The more I read, gives me hesitation?

[Stacy_R]

I also can't stand daycare/boarding centers that are cage free like the one you described. They're just a disaster waiting to happen, just like dog parks. Usually the staff knows little about dog behavior and fights happen at some point or another, even with well behaved dogs. It paints a pretty picture in pet owners' heads about the dogs running around and enjoying themselves, but it's a huge free for all with no boundaries and dogs are forced to attempt to "get along" with new strange dogs with very little introductions done besides a few seconds temperament test. Dogs aren't the social creatures we want them to be; that's a human desire.

Ditto that. Dit-to that.

[Trisha]

Thanks you, Eva,

I looked at the sight. I think I will stay closer to home, so I can spend time at the facility with my pup prior to having to go back to CR. The only reason to go with a trainer for the 6 weeks is because of the age of the puppy, I feel it's best to keep a young dog in training, otherwise, I would just leave my dog with friends, especially since I am not too keen on having her be mostly in a kennel for 6 weeks. I am not specifically looking for a DS trainer, as the training my pup will receive will be the same as any other dog I have ever owned, which has mostly been Labs. My interest in the DS, comes from the stand point of a dog with great intelligence and agility, not any of the protection training. I love to have my dogs use their nose in training and playing. My favorite Lab ever "Boo", loved using his nose, he was a natural. When he was 4 months old, I was standing on my deck eating a strawberry, he was sitting next to me, I threw the top leaves of it down over into ground cover, about 10 feet below the deck, he could not see where it had gone, because we were standing in front of my built in outdoor kitchen, the next thing I knew, he had gone down into the yard, and brought the strawberry top back to me , He loved to play hide and seek, after he brought me back my trash , I started hiding things for him, I would let him smell something, then put him in the house, go hide whatever it was, then let him out with no direction whatsoever, he would find everything I ever hid in an area of 2 acres.

[Trisha]

I love "Camp Canine" in Santa Barbara, CA., so had 5 of my dogs who have gone there many times (I purchase 30 day prepaid cards), without a single incident, nor have the probably at minimum, 30 other people I know who bring their dogs there, had a single incident with their dogs. I have always had very well socialized dogs, I would never take a dog there that is not well socialized to play with other dogs, nor would John and Mary, the owners, except an aggressive dog on their property. I do agree with dog parks being a possible hazard for a dog, as there are too many untrained dogs, with sometimes crazy owners.

I am taking care of a friends mini-pincher for the next 2 weeks, he would never be allowed at the camp, as he is aggressive

http://www.campcanineinc.com/

[Nordis]

Dear Nordis, Thank you so very much for your response! I am in the middle of working right now, so I must wait until later to write more... One thing, I absolutely lay on my dogs beds with them, I love to get down there and cuddle too

I lauged when I read this! Thanks for that!

Nordis, great reply. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

Thanks Sue and Sugar. That's really nice of you to say! I feel all gooey now!

Nordis,
Thanks for writing. I'm getting my pup (as is Trisha!!! Ha! Spilled the beans!) in two weeks and this was such a nice message to read.
Best to you and your pups.

Thank you so much Karin! I'm so excited for both you and Trisha! You guys are going to have so many experiences of, "Oh wow! Such a smart dog!" to go along with all the joys of puppyhood! I wish you and your puppy much success, health, and happiness!

Nordis,

As I reread your post, it filled me again with the excitement of receiving my pup in a few weeks, as I know she will be as all of the other dogs I have had in my life, a loyal, loving companion, who is capable of being in any public place, without me ever worrying she might become aggressive. I will do my best to introduce her to as much as I can, with loving and calming, good experiences, to build her confidence from the day she arrives. I am looking forward to having a pup that can do so many fun things, especially when it comes to agility. I bred horses for their agility, so they were also a bit high energy, I guess I am drawn to high energy

I have already started to think of the correct plan for her, when I must come back to Costa Rica to work for 6 weeks in November. I too feel that I need to find the right trainer, who will share some of and respect my personal training methods, get her completely comfortable with them, so she does feel as though it is extended family. I truly already feel terrible for having to leave her, but it is for her health and safety, I would love to be selfish and bring her, but that is not the actions of a good parent. There are 2 wonderful places that board dogs, one I call "Doggy Disneyland", they both have these incredible huge yards, where they have water features, all the dogs play and sleep together, it would be wonderful to take her there, but they are completely spoiled rotten (too many treats )... Not a good choice for her in November, but when she is older, she will definitely get to go on day excursions, I think it's great for them to just be a dog, with their own kind sometimes.

