 Steps To Success
Note: This is a repost of an article we have shared several times. Our pups are ready to acclimate to their new environment upon arrival. We recommend not over-thinking at the early stages.
- Be committed — Commitment to the process is primary. Training your pup will take time. Think of this as a journey (a road trip) with a destination in mind. Don’t set timelines; instead, take this adventure together. It will take as long as it takes for each achievement. Sometimes just when you think, you have arrived; your Weimaraner will hit a snag or transitional phase. There are many of these stages in the first couple of years. As with an adolescent, they can be going along well and suddenly regress. Please take this in stride it is nothing personal. The first occurrence could well be prior to week twelve. Stay calm and move ahead–this is how to avoid ingraining fear or some unwanted behavior.
- Keep your eye on the young puppy at all times—This is vitally important for at least the first 2-3 weeks, or until you have the housebreaking part accomplished. Use a crate, bag, or soft-side crate to confine the pup when you cannot be vigilant. The crate should not be too large. If it is more than they need they may select one end for a potty area.
- Be consistent–Do everything in the same manner! For example, the pup wakes up and stirs. At first, you would pick them up and carry them out to the area where you want them to go potty. Each time you see them circling or rousing from a nap go to the potty-area. If you use the bells hung at the door, then ring them as you go out the door. Soon they will be ringing the bells as a signal for you to open the door.
- Keep it simple — Although your pup can learn amazing things, it is best to do a few simple things and build upon those experiences. The process will unfold naturally if you allow it to do so; start with getting them to come. Although they all follow and come to us, it is different once they start to mature. Do the hallway exercise (5-7 retrieves each night). By using a hallway (with adjoining doors closed) there is nowhere for them to escape with the toy, ball, or dummy. Some people treat them when they bring the item to their hand. It is not necessary. The activity is a reward in and of itself. Have a couple of bumpers or toys (designated for this activity). Make it an event every day until you move to the yard because you have compliance.
- Keep it fun — Weimaraners are brilliant and learn quickly. A trainer might tell you to work for an hour and even a half hour doing one exercise every night, but we suggest ten minutes. Do it for ten minutes and then do something fun. This approach works for us! If your Weim pup loses interest, you lose ground in the training process.
- Remember it is about your relationship — No matter what you are doing it is important to remember that Weims are all about relationship. If they get their feelings hurt, things can go sour quickly. Your bonding experience is vital to the success of this relationship. Take time to think and see things from their perspective. You are the center of their world. They not only want to control you, but they want to own you. Weimaraners are the ultimate Velcro dog and must learn how to stay alone. Your relationship is a double-edged sword. They need a lot of time, attention, and affection. They also need to find ways to cope when you are absent. We recommend starting this process very early, or they will come to expect you will be there 24 X 7. Separation anxiety can be a huge issue in this breed.
- Be patient — When you go out to teach your pup a skill, make sure it is a learn-able task. Plan enough time to accomplish the task–but keep your training focused to ten to twenty minutes maximum. The short bursts of success are more effective than lengthy sessions. Your attitude and demeanor play into the equation too! If you are feeling stressed, forego training your Weimaraner. There are many methods of training. Nevertheless, choose one that enhances your bonding experience and one that creates a respectful environment for all concerned.
The best Weimaraner people are those that are natural leaders. Anytime you feel your relationship is stressed then you are going down the wrong road. The persons that are neither too strict nor too lenient are usually, the ones that excel. Regardless of what happens, it is always best to pro-active than to be reactive. Stay calm. Keep it simple. Get results. Plan little steps of learning and build upon them. Try our 7 steps to Success, and we believe you will be on the right path.
Wishing you fewer puppy bites and more puppy kisses
~ Shela and Cliff
Behind the Scenes
Before the pups arrive, the Mamas have our full attention–we work to ensure they eat well. We watch for any sign of a problem, etc. The whelp-window is typically from day 59 to day 64. The pups must be at least 59 days old to survive–although we might use extraordinary measures to save a puppy–there are limitations.
Once the pups are here, Christina and I do most of the hands-on work. We do like to involve Cliff when possible–a man’s touch is a good thing. Some pups require a lot more than others–case in point, Dink. You might remember the tiny undersized puppy which Christina took to feeding and caring for around the clock. Sometimes intervention doesn’t work–because there is something wrong. Other times such a pup starts to thrive and eventually catches up with their litter.
