Odda "NO"

I am sure that poor Odda thinks that her name is Odda No, she is growing into a big beautiful lug. Chance and I have been helping out with her this week, checking to make sure she is safe, making sure she has water and that her kennel is clean. We let her out of her kennel to run willy nilly throughout her yard. She is so happy to see me, and even happier to see Chance. Chance looks for Hooch ( he is at his sisters) usually between the two of them Odda is distracted enough to leave Chance alone. Not this week..

Don't let this innocent look fool you.

She irritates him by putting her paw on his back..oh he hates that..he growls at her..Chance never growls. If she insists on being in his space and pawing at him..he shows his teeth and snarls..totally uncharacteristic for Chance. Yesterday he hid under a lawn chair for awhile..he is not a fighter..Odda pushes his buttons. When she finally forced him out of his hiding spot, she insisted on walking underneath him..It was crazy!! Chance thought so too..some more growling ensued and she finally plopped on the ground belly up in submission..two minutes later she was back putting her paw on his back.

She is now larger than Chance.

If Chance isn't the object of her affection..then I am. She is a mouther, she likes your hands, arms and legs. I am insistent that she sit, and that hands are for petting and scratching..I have found her Achilles heel..if I scratch her back near the base of her tail she calms down. She is funny, she can sit and wag her tail at the same time.

Here she comes again!

She is the largest most muscular pup that I have ever dealt with. I am thankful that she likes me, she just needs to learn more manners. She is slowly learning. Yesterday when she tried to scoot between my legs, I got her in a head lock between my knees..she looked so surprised..and didn't try to scoot between my legs again. By winter she has to be totally broke of that habit..or someone will be spending time in the snowbank.

Odda in her kennel, note the round patio brick, it covers a hole that she started to dig to enable her escape. Perhaps she was running away to China.

Training a pup takes lots of patience and time, it doesn't just happen overnight. Chance sometimes still forgets and jumps up on people, he knows better, but sometimes he just gets so excited. If everyone would just say "No" firmly and turn away..instead they reach over and pet him on the top of the head..that is what he wants them to do..it is his reward for jumping up. I am a firm believer in no reward for jumping on anyone.

Odda and some of her toys. She is just six months old now.

I have written about Odda before, you can visit her sister, Livin' It Up Country or her Mom, West Side of Straight. Both Minnesota bloggers, who just happen to be neighbors of mine:)