Thank you, for your wise words, and your caring to take the time to write such a wonderful and loving opinion of what a Dutch Shepherd can be if loved and respected. And, for looking up the link for the chew toy, I am on it! Looking it up as soon as I finish writing.

Cheers!
Trisha

Hi Trisha,

I think you're right on about what you have to look forward to in your new relationship. I do also want to again emphasize the point that this breed may be protective of you, so yes, she won't become aggressive for no reason, but should she perceive some threat to you, then I expect that instinctive part of her personality may be presented. I've never seen any aggression from my pal, but that doesn't mean I relax and stop paying attention to our surroundings and the activities of the people near by. As I've likely said somewhere on this forum before, I consider it my duty to protect Rorhin from other people, and I don't care at all about thier perceptions of me when I do this because they aren't my priority. To clarify, I protect him from other people who are ignorant or stupid enough to cause us grief. Unless you ask first, and then I say, "Go say Hello," you don't interact with us.

Recently in a store, a lady asked if he bites. I removed my earphones which don't seem to clue people in that I'm not there to talk, and let her repeat her question. Given the fact that she was the third person in that aisle that talked to us, and knowing she had just witnessed two other ladies saying hello and petting, I was already unsure about her. But I explained that no, if he did bite I wouldn't be able to have him as a service companion. She stood there for a bit, and I'm not really sure what she was thinking, but she kept looking at him, so I asked if she would like to say hello. (He really likes to say hello to everyone, much more than I do.) She moved forward a bit and put her hand out, and since Rorhin was already seated at my side and being a good doggy, I said go say hello. It was weird because he didn't just go up to her like he usually does. Obviously he reads people better than I do. No surprise there really. So he steps forward a bit, and she puts her hand forward, draws it back, brings it forward again, and draws it back, and repeats over and over. It was almost like she was trying to encourage him to bite her or something. It was really strange.

At this point a few things are going through my mind:

I'm thinking, she's seen two other people very happily greeted and moofed (I looked it up and I guess the word as we use it in my circle of friends doesn't actually exist, but basically he's a happy dog and he leans into whomever and looks up at them with happy eyes and a waggy tail and "He transports petters to a world full of happy bees and happy trees and happy dinosaurs fighting with happy bunnies and there are also rainbows and blue skies all day and everyone is happy " - it's a perfect word for what he does) only moments ago, and, she's already asked if he bites and I told her no, with a very good reason as to why he won't be biting.

I'm reminded of the time a neighbor tried to instigate aggression with a Rottweiler by taking her chewie so the dog would growl so she could declare the dog aggressive and dangerous because she wanted this dog to conform to her expectations of the breed.

I'm reminded of the life lesson of you can talk until you are blue in the face, answering questions a person has asked or giving advice, and it won't make a bit of difference unless that person is ready to listen rather than not listen, interrupt, or continue with the thought process and beliefs they are stuck in.

And... I'm hot, I was tired of educating people by this time that day, I'm sore and tired of standing, and I have to get this shopping done so I can catch the bus!

So I decided this was pointless and going nowhere, and there was nothing I could/wanted to do about it and I put my headphones back in and walked over to the items I'd been trying to get to before the show in this aisle began and continued with my shopping. Granted, maybe she had previous experience that caused uncertainty and fear, and yes, I could have told her that she wants to offer a fist, not fingers, to a dog she is meeting, and I could have had Rorhin help her out too, but the sense I got wasn't that she wanted to do anything except get bitten. I think I failed this particular encounter.

Now why did I just type all of that? Let's see... Ah. Ok, so I guess with some dogs it may be possible that this type of behavior from this lady may have perceived as an invitation to play 'try and catch my fingers with your fangs.' I've not had a person be aggressive or threatening to me yet, so I don't know how he might react. I do have a friend who has a dog that is so in tune with my friend that if my friend is nervous or scared the dog lets people know they better keep their distance with an audible growl. I'm glad my friend has a smart dog!