From Day-One, there is a lot of hands-on work. Thankfully, Christina is a skilled puppy handler-whisperer sort of helper. Recently, she whelped a pup when we had to be away from the house. She has an eye for details–watching and looking the puppies over constantly while she adjusts their collars, handles them, and works with each one. As you might imagine, this kind of process is labor-intensive–but we believe it works–is essential.
There are many stages and steps involved in the raising of the Weimaraner. We hope to have them set up for success–but once they transition to their ‘forever family,’ the work continues. No matter our efforts, it is almost as if you are starting from scratch–it is a new environment. They have to adjust and adapt, which they will do very quickly, and at the same time, the humans must take control of the leadership role, or the puppy will rule the house in short order.
Astra
~Head over Heels
She has stolen our hearts and I am happy to share a few recent snapshots of her. Astra is doing great we had fun at the beach with her.
Puppy Class
~ Best in Class (haha)
Astra completed her first puppy classes and won best youngster at Mutts and Moms Cannon Beach.
Breeder Comment
We are so happy to hear that Astra is excelling on every level. Thank you, for remembering us.
Keep going Astra–you rock!
Seven Steps to Success
OwyheeStar Recommends
Note: This is a repost of an article we have shared several times. Our pups are ready to acclimate to their new environment upon arrival. We recommend not over-thinking at the early stages.
- Be committed — Commitment to the process is primary. Training your pup will take time. Think of this as a journey (a road trip) with a destination in mind. Don’t set timelines; instead, take this adventure together. It will take as long as it takes for each achievement. Sometimes just when you think, you have arrived; your Weimaraner will hit a snag or transitional phase. There are many of these stages in the first couple of years. As with an adolescent, they can be going along well and suddenly regress. Please take this in stride it is nothing personal. The first occurrence could well be prior to week twelve. Stay calm and move ahead–this is how to avoid ingraining fear or some unwanted behavior.
- Keep your eye on the young puppy at all times—This is vitally important for at least the first 2-3 weeks, or until you have the housebreaking part accomplished. Use a crate, bag, or soft-side crate to confine the pup when you cannot be vigilant. The crate should not be too large. If it is more than they need they may select one end for a potty area.
- Be consistent–Do everything in the same manner! For example, the pup wakes up and stirs. At first, you would pick them up and carry them out to the area where you want them to go potty. Each time you see them circling or rousing from a nap go to the potty-area. If you use the bells hung at the door, then ring them as you go out the door. Soon they will be ringing the bells as a signal for you to open the door.
- Keep it simple — Although your pup can learn amazing things, it is best to do a few simple things and build upon those experiences. The process will unfold naturally if you allow it to do so; start with getting them to come. Although they all follow and come to us, it is different once they start to mature. Do the hallway exercise (5-7 retrieves each night). By using a hallway (with adjoining doors closed) there is nowhere for them to escape with the toy, ball, or dummy. Some people treat them when they bring the item to their hand. It is not necessary. The activity is a reward in and of itself. Have a couple of bumpers or toys (designated for this activity). Make it an event every day until you move to the yard because you have compliance.
- Keep it fun — Weimaraners are brilliant and learn quickly. A trainer might tell you to work for an hour and even a half hour doing one exercise every night, but we suggest ten minutes. Do it for ten minutes and then do something fun. This approach works for us! If your Weim pup loses interest, you lose ground in the training process.
- Remember it is about your relationship — No matter what you are doing it is important to remember that Weims are all about relationship. If they get their feelings hurt, things can go sour quickly. Your bonding experience is vital to the success of this relationship. Take time to think and see things from their perspective. You are the center of their world. They not only want to control you, but they want to own you. Weimaraners are the ultimate Velcro dog and must learn how to stay alone. Your relationship is a double-edged sword. They need a lot of time, attention, and affection. They also need to find ways to cope when you are absent. We recommend starting this process very early, or they will come to expect you will be there 24 X 7. Separation anxiety can be a huge issue in this breed.
- Be patient — When you go out to teach your pup a skill, make sure it is a learn-able task. Plan enough time to accomplish the task–but keep your training focused to ten to twenty minutes maximum. The short bursts of success are more effective than lengthy sessions. Your attitude and demeanor play into the equation too! If you are feeling stressed, forego training your Weimaraner. There are many methods of training. Nevertheless, choose one that enhances your bonding experience and one that creates a respectful environment for all concerned.
