I just wanted to send you another update email on Tetley.  At nine months old, she is just about 70 lbs.  She had her first day at the doggie spa at the end of January and had a puppy cut and looks so cute.  (the picture of her is just before her papppy cut) She is such a good dog, she is so socialable with people and other dogs.  We walk her to a nearby closed in off leash dog park every day where she runs with her friends, most are the same age as she is (Tegan, Leonard, Oscar, Maggie, Voo-Doo, Charlie, Rudy, Barclay, and the list goes on) She provides us with so much fun.  She is not much of a "fetch dog", but a true social butterfly as the people at the dog park say. She learns fast.  At the dog park there is an owner of a pet supply store that always brings treats for the dogs, but they have to line up and sit properly and he feeds them treats.  At first she wasn't getting the treats because she was "out of line" but soon caught on that if you sit nicely, you get a treat. My daughter Nicole works at a group home for autistic young men.  They take the dog with them on group outing for walks and she just senses that these fellows are different and she is so good with them, like she is watching over them.  It's the same at the dog park, she is good with kids, and older adults.  For the most part she listens to her commands, and is very good on a leash.  We truly enjoy having her as part of our family.    

Deborah Patching

Hello Sue,

I just wanted to send you a note that we just love Tetley to bits.  She is so sweet.  So far, since Nicole picked her up on Aug 11 she has come to feel comfortable in our home.  We take her for a couple of walks a day.  We have to have a leash on her for walks as we live near a busy street.  But she is already quite comfortable with this and does not pull on the leash, although she doesn't like the sound of loud vehicles.  We do have areas very close by that she can run free, and there is also 2 off leash parks nearby, but I won't take her there until she has her shots.  We also have an enclosed large backyard that she has become quite comfortable in.  

She is very gentle and cuddly with us.  Absolutely loves tummy rubs!  The girls play with her and she wants to nip if she is too excited playing with them.  We are trying to correct that by 1) telling the girls (I have 3 daughters) that they shouldn't get her so excited that she is still a pup and doesn't understand, and 2) when Tetley is starts nipping say no biting, hold her mouth closed, and then if she continues to do that say no and offer her chew toy and then walk away that you don't play with her.  One of the doctors I work with said that he has had several large dogs that he has raised and said that I should lift her by the back of the neck gently until her front paws are hang so that she knows you are the one in charge.  I have not tried this and I am not sure which is the best way to stop this behavior, but I would like to be consistent.  Your thoughts on this would be
appreciated.

Tetley is also very happy to be outside in the backyard for a couple of hours at a time without someone playing or being next to her.  Something our other dog did not do right through his 13 years.  We leave the sliding door of the family room open so she can go in and out, and we check on her but she really is content without whining.   She will take one or two of her chew toys with her and is well behaved.

We have taken her to some of the soccer games of the girls and she is content in the car, knowing where she has to stay when traveling.  She is very friendly with other people and has been friendly around some of our friends' dogs.

Debbie Patching