I guess I could save everyone time from reading my ramblings by referring you to this post from katm4110/Laura and Stella:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2320

I think that's a good example of what most of us need to be aware of regarding our chosen companions. It doesn't mean every dog is going to do it, but it's better to know and be prepared than it is to be taken by surprise and have resulting issues to deal with.

Rorhin and I have been doing a lot of off leash work. It's now to the point that if another dog approaches (almost always a little yappy thing) I can call Rorhin and have him come to my side, even to the point of stopping him during his charge to see yet another creature on the planet that really needs to be loved on, and have him turn around an come back to me. And I'm so proud of him because we've only had the occasion to practice this three times. and he's done it all three times! He wants to say hi to everyone, but I keep him away from people since that's a considerate thing to do, and better for everyone's (mostly his) safety. Off leash he turns around and comes back when I tell him too... mostly (lots of stuff still needs sniffing)... and never runs into the street... always! When we are around the public, greeting or not, we are on leash.

So yes, this Dutch Shepherd! Incredibly intelligent and quick to learn new things, wants to please and to love. And stuck with a paranoid, worst-case-scenario, angry old man who won't let him run up to people and won't let them pet him just because other people want to, and will actively pull him away from people who try to pet without asking then shake a finger and scold (educate) people to not disturb a working dog and to be considerate and ask first, though not explaining that the common sense they seem to be lacking may get them bit someday if they are trying that on every dog they meet.

Sorry, I'm really trying to focus here, but failing miserably. I still believe you'll do fine with a Dutch Shepherd! I just wanted to emphasize the breed does instinctively protect when they feel a threat is being made. I'm sure with the communication you develop with your dog you will be able to address such a situation should you encounter it, and that your dog will respond as you expect.

I'm really glad you are acting selflessly enough to not take her to Costa Rica. And yes, I certainly wouldn't be looking forward to a separation like that either. I really think the extended family idea is important. Hopefully there is someone in your life who can fill the role and will be able to help you both during your necessary absence, be it a trainer, breeder, baker, cobbler, or family friend. I'll send you good energy for that to work out easily and perfectly!

More often than I prefer, I'm reminded of a video I have around here somewhere about the dogs that were with the troops during the Viet Nam war. It's not one of my favorites because I'm way too sensitive and it's very depressing, angering, and sad in so many places. But... Americans were asked to donate their dogs for the war, so people actually sent their dogs off to serve. Personally I can't imagine doing that. I'm sorry, but I'm just too selfish and attached. Blah blah blah. There was one soldier who was paired with a dog, (it's been years since I watched it so details might be off) and they really just didn't connect completely. At one point the dog's former owner in the States actually sent a letter to the dog, saying whatever it is they needed to say. The soldier read the letter to the dog, and let him sniff it and all of that, and from that point on, they were connected. This has always carried so much weight for me. The dog accepted the new person beacuse the other person made a connection between the three of them. When I got my puppy, I sent a shirt of mine so the breeder could give it to the puppy, with the hopes that a familiar scent would make the transition into my home and care less traumatic and easier. I did the same thing with Rorhin, asking the foster family for a shirt from the person he seemed to like the most there, again to ease the shock of huge life changes. Maybe it will comfort you, and your puppy, for you to send some form of correspondence while you're away and separated. My previous companion did actually listen to my friend in Denmark when we talked on skype and had a bit of an established friendship believe it or not! I just had the sound on the speakers and the person would talk and my he listened and then looked at me and listened more and got excited and did the head tilt and so on, and oh the joy when the Danish Labrador started whining along too! Something for you to think about.

As far as letting a dog be a dog. I can understand that thought process. And at the same time, even though they seem to forget all about us and run off to play dog games, I think the domesticated dog really is happy when they are with us. I guess the two situations can't compare really, at least as far as where are they the most happy. I share the hesitation voiced here about many day cares. Though I suspect you will fully research any such business, remember I'm a worst case scenario thinker, and rather than day cares, I'd encourage you to facilitate friendships with fellow dog owners. Then you can spend the day playing dog owner games, and they can spend the day playing dog games, and you can all enjoy the merriment together! It's fun to read about people and their dogs visiting and spending time together. It seems there's always some funny story of what some one gets up to. I think I'd like to share in that funny stuff rather than miss it. And I do feel the dogs are perfectly happy being at your side.