The best Weimaraner people are those that are natural leaders. Anytime you feel your relationship is stressed then you are going down the wrong road. The persons that are neither too strict nor too lenient are usually, the ones that excel. Regardless of what happens, it is always best to pro-active than to be reactive. Stay calm. Keep it simple. Get results. Plan little steps of learning and build upon them. Try our 7 steps to Success, and we believe you will be on the right path.
Wishing you fewer puppy bites and more puppy kisses
~ Shela and Cliff
Milly
At Sixteen Weeks
~We can Report
I wanted to give you a quick Milly update. She is 16 weeks old today and weighing in at 28lbs. I’m so curious as to how big she will be, how large was her mom? She is such a sweet girl with the perfect amount of spunk!She is patient (mostly 😉) with the kiddos and is such a quick learner! The piranha syndrome is slowing down a bit too which is great. She has taken to her crate like a champ and enjoys most everyone we meet, person or dog.
We have been working with her on pheasant scent and a wing and she has a beautiful point! I have included a picture of her pointing below. We plan to expose her to some live birds soon.
She had her titer test today in lieu of the 16-week vaccine and her vet says he predicts she will have good numbers! Thank you for such a wonderful pup! All your hard work is evident! We had such an amazing experience with our last Weim, I was worried I would never have such a wonderful experience again. Milly is proving that she is up to the challenge of taking over where her predecessor left off!
Breeder Comment
~and your answer
I must say—I find this the most obnoxious thing about the Weimaraner puppy—the mouthing and biting. Even though it is shark-like (despite what some folks think), it is not aggression. They are a very mouthing-type of a puppy—possibly the worst of all.
How delightful it is to have an engaging and friendly Weimaraner. Not every Weim welcomes those outside their inner circle.
You folks are doing fabulous with her. Thank you, for doing the titer test instead of automatically doing a 16-week puppy shot. And for staying on top of other things as well. Once they arrive, the work begins afresh. Thank you, for all you are doing and have done with her. I am excited to hear more in the future.
Marie’s
Pushkin
~ The Battle of the Wills
It has been awhile since I have sent you an update. Push is all Weim in every sense of the word. He is a manipulator par excellence! We are still working on the check cord that Cliff recommended. Pushkin will come 90% of the time. It is the remaining 10% that comes to a contest of wills, and mine is stronger! We started puppy classes about 3 weeks ago he is doing well with everything but the “down stay”. Again it becomes a contest of wills. Last week we worked on agility. He did great in the tunnel. I would run, he would run and he would be sitting outside the end of the tunnel waiting for me and of course his treat. He is feisty, stubborn and completely lovable. Thanks so much for the great dog!
Marie
P.S. he now weighs 36.5 pounds.
Breeder Comment
2018
Hello Humans!
~Or Maybe I should say Hoomans.
Welcome to 2018. Do I look like trouble? I think not! Whatever story you are posting on Facebook or Instagram I am not buying it. Not even for a nickel like my Mama used to say. What can you buy for a penny or a nickel anyhow?
The chewing, the puppy-biting, and whatnot are unfortunate. This OwyheeStar Blog has quite a few posts that discuss these topics. Well, before today there were 2623 posts–who is counting? That is a lot of updates and bits of information. In talking with Shela, we thought maybe it would be a good idea to post some links that might be helpful so you can get me on track.
- Puppy Biting Whoas
- Weimaraner Puppy Biting Revisited
- Miss Darcy (Shark Baby) Part Two
- 7 Steps To Success
- Berkley (update and what’s for dinner)
- Lap Dog (and the twists and turns)
- Stella (Not short on Adventures)
- Koda (at six months)
It is important to be pro-active instead of reactive. Remember the habits you allow me to start might be with us for a lifetime. Our relationship is primary to my wanting to please; however, if you allow me the upper paw, then you are duped.
From Cliff and Shela
We hope you find this post helpful as we begin a new year. If you are a subscriber to our OwyheeStar Weimaraner News Blog, we thank you. If not, maybe you want to consider subscribing. It is easy enough. Check out the top righthand column. If you are merely looking for information, we hope you find what you need. Directly below the subscription area, you will see a search box. You can search the blog for specific information. You may also click on any of the many listed categories. We realize there is a lot of information to sort through and read, but we hope you find this helpful.
