# Pip, how did you get to be so cute?



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I lurve him.


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## mydoghailey (Feb 23, 2011)

He is SO cute... and it looks so COLD!


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Heheh, it's actually fairly warm today, enough to be getting a bit of a thaw.


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## Allyfally (Mar 4, 2011)

He is just the most adorable thing EVER!! And I love the name Pip.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Allyfally said:


> He is just the most adorable thing EVER!! And I love the name Pip.


Thanks.  It was really just an obscure way to name him "Spot", which his coloring cries out for, as pips are the spots on dice.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I love Pip! He looks so soft and squishable. Does he have a single coat or double coat? His coat sort of reminds me of our Cavalier's coat. Almost.


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## jess4525 (Aug 27, 2009)

The first pic is my favorite! He looks like such a happy boy.


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

Um, easy... Years of practice 

(A little Ferris Bueller for ya)


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Michiyo-Fir said:


> I love Pip! He looks so soft and squishable. Does he have a single coat or double coat? His coat sort of reminds me of our Cavalier's coat. Almost.


Oh god you're asking the wrong person  but I think it's a single coat.


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## Mr Pooch (Jan 28, 2008)

so handsome!!


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

he is adorable! i really love the fluffy coat on the "tough" looking dog. super handsome.

the 3rd to last pictures is awesome. love how it looks like he is flying


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks everyone. 



ioreks_mom said:


> he is adorable! i really love the fluffy coat on the "tough" looking dog. super handsome.
> 
> the 3rd to last pictures is awesome. love how it looks like he is flying


Heheh. He has the most enthusiastic recall of any dog I've ever had. I love recalling him and snapping pictures as he approaches, he always ends up just looking hilariously awesome.


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

do you have any recall tricks?

i would totally call him back all day long and take pictures if they all turned out like that one


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

ioreks_mom said:


> do you have any recall tricks?
> 
> i would totally call him back all day long and take pictures if they all turned out like that one


Well, as much as I'd like to take credit I think a lot of it is just his personality. He doesn't like to get too far away and he often comes back to "check in" whether I call him or not. 

But it's funny, when we first got him he was very scared of the words "come" or "come here", we always figured someone must have called him to holler at him wherever he was before us. So a very nice trainer helped us be creative and we started out using a squeaky toy as his cue (and reward) for recall. Since then, he's been really really solid. I guess he just learned that recall is SUPER fun toy-time.  Eventually we transitioned to a whistle and then reintroduced "c'mere" for his verbal cue.


ETA: And yea, an inordinate amount of time has been spent at the dog park taking pictures of his recalls. Some of them are truly epic.


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

sassafras said:


> Well, as much as I'd like to take credit I think a lot of it is just his personality. He doesn't like to get too far away and he often comes back to "check in" whether I call him or not.
> 
> But it's funny, when we first got him he was very scared of the words "come" or "come here", we always figured someone must have called him to holler at him wherever he was before us. So a very nice trainer helped us be creative and we started out using a squeaky toy as his cue (and reward) for recall. Since then, he's been really really solid. I guess he just learned that recall is SUPER fun toy-time.  Eventually we transitioned to a whistle and then reintroduced "c'mere" for his verbal cue.
> 
> ...


thanks! i have been lax training recall with my boys. :redface: iorek was just such a challenge that we just got super long lines and left it at that. i am hoping that as he gets older we will be able to start the training again, once he calms down some. i am also going to follow the training in "control unleashed" so i am hoping that will help too. 

that is so sad that pip was scared of those commands  did you get him as an adult?


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## sandydj (Sep 27, 2010)

He is beautiful! What an interesting looking guy  I love his markings and his fur length!


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

ioreks_mom said:


> thanks! i have been lax training recall with my boys. :redface: iorek was just such a challenge that we just got super long lines and left it at that. i am hoping that as he gets older we will be able to start the training again, once he calms down some. i am also going to follow the training in "control unleashed" so i am hoping that will help too.
> 
> that is so sad that pip was scared of those commands  did you get him as an adult?


We got him when he was about 9 months old (he's 6 years now). He's definitely always been on the shy side, but nothing like when he first came home. He's come waaaay out of his shell compared to those days. 

The other thing I forgot to mention is that at the dog park, we did a lot of recall, treat/toy, and "go play". Like, constantly for awhile. So at a certain point I think he also realized he had nothing to lose and a lot to gain by doing something he kinda liked to do anyway.


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

sassafras said:


> We got him when he was about 9 months old (he's 6 years now). He's definitely always been on the shy side, but nothing like when he first came home. He's come waaaay out of his shell compared to those days.
> 
> *The other thing I forgot to mention is that at the dog park, we did a lot of recall, treat/toy, and "go play". Like, constantly for awhile. So at a certain point I think he also realized he had nothing to lose and a lot to gain by doing something he kinda liked to do anyway.*


this is my plan for this summer.  

iorek was 4.5 months old when we got him. he wasn't outside the door when we took him home. he had never seen anything outside so EVERYTHING outside was so much more exciting than the 2 scary strangers. it took a lot of work but we really helped him come out of his shell. we still have work to do with his anxiety/excitable-ness but he is so much better now than before.

sorry to take this off topic. 

do you know what mix pip is? he really is a very unique looking dog. very handsome! (i am repeating myself, but i can't help it! i really love how he looks!)


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

ioreks_mom said:


> sorry to take this off topic.


LOL A pox on you! I just HATE talking about my dog! 



> do you know what mix pip is? he really is a very unique looking dog. very handsome! (i am repeating myself, but i can't help it! i really love how he looks!)


We don't, but suspect some type of bully x something like a springer spaniel or english setter or some other hairy B&W breed. One day I was walking him and some guy we walked past said "WHOA! It's a hairy pit bull!" so now we often call him a hairy pit bull. And trust me, every second we're out in public with him we are almost constantly asked what he is, so we're used to it.


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## FlashTheRottwuggle (Dec 28, 2009)

In answer to your title question, Pip says "Some dogs are just born with it!" LOL

I love all your pics but the first one is just so awesome. Also the last one by the water makes Pip look so regal and handsome!


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

whatever the mix is, it is a good one!


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