Which reminds me. I guess my initial post could have been shorter if I had just expressed that I've been thinking that maybe it isn't so much that this breed needs a job to do as it is this breed thrives on the companionship and relationship. Yes, the jobs provide a focus, a shared experience, but I'm seeing the core of that is the companionship and relationship. I think that is the priority. Wow. So short! I talk too much!

In California you are allowed to train your service assistant yourself. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is a must

http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

as well as with specific state laws.

The general public, seemingly especially people with service assistants, tend to be Very protective and on guard when it comes to a person discussing having their dog attain service status. And rightfully so since abuse of the priveledge could result in restrictions being imposed on everyone! I even happend across one person who said on her site that if you needed to as where to find a vest then you probably didn't need a service companion. That was very frustrating and unhelpful!


I found this page to be the most helpful when I was looking for information. There are several links there that are helpful for finding service companion informations.

http://www.pawssf.org/page.aspx?pid=654

Similarly to what Stephanie and Odin have stated: "Registration of a service or support animal is not a requirement. Legally, what determines that an animal is a service or support animal is a letter from your doctor [...] However, California does register service dogs through county animal enforcement departments." So yeah, don't pay someone money if they tell you they will register your service companion.

If you do want to register, the United States Service Dog Registry is free.

http://usservicedogregistryaboutus.blogspot.com/

Free is a lot better than the $60+ I was about to send off before I started doing some looking around on the internet!

If you qualify for a service dog due to a medical condtion, or a psychiatric service animal/dog, then you're golden and your dog can accompany you into any place you are allowed to go as a member of the general public.

If you qualify for an emotional support animal, then your animal is not legally allowed in all areas where the general public is allowed access, but your concern of airline access is covered as well as housing issues.

http://psychiatricservicedogs.pbworks.c ... 20vs%20PSD
http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/pubs/548301.pdf
http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html

There are consequences for people who abuse this privilege, but the problem comes from the fact that you have to be approached and "interrogated" to be caught at it.

"[...]said, “People with legitimate service dogs are being questioned more than ever, and their fear is that they will have to carry around identification stating their disability.” [...]added, “Currently, the ADA states that business owners are only allowed to ask if the dog is a service dog, and what they are trained to help with.” The current law doesn’t require service dog handlers to carry around any special identification.

[...]also added, “I think the fear of service dog handlers is that they will be questioned even more. Right now our rights are very clearly stated by the ADA.”

Bev Klayman, manager of admission services for Guiding Eyes for the Blind has her suspicions about illegitimate service dogs. “I’ve seen dogs with service dog tags misbehaving and acting aggressively in public. The general public cannot differentiate between dogs that have been legitimately trained to be service dogs (and those that have not). These illegitimate service dogs are causing scenes and causing a bad representation of service dogs.”

One area where service dog handlers are running into a lot of trouble is with the airlines. With heightened security at airports, service dog handlers are receiving even more scrutiny. On a recent trip to the airport, Becky was told by the clerk at the check-in counter, “That’s not a service dog. Service dogs don’t wag their tails!”"

In seven months of having Rorhin at my side, I have been asked countless times by the general public is he a service dog, what does he do, what's my disability, and any of a number of very personal and insensitive questions. Don't think I don't pounce on people letting them know it's none of thier business and it's extremely rude of them to be asking some of those questions! I mellow when they realize their mistake and am forgiving, and hopefully this means the next time they see someone with an assistant they will be more sensitive and polite.

I have also been asked some of these questions by people in a position of authority who have the right to ask since they are responsible for the public places we are in. If they ask the wrong questions I tell them so, then I tell them what they can ask me, and I tell them the answers to those questions.

In all of this time, I've had only two people ask me to show proof that he is a service dog. Both of those instances were embarassing. The last one, due to the accumulation of the events of the day and my physical state, was worse. Once I found a space for myself, I experienced a private, steady melting of my composure from this is her job and so on into a traumatic event that left me very angry and emotional. When I was recovered enough to look somewhat unaffected I asked to speak to a manager and verified that this individual had seen us there several times, and that the manner in which the other manager approached me was, for some people, extremely insensitive and had it been a person who needed to be mentally focused it could have had a great impact on their ability to get through what they needed to be doing.

The problem is if you ask me for proof, I have to show you a letter of perscription from a doctor stating that for this reason this person has this animal with them. It's bad enough for people to be able to identify what looks like a normal person as disabled because he's got a dog with him in a store, but to have someone stand there and read that....

