A different sort of pup...

I put Trouble's rain gear on Champ when we were having a torrential downpour the other day. It didn't even phase him.

Champ....

Not like my other pups. What makes him so different? Well, it's his attitude about everything in general. It's not what I am used to. It's like he is has been smoking pot. We have all sorts of nicknames for him. Fonzie, because of his 'Hey'....laid back disposition.' 'Tweeter and the monkey man' from the Traveling Wilbury's because of his monkey-like wiry smooth coat. Chump...Wayne's favorite. And, Dork... my favorite. Plus, we call him 'Little Man Tate.' Because, in the house, he acts like an adult dog. He joins in with the other adults like he has been here for years, not just months. It's really kind of funny.

I know with people not to judge a book by it's cover. So, I am giving Champ the benefit of any of my doubts. I take him straight from his crate and give him individual time with me. I try to keep his playtime limited from the 'pack.'

He may be teamed up with me. I just don't know it. That sounds weird as I write this, but he's different. He isn't food motivated. He is ball/tug toy motivated. He most certainly is motivated by movement. He really isn't interested in the clicker. I'm not sure he even knows what the click means and I have been clicking him since 5 weeks of age.

I do know that if I take another dog down to my own sheep to feed and I don't take Champ to tie outside by the sheep pen, he goes nuts. He is quite content to tie by the tree just to watch. He just wants to be there.
Though , this morning at 14 weeks he walked into the sheep pen with the sheep still in the barn. A ewe gave a little charge at the gate. He didn't back off. He got pissed. Mental note: Like that.

His mother offers behaviors left and right. She loves a good game of trying to figure out what I am asking. She will offer any and every behavior she can think of to try to get me to smile or laugh at her. She is a clown. I have trouble with her on stock taking my every command only because she is so intense that she tunes me out.

Champ is very easy going. My thinking is....just let him grow up. I really know very little about his sire's background. I'm a bit in a quandary. It wouldn't do me any good to push him. He is just Mr. cool, calm, and collected. I'm thinking of my friend, Jorgen. He doesn't ask anything of his dogs. He says he doesn't even teach them to sit. Jorgen, this might be a good pup for you. LOL

I took Champ to town on a busy Saturday the other day. Cars, noise, and people everywhere. He just laid down on the sidewalk. Eventually, he laid on his side for a bit of a nap. I opened up the door of the Credit Union where I was waiting for Wayne and people came and petted him. He likes that. He's not timid about new and noisy environments. He just goes with the flow.

We had a few kitchen construction people here the other evening discussing plans. I let Champ in. He came into the kitchen and was taken back that there were strange people in there. He spooked a bit and then he warmed right up. Wayne was happy that he at least "noticed." LOL

Champ doesn't have that Yoko/Jet 'I'll do anything you want and then some for you attitude.' He is s-l-o-w-l-y, but surely, learning his recall. But, he is making me work at it. :0) He may be wearing that longe line at 6 mos. of age!

I'm going to back off and just let him grow up. He's easy to take places. He's a great truck rider. He ties nicely while I work the other dogs. He likes to hike. I kind of of wished he was older and I could put him on some sheep. But, I am going to wait. Maybe Champ is gonna be a ball of fire on stock. Who knows? I can sure dream about it, though.....DREAM for me Champ.