A different kind of paws

Kangaroo paws!! We've had a few issues with some of the more fragile plants surrounding the pool area. When the monster Mawson gets out of the water, he tends to be a bit excited and has been known to run flat out, or roll onto things, such as my precious little struggling plants. We've sorted out this by adding a few barriers so he cannot get into the thick of the plantings. At first he was not very impressed by our idea, but he has since got used to it. And we now have some lively healthy flowering kangaroo paws, amongst others. Pretty!

awful pic of my pretty flowers

Big foot's cousin

People always comment on the mahoosive size of Mawson's paws. And to be honest his mahoosive size overall. Mostly when compared to the refined and petite paws of lady GSPs...

But you see, for us, those paws have become rather smaller from when we first got the monster. Let's say that, when he was a pup, the paws were constituting 90% of Mawson's body...

It's not that he is overweight or anything, we usually try to run him a bit lean, he is just big boned!

big tootsies

look at the size of that trotter

Mawson has never had the risk of being blown away by a gust of wind

Trick and Treat Tuesday: High five

Today is another one of my favourite with Mawson: the high five!
If you have already worked on the paw shake, it has a lot of similarities, and you can use a lot of the training done then for the high five. Again, I have found that it is easier to start with mister pup sitting in front of you. The trick can be separated in bite size movements, depending of the drive of the monster in training. Do not forget to use the right reward and treats during the exercises.

Hey there, who are you calling monster? Only little angels here, misunderstood angels...

The beginning step is to get your pup to push your hand with his paw and reward, click/treat. Again try to not add any cue words at the early stages.
- Start with your closed hand with a treat inside, pretty close in front of the pup. As for the paw shake, any pup will try to get to the treat by pawing your hand, which is the motion you want!
- Repeat the same type of movement with a paw push of your opened hand, palm up.
- Then move your hand about with pup targeting the palm of your hand, going higher up to the level of his head.
- When the movement becomes more automatic, add cue word slowly and then you can go around and HIGH FIVE at any opportune moment!
I usually do that when we are going to start an exercise or at the end if we did it correctly...

Hey guys! Here is your opportunity to give your minion a good slap across the face and then use the innocent puppy eyes... Plead misunderstanding of the new command, that works, I swear! But it is a short window of opportunity, so don't miss it!!!

yeah, got it, high five mum!

Do not be fooled!

I finally found back photographic proof that puppies are evil little things. You see most of the time, you get drawn by that little angelic face. So cute and innocent with the big round eyes...

Puppy Mawson

And then you get the vampire teeth trying to get you. Look at those needles and the crazed eyes!!

Spawn of the devil

Only a warning of the things to come!

Tour of the facility

Well, as I have been resting my puppy eyes quite a bit this weekend, after the minions took me out until the early hours of saturday morning, I thought that I would do a tour for you guys. You see I have set areas for snoozes, I also have quite a few beds, nothing fancy really, you know, just 3 or 4....

When I was a pup, I was veeeeery restricted. You shall even say I was in jail! I have proof!

See! During the night... jail....

During the day when the minions weren't there. At the beginning: small jail!

A bit later: a bit bigger but still jail!!

When the minions were home, I was allowed out on parole. But my jailers were still keeping a closed eye on me.

I was also allowed out from time to time... barely enough really, wondering how I didn't get vitamin D deficiencies....

Now that I'm pretty growed up, the minions have relaxed a bit, on the conditions I do not destroy their cushions. As if I had ever done that! Dad stop showing that one, that was just a mistake!
I am ever so good <insert angel hallow here! with very cute innocent puppy eyes...>
So here is a tour:

- night bed at home (metal crate so they can fill their jailers needs...)

- night bed on the road (comfy travel crate, and they rarely close it because they say I'm going to poke my nose through and break it... pffff....)

- big day bed inside (salon, for very hot days, when cool needed, zzzzz)

- or just the carpet when I feel like it! (don't know what all those toys are, that must be mum's, I am a big boy me...)

- day bed near the pool window (for the afternoon naps in the sun)

- day bed outside (in the sun or shade depending of temperature and only when the minions are home)

- or just even on the deck...

- or the grass... a bit less hard...

- evening bed in the front room (with fire on if it's cold like you know below 20˚C... gnehehe). Need to orientate well for cuddles.

- carpet in the front room (that's not a bed, that's just my protest when the minions are not quick enough to get my bed... and don't tell them but gosh it's comfy and fluffy....)

- evening bed in the salon (when it's real hot and we need the back door open, though I still like my blanky). Also good for cuddles, less things around.

- night bed, when I am sick or when mum or dad is sick, I'm very compassionate like that.

So that's it. I am sure I have forgotten a few good spots like the outside bench, or the side of the pool, or the back of the car, or under the table... euh sorry...

Well I am a poor little puppy really, and I hope I have fully demonstrated that the minions are really my jailers. I am building my case for my lawyers....(might remove a few of those pics for the case...).

Ok, got to warm up that the bed in the front room. It's cold, brrr might ask for the fire... What NO? See, they are mean....