Rebel Service Dog Training: 8 Months Old
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Rebel has grown by leaps and bounds and I wanted to document where he is at with his training. He is now 8 months old and weighs around 70 pounds. He continues to be 100% food motivated which makes training MUCH easier. My love of Golden Retrievers is off the charts and we have a deposit down for his brother who should be coming home in September. Rebel is such a blessing and an amazing BFF. My overall health has improved immensely with my trusty Service Dog in Training. I love my Rebel boy!
Current commands and their status below:
My Vaping Story, 6 years Smoke Free
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Vaping
Like many people, I grew up in a smoke filled home and began smoking at 15 years old. I tried multiple times throughout my life to quit using every option on the market without success. My mother passed away from complications of COPD in 2007... which did eat at me but I continued to smoke.
While at a seminar in Portland Oregon in 2011 I joined the other smokers on the outdoor patio. While we were outside smoking cancer sticks, some of the other attendees were taunting us from inside vaping...
Best Golden Retriever Vacuum Dyson Pet Hair and Royal
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
- Golden Retriever and other pet hair vacuum cleaners
- Dyson Big Ball Animal review
- Restored Royal Everlast, Kirby style Commercial
- Reasons why we use both Dyson and Royal
My Service Dog in Training
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
From the moment we started the search for a Golden Retriever puppy, I wanted to train him to be my Service Dog. I knew the odds of a Golden Retriever succeeding as a SD were far higher than other breeds. Every decision we made during this process was in hopes that the puppy we chose would be my Service Dog but only time would tell if it worked out. That said, I can officially say that Rebel is my Service Dog in Training at 6 months of age. He has FAR exceeded all of my expectations and continues to astound me with his abilities every day!
Dog Training FAQ
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Sandra opines about Frequently Asked Questions. Sandra's opinions on Pet Insurance, Spay and Neuter, Breeding, Dog Treats, Raw Diet, Pet food, Positive Training vs Balanced Training, e-collars, vaccinations, toys and much more. This is an ongoing article that will be edited as needed. As I learn more, my opinions sometimes change. These are my opinions as of today.
Amazing Weight Loss and Fitness Program
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Education
There are oodles of books, videos, programs and other self help plans to help people loose weight and get fit. I have discovered the holy grail of fitness and weight loss that I must share with you!
It happened quite by accident and I suggested to my Dr that he prescribe this amazing program to his patients. He agreed! Here is the program:
Puppy Socialization
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Puppies need to be socialized in every conceivable situation such as other animals, people, stores, hiking adventures and so forth. The Vets, however, strongly discourage socialization until after the puppy vaccines which puts owners in a quandary. Rebel was 16 weeks old before he was cleared to be able to socialize which really limited his exposure to life during the critical marking stage. The dogs health is of utmost importance so we did abide by the Vets strong warning but we were ready for the minute he was cleared! Here is how we did a crash course in socialization within one week of being cleared by vet.
Rebel Training: 4 Months
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Rebel has learned 14 commands in the eight weeks we have been training. The older he gets the more mature he gets and thus able to focus longer periods of time. He is an amazingly smart dog and we make a fabulous team. Golden Retrievers are brilliant Dog Training students! Below are his current commands and a video demonstration of him at 14 weeks old doing some of the commands.
Rebel Training: 14 Weeks
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Our boy, Rebel, will turn 15 weeks tomorrow, where does time go? Wow, he has learned so much. Here is a breakdown of where we are now with Obedience Training.
Major training sessions are started with an alert to him that it's "School Time." Rebel races to me and sits in anticipation. He LOVES school.... er ahh Treats :D which happens many times per day. School sessions start with "Sit" and proceed through random commands that he has a solid grasp on with a new one or an advancement added in with every session. I always push him a little farther each time.
Puppy Life Hacks
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Puppy life has many challenges. Puppies get into so much mischief and go through many stages some of which are downright painful. Through trial and error as well as much advice from other Golden Retriever owners, we have found success on many of the common problems. Here is what worked for us.
Puppy Biting, Puppy Diarrhea and Destruction
Rebel Update: 10 Weeks
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
Rebel has been home a few weeks now and is doing amazing. We made the 10 hour round trip to get him without issue and have been living the puppy life ever since.
I knew that Golden Retrievers were smart, but I have never had a dog THIS smart. WOW Here are just some of the adventures we have had thus far.
Homeschool: Dog Training Lesson Plans New Puppy
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Education
Rebel will be home in about a week and the clock is ticking for an official family Homeschool Lesson plan. So after many months of study and planning here is our plan of attack for the first couple of months.
We want everyone in the family to be as involved as possible with training Rebel, however, I am still the Trainer! Kids understand Zak George the most and it helps them to get into the right mind set. For adults I prefer Larry Krohn of Pakmaster Dog Training.
Litter Pick Complete, First Look at Rebel
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
This weekend the breeder had puppy pick day. We were nervous, wondering how in the world do you pick from 8 adorable boy pups. As it turns out, the worry was completely unnecessary. Hubby, myself and both kiddos picked the same puppy. Simply amazing.
Homeschool: Cooking Lesson Plans
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Education
One of the most fascinating parts of Homeschool is the ability to create life skill curriculum's for fun. Cooking is always a favorite and I wanted to share one that works for Elementary age through early Middle school age.
Lessons Learned: Buying A Golden Retriever Puppy
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Rebel
It has been quite a journey to find the right Golden Retriever puppy. The first breeder didn't work out and we learned a lot along the way that no one shared with us.
As it turns out, our puppy is not a girl from Alabama, it is a boy from Georgia and will be named Rebel. Let me share some of the lessons we learned.
Dog Obedience Homeschool Lesson Plans
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Education
While we wait for our Golden Retriever puppy to arrive, there are many things to research and prepare for. During this process we have discovered a myriad of things that are bonus benefits.
We are currently zoning in on the valuable lessons that our children will learn and creating homeschool lesson plans.
Illegal Immigrant Crimes Against Children
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Politics
Crimes against our most vulnerable are unthinkable especially when children are victims of abuse and sexual exploitation but four recent cases in cities across the United States raise a troubling question: what if the perpetrator is an illegal immigrant?
Our Homeschool Story
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- Written by Sandra
- Category: Education
Homeschooling, as the name implies, is educating your children at home. Parent's choose to home school for a wide variety of reasons including dissatisfaction with public school curriculum such as Common Core. Other reasons include preference to Faith based education without expensive Private school tuition. Whatever the motivation, homeschool families enjoy greater control over the education of their children.