# Rookie's Birthday TODAY!!



## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

He's ONE! Where does the time go?

We're having his party tomorrow.

Here's the video I shot yesterday: YouTube - rockhead261's Channel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROOKIE!!!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Happy birthday, Kiddo!

He looks great!


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## Grissom (Jan 7, 2010)

That was an awesome video. May I ask how you taught Rookie to "back up?" I'm trying to imagine what you had to do and I'm having trouble visualizing it. Would love to know so I can teach my new pup when I get him next week!!!!!


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## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

Grissom said:


> That was an awesome video. May I ask how you taught Rookie to "back up?" I'm trying to imagine what you had to do and I'm having trouble visualizing it. Would love to know so I can teach my new pup when I get him next week!!!!!


No problem. Watch the vid again. You will see that I give the "Back Up" command twice; he steps back the first time, then sort of ignores the second command. If you watch carefully you will see that I push straight back on his forehead while giving the command. Not too much pressure, just enough to move his big butt back .

I did this with Eich and it took quite some time for him to get it. When he finally did I could have him back up 10, 20 times. Rookie seems to be getting it faster. He's usually pretty good, better than in the video, but he tends to lose his mind when that Kong is in action!


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## Grissom (Jan 7, 2010)

Thank you so much! I will try it!!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Happy Birthday Rookie!!!

All of our puppies are getting so old now! First Shane, then Stark and now Rookie!!!

Where does the time go???

He is looking great, what a handsome fella!


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## Trina (Sep 11, 2009)

Happy Birthday, Rookie! You sure are a pretty boy. I love the way you ended the video with your close up.


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## Karin (Jan 4, 2008)

Happy belated birthday, Rookie! What a handsome and smart boy he is!

:birthday:


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## lovemybuddy (Oct 26, 2009)

Happy Birthday, Rookie!!!! Did you say you were having a birthday party for him? I'm such a bad pet owner, we had no party for the Bud man, not even cake. lol

Rookie is gorgeous. He and Buddy are very close in age ~ Bud's bday was the 18th. 

"Back" is one of my absolute favorite commands/tricks that I taught Buddy. We use it constantly with him. 

Happy, happy belated bday, Rookie!!!!


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

:birthday::birthday::birthday::birthday::birthday:


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## lovemybuddy (Oct 26, 2009)

Grissom said:


> That was an awesome video. May I ask how you taught Rookie to "back up?" I'm trying to imagine what you had to do and I'm having trouble visualizing it. Would love to know so I can teach my new pup when I get him next week!!!!!


Hope you don't mind me butting in here. The way I taught Buddy "back up" is I lured him between his cage and the wall with a treat, then I started walking towards him. This gave him no choice but to have to back up. I gave him a treat with his first step back, after he kind of got what I wanted him to do, I added the word "back" and I also added a hand gesture, too (just pointing straight ahead of me.) Now he'll back up to either the verbal command of "back" or to the hand gesture. I train him by clicker, so actually, the first step back that he took, I clicked and gave him a treat. But you can just say "good" and give a treat if you're not using the clicker.

It's my absolute favorite trick that Buddy does. It's so useful in so many situations. (Like if my boys want to hit a ball to him w/ a bat, it's much better if he backs away from them before they hit, for safety reasons 

Good luck!!!!!


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Happy belated Birthday Rookie! I love the very last part where his nose fills fill lens!


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