Tips, Treats & Treasures: Aeon

Aeon is "growing like a weed" as they say! At our visit to the Veterinarian yesterday for his check-up and third serious of vaccinations, plus his first Rabies shot, our Vet said Aeon looked great and that we were doing a fine job with him. Aeon now weighs 40 pounds! I had guessed right on the dot with my estimate of how much he would weigh this time! The Vet said he expects Aeon to most likely weigh around 80 - 90 pounds in the future..."He'll be a big a boy!" he said. Aeon should only need his yearly check-up and vaccinations in one year now too.

Aeon has done well with most of the training techniques I've been using so far. Positive reinforcement and rewards of praise or with food or both. I question whether I should hire a trainer or continue with what I have been doing. He is young yet and seems to learn quickly and follows commands well, but he doesn't always do it on the first time. Sometimes when given the command to "come" he does so when he chooses to, or after asking him several times, or not at all. On lead he performs much better for sure. Most days I think he "gets it" and understands what is asked. He is a bit strong willed (hard headed!) at times but all in all he's very good. We have still been on alert when he is outside and afraid to let him run freely until he stops seeming to want to eat everything he can get into his mouth. The nickname "Hoover" as in the vacuum, is very fitting! He has the potty training pretty well mastered and usually rings the bell on the door to get our attention when he needs to do his business. He has learned a couple of new tricks now too. I'll ask him to get his toy or ball out of a bucket(wastebasket) and he will. I hope to get him to put them in the bucket as well. I figure he can help me by picking up his toys and putting them in the bucket! We'll see if we can achieve that one! Ever since the first time of giving him ice cubes, he has learned that when we get some ice from the auto ice maker on the door, he wants some too. He will come running from another room if he hears us getting ice, ever so pleased to sit in front of the refrigerator and wait to receive a piece or two each time! He can recognize the words and get those items that I tell him to go find or get as in Mr Lamb, Mr Monkey, Mr Frog, and his Ball or Bonie(chew bone). He also knows very well the words, Dinner and Treats!...and is very excited after hearing them!

Marty usually starts the day spending early morning with Aeon, letting him out of his crate, giving him his breakfast and his vitamins, taking him out to do his business, etc. They come to wake me up shortly after all of that and it's a full on excited puppy morning again for him from there. I'll admit that I am not usually a morning person, but Aeon sure makes me smile and starts my day in a happy way with his vigorously wagging tail and happy smile on his face that seems to say..."Get up mommy I'm so happy to see you, let's play!"