Our clients and their updates are vital to our blog’s success. We could not manage without their gracious updates. We also believe that sharing information helps many with their own Weimar. Most people though just live vicariously through reading about your Weim’s antics and seeing the photos you send.
Berkley
In The Groove
Berkley is settling well into the routine of our family. She loves her walks. She likes to eat ice. She’s learning lots of commands and especially how to contain her enthusiasm by NOT jumping up on people. She thinks the living room is her jungle gym, jumping from chair to couch with very little effort. We’re working on curbing that. She has begun meeting other dogs and is showing an appropriate blend of curiosity and submission. She also enjoys riding in the car.
Pizza For Dinner
Her naughtiest moment so far (which really is not her fault…Blame it on her nose and on my husband) : My husband got a pizza out to put in the oven. She was sleeping peacefully on the couch at the time. He intended to return promptly to put it in the over so it would be ready for my return home, but he got sidetracked and forgot. When I came home he remembered that he didn’t put the pizza in the oven. I said, “no problem, I’ll put it in.” As I entered the kitchen, I realized that Berkley had pulled the pizza off the counter and eaten half of it! Thankfully, other than a little gas and the need to go outside in the middle of the night (which my husband took care of), she was fine.
Preventative Action
Sooooo…our friends showed us a trick to keep her paws off of the counter and it’s working so far. The second she puts her paws up on the counter, we shake this thing we made out of foil pans. It is so startling she takes off running and several days go by before she attempts to put her paws up again. As you can see from the picture, she is sitting on the chair in the background quite content to be away from the scary shiny shaker. As long as we have it on the counter she remembers to stay down. Our former Weimie had the same tendency… Such a good nose and such a strong desire for food!One of my favorite times of the day is when, after the kids are in bed, she snuggles up on the couch with me, tuckered out from the day’s activities.Berkley is a tremendous source of laughter and entertainment in our family, and we are thrilled to be making memories with her!!!Thanks again for making such a great match!Sincerely,Amanda
Breeder Comment
We are delighted to hear of your continued success and joy. We are in the business of making dreams come true–at least that is our goal. This breed is not for everyone. Anyone who loves the Weimaraner finds they both want to expound on the fabulous life with the Weimar and at the same time warn others it is not all that easy to raise one.
You are doing fabulous! I think it is vital to get the basics done; then you work on things such as counter-surfing, living room agility, and meet-and-greet techniques. Nonetheless, a friendly, happy, and active Weimaraner is a delight. I am sure we can agree on that fact.
Some of our readers recently began the training of a Weimar pup. They quickly learned that freedom is earned. You want to get the housebreaking, crate-training, and the desire to please engrained very soon. Then you can move on to other things–like compliance on the leash. We were so thrilled to see not all that long ago you had achieved excellent loose-leash-compliance. (Click here to read the previous Berkley update.) Those things go a long way toward having a well-adjusted and easier to live with Weimaraner. Keep up the great effort and thank you for thinking of us.
Final Thought
For those embarking on a journey–remember not to compare your situation with others. They (like this family) can give you hope of what can be achieved. Nevertheless, each family is unique. This adventure is a journey. It takes as long as it takes. It is a one-step at a time thing. Achieve the basics, so you have the solid foundation. Then, together, you can see what you can become.
The Last for the Year
At the Nielsen Farm Pond
We promised an OwyheeStar client who is getting one of the Atti X Boone pups that we could swim the pup before they depart. Any promise is subject to being derailed by circumstances beyond our control. Mr. Winter could push in and steal the stage. He has already made it evident that he is intent on an early arrival. We didn’t get snow; however, other not so far away places did–Cotton Mountain for one. The forecast has been for a warmer fall, and we hoped for the Indian Summer weather that we love so much.
The icy temperatures departed, and the pups came of age. Isn’t it grand when the stars align? The pond filled and despite the straw-like trim that floated around the edge it made for the perfect opportunity to get the swim accomplished. The last induction to water for the year. We don’t have access to an indoor swimming pool.
We love adding the puppy swim to the list of early life experiences. Nevertheless, many OwyheeStar Weims swim without the benefit of this imprint experience. Therefore, folks getting a winter pup should not fear their pup won’t take to the water. In fact, any Weimaraner can become an excellent swimmer. Some are more natural swimmers than others. It takes knack and patience. The right setting also helps you achieve the swim. A love of the retrieve is an invaluable tool. If you are patient and keep working on this discipline, we have no doubt you will achieve a positive outcome.
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