Puppy personalities, a Ukotto update
This is from back in November, an update from Ukotto’s owner (Ulfr “Steve’s” brother)
I’m super curious to know more about litters and their personalities. Ukotto is U-litter Hunter/Juno’s 1st and only litter thus far. Kotto’s personality is very very calm and perceptive he is always watching me. I haven’t scolded him but a few times and when I have he is super sensitive and sulks around me. He was protective from 9weeks old, guards the yard and the inner house but loves people and is super friendly. I’ve noticed that when walking him if someone seem suspicious he is very on guard. He isn’t super cuddly only in the early mornings. Loves loves water swimming playing but absolutely hates baths.
In this photo Ukotto would about a year old.
Aside from liking water and being cuddly in the morning, Steve could not have been more different of a puppy. As Carole says, a land shark. I worked so much with him…. so much energy and just wanting to be so naughty. I made sure he was always doing something or in some kind of command so he wouldn’t find trouble. I must have done well enough because now he really is the perfect dog. He kept getting better as he got older, but something about the eleven month old mark, he really started calming down and turning into a super awesome dog. Next time though I will take a calmer, easier puppy 🙂
Julie K! What??? A calmer, easier puppy next time around?
Now that you have all of this Steve-O Experience, go for one with gusto! 😉
You’ve done an excellent raising your little land shark.
Since blog posting is no longer in fashion, I can tell what I know about my girls and their sibs.
All of the Allie puppies have that same outstanding stable personality. Their motto is better the ask forgiveness that permission 🙂 They are super affectionate and will be clowns to make you laugh. They seem to be able to read you like no dog I have ever had. BEWARE, they are too smart for their own good-always thinking and watching.
Bailey kids are always ready for a good time. They have a strong work ethic. Get a good pair of running shoes when they are puppies so you can keep up with them. They also need to be kept busy and have a job. Ziva is a natual retriever, but I don’t know if any of the others, or Bailey herself is. They are not couch potatoes (ok, maybe for a half hour or so)
Both love water
Lisa, I think you summed up A-T dogs very well.
Each pup will have their own personality, but you will also see traits from the mother and/or father lines. Among other qualities, high on Julie’s list for the sire & dam is excellent temperament and intelligence. And the way Alta-Tollhaus pups are raised from day one also develops the outgoing traits that we have all grown to love.
Julie warned us ababout the personality of an Allie pup when the Y litter (Franco x Allie) was just two days old.
I didn’t really know what I was getting into then, but Fenris has lived up to every word of it.
The “forgiveness before permission” attitude, scary smarts, high level of expressiveness (Love to make you laugh, crushed to see you disappointed), and the love of work.
“Natural retriever” was also in that list, and though it took him a while to get there (somewhere in the neighborhood of two years), he fell into that as well.
True to the breed, Fenris isn’t everyone’s best friend but he loves his people. He tends to want to show his love with his mouthy-ness or by staying physically close; but only for just long enough so he can get back to guarding the space.
We call Fenris our tactical dog. He naturally finds the best spots to view windows and doors so he can alert immediately to any persons coming into the area. Partly protective, partly just in alert.
Funny enough, Fenris doesn’t care for the water as much as other AT dogs. I think part of that is a learned thing and exposure and Fenris didn’t get too much of the latter. He will reluctantly swims and prefers hoses and shallow puddles, mostly because he can drink from them.