DNA Panels

Emark results – 25% boxer, 21% lab, 19% pit bull terrier, 10% Weimaraner

Wisdompanel results – 25% Lab, 12.5% Boxer, 12.5% Weimaraner

Behaviors

In the event that some new humans need to interact with Amici we have compiled a list of things he knows to be true and regular.

Amici is most kind but sometimes clumsy. He uses paws while playing and his tail whip makes thunder and creates lightening.

Excessive licking of humans under protest is his character flaw. Stop (or at least deter) with a quick “shh” and lack of reaction.

Simple rules:
Dog toys get shredded
Keep away is the only game
Coyotes cause Mohawk hair
Eating is not necessary
Parmesan cheese makes eating necessary
There is always room on the couch
Shredding cardboard is a lifestyle not just a hobby
Sneaky licks happen

Dog lyfe:

Amici usually rings a bell we have by the door to let us know when he needs to go out. He usually gets a lawn visit around 10pm and stays inside until almost 7am. He sleeps on a dog bed most nights when we enforce the rules and insists on sleeping with the leader of the pack (his human mom) when we don’t.

Usually once a day he gets the rips

Dog to Dog interactions:

Amici is usually very submissive to new dogs. Like, make everyone feel sad for how sad he looks, submissive. Dogs with good posture are terrifying – I’m looking at you huskies. But he warms up.
He can annoy some otherwise sweet dogs into anger by licking their mouths to show them how much he doesn’t annoy them – this can be very annoying.
His favorite game is keep away. If another dog like to “keep things”, like a ball, it can turn into hip-checking problems as they try to keep away.

He can be dissuaded from a particular dog with “Leave it” – but some dogs he just really loves tragically.

Human to Dog interactions:

“Come on”, “This way”, “Amici Come”, or kneeling
This will make him come back. If he’s very far away but within sight, kneeling lets him know it’s time to come back.

“Leave it”
is a soft “no” and needs to be repeated to let him know “That cat doesn’t like you” or “if you keep licking that cut it’ll get worse”

Yesss (quick, short and loud)
Positive words for Amici are “good” “good boy” and “YESSSH”. If you want him to continue paying short-term attention to you, “gooooood” or “good boy” said slowly. “Yessh” is as good and as tasty as a dog treat. He will know he has done job and is no longer required to be great on demand.

“SHH” or “CHT”
Amici’s negative training cue is a quick “Shhh” like a choo-choo train that sneezed. This stands in place for “No”. This is important because a full grown daddy voiced “No” is way different than an 8 year old girl “No”. Consistency is clutch. It usually gets his attention from even far away.

“SHHHHHHHHHH” or “Easy easy easy“
We also have a submission cue to get him to stop and lie down now matter what is going on. A long hissing “SHHHHHHHHHH”. If ruff-housing get too rough, if he’s wrestling another dog, if he happened to get turkey leg or he’s chasing a cat if he hears a shhhh, he will roll over and wait.

As he is a very good dog, this is almost never needed and should be used sparingly.

Drop
He will “Drop” something in his mouth that you’d like him “to not to.”

Leave It
If he’s trying to take something from you (or vice versa) you can say “Leave it” – it is important to not move while saying leave it to enforce that you’re not playing.

Sit
Amici likes to sit, but he has added a clever flair of doing it as sloooowly as possible. The key is never give “More than one sit command” for “Less than one sit”

Down
Lay down on the ground as low and slow as possible. The “slow as possible” part is a complete Amici invention.

Heel
Amici will get close to the left side of a human.

Follow
Mostly, Amici likes to be in front of everyone, all the time. For short periods of time he can “follow”

Speak
This means a bark if he’s warmed up… a growl and sometimes a play-bow if he’s not warmed up.

Sing
You have to wait for it, but sign will some times get some really long howl like singing.