So please, if anyone is, or knows of someone who is thinking of abusing the privilege, think about how it affects people who might already really have a full plate of things to deal with.

It's not easy to find, but there are penalties for faking service dog status. Something like 16 states have laws currently, and violations can result in fines, jail time, and in some cases confisciaton of the animal!

I'll be quite now.

Good luck Trisha. Thanks for your niceness, and Much Peace to you and your new friend! I'm looking forward to pictures!

[funkyhunky]

As an aside. I was im Nosara this passed winter. We went there on our way to playa carillo.
Looose horses and dogs everywhere. On the highways, in the towns and on the beaches.
dan

[Trisha]

Nordis,
Thank you again, You have a wonderful common sense about dogs in general. I am very excited to bring Puma (registered name) home on the 26th. Luckily for us, my dear friend Laura, also gets her 8 week old Japanese Akita pup the same week, I am sure that her 13 year old Lab, will be very happy Puma will be there to give him so down time.

Thank you, for your kind thoughts on us finding the perfect setting for her to stay at, while I must come back to work. I truly believe it will all work out well. As Dan said, there are loose animals all over the place here, which is another setting with undesirable safety issues. That is besides the snakes and other safety issues around.

I am very similar to you, in the fact that I do not always care to meet everyone. Sadly, even though the world is full of dogs, most people are not savvy when it comes to meeting new dogs. It is very important for us to be the protector in those cases. My favorite Lab, was not a typical Lab, he did not care to meet everyone, he would also let me know very quickly if he had distrust in a person. Thank goodness, he was not a biter, but I imagine if I were assaulted, he would have bit someone. I took great care, when anyone approached us. Any dog or horse for that matter, who is tuned into their human, will become nervous if their human is. I find it even more prevalent in horses. When I lead a horse, I know they can even feel if I have a tight grip on the rope, which will make them a bit nervous, I think the same goes for a dog.

Thank you, for all of the info on service dogs. I agree that sometimes there are many people who push the limits, which is not good. I was talking with my neighbor here yesterday, he has a yellow Lab, which flies with him in the cabin. We both take at least 10 round trip flights a year, I have actually only seen a service dog on a plane once, that I can remember, even going back to when I was a pro athlete, taking at least 25 round trips. I would never take my dog anywhere they were acting crazy, and not trained completely for the situation.

I enjoy hearing about your dog, he sounds like a wonderful companion. I cannot wait to have stories about my pup to share

[Nordis]

Hey there Trisha!

I like the name! It means you can use kitty as a nickname! I hope you all have lots of fun with very few "puppy" related incidents! Akitas! Love those guys! And oddly enough, that breed was introduced to me as being very dog aggressive and not necessarily people friendly. Fortunately the ones I've met are not true to that stereotype. It's a beautiful breed! Perhaps you can sneakily make lots of visits to Laura's place and maybe that will turn out to be the best place to "over-vacation" Puma when you go to Costa Rica. As well, since you're being nice enough to spare her from Costa Rica, I grant you permission to snorkel/dive the reefs there in your off time! There are some lovely corals there! I'd be snorkeling before I went trekking through the jungle, but that has an appeal to me as well. Likely I wouldn't leave the reefs though.

And you're right, it will all work out perfectly. After all your goal is the highest good for everyone concerned, so certainly that is what you'll get as a result. And hopefully the time will go quickly and you will be home before you know it!

Thanks for the laugh about not dog savvy people! So true. As well, it reminds me of my statement in another post here on the forum about this breed getting a disproportionate amount of attention from the general public compared to most other breeds - in my opinion. And I can't really blame people. If I see a German Shepherd, I'll be staring, and the same for a Malinois or related coat type, and certainly if I see a Dutch Shepherd I'll be annoying the person about it, hoping to get a chance to meet both the person and the dog. I've actually had two people here name Rorhin as a Dutch Shepherd! That was neat! And yeah, we can't just walk through stores any more. Invariably we stop to talk with people we've become acquainted with or some one new who wants to say hi. Funny Rorhin doesn't seem to mind unless he's not the one getting the attention. During those whiny times, I often remember a mother's saying of "What am I doing? Can't you see I'm on the phone right now?" And yes, I do a lot of protecting, probably too much, but I'm very ok with being safe instead of sorry.

