Sophia Belle

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:33 am

Hello to all,

I have learned that taking pics of a pup is no easy task. I really should post my first one taken - it is just a blur

I'll update it once the sun shines again.

Cary

Post by **Ayres** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:42 pm

Beautiful pup you got there! And no, I'm not biased.

llewgor · Post by **llewgor** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:36 pm

NICE LOOKING PUP, BIG PAWS THANKS FOR SHARING

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:03 am

thanks guys.... really enjoying the website.

Cary

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:15 pm

Nice looking pup. Most good looking pups are orange and white and slightly longer hair.

Ezzy

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:44 pm

thanks guys. It was a close choice between the Brit and a V. Lot of good memories hunting with a Brit.

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:32 pm

I agree. Both are nice dogs. Just had to pick on you a little.
Merry Christmas

Ezzy

Post by **pear** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:36 pm

Puppy??? Where was the puppy? All I saw was a set of Viszla paw's. Was there a puppy in that picture?.........

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:17 pm

Very cute puppy picture!! Good luck with his future training.
I look forward to seeing more pics and reading updates on how things are progressing in the future.

Mav....

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:02 am

thanks again for all the nice words.

Sophie is nearing 10 weeks and doing well. My goals for this time were to let her be a pup and to minimize issues like separation anxiety, noise anxiety, get her kennel and house trained and socialize her - I seem to be doing a decent job of it. I hope to do a dead bird intro soon.

I find she teaches me things about myself and enriches my life in ways I hadn't planned. For example, she will play alone for hours if I am keeping busy, so I do many positive things around the house I was normally too lazy to do before

Velcro dog? Yes. Clingy? No.

A quiet "no" works much better than a "NO!"

Mouthy breed? Gosh yes! She is coming around though.

A water squirt bottle is your friend. A few drops near her and she looks for something else to do.

Truly a beautiful dog. all who see her remark about it. My friend at work is a very good photographer and I hope to get pics that do her justice in the future.

thanks for letting me share... I'll update again in the future when the fun stuff starts happening.

Cary

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:38 pm

Cute pup even though it looks a little like a coon hound (just kidding--you too Steven). After all, not everyone should have a Setter.

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:20 pm

first pic looked like a pit bull... then a coon hound. I'll get it right yet

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:36 am

Sophie will be 12 weeks this thursday and doing well. House training is very good and no accidents in weeks. Socializing going OK due to winter weather, but her confidence grows even with the gray days. She does love the sunlight, hates rain, loves snow, still watches TV. I find myself looking at pigeons in a whole different light and I hope to get some soon. I am happily suprised at how she will leave me alone while I do work - not overly clingy. Zero separation anxiety. Vizsla mouthing is a ^%#%@!!, but I am finally seeing improvments in this, her only drawback so far.

snips · Post by **snips** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:50 pm

Perfect time to start her on a few quail. I like to start on quail better than pigeons..

dlfl · Post by **dlfl** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:04 pm

PIT...ERRRR A RED BON....AHHH GREAT PUP!!!

Not a Llewellen but just as great!

DL

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:57 am

thank you very much dlfl.

robin: hopefully this week I will get some quail when I look into a hunt club.

posts should start to get more exciting soon. I spent some time with Sophie's trainer (who is mostly teaching me) and I've made some positive changes in how I interact with the dog. She was eating rocks, dirt and sticks because I let her... bottom line. He also knows another trainer for the field aspect who shares his approach to training (positive only), so I am really looking forward to the future with her.

cary

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:41 pm

I decided to use a wing and then a dead bird to kick-start Sophie's prey drive. I showed her a live quail held in my hand and she showed much interest. She is not a big fan of flapping wings yet and I'll get her more used to that through some play. I did notice a change in her posture afterwards while in the field, with her tail being held much higher and a more determined look while searching around. Her nose was not a big factor in dealing with the wing or dead bird, but I did see her follow a scent back to the cage the quail was kept in (maybe it was my scent). She's thirteen weeks today, so I am happy with the way it is going. She retreived the wing to hand every time. It seems as though she does it before she even knows it or why.

Hunt club owner and his wife are just great and I look forward to spending time there. Best photo I could muster was the one above, with her holding a wing.

smilinicon · Post by **smilinicon** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:48 am

thought I would post a couple pics from my friend's studio.

I think the last one is my favorite... 'looking for birds'

nothing new to report. Still a pup and still coooold outside.

2/26/07 UPDATE

I figured I would edit instead of adding a reply and bumping the post to the top...

Happy to report I have some wild quail in one of my training areas. I am afraid I did a handing error and had to turn downwind in a prime area. A small covey of four birds took off two feet in front of me from some very dirty cornrows. Sophie had just turned into the wind and was about 10 feet away on the flush, she stopped to mark the sound of the flushing wings (birds were not in view). I consider it a small victory and a start. I also introduced the blank pistol while she was happy timing and she never blinked - took it just as well as al other noises I have been throwing at her. It was her longest happy timing trip yet and she is still full of energy

Gun Dog Forum

Sophia Belle

Sophia Belle

10 weeks

nearing 12 weeks

First feathers

some glamour shots