Puppy Time

I’m writing this as Nasu is about to turn 11 months old. I brought Nasu from Denmark when she was an 8-week-old puppy. The trip home was, of course, long and exhausting, but Nasu slept soundly the whole way. However, Nasu developed a urinary infection during the trip, so before we even got home, we had to visit the vet. That little puppy period turned into a bit of a hassle, and the infection came back a couple of weeks after the first course of treatment. After that, Nasu ate cranberry powder for several months, and during or after that period, urinary problems didn’t appear again.

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Nasu blended into the pack as if she were a fish in water. At first, I was a bit confused about how different Nasu was compared to my other dogs. Nasu used, and still uses, her voice a lot. She doesn’t have the obligatory urge, often seen in kelpies, to climb into the lap of every person she meets, although she will do it if people fuss over her a lot.

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The first couple of months we spent together were full of getting used to each other and even a little bit of tension. There were a couple of times when I wondered what I had really brought home from Denmark. During those first months, Nasu barked at everything, real or imagined, with her hackles raised. I didn’t take any drastic actions, though; I just gave her time, understanding, and anticipation by not putting her in difficult situations. The issue was resolved very quickly, and before I knew it, Nasu was already quite confident in her surroundings, and the barking pretty much stopped around the six-month mark.

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If there’s one thing that has been clear from the start, it’s that Nasu is a born to be a tracking dog. I never even dared to hope for such a master in my wildest dreams. During her first season, Nasu tracked for miles and was introduced to even challenging tracks. I even had to seriously think about how to challenge her further. Building her motivation for stopping to sticks took time and will certainly be something we’ll need to reinforce throughout her career, as tracking is the best thing ever for Nasu. When she was just 10 months old, Nasu completed a trial-level, Class 3, objectsearch. With her skills in the field, it begs the question—could she be just as good in obedience? Yes. Nasu is such a force on the field that I don’t even believe I could spoil her. Her intense drive to perform everything has left me with bruises and torn pants, but to me, that’s the best part. Nasu is everything I’ve dreamed of and more. Plus, she’s incredibly cute.