This post is part of our weekly series on raising our Vizsla puppy, Zooka.  You can use our posts as a guide to help raise your own puppy, regardless of breed. Keep in mind that different breeds might develop at different rates, so while you can do these things with any breed, your breed might need certain things at slightly different stages or ages.  Click here to see our list of all updates.

Notes from Week 28:

• Continue training
  • continuing with everything we've been doing so far
    • Name, Sit, Down, Stand, Sleep, Touch, Watch Me, Wait, Stay, LLW, Heel, Front, Swing, Finish, Come, Lift, Bring It, Drop It, Leave It, Chin, Kennel Up, Night Night, Back Up
• Continue group classes
  • started a new class with a new group of dogs
  • Juvenile Delinquents Class!
  • for now, I am putting him into whichever class I have space available
  • my goal is not so much WHAT we are working on in class
  • my main focus for him is learning to work in close proximity to other dogs and be able to stay focused
  • my other goal is to make sure ED is working with Zooka so I am not the only one!
• Continue walks on property trails
• Field trips
  • my Colorado Dog Trainers Network fall meeting
    • this is a half day meeting, so Zooka was with me from 10 am until nearly 2:30 pm
    • we met at the training facility of one of our members
    • we had a hands-on group activity from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
      • Zooka participated in this activity
      • our activity was consent-based handling (for vet visits, grooming, etc.)
      • my main goal with Zooka here was to have others handle him and work with him
    • the remainder of the meeting, he needed to hang out with me on his mat and NOT try to go play with the other dogs
    • his friend Stella (if you follow our weekly updates, you've seen several mentions of her under Play Dates)
      • they were SO HAPPY to see each other!
    • he also met a 14 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy who was not the least bit intimidated by Zooka
      • Zooka was very polite and appropriate with this much smaller much younger pup!
    • he was not allowed to interact with the other dogs there
      • some prefered their own personal space
      • others, I just wanted him to understand he does not get to greet every dog he sees
    • over all, he did an AWESOME job for six months old
    • I brought toys, chew items, etc. for him to help him self-entertain
    • I also worked with him on staying on his mat, focusing on me and just chilling out
    • a very long day for him and he was a trooper!
    • he did not poop out until about 1o minutes before we wrapped up
      • I had been hoping he would nap from about 1 pm on, but no such luck!
• Play Dates
  • male Aussie and female Border Collie/Aussie mix
    • they have played with Zooka several times before
    • this week's play date was out in our field – the 2nd one of theselots of running and playing
    • out here he gets a chance to really stretch his legs as much as he wants
    • but there are also more distractions, like bunnies!