Sergeant Got a Troop!

Sergeant got a new puppy! Ok...so maybe Sergeant didn't really want a puppy at all but we hoped he would enjoy a playmate. Jarrod has continued on with his mob grazing and spends lots of time moving cows, filling up water buckets, and making sure everyone is doing well. Because of all the time he spends out there alone (I usually have to go teach or keep up with housework) I really wanted him to have a companion to keep him company. I figured a perfect companion for him would be an Australian shepherd so that not only would he have a companion but maybe he could have a working companion. 

Wish granted! My parents' aussies had puppies and we quickly fell in love with a red tri-color aussie. He has an easy going, joyful, playful personality with the sweetest face and dopiest little amber colored eyes. We named him Troop.

We've watched countless videos and done endless research on how to train this dog so we couldn't be more pleased to find how smart he is! He's 9 weeks old and can sit, stay, and lay down. "Come" is a bit of a challenge but we're working on it and Sergeant is really helping in that area because he is so militant about following commands. Whenever we can't get Troop back, we tell Sergeant to go get his brother and in about 30 seconds they are both back at the door waiting for treats. 

We've been trying to train him with treats and without treats so that he doesn't depend on them. He does well without them but does better with them. His attention span is short at this age but we are amazed at how much he soaks in during the short training periods. After training sessions, we give him lots of love, reinforce good behavior and let him nap so he can ponder all he's been taught. Like I said earlier, Sergeant makes it easier because if Troop doesn't understand, he watches Sergeant and picks it up almost immediately. He is motivated by affirmation and truly enjoys hot dogs. He's such a good boy and continues to fit right into our family.

Sergeant gets a little grumpy some days and we are quickly learning to separate them and remove any territorial inducing items on those days. We've also re-enlisted his leash to control fights and remind him who is boss. We are trying desperately to stay away from frustration and anger and lean towards joy and affirmation but his stubbornness continues to test us in those areas. He's a brilliant dog and we know he will reform but the vet says it will take about 6 weeks so we just have to be kind and patient in the meantime. We keep telling him to chill because in about 2 weeks, "little brother" will become "large brother" and will be able to eat Sgt as a snack but he thinks he can take him. LOL. Aggression usually comes from a place of fear so for now we try to reassure and show him that Troop is safe and with us he will always be protected. 

I LOVE having 2 dogs and can't wait to see what Troop can learn. I'll try to keep y'all updated on the Sergeant-Troop dynamic and post tips on how to ease aggressive behavior in dogs. Catch ya later!