I see self defense, including a dog protecting an owner and/or property from a threatening person, as an obvious case of that person shouldn't have been threatening in the first place so they get what they deserve. It amazes me though that in many places the laws won't have the same reaction, and sometimes even have an opposite reaction! Be sure you know your laws for where you are, and ask the people here for advice as well. Hopefully if you're in compliance with your local laws if you wind up in court the decision will be in your favor. Better still, hopefully you'll never have to deal with such issues!

I've actually seen at least one situation where one dog, being a breed the general public has labeled dangerous, actually failed in the protecting their owner experience, seemingly thinking the event was a about playing. I see this as a good thing when viewing it as a dog is what it's trained to be, and I don't fault the dog at all, but yeah, unfortunate outcome for the person. I suspect this was a special situation though, and I agree that most dogs of most breeds will stand ground and be willing to protect who and what is theirs. I've often wondered what such an experience for us may be and how my pal would react, but I feel pretty confident that people allow their own imaginations to see him as intimidating simply based on his appearance which will likely have a lot to do with people with bad ideas deciding to leave us alone.

I agree that most animals are in tune with us. For me that really is a great source of support. And the horses as well. I've no experience with them other than the rare hello, but my friend with the Labrador happens to also be a Whisperer teacher at one of the stables close to his home. Waiting lists for the classes and everything! I get to hear some amazing stories and I'm always envious wishing I could be experiencing the described events, but ah well. At one point, I got to hear the store of a couple of students who were watching the instructor from the bleachers who were laughing to the point that they were questioned as to what was so funny. My friend had recently got a leg injury and had a pronounced limp, and it seems my friend's Friesian stallion had been walking along side imitating the limp! I still laugh about that! It would have been so great to see! I'll definitely be asking for opinions on how the horses pick up on emotional states of handlers to get more of an idea of how sensitive they actually are. Pretty amazing that a tighter grip on a lead, but not making the lead itself tight, can be sensed by the horse!

I'm glad to have helped regarding the service assistant informations. I mentioned the Emotional Support Animal specifically because of the flying you do. I do not perceive a well behaved dog companion accompanying a person into public areas as a threat to the assistant companion team community. And it's very much a matter of fact for most people that we are much more emotionally stable when we have our best friends with us. Hopefully you can work your situation out to the benefit of both you and Puma.

Thanks, yes, Rorhin is a true friend. I tell him often how glad I am that he is here and how much he helps me. And I think he's getting a lot better about getting over previous experiences and becoming more confident, so that's really nice.

I'm looking forward to pictures and puppy tales! All of our best to you! Much Peace Trisha!

[Anubis]

Trisha,

Oh my...small world. I wasn't sure if you were the Trisha from Costa Rica getting a pup from Les! I'll have mine next year. Les said this litter is too much for me to handle. I like him for his honesty.

I got my Akita Hootie (a rescue) from this wonderful dog sanctuary and this amazing lady. Her name is Jill Sampson, her webiste is RDS Dawgs Sanctuary and this is the link

http://www.rdsdawgs.com/.

Her training method (for board) is that of respect, not of treats. She trains wolves (97%) and her wolf Ani is the most social and tolerant wolf I have met. I have left my dogs with her on several occasions, and she sent me pictures and pictures and pictures of what my babies were doing.

Hope she is a match for you.

[Anubis]

Trisha,

I forgot to add, this is my first DS...and just like you, the more I read, and people around me saying negative things about the DS (nervy like Mals, crazy biters, hard to handle, agressive) the more it gives me hesitation, so i have been following this thread, which is very helpful.

I am now an asst dog trainer trainee, and I believe that it all boils down to, aside from genetics, how the pup is nurtured by the owner. I have a fearful dog reactive Dobie, and he could rip your arm out from his jerking on the leash and hiding behind you in every new environment, and was always uncomfortable even if he is exposed to it 7 days a week (our front yard). With patience, perseverence, he is getting a lot better. We are able to walk parks, malls, streets, anywhere. I have to throw caution to the wind of my surroundings, making sure he trusts that I can protect him, that I am alpha.

With your plans for the pup, I am very confident that your baby will grow up very well rounded and social...and probably even outgoing, (coz I know Funky is.

Please post pics........