Viking Pups Training Adventures: An Introduction

Hello! I’m the new blogger to the site, so I suppose I’ll start out by giving a little general information- not on me, I know you’re here for the dogs!

To start out, I’ll talk about the guy who’s been here the longest, Oden! Oden is a European Golden Retriever who’s been a member of the Viking Pups Pack since he was just a puppy.

Cute, right?

Oden is now over a year old, and making the most amazing progress on everything he does. So far Oden has completely mastered basic obedience (sit, down, stay, leave it) and is working on advanced techniques, like opening handicap doors, picking objects up off the ground and standing in a position, called ‘heel’ which can be used to build up to bracing or for his handler to make sure he’s close.

Oden at 11 months old

Aside from just how smart of a cookie this guy is, he’s got heaps and tons of personality. The word most often used to describe Oden is ‘dork’ and he lives up to the title. Oden eats snow by sticking his face into snow banks, sleeps like a cat (seriously, it’s like he doesn’t have a spine) and is the most melodramatic golden retriever I’ve ever met. When his paws go numb from standing in the snow to eat it, don’t let the dramatics fool you, he just wants love and attention. And don’t let the obedience training fool you either, he might seem like the calmest young dog you’ve ever met, but the amount of energy this guy has is incredible. Just watch him go after a tennis ball and you’ll see what I mean. The craziest thing about Oden though is just how much he LOVES to work. Training with Oden is infectiously happy, and Oden has as much fun learning his tasks as his handlers do teaching them to him.

Oden playing with his buddy

Our next dog is everyone’s favorite cuddlebug, Bobo!

Bobo is a 2-year-old European Labrador Retriever (that’s a yellow lab to all you non-breeder folk) who has been with the Viking Pups club since the Fall Term of 2012. Bobo came to us as a former stud dog (a breeding male) and what a stud. Bobo learned his obedience training faster than you would believe, and in the space of a few months is now working on advanced techniques just like Oden. Bobo is already old enough to start learning how to brace (support the weight of the person he will eventually be placed with) and as weird as it is, he loves it. Talk about a born service dog.

Bo’s skills range from resting his head in someone’s lap (to help with anxiety) to bracing, to being the founder of the Viking Pups hug. When he started out here, we just couldn’t break him of the habit of him jumping onto you (or into your lap) and why would you want to? Bobo hugs have made him famous on campus, and they’ve become so popular among the club members and clients that hugs have become a standard part of the Viking Pup repertoire, with all of the dogs on campus learning to hug on command.

Bo giving one of his 'hundred pound hugs'

This big goofball, aside from being maybe the cuddliest of the Pups, is one of the biggest personalities in the club (including the handlers). Like Oden, Bo loves eating snow, but unlike Oden, Bobo doesn’t stop to eat snow. He ducks his head and walks forward and just eats as he goes. This big guy has the most expressive face of any dog I have ever met, and just with a look you can tell if he's getting into trouble, if he wants to play, or if he just needs a hug. Bo lives on praise and affection, and if you don’t give him the love he needs his 'I need a hug' face makes an appearance and you just can’t help but give in. Once you spend a little time with this moose of a lab you just can’t get enough of him.

Zorn is our youngest pup, but that hasn’t stopped him from learning just as quickly as his older buds.

He's all legs right now, but just look at those paws!

Quickly nicknamed ‘The Prodigy Pup’ this 6 month Red Fox Lab has mastered his basic obedience, and though he’s only officially working on some of the advanced techniques he will eventually master, he’s picking up on other techniques that only Oden, the most advanced dog in the program, is learning. Right now Zorn is officially learning to settle (an on-his-side down for long periods of time), stand, take and give, and is shaping ‘touch’ which will eventually turn into turning lights on and off. Zorn is also starting the basics of many other skills, like heel and tug, which will eventually end with Zorn being able to open doors and drawers.

Zorn at around 3 months, when he first started training with us

Zorn is first and foremost an incredibly calm and mature puppy. Outside of his worktime though, he is quite the character. His hugs are something of a spectacle, because instead of standing on his back paws and putting his front paws on his handler, he leaps into his handler’s arms and needs to be caught. Zorn is still a very young puppy, and he definitely shows this with a mischievous streak and tons of energy when he’s playing, whether it’s with a handler or with his best bud and roommate Loki.

Zorn and Loki

Zorn is a puppy who’s already full to the brim with personality and quirks, such as his escape plan of ‘hiding’ (he puts his paws over his face) when his handler catches him misbehaving. He’s been known to rest on a futon and when someone walks in the room, instead of jumping down, this little guy hides his face, because ‘you can’t see me if I can’t see you!’ is something he believes. He’s an absolute baby about snow and salt, and will limp like the drama queen he is if his paws get too cold on his way to classes. Zorn loves training, and is always excited to practice his skills, whether he’s training himself or watching someone else practice.

Cami a 3-year-old yellow lab, is the oldest of our pups but the newest addition to our pack.

Cami, like Bo, came to us as an older dog after her turn as a breeding mama (her babies are so cute). Like the rest of our pack, Cami is an incredibly smart cookie and learned her basic obedience at a rate that made our heads spin. Cami is now working on more advanced skills, like settle. Cami is a total sweetheart, and a very sensitive one at that. She knows exactly what you want when you ask her to do something, and should she do it wrong a verbal correction is all she needs to correct herself. Because of just how sweet this gorgeous girl is, Cami is most likely going to be placed as a facility dog, where she can get all the love this sweetheart needs.

Cami practicing 'wait'

Cami was a breeding mother before she came to our program, and boy does it show. She’s always very concerned about the well-being of anyone who handles her, and when anyone leaves her presence you can see how concerned she is that she can’t look after them anymore. Cami is everyone’s mama, for sure, though that doesn’t mean she can’t play like one of the boys. In play Cami holds her own, winning puppy wrestling more often than not. Cami and Bobo are each other’s favorite playmates, often being called ‘husband and wife’ by the members of the club. Since they look like peas in a pod it makes it all the cuter when they share a tug rope or a rubber toy.

I hope that’s a good introduction to the active pups in our club, and I will leave you with links to the people who have made all the difference to our organization.

Iron Hill Retrievers

First and foremost, Christina Clark, our fabulous breeder and owner of Iron Hill Retrievers. All of our active dogs have been donated by Christina and they are all spectacular, with wonderful temperaments and absolutely GORGEOUS looks, if I do say so myself.

QCCAN

The Quad Cities Canine Assistant Network is the non-profit organization that makes our program possible. As sister organizations QCCAN is an integral part of the Viking Pups mission, helping us with training, putting us in contact with clients, and most importantly, training service dogs and reaching more people who need the dogs to live better lives.

Compassionate Care Veterinary Clinic