Tuc Update: Four Months (16 weeks) Old!

In honor of Tuc's turning four months old this week, I wanted to update you on how he's progressing, especially since he'll get so little blog-time once Elsie moves into labor, delivery, and puppy-raising over the next few weeks.

Well, he's getting bigger, but he's not huge (yay!). :o) At the vet's office yesterday, where Tuc received his last round of puppy immunizations, he weighed 34.5 pounds (a perfect weight for his size and development). Dr. Wagner was really pleased with how he's shaping up physically and structurally.

On a different front, we couldn't be more pleased with how Tuc's developing in intelligence, focus, retrieving instinct, water-orientation, people-orientation, and overall temperament (kudos to the gang at Sundancer Labs!). He's a sweet guy showing real potential!

So far, here's what he understands and is doing well (age appropriately, of course):

• Obedience training: Tuc can sit, down, stay (short sit-stay and short down-stay), wait, crate (our command for getting him to go into his crate, others use "kennel"), leave it (our command for him to leave something alone), drop (our command for him to drop or let go of something in he holds in his mouth), and get busy (our command for pottying).
• Housebreaking: Tuc is essentially housebroken, but does occasionally get so excited he can't quite contain himself (literally!).
• Crate Training: Gosh, he was crate-trained within just a few days of his arrival here (by nine weeks old), and he loves his crate (again, thanks for the great start, Jeff and Theresa!). It's a safe, comfy place for him.
  
• Working: As you've read about here, the Tucmeister seems to be a natural in the water, acclimating incredibly well to swimming (out and back in deep water, wading in shallows). He's also retrieving now (just basic), and seems to have a solid retrieving instinct.

His attention span is still, of course, that of a gnat, unless we're training him using treats (oh happy boy!). But he'll grow into greater focus over time. For his age, he's focusing and minding quite well.

His disposition is absolutely sweet and loyal with a strong desire to please his people.

He is also ALL puppy. In that vein, here are his latest nicknames:

• The Tuc-monster (a variation of Tuc-meister)
  
• Jaws (for the way he chomps on Kenya and Pinot)
• The Lion King (for how he waits in tense crouch for Pinot or Kenya, then pounces on them when they walk by)
  
• The Imp (poor Pinot and Kenya!)
  
• The Imp-meister (a variation of Tuc-meister)
• Imperdoodles
  
• Wiggle Butt (he was Mr. Wiggles at his birth mom's house)
• Energizer Buddy (he plays hard)
  
• Dr. Destructo (have you seen the plants on my deck lately?)
  
• Shredder (Tuc has an affinity for all things paper)
  
• Stretch (for Tuc's newly learned behavior where he plants his gigunda fronts paws up on the counter or kitchen table and grabs whatever is within nose reach)
  

Yup, Sundancer's Stoney Ridge Tucson (Tuc's official name) is quite a boy. If his testings come out as expected (at 2 years of age, and sound on hips, elbows, and eyes), we're looking forward to his siring litters with Kenya and Pinot (can't wait to see those puppies!). In the meantime he's part of the family now, just as at home as part of our gang as the rest of the crew.

What a crew they are! We wouldn't have it any other way.

'Til next